Resources & News > Online Buyers Guide
Buying Online:
Let me write a quick preface to this as of April 2005. When I started this website in 2000, the worst watch dealers simply took a long time to answer emails and to ship watches. Nowadays, however, there are lots of outright criminals who prey upon people buying watches on the Internet. More than ever, choosing to do business with our watch dealers assures you of a good experience. Between fraudulent online auctions, to websites which are set up to steal money (and buy online ads to lure buyers) and then disappear, the online watch marketplace has gotten dangerous. On the positive side, many of our original dealers from 2000 are still part of our dealer network, and have satisfied thousands of clients over the years. Given the online watch buying environment, you can trust our dealer network more than ever. I know these dealers, and I do the due diligence so that you can be safe buying from our watch dealers.
Receiving value when purchasing a watch involves more than just receiving discounted prices. Value is multi-faceted. You want your watch to arrive safely, and in a timely manner. You want to preserve your consumer rights, such as the ability to return an item for a refund within a certain timeframe. You want to be able to count on the dealer if there is a quality problem. You would like warranty protection. All of these elements, and more, factor into the purchase/value equation (or should factor in). In summary, value means getting an all around good deal.
Watchfinder.net encourages you to read each e-Dealer's Terms of Sale page or FAQs page when you research the purchase of a watch. For your review, the most important elements to a sale are described below.
Shipping:
Most domestic U.S. Internet dealers offer ground and/or overnight delivery. The carriers will be UPS, Fedex, or the USPS. Sometimes you get to choose the carrier, and sometimes the dealer offers only one method of shipping. Many dealers include UPS/Fedex ground shipping or 3 day USPS service at no additional charge. Usually there is a fee of $10-20 for overnight shipping. International shipping rates vary depending on the origin and destination of the package. International rates are usually between $25 and $50, depending on the level of security and delivery speed. The quoted shipping rate should also include insurance on the package.
Imported packages arrive through the country´s ordinary delivery service (i.e.: USPS in the USA), the original carrier, or a local delivery service contracted by the carrier (common in Europe). Most often, packages imported into a country are diverted through customs. USA watch buyers should refer to US Customs for collection of duties for more information. Duties on imported watches vary from country to country. Watches arriving in the USA from abroad are usually taxed between 3% - 8% of the price of the watch. You should consider the shipping ramifications as part of the overall purchase value. If you are shopping for a Rolex and you live in the USA you are strongly encouraged to read the customs information.
Return Privileges:
NAWCC member dealers provide a 3-day return for a refund policy. In addition, virtually all dealers provide a return for refund policy. An exception is if the watch being sold is clearly marked as "Final Sale" or something to that effect. In any event, almost all Internet dealers provide such a return for refund policy. Do not let this be too comforting, however, because returning a package can be both inconvenient and expensive considering shipping and insurance rates (always insure any watch you ship anywhere!)
Warranty:
This is a controversial topic in the Internet watch business. Many manufacturers have stated that they will not honor warranties for watches bought from a party other than an authorized dealer. Some of the manufacturers are serious about this, while others do not enforce the threat. In any eventuality, this is a consideration.
First off, consider that all watches leave the authorized distribution channel somewhere and that the Internet dealers usually have committments from their sources to provide authorized service for watches sourced. In addition, many Internet dealers are authorized dealers for the brands that they sell. A new category of online dealers are traditional watch stores or jewelers (authorized for most or all brands) who have a web site to show their watches, but are prohibited from pricing and selling online. You must call or fax these dealers to make a purchase. Unauthorized dealers handle the warranty issue in the manner they choose, while authorized dealers offer 100% manufacturer backed protection. Be careful to make a decision that you are comfortable with should your watch later require warranty service.
For vintage watches the manufacturer warranty is not an issue. Instead, you should learn what the dealer offers for protection. Sometimes the terms of warranty protection are negotiable. In any event, make sure you are protected according to your own comfort level.
New watches should be accompanied by a warranty card (and all of the original boxes, manuals and hang-tags, etc). Usually, if the watch is purchased from an unauthorized source, the card is blank. These cards are known as "open papers". Authorized dealers stamp the cards, thereby enacting world-wide service at manufacturer endorsed service centers. Be advised, though, that a good watchmaker is a good watchmaker. Watches have been known to return from authorized service centers in worse condition than when sent. On the other hand, there are many highly competent watchmakers who are not authorized by the manufacturer.
The bottom line is that an authorized warranty is valuable, but lack of an authorized warranty does not mean that your watch can't be serviced competently. Most fine watches require maintenance servicing every 2-3 years and little else. Only a very small fraction of fine watches malfunction within the original warranty period. Many people believe that the money they save by buying from an unauthorized dealer offsets the risk of not having 100% guaranteed manufacturer´s warranty protection. Other consumers would rather have the security of knowing that they bought through an authorized dealer. This is an individual decision.
Sales Tax:
Internet sales have the distinct advantage of saving US buyers from paying sales tax in most situations. The only exception is when you are buying from a dealer site located in your state. Otherwise, you save on average 5%-8% in state sales tax when buying on-line.