Yet another greedy German Profiteering eBay re-seller !

The place to comment on auctions or question authenticity.
Post Reply
User avatar
Seiko7A38
Site Admin
Posts: 2577
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:05 pm
Location: S.W. England
Contact:

Yet another greedy German Profiteering eBay re-seller !

Post by Seiko7A38 »

The practice of deliberately buying Seiko 7A38's to re-sell on eBay for quick fat profit is rife. Not just in Italy either, it's a worldwide epidemic that's blighting this hobby for genuine collectors. On the old forum, I'd only recently flagged up the activities of German re-seller quartzwerk. Before him there was fiedler-uhrenhandel ('the fiddler' now banned), 9495michaelk, silversurfer365 and a few more besides. Another German who's been on my radar (and sh!t list) for some time is m.a.k.2979. But until today it's been difficult to catch him in the act, by proving a case against him.

At lunchtime today, he listed this titanium 7A38-7130, which he claims to be 'NOS' (in his title and description), with a greedily marked-up 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Now price of 499 Euros.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seiko-7A38-7 ... 4211862324

7A38-7130-Titanium+Gold-BlackFace-eBay(Germany)-March2021-(Re-seller)-Listing.png
7A38-7130-Titanium+Gold-BlackFace-eBay(Germany)-March2021-(Re-seller)-Listing.png (165.48 KiB) Viewed 6387 times
rsz_7a38-7130-titanium-gold-blackface-ebaygermany-march2021-re-seller-2.jpg
rsz_7a38-7130-titanium-gold-blackface-ebaygermany-march2021-re-seller-2.jpg (187.57 KiB) Viewed 6380 times
rsz_7a38-7130-titanium-gold-blackface-ebaygermany-march2021-re-seller-4.jpg
rsz_7a38-7130-titanium-gold-blackface-ebaygermany-march2021-re-seller-4.jpg (162.02 KiB) Viewed 6380 times
rsz_7a38-7130-titanium-gold-blackface-ebaygermany-march2021-re-seller-10.jpg
rsz_7a38-7130-titanium-gold-blackface-ebaygermany-march2021-re-seller-10.jpg (186.36 KiB) Viewed 6380 times
7A38-7130-Titanium+Gold-BlackFace-eBay(Germany)-March2021-(Re-seller)-Description.png
7A38-7130-Titanium+Gold-BlackFace-eBay(Germany)-March2021-(Re-seller)-Description.png (76.23 KiB) Viewed 6387 times

I've deliberately only uploaded three of his dozen eBay listing images. Note in the first two, the light scuff on the bezel adjacent to the 3 minute mark. In his photo of the movement, there appears to be pitting on the case-back flange. In some of his other photos, there also appears to be evidence of prior moisture ingress, in the form of tarnishing of the dial batons, hands, SEIKO and TITANIUM logos.

Here's where he bought that same titanium 7A38-7130 at the end of January (in a job lot of 5 watches for 217 Euros):

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Herren-Armba ... 3859552744

7A38-7130-Titanium+Gold-BlackFace-eBay(Germany)-Jan2021-(InJobLot)-Ended-Sold-217Euros.png
7A38-7130-Titanium+Gold-BlackFace-eBay(Germany)-Jan2021-(InJobLot)-Ended-Sold-217Euros.png (50.56 KiB) Viewed 6377 times

In the second of these two photos you can see the same mark on the bezel (and evidence of that tarnishing).

rsz_7a38-7130-titanium-gold-blackface-ebaygermany-jan2021-injoblot-1.jpg
rsz_7a38-7130-titanium-gold-blackface-ebaygermany-jan2021-injoblot-1.jpg (228.19 KiB) Viewed 6377 times
rsz_7a38-7130-titanium-gold-blackface-ebaygermany-jan2021-injoblot-3.jpg
rsz_7a38-7130-titanium-gold-blackface-ebaygermany-jan2021-injoblot-3.jpg (153.68 KiB) Viewed 6377 times

As further confirmation / proof, the winning bidder of that auction has a feedback of 621 - same as that of m.a.k.2979.

7A38-7130-Titanium+Gold-BlackFace-eBay(Germany)-Jan2021-(InJobLot)-WinningBidder.png
7A38-7130-Titanium+Gold-BlackFace-eBay(Germany)-Jan2021-(InJobLot)-WinningBidder.png (39.43 KiB) Viewed 6377 times

User avatar
Seiko7A38
Site Admin
Posts: 2577
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:05 pm
Location: S.W. England
Contact:

Re: Yet another greedy German Profiteering eBay re-seller !

Post by Seiko7A38 »

I probably should have followed up on this thread earlier. Profiteering German eBay re-seller m.a.k.2979 has continued re-selling (or trying to, in some cases) 7A38's to unsuspecting punters for grossly inflated prices. Like German instagram seller Ticctacc and quartzwerk before him, he's started to home in on the lucrative 'Royal Oak' market. I'd refrained from commenting on them at the time, but he listed a couple of stainless 7A38-7020's in April. The first one has disappeared into the ether, but the other, which sold in the last week of May was still just on my eBay watchlist.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285249593124

7A38-7020-Stainless+Grey-eBay(Germany)-April2023-(Re-seller)-Ended-Sold-€1450-(285249593124).png
7A38-7020-Stainless+Grey-eBay(Germany)-April2023-(Re-seller)-Ended-Sold-€1450-(285249593124).png (47.04 KiB) Viewed 1475 times

It appears to have sold for the full €1450 Buy-it-Now asking price (rather than a best offer), which is far too much for what was a no better than average condition example. Checking his feedback, it was purchased by a first time buyer (who previously had zero feedback) who left him a glowing feedback. Clearly someone inexperienced, with more money than good sense, because similar examples have sold (at auction) on eBay Germany for less than €600 Euros.

Bolstered by those recent successes, it seems that his greed now knows no bounds. Yesterday evening, m.a.k.2979 listed another used stainless 7A38-7020 with a ludicrous Buy-it-Now asking price of €1950 Euros !! :o As so many other re-sellers do, in an effort to justify his extortionate price, he's made it into a 'Full Set', by adding a Seiko presentation box and user instruction manual. It's supposedly been serviced too, although there's no actual mention in the description of the movement having been stripped, ultrasonically cleaned and lubricated. What made me chuckle is that either he, or his incompetent watchmaker has re-fitted the bezel 15 degrees out of alignment. :lol:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1983-Seiko-7 ... 5396478489

7A38-7020-Stainless+Grey-eBay(Germany)-July2023-(Re-seller-m.a.k.2979)-Listing.jpg
7A38-7020-Stainless+Grey-eBay(Germany)-July2023-(Re-seller-m.a.k.2979)-Listing.jpg (168.5 KiB) Viewed 1475 times

User avatar
Seiko7A38
Site Admin
Posts: 2577
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:05 pm
Location: S.W. England
Contact:

Re: Yet another greedy German Profiteering eBay re-seller !

Post by Seiko7A38 »

Seiko7A38 wrote: Mon Aug 14, 2023 8:41 am Profiteering German eBay re-seller m.a.k.2979 continues to provide amusement. Yesterday evening, he re-listed all five of his currently listed 7A38's.
Amongst those five 7A38's was a common-or-garden gold-tone 7A38-7190 in no better than average condition. Checking back through my eBay email notifications, he first listed it on 6th April, with a ludicrous Buy-it-Now asking price of €425 Euros. It had been re-listed numerous times since. His latest ploy of listing it as a 7-day auction appears to have paid off. An inexperienced buyer placed a single bid in the final 15 minutes. Probably thought he was getting a bargain. :roll:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285426833288

7A38-7190-Gold-GoldFace-eBay(Germany)-April2023-(re-seller)-Sold-299Euros.png
7A38-7190-Gold-GoldFace-eBay(Germany)-April2023-(re-seller)-Sold-299Euros.png (43.7 KiB) Viewed 1407 times

User avatar
Seiko7A38
Site Admin
Posts: 2577
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:05 pm
Location: S.W. England
Contact:

Re: Yet another greedy German Profiteering eBay re-seller !

Post by Seiko7A38 »

Checking my eBay watching page, it appears that greedy profiteering German eBay re-seller m.a.k.2979 has eventually found a mug punter buyer for his stainless 7A38-7020 with the misaligned bezel. It sold yesterday afternoon, for less than half his original ridiculous asking price - now reduced to €960 Euros. Still way to much to pay for one of these.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285517800419

7A38-7020-Stainless+Grey-eBay(Germany)-July2023-(Re-seller-m.a.k.2979)-Ended-Sold-960Euros.jpg
7A38-7020-Stainless+Grey-eBay(Germany)-July2023-(Re-seller-m.a.k.2979)-Ended-Sold-960Euros.jpg (152.85 KiB) Viewed 1331 times

User avatar
Seiko7A38
Site Admin
Posts: 2577
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:05 pm
Location: S.W. England
Contact:

Re: Yet another greedy German Profiteering eBay re-seller !

Post by Seiko7A38 »

I haven't given profiteering German eBay re-seller m.a.k.2979 anywhere near as much deserved bad press as I could have done, but I've been studiously monitoring his antics for a couple of years now. Checking my eBay watching page, I see he's finally managed to find a mug punter buyer for another of his 7A38's which he's been re-listing for a very long time. This average well-worn 7A38-6010, which he last re-listed on Monday, 6th November, sold earlier this morning, for a somewhat reduced Buy-it-Now price of €265 Euros.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285546633280

7A38-6010-(Divers)-Black+Gold-eBay(Germany)-Nov2023-Re-seller-re-listed-Ended-Sold-265Euros.jpg
7A38-6010-(Divers)-Black+Gold-eBay(Germany)-Nov2023-Re-seller-re-listed-Ended-Sold-265Euros.jpg (166.51 KiB) Viewed 1307 times

Because I hadn't posted about it before, it took a little while for me to find when he first listed it. As usual, a search my eBay notifications provided the answer. He'd first listed it on 10th June 2022, with a Buy-it-Now price of €945 Euros !!

7A38-6010-(Divers)-Black+Gold-eBay(Germany)-June2022-eBay-Notification.png
7A38-6010-(Divers)-Black+Gold-eBay(Germany)-June2022-eBay-Notification.png (78.11 KiB) Viewed 1306 times

User avatar
Seiko7A38
Site Admin
Posts: 2577
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:05 pm
Location: S.W. England
Contact:

Re: Yet another greedy German Profiteering eBay re-seller !

Post by Seiko7A38 »

Looks like profiteering German eBay re-seller m.a.k.2979's recent sale of that well-worn 7A38-6010 has fallen through. Oh dear, what a shame, he says, sniggering to himself. He re-listed it late yesterday afternoon with another different set of mostly new photos. This time he's asking €395 Euros as a Buy-it-Now.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seiko-7A38-6 ... 5554709827

7A38-6010-(Divers)-Black+Gold-eBay(Germany)-Nov2023-m.a.k.2979-Re-Listing.jpg
7A38-6010-(Divers)-Black+Gold-eBay(Germany)-Nov2023-m.a.k.2979-Re-Listing.jpg (165.12 KiB) Viewed 1286 times

I suspect, by his inclusion of the externally tatty red Seiko presentation box, which looks like it's covered in Sellotape, he's trying to make it look like a different watch. However, not quite all his photos are new. He's re-used the photo of the case-back from the previous re-listing, showing the serial number 4D7369, so it's definitely the same watch.

7A38-6010-(Divers)-Black+Gold-eBay(Germany)-Nov2023-(re-listed)-20.jpg
7A38-6010-(Divers)-Black+Gold-eBay(Germany)-Nov2023-(re-listed)-20.jpg (189.5 KiB) Viewed 1283 times

User avatar
Seiko7A38
Site Admin
Posts: 2577
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:05 pm
Location: S.W. England
Contact:

Re: Yet another greedy German Profiteering eBay re-seller !

Post by Seiko7A38 »

Early this morning, profiteering German eBay re-seller m.a.k.2979 listed another stainless 7A38-7020, with presentation box and user manual, supposedly as another 'full set'. At first glance this one looks to be in decent cosmetic condition and somewhat cheaper than his usual ludicrously over-priced offerings @ €950 Euros.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1983-Seiko-7 ... 586012843/

7A38-7020-Stainless+Grey-eBay(Germany)-Dec2023-(Re-seller)-m.a.k.2979-Listing.jpg
7A38-7020-Stainless+Grey-eBay(Germany)-Dec2023-(Re-seller)-m.a.k.2979-Listing.jpg (170.26 KiB) Viewed 1225 times

Closer inspection of the photos reveals that it's been completely re-finished, but the 'gotcher' is in the description:

7A38-7020-Stainless+Grey-eBay(Germany)-Dec2023-(Re-seller)-m.a.k.2979-PartialDescription.png
7A38-7020-Stainless+Grey-eBay(Germany)-Dec2023-(Re-seller)-m.a.k.2979-PartialDescription.png (11.53 KiB) Viewed 1222 times

How someone can have the gall to try selling a chronograph with the all-important 30 minute counter partially defective and still ask such a ridiculous price is beyond me. Still I expect another mug punter will come along shortly. :roll:

User avatar
Seiko7A38
Site Admin
Posts: 2577
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:05 pm
Location: S.W. England
Contact:

Re: Yet another greedy German Profiteering eBay re-seller !

Post by Seiko7A38 »

Here's a couple of slightly belated updates on the activities of greedy profiteering German eBay re-seller m.a.k.2979:

His re-listed well-worn 7A38-6010 appears to have sold (again) earlier this week for the opening bid price of €222 Euros.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285659568307

7A38-6010-(Divers)-Black+Gold-eBay(Germany)-Jan2024-(m.a.k.2979-re-listed)-Ended-Sold-222Euros.jpg
7A38-6010-(Divers)-Black+Gold-eBay(Germany)-Jan2024-(m.a.k.2979-re-listed)-Ended-Sold-222Euros.jpg (148.94 KiB) Viewed 959 times

.... a far cry from the ludicrous €945 euros he was asking back in June 2022. :lol:

Speaking of his inflated 'pie-in-the-sky' Buy-it-Now asking prices, last weekend he listed another 7A38 - this time a stainless 7A38-7280, with a ludicrous asking price of €880 Euros - at least three times more than it's actually worth.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seiko-7A38-7 ... 5663608535

7A38-7280-Stainless-WhiteFace-eBay(Germany)-Jan2024-Re-seller-m.a.k.2979-Listing.jpg
7A38-7280-Stainless-WhiteFace-eBay(Germany)-Jan2024-Re-seller-m.a.k.2979-Listing.jpg (152.12 KiB) Viewed 954 times

As usual, he's including a Seiko presentation box (possibly the same red lined one he's used many times before) and 7A38 user instruction manual, in pretence of giving the appearance a full set. Once again, his description includes the almost standard lie about the watch coming from his 'private, well-maintained collection'. If that were truly the case, then it wouldn't be necessary for him to obscure the serial number in his photos. Would it ?

Post Reply