Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
God knows there are enough of these kind of threads in this section already. Most relate to profiteering eBay re-sellers. However the loathsome practice also happens on Instagram. One Instagram seller has been getting my goat lately - the tackily named German dealer TiccTacc - who uses the same ID on eBay. They're not exactly new, having been actively selling on Instagram since December 2020 and eBay, which they tend to use as a secondary platform, since May 2021. They call themselves an 'Entrepreneur'.
To my eyes they're just another money-grabbing little shark. If the username sounds familiar, it's because I've already flagged one instance of them trying (and failing) to re-sell a 7A38 last December in the last two posts of this thread. Nine months later, that 7A38-7140 with a short bracelet remains unsold. Probably because they still haven't reduced their greedily marked-up asking price of 875 Euros.
To my eyes they're just another money-grabbing little shark. If the username sounds familiar, it's because I've already flagged one instance of them trying (and failing) to re-sell a 7A38 last December in the last two posts of this thread. Nine months later, that 7A38-7140 with a short bracelet remains unsold. Probably because they still haven't reduced their greedily marked-up asking price of 875 Euros.
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
From their recent activity, it appears that TiccTacc are now attempting to take over the lucrative 7A38-702x 'Royal Oak' market. One of my regular searches on Instagram is on hashtag #seiko7a38. Lately many of the recent posts are from TiccTacc, promoting their forthcoming sales. This morning it looked like this, with 4 of the latest 6 posts being theirs !
https://www.instagram.com/p/CiiXsVmrulO/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CiiXMmarVxo/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cif_fhQr2dA/
This afternoon they've posted another - a two-tone 7A38-7020 ! https://www.instagram.com/p/Cij-snsLOxR/
Their standard modus operandi is to promote their forthcoming sales listings as 'Incoming', per the above posts, using one of the original seller's photos. Once received, these temporary 'incoming' posts will subsequently be deleted and replaced by their proper For Sale post, using their own photos, like this current advert for a 7A38-7020:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CifDN5QLTv8/
There will often be an accompanying (shaky hand-held) video post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CifDYAKgPqd/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CiiXsVmrulO/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CiiXMmarVxo/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cif_fhQr2dA/
This afternoon they've posted another - a two-tone 7A38-7020 ! https://www.instagram.com/p/Cij-snsLOxR/
Their standard modus operandi is to promote their forthcoming sales listings as 'Incoming', per the above posts, using one of the original seller's photos. Once received, these temporary 'incoming' posts will subsequently be deleted and replaced by their proper For Sale post, using their own photos, like this current advert for a 7A38-7020:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CifDN5QLTv8/
There will often be an accompanying (shaky hand-held) video post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CifDYAKgPqd/
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
They also list the watch on their website around the same time, for example:
https://www.ticctacc.com/product-page/s ... -7020-mint
Note the website price of €1038, versus €999 on Instagram.
However, as in this instance, they don't automatically list them on eBay. That follows later, but only if and when they are unsuccessful selling them using these other two preferred platforms, which presumably incur no charges.
https://www.ticctacc.com/product-page/s ... -7020-mint
Note the website price of €1038, versus €999 on Instagram.
However, as in this instance, they don't automatically list them on eBay. That follows later, but only if and when they are unsuccessful selling them using these other two preferred platforms, which presumably incur no charges.
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
Before I go any further, I think it's opportune to take a closer look at that '7A38-7020', which TiccTacc is currently listing - only on Instagram and their website to date. It isn't actually a mint 7A38-7020, as claimed, but a US market 7A38-7029 which has evidently undergone some refurbishment. You can clearly see the '9' case-back stamping in their photo.
Note the the serial number 771042.
Here's where they bought the watch in August, winning a 5-day US eBay auction for a mere $244.44.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125466935322
It doesn't look quite so mint in the US eBay seller's photos:
Obviously it was grubby and would have benefitted from a good clean, but of more concern is what the US eBay seller wrote in their description about its functionality:
Note the the serial number 771042.
Here's where they bought the watch in August, winning a 5-day US eBay auction for a mere $244.44.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125466935322
It doesn't look quite so mint in the US eBay seller's photos:
Obviously it was grubby and would have benefitted from a good clean, but of more concern is what the US eBay seller wrote in their description about its functionality:
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
Once a watch has been sold (as this previous stainless 7A38-7020, which they first listed in July) did a week ago, their For Sale post is deleted and replaced with something like this. Note there's no mention of the original asking price.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CiN_hnpL5aY/
The parallel eBay listing (where applicable) is ended as no longer available:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394166865329
Sometimes their watches do actually sell via eBay, despite their ridiculous asking prices, as evidently did this previous 7A38-7020 (which they listed in June) - for €875 Euros
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394121862615
https://www.instagram.com/p/CiN_hnpL5aY/
The parallel eBay listing (where applicable) is ended as no longer available:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394166865329
Sometimes their watches do actually sell via eBay, despite their ridiculous asking prices, as evidently did this previous 7A38-7020 (which they listed in June) - for €875 Euros
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394121862615
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
Obviously as most of them are 'incoming', I haven't yet made much progress uncovering where they sourced the current batch of watches and how much they actually paid for them (regardless of their ludicrously marked up asking prices). However I did recognise one of the photos they used.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CiiXsVmrulO/
It's the primary image from this Italian eBay listing, for a stainless 7A38-7020 'full set', which was first listed in July, with an absolutely ridiculous Buy-it-Now price of 1500 Euros. It sold a couple of days ago for an undisclosed best offer.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155071613200
The original Italian eBay seller's listing included a clear shot of the case-back showing the serial number 647114.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CiiXsVmrulO/
It's the primary image from this Italian eBay listing, for a stainless 7A38-7020 'full set', which was first listed in July, with an absolutely ridiculous Buy-it-Now price of 1500 Euros. It sold a couple of days ago for an undisclosed best offer.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155071613200
The original Italian eBay seller's listing included a clear shot of the case-back showing the serial number 647114.
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
Profiteering Instagram re-seller TiccTacc haven't yet converted any of their four latest 'incoming' announcements into pukka For Sale posts, but in the meantime I've managed to determine where they sourced a couple more of them.
.... originally looked like this:
It comes from this Italian eBay listing, which sold on 15th September as a Buy-it-Now for the 300 Euros asking price.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175411399083
Thankfully the Italian eBay seller also included a nice clear shot of the case-back, showing the serial number 7D2849.
I should have added that they sometimes edit the original seller's photos. For example, this photo with the lurid turquoise background, showing a considerable amount of dust on the top L.H. lug (which was the 'dead giveaway') ....Seiko7A38 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 16, 2022 2:12 pmThis afternoon they've posted another - a two-tone 7A38-7020 ! https://www.instagram.com/p/Cij-snsLOxR/
Their standard modus operandi is to promote their forthcoming sales listings as 'Incoming', per the above posts, using one of the original seller's photos ....
.... originally looked like this:
It comes from this Italian eBay listing, which sold on 15th September as a Buy-it-Now for the 300 Euros asking price.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175411399083
Thankfully the Italian eBay seller also included a nice clear shot of the case-back, showing the serial number 7D2849.
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
The next one wasn't quite so easy.
.... initially threw me, because it had been cropped from this narrower camera-phone photo:
That photo comes from a German eBay listing that was ended on 15th September as item no longer available:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284933428195
That 7A38-7020, which is in far from mint condition, had been re-listed a number of times since 20th June, when it was first listed singly. Prior to that, the German seller had originally listed it as a job lot pair with a 7A38-702A on 25th April, with a ridiculous Buy-it-Now price of something like 2000 Euros, IIRC. This is the photo from that original listing which itself was cropped to produce the one above.
Annoyingly, in all their various re-listings, the German eBay seller had partially obscured the case-back numbers of both watches, showing just the first two digits 39 of the 7A38-7020 (and 46 of the 7A38-702A).
Their photo of a stainless 7A38-7020 in a blue Seiko presentation box (which are common enough) ....
.... initially threw me, because it had been cropped from this narrower camera-phone photo:
That photo comes from a German eBay listing that was ended on 15th September as item no longer available:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284933428195
That 7A38-7020, which is in far from mint condition, had been re-listed a number of times since 20th June, when it was first listed singly. Prior to that, the German seller had originally listed it as a job lot pair with a 7A38-702A on 25th April, with a ridiculous Buy-it-Now price of something like 2000 Euros, IIRC. This is the photo from that original listing which itself was cropped to produce the one above.
Annoyingly, in all their various re-listings, the German eBay seller had partially obscured the case-back numbers of both watches, showing just the first two digits 39 of the 7A38-7020 (and 46 of the 7A38-702A).
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
Before I had a chance to investigate this one further (admittedly I was having problems matching the wrist shot photo), TiccTacc had deleted their 'incoming' post below ....
With the obligatory accompanying hand-held video post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CipCVmegeD9/
Apart from their risibly ambitious asking price of €699 Euros (more than double what even a NOS / mint 7A38-702A/H might make in the real world), there's something not quite right with this watch. Note they'd captioned their 'incoming' and now their For Sale post as 7A38-7020, whereas a two-tone watch with a gold dial is normally a 7A38-702A (SAA012J Europe) or 7A38-702H (SAA014J US market). Checking TiccTacc's photos, this watch does actually have a case-back stamped ST. STEEL SGP BEZEL 7A38-7020, which one would expect to find on the light grey dialed two-tone SAA010J.
Presumably the case-back has been incorrectly swapped for another at some point.
They've also listed it on their website this morning, with the already ridiculous price increased from €699 to €738 Euros.
.... and predictably replaced it with this For Sale post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CipCFP9LhSG/
With the obligatory accompanying hand-held video post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CipCVmegeD9/
Apart from their risibly ambitious asking price of €699 Euros (more than double what even a NOS / mint 7A38-702A/H might make in the real world), there's something not quite right with this watch. Note they'd captioned their 'incoming' and now their For Sale post as 7A38-7020, whereas a two-tone watch with a gold dial is normally a 7A38-702A (SAA012J Europe) or 7A38-702H (SAA014J US market). Checking TiccTacc's photos, this watch does actually have a case-back stamped ST. STEEL SGP BEZEL 7A38-7020, which one would expect to find on the light grey dialed two-tone SAA010J.
Presumably the case-back has been incorrectly swapped for another at some point.
They've also listed it on their website this morning, with the already ridiculous price increased from €699 to €738 Euros.
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
Perhaps they're anticipating having trouble shifting this one via Instagram, because they've already listed in it parallel on eBay this morning, with an even more risible Buy-it-Now price of €799 Euros. Note the pathetic use of 'James Bond' keyword spamming in the title and that they've falsely categorised it as 'New with Tags', when it patently isn't.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TiccTacc%C2% ... 4248207379
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TiccTacc%C2% ... 4248207379
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
This afternoon, TiccTacc have posted another 7A38 For Sale on Instagram, which they hadn't previously promoted as an 'incoming' ! It's a well-worn gold-tone 7A38-7060, fitted with a non-original replacement Seiko bracelet (using a pair of the original G1105 stamped end pieces). They're asking a typically ludicrous €499 Euros - at least double what you might expect to pay for a mint unmolested example.
As usual there's the obligatory hand-held video: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cipva3fgYoh/
While I was composing this post, they also briefly listed this gold-tone 7A38-7060 on eBay, with more tacky irrelevant 'James Bond' keyword spamming and an even more ridiculous asking price of €599 Euros:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TiccTacc-Vin ... 4248588056
However they appear to have had second thoughts and promptly withdrew it. WatchCount's look-up tool shows the listing was live for just 15 minutes (hence how I missed it).
As usual there's the obligatory hand-held video: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cipva3fgYoh/
While I was composing this post, they also briefly listed this gold-tone 7A38-7060 on eBay, with more tacky irrelevant 'James Bond' keyword spamming and an even more ridiculous asking price of €599 Euros:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TiccTacc-Vin ... 4248588056
However they appear to have had second thoughts and promptly withdrew it. WatchCount's look-up tool shows the listing was live for just 15 minutes (hence how I missed it).
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
Frustratingly, I've not been able to determine where TiccTacc purchased those last two 7A38's: the 7A38-702A fitted with a 7A38-7020 case-back and the gold-tone 7A38-7060 fitted with an incorrect replacement bracelet. But I'm not going to hang my head in shame at being defeated. I strongly suspect they picked them up off eBay's German (free) classified small ads website - eBay-Kleinanzeigen.de which I don't usually bother monitoring. Unfortunately, the way Kleinanzeigen works, as soon as an item is sold, the listing is removed immediately without leaving any traceable history, thereby providing the perfect cover.
It goes without saying that TiccTacc are particularly active on Kleinanzeigen, with 163 items currently listed for sale, including the two of their 7A38's which are listed on eBay proper.
Belated Edit: They also regulary place WTB adverts on Kleinanzeigen.de - this most recent batch were added at the end of September. They included a couple for their 'stock in trade' watches: Vintage Omega Quartz and Bulova Accutrons.
It goes without saying that TiccTacc are particularly active on Kleinanzeigen, with 163 items currently listed for sale, including the two of their 7A38's which are listed on eBay proper.
Belated Edit: They also regulary place WTB adverts on Kleinanzeigen.de - this most recent batch were added at the end of September. They included a couple for their 'stock in trade' watches: Vintage Omega Quartz and Bulova Accutrons.
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
At lunchtime today, TiccTacc deleted their incoming announcement and posted another stainless 7A38-7020 for sale on Instagram, asking a typically inflated 999 Euros. Apart from the blue Seiko presentation box it came in, having already done my homework, so to speak, it wasn't difficult to identify.Seiko7A38 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 18, 2022 8:30 am The next one wasn't quite so easy.That photo comes from a German eBay listing that was ended on 15th September as item no longer available:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284933428195
That 7A38-7020, which is in far from mint condition, had been re-listed a number of times since 20th June, when it was first listed singly. Prior to that, the German seller had originally listed it as a job lot pair with a 7A38-702A on 25th April, with a ridiculous Buy-it-Now price of something like 2000 Euros, IIRC.
Annoyingly, in all their various re-listings, the German eBay seller had partially obscured the case-back numbers of both watches, showing just the first two digits 39 of the 7A38-7020 (and 46 of the 7A38-702A).
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cir6dxOrSUT/
As usual, there's the obligatory accompanying hand-held video: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cir62_nAvBN/
It may come with a box and manual, but as I wrote previously, this watch is far from mint: in truth, little better than average / well-worn condition with lots of minor dings in the case and bezel. It also appears to be suffering from a distorted bracelet first joining link on the 12 o'clock side. Certainly not worth €999 Euros, nor even half that figure !
Note the clasp, which appears to have been heavily re-finished, is fitted with a cheap rigid clasp extender.
No surprise that it has a 39xxxx case-back serial number.
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
Profiteering eBay / Instagram re-seller TiccTacc has been busy this morning - a busy fool. Earlier this morning, he listed the two stainless 7A38-7020's (correctly, one is actually a -7029) that were already posted For Sale on Instagram, on eBay, with their prices hiked from their already highly over-ambitious €999 Euros to a risible €1199 Euros each ! Both items are falsely categorised as 'New with tags'.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TiccTacc%C2% ... 4250856812
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TiccTacc%C2% ... 4250861035
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TiccTacc%C2% ... 4250856812
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TiccTacc%C2% ... 4250861035
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
They continued by advertising the second allegedy 'NOS' stainless 7A38-7020, which they'd previously promoted as a recent 'Incoming' on Instagram (now deleted), of which I was already familiar and expecting.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cit7Og4rw_6/
As always it was accompanied by the obligatory hand-held video: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cit7fH8ARzk/
They immediately listed in parallel on eBay with an absolutely ridiculous Buy-it-Now price of €1699 Euros !!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TiccTacc%C2% ... 4250853373
Note they chucked a generic (grey rather than correct black) blank Seiko Quartz hang tag into the full set.
However, if you study the photos carefully, this 7A38-7020 clearly is not N.O.S. and has undergone some renovation in the past. It's been fitted with a replacement crystal, which hasn't been pressed home properly and the SQ clasp looks like it's been re-brushed. I suspect the case-back may have been lightly polished to complete the illusion. Naturally the serial number 647114 matches.
I've no idea what TiccTacc may have paid the Italian eBay seller as an undisclosed best offer (versus his ludicrous €1500 Euros asking price), but you can almost certainly guarantee it was considerably less than that, because they've posted it on Instagram asking €1499 Euros.Seiko7A38 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 17, 2022 9:30 amhttps://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155071613200
The original Italian eBay seller's listing included a clear shot of the case-back showing the serial number 647114.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cit7Og4rw_6/
As always it was accompanied by the obligatory hand-held video: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cit7fH8ARzk/
They immediately listed in parallel on eBay with an absolutely ridiculous Buy-it-Now price of €1699 Euros !!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TiccTacc%C2% ... 4250853373
Note they chucked a generic (grey rather than correct black) blank Seiko Quartz hang tag into the full set.
However, if you study the photos carefully, this 7A38-7020 clearly is not N.O.S. and has undergone some renovation in the past. It's been fitted with a replacement crystal, which hasn't been pressed home properly and the SQ clasp looks like it's been re-brushed. I suspect the case-back may have been lightly polished to complete the illusion. Naturally the serial number 647114 matches.
As I predicted earlier ....
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
Profiteering German Instagram re-seller TiccTacc is becoming more prolific by the day. This morning he pulled a fast one, and posted yet another stainless 7A38-7020 for sale on Instagram - one which he hadn't previously posted as an 'Incoming', as far as I can tell. This one's cheaper than their previous offerings (read risibly over-optimistic pricing) at 'only' 750 Euros.
As always there's an accompanying hand-held video: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci7Ef8VAXL5/
Note the slightly misaligned Tachymeter ring (presumably from when they replaced the crystal). Although the watch case has fared reasonably well, with few major dings, there's plenty of stretch in the bracelet.
Although there's a clear shot of the case-back serial number (4O7781), annoyingly I've yet to find a match.
As always there's an accompanying hand-held video: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci7Ef8VAXL5/
Note the slightly misaligned Tachymeter ring (presumably from when they replaced the crystal). Although the watch case has fared reasonably well, with few major dings, there's plenty of stretch in the bracelet.
Although there's a clear shot of the case-back serial number (4O7781), annoyingly I've yet to find a match.
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
I'm not sure what became of that particular 'Incoming' two-tone 7A38-7020, because the post has since been deleted, yet best I can tell (I'm not following TiccTacc on Instagram) it never re-appeared as a For Sale post.Seiko7A38 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 16, 2022 2:12 pmThis afternoon they've posted another - a two-tone 7A38-7020 ! https://www.instagram.com/p/Cij-snsLOxR/
Their standard modus operandi is to promote their forthcoming sales listings as 'Incoming', per the above posts, using one of the original seller's photos (edited in this case).
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
I'm unsure quite what to make of this. Two days ago, one of TiccTacc's laughably over-priced and supposedly mint stainless 7A38-7020's appeared to have sold on eBay against a best offer. This one's actually a refurbished 7A38-7029 which they purchased off eBay in the States for $244.44 in August. See my various related posts higher up the page.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394250856812
Oddly their Instagram FS post hasn't yet been replaced with their usual 'SOLD 2' post and it's still listed on their website.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394250856812
Oddly their Instagram FS post hasn't yet been replaced with their usual 'SOLD 2' post and it's still listed on their website.
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
Once again, I'm not quite sure what to make of this (he says, scratching his head in utter disbelief), but profiteering German seller TiccTacc's allegedly NOS 7A38-7020 'full set' appears to have sold on eBay in the early hours of this morning, for the full Buy-it-Now price of €1699 Euros. Could anybody really be that gullible ?Seiko7A38 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 20, 2022 10:09 amThey immediately listed in parallel on eBay with an absolutely ridiculous Buy-it-Now price of €1699 Euros !!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TiccTacc%C2% ... 4250853373
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394250853373
At the time of writing, TiccTicc haven't posted any corresponding updates to their Instagram. But then it's still early.
Re: Profiteering Instagram (and eBay) Re-seller TiccTacc
Perhaps I was a bit premature posting that. Seems like it did sell, because TiccTacc later updated their Instagram page, replacing their FS post with this one, annotated 'SOLD2 Spain'. Still hard to credit that somebody paid €1699 Euros.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj0FHBJjsZ4/
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TiccTacc%C2% ... 4292527081
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj0FHBJjsZ4/
However my suspicions about their previous eBay 'sale' were correct. It's back on eBay, re-listed late yesterday evening. Note this time they've listed it as 'Used' rather than 'New with tags'.Seiko7A38 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 15, 2022 8:47 amI'm unsure quite what to make of this. Two days ago, one of TiccTacc's laughably over-priced and supposedly mint stainless 7A38-7020's appeared to have sold on eBay against a best offer. This one's actually a refurbished 7A38-7029 which they purchased off eBay in the States for $244.44 in August. See my various related posts higher up the page.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394250856812
Oddly their Instagram FS post hasn't yet been replaced with their usual 'SOLD 2' post and it's still listed on their website.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TiccTacc%C2% ... 4292527081