The previous step we covered in our beginner’s course to selling watches was about price determination and starting on a small budget. Today’s tip is all about different platforms for selling and buying watches (keep in mind that these platforms are mainly for the Dutch/Belgian market). There are plenty of alternatives for your own country, you just need to look for it!
We’ll compare the pros and the cons of the platforms we used so far based on our experiences.
Step 3: Find platforms to buy and sell watches and get comfortable with them.
The first one is the one where we started: BVA auctions. BVA is an auction site that also regularly sells vintage watches.
Pros: watches are in good working condition most of the time, photos are nice. If you are lucky you can find a good deal.
Cons: can be quite expensive because you have to pay commission when you buy something.
The second one is Marktplaats, the Dutch eBay. On Marktplaats you can easily buy and sell watches. There are a lot of sellers and enough buyers.
Pros: quick sales, easy advertising, no fees, nice and cheap finds.
Cons: lots of competition, bids are generally quite low.
Up next is Chrono24, the international watch marketplace. On Chrono24 a lot of watch enthusiasts come together and are willing to pay a higher price than on the other platforms. They have an escrow service where payments are released when the watch has arrived.
Pros: high bids, selling fees are low, safe(r) buying and selling due to their escrow service.
Cons: can take some time to post an advertisement, selling fees, can take a while before you receive your money if the watch has been bought in a far away country.
Catawiki, another auction site where people can sell and buy all kinds of special goods.
Pros: some watches can be cheap, there is a lot of supply.
Cons: really high selling fees, low bids, takes a while before you receive your money.
Lastly we come to Instagram: our favourite one.
Pros: no selling fees, a lot of watch lovers, good prices, nice to build a network, quite doable to grow quickly.
Cons: some watches are not sold for a very long time. You need to be active, it takes a lot of time.
Pro tip: if you want to start an Instagram account. Start following similar accounts. Like their pictures, comment, follow their followers. Talk to them and give each other value through tips or compliments.
