Pondering work in the New Year

[retroleds]

Since the year seemed to end and start with some dodgy sales on ebay and odd service stories, I thought I would run this past you guys. It puts me in a bind.......trying to outrun the failing economy while maintaining my standards.

Middle of last year I took on ALL the digital watch repair work for a large East Coast repair house. They are a very prompt pay but I have recently noticed some of the watches I examined and declared DOA are showing up on ebay, "I know nothing about this piece, couldn't get the back off, blah, blah." This puts me in a really bad place - I don't have a relationship with the owner, but in some cases I know for sure it is the same piece, due to distinct professional engraving. I suspect the guy who sends me the work is running a little side business of buying Pulsars, sending them to me and then reselling them on ebay.....it's odd, I probably processed 60-70 Pulsars for them, but only ONE time have they decided to have me clean and rebrush and install new glass. This guy has sent me solid gold Pulsars with tatty leather bands, chipped glass and filthy, "nope, just send back with the minimal repair or batteries". That is very weird - my usual clients probably ask for "the works" 70-80 % of the time and the percentage goes up as the watches increase in value..

I may have to tell the guy that I am going to start logging serial numbers and busting on sellers who are turning the dead ones over via ebay. Suggestions?

[J Thomas]

[retroleds]

Personally, if I have an inkling to buy another Pulsar on ebay, I'll be certain to pass it by you. Screw asking Bruce for advice, he'll just outbid me Just kidding Bruce.
Regards, Jeff

I might too - that's not unethical, it is a fair competition. But I have a long standing practice of telling people they need to ASK me not to bid on it, once they have brought it to my attention. I figure odds are just as well they are trying to advertise their own sale, like some silly pigeon, so why shouldn't I bid?

Tangentially:
Say someone contacts you and says," I want to buy this, they won't ship to my area, will you bid for me up to X?" And what if you have determined you would be willing to pay more than their X. Say twice as much. Do you tell them, keep your mouth shut, let the deal pass? Different people have different situations, motivations and understandings. Like the chap that bought the 14k P2 case on ebay a few weeks ago....he thought it had the wrong back, I told him what was shown in the auction was correct for a 2975. Our talks stalled during negotiations for the other missing parts. Maybe he is waiting to actually have it in hand....or he just thinks I am a 'git.