Proper etiquette for watch trades?

[walds11]

What is the proper etiquette for straight watch trades? What about trades that consist of a watch plus cash for another watch assuming I am on the sell end and I posted the ad?

[Prince]

You give me your Day-Date. I give you my Timex. Seems fair to me.

Proper etiquette would allow you to "give me the finger", if you wish!

[Clifton]

I think it all depends on how well you know the trader. Trades make me queasy. I would have to know the guy really well before I sent one of my watches anywhere.

I think it also depends on who initiated the trade. If someone approached you, it may be wise to treat the whole transaction more like a purchase and have the trader give you money to secure the deal.

Example:
You - Want to trade a watch that is worth $3K for another equal value
Trader - Sends you $3K cash
You - mail your watch to trader
Trader - Sends you his watch
You - refund $3k.

All this seems silly, but think of yourself as a store. No profitable store lets merchandise leave the premise without an exchange of equity.

Good luck.

[walds11]

An example: I place a FSOT ad. Buyer contacts me and we work out a trade. My watch plus cash for his watch. So, he basically sends his watch and then upon receipt of his watch, I send out my watch plus the cash (just like if I was selling the watch outright, but he sends me watch first instead of cash)? Or do we both do the shipping at the same time?

[Clifton]

Originally Posted by walds11

An example: I place a FSOT ad. Buyer contacts me and we work out a trade. My watch plus cash for his watch. So, he basically sends his watch and then upon receipt of his watch, I send out my watch plus the cash (just like if I was selling the watch outright, but he sends me watch first instead of cash)? Or do we both do the shipping at the same time?

Yup, that sounds like it would work too and is essentially what I'm saying. Don't mail anything without secured collateral from the buyer/trader

Fyi...shipping at the same time does not work. You could end up with a box of rocks that were shipped at the same time you mailed your watch. Scammers suck and look for trade deals. Most will try to get you excited about a watch that is nicer than what you have to trade and then they legitimize the deal by asking for cash in addition to the trade. They win either way if you mail the cash or the watch first.

The only bad part about all of this is that in a legitimate deal the trader has to trust you too. But they have to accept this risk just as if they were buying a watch from you and were sending you cash first.

Scammers suck.

[maverick]

Originally Posted by Clifton

Yup, that sounds like it would work too and is essentially what I'm saying. Don't mail anything without secured collateral from the buyer/trader

Fyi...shipping at the same time does not work. You could end up with a box of rocks that were shipped at the same time you mailed your watch. Scammers suck and look for trade deals. Most will try to get you excited about a watch that is nicer than what you have to trade and then they legitimize the deal by asking for cash in addition to the trade. They win either way if you mail the cash or the watch first.

The only bad part about all of this is that in a legitimate deal the trader has to trust you too. But they have to accept this risk just as if they were buying a watch from you and were sending you cash first.

Scammers suck.

All my vintage purchases have been through people I 'know' from forums. So I trusted both very well known sellers. On one (straight trade) we sent them about the same time with a 3 day grace period where either of us could back out. On the other I got the watch just after I sent the money, the watch was sent first. So actually I did 'buy the seller' so to speak. I never had any excessive worries on either deal and both went relatively smooth. =) maverick

[Manatee]

Originally Posted by walds11

What is the proper etiquette for straight watch trades? What about trades that consist of a watch plus cash for another watch assuming I am on the sell end and I posted the ad?

Seems to me it would work like any other sale. After all, you wouldn't deal with someone you don't trust. Right? Traditionally, the buyer sends first, and when the seller is sure he has the funds/goods, he sends his. I don't think it matters whether it's a pure cash deal or goods plus cash exchange. Both parties have to trust one another. It always comes down to that.