eBay Authentication guarantees that valuable watches are genuine, but what happens when a bad buyer purchases a watch, replaces high end components with cheaper alternatives and then returns it? That’s what the tamperproof watch tag design that eBay has applied for a patent for attempts to resolve.
Switching out watch components might sound far fetched, but when we are talking of watches costing tens of thousands, or even millions, some individual components can themselves cost thousands. Part of the authentication process can include taking accurate weight measurements of watches and comparing with manufacturer specifications and once authenticated the tamperproof watch tag ensures the back face of the watch can’t be removed without removing the tag.
eBay’s tamperproof watch tag enables a purchaser to try the watch on with minimal interference – the tag covers the back face of the watch and wraps around the strap at both sides. The tamperproof watch tag doesn’t cover the front face of the watch allowing the user to wear the watch without having to remove the tag. The intention is that a seller can specify that a return should retain the tag and if it’s broken the product is no longer eligible to be returned.
At the same time as protecting sellers from buyer fraud, the tamperproof watch tag also protects buyers from seller fraud as the authentication process and weight checks will ensure the watch is genuine at the time the tag is applied. If the weight changes, even by just a gram, it’s likely that a component has been switched out.
When dealing with high value products, trust is essential and if we are all being perfectly frank trust isn’t something that in the past eBay has been known for. That’s changed in more recent years as eBay have held sellers to account and increased buyer protections, and when high value watches are sold eBay want to remove every possibility that either a buyer or seller of high value watches can be anything other than 100% genuine.
