Looking to sell one of my watches. Where do folks feel the most secure site is? Thru this site with PayPal acting to guarantee payment as well as authenticity to buyer? Chrono24 with their escrow, albeit with their 6%? Ebay with their guarantees?
+1 for right here on OF, but there is a very limited universe of buyers. I have sold a number of watches on Chrono24. So far, all very smooth transactions with no problems.
I was thinking of running some test eBay auctions for some non omega stuff. (so I can purchase more omega, and chronograph cases and parts.) Then I look at what the items I would be downsizing are selling for, Or even selling at all, which seems like such would be more trouble than it's worth. Then there is the question of does one sell per item, or would it be better to sell as a boxed lot? Somehow I seemed to have bread quite a few pre-acutron Bulova parts, Then there is the box of cylinder movement. What does one do with a box of elgin staffs? -j
Funny thing. Well not SOO funny. The last 3 watches I have sold, sold on eBay at above what I was asking for them on various forums. I am thinking 'WTF...". Even with the fees it's about the same. I think purchasers today believe that a known eCommerce website offers a surety that the forums do not. I'd be interested to hear other's thoughts, as I would have rather given a deal on the forums vs eBay...
OF is a good site, but depends greatly on the watch. Speedmasters and Seamasters....great. Richard Milles, Patek Philippes....not so much. C24 is good, don't get hung up on the fees, you are paying for their service and world wide coverage. I've bought a lot on ebay with never a problem, but wouldn't sell on them with their current setup, they protect the buyer but not the seller.
I've had very good success buying and selling on eBay. But you have to do your own leg work, check references of buyers and sellers, Study the actual prices that parts or watches have sold for, not just asking prices. And don't put all your eggs in one basket...consider the forums, other online market places, even dealers that you know...many will take your watch on consignment I've bought parts, usually from forum members that I've gotten to know over the years...and a few times on eBay. Develop relationships and let your friends know when you are selling or looking for something...you can find wonderful things that way.
The universe might be bigger than it appears, if you consider that listings get picked up by sites like Watch Recon. Listings here could still catch the attention of non-members, although seller beware.
As juducote says, let the seller beware. And as I'm sure you know, some buyers are looking for a watch to resell, so don't expect them to pay your asking price (unless it is wholesale.) As for the collector who is buying, it is also logical that they will want to dicker on the price as well. They don't buy watches just to give away their money...they want to feel a certain price/value protection. So wherever you try to sell, get a good understanding of what watches just like yours are selling for...not asking price but actual sales price. Ebay is a good place to do this research. On the left hand side of the page, down past the middle, is a link to completed auctions (you don't want those) and sold items (that's the one you want.) You can study the watches' condition and compare prices. You may or may not like what you see, but that is the market. I would then list my watch in many forums and on online markets...including eBay and Chrono 24.
Yup, happened to me. Although it was a member that is essentially inactive. Perfectly solid refs, though.