Are the veteran pin traders leaving the hobby?

[markheardjr]

Agree with Suzziesue. This new breed of trader/seller wants mostly princesses, villains or the hot new "it" thing and they don't have much else to trade. They sell all their decent pins and I have seen most of what they have to offer or already bought it myself. I do collect princesses, but not villains. But lately it's just seeing the same stuff, that is if people even have stuff. Noone brings pins to trade anymore. DSS lines are short raffles, so no more hours of waiting and trading. The pins seem to be either $40, $100+ or worthless lately. If it sold out, it's $40. If it is hot it's $100. If it took *gasp* 2 days to sell out, it's the black sheep everyone laughs at. I have so many freakin pins but the people trading are the same 3 or 4 I see everytime I go. Got stagnant. Pin sales are lame, the LR sets are lame. The villains stuff was overwhelming for someone that doesn't care for them at all. Prices are jacked up. On and on. I just keep my PTS collection complete and attempt to get princesses and marquees as the come out. Other than that, meh. I'm content not going insane for Tangled or having to have all the Frozen pins out there. I'll live.

Now, if anyone has any Science Fiction related pins to trade with me, have at it! Space Mountain, Rocket to the Moon, Star Tours! Yes!

 

[nsingleton]

In the two years I have been part of this community, I have seen people leave, but I also notice that many find their way back after awhile! Sometimes they just take a break, some longer than others! I also agree with the fact that the hobby in itself has changed, just in the short time I have been around! :sad: For me however, it isn't as much about the pins as it is about the wonderful friends I make, so I think as long as there are still genuine and kind people to talk to and become friends with, I will stick around even if I cannot get pins! :lol: The pins are just a pretty little extra! It is always sad to see people go, but, if you reach out and make friends, you still will have the friend even if they quit the hobby! I have a few friends who are no longer into the pin scene, but are still my friends and I still talk to them when possible! Great thread/topic!

 

[Aceastrococopuff]

What would you consider an experienced trader? I have been pin trading for nine years this May. I used to love the tables and made great friends there... Some I still text to this day... More than 60% of no longer in the hobby mostly because of the prices and scrapers... It's a real shame that this happened as imagine how many others there are that are like this that I never met... I also have to agree with Tbird... I have 50th anniversary pins and a few of each but nobody wants them because it's the Fab Five... Really??? Those pins were not easy to get and I spent a lot of money to get them and can't even use them in auctions...

 

[hopemax]

Great thread, Tbird and some of the others who've been at it a while. I'd be interested in seeing some of the pins that "used to be cool". My personal tastes are pins that others probably don't care for so I'd be interested in seeing what used to be the "hot" pins. Thanks, sorry for interrupting.

I think hopemax put up a thread not long ago where we talked about some of the old pins that everyone used to want that no one remembers anymore? Try a search for hopemax and older grails maybe?

Here's a link to the post

http://disneypinforum.com/showthread.php?40538-Hey-Pin-Trading-Old-Timers!-The-Grails

 

[Mischiefmanaged]

They hobby has changed, from trading/collecting to buying/selling. While we haven't been around as long as others (about 6 years), we've also seen this hobby go downhill. From DS.com stopping their pin releases, DLR tables being taken away, to the hundreds of newbies that all want everything for nothing. What ruined it for us are the new breed of people that rely solely on aftermarket prices. There was once a time where you could go to DSF at any time of the day and purchase pins days, sometimes weeks after their release date. Trade negotiations were based off of wants/trade ratios, LE size, and how badly a person wanted the pin. Now you can't even bring up a trade conversation without having ebay prices determining everything. One of the last times we went to DSF for a release every person around us was talking about what the pin was currently selling for and what they were going to list their pin for. Not to mention it's almost a health hazard to try to get current pins with the week long camp outs, and physical fights that seem to happen at every release. There are far more resellers now then traders/collectors. You also have to be in the "right click" in order to find someone to help you out for a reasonable return rate. It's rare to find someone willing to help you out for as close to cost as they can get anymore. You never had to camp out for pin releases, the closest to "camping out" was waiting until midnight on Sunday nights to see what new pins were released on DS.com. Overall the hobby has just become more stressful like a job then fun as a hobby should be.

While we haven't quit the hobby, we've taken a huge step back. We rarely send out trade requests anymore because the newbies all expect gold, diamonds, and rubies for their pin that was released yesterday, and then tell us that we're "sharks" and "not fair" because we don't accept their offer. We've weeded out our collection and kept only those that we really like, but aren't ready to start parting with our collection yet. We'll continue going after our shrunken down wants list, but we're no longer putting the effort into it like we used to do. It just isn't worth it anymore.

 

[LuvSimba]

I'm in the boat with tbird and hopemax, part of the 'old timers' group. I agree with what they said 100%.

Even tho I try to trade as much as always, because I don't have the 'it' pins, it's hard to trade. The 'gotta have it nows' and the newer 'we know it all' rudeness has really gotten to me in the last 6-8 months. What topped it off was the attitude and treatment of certain pin traders by the new owners and staff of pp. Wow, just wow, beyond words!!

When Ethan brought DPP on line, I felt a breath of fresh air. No longer do we have to be 'ruled' by pp and their minons. Their short comings and attitudes will be their downfall. But, I digress..

Pin Trading has always had it's ups and downs. I think from those who have seen the most happenings, hang on, because we know, so far, the hobby has bounced back, or maintained. I think things and traders will continue to come and go. There will be more ups and downs, shake ups, ect.

What matters most, are the people. The love of trading, the joy it brings and meeting new friends (and hanging with old ones to ). That's why I am still here after 14 years.

 

[norlando319]

I have 50th anniversary pins and a few of each but nobody wants them because it's the Fab Five... Really??? Those pins were not easy to get and I spent a lot of money to get them and can't even use them in auctions...

I feel so BAD for you Ace! Tell you what, why don't you just box them all up and send them to me. I'll even pay for the shipping (because I am a giver!) I mean, it has to be awful, to have a bunch of Fab Five pins you can't even use in auctions!

Because I love you like a sibling, I will even send you a few hundred junque (like garbage, but all jazzed up with clever spelling) pins I bought in a lot on eBay for the super low low price of $50, that are guaranteed "tradeable in the parks" - and there will be a double handful of extremely rare limited edition 300 "litte (SIC) mermaids castle" pins in the baggie of pins I will send you. Free, for nothing - because I CARE!

No, no, don't thank me! This is a SERVICE I provide, taking your old Fab Five pins off your hands for these (mostly) shiny new very thin and creatively colored (and occasionally paint chipped, or flaked off, but it only adds character) pins I guarantee you can trade! If you have any dirty old diamonds, or worthless old broken gold or platinum jewelry, or nasty old used up cash, I will take all that trash off your hands too, and I will GIVE you a FREE ball point pen. Top dollar (yes, ONE WHOLE US DOLLAR - the TOP ONE from my stack of BRAND NEW CRISP $1.00 bills) paid!!!

Don't even bother LOOKING for a better deal, because I already did, and there isn't one! TRUST me!

PM me for my address, and let me ease your pain, my dear friend!

 

[Aceastrococopuff]

I feel so BAD for you Ace! Tell you what, why don't you just box them all up and send them to me. I'll even pay for the shipping (because I am a giver!) I mean, it has to be awful, to have a bunch of Fab Five pins you can't even use in auctions!

Because I love you like a sibling, I will even send you a few hundred junque (like garbage, but all jazzed up with clever spelling) pins I bought in a lot on eBay for the super low low price of $50, that are guaranteed "tradeable in the parks" - and there will be a double handful of extremely rare limited edition 300 "litte (SIC) mermaids castle" pins in the baggie of pins I will send you. Free, for nothing - because I CARE!

No, no, don't thank me! This is a SERVICE I provide, taking your old Fab Five pins off your hands for these (mostly) shiny new very thin and creatively colored (and occasionally paint chipped, or flaked off, but it only adds character) pins I guarantee you can trade! If you have any dirty old diamonds, or worthless old broken gold or platinum jewelry, or nasty old used up cash, I will take all that trash off your hands too, and I will GIVE you a FREE ball point pen. Top dollar (yes, ONE WHOLE US DOLLAR - the TOP ONE from my stack of BRAND NEW CRISP $1.00 bills) paid!!!

Don't even bother LOOKING for a better deal, because I already did, and there isn't one! TRUST me!

PM me for my address, and let me ease your pain, my dear friend!

SOLD!!! Where do I sign?

 

[Jabberwocky]

Here's a link to the post

Thanks for finding it.

 

[ElysionsPrincess]

I am obviously not an old timer to the hobby, but I've even seen the hobby deteriorate for the short amount of time I've been in it. I think I've made maybe... ten trades? Total? In the year and a half I've been an active pin trader. That is really sad. Sure, I don't have great pins. But I have no means to get those "great pins". Everyone will only trade the hottest, greatest thing for anything they have. Not living near the Soda fountain or being able to shell out the second hand market prices for said hottest, greatest, newest pin makes it nearly impossible to trade for anything. I've gone to such lengths as importing pins from Japan to try and use as traders, and I've only made one successful trade with them.

Sometimes I wish sites like Pinpics and DPP didn't exist. While they are amazing databases and I love their numbering/cataloging systems, the LE and t/w (and now eBay links?) really ruin a trade sometimes. For me, I think you should trade for the pin you want because you LIKE IT. Not because its LE 100, worth $300, or has 300 wanting and 2 trading. Sure, those things are cool to some, but for others, I could care less. If I like the pin, I want it in my collection. If I don't, I don't. Regardless.

I've had people turn down one of my pins because of what it sells for on eBay, and what its LE was, but its a rare pin from Japan with a good ratio of t/w. Its almost like you have to have all three factors to get a trade for anything that isn't worth less than $30. People overvalue their pins, trades, and THEMSELVES as traders, which all creates problems.

I think this all has potential to turn itself around. If people stop giving in to the ridiculous prices, it will stop. But I know everyone has to work together to achieve this. I am guilty of feeding into this pinsanity. I just spent $100 on the Frozen marquee. $100!! That is just absurd, and I feel horrible and guilty for it. I should never have done that. I'm a student who shouldn't be buying anything (and frankly, can't afford it), but I do it anyways because I feel "forced". I know that is a ridiculous term to use, no one is holding a gun at my head and screaming at me to log into my paypal. But we all know what I'm referring to. No one wants to feel the regret of not buying a pin now, when it turns up for $800 down the road, when you actually, genuinely, WANT and LOVE the pin. And sometimes things have more sentimental meaning than money is worth. But is it necessary? No. Would the prices come down if people like me and others stopped buying things for bananas prices? Probably!

I know I'm rambling. But I think if we all work together as a community, things can turn around for the better. We also all have to stop feeding into the disgusting things this hobby has festered. Like that atrocious confessions page on Facebook. Pouring hate into a glass isn't going to make the drink taste sweeter. I just miss the selflessness, the generosity, the kindness that I used to see. I still see it, but its much more rare. I need to work on contributing to these things myself. Its one of my new year's resolutions!!

 

[echoharmony]

I've been in this hobby since 2006 and while I've taken a couple breaks for various reasons, I'm still here for the long haul! It has gotten really hard to trade, especially for grails, though It seems that people just buy and sell pins, so I've started to do a bit of the same. I don't like resorting to it, but it's so hard to trade for things I really want!! People are always just selling them, or only want to trade for even more impossible things. Oy!

 

[docfish2u]

Please don't take this as a personal comment about anybody's post here. I do see a common thread though and after looking at some people's wants and their traders I feel I have to say this. A lot of times the pins people are looking for are high end or new and hot pins. That seems to be almost what I am seeing on most of the wants people list here. It has always been hard to trade for these types of pins!!! There have always been hot and hard to get pins, at one time it was Stitch, Tink and princess pins. Now most people don't want these as badly, but they do want the hot current pins. I am sorry, but it has always been this way. If you don't have the hot pins of the day it is hard to get the hot pins of the day. Be it now or 10 years ago. Yes there are more people making more profit now then there used to be, but that is only because people are paying it. If they were not it would not be happening.

If you look at my wants list you will find a ton of easier to trade for pins that I have on there because they have always traded well at Disneyland when we went down there. Are they all of the hot pins, no, are there some hot types of pins of course. I like to pin trade, even if it is for other traders. It keeps me pin trading between trips. I can easily make 20 trades a month, but I am not only looking for the hot pins.

Grails are grails for a reason!!! If they were easy then they would not be grails. The one thing I have noticed more then anything is that the newer generations of pin traders are a lot less patient then traders used to be. It used to be if you got a grail or two a year that was a great year. Now everybody has to have their grails right now.

Relax, this is a hobby and hobbies are supposed to be fun. If a pin was meant to come to you it will. When a grail comes to you cherish it for the prize it is. Everybody needs to take a deep breath and not be gutted if you don't get the super duper mega cool le 10 pin that comes out. If you get this distraught over any pin then it might be time to rethink your choice of hobbies. Remember, there will always be another super duper pin coming out next week that unless you live at the disney soda fountain or at WDW that you will not be able to get. There have always been and will always be pins that are really hard to find!!! That is why getting a grail is supposed to be so special.

Don't ever forget, these are just little pieces of metal (yes they are cool) but it is supposed to be the friendships you make here that matter more. At least in my not so humble opinion.

Again, this was in no way meant to be aimed at any one person, just an observation of an old timer. Carry on and for crying out loud, have some fun already!!!

Okay, sermon over.

 

[tiggermickey]

I have been trading as long as David,I am not going anywhere ..I am adding wants and trades to DPP everyday,so hopefully I will be trading more,I miss it a lot ...

 

[Aceastrococopuff]

David, you are completely right... In 05 the big thing was the ab five, Tink and I forget the other... (stitch maybe) So I get some of those pins and by the next time I get out there I am stuck with all these pins as those ones aren't the "hot" ones anymore...

 

[nWoJeffDW]

I've been in the hobby since 2000 and I'm one of those veterans that is leaving the hobby. About all I do now is keep up with the Marquees and Muppet pins along with the odd Haunted Mansion and Character pin.

I can tell you the reasons I'm leaving the hobby:

1.) Too much of a good thing. After about 14 years in the hobby, you just get to a point where you have more pins than you can ever do anything with. I've also come down to only a small handful of pins I even want and they are virtually impossible to find.

2.) The decline of trading. Back in the day of the hobby, pins were traded more than sold. There wasn't much of a secondary market. You got pin trading pals at all the different parks and just kept trading back and forth. At one point, I had a trading pal at WDW and Tokyo Disneyland and I would send them Disneyland pins. Ebay was a good resource but pins were reasonably priced, not much over original cost. Of course there were those Hot pins that were harder to come by and Disney Auctions was a constant source of frustration as Stitch and Jessica pins sold out in seconds or went for (at the time) high prices, but the majority of pins were reasonable and attainable.

3.) The Scrapper/Counterfeit Hysteria. Yes, I know there are a lot of scrappers out there, and a number of pins have now been counterfeited, but when it first began, there was a mass hysteria among collectors that every pin had been counterfeited when it was and I believe still is, a very small percentage of the pins out there. We know Hidden Mickey pins have overruns that are then resold by the China companies that manufactured them. We know some rack pins had been counterfeited by a couple of dirtbags who were able to pass them off under the radar since they were rack pins and no one would question them. But when any little defect or missing backer card suddenly brings about accusations of fake pins, it just gets to be ridiculous.

4.) The rise of DSF pins and the reseller. Somewhere over the last couple of years, DSF pins become a whole pin culture unto itself and those that went for the releases began to view it as "their territory" - "newbies" need not apply. Granted, not every regular that goes to these releases is like that, but I would dare say the majority are. To make matters worse, a large portion of those regulars now seem to be resellers, who openly brag about hiring others to be in line. They aren't there because they like the pin, they're there to make $$.

5.) The fall of Pinpics. It's just sad what has happened to PinPics. What was once a great fan resource has now become a small groups bid to "rule over" the hobby. They take over the main resource that truly was built by the whole pin trading community, claim ownership of it all and then try to take money out of others in the hobby both by offering "premiums" that really aren't much benefit and trying to manipulate how pins are perceived by trying to force a connection to high end art. Without the hobby community continuing to add and build the database on PinPics, it will soon become out of date as new pins get missed, information isn't added or quality pictures put in. The new Pin Place, if given the support by the average pin collector (and I believe it has that support) may quickly outdo PinPics as the destination source for information and maintenance of people's collection. Pins were never meant to be a high-end collectible. That's what made them so appealing -- anyone could get into the hobby and build a decent collection. That's not really the case anymore.

I know not everyone will share my opinions. This is just what I have seen and my reasons why I've just lost interest in continuing with pin collecting on any kind of significant basis.

I hope for those new to the hobby can still get enjoyment out of it and to those old-timers still around - Kudos to you for sticking it out. It will be interesting to see how the hobby continues to evolve.

 

[xbeckyx]

This is my first time back...since...I think last summer?
So hey everyone again


Ive been into collecting since 2008 and ive seen pins come and go as well as collectors. I am one that is not 100% in the hobby as I used to be.

I was very hardcore in trading when I first joined for at least 3 years, esp with Dizpins around. Then I took a little break. And when I came back, whoa it had changed! Pins were serious business and there wasnt the "disney magic" around, which to me was helping out buddies who needed to get a pin, but it all turned into dollars and pounds. People had seemed that quite alot of money could be made and it made the genuine collectors spend out a fortune on a pin from someone who didnt even want it in the first place.

Scrappers were never really a problem for me, it was obvious that an extra eye would be needed to be opened, but was common sense. If the seller was from china... fake!

But to me the main reason I drift is that I never 100% feel that I belong in pin trading because I am not frequent to the parks to buy/trade etc. I never got the "friendship" with people as I always felt too distant. I done some pin trading in Paris (also had a few bad experiences too) and I loved it. But once I got home it wasnt the same. No doubt I will be back on here trading after the summer as I am finally going ot WDW and will probably have the trading bug again!

However I would never sell my collection as even when Im not collecting it means so much to me. I would still love to get certain pins (DA Stitch with Donald Duck doll..anyone? please? ) but they still make me smile whenever I have a flick through the pin book I may buy odd pins every now and again and I do still class it as a hobby even if I disspear every now and then for a couple of months

 

[OlafOlaf]

I've only been into pins since September '13, but I too have noticed that many people seem to leave the hobby. But I do see about 50% of them returning. And there will always be someone leaving, and someone coming in.

I do think some people get tired about the "money money money"-business. As much as I love pins, I think some are a bit crazy. Like someone said here, it's gone from trading to collecting and buying/selling, which is fine, because it's a collector's item and all. But $600 for a Rapunzel pin is way over my head and it makes me want to quit too, to be honest. I seriously love the fun and the nice people you meet, but sometimes I really feel like taking a break. But then you are able to obtain a grail and you break down lol.

Also, I've met more rude, ignorant and selfish people than I've met nice people, which is sad. There are scammers, people who yell at you when you make a beginner's mistake, people who have nothing better to do than troll, people who kind of want to force you to trade something you don't want, etc…

And I hate to say it, but I really feel leftout as a European sometimes. The amount of "I don't trade with Europeans" or "US only" I've read is so high. It's also a hard hobby when you're someone
- that can't afford to go to the parks every time they release a pin,
- that can't get to DSF pins
- that basically has to count on traders selling their traders, or overpriced Ebay listings.

But then again, I still love pins so I don't see myself quitting soon.

 

[minniemad0110]

I started collecting in 2002 at the tender age of 10, with obviously help off my parents. Since then I stopped collecting all together when I was about 14/15 and had a break out for about 5 years. I have noticed such a massive change to pin trading since coming back, but honestly scrappers have always been about. It is just now we are all getting better at knowing what to look out for, that's why it seems to be making so much of an impact now. I just think that people change, and those who are selling their collections, because they don't want to collect now, will regret it in the future. I am quite luckily that I didn't sell off my collection as now it has given me a basis to start up my collection again, and some quite old pins that are hard to find.

 

[Aceastrococopuff]

Another example I just thought of that has been mentioned... In the near past I was unable to do a trade with a person for a pin I wanted as it was such a low LE they had for one of mine that was a "higher" LE... In 05, it went based on the pins you want and they want... Not the LE or where it's from or how much it is worth...

 

[markheardjr]

I don't think Scrappers is the reason. Scrappers have been around for a long time, since I've been trading they have. It was just something to watch out for. If you got one from someone just remember who they were.

Selling, reselling, preselling. And what that leads to. EVERYONE sells pins once in a while. Beit at cost, "at cost" but really you got the 20% AP difference in your pocket, above cost, whatever. I understand, as you acquire pins you also need to purge once in a while. I sell pins once in a while. Last year I did twice in big amounts. Once raising money for DLRP trip, and second when my wife totaled her car. That stuff happens, I get it. But this whole buy & flip same day. Or preselling and hyping is what got old for me. Preselling DSS pins for which you are not guaranteed and possibly will not get is really bad. Pintraders should stop pre-buying or pre-committing to these people.

It also seems there is this new fad of pin "binging" I'll call it. Sell sell sell, buy some crazy expensive overly priced pin you want. Sell sell sell buy another pin overpriced and buy a "fancy" lanyard. Sell sell sell, peacock out your lanyard with more pins. I think a lot of people just want to belong to something and have come into this hobby looking for belonging and think a peacock lanyard with $1500 or more worth of pins will give you status right away. Which just leads to all the cliques. They look down on pins that aren't peacock lanyard worthy so only what you can sell or what is super valuable is all they are interested in. I cannot easily trade the mid-level pins anymore in person, online those are great, but in person it's either high value or "not interested." Selling and buying makes it impersonal and instant but they want it NOW! I think some of their "new friends" are really just sharks with a smile waiting to offload mediocre stuff to the newbies who cashed in from their latest binge. Maybe I may see this more at DLR/DSS area because there are so many people doing it. But many of these people don't have any other pins to trade. Because they sell everything they can. Then the junk left over is what they expect you to want from them for pins worthy of their peacock lanyard. But I could have bought the junk pin if I wanted it, but I didn't knowing it would tank.

Take for example the most recent DSS pin Rapunzel/Pascal January calendar. It sells on eBay for $45. Which is probably about right IMO. Yet I see people on Facebook with these unreal expectations of like DA Ariels, HTF Marquees, Frozen surprise pin, etc as what they are willing to trade it for. And yet I may have a HTF pin from 2 or 3 years ago that is worth $40-$50 but that person won't trade me. They would rather sell it and two more for $45 each and add up to some $150 pin they've been eyeing. But that $150 pin is only $150 because people like them keep paying that much. It's like pinflation is happening because of people who would rather deal with eBay than another person.

I usually had about 2 binders worth of pins to trade at the parks. But trading fell off and, like I said, if it isn't high value noone wants it. So now I have over 3+ binders worth of traders and tons of other little baggies of left overs. I just hope trading does return, we can get the parks sparked back up and I this extra stuff I have will be tradable later on.

 

[Spectromen]

I bought my first pin in 1987 at the Disney Store in Northridge. Since then, I've collected whenever I see something I want. I didn't trade until about 2 years ago and honestly, I'm sort of sorry I ever did. I liked this hobby so much better when it was just about buying pins that I wanted, either direct or on ebay, and being completely ignorant to the trading mess that ensued for years. Yes, there are wonderful traders and great people in the mix, but plenty of the opposite, too.

 

[Abyssinian28]

I agree with a little bit of a lot of posts on here, but I think Unibear really had a good point. If I had to speculate on the reason for folks leaving, I would peg these as the reasons (in order of likely hood):

-Disney Dropping the Ball
Between the end of DS.com exclusive pins, the sporadic and greatly reduced PTNs, and the overall decline of Park releases and trading, Disney is shooting themselves in the foot. To keep an obsessed person interested, you have to feed the obsession. Disney is allowing people to wake up from their pin comas. It's hard to trade with people in DLR and Paris when you can't replenish with DS.com pins. It's created quite the power vacuum.

-Dizpins/Pinpics Issues
The problems with our most used hobby resources do impact whether people stay or go.

-Natural Cycle/Burnt Out
If you're like me, you tend to drift in and out of hobbies. I'm currently a little burnt out (and maxed out, as well, on space and pins that I need). When you get to the point where everything you need is super rare and only shows up every 2 years, you tend to go through lulls...

-Hoarding/ Pin Hostages
It's not so much price gouging or resellers...there have always been those in the hobby (and it's a bit of a different topic, since they're not really TRADERS in the first place). But when pins started doing really, REALLY crazy things, people got scared to trade. As much as some people call it "greed", that's not really the case. After all, none of us can afford to throw away potential money. But for some people, that fear rules over their trading, and they can't seem to let ANYTHING go...even when an equally good pin is being offered. This creates frustration, and has killed trading. I used to trade online via Pinpics weekly. Now, I can hardly remember the last time I did so...

-Horrible People
Self explanatory

-Finances
Eventually, you have to ramp your game up to play (unless you just like Hidden Mickeys or OE pins). And that gets really expensive...

I don't think scrappers have much to do with it...they're horrible, yes, but they don't really effect traders unless you do HMs, and even then, you can avoid them if you know what you're looking at. I don't think the old traders would leave because of scrappers.

In the end, it could be any number of factors, but it's pretty natural to move in and out of hobbies. Unless you're the long-term commitment type...kudos to you!

 

[CoryTheRaven]

For me, I think you should trade for the pin you want because you LIKE IT. Not because its LE 100, worth $300, or has 300 wanting and 2 trading. Sure, those things are cool to some, but for others, I could care less. If I like the pin, I want it in my collection. If I don't, I don't. Regardless.

EXACTLY!

Whenever I see inflated prices on Ebay, all I think is that "a pin is only worth what someone will pay for it, not what someone will charge for it." I see this a lot with another collection I used to have. I'm one of about 4 or 5 people on the planet who collect memorabilia from this one particular silent movie, and for most of history, none of this memorabilia sold for over $50. Then this one goofball set the price for this one item at $2500 because that's what old stuff is "supposed" to sell for. It hasn't moved in 6 years. Unfortunately, because he priced it at that, everybody else selling stuff on Ebay has inflated their own prices. A copy of the novelization that I bought about 10 years ago for $12 is now being sold for $250 or $400, and guess what? Nobody is buying. I half feel like sending all these guys messages telling them that their stuff isn't worth that much.

Another example, I recently bought a pin for my collection off Ebay (booooo). Lately, several people have been trying to sell that pin for upwards of $75. Those pins don't move. But every time someone prices it for less, it does. I bought mine for $15. A pin is only worth what you can get for it, not what you ask for it.

And I totally agree that while I keep a slight eye on ratios and LE status, for me the only real concern is if it's on my want list and what I have is on the other person's. Unfortunately this is probably why I don't even get replies to my trade requests. I can't even get a message back on getting a new OE pin, even if I'm offering something considerably "better" and which the person claims they want. Meh.

 

[coblj003]

I don't really consider myself a veteran, but I agree that reselling and BIN price gouging have definitely put a price damper on things. I don't consider my wants aren't truely rare nor expensive, $10-$20 tops, but it's hard when some ebay reseller puts a BIN price of $75 a pin. which is far beyond my comfort zone excluding my grail. I just want to complete a few sets/wants that I have currently then I'm done. afterwards, I wouldn't mind casual CM style trading amongst y'all...

 

[AgentOfAnarchy]

I'm not a veteran but have been in trading a year. I've considered quitting a few times partly because of the prices. It's hard to be in a hobby when you cannot afford or justify that amount of money on pins, a little disheartening but mainly it's the attitude of some people. I cannot believe the rudeness and how some people have been treated. For a hobby centred around Disney it is really off putting but on the other hand I've also been astounded by the kindness and friendship I've seen. My hercules pins have gotten too rare and while I 'collect' frozen I can only get the OEs and DSUK ones. so I stay for the amazing people i've met.