A goofy question about ebay Pulsars

[Shiniquiet]

On lots of the descriptions of Pulsars the seller indicates something to the effect that he/she doesn't know much about Pulsars and though the watch they are selling doesn't work, all it probably needs is new batteries. Am I missing something here?

It seems to me to be a reasonable gamble to spend a few bucks for batteries and then if the watch works it can be listed for more $ since it's a working model. Since the seller hasn't done this, I am more than a bit skeptical about the watch.

Out of curiousity - has anybody ever bought one of these off of ebay, stuck in new batteries and the thing worked?

[bucko170]

It's always going to be a gamble when buying something from eBay that is described as 'might' just need batteries.

I have picked some watches up that did work with new batteries and also brought some that where completely dead and others that just required a clean of the battery contacts to get them to work.

I use the seller feedback as a guide if the seller has sold or is selling lots of working watches then I steer clear as I figure that in all probability they would know how to change a battery and would be savvy enough to try batteries in order to get the maximum price and therefore crafty enough to sell as untested (or maybe just needs new batteries) if they didn't work in order to get the maximum price!

On the other hand if the seller doesn't normally sell watches the possibility exists that they genuinely can't be bothered to try batteries or they don't recognize the value of a working watch against the value of a non working watch.

Also some sellers sell consignments pieces - which are just sold as seen.

One eBay seller is selling off a large collection from the estate of a collector, and doesn't seem to want to bother to test each piece.

The untested ones sell for less - so its great when you get a working one, a bit of bummer when they turn out to be garbage, but if you do buy untested you have to accept the gamble - which to me is all part of the fun!

[Shiniquiet]

Yep, I noticed a few weeks back that there were a bunch of unchecked watches from one souce on ebay. I wonder if anybody who got one of them would be interested in sharing the outcme when new batteries were installed?

[bucko170]

I wonder if anybody who got one of them would be interested in sharing the outcme when new batteries were installed?

I brought a batch of modules from the seller and found at least half of them working - although I haven't tested any for time keeping yet. His latest batch on eBay where marked as spares by the original owner so I would be less hopeful of finding a working one with those.

[Led-Time]

The other week I enquired about a non working P2 from a seller and asked if there was any battery corrosion inside he replied he doesn't know as the watch hasn't been opened which is fair enough, then I get another email saying there wasn't any corrosion and he'd tried batteries it worked and now since its working he's not selling it anymore.... gutted as it was a buy it now for £50...

[retroleds]

It's a crap shoot...some really haven't checked, others have and ain't saying. I'm at the point(obviously I have bought in "insane bulk" at times) where I just chuck the non-workers into a gold reclaiming barrel. But I know there isn't more than $12-16 of gold to be had after processing, so they are just slightly better than a stick in the eye. Then again, every once in a while there is someone who hasn't checked out anything in a large batch. A brag of an unusually lucky buy would just chap some folks' ass, whilst they are not considering the slim odds(as you have noted) of someone not making SOME attempt at checking the the working status, particularly on something like a Pulsar... Other than on one piece buys, I doubt anyone will tell a tale of buying a case of goodies that only needed batteries. Like pirates' yarns - I doesn't want to tempt fate by saying too much. Or anything.

Due to high visibility, it seems I personally direct 100+ people a year to check out their watch with some batteries, which they invariably don't want to sell to me when it works. Ungrateful Fck'ers!

[Majestyk]

What I love are the sellers who have working watches up for auction and then in another auction (same seller) they have a non worker that says, "Not tested".

Hum...

[retroleds]

What I love are the sellers who have working watches up for auction and then in another auction (same seller) they have a non worker that says, "Not tested".

Hum...

In a perfect world we would put batteries in the "non-tested" one and have it fire up just fine. Then leave them feedback of, " a new set of batteries and it worked like a charm!. Excellent!"