Skip to content
All policies

Community Guidelines

The standards every dealer on Soda agrees to uphold, and what happens when they are broken.

Last updated , Version 1.0

Soda works because dealers can trust each other. These Community Guidelines (also called our Acceptable Use Policy) set out what is and is not allowed. They form part of our Terms of Service. When in doubt, ask us through Help & support (or our contact form) before you list or act.

1. The principles

  • Be genuine. Only verified businesses may trade here, and every listing should describe a real item you can deliver.
  • Be honest. Describe items accurately and completely, including anything a professional buyer would want to know.
  • Be professional. Treat other dealers the way you would in person at a trade fair.
  • Keep it fair. No manipulation of prices, bids, reviews, vouches or search.
  • Be yourself. Everyone appears as Full Name (Company Name) [Rank] with their country flag. Use your real name, your real company and your real role.

2. Prohibited items

You must not list, offer, request or arrange the sale of:

  • Counterfeit or replica watches, or watches with counterfeit parts, dials, bezels, bracelets, boxes or papers presented as genuine.
  • "Frankenwatches", redials, relumed or refinished dials, aftermarket parts or service replacement parts unless clearly and prominently disclosed.
  • Stolen goods, goods reported lost, or items with removed, altered or obscured serial or case numbers.
  • Items you do not own or are not authorised to sell.
  • Items subject to trade sanctions or export controls, or items made from protected species materials (such as certain exotic leathers or ivory) without the permits required by law.
  • Fake or altered warranty cards, certificates, invoices or service papers.
  • Standalone warranty cards, certificates or papers, sold without the watch they belong to (they can be used to pass off fakes). Boxes, booklets and manuals are fine.
  • Counterfeit or replica accessories and parts (straps, bracelets, links, bezels, dials, boxes and more), or aftermarket items presented as the brand's own. Listings containing replica-related terms are held for review by our team.
  • Anything else that is illegal to sell in your jurisdiction or the buyer's.

3. Listing standards

  • Use your own, recent photos of the actual item (at least 3). Stock images may be added only alongside real photos.
  • State reference number, year (if known), condition, box and papers status, service history and any known faults.
  • Disclose non-original parts, polishing and prior repairs.
  • Answer the required disclosures honestly: what the watch is on (bracelet, strap or nothing), the link count, whether the bracelet or strap is original or aftermarket, and whether the watch has any aftermarket parts. False or misleading disclosures, including aftermarket parts sold as genuine, are grounds for a dispute and a strike.
  • Label every accessory or part Genuine or Aftermarket. Aftermarket items use "fits [brand/model]" wording and are never described as the brand's own.
  • Price honestly. Do not use placeholder or misleading prices to attract attention.
  • Do not create duplicate listings for the same item.
  • Keep your listings current. Mark items as sold, withdrawn or relisted promptly.
  • Sold listings remain visible to verified dealers as comps (comparable sales) with the seller's name and company and the price.

4. Scams and fraud

The following will lead to immediate suspension and may be reported to law enforcement:

  • Offering items you do not have, or taking payment without intending to deliver.
  • Impersonating another dealer, business or member of our staff.
  • Phishing, sending malicious links, or asking for passwords or verification codes.
  • Using stolen identity documents or payment methods.
  • Money laundering, or structuring trades to avoid reporting requirements.

5. Payment details

Dealers pay each other directly, off-platform. Because of this, payment-detail fraud (for example a fraudster sending "updated" bank details right before payment) is the most common risk in the trade.

  • Use only the payment details shown in the deal. Each company's details are stored in its profile and shown only inside a deal. Changes take effect only after the account owner confirms them by email.
  • Watch for the change notice. If a deal shows "Payment details changed on [date]", confirm the new details by phone using a number you already trust before you send money.
  • Never change agreed payment details by chat alone. If a counterparty sends new bank details in a message, do not use them. Ask them to update their profile, and verify by phone.
  • Report anything suspicious. If you receive a confirmation request for a change you did not make, tap "This wasn't me" straight away.
  • Do not request payment through gift cards, crypto transfers to unknown wallets, or third-party accounts that do not belong to the selling business.
  • Do not ask other dealers to move a negotiation off Soda to avoid our safety tools or to pressure them into paying before they are comfortable.
  • We may automatically flag or hold messages that contain bank or wallet details and show a safety warning to the recipient. We will never ask you for payment to another dealer, and our staff will never ask you to send money to a new account.

6. Auction integrity

  • No shill bidding. You must not bid on your own auction, or have your employees, relatives, associates or another account bid on your behalf to raise the price. Sellers and their company's employees cannot bid on the company's auctions.
  • Transparent bidding. Every bid shows the bidder's real name and company. Do not harass, pressure or retaliate against other bidders because of their bids.
  • No fake bidding. Do not place bids you do not intend to honour. Every bid is a binding offer (see our Auction Rules).
  • No collusion. Do not agree with other dealers not to bid, or to split items after an auction, in order to suppress prices.
  • No bid retraction games. Do not win an auction and then try to renegotiate the price.

7. Mark as Sold

  • Only tap Mark as Sold if you intend to buy at the listed price. It is a binding commitment.
  • Do not Mark as Sold to "hold" a watch while you look for a buyer, or to block other dealers.
  • Sellers must confirm or decline promptly and must not use Mark as Sold to test demand or push a buyer to a higher price.

8. Conduct

  • No harassment, threats, hate speech or discrimination.
  • No spam, unsolicited mass messaging or chain messages.
  • No sharing of other dealers' private information, including contact details, prices or messages, outside the Platform without permission.
  • No poaching. Don't use the Platform to recruit members into outside groups, chats or networks, or to move dealings off the Platform to avoid it. Phone numbers and emails are shared only inside a confirmed deal, and only to complete that deal. Poaching can lead to suspension or a permanent ban.
  • No posting of fake reviews or reviews in exchange for incentives.
  • Vouches must be genuine. Only vouch for companies you have actually dealt with and trust. Do not trade vouches, vouch for businesses under common ownership, or pressure others to vouch.
  • One company account per business. Employees must use their own employee accounts under that company and must not share logins.
  • Do not use someone else's name, company or photos, or misrepresent your role in a business.
  • Share referral links only as allowed by our Referral Program Terms.

9. Platform misuse

  • Do not scrape, crawl or bulk-download data (including the dealer directory, profiles, and the public watch catalog and glossary pages), or use automated bidding tools other than those we provide. Browsing and searching have hourly limits to protect members' privacy.
  • Do not attempt to access other accounts, probe our security or interfere with the Platform's operation.
  • Do not use the Platform to advertise a competing service.

10. Reporting

Use the Report option on any listing, message or profile, or contact us through Help & support. If someone tries to recruit you into an outside group or to move a deal off the Platform, report it as Poaching / recruiting off-platform. Reports are confidential. We review every report and aim to respond within 2 business days.

11. Enforcement

Depending on how serious the breach is, we may:

  • remove content or listings;
  • issue a warning;
  • restrict features (for example messaging or bidding);
  • record a strike, or pause auction bidding and Mark as Sold;
  • suspend the account temporarily; or
  • permanently remove the account and its business from the network.

We may act without warning where there is a risk of harm. Where practical, we will explain our decision and you may appeal by replying to our notice within 14 days. Serious breaches such as counterfeit trading or fraud are not eligible for reinstatement.

Questions about this policy? Contact us.