Eval for purchase question

[Buzzardking]

I was talking with a shop owner the other day about evaluating customer's quartz watches for possible purchase for resale. The shop owner said they were tired of putting forth time and expense installing batteries in customers' non-running watches to test them, and then invariably the customers turn down the store offer and take the watches elsewhere to sell them directly for more money. The owner was considering charging a fee to test the watches.

My first impulse was, Nobody's gonna pay to test a watch if their intent is to sell it - especially if it's an inexpensive watch to begin with. But then I started to consider where cost of operation ends and actual loss begins.

I attempted some online research to try to find store policies for purchases, but could not find any examples. Maybe I'm using the wrong keywords or something. In any case, does anyone here have insight on what most small shops do to evaluate quartz watches for resale purchase, and what is considered a basic cost of doing business?

[Randy]

If someone came to me and asked me to evaluate their non running watch, I would tell them right away that I would replace the battery for a nominal charge as part of the evaluation ( providing that the watch isn't running, doesn't have a battery installed, etc ).

That way you are covered for at least some of your time, the cost of the battery and you aren't wasting your time on someone who just wants you to do the work so that they can turn it over for resale without compensating you.

My two-cents...

Randy