Ebay wont authenticate item that I bought earlier on eBay as authentic

[txunella]

I bought a Rolex watch last year on eBay and it came from authenticator as 100% legit. I just sold the same watch on eBay and contacted customer support as my funds are not released. I was told there is a problem with the watch - although it is authentic, the extra links of the bracelet

that came with the watch when I bought it - are not. So they are going to contact the buyer and notify them. Then buyer decides to accept it or not. 
So eBay authenticated watch that was

not 100% authentic. Not only my sale likely falls through, and I wont receive funds I need desperately, the item is lesse value as I thought it was because links ate not genuine. Or maybe they are,

and authenticator is not up to the task. Who knows. I have doubts about tjis whole authentication process now.

[luckythewinner]

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@txunella wrote:

I have doubts about tjis whole authentication process now.

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With a company the size of eBay, 100% accuracy is never going happen. 

[lakefor94]

Hope you get the vehicle moved.

[12345jamesstamps]

You can visit a Rolex watch store in any major city and get it authenticated...probably for free. I have a watch. They increase in value every year. I am sure there is a store near you in New Jersey. You can also email the buyer to take it to a store near them to authenticate it. And these watches do increase in value quite a bit....something hopefully the buyer understands.

[slippinjimmy]

The eBay authentication has two functions.

1 - Confirm the item in question is completely legitimate.

2 - Confirm the item in question exactly matches the listing description

There is also a third and very important aspect, eBay authentication helps prevent YOU the seller from getting ripped off for both your watch and your money.

[simba6]

That program has been a moving goal post from the start.   Over time they have started checking more and more.  

[joseh1445]

Its time for you to contact a lawyer.  And go from there.  I am sorry that this happen to you.  I hope that this gets resolve soon.

[txunella]

Ebay screwed me twice: First as a buyer, since they authenticated an item that is not authentic in its entirety and hence of lesser value than I was made to believe, and second time as a seller - as it

made me to mislead the buyer trying to sell an item that is not not as described and apparently of lesser value than buyer thought. It is embarrassing for me to explain to buyer I was not trying to cheat them. And you are telling me eBay protects me as a seller?? I probably will need to relist the watch without extra links and sell it for less than it sold this time. This is entirely caused by eBay falsely authenticating item.

[sextons-sweet-deals]

This is the second time I have seen this comment from a poster: they (authenticator) are going to contact the buyer and notify them. Then buyer decides to accept it or not. 

Is eBay really doing this? Why? I thought if the product did not pass, it was returned to seller and I guess at some point after delivery, the buyer was refunded. Issue over and done. 

Seems there might be doors opening up for more fraud if this is the new process. 

1. Why is the authenticator contacting buyer to see if they want or not?

2. If buyer says yes, receives item and then they are not happy, what happens next? Open case and get refunded, and keep item?

3. How are these authenticators qualified, verified, and confirmed?

4. Could it be possible that someone working for some of these authenticators are working outside with others? 

I'm sure I missed some other possible questions.

To the O.P.: When you bought the watch, did it come with paperwork from the authenticator? If so, did you provide / show in your listing details or provide that information to your open issue?

[monica-sells]

@sextons-sweet-deals posted:

"...To the O.P.: When you bought the watch, did it come with paperwork from the authenticator? If so, did you provide / show in your listing details or provide that information to your open issue?..."

You were provided with the original paperwork. This is a very important part of this conversation. If you have any recourse at all, you need to present this to ebay (or the proper representative) to be explained as to why the 'links' were not noted on YOUR report.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@sextons-sweet-deals wrote:

This is the second time I have seen this comment from a poster: they (authenticator) are going to contact the buyer and notify them. Then buyer decides to accept it or not. 

Is eBay really doing this? Why? I thought if the product did not pass, it was returned to seller and I guess at some point after delivery, the buyer was refunded. Issue over and done. 

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I believe this is legit and ebay is doing it in cases in which the item passes the authenticity check but there are variations in either the description or details of the item. (In this case, it sounds like the watch wasn't deemed fake but the band isn't original.)  In such cases, the buyer is given the option to decide if they still want the item.