Do you trust eBay authenticity guarantee (EAG)?
This morning I read a post regarding buying watches online, and a few people commented that they would not do so via eBay.
At certain price points (below £1500) I agree with the scepticism to a point.
Last year I attempted to buy a 'Mission to Neptune' from a seller, and whilst I anticipated the watch might not be genuine I was satisfied that eBay and Paypal would protect me if the watch was fake. What actually happened was far worse!
When the package arrived I instantly knew that it felt too light, and I recorded the unboxing. I received a box of pakaging and a single piece of lego! It took a couple of weeks, but I did get a full refund and learned a valuable lesson.
More recently, I have had 2 first hand experiences of 'Luxury' watch purchases on eBay, where the Authenticity Guarantee has been an amazing service, and one that I can recommend.
The first instance was in the summer when my Brother advised me that he was trying to source a Tag Heuer Aquaracer with Green dial and Bezel (Hulk?) that was discontinued. I found one on eBay for him, and he managed to get the price down below his budget, and bought it after I had explained the benefits of the EAG and the FREE protection it afforded him.
Unfortunately, that watch was authenticated and turned out to be a fake, so the money was refunded and the watch was returned and the seller has vanished (unsure if they closed their account or if eBay removed them).
Last month I had a quick look on eBay for a Tudor P01, and was amazed to find an unworn example for roughly the same price as a used one. Fully stickered, box, papers the lot!
Having seen the EAG prevent my brother from being ripped off, I decided to purchase the watch. It was sent for authentication, passed and delivered next day secure delivery within 3 working days. The watch was exactly as described and authenticated and I didn't pay a single penny on top of the purchase price.
So, if anyone is unsure if buying from eBay is safe, I can personally say that it is! I hope that helps someone to feel brave enough to snap up their dream watch at a great price.
My name is Dave and I live in Oxfordshire, UK.
Bought the vast majority of my watches from eBay over the last 20 years & it's definitely my preferred buying place.
Most expensive purchase was my Seamaster 300, my Grail since it came out in 2014. I got it for £3500 & had it serviced by Omega - I've had it 3 years .
I could go on, Aqua Terra £1300, Willard £500...
No problems with eBay at all 🤑🖖🏻
I am glad that both incidents worked out for you and your brother. What you wrote make me feel better on buying luxury watches from eBay. Thanks for these stories.
Ken
How long does their guarantee last? It could be ages until you send a watch in for service only to be told it’s fake or stolen?!
How long does their guarantee last? It could be ages until you send a watch in for service only to be told it’s fake or stolen?!
That’s not how it works. You buy a watch, the seller has to send the watch to an authenticator before it gets to you and the seller doesn’t get paid until it’s authenticated. I got my Omega Aqua Terra off eBay in 2021 and the authentication service is the reason I trusted that platform. Nothing is foolproof, but I had a good experience.
How long does their guarantee last? It could be ages until you send a watch in for service only to be told it’s fake or stolen?!
As explained above, it's not a guarantee, it's an Authentication service to ensure the watch is legitimate.
Your warranty (if the watch still has one) is through the manufacturer, and lasts as long as it should from the date the watch is registered. In my case, I have 18 months Tudor warranty left.
Bought and sold many through the eBay authentication process.
The watch goes to an independent company to be authenticated and the money doesn't get processed untill this is done.
It's not just authentication but also that the seller is truthful in the advert.
I have even had a phone call from them saying the watch is scratched more than what the original images showed and they sent high quality images for me to see and agree or decline the watch
I think it's a fantastic free service
But…did you get to keep the Lego?
But…did you get to keep the Lego?
Yes
Yes
Cherish it always
Mercari has a similar service called “Authenticate” too which has a similar guarantee to eBay’s EAG service.
I've not had an issue buying via eBay - but as always, buy the seller.
As far as eBay's authenticity guarantee - absolutely I would. They're taking the risk. Double check when it arrives if you think you need to and any issues they'll refund you. ☻
I like the EAG. Only question is, how do they check the movement, without opening the case back, which would invalidate the manufacturer guarantee? I would imagine they would only open the case back in exceptional situations? Intriguing.
It's important to use common sense strategies when buying online (on any platform). Bad photos can hide red flags, be wary of prices that are too good, check the seller's history, don't do anything against the site's rules (DO NOT BUY PREORDERS), and be aware that some countries can be more risky than others (so many fake/broken/frankenwatch "vintage" Seiko 5's from India).
I think eBay is a great platform to buy from, and EAG is an excellent safety net. IMO, the biggest risk is getting too caught up in the excitement, causing you to overlook warning signs. So take a deep breath, and take a critical look before clicking "buy."
I like the EAG. Only question is, how do they check the movement, without opening the case back, which would invalidate the manufacturer guarantee? I would imagine they would only open the case back in exceptional situations? Intriguing.
I purchased a Heritage Ranger through Ebay last month and had cause to call Stoll and Co., the authenticator in the United States. I was able to speak to the gentleman who did my authentication and asked about removing the caseback. Of course, mine is well out of warranty, but he did tell me that the watches are pressure tested afterwards. Not sure if this helps, but just thought I'd throw it out there.
I purchased a Heritage Ranger through Ebay last month and had cause to call Stoll and Co., the authenticator in the United States. I was able to speak to the gentleman who did my authentication and asked about removing the caseback. Of course, mine is well out of warranty, but he did tell me that the watches are pressure tested afterwards. Not sure if this helps, but just thought I'd throw it out there.
I wonder how they pressure-test? Secrets of the trade. I would like to think opening case backs is a last resort, and can confirm movement authenticity in other ways. I'm not overly concerned as I'm not buying Rolexes, just intrigued by how they verify authenticity.
Stoll is an authorized service facility for a fair amount of brands, so I presume they have all of the required equipment necessary to effect repairs.
The only bad incident I’ve had was from a buyer purchasing a watch scratching it up wearing it for a week and then suggesting it came to him in such condition, luckily eBay sorted it all out and ended up getting a big refund for the experience