So I was asked to do an article about my experience selling on Reddit, so I thought I would start out with what it takes to start posting on there, how you should be doing it and then some advice on what to do and what not to do.
So Reditt has many groups called “subreddits” and the one that you need to join is called r/Watchexchange. That is a group solely meant for the buying and selling of watches and currently has over 119k members.
It reaches a very wide audience so there is a great chance of getting good retail clients from there. The good thing is that members of that subreddit consist of people who are able to afford watches from 2k all the way up to 100k. Most of the watches posted there are in the 1-5k range and that’s the type of clientele that is most active on there. I have made my name on there by listing pieces in the range of 20 to 30k multiple times which is not normal for that group and so it generates a lot of interest.
First thing I would recommend for anyone interested in posting on there is to read the rules. Their posting style is a little different from the regular forums and Facebook groups so might take a little getting used to. I am not going to go over the complete rules, but I will list the ones that are most important that you should take note of:
- Requirement to be able to post: Account must be at least 30 days old and have positive karma for both comment karma and post karma. You can get positive karma by just commenting on posts. Just do normal comments that people do not have a reason to downvote.
- Your listing title needs to start with [WTS]
- You do not post pictures directly onto reddit, apart from the cover pic. Need to post them on Imgur and then put a link to the Imgur post in your Reddit listing. Use the IMGUR app.
- Also need a separate Timestamp pic.
- Repost of listing is allowed after 7 days.
So in my experience whenever I have posted Rolex watches above MSRP, I get a ton of people commenting about how flippers like me have destroyed the watch market etc. Then you also get people who chime in in support of you. Do not let any of those comments get under your skin and do not get bogged down into arguing with keyboard warriors.
This was one of my recent posts for an AP Royal Oak Blue dial. One of the most sought-after pieces on the market & currently going for around 10k over MSRP. As you can see this listing generated a significant amount of conversation in the comments with people arguing against each other of why this watch is worth what it is and many times personal attacks against me by people who don’t even know me. But I do not care because it doesn’t matter what “poor” people think. That watch sold at asking price on Reddit.
So if you have inventory that typically is selling for over MSRP then be prepared to hear a lot of abuse from people who cannot afford those watches. But if you have other models that typically sell for less, then you will be fine.
The pace of sale on Reddit can vary from watch to watch. Sometimes a watch can sell within a day, sometimes after three times of reposting it. So of course, that is why you never rely on one platform.
Make sure to have a very good cover pic because many times people upvote or downvote based on that one pic alone. And the listings that get many upvotes are actually sent out as notifications on the Reddit app. I think my above AP was sent out as a notification two times, once when it crossed 200 upvotes and then when it crossed 400 upvotes.
Also once your watch is sold, either on Reddit or anywhere else. Always mark the listing as Sold unless you are able to source one quickly if someone asks. I find that when people see I have constantly sold watches on there, it builds credibility.
On the topic of credibility another subreddit you will need to join is called r/Watchexchangefeedback. This is where buyers and sellers leave feedback for each other on deals done.
In summary I would say that have patience, be persistent, and keep listing. It takes time to build a reputation and a following. When I started I had barely anybody take interest in my listings, but now I have people who actively follow me to keep up with what I post. I would also like to remind you that Reddit is just one of the many different platforms that I use, so do not limit yourself to one platform and list in as many places as possible. Good luck on your trading journey and feel free to reach out if you have any questions.