Certified by Brand: eBay’s Answer for Certified Pre-Owned

It was only a matter of time before eBay would be looked upon by many watch brands as an ideal platform for CPO and other efforts in the secondary market. “Certified inventory in the resale market is an undeniable opportunity for brands and authorized retailers, and eBay is the ideal partner for those looking to scale,” said Tirath Kamdar, Global GM of Luxury at eBay. “eBay’s Certified by Brand program broadens access to both buyers and brands to shop and sell luxury goods with confidence and certainty.”

In the world of pre-owned and vintage watches, specifically, there is an often-spoken adage that is generally regarded as the most fundamental piece of advice: buy the seller — that is to say, know who you are buying your watches from, and only buy watches from people you trust. In a corner of the industry where information can be scarce and mistakes costly, being able to rely on the expertise and advice of the seller – and the platform in which you are buying from – is fundamental.

With the creation of Certified by Brand, the very landscape of purchasing watches, and other luxury goods like handbags and jewelry, on eBay is about to change. Listings will include either “Direct from Brand” or “Brand Authorized Seller”, bringing even more clarity to would-be buyers. Curiously, items will be listed as both, fixed “buy it now” prices as well as eBay’s auction option. This will inevitably create an even broader dynamic for buyers and sellers alike.

Reassuring both buyers and sellers has, of course, been a key focus for eBay over the past few years. Beginning in 2020, eBay launched the Authenticity Guarantee program to evaluate and authenticate timepieces. Whereas in the past a watch would travel straight from seller to buyer, with only the description and provided photos as a guide, now there is a process, and multi-point inspection by professionally trained authentication experts, to give everyone peace of mind — buyer and seller alike. Watches over $2,000 that are sold via the online marketplace are sent to eBay’s third-party authentication partners Stoll & Co. who authenticate each timepiece.