Watchfinder... strange goings on. Does anyone know how it all works?

They had a watch up for sale at £5100.

They had a 'make offer button' scenario in place on the listing.
I offered £4600. They told me that they "couldn't go less than £5000" because "it has had £600 spent on it preparing it for sale." In effect, telling me they can only sell it for £100 less.

It's up for sale today on having a curious nosey.. reduced to £4335. £765 below the original £5.1k.

However... there was a part exchange involved. They had told me already my part-ex value, basing that on the full £5100. And invited me to make an offer (so I could both part-ex AND make an offer). So I offered the £4600.

Was I being played because of the part-ex, to in effect give me less for my part ex watch?

A bit odd rejecting £4600 'all in' and then selling for £4335.


I am just curious to work out how it all works. Happy I didn't accept the £5000 however, either way.

I’m pretty sure you were being played. They do this stuff.

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Originally Posted by Berty234

I’m pretty sure you were being played. They do this stuff.

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Well I have emailed them to show what happened and to let them know that I would have snapped their hand off if they had agreed to the £4.6. Nothing arsey, just showing them that they lost a sale.

They had surely simply already offered me a part-ex price factoring in resale and profit on it etc.. and simply thought I was a mug who'd take a ton reduction on a £5k watch.

I am glad you are of the same opinion.

"Aim high and catch every branch on the way down"

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Originally Posted by demonloop

"Aim high and catch every branch on the way down"

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LOL :peaceful:

I think if it were me I'd have paid the balance of £4335 and sold the watch I was going to PX on SC. I'm not sure WF really care in the grand scheme of things...they attempted to play you into taking less in PX and it didn't work on this occasion.

It's now back up to £5100.

So dropping it to £4335 didn't sell it, so lets add the £765 back on and ramp it up to full price, see how that goes.


Okay then.

They do seem to yo-yo their prices up and down, then remove it leaving you thinking it’s been sold only to reappear some time later as a new arrival. I have followed several of their watches over a period of time and seen the behaviour. I’ve also seen other dealers shuffle the pack and bring a watch that has been in stock for a while back to the top of the new arrivals.

I suppose it’s bad business to have an identical looking website for weeks or months on end, so need to do something to freshen things up.

I did challenge WF when a £2k discount was removed and they offered to honour it if I bought the watch, which was fair enough.

Previously bought and sold and I’d have given decent feedback.

Lately it is a sh*t show with lack of comms and up and down pricing. Would probably still use them if the price is right.

I think if you deal directly with the right person there it can be ok but yes, dealing with the website, automatic selling offer emails etc, it seems a crapshoot. I remember an early insight into their business practices when offering them a watch which they had 5-6 of on the website, and they said "sorry, we're not interested in buying any more of those, we've got 30 in stock".

Probably they took all the links out of the bracelet to sell separately and reduced it to £4335 to reflect it would now fit a 4" wrist. Then when the high value links deal they were working on fell through they put them back in and upped the price again.