eBay Authentication

I think eBay Authentication is a cool idea but are there concerns that they could get it wrong? I mean, I get that the risk is always present as I've read that some ADs can miss the mark, too, but, for all intents and purposes, should I assume that the authentication is accurate? 

And I'll add that I'm not overly concerned about it but just wondering about the opinions of you folks with far more experience than me. 

Thanks.

Reply
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There is always recourse

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Hey there!  Yeah, I suppose that they could get it wrong.  I mean, let's say you took the watch in to a professional authentication service (and I think I remember another member saying that eBay uses so-and-so professional authentication service) - could that service get it wrong?  Sure.  But, unlikely to do so, yeah? 

  • Imagine you took a watch in to a local watchmaker.  That particular watchmaker has a brand and a reputation to maintain.  If they get it wrong, it looks bad for them.  But, honestly, who's gonna find out?  I mean, you might tell a few of your friends.  You'll complain to your wife.  But, what's the fall out?  I once had a mom and pop jeweler completely f*ck up the bracelet on my GS SLGH005 White Birch, when I went in to have it re-sized!  All they had to do was take out a few links.  Instead, they totally stripped a bunch of screws, lost the screws and bars...  yadda, yadda, yadda.  Had to buy a new bracelet for $700.  I went into the jeweler, and they apologized...  and that's it.  "Sorry we f*ucked up your watch.  Uh...  wanna buy a gold bracelet?"  What could I do?  I wrote up a 1-star Yelp review, which maybe 5 people have read?
  • You know, small businesses...  they don't really care that much, right?  I mean, the local dry cleaner can chew up my sweater, and they'll just say, "Hey, we'll give you $5 for your troubles."  That's why we like to buy stuff from big multi-national conglomerates.  In spite of all the nostalgia for "a simpler time" and the romance of "buy local," the reality is that "revealed preference" shows that doing business with small businesses is often horrible - which is why big business keeps getting bigger and why mom and pops continue to go out of business
  • Now, back to eBay.  This authentication service has eBay as a massive enterprise customer.  By far and away eBay is their largest, most profitable customer EVER.  If they get it wrong, you'll blame eBay, 'cause you don't know the name of the particular service.  It's all branded eBay.  If they screw up your authentication, the product manager in charge of the program at eBay will get lots of emails, and he'll have to deal with the reputational damage to eBay, and he'll get called out in the weekly review meeting, where some Senior Director will say, "Jones, I see that there's been an incident this week in social media, where a gentleman by the name of Lil Baby attended the Met Gala, wearing a Patek Philippe purchased through our authentication program, and it turns out that Patek was a Chinese super rep!  He's currently got 1M views on his post, claiming that we have defrauded him.  Jones, I know you have a 3 month-old baby that needs heart surgery, but you're fired as of immediately.  Security will escort you out of the building"  
  • If things get bad enough, the Senior Director may end the contract with the authentication service!  So, EVERYONE is incentivized to get the authentication right!  The eBay brand and reputation are intangible assets worth billions upon billions of dollars.  As such, eBay is going to really go out of its way to ensure that it doesn't get damaged, and they'll ride their "partners" and employees hard to make darn sure of it!

From first principles, we can deduce that the eBay Authentication Program is going to be a pretty tightly run ship.  My own experience using it is that it's reliable.  

YMMV  😜

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Mr.Dee.Bater

Hey there!  Yeah, I suppose that they could get it wrong.  I mean, let's say you took the watch in to a professional authentication service (and I think I remember another member saying that eBay uses so-and-so professional authentication service) - could that service get it wrong?  Sure.  But, unlikely to do so, yeah? 

  • Imagine you took a watch in to a local watchmaker.  That particular watchmaker has a brand and a reputation to maintain.  If they get it wrong, it looks bad for them.  But, honestly, who's gonna find out?  I mean, you might tell a few of your friends.  You'll complain to your wife.  But, what's the fall out?  I once had a mom and pop jeweler completely f*ck up the bracelet on my GS SLGH005 White Birch, when I went in to have it re-sized!  All they had to do was take out a few links.  Instead, they totally stripped a bunch of screws, lost the screws and bars...  yadda, yadda, yadda.  Had to buy a new bracelet for $700.  I went into the jeweler, and they apologized...  and that's it.  "Sorry we f*ucked up your watch.  Uh...  wanna buy a gold bracelet?"  What could I do?  I wrote up a 1-star Yelp review, which maybe 5 people have read?
  • You know, small businesses...  they don't really care that much, right?  I mean, the local dry cleaner can chew up my sweater, and they'll just say, "Hey, we'll give you $5 for your troubles."  That's why we like to buy stuff from big multi-national conglomerates.  In spite of all the nostalgia for "a simpler time" and the romance of "buy local," the reality is that "revealed preference" shows that doing business with small businesses is often horrible - which is why big business keeps getting bigger and why mom and pops continue to go out of business
  • Now, back to eBay.  This authentication service has eBay as a massive enterprise customer.  By far and away eBay is their largest, most profitable customer EVER.  If they get it wrong, you'll blame eBay, 'cause you don't know the name of the particular service.  It's all branded eBay.  If they screw up your authentication, the product manager in charge of the program at eBay will get lots of emails, and he'll have to deal with the reputational damage to eBay, and he'll get called out in the weekly review meeting, where some Senior Director will say, "Jones, I see that there's been an incident this week in social media, where a gentleman by the name of Lil Baby attended the Met Gala, wearing a Patek Philippe purchased through our authentication program, and it turns out that Patek was a Chinese super rep!  He's currently got 1M views on his post, claiming that we have defrauded him.  Jones, I know you have a 3 month-old baby that needs heart surgery, but you're fired as of immediately.  Security will escort you out of the building"  
  • If things get bad enough, the Senior Director may end the contract with the authentication service!  So, EVERYONE is incentivized to get the authentication right!  The eBay brand and reputation are intangible assets worth billions upon billions of dollars.  As such, eBay is going to really go out of its way to ensure that it doesn't get damaged, and they'll ride their "partners" and employees hard to make darn sure of it!

From first principles, we can deduce that the eBay Authentication Program is going to be a pretty tightly run ship.  My own experience using it is that it's reliable.  

YMMV  😜

Thanks. That's more or less what I figured but wasn't sure how much it really meant to them to get it right. And I hope they keep up the good work so that Jones' 3-month old baby gets its heart surgery.

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Check out the Scottish Watches podcast, episode #408. Couple of the folk from eBay talk in depth about it. Very interesting. 

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I've seen some discussion on this from people way more knowledgeable than I am. The consensus seemed to be that the program would be useful to root out watches that are counterfeit. However not "Franken Watches". Watches with parts from other watches and not correct to the model would still be labeled "authentic"   

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I popped into my local watch place I use which also sells pre loved watches ,he was telling me his company was used by eBay at the start as part of the trial ,he has 2 ex Rolex employees so I would think they know what they are doing, trouble is unless you send it directly to the manufacturer for a service straight away you have to trust companies 

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I think the authentication likely ensures your Rolex is real, but I wouldn’t trust it to be completely accurate. Not sure what the parameters or promises are made regarding the authentication, but always worth getting it checked out by a another trusted source if you can.

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In my experience they seem to be pretty good. I bought a used Rolex that they flagged because the stainless steel buckle on the crocodile band was not original. It allowed me to negotiate a lower price on the watch with the seller.

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I have noticed that some listings fall just short of the threshold for authentication. I wonder why they would do that?

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TimeCop

Check out the Scottish Watches podcast, episode #408. Couple of the folk from eBay talk in depth about it. Very interesting. 

Made it through most of the episode on the commute home - great advice to check it out. Thanks!

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Those are great points. Thanks for your insight.

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For anyone who may not be aware, the authentication is provided by Stoll & Co.

https://pages.ebay.com/authenticity-guarantee-watches/

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WatchCrazy

In my experience they seem to be pretty good. I bought a used Rolex that they flagged because the stainless steel buckle on the crocodile band was not original. It allowed me to negotiate a lower price on the watch with the seller.

Very interesting! I’ve used it a few times as buyer and seller and it’s been fine - but I was wondering if little details like this would get flagged..

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Stainless steel Rolex buckles were made by various companies especially back in the late 50s and 60s. So they may have been ereing on the side of caution. But then again there are also a slew of new stainless steel buckles marked with the Rolex distinctions that can be determined as to originality and I think this was so in my case.