Your favorite watch finally stopped working recently. You tried taking it to a repair shop, but the prognosis wasn’t good since the watch was so old. You figure it’s time for a replacement, so that’s what you’ll get. You buy a lot on Amazon, but is this really the right place to buy a watch?
You can buy a watch on Amazon. You have a variety of brands to choose from, everything from lower-cost brands to higher-end watches from Coach, Tommy Hilfiger, or Rolex. Before you buy a watch, read the reviews, learn about the seller, and don’t be afraid to return the watch!
In today’s article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about buying a watch on Amazon. By the time you’re done reading, if you do decide to use this huge retailer for your watch-buying needs, you’ll feel confident in your decision!
What Kind of Watches Are Available on Amazon?
If you’re looking for watches, Amazon is a great place to shop.
Per their website, at least as of this writing, searching for “watches” produces 30,000 results. That’s more watches than you’d ever find if you visited a store, even a big one like a mega mall.
What kind of watches are available? Here is a selection of what’s in stock.
Everyday Watches
You don’t always want to don your finest wristwatch. For everyday scenarios where you want something more casual, Amazon has plenty of these watches. You can shop brands like Timex, Casio, Samsung, and Diesel that look great but don’t cost a fortune.
Fitness Watches
These days, fitness watches are all the rage. You can find an authentic Apple Watch on Amazon as well as fitness watches by Fitbit. Now tracking everything from the number of steps you take to the miles you run, the calories you burn, and your heart rate along the way will be effortless.
High-End Watches
If you’re looking to replace a precious timepiece, you can find a collection of high-end watches on Amazon. The prices aren’t necessarily any lower than shopping through an official retailer though, so be forewarned.
Some of the brand names that you can shop through Amazon are Coach, Michael Kors, Nine West, Anne Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, S Polo Assn., and Rolex.
You would certainly turn heads everywhere you went when sporting a watch from one of these brands!
Should You Buy a Watch from an Amazon Authorized Seller or a Third Party?
On Amazon, there are those who are known as authorized sellers as well as third-party sellers. Which is the better resource for buying a watch? Let’s explore.
Amazon Authorized Sellers
Any third-party seller can become an authorized seller by meeting a set of criteria that Amazon establishes.
The seller has to follow all of Amazon’s guidelines and rules, optimize their listings to appear well in searches, quickly confirm shipments and respond to customers, and generate high ratings.
You will occasionally come across brands you’re familiar with on Amazon. These are authorized sellers that use Amazon as a virtual storefront.
In the world of watches, these brands include Michael Kors, Invicta, Fossil, Seiko, Casio, Orient, Citizen, and Timex.
These brands still sell their watches through their own respective websites (as well as bricks-and-mortar stores), but they use an Amazon storefront as another means of earning revenue due to Amazon’s immense popularity.
You can trust that when you choose an authorized seller that the branded product you see on the listing is going to be what you get.
Third-Party Sellers
eCommerce service eDesk states that, in 2020, over 200,000 Amazon sellers were third-party sellers.
A third-party Amazon seller is an independent party who did not take the time to become an authorized seller. This person or persons can sell refurbished, used, or new items.
That doesn’t mean the quality of the items is less than an authorized seller. For example, if you’re looking for a Rolex watch on Amazon, you’ll only be able to find them through a third party because Rolex is not an authorized Amazon seller.
Does that mean you should spend $10,000 or more on a Rolex watch on Amazon? It’s your choice and your money, but to us, that’s too much cash to drop online for a purchase you can’t even see before you buy!
Tips for Buying a Watch on Amazon
Should you decide to buy a watch on Amazon, you can use your Prime shipping to get it to you lightning-fast. Before you check out using the single button on the app, be sure to keep these tips in mind first.
Buy a Lower-Priced Watch to Start
You’ve bought countless items from Amazon, but never something as high-end as a watch. You’re a little wary even though Amazon has never steered you wrong before.
If it would make you more comfortable, then find an authorized or third-party seller and buy a lower-cost watch from them first.
Track how long it takes for the watch to arrive. When it shows up on your doorstep, check the condition of the box.
As you open the box, look for packing peanuts, bubble wrap, or foam. Are you pleased with the way the watch was sent or was it loose in the box and possibly incurred damage? Keep in mind that it’s not always the seller’s call how your item is packaged, but it usually is.
If you’re happy with all the above, then you can order a costlier watch from the Amazon seller next time and expect that it should be in good condition.
Always Read the Reviews
Amazon makes it very easy to comb through its product reviews, so please, don’t buy anything without reading the reviews first.
You don’t have to sit there and digest every last little word in every review, but you do want to have a general gist of how people feel about the watch.
Reviews offer more than just insights into what the watch looks like or how smoothly it tells time, but also what the shipping is like and customer service.
If the watch you’re looking at has more bad reviews than good ones, or if it has so few reviews that you’re not sure what the consensus is, you might want to broaden your search and find a new watch.
Investigate the Seller
These days, Amazon’s seller transparency lets you learn more about the people or companies you’re buying from than ever before.
Look over the seller’s profile and see if any of the content gives you pause. If it does, then don’t proceed with the purchase.
Amazon users can also review sellers, but only those that are third-party sellers and only for up to 90 days after your order.
Check the seller’s reviews to get a gauge for how fast they ship, how amenable they are, and if they respond to emails.
Use Amazon’s Return Policy
Amazon’s Clothing and Accessories return policy, which includes all the watches Amazon sells, mandates that the buyer has 30 days from the date their item was delivered to return the item.
If you’re unhappy with your watch from Amazon and you want your money back, be sure to use this handy feature!
Buy a Watch with a Warranty
Amazon, as of this writing, doesn’t offer watch warranties. Its authorized sellers often will though, especially brands that sell watches through Amazon’s virtual storefront.
Keep in mind that it’s the brand offering that warranty, not Amazon, so you’d contact the brand if your watch had a craftsmanship issue.
Amazon does allow its customers to buy a warranty through a third-party seller so your watch is safeguarded.
Conclusion
Amazon can be a great place to buy a watch since it’s convenient and the shipping is usually fast. However, if you want to buy a very expensive watch like a Rolex, you might be better off going to a store and looking at the watch before parting with thousands and thousands of dollars.
For fitness watches, everyday watches, and even higher-end watches that aren’t priced at $10k, you can safely rely on Amazon!
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