Funding watch acquisitions via selling watches on eBay

It really depends on the watch, from what I understand, and that profit situation is the exception. The general consensus is that most are sold for less than what they paid.

That said, if you have some secret sauce where you've been able to make a profit on everything you sell, who are we to argue with your success?

Maybe I just got lucky then, as I haven't sold that many watches.

When I moved my Seiko SKX on I didn't understand at first why I got so much more for it than I paid. Then I discovered that it had recently been discontinued.

Yes , lots over the years!

You've done extremely well not to sell at a loss.

Not a great time to be selling at the moment unfortunately, as I've got maybe half a dozen I want to sell in order to upgrade.

Generally I prefer Facebook forums for buying & selling, better prices, tho does involve building a good reputation & a lot of trust. Done maybe 10 deals on there & all gone favourably

I'm nervous about selling my watches on eBay. I've heard so many horror stories here on WC about deceitful buyers, then eBay screws over the seller. I'd love to hear some best practices about selling watches on eBay to help ensure a smooth sale.

I'm not on social media.

As in many cases I always mention opportunity costs that are oftenly forgotten. The funds needed, work/time invested and risk of not selling according to plan with watches on Ebay vs. working part time job and thus getting the needed funds is what I would ask myself. Unless you plan to dump serious capital and time into this project it is probably better to get a part time job for extra funds.

Yea I do this regularly but it’s important to always list when 80 percent off fees is available. I often buy low wear and experience the watch then sell at little to no loss.

Don't post until you have the money, good clear pics and describe any scratches or faults. Easy!!

But watch out for fees if selling higher priced stuff.

I buy, sell, trade, repair, and now build my own watches. It’s a full time job and pays so good I still work another full time job to cover my expenses.

I always take a bath when I sell my watches. But they’re mostly Seiko and micros.

I’ve sold about 5 watches so far and made a profit on exactly one. It was a Sinn 656 and I made a whopping $75. The others were at least a 20 percent plus hit.

I love using eBay. Just bought an all original 6105 for a great price. You just got to know what to look for and do your homework. Same goes for selling.

I've never sold a watch but have bought plenty of used examples. Presentation is key and auctions can generate more money than even the most optimistic buy now. Never underestimate Friday night bidders taking it personally. (Speaking from experience)

If you sold at a profit, then you lucked out! As some others have mentioned, eBay can be a shady place for buyers AND sellers. Disclaimer: I bought most of my current collection on eBay but this was YEARS ago and I did my due diligence (I.e lots of research). A few years ago I sold a King Seiko on eBay and the buyer flaked out of paying. I tried to put in a negative review and eBay essentially removed to it so others sellers out there no longer have visibility. I figure this policy was driven by fear of losing users to other platforms, but it takes some of transparency out of it. My opinion has been for more expensive pieces (or highly faked ones) purchase/sell through a reputable dealer…anything else, try eBay but use caution

I think it would be fun to sell watches on ebay, and I've looked into it. But I can't see a way to make a profit. Maybe if I lived in NYC and could get over to 47th and haggle all day with the big dogs. But not from my remote small town.

Also on another note, once I bought a watch from this guy, and it was a flawless transaction

I do it all the time since I got into the watch hobby. Never had a trouble with a buyer, but then again I don't price my items really low like I would to sell them quickly. So I guess the weird buyers don't buy from me anyway since I'm never the cheapest seller. 😂

I also check a buyers profile rather carefully before accepting offers.

My watches are usually in at least a good condition, so I manage to get a little profit more often than a loss. I guess describing the signs of use like scratches in a detailed way makes the potential buyers trust me more than sellers who don't provide as many details or pictures.

Yeah, these are exactly the thoughts I've had regarding enjoying different watches but having some sort of system in place whereby I can move them on if and when the novelty wears off, or I spy another watch I would like to bring into the collection.

I don't think it's a reliable strategy unless you've purchased the watch for an absolute steal. The profit margins are tight once you factor in Ebay's fees / shipping etc. But it can be a fun way to trade watches without loosing too much of your initial investment.

I agree. On the other hand, I like to buy second hand watches online. I usually use my commute to search for “bargains” I clean them, enjoy them for a while, and sell/keep/give a way after a while. It’s true you normally don’t make money. But you get to try new watches every now and then. You get the dopamine rush from buying and opening packages. To actually make money you need to work with higher values, to smooth the impact of the fees and delivery

I’ve used Facebook and OfferUp to buy and sell a few and have had pretty good interactions so far. All have been local deals. Which I prefer. However, I have not made a profit on any of them. But I wasn’t expecting to. I did get fair prices though.

I’ve sold watches on eBay, Chrono 24, and Reddit. No issues so far. The problem with eBay are the charges. You’ll pay 15%+ in fees. Facebook Marketplace is increasing its fee to 10%. Chrono 24 is about 6%. Reddit is zero, but there is no guarantee the buyer/seller will honor the deals.

Agree, that is why I told OP that it would be smarter to work part time in order to fund for his watches. What you reffer to is completely diff beast altogether, more enjoying the process in your spare time and not worried by potential loss, maybe even earning something along the way.

15% that EBay takes is rough (in some states they take that percentage AFTER they charge the buyer tax, so it’s a bit higher. Be sure to use their shipping services as you’ll save a few bucks on shipping, but on a $100 watch, they’ll eat like $15-$18 of your profit and if you don’t calculate shipping right, you’ll be down 20% on the sale.

Private party (here or on Reddit) reduces that but the risk is selling to someone who says they never got it.

Good luck!!!