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Update from DSF on the 4th of July pin release!

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Update from DSF on the 4th of July pin release!
TheOtherSteve said:
As I suspected, the July Pin Trading Event will be held across the street at one of the empty Hollywood & Highland store fronts - the main holdup for the date is logistics (getting cash register connectivity). Event is being held across the street because DSF is hosting Character Breakfasts on Saturday mornings during the Monsters University run which means the DSF store won't open for retail until 10:30am and the theatre has a 10am show so the lobby is not available for pin trading.
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This new location, coupled with an impending "big release" and long lines in a new area equals the perfect storm.

lets see what happens. And thanks Steve for the update!
 
DSF has done the "alternate Pin Trading Event location" several times in the past, so they have some experience in the matter. Only new variable is the larger crowds...
 
I am EXTREMELY dissappointed at the lack of a July flyer lol I was really expecting it but it has gotta be anyday now given tomorrow is the last day of June. Oh well, so for those who attended, how do you think this new system works on a pretty popular release?
 
I think DSF is still trying to get a handle on the increased pin release attendance, trying to balance an edition size increase with keeping the sell out time relatively short. Since pin orders take between 4 and 6 weeks, they would already be working on the August / September pins and any (hopeful) edition size increase is still a few months away. The line process was much smoother this go around. They had a spinning drum with the vouchers in it this time and spun the drum quite often to try and keep the mix random similar to this:
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Still, with 200 sets and just over 400 people who showed up, about half went home empty handed. Lots and lots of groups, so by group, most got something. I did hear many say the pins were going into their trading books and not their collections.
 
Sometimes I don't understand why, like today, they didn't make it 1pp. Don't get me wrong, I understand that 2pp allows one to keep and one to trade and many of those people who went home empty handed were resellers. However, many were also actual collectors and it sucks that they could have had only a few people walk away unhappy as opposed to half. I don't think anyone would have been upset over it being 1pp considering if it was 2pp, like it was, they have a 50% chance of walking away with absolutely nothing.
 
All we got from our day at DSF was the ability to get a few hugs from friends... Rebecca drew number 307 I think and I got 394... Yup love the system... The one time I convince her to go with me figuring at least a second shot at it just resulted in both of us wasting our day instead of just one of us wasting a night... At least with the overnight I knew I would come home with something if I was willing to put in the time for a release we wanted...
 
It was already announced both on their queuing plan flyer and just before they passed out wristbands (and discovered the actual attendance) that it would be 2pp. The line nearly doubled between 7:30 and 8am. Switching to 1pp at the last second would have caused lots of Facebook complaint posts about being wishy-washy about the "rules" (happened a few months ago). Their Facebook page is filled with complainer posts. Still lots of first timers who are learning the DSF ropes - maybe half were people I don't recall seeing at previous releases (and I've been going to DSF releases for years).
 
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I think the system worked fairly well....

however i think it would be a LOT less hassle for them and us if they gave us numbered wristbands. BUT, then did a random draw for the STARTING number.

So if, like today, 407 people show up, then 407 wristbands get handed out. Then they raffle draw one number... lets say its 282... so #282 is first in line and the rest numerically follow behind. :) Loads faster....
 
The wristbands were only ordered in small batches so the line had groups of randomly numbered wristbands (that's why they had two cast members with clickers to get a line count as the wristbands were handed out). Randomly choosing a starting wristband number and rearranging the line in wristband order would have added at least another 30 minutes to the overall process.
 
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Psycho Pixie said:
I think the system worked fairly well....

however i think it would be a LOT less hassle for them and us if they gave us numbered wristbands. BUT, then did a random draw for the STARTING number.

So if, like today, 407 people show up, then 407 wristbands get handed out. Then they raffle draw one number... lets say its 282... so #282 is first in line and the rest numerically follow behind. :) Loads faster....
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I totally agree. But hey, if they want to knock themselves out with more work, it's their call. Either way, the results would be somewhat the same.

TheOtherSteve said:
The wristbands were only ordered in small batches so the line had groups of randomly numbered wristbands (that's why they had two cast members with clickers to get a line count as the wristbands were handed out). Randomly choosing a starting wristband number and rearranging the line in wristband order would have added at least another 30 minutes to the overall process.
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Maybe they could order the wristbands for future releases in greater quantities, throw them in a bag, mix 'em up, and hand them out at the front of the line, the back of the line, as they did today?

I'm just wondering why they didn't punch or remove the wristbands as they were handing out numbers because it was SO easy for people to get back in line and get a second number. The CMs handing out numbers were being rotated about every 15 minutes and they weren't paying attention to anyone in line.
 
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The number of vouchers in the drum matched the number of wristbands handed out. If people got back in line, they would have run out of vouchers before the line was processed.
 
I know there was some voucher swapping between collectors after they were handed out. If DSF had run out of vouchers before all of the wristbanded people were processed, I'm sure everyone would have heard about it.
 
TheOtherSteve said:
I did hear many say the pins were going into their trading books and not their collections.
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While in line, I have spoken to some of the non regular faces in line and ask pretty much, why are you here. In a good way.

Most say that they would come but they did not want to do the sleepovers and do not have the time like most of the regulars so they would resort to ebay.

I do not think it is just me but with the show up and have an equal chance vouchers, many are doing just that. Making the chance that all have a chance. This is the same thing I have spoken with some resellers and ebay sellers in line. DSF pins were going for much higher resale prices on the boards and ebay. Now with the some ebay customers coming to the releases and having a chance at the pin and not buying them, the prices have dropped or a out of state person making a pretrade for the new releases so new faces are getting the pins for that reason. Now with new faces, they are buying the pins and actually either putting 1 set in their collection and the 2nd (or 1st set) set for trade. The 2nd set is for trade and not for sale gives the rest of the world a chance for an actual trade and not for a sale bid with no trades going on so the secondary market price automatically goes down. Of course the initial and pre-sales, the first listing will be a hight end start price but by the end of the day, everyone who bought to sell are undercutting each other? some hold fast and will remain on the boards as the real value is well below the price just because the pin is still listed for the 20+ day duration.

As with this release, many are bringing the kids (summer) and/or an extra non-pin friend. Some brought mom, dad and grandpa (I did not see a grandma?) for that extra chance of the Golden Vouchers. I would guess that everyone would be able to get a set if all the "extra" people were not there???

if 407 showed up for a Pascal per se (except for Pascal which sold out at #202 all the other 3 were still there #203+). How many are going to be there for a Beloved Tales or a hot UP/Tangled/WIR/Brave release and thats not counting a Surprise release rumor? Lets say an additional 1/3 (541 people) will bring along a friend and some that were not there will show up for since its "their" theme? DSF may be looking at 600 wristbands for 300 pins (150 Vouchers). You may be looking at a 25% chance of getting a golden voucher (if you come alone)? If they make it 1 set per person and they had to for the last releases, now your looking at a 50% chance of getting a golden voucher.

The real question is, as Steve and someone else said above, do they increase the LE to 400 on the new series of pins with the same low quality? LE 300 may be too small based on the sell outs now but 500 would kill the "WANT". How many are rushing to DLR for an LE 500 nowadays? Everyone from DL comes to DSF now for the pins. Paris does very well with their LE 400 series.

But the question remains. Where is DSF going to put all of us? We formed 3 full lines and spilled over into the alley. This is the whole reason delaying the July Trade Event release date and location.
minions-despicable-me-minions-34828858-1280-688.png
 
I am in the group MASTER mentioned, this is only my third DSF pin release, first was Alice Train Set Which they did not do wristbands etc. and only about 160 or so people showed up I got there around 8:00 am, I was pretty much maybe 12 before the last person and I barely got a full set. I was never going to do a camp out for pins so I missed out on a lot of good releases because I new I never had a chance of getting any arriving the morning of and with that being said when I tried to trade for pins from DSF it was very difficult because I did not have any LE 300 pins to trade and prices on auction sites were way out of my price range. So I really like the new DSF pin release policy, I feel it gives everyone an equal chance even me who attends all by myself. Yesterday I got number 220 but was only able to get Ray and Wall-E, Jessica was sold out by then. But all in all I was happy with getting something, someone did help me with a Jessica as I was leaving though. (Thanks again), a Pascal would have been nice as well but that's the way the ball bounces I went with an attitude with if I get a decent number great if not, oh well maybe next time. I do feel it would make more people happier with a 1 pin per person policy, that way even with groups of people you would end up with more than one set, since their were a lot of groups leaving total empty handed. I can't decide if bringing more people decreases or increases your odds of getting a decent number, because the more people there lowers the percentage of your chances, right?
 
Psycho Pixie said:
I think the system worked fairly well....

however i think it would be a LOT less hassle for them and us if they gave us numbered wristbands. BUT, then did a random draw for the STARTING number.

So if, like today, 407 people show up, then 407 wristbands get handed out. Then they raffle draw one number... lets say its 282... so #282 is first in line and the rest numerically follow behind. :) Loads faster....
Click to expand...

I like this, too. I think this is the best way to keep it fair.

Also, voucher swapping shouldn't be allowed. Having numbered wristbands and then picking numbers and having people line up when their number is called could prevent this. This could also eliminate the need to pass out vouchers in addition to wristbands as people would just need to show their wristband and DSF would match it to their order of numbers. DSF could also stamp numbers on peoples hands to prevent people from swapping but I doubt people would appreciate this.
 
TheOtherSteve said:
Voucher swapping is/was a kindness given from one person to another. Not much different from a zap...
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It can also be seen as a "trade" of pins. I don't see the harm in it. If two people swap vouchers, it doesn't make a difference to me. I didn't draw either of those vouchers nor does the swap affect my voucher number.

Someone wanted to swap vouchers with me at the Monster's U release, but I chose not to. I liked my number.
 
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