Need advice again...

[Happy Haunt]

Pretty disillusioned with pin collecting at the moment. I don't get many trades as I don't have many traders. I'm not rich so can't buy a lot of pins. I am no where near any of the Disney parks... so pin trading is just a bit difficult sometimes.

Again I am contemplating focusing my collections even more to give myself more traders. I am not giving up collecting the Hitchhiking Ghosts as they're my main collection. And I still want to be a Phantom Manor completist (can someone help me with this? I only have six pins in that collection at the moment). And I love trains so I'm not giving up on that, besides I only just started.

But my very slow moving collections arn't doing much, and I have a few nice LEs in them... possibly nice traders. So... I'm thinking about stopping collecting the AiW Caterpillar, Ludwig Von Drake and José Carioca. Even though I love those three characters. Again its not much but its the best I can do to get more traders right now except for the DS UK releases of course. And I think trading some of these might let me get some pins I'm after for my other collections.

Rather than make this decision on my own I wanted to ask you guys; I'm pretty indecisive. I love these forums and you guys are awesome; I've already made a lot of friends here. Any advice or opinions would be helpful. Or even just talking would cheer me up a bit. Seriously if anyone ever just wants to chat PM me. Especially if you want to talk about the Mansion; I'm veeeeeeery talkative when it comes to that ride.

 

[mojoscout]

Hey lady dobbins!
What I would say is try and get as many as possible of the UK releases because almost all of us are crazy for those:naughty:that should help with the lack of traders problem. As for getting rid of some of your other pins in your collections all I can say is if you like the pin KEEP IT! I hope this helped

 

[hopemax]

I wouldn't give up on them just yet. It takes awhile to build up a supply of traders. But it happens. You buy a small Ebay lot and there are some you don't want. You visit a park, and pick up a few extras. You accidentally duplicate something you own. I don't know where you are in life, but when you are young and starting out it can be hard to watch everyone else constantly adding fabulous pins. But your income increases, priorities change and you stop spending money in other areas, and slowly but surely the pins will come. But even if you are established, you can go through a trading drought. I make a group of trades in January, and nothing in Feb, Mar, April or May and then now I am in a bit of a trading explosion.

 

[starry_solo]

Check with earthbound - I know he is in the UK and selling traders to make room for more pins

But don't get disillusioned. Sometimes it might be "cheaper" to buy a pin, rather than trade for it.

 

[Rocke01]

I agree with buying the UK stuff. They are harder for the US people to get so you will probably get offered better for them. I would also look to get some pins from the sale board. You definitely need more traders. I would say at least good open edition and some higher LE stuff. I would work toward getting your traders up to at least 100 or more. I feel uncomfortable where my traders are right now and I have well over 200. The more you have to offer the more chances you get to trade. As for your keepers go. If you like them and you don't need to get rid of them I would keep them for now.

 

[Happy Haunt]

Yeah recently I have been buying the UK releases for traders. Wish they'd come out more than every fortnight though. o_o

Thanks for the advice everyone. I just feel that I'm not as enthusiastic with the other collections as I am with the HHG, Phantom Manor and the Trains. I like my other pins but I would rather be collecting the three themes mentioned. Hmmm. I am interested to know what kind of offers I'd get for the other pins too.

 

[HiddenMickeys]

Aww, I don't like hearing this! Don't be disillusioned, we all love ya!

I agree with everyone else here about buying the UK releases for starters. I'd also say keep and get the pins you love. This is supposed to be a fun hobby and one of the best parts is that you can do what you want and make your collection what you want. If things are looking like they're on the outs, don't worry, eventually they'll turn back around

 

[Psycho Pixie]

You know I will help ya out however possible with our trades. Don't be disallusioned, don't give up.

As to your collections. There is nothing wrong with focusing. Dont get rid of you AiW's, but you can pick some that dont scream "keep me" to use for trade. Thats what I am working out right now with my thumpers. I love my thumper, but they don't all cry out to me as special so I am figuring out what can be good traders.

 

[Happy Haunt]

Aww thanks guys. I'm feeling a bit better now. Though I am contemplating using some as traders; sometimes I feel the pins would be better in someone's collection who would really appriciate them.

I might see how things go... if I get some great offers for certain pins in my collection then I might just have to trade them.

 

[liquidhavok]

Personally I'd take the advice listed and combine it all- trim down the themes you collect and maximize your trading "potential" by focusing on UK pins that us Yanks can't get.

You don't have to lose all but three themes- just narrow it down a little and use those that you aren't in love with as traders.

From my albeit limited experience- pin trading can be on a pendulum... Your disillusionment will swing back to fervor in no time!

 

[xPrincessEmilyx]

Pin trading is always tricky, I mean at the meet yesterday half the people there had pins I wanted and I had nothing to give them for it whilst the other half wanted my pins but I had nothing they wanted. But ocassionally you'll get a good trade out of it!

A lot of people yesterday had books overflowing with UK releases and I couldn't understand why they didn't trade with the US more as they trade so well to the US as even if the person doesn't want the pin they can use it as a great trader at the US parks.

Don't give up! Eventually things will work out Keep pins that you like, but if you see one you like more maybe consider trading up for it? My collection cycles ALOT as I trade for characters that I already have but I see a nicer pin of.

Keep your chin up don't forget the DLRP PM event next month as there are bound to be people willing to pick them up for you and trade with you for them Maybe try looking on the facebook groups?

 

[SyriusLionwing]

The route I'm going down now is not buying traders because it's cheaper just to buy the pin outright if I can get it on ebay. I am in the same boat as you in the UK, not near a park, can't afford to go to paris/florida/other, so I have to purchase the pins I want most of the time. Don't give up on your collections just be patient, the pins you want will come to you eventually.

Honestly I understand the frustration, I have so few traders now that once they are gone I am not buying any more because it costs more just to buy a trader than it does to buy the pin outright. Especially with the UK releases being online only - 7 - 9 per pin, then 2.50 - 5 for pnp to you, then 3.40 to trade it to the US, ridiculous it is!

Just stay positive and do ebay / here when you can. Eventually you will get the pins you want <3!

 

[Happy Haunt]

Thanks again for all the advice everyone. I think I will be trading some of them. But we'll see eh?

And that's true Emily I really do need to find someone to pick me up some pins from that event... only thing is I was going to wait till they previewed them to ask because there will probably be pins I will want before others etc. I really hope they get previewed soon. o_o

Maybe one day a number of DPF members can all meet up at DLRP. That would be great. I think we should all meet up at Frontierland; and then go on Thunder Mountain and Phantom Manor.

 

[Vixy]

Even though this isn't my thread, thanks to everyone for it, because I've had similar questions in my head for a while. I have almost nothing in my traders because I just haven't been collecting very long. I'm in the US (so no UK releases) and also not easily able to get to a park often or go stand in line at DSF releases. And the US Disneystore.com releases don't seem to have much that a lot of people want (I notice that even the LE 250 pins on there have been available for quite a while, which seems to mean they aren't all that sought after? Or is that a wrong impression?) Some people say buy small lots on ebay and some say never ever buy on ebay. (I did buy one small lot and it had three that I'm pretty sure are scrappers, which I got refunds for.)

I've been starting to wonder how I will ever acquire any pins worth trading... I mean, it's definitely fun to find some of the ones I want for sale here, but it'd also be fun to have more valuable pins that people would like to trade (especially for ones I'd love that are offered for trade but not sale) and that sort of feels like a closed loop. (Can't get a job 'til you get experience, can't get experience 'til you get a job...)

But it sounds like the best remedy is patience. *sigh* ("Patience, how long will that take?")

 

[Happy Haunt]

Even though this isn't my thread, thanks to everyone for it, because I've had similar questions in my head for a while. I have almost nothing in my traders because I just haven't been collecting very long. I'm in the US (so no UK releases) and also not easily able to get to a park often or go stand in line at DSF releases. And the US Disneystore.com releases don't seem to have much that a lot of people want (I notice that even the LE 250 pins on there have been available for quite a while, which seems to mean they aren't all that sought after? Or is that a wrong impression?) Some people say buy small lots on ebay and some say never ever buy on ebay. (I did buy one small lot and it had three that I'm pretty sure are scrappers, which I got refunds for.)

I've been starting to wonder how I will ever acquire any pins worth trading... I mean, it's definitely fun to find some of the ones I want for sale here, but it'd also be fun to have more valuable pins that people would like to trade (especially for ones I'd love that are offered for trade but not sale) and that sort of feels like a closed loop. (Can't get a job 'til you get experience, can't get experience 'til you get a job...)

But it sounds like the best remedy is patience. *sigh* ("Patience, how long will that take?")

I know how you feel. I've decided to trade some of my collection away so I can get the pins I want. I'm a bit sad about it but I'm very much in need of continuing my main collections at the moment.

I heard that the US Disney Store has stopped making pins or something. Which seems incredibly unfair to those who arn't near the Disney parks or DSF.

 

[swim2sea]

If I may throw in my two cents, sometimes it's not so much about the number of traders you have but the quality of traders. Also take into consideration how many people have your items on their trades list. I have a lot of very nice traders, but unfortunately the people I come in contact with don't have any pins off my wants list. That will also make trading more difficult. But do not under any circumstances get discouraged or give up. I've been collecting a long time and the older pins on my wants list have remained unchanged for five + years. But patience is a virture and someday your pins will come. Keep the faith.

 

[Happy Haunt]

If I may throw in my two cents, sometimes it's not so much about the number of traders you have but the quality of traders. Also take into consideration how many people have your items on their trades list. I have a lot of very nice traders, but unfortunately the people I come in contact with don't have any pins off my wants list. That will also make trading more difficult. But do not under any circumstances get discouraged or give up. I've been collecting a long time and the older pins on my wants list have remained unchanged for five + years. But patience is a virture and someday your pins will come. Keep the faith.

That's true; I guess I should be more patient but I've always been a bit of a impatient person unfortantly. ^_^; Thanks for the advice though!

 

[echoharmony]

I've been wondering the same thing lately. I have a lot of traders, but I still seem unable to get anything I really want so I've been playing with the idea of putting my Robin Hood and/or Sword in the Stone pins up for trade.

 

[Happy Haunt]

I've been wondering the same thing lately. I have a lot of traders, but I still seem unable to get anything I really want so I've been playing with the idea of putting my Robin Hood and/or Sword in the Stone pins up for trade.

Yeah; I understand... it just starts to get frustrating and eventually you just want to trade from your collection to get the pins you want. Or at least... that's how it seems at the moment.

 

[echoharmony]

Exactly. I'm trying to look at my collections again and decide okay, which collections do I have an emotional attachment to, which movies, but then I think about individual pins and how I got them, or how long it took me to get them, and I think 'I could never get rid of this!' grrr! Decisions, decisions!

 

[scrumpman]

Hi,
I am feeling its slow at the pin trading at the moment I can seem to get any the pins I would really like and the ones I have been offered don t seem great.
I am in the UK too
Give it time sometimes it goes through phases I went through a patch like this last year , it gave me time to get traders together to go to DLRP lol it seems like the same is happening this year lol
I have loads of traders to take when I go in sept lol

 

[Happy Haunt]

Exactly. I'm trying to look at my collections again and decide okay, which collections do I have an emotional attachment to, which movies, but then I think about individual pins and how I got them, or how long it took me to get them, and I think 'I could never get rid of this!' grrr! Decisions, decisions!

A lot of mine came from eBay, but there are a few I got in trades etc. Can completely understand how you feel though. I've decided to trade a number of mine now... still deciding on some others. It is a bit upsetting.

 

[Happy Haunt]

Hi,
I am feeling its slow at the pin trading at the moment I can seem to get any the pins I would really like and the ones I have been offered don t seem great.
I am in the UK too
Give it time sometimes it goes through phases I went through a patch like this last year , it gave me time to get traders together to go to DLRP lol it seems like the same is happening this year lol
I have loads of traders to take when I go in sept lol

Yeah I'm hoping things will pick up soon. I love DLRP! I'm hoping to go again next year maybe. Haven't been for a long time... and it will be my first time trading at one of the Disney parks too.

 

[RetroDiz]

Sometimes it might be "cheaper" to buy a pin, rather than trade for it.

The route I'm going down now is not buying traders because it's cheaper just to buy the pin outright if I can get it on ebay.

I'm going to second this. Over time, I've obtained lots of limited edition wants from eBay that I never had any luck trading for, and have spent far less money in the process. Pin prices have shot through the roof lately, but this can still be a good option if you have the patience to wait for the right price and don't get carried away.

I would think really hard before trading away parts of your collection that you still enjoy. I made the mistake of trading a WDI Alice in Wonderland Wait Time shortly after it came out, thinking it would be easy to get another, and have been hitting myself on the head ever since.

 

[Happy Haunt]

I guess. I just like trading though... makes me more involved with the DPF community. I don't get to trade at any of the theme parks etc. But yeah I know what you mean. Thanks for the advice.