Selling a watch

[Mothersruin]

Bit of a eureka moment just now realising we have a couple of watches that we never wear and could liquidate - they both appear to list used for around £2-2.5k each from places like Watchfinder and around £500 less on ebay etc...

I fully understand that these are listed prices and not prices paid.

If a recognised used retailer is listing at XXX, what sort of percentage less/profit margin accepted will they have bought at, what could I expect to realise? Both have boxes & papers, normal condition, nothing a quick proper polish wouldn't have them back looking like new.

eBay easier to watch and see what happens then it's 10% in fees.

Really just want the easiest option and if that's a few hundred quid less than the other way, not fussed.

Thanks in advance.

[lostkiwi]

For eBay you can filter on completed items to see selling prices.

[Brads67]

Watchfinder will expect to pay you around half their value on a 4k watch.

They have turned into the worst watch dealer to deal with in the UK.

Try Edinburgh Watch company or other smaller independent dealers.

Ebay is a dreamers playground when it comes to watches.

What are they ? you might sell them on here easier.

[jules_s]

Brads67 said:

Watchfinder will expect to pay you around half their value on a 4k watch.

They offered me a pretty good deal on a trade recently tbh

[Wilmslowboy]

Profit margins are about 33% of the retail price, so a watch for sale at £2k will be bought in at around, £1,350
(that assumes no prep required)



When I sold my GMT II - a few months before the prices skyrocketed

Similar watches were on Chron24/ watch finder at £5k and I was getting trade bids at around £3k to £3.5k (at best)

I popped an add up on PH, had a few offers at between £3,250 and £3,750

Gave it to the local jeweller, he sold it (£5k min), in 6 weeks and gave me £4k back.

[OGR4M]

Watchfinder have recently offered me a rather insulting £1,500 on my 2-month-old Tudor Bronze, I know I’m going to make a loss on it, but that’s nearly half price...

eBay seems a likely bet, but only when they have one of their £1 final fee offers (which they usually post once a month or so), otherwise it’s madness in costs - I can’t comment on other smaller traders, but I’m probably going to try them soon if eBay doesn’t work out for me.

[Mothersruin]

Thank all - food for thought

[bristolbaron]

OGR4M said:

Watchfinder have recently offered me a rather insulting £1,500 on my 2-month-old Tudor Bronze, I know I’m going to make a loss on it, but that’s nearly half price...

eBay seems a likely bet, but only when they have one of their £1 final fee offers (which they usually post once a month or so), otherwise it’s madness in costs - I can’t comment on other smaller traders, but I’m probably going to try them soon if eBay doesn’t work out for me.

Retailers can buy new watches direct from the manufacturers at around 60%, if you’re getting near that you’re doing alright, unless they sell at a premium second hand?

[thebraketester]

OGR4M said:

Watchfinder have recently offered me a rather insulting £1,500 on my 2-month-old Tudor Bronze, I know I’m going to make a loss on it, but that’s nearly half price...

eBay seems a likely bet, but only when they have one of their £1 final fee offers (which they usually post once a month or so), otherwise it’s madness in costs - I can’t comment on other smaller traders, but I’m probably going to try them soon if eBay doesn’t work out for me.

Makes spending the extra £££ and buying a Rolex suddenly seem like an incredibly good idea.

[lostkiwi]

thebraketester said:

OGR4M said:

Watchfinder have recently offered me a rather insulting £1,500 on my 2-month-old Tudor Bronze, I know I’m going to make a loss on it, but that’s nearly half price...

eBay seems a likely bet, but only when they have one of their £1 final fee offers (which they usually post once a month or so), otherwise it’s madness in costs - I can’t comment on other smaller traders, but I’m probably going to try them soon if eBay doesn’t work out for me.

Makes spending the extra £££ and buying a Rolex suddenly seem like an incredibly good idea.

Only if:
1. You want to play that ridiculous pay over the odds second hand/waiting list new game.
2. You plan to sell it.
3. You like the styling
4. You like the image.

[richthebike]

EBay has always worked well for me.
Everything from £60 to £4000

As above, wait for a 1 pound final value fee.

[OGR4M]

thebraketester said:

Makes spending the extra £££ and buying a Rolex suddenly seem like an incredibly good idea.

I was going to do the whole ‘don’t just buy a Rolex to make money’ argument, but I take quite a level of comfort knowing that my sub has made a little bit of profit if I ever needed to get some cash.

I still wouldn’t buy a watch based on its future value, but I’ll admit that my next watch, once I shift the Tudor, will very likely be a rolex...

[Mothersruin]

richthebike said:

EBay has always worked well for me.
Everything from £60 to £4000

As above, wait for a 1 pound final value fee.

Silly question, and I shall have a google too, is that valid on the day you put it up, or for the day you sell it?

[OGR4M]

Mothersruin said:

Silly question, and I shall have a google too, is that valid on the day you put it up, or for the day you sell it?

When you visit eBay they display a £1 final value offer (which they have on now, until midnight Monday) activate the offer by signing in on the link - then you have until the expiry to list an item or items.

The offer is valid for all items whose listings start when the offer is live

[Mothersruin]

Ta.

[Motorsport3]

richthebike said:

EBay has always worked well for me.
Everything from £60 to £4000

As above, wait for a 1 pound final value fee.

+1 on the £1deal sale otherwise it is indeed very high. Also i have found that is worth setting auto replies on offers as some of them are just ridiculous.

Advertising here is also not bad since it is free, but not sure about the level of attention. I've tried pistonheads on cars, motorcycles, watches and parts/private plates. Cars is the main category that people really browse here.

[Mothersruin]

Testing the water with one of the watches on eBay now - already got a good level of attention so should be fine.

Already had to deal with a scammer - will pay full price if you can send to the US, can't do it through eBay as my PayPal account isn't linked etc... Please send me your PayPal details for me to pay... bye.

[Motorsport3]

Mothersruin said:

Testing the water with one of the watches on eBay now - already got a good level of attention so should be fine.

Already had to deal with a scammer - will pay full price if you can send to the US, can't do it through eBay as my PayPal account isn't linked etc... Please send me your PayPal details for me to pay... bye.

They are a lot of those on ebay. If they don't make an offer through the system that if accepted is followed with a payment I ignore them.

[OGR4M]

Motorsport3 said:

Mothersruin said:

Testing the water with one of the watches on eBay now - already got a good level of attention so should be fine.

Already had to deal with a scammer - will pay full price if you can send to the US, can't do it through eBay as my PayPal account isn't linked etc... Please send me your PayPal details for me to pay... bye.

They are a lot of those on ebay. If they don't make an offer through the system that if accepted is followed with a payment I ignore them.

That’s happened to me just this week with my Tudor Bronze on the popular internet auction site - very nearly got sucked in until the ‘buyer’ sent a really suspicious message... if it sounds too good to be true etc etc

[A common lawyer]

Forgive a slight hijack of the thread, also looking to shift something. What's current wisdom on selling without papers? Price takes a hit, or just impossible? It's a Planet Ocean, I have the bracelet and the black deployant. Box and papers all left behind during divorce, no particular desire to go asking for them, happy to take a hit on price. Any ideas?