Thousands of watches are offered daily on eBay. The purpose of this short guide is to urge sellers to make it easier for buyers to understand what is it that they are selling. It may sound unbelievable, but over 70% of all listings do not offer useful specs/information on the listed watch.

In addition to watch brand and condition, every listing should contain the following mandatory information:

1. A good real photo of the watch (no ugly drawings!) in a decent size (not smaller than 300x260 pixels). Who wants to buy shoes, camera, a car or any other item without ever seeing how it actually looks? In the age of digital cameras there is no excuse for not posting decent photos (no need to pay for films or prints).

2. Whether the watch offered for sale is mechanical (automatic winding or manual), a battery- operated quartz watch, or a light-powered permanent battery "solar" watch etc.

3. A basic description of color combinations, functions and band/bracelet description. Color of the dial, basic watch material (stainless steel, aluminum, synthetic, gold plated etc.) Remember not to call every watch with sub-dials a "Chronograph". If a watch does not offer real chronograph functions, it should be called "multi functional", as such sub-dials only serve to display day, date and 24h functions, not to measure seconds (elapsed time).

4. Watch case width (diameter) without the crown/push-buttons in mm or inches - the watch size is vital to many buyers. There are many listings with extensive copy describing the history and the reputation of the watch manufacturer. Yet the most important information is missing: The watch SIZE. Statistics show that, for example, 83% men purchase watches based on size. Some buy only large watches, over 42 mm case width (without the crown), some buy mid-size watches (38-42 mm) and some small watches. Size: "Men" means nothing, as this category starts with 30 mm and ends with 60 mm!! The absence of the size information results in thousands of unnecessary e-mail questions (most of which remain unanswered), or are answered 3-4 days later, when the item is gone. Case width should exclude the crown and/or push-buttons. A large crown does not make a small watch large, no more than large size outside mirrors can make a small car big.

5. Band width (at the lugs) where it is attached to the watch. (Buyers may decide to replace a leather/rubber band with a steel bracelet, or the opposite)

6. Dead batteries should be replaced before the item is offered for bidding. "Needs a new battery" immediately raises the question: why is this watch offered without a battery? Is it to cover up the fact that it is dead anyway?

7. Unfortunately 60% of all watch sellers do not answer e-mail questions. This is really not a good way to sell anything. E-mail is now a 2 decades-old means of communication (no longer a novelty) and it should be answered as soon as possible. Not answering e-mails is very similar to turning away from a person without saying a word. In other words it is very rude and offensive.

8. Members who sell watches have to understand that watches are NOT what they used to be. Instant time display is now widely available everywhere: in one’s car, on the computer desktop, laptop, Ipod, cell phone, TV screen etc. People are buying watches because they like them, not necessarily because they need them. How are they going to decide whether they like a watch - of unknown size - they can’t even see well?

Boris4555