Luxury Watches 101 An independent guide to luxury and designer watches
Online Watch Shopping Dos and Don'ts
Online Watch Shopping
Do:
know your financial limits
consider everything you are going to use your watch for before purchasing
buy from an authorized dealer, or have your sale authorized by a valid agency
check the security of an online vendor's server with Thawte.com (or any U.S. equivalent)
check the online vendor's privacy policy with Truste.com or a U.S. equivalent
check a vendor's ratings with a registered safe shopping site, like ePubliceye.com or a U.S. equivalent, and make sure that there are many good ratings
make sure that you know and understand all charges before completing your order
buy from a U.S.-based importer who has already taken care of customs and other international trade hassles
check the website for your brand of choice for authorized vendors
shop with extreme caution, both in the real world and online
Don't:
ever buy a new watch without a warranty
purchase from any vendor who does not offer a 30-day return policy
deal with any vendor who has a bad rating with the Better Business Bureau
purchase from a company without valid contact information
buy any watch without thoroughly researching it on the Internet
assume your "water resistant" watch will live up to its name in any situation
buy a watch with leather strap if you spend a lot of time outside
buy from a site where many of its "name brands" are unfortunately "out of stock" (they're only trying to lure you into settling for second-rate)
purchase without thoroughly reading the links nearby, including our FAQ, Spotting Fakes and Buying Watches Online
buy from an unauthorized dealer unless you're willing to gamble.