Terms of Service

About these Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") form a binding agreement between you and WATCHSALES PTY LTD, trading as watchsales ("watchsales", "we", "us", "our") and govern your use of watchsales.com.au, our iOS and Android apps, emails and related services (the "Platform"). By creating an account or using the Platform you agree to these Terms, our Privacy Policy and our Age Suitability (18+) page. If you do not agree, do not use the Platform.

What watchsales is — and is not

To be clear about what we do:

We are a venue: We provide listing tools, search, messaging and offers. We are not the seller, buyer, importer, valuer, authenticator, escrow agent, broker or insurer of any watch.
All sales are offline: Every transaction is finalised in person or directly between the buyer and the seller. We do not handle the watch, the funds or the transfer of ownership.
No commission, no escrow: We do not take a commission on sales, do not hold funds and do not process payments between buyers and sellers.
You contract directly: Any contract for the sale of a watch is between the buyer and seller. Australian Consumer Law may apply to that contract — that is a matter between the parties.

Eligibility — 18+ only

watchsales is rated 18+ on the Apple App Store and Google Play. You may only create an account or use the Platform if:

You are at least 18 years old and legally able to enter into binding contracts in Australia.
You confirm your age via the mandatory 18+ checkbox at signup. We record this confirmation with a timestamp.
You are not barred from using the Platform under sanctions, court order or a previous suspension.
You agree to comply with these Terms, the App Store / Google Play terms and applicable Australian law.

We may suspend or terminate, without notice, any account we reasonably believe belongs to a minor or has been created in breach of this section. See our Age Suitability page for more detail on the safety controls we have built in for adult users.

Your account

You are responsible for your account and everything that happens under it.

Accurate information: Provide accurate, current and complete details when registering and keep them up to date — particularly your email, phone number and (for dealers) ABN and trading name.
One account per person: Do not create duplicate accounts to evade limits, suspensions or moderation.
Credentials: Keep your password and any sign-in tokens confidential. Notify us immediately at security@watchsales.com.au if you suspect unauthorised access.
Identity: Use a username and display name that does not impersonate any person, brand or entity. Dealers must use their real registered trading name.
Account types: Standard users may buy and sell privately. Dealer accounts (verified via ABN lookup) unlock dealer-only tools and are subject to our dealer verification workflow and additional Australian consumer-law obligations.

Listing fees, add-ons and dealer subscriptions

watchsales monetises through paid listing tiers, optional AI add-ons and dealer bundles — never through commissions on sales.

Listing tiers: Sellers pay a non-refundable fee to publish a listing. Tiers (Basic, Plus, Premium) differ in visibility duration, image limits and feature access. The fee is shown before you confirm checkout.
Add-ons: Optional paid add-ons include AI image enhancement, AI listing copy assistance and visibility boosts. Each add-on is charged separately and is non-refundable once the underlying job has been processed.
Dealer bundles & subscriptions: Dealers may purchase listing credit bundles or recurring subscriptions. Subscriptions auto-renew until cancelled. You can cancel any time via the Stripe Billing Portal in Account Settings; cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period.
Stripe processing fee: A Stripe card-processing fee is added to the listed price at checkout, calculated as (price + AUD 0.30) / (1 - 0.029). This fee covers Stripe's charges and is shown to you before payment.
Currency & GST: All prices are in Australian dollars (AUD) and, where applicable, include GST. Tax invoices are available from your Account Settings.
Refunds: Listing fees and add-ons are non-refundable except where required by Australian Consumer Law (for example, where the paid feature failed to deliver the service described). To request a refund, email support@watchsales.com.au with your support reference number.
Apple In-App Purchase: If you purchase a digital good through the iOS app via Apple In-App Purchase, Apple's payment terms and refund policy apply in addition to these Terms.

Listings — your responsibilities as a seller

When you create a listing, you are responsible for its accuracy and legality.

You must own the watch (or have the right to sell it) and have the right to upload all photos and content.
Descriptions, condition grading, year, reference numbers, box-and-papers status and price must be accurate and not misleading.
Replicas, counterfeits, stolen goods and watches subject to a finance encumbrance you have not disclosed are strictly prohibited.
You must comply with Australian Consumer Law, including consumer guarantees that apply where you sell in trade or commerce.
Photos must be of the actual watch being sold. Stock or third-party images are not permitted as primary images.
Do not include phone numbers, email addresses, social handles, off-platform payment links or external URLs in listing photos or descriptions.
You grant watchsales a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to host, store, process, resize, watermark, blur, distribute and display your listing content for the purpose of operating, promoting and securing the Platform. You retain ownership.

Image processing, privacy and moderation

All uploaded photos are processed on our servers to optimise quality, generate thumbnails and automatically blur visible serial numbers before they are shown publicly. Original (unblurred) images are stored in a private bucket that is never publicly accessible and is automatically deleted shortly after a listing is sold or expires (typically within 30 days). Processed images are served via short-lived signed URLs and are deleted between 30 and 90 days after the listing is sold, expires or is removed. Images are scanned by automated and AI-assisted moderation for prohibited content (counterfeits, weapons, nudity, identity documents, etc.). We may remove any image or listing that breaches these Terms or our content policies, with or without notice. See the Privacy Policy for retention periods (originals are typically deleted within ~30 days of a listing being sold or expired; processed images within 30–90 days).

Buyer responsibilities and "buyer beware"

watchsales does not authenticate, value or guarantee any watch. Before you commit to buy:

Inspect the watch in person, in good light, and confirm the reference, serial, condition and accessories match the listing.
Verify the seller's identity and, where the price warrants, request supporting documentation (service history, original purchase receipt, warranty card).
Consider an independent watchmaker or authentication service for high-value pieces.
Never send funds, deposits or personal banking details before meeting in person and inspecting the watch.
If something feels wrong — pressure to pay quickly, refusal to meet, requests for crypto / gift cards / wire transfers — walk away and use the in-app Report tool.

Safety when meeting other users

All transactions occur offline between users who do not know each other. To stay safe:

Always meet in a busy public place. Police-station "safe exchange zones" are ideal for high-value items.
Bring a friend, tell someone where you are going, and share your live location with a trusted contact.
Keep all communication on the Platform until you have met in person — off-platform chat removes our ability to help if something goes wrong.
Use the in-app Report and Block tools for any abusive, suspicious or unsafe behaviour.
If you believe you are in immediate danger, contact your local police on 000.

A persistent safety banner appears in every conversation as a reminder. watchsales is not a party to any sale and is not responsible for the conduct of users off the Platform.

Messaging, offers and acceptable use

In-app messaging and offers exist to help you negotiate and arrange a watch sale. The following conduct is strictly prohibited and may result in immediate removal, suspension or account termination, and where appropriate referral to law enforcement:

Harassment, threats, hate speech, sexual content or any content that targets a person on the basis of a protected attribute.
Soliciting personal information from a minor, or attempting to contact a user you suspect is under 18.
Posting fraudulent, misleading, counterfeit, stolen or replica listings.
Off-platform payment requests, wire-transfer or crypto scams, gift-card scams, "shipping company" intercept scams or any attempt to bypass our safety controls.
Spam, mass-messaging, scraping, automated access, attempting to circumvent rate limits or any unauthorised use of our APIs.
Reverse engineering, decompiling or attempting to defeat security measures, image processing or watermarking.
Using the Platform for any illegal purpose or in breach of Australian sanctions or export controls.

We reserve the right (but have no obligation) to monitor, review, edit or remove any user content for safety and legal compliance.

Reporting abuse and objectionable content

Every conversation, listing and profile includes a Report option. Reports go to our moderation team and are typically actioned within 24 hours. We follow a zero-tolerance policy for objectionable content (including harassment, hate speech, sexual content involving minors, threats and incitement to violence). Confirmed breaches result in content removal and, where appropriate, immediate and permanent account termination. To escalate a serious safety issue, email safety@watchsales.com.au.

AI-assisted features

watchsales offers optional AI features (image enhancement, listing copy assistance, attribute extraction). AI output is assistive only — you are responsible for reviewing and confirming every AI-generated value before you publish. We do not auto-publish on your behalf. AI features may be unavailable, slow or imperfect; no warranty is given as to accuracy. Do not rely on AI output for authentication, valuation or legal advice.

Mobile apps, App Store and Google Play

Where you obtain the watchsales app from the Apple App Store or Google Play, the following also apply:

Apple App Store (Licensed Application End User Licence Agreement): These Terms are between you and watchsales. Apple is not a party. Apple has no obligation to provide maintenance or support for the app. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Apple has no warranty obligation, and any claims relating to the app are governed solely by these Terms. Apple and its subsidiaries are third-party beneficiaries entitled to enforce these Terms against you.
Google Play: Google's Play Store terms apply to your download and installation of the Android app. We are responsible for the app, not Google.
In-app purchases: Where digital goods are sold via Apple In-App Purchase or Google Play Billing, the relevant store's payment, refund and cancellation rules apply in addition to these Terms.
Updates: We may release updates, security patches or changes to the app at any time. Some features may require the latest version.

Privacy and data

Your use of the Platform is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with (including sub-processors) and how to exercise your rights under the Australian Privacy Principles. By using the Platform you agree to the Privacy Policy.

Third-party services

The Platform integrates with third parties including Stripe (payments), Supabase (hosting and storage), Resend and Customer.io (email), OneSignal (push), Twilio (SMS), Google Gemini (AI), the Australian Business Register (ABN lookup) and Apple/Google (sign-in, distribution). Your use of those services is subject to their own terms and privacy policies. We are not responsible for third-party services beyond our reasonable control.

Disclaimers and Australian Consumer Law

The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available". To the maximum extent permitted by law, we exclude all implied warranties and representations. Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts or modifies any consumer guarantee, right or remedy under the Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)) that cannot lawfully be excluded. Where our services are not of a kind ordinarily acquired for personal, domestic or household use, our liability for breach of a consumer guarantee is limited (at our option) to re-supplying the service or paying the cost of having the service re-supplied.

Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, watchsales is not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive loss, loss of profit, loss of data, loss of goodwill, or loss arising out of any transaction between users, the conduct of any user, the authenticity or condition of any watch, or any meeting arranged through the Platform. Our total aggregate liability to you for any claim arising out of or in connection with the Platform is limited to the listing fees and add-on charges you have paid to us in the 12 months preceding the event giving rise to the claim.

Indemnity

You agree to indemnify watchsales and our directors, officers and employees against all losses, damages, costs and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your breach of these Terms, your listings, your conduct on or off the Platform in relation to a watchsales transaction, or your infringement of any third-party right.

Suspension and termination

We may suspend, restrict or terminate your account and remove your content at any time, with or without notice, if we reasonably believe you have:

Breached these Terms, our content policies or applicable law.
Created risk of harm, fraud or liability to other users or to watchsales.
Failed to pay fees owed.
Misrepresented your age, identity or dealer status.

You may close your account at any time from Account Settings → Privacy → Delete account, or by emailing support@watchsales.com.au with your support reference. Account closure removes your profile, listings and messages in line with the retention periods in our Privacy Policy.

Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top will always reflect the latest version. Where changes are material we will give you reasonable advance notice by email or in-app notification. Continued use of the Platform after the effective date means you accept the updated Terms. If you do not agree, you must stop using the Platform and may close your account.

Governing law and jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia. You and watchsales submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New South Wales and the Federal Court of Australia, except that nothing prevents either party from seeking urgent injunctive relief in any competent court.

General

Standard contractual terms:

Entire agreement: These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and Age Suitability page, are the entire agreement between you and watchsales regarding the Platform.
Severability: If any provision is unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in full force.
No waiver: Failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver of that or any other right.
Assignment: You may not assign these Terms. We may assign them to an affiliate or in connection with a sale, merger or restructure.
Notices: We may give notice via in-app message, email to your registered address, or by posting to this page.

Contact us

Questions about these Terms, account issues or to report a breach:

General support: support@watchsales.com.au
Safety reports: safety@watchsales.com.au
Privacy: privacy@watchsales.com.au
Postal: WATCHSALES PTY LTD, Australia