How to Buy or Sell a Watch on a Classified Site

Nowadays, almost everything can be bought online. Even luxury goods such as clothes, bags, and accessories are no stranger to this process. But as more and more people get comfortable with purchasing things online, online marketplaces can still be a daunting place to navigate. A plethora of risks present themselves in the process. However, the same dangers also apply to sellers of consumer goods within online marketplaces and classified sites. As collectors of designer items and fine pieces of jewellery such as watches look to downsize or reorganise their collections, they now turn to classified sites to sell their pre-loved items. But that’s not to say that they’re doing it without risks in mind. To sell anything online, it takes a ton of research, preparation, and of course, a bit of scepticism.

A lot of watch enthusiasts look into classified sites to find great deals on coveted watches — be it a vintage Cartier or a hard-to-get Rolex. And, believe it or not, even the tiniest detail helps you to be able to seal that deal. Any seller must provide all the necessary information needed to put the listing up and centre for vying patrons.

To keep yourself from making terrible mistakes on your future watch listing, we’ll be breaking down everything you need to know about selling your watch on classified sites. So, how do you keep yourself safe from all these risks and make the most out of a deal?

What is a classified site?

Classified sites have a long history when it comes to online buying and selling or goods and services. It’s a place where buyers and sellers meet for just about anything. The history of classified sites dates as far back as the Internet’s existence. People took advantage of the new technology not only to share information but also to exchange goods and services. Different people flock to these places — job seekers, employers, dealers, casual buyers, and people looking to find new friends all over the world. A classified site is a one-stop-shop for everything and anything you need.

Just like any online marketplace, a classified site has various categories you can browse different goods from. Name it, and you’ll most likely find it. Most sites include general categories such as computers and electronics, clothes and accessories, every type of vehicle, food, toys, and games, and even houses and furniture. These categories help buyers and sellers navigate where to look for a specific item or service with ease. But alongside these, you may also find job listings, communities, and forums.

Watches on Classified Sites

As classified sites expanded to an even bigger market, it also started catering to non-essentials such as luxury items, particularly watches. Usually found under the jewellery category, watches are on their way to having a whole category of their own. In fact, classified sites dedicated only to watches have been popping up left and right.

The watch community is a steady-growing one. But with the stark prices of timepieces, the easiest way to grow a collection is by scouring such sites with the intent of buying pre-loved authentic watches. After all, if one wants a Patek Philippe Nautilus, for example, purchasing one from a Patek Philippe store will only put them on a long waiting list that can take up to 10 years. To get your hands on a Patek Philippe timepiece, the easiest, almost more convenient way of purchasing one is through a classified site.

What can you find on classified sites?

As aforementioned, you can purchase just about anything on a classified site. Given that, even watches are no different from all the varied subcategories of timepieces to choose from. Firstly, you can find any brand you desire on a classified site — from Omega and Audemars Piguet to Seiko, Citizen, or even Mido. You may even find watches from microbrands that not everyone knows of.

You can also find different types of watches around these sites. You can spot great deals for an electronic watch such as a Hamilton Ventura, a manual-wound from Nomos Glashutte, an automatic from Tudor, or a quartz watch from Tissot. Even choices for analogue or digital watches from brands like Casio and Suunto flock classified sites. It’s an endless choice of any type of watch you like!

But more than that, it’s a wonderful place to find great deals for popular, discontinued, and vintage models. Classified sites at times hold the key to a coveted Rolex Sky-Dweller or Orient Power Reserve.

How to List a Watch

It’s quite easy to list a watch on a classified site. Firstly, gather all the information you can get on your watch such as key features to put on your listing. Then, when all that is ready, you may proceed to create the listing on your preferred classified site. Make sure you’ve done your research on which one will give you the best deals and protects your safety as much as it protects the buyer.

Open an account on your preferred classified site and provide the necessary information before making a listing. Pick a category of your choice. Watches are usually posted under the jewellery category, but other sites have a category reserved just for timepieces. After that, you’ll mostly be prompted to provide additional information such as a post title that’s catchy enough to stop a prospective buyer from scrolling, price, and description including the watch’s make and model, dimensions, and even its model number. Most classified sites require a specific location for the listing for an optimised viewing and streamlined search, especially for buyers.

How to Sell Watches on Watch Shopping

If you take a quick trip on watch forums, you’ll find that most enthusiasts refer to specialised classified sites that focus only on selling watches and related accessories. If you want a more refined search, then you should head on to sites like Watch Shopping. The purpose of these sites is to make watch-buying more efficient and safe for both buyers and sellers. Unlike other classified sites, sites like Watch Shopping doesn’t allow instant postings and filters genuine sellers and buyers for better and legitimate transactions.

To sell a watch on Watch Shopping, simply follow the following steps. Fill up a form provided by the site and include as much information as possible to help auditors assess the timepiece with great scrutiny. It also helps them make an accurate and reasonable quote on the watch’s price. Some of the necessary information includes the watch’s brand, model, or series name, model number, purchase date, and condition. You’ll also be asked to provide high-quality photos.

Once done, submit your form and a representative will get in touch with you on how to proceed with the sale with information on the quote and shipping. Usually, the site itself handles and pays for the shipping of the timepiece so you won’t have to worry about the details. Once they receive the watch, they’ll assess the watch once again and get in touch with the watch’s final value. If you decide to push through with the sale, then you’ll have the choice to use the balance as a credit to purchase a different timepiece of your choice!

For instance, if you want to sell a TAG Heuer Carrera on Watch Shopping, simply fill the form with the necessary information. Pick Tag Heuer on the drop-down list of watch brands then write “Carrera” on the model or series name box. Provide the model number and indicate whether or not you still have the original box and papers. You must also provide the date of purchase and where you bought the timepiece from. While the date of the purchase says a lot about the final value of the timepiece, the condition of the watch still holds heavier value than any other information. After all, a well-maintained watch sells better than a battered timepiece. Provide high-quality photos and you’re good to go!

You may also do the same for other watch brands and models. Whether it’s a Panerai Radiomir or a Longines HydroConquest, you’ll be sure to find an accurate quote for your beloved timepiece.

Guidelines for Buying and Selling Watches on a Classified Site

Buying and selling anything online poses a lot of risks, especially with luxury goods. There are a bunch of counterfeits and knockoffs in the market that anyone easily mistakes for an original. Technology these days makes it harder to pick the two apart. Meanwhile, certain buyers might rip off unsuspecting sellers who might be in desperate need to unload a certain part of their collection. To keep yourself safe from fraudulent deals, here are some guidelines you must keep in mind.

1. Initiate a stable communication system.

Make an effort to start a stable communication system that’s secure for both parties. Whether it’s via email or phone, make sure that this communication system is constant and reliable. With this, you should be able to communicate everything with the other party swiftly and, if possible, instantly. Any changes in important information such as shipping, payment, and even the watch’s condition should be communicated properly to avoid any hassle or confusion that could lead to a dissatisfactory transaction.

2. Always meet the other party with a friend.

Whenever you’re making a transaction that requires a meet-up, make sure that you’re accompanied by a friend. Whether you’re the seller or buyer, a witness will not only help keep you safe from any dangers but also make sure that the transaction runs smoothly. In the event of any turmoil or confusion, that friend may bear witness and help resolve the issue swiftly. It would also be great if the friend accompanying you know about the watch you’re buying or selling to have a third-party perspective on the situation.

3. Set up a safe and mutual location for meet-ups.

A lot of watch sellers and buyers have designated locations for meet-ups that are of neutral territory. Picking the right one is key to the overall safety of both parties, not only from scams but also from the environment, especially that you’re about to make a very expensive transaction. Usually, transactions like this are done in watch shops.

4. Double check on the final details of the transaction.

Before proceeding with the transaction, whether it’s a meet-up or an online transaction, make sure that both parties agreed on all the aspects of it. From the exact price, location of meet-up or courier (if it’s being shipped), to the final condition of the watch, make sure that all of these details are final and well understood by both parties. Confusions on the day of the exchange can cause quite a trouble, not only for the buyer but also the seller. If you can bring documentation of the final price and condition agreed on, then all the better.

5. Document everything.

With that said, document every exchange between you and the other party. If you’re the buyer, make sure that you have all the information needed and that you’re not up for any hidden charges. Make sure that the person you’re buying from is a legitimate individual with good credentials. If you’re a seller, make sure that you take note of everything that your buyer agrees and disagrees with. Also, see to it that you end up with one common decision for everything, to avoid any hassle in the future.

Guidelines for Watch Buyers

While these are just general guidelines, here are some specific codes to adhere to as a buyer.

1. Always check the authenticity of the watch.

We know that it can get exciting especially if you came across a vintage Vacheron Constantin watch on a website. Sometimes, you just want to get in there and covet the watch of your dreams. But always think twice about the authenticity. Ask for necessary papers and ask an expert or around forums about a watch’s authenticity before proceeding with a purchase.

After all, if you’re looking for a 70,000 USD Patek Philippe Grand Complication, you’ll want to make sure that you’re buying the real one. You can’t take back that amount of money in a snap.

However, if you’re buying from a shop known for selling authentic high-end watches, then you’ll most likely be in a safe space. Finding a shop as such can put you at ease and make transactions faster and easier than other classified sites.

2. Get your purchased watch verified on the spot.

A lot of people can get away with this part of the transaction. If ever you’re meeting up with a seller in a watch shop, make sure to have the watch authenticated while the seller is still with you. An exchange can be so quick that you won’t have time to authenticate a timepiece and belatedly find out that you’ve just purchased a counterfeit. To avoid this, ask the seller to stay while the watch is being authenticated. This way, you’ll be more at ease!

Guidelines for Watch Sellers

Sellers must follow certain guidelines to veer away from frauds just as buyers do. So, to keep yourself safe from any fraudulent transaction, keep these in mind.

1. Only allow instantly verified payment methods.

Dishing out more than 10,000 USD is not easy, just as it’s not easy to lose a 12,000 USD Bulgari Octo. To guarantee that a payment method is legitimate, make sure that it can easily be verified. Cheques are the easiest way to be defrauded given that it can bounce without you knowing until you attempt to deposit it to your account or encash it.

If possible, only receive cash payments, especially if it’s a meet-up. Recount the payment as many times as possible if need be. If you’re doing a digital transaction, cryptocurrency is a quick and easy mode of payment that’s also secure and legitimate.

2. Meet the buyer at a secure place.

As aforementioned, make sure that you’re in a neutral territory where the buyer can’t get away with the watch while it’s being inspected. Especially if the payment has not been handed over yet, make sure that the buyer won’t be able to get away with your watch.

3. Check the shop’s ratings and reviews.

If you’re planning on selling your watch on a site such as Watch Shopping, you’ll be in good hands. With that said, always check the shop’s Yelp or TrustPilot reviews to make sure that you’re leaving your timepiece in good hands.

Why You Should Sell on Watch Shopping

There are many reasons why you should sell your beloved timepiece on a professional site such as Watchshopping. These companies have been in the business long enough to understand and put the buyer’s and seller’s best interest first. Particularly for sellers, letting a timepiece go can be quite a challenge when you’re on sites like Craigslist as there would be a lot of fraudulent offers that may only put your efforts to waste.

With sites like Watch Shopping, you’ll surely need no meet-ups and therefore not risk any physical or environmental harm. They also make sure that the buyers are just as legitimate as the sellers, making it easier for the seller to unload a part of a collection. All the information necessary for an exchange can be found on the site so you can finish the transaction with ease. Not to mention, sites as such already have a loyal set of clientele that are always on the lookout for the best timepieces.

There are many reviews that can be spam or fabricated just so the rating of the shop gets improved without anyone knowing that they’re selling counterfeits or pooling a fake clientele. To keep you safe from such vile practice, turn to trusted rating sites such as Yelp and TrustPilot. These sites filter out spam and unverified reviews that may only be placed there to bait unsuspecting buyers and sellers.

It’s also important to remember that these sites have their own help centres that are available to chat and communicate with. Watch Shopping knows how daunting it can be to entrust a high-end timepiece to a stranger to sell them, but the site provides an open and easy communication line that will help you sleep well at night.

Sites like these also give the seller an option to trade the timepiece instead of simply selling them. Some of us sell our watches not just to earn money but to buy a different timepiece that could refine our collection even better. In the event that you’re looking for a timepiece that would complete your collection, sites like Watch Shopping allow for a trade instead. This makes for a swift exchange without the hassle and stress of finding an authentic timepiece elsewhere!

Perhaps the most important part of any agreement, the return and exchange policy of these sites is always in favour of the buyer and the seller. With very few exceptions such as sales or promos, returns, exchanges and refunds make any transaction 10 times better.

Final Thoughts

The reason classified sites are on the rise is not only because of the developing technology but also due to the utmost convenience it offers. After all, these sites give an easy platform for people who don’t have all the means to sell their watches elsewhere. But as a seller or a buyer, it’s not always a safe haven to make transactions.

Sure, it’s quite convenient to just make a deal online, but meet-ups also have its advantages. And just as it does, both means have their own disadvantages. The Internet can be quite a dangerous place for people who are not careful enough. That’s why proper and enough research can be of great help when it comes to online transactions. Make sure you’re on a reliable site and dealing with legitimate people. Take every information you get with a grain of salt. But most importantly, don’t settle for anything that has a bad ring to it. When in doubt, don’t push through. There are a lot of people who will be willing to purchase your timepiece with better intentions.

Preferred sites such as Watchshopping can be of great help in protecting you as a seller. They have all the authenticating measures as well as a distinct means of indicating a watch’s value. These sites also have options to keep your best interests in mind.

Don’t risk losing a great timepiece or a ton of money just for the sake of ending a transaction. With all the deals you’ll find online, always make sure you’re buying an authentic timepiece; because at the end of the day, you may not save 50% if the watch is fake.