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Pin Trading Online or In Person

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Pin Trading Online or In Person

tiffychann

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What are your thoughts on the different ways to pin trade? I personally have had more luck pin trading in person than online, and I find it's more enjoyable because you get to physically exchange pins. Online is convenient because you get to explore your options and you get time to consider many offers, but it's frustrating when people ignore you. :(
 
Always in person I'd say, but it's not always that easy. I certainly have yet to find a irl trading situation unless I'm at the parks, and that's a rare thing for me! I've not traded online at all yet, but started buying online, and it's been hit and miss; some good buys and one dodgy dealer who has never posted. But then like anything online it's unfortunately a bit of risk!
 
It depends on the situation. I have done both and recently did a PinPics trade online - my first in one to two years. I don't have an AP anymore to DLR (going to wait a few more years to get another one) but I don't mind either.

Sometimes, in person, the people are so focused on values it's off-putting.
 
Nice question... my answer is I like both.

Regarding, in-person traders... I feel I am more likely to get sharked. (my Sharked def.: made to feel uncomfortable, feel taken advantage of.) I thought trading in the parks would be a good place to trade, but I have been sharked there more than anywhere. It may be the fast nature of the trade that leaves me that way. I have started following the information about pin trading events. I have had good luck trading in person at events. There is a place to post about events here in the forum and I believe there are at least 2 on the schedule for Anaheim area (March and May). There is also the big one at WDW which will probably be in August. I anticipate good trading at these 3 events.

Online trading: I have traded maybe 120+ times online now. I have not had any really bad experiences... just ~3 difficult ones. I also have learned some ways to avoid trades and traders to avoid who sent me obvious fakes/scrap, but luckily these were for lower demand OE pins.
Some of my guidelines for online trading:
1) trade for newer pins.
2) trade only if the pin does not appear to have fakes out there.
3) set up trade online and see if you could complete in person at an event (this has worked really well for me).
4) review the person's pins for trade, if they look like a Disney park pin board (ie, full of the same pins which have been faked/scrapped), I would politely decline the trade.
5) ask for pictures of the actual pin(s) (especially if they are older pins). Back and front is nice.
6) ask and check references and provide trader access to your feedback here in DPF.
7) ask if pin is in original packaging.
I always assume the receiver is a child when responding online trade requests. Be as gentle and encouraging as possible, so you do not ruin the experience for them. Also, don't be discouraged by the lack of responses... some people just don't know how to respond if not interested in your suggested trade, but others just don't check their account, etc.

I have traded for some amazing pins through online trades, so don't rule it out.

I also do international trading (always a multi-trade... except for one where I gained my best pin ever). Trading international has opened a lot of doors in the pin trading world for me.
 
Always in person I'd say, but it's not always that easy. I certainly have yet to find a irl trading situation unless I'm at the parks, and that's a rare thing for me! I've not traded online at all yet, but started buying online, and it's been hit and miss; some good buys and one dodgy dealer who has never posted. But then like anything online it's unfortunately a bit of risk!
I have stopped buying online (ie, auction site)... for the most part. I have actually obtained better quality pins through online trading than through the auction site.
 
Because of my location, sort of silly to say that since akbecker is from here too, I find it easier to trade
online.
 
I live in northern California and do both online and in-person trading.

There's a few groups in northern California who meet every month or every 6-8 weeks to trade in person. Another place I have a real great time for trading is at the Soda Fountain releases. I bring one book that has a little of everything from my traders. I figure if I don't get a good number to purchase pins at least I can have fun trading. One bonus trading in person is you can do multi-trades or 3-way trades. I think the biggest benefit is being able to see the pin you're trading for in person to check on the condition.

I do trade via mailing (ie forum, PinPics, Instagram, etc) but it has seemed to slow down a lot with the Reference Center site being gone now.
 
Nice question... my answer is I like both.

Regarding, in-person traders... I feel I am more likely to get sharked. (my Sharked def.: made to feel uncomfortable, feel taken advantage of.) I thought trading in the parks would be a good place to trade, but I have been sharked there more than anywhere. It may be the fast nature of the trade that leaves me that way. I have started following the information about pin trading events. I have had good luck trading in person at events. There is a place to post about events here in the forum and I believe there are at least 2 on the schedule for Anaheim area (March and May). There is also the big one at WDW which will probably be in August. I anticipate good trading at these 3 events.

Online trading: I have traded maybe 120+ times online now. I have not had any really bad experiences... just ~3 difficult ones. I also have learned some ways to avoid trades and traders to avoid who sent me obvious fakes/scrap, but luckily these were for lower demand OE pins.
Some of my guidelines for online trading:
1) trade for newer pins.
2) trade only if the pin does not appear to have fakes out there.
3) set up trade online and see if you could complete in person at an event (this has worked really well for me).
4) review the person's pins for trade, if they look like a Disney park pin board (ie, full of the same pins which have been faked/scrapped), I would politely decline the trade.
5) ask for pictures of the actual pin(s) (especially if they are older pins). Back and front is nice.
6) ask and check references and provide trader access to your feedback here in DPF.
7) ask if pin is in original packaging.
I always assume the receiver is a child when responding online trade requests. Be as gentle and encouraging as possible, so you do not ruin the experience for them. Also, don't be discouraged by the lack of responses... some people just don't know how to respond if not interested in your suggested trade, but others just don't check their account, etc.

I have traded for some amazing pins through online trades, so don't rule it out.

I also do international trading (always a multi-trade... except for one where I gained my best pin ever). Trading international has opened a lot of doors in the pin trading world for me.

Thanks for the tips. I got into trading about 2 weeks ago and I am learning something new each time. :)
 
Without online trading I pretty much wouldn't be able to due to location and not being able to visit the Parks often. Probably a good thing too since I know I'd be terribly intimidated to trade in person and more than likely be perfect shark bait.
 
As I am following this thread and reading a lot of comments of sharks during in-person trading I would like to warn others that it happens too via PinPics.

I got an offer for an older marquee I need for my collection. The person sent out an offer of the marquee for 3 of my high end pins. I agreed to the trade but the trader came back to me saying that he got a counter offer worth $700 worth of pins and that he wanted to add more pins from my traders to counter the other offer. I was a little surprised by this as how could I confirm he really got a better offer for the marquee for better pins then the 3 he requested from me.

Basically I wanted to share this to say that discussion about pin-money value and/or sharking happens in person or via mail requests. Sadly it's part of pin trading :(
 
As I am following this thread and reading a lot of comments of sharks during in-person trading I would like to warn others that it happens too via PinPics.

I got an offer for an older marquee I need for my collection. The person sent out an offer of the marquee for 3 of my high end pins. I agreed to the trade but the trader came back to me saying that he got a counter offer worth $700 worth of pins and that he wanted to add more pins from my traders to counter the other offer. I was a little surprised by this as how could I confirm he really got a better offer for the marquee for better pins then the 3 he requested from me.

Basically I wanted to share this to say that discussion about pin-money value and/or sharking happens in person or via mail requests. Sadly it's part of pin trading :(


Very true, but it's so much easier for me to say "no thank you" via messaging. :)
 
Very true, but it's so much easier for me to say "no thank you" via messaging. :)
I agree. I recently declined a trade for the PTD Maleficent. They wanted 3 of my LE 300 pins for it. I do my best to avoid anyone who tries the 'my pin is selling for X amount', so your pin is not worth my pin. I walk away. Those people are not my kind of pin trader, but I accept they have a right to exist in this hobby... I just don't need to engage with them.
 
I live in Illinois and do both online and in person trading. We have the Windy City pin traders in Chicago and we meet once a month, but it sometimes just turns into a chat-fest, or we pay for pins that we asked each other to pick up at the parks. I also trade online through Pinpics and have been doing that for YEARS!. Have only had one bad experience in all that time. Sometimes there are a flurry of trades, then I go months without anything. Seems to go in cycles.
 
I like trading in person because you can check the condition of the pin yourself but I still do a ton of online trading! It's super convenient but I've been scammed twice already unfortunately. Despite that, I think it's easier to search for pins you're ISO online because you can look at multiple people's traders in a shorter amount of time.
 
All of the above!
My favorite has been the big pin event at epcot the last 3 years. The great thing there, is many people are willing to "trade for other traders", if you don't have anything they want, but they have one you really do, many times I've had someone just trade for an "equivalent value" trader vs something they actually are looking for (I do the same). Large multi trades are easier in person as well. As are the multi way trades...ie, you have X that I want, but want Y that I don't, so I'll run around and trade for Y with someone else, then come back & trade for X....

Its really fun going though peoples books and seeing all the pins you didn't even know existed.....and now you need.

Plus its been great fun meeting everyone. (I'm not as super shy as I used to be, but I'm still not normally a very social person - but I enjoy talking over pins!)

Have done a couple half days at the epcot tables - pretty much take OE's & easy traders, I don't take the low LE's HTF pins there, and haven't really had to deal with sharks there, except one that kept trying to say how this pin or that pin was going for XYZ on ebay (one of the mystery zodiacs. which are still being sold.) and was super rare etc. I ignored them.

But most of my trading is by mail/pinpics/here. I need to branch out to facebook more, just haven't done it yet.
 
Question from someone who’s only done in person trading/buys all the pins she gets online: how do you guys not terrified trading online and getting scammed?? Especially for things like the heroines, which are such high value.... do you do thinks like pay for insurance/shipping so you have a tracking number?
 
Question from someone who’s only done in person trading/buys all the pins she gets online: how do you guys not terrified trading online and getting scammed?? Especially for things like the heroines, which are such high value.... do you do thinks like pay for insurance/shipping so you have a tracking number?
Tracking number... check references... I always ask for references and share mine from DPF... ask for pictures of the actual pins (front and back)... trade for newer pins... just asking questions may be enough to scare off the scammers. Oh and if the other trader becomes non-responsive after I send them the tracking number, I do not drop it in the mail until they respond. I think this caution has saved me one or two times. But again, I have not had many problems.

Ultimately, I am not attached to my traders and I buy them at 'cost'... with a bit of effort (travel costs and all, but I don't really factor that in too much). That way if I lose a $15 pin/piece of metal here or there, I am not going to worry about it.

One other idea... start trading a recent puzzle set online (functional and a great way to build your confidence with online trading). I did my first online trades trying to complete an AiW and Stitch pin puzzle (2 years ago). I think you can the trade recent puzzle pins pretty confidently... since everyone is searching for the puzzle pieces.

Oh... late edit: I have only insured one package ever and it was only because it was an entire set of the DSSH Dark Tales and I did insure it for what it would have cost to replace via ebay, since I would have been on the hook for the pins if they did not show up at their destination.
 
I agree. I recently declined a trade for the PTD Maleficent. They wanted 3 of my LE 300 pins for it. I do my best to avoid anyone who tries the 'my pin is selling for X amount', so your pin is not worth my pin. I walk away. Those people are not my kind of pin trader, but I accept they have a right to exist in this hobby... I just don't need to engage with them.

This. This for days. I just avoid those people. I’ve even said to a couple of pushy ones: yes but your pin was just released. In 6 months it will go from an $80 “value” to a $35 “value”, and then we can trade 1:1.

After that package interception affair occurred between two traders last week and I was reading all the Facebook comments about trading “values” and “overvaluing” and “undervaluing” and “it was worth this 3 days ago now it’s worth this so I need more pins” all I could think of was: who the heck would want to take up this hobby listening to this? It sounds awful.

I have a group of friends (that gets bigger all the time) I trade with regularly. (I live in Texas so aside from the one Epcot event trading in person really isn’t a thing for us). We all look out for each other’s ISOs and help each other with our collections. It resembles much more a hobby and much less a used car negotiation or stock sale. But to each his own.




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