Setting up at the tables at Epcot...

When I was at Epcot about 2 weeks ago there were private collectors that came with their collections (or at least some of their collection) to "trade." I was drooling with what some of these people had to "offer." I was quite discouraged that when I tried to offer a pin from my collection with theirs, it didn't matter WHAT I offered up out of my book...they had NO interest whatsoever. All of them only wanted people to buy them pins from the pin store near the tables in exchange for their pins. I was really discouraged and kinda upset that they wouldn't entertain TRADING, but BUYING for their pins. Is this normal? I felt like it totally took the FUN out of it. Am I the only one that feels that way??:facepalm::facepalm:

Are you saying they didn't even LOOK at your pins? Because there could be several factors. Were you wanting a limited edition pin but only had Hidden Mickeys or open rack pins to trade? If you saw them sending everyone in to buy pins, then I would venture to say they may have been taking advantage. And remember, if you feel like something is not right, trust your instinct. There are people who go to those tables with the intent on taking advantage of unsuspecting people but there are also plenty of traders who are good people!

Trying not to point fingers at possible evil people, but is it possible that those traders were looking to trade for new pins? It may be possible that they have a majority of things already and have stopped buying pins themselves and only trade for new LE pins for their older LE pins. I know a couple of traders that operate that way and everyone just thinks they are hard traders, when they actually have nearly everything in your book already and only want to collect more new pins without having to buy them.

Just don't fall for multiple LE pins for a single pin that is not LE or something equally lopsided.

Honestly...to my untrained eye a lot of the pins these people had were the scrapper-y type pins and they had several of the same pins. They wouldn't even look at my pin book. One had the Ariel rear view mirror pin I needed to complete my set. When I showed her that it was the only one I needed she mentioned that she also thought she had the entire set at home but didn't have Belle, because she didn't know it was in the set. I went over to the countries nd I saw a cast member with a Belle and I got so excited because I traded for it and went back to her thinking she would totally want to trade for it. Nope. I was wrong. She wanted nothing to do with it.

I read a post somewhere online, that people try to scam you into buying them a pin, and ask for the receipt also, and give you a hidden mickey in return, then go and return the pin, and they love people who pay cash because they get cash back. It also stated that you should report those people to a cast member. My best advice is to learn about pins much as you can, so you know what is a good trade. I believe a good honest collector/trader would have traded with you.

My gut was telling me that this was bad news and someone in it for the fun would be so willing to trade. Oh well. I am just learning how NOT to be from them I guess!

We went to Mickey's Circus & I kept running into this couple who had their little girl along. A couple of days after the event we went to EPCOT & saw the couple, with their little girl in the stroller, hanging around the pin tables. It seemed like whenever we passed by they were at the table, but no one was approaching them. We were "pinned out" at that point & just wanted to enjoy EPCOT, so we didn't stop. My only thought was "poor little girl" :cry:

oh boy... i have actually traded with "pin table" people and now that i am on here i realize so are they and that trade was normal and fine.. the huge problem is what is stated above....and why there are not tables at DTD anymore i heard. Alot of these "traders" are sharks and scammers. They give you a scrapper and have you buy them a new rack pin....or they were returning pins for cash. I thought last time i was there in WDW they no longer take pins back?! maybe someone else can explain. I delt with one stoned face nasty lady who wouldnt trade, but she could sense i new her game so i walked away. I have said it before/ the trading generally in the parks is not that good. I find online and here the way to go and the scheduled events.

My feelings is and maybe I am paranoid, but these people have you buy them a new pin, give you a hidden mickey and then go sell the pin that you bought on ebay for a profit. That is why I rather trade at a PTN, or here, and for fun trade with cast members.

Wow... That's pretty bad... :/

My thought is that they buy cheap scrappers. they make you buy a pin and then they:

A. Return to store to get a refund
B. Turn around and sell the new pin on Ebay. They make a killing even on a $6 sale considering they probably only paid $0.30 cents on the scrapper they traded.

Lamorak said:

is it possible that those traders were looking to trade for new pins? It may be possible that they have a majority of things already and have stopped buying pins themselves and only trade for new LE pins for their older LE pins. I know a couple of traders that operate that way and everyone just thinks they are hard traders, when they actually have nearly everything in your book already and only want to collect more new pins without having to buy them.

Click to expand...

I am one of these types of traders. Tho, I don't bring my pins to WDW to trade (once in a great while, a ptn), just because of what has been mentioned here. I also rarely, and I mean rarely trade hidden Mickeys in person, same for on line. I'm so against scrappers/fakes and so many people are uneducated on the issue, I'm just not going to deal with it.

I've been at this 12+ years and have a ton of pins (and have spent a fortune!). I have basically stopped buying pins for my collection. I'd rather trade what I have for something new. Especially rack pins. I love them. I also like them on their original cards. I would never ask anyone to give me their receipt if they bought pins to trade to me for my collection. But that also doesn't mean I'm going to take 2 rack pins for a VHTF low LE I have. I try to trade rack pin for rack pin, ect. There are occations when I have LEs that are upside down and I'll trade for a new rack pin or something along those lines.

Just don't condemn everyone who wants a trader to buy pins to trade. Don't forget, we bought our pins to.

I'm going to eat some pie here, humble pie: We were just in Florida and my crew wanted to stop at the tables in EPCOT, I said ferget-bout-it, but Coach insisted and I grumbled while they dragged me over. I said there was no way those people would trade for anything we had because the kids had only brought their park traders and I'd brought old traders, but nothing even resembling a 'good' pin by those people's standards. I stood back with my arms crossed, eyes squinting, ready to snap at the guy Coach was talking with; I was sure he was going to rake the kids over the coals and my muscles were tense, ready to pounce with my mother bear instincts if the guy was mean to the kids.

I have to say, I was wrong.

The guy was nice and NORMAL?! He helped my son get some of the hidden Mickeys he was searching for and I even ended up getting two I wanted. Granted we just handed him our trader bag and let him pick, but I thought he was fair. I was shocked. Maybe we just got lucky? His wife wandered over and he told her to 'get back to her table.' I had to laugh. We haven't been down since '09 and we didn't take any amazing stuff, we'd just cleared off our pin boards of things we weren't interested in anymore or stuff the kids had gotten from lanyards back in '06 or '09 (so, those of you who found old, REAL pins all over WDW, that was us!!! =)).

Anyway, I just thought I'd give the tables a nod here, apparently not all of them are heathens.

that is so nice to read! I am sure not all of them are bad....I would LOVE to set up at a table when I get more pins and when kids come up to me I'll let them trade for whatever they want

We go at least once a year and I always trade just because it's fun. This past January I finally met the infamous lady with the wheelchair that smells like a giant cigarette. I watched her trade scrapper after scrapper for pins that people went into the pin place and bought. She had one lady buy a nice boxed set for five hidden mickeys. One cast member came over and I mentioned my concerns and their comment was that they loved when she was there because their sales were great. Great.

All that to say, you will find good people and bad people. I have had great luck at the tables (I got some awesome pins in January) and I'm looking forward to doing it again when we are back next year!