If you are buying a watch online, there a few things you should know before you hand over your hard-earned cash. Like anything else, there are varying degrees of online watch stores. Some are great, some good, and there are many that are not too good at all. Some offer great prices, but have horrible customer service and bad policies(returns, guarantees, etc.). Others pose as authentic watch sellers, but mix in manufacturers rejects and refurbished items to unknowing customers. I will let you know a few telltale signs your watch store/seller is not going to be winning any eBay awards, and should probably be avoided all together.

• No Return Policy - Yeah, I know it sounds a little obvious, but if it wasn't a problem, I wouldn't mention it. If you cannot return the item, you might as well gamble it on a coin flip. You probably have a better chance of coming out on top. Just as bad is a return policy of 5-7 days. This is pretty unreasonable to demand of a customer. Imagine getting caught up at work for a couple days, or taking an unexpected trip for a family emergency. If you only have a week to return your watch, and there is a problem with your watch, you are out of luck.

• No Phone Contact - I can tell you from personal experience, it can be extremely frustrating to have a problem with something you ordered online. What can make the process even more difficult is when the online store has no phone support. If you can't speak to a live person, then you can expect to play email tag for a couple days, until the matter is fully resolved. I say it's not worth the trouble. No phone? Really? Find someone else.

• Watch Not In Original Box - This is pretty big. Let's think about this one logically. Products made for individual sale, and this includes watches, come in individual packaging from the manufacturer. That's pretty simple, right? Why would a new, authentic watch come in a gift box? I don't know, but I guess I could think of a few possibilities off the top of my head. Maybe the online store also has a brick and mortar store, and took the watch out for display, and lost the box. In that case the watch would be considered new, but not have the original packaging. Okay that's plausible. Aside from that, I'm not sure why a new watch would not have the original box(except from a private seller), but I wouldn't want to find out. It could be many things, but my worst fear would it would be a manufacturers reject(slightly imperfect), purchased from Europe. It's a dirty little secret in the watch industry. All new watches should have the original box  and  a serial number, when purchased from a reputable online watch store.

• No Physical Address - This is not only for online watch stores, it is basic business 101. If you do not list a physical address, it does not mean you are a bad company, but it is not good business. You should at least have a mailing address for correspondence. This is similar to having no phone support. It just creates a disconnect between the customer and seller. If the company is just a website and a toll free number, then you have no idea who you are actually dealing with. It's something to look out for. I know I would not feel comfortable ordering from a company with no physical address.

• Prices Are Really Low, Too Low - Look, I know we all love a bargain, but if it seems to could to be true, it most likely is. If the prices seem ridiculously low, then there is a reason for that. I use this analogy all the time, but if someone wanted to sell you a brand new Mercedes for $5000, you would probably be a little wary. It is no different when buying a Swiss luxury watch.

So hopefully you can use these tips to your benefit and find a good online watch store. The good thing about finding a reputable online seller, is you can expect to save 10-25% on average (compared to brick and mortar stores). Good luck watch hunting.