Where has the fun gone in pin trading??

I've been out of the pin trading hobby for over 5 years, yes I have continued collecting buying a few here and there when I visit the parks, after my sons birth it just took a back burner. So yesterday I was able to do the whole thing, getting up early, waiting in line, buying pins, then head over to the trading tables and meeting new people, and thats where it happened.

I had one good trade, met a nice couple, then headed to the next table, where everything went sour! I found one of the lost key pins, the Mr todas wild ride one to be exact, I asked the trader if he could look at what I had, and mabey we could trade. He looked (this is a young male 18-20) and found my two old DCA dress up pins Goofy and Donald, still in there packages, I knew the key cost 11.95 because I had bought the mermaid one, so I told him he could have both of mine for his one, he said yes but then his father comes over and lays into him lecturing him in whispers, the mom is shaking her head and I felt awkward, uncomfortable, odd, The sets I had, originally cost 18.50 a set, but are not L.E's so I offered both for his one, to me it was fair and he seemed like he really wanted them, again he had said yes, then after his father laid into him he tells me I can't my dad will be very mad at me, and then tells me he wants my PODM Tangled pin instead! I told them I am saving my PODMs for other PODM's and walked away.

What I wanted to say is where has the fun gone! why must every pin trade be based on E-Bay's sellers prices? because thats what it seems like! I hate E-Bay I hate how people will stand in line to buy pins to sell on E-bay for outrageous prices and take them away from serious collectors like me who can't afford to pay those rediculous prices, but others do and thats how they stay in buisness, but it seems greedy traders are now basing there pins worth on those prices and thats just rotten! why has this fun hobby I enjoied so much before become so greedy! there's no fun, it's become vicious, and greedy! and it thanks to families like that one I met yesterday 6/21/2012 in Frontierland at the tables that ruin it for the little trader who just wants to have fun,trading and meet friendly traders. I will tell them this, if I see you and your family again I will not be stopping to trade with you and I will not say hi, I will pass by you and your greedy family!

I just want to have fun with my son he is 5 and just starting his collection, I don't want him to meet traders like this, why can't it just be fun! quit using Ebay prices as your excuse to why you want more! because eventually those prices fall!

We understand what you feel. And we don't love it either. Pin Trading is supposed to be fun. Some like to collect characters or attractions imprinted on these pieces of metal with sharp posts. It appears it has gotten more competitive and edgy and prideful. We dont like trading as much anymore. Which is exactly why were going back to collecting. We will trade occasionally but often.

Traders today are relentless. They boast and brag and want more. What seems fun about that? When youbmakebit a job to pin trade it loses meaning and it puts you and others on edge and thats not enjoyable at all. We just hope and pray it will lighten up and Im sure it will with the DLR price increase it is sure to keep people at home being the greedy slobs they are if you are a greedy unrealistic pin trader. One thing we always keep in mind when pin trading: When looked at face down and flat, they all look the same and theyre just pieces of metal afterall.

Welcome to the wonderful world of pin trading. Yes, it seems that pins are now valued two ways.

First, what is it worth on Ebay? You are going to have folks that use the high value for the pins YOU want, and then the low value for what you will trade. Forget about if it is LE or OE, just look up the Ebay price.

Then you have the trade/want ratio from PinPics. In my opinion, if you are going to judge a pin on popularity THIS should be the go to measurement. But then again, you never know.

Always go with what YOU think is a fair trade. If not, do a Nancy...Just Say No.

i agree with this thread, I just started trading and collecting. ITS ALOT OF FUN! but people are so greedy about it, I hate to address something negative. Most people just care about getting pins for themselves and not helping others for their collection. if not, they make it unaffordable for you to buy the pin. I was going to attend the brave event today/yesterday. most of the people there, I believe aren't even collectors, they are there to buy pins to sell and make a larger profit. They should just change the policies, to where you can just get just one pin instead of two. I knew of a trader who got 6 podh of little mermaid yesterday. I thought to myself wow. I think Disneyland should have a policy where when you use your discount to purchase your pins, it tell them that you already had brought that pin at another location, to make it fair for others who are waiting in line or waited hours. I hope one day the disney company sees that this hobby is becoming a business instead of a enjoyment. I just want it to be fair! they should also make it easier or make more pins of a LE so people can purchase them. Or even make raffles to win bracelets. Something new and fair!

thank you for your time.

Thanks all Im glad I don't feel alone, I think collecting is the way to go and little trading but that seems to be hard with the PODM pins that I want, the only way im going to get those is to buy 4 my limit having my son with me, and he wants one he can trade which is perfectly fine, and leaves me with just 2 for trade LOL. I hope to meet friendly traders like yourselves.

to diebob21 weren't you selling your marquess pins pre-release for $65.00. Was there no profit in it for you? They sold for $14.95 plus tax.

I was, but I was selling them to get there, gas money. and make the trip there. not making a profit for myself, I told every single person I was trying to make a deal with. but either way, I didn't even make it so it doesn't even matter.

jeeze... a key for a tangled PODMH... that was a shark move. To bad the kid/guy lets his parents decide his trades for him. I think what you offered was fair.

ebay, see my reply to the Brave/ebat thread.

How I "value" my pins, in order:
1~ Trade vs wants.
2~ edition size.
3~ do I loooove this pin?
4~ recent already sold ebay price. (not current BIN)

Unfortunately if there is a profit in it, ebay sellers will buy it.

I first got in to pin trading just this Christmas, when my best friend took me to WDW (my first time there!) We started out just trying to collect Yeti for our friend who loves Expedition Everest, but kept finding other things we loved on cast lanyards and in shops, and we got hooked! I collect characters I love or pins I think are especially cool, or pins for my girlfriend of her favorite characters. (The hunt for the Hidden Mickey Pooh silhouettes was especially fun!)

At WDW then, and also at DLR this past Memorial Day weekend, some of the absolute BEST experiences we had at the park weren't rides, but conversations with cast members that arose out of asking to see their pins. And also trading with kids who were there with their parents; usually kids were shy, but if we were trading with cast members and they were too, they'd sometimes get up the courage to ask us for a trade, and we really wanted to encourage them and make it fun for them too. We met a Tinkerbell-collecting girl at WDW, and her mom was *so* grateful to us because we were her very first non-cast-member trade. We met so many cool people, saw fun things on lanyards and boards we'd never seen before, and even earned Honorary Citizen buttons by telling a cast member about the Pinpics site (he'd never heard of it). We had such a blast!

Then we noticed the pin trading tables at DLR, and... wow some of those people were NO FUN. One was very friendly, and politely explained some things to me I didn't know, but some of the others were frankly disdainful and snobby at anyone new. Some said they didn't even like some of the pins they had, but wouldn't trade them unless it made a profit for them. It really got me down for a while, until my friend managed to remind me to focus on why *I* found it fun, and forget about those guys.

So yeah... you're not alone in feeling that some traders are sucking all the fun out of it by focusing more on the ebay/monetary value than anything else. But I'm glad to have joined this forum and found that those people seem to be in the minority. We have another trip to DLR planned in fall, and I plan to have fun talking to cast members and other people and not bother with the tables at all. Don't let them get you down.

Well, here's the thing- I don't think that the fun is sucked out of pin trading because of how we value our pins. I think fun is sucked out of pin trading because of crappy attitudes. And, perhaps, some cases of unrealistic expectations.

I trade mostly high-end pins and new releases at this point- I've just been around long enough (and went full tilt hard enough) that it's all I have left. High-end trading can be slightly stressful...there's a lot of money involved in it. That said, I *love* it...when done with the right people. When I trade with Greg & Debby, Kay & Simon, Corey, Diana, or a few of the others at the pin events, it's a lot of fun, and we each get little treasures.

While it would be wonderful to keep that "newbie glow" forever, eventually, the type of trading we do evolves. For example, it's not as much fun for me to do cast lanyard trading, because I know my chances of getting scrappers is high. I'll still do it (mostly for Duffy pins, because I know kids dump that booster pack a lot and they're not likely to be scrappers), but not very often.

That's why I like new releases so much- I can do some relaxed trading. Some OEs, some LE 2,000s...stuff that's easier to value.

As much as it would be nice to toss "pin valuing" out the window, it's just not possible, or practical. Supply and Demand- too many popular rare pins, so of course money becomes an issue. Plus, it all works out. I've paid a lot (in cash and in trade) for some pins, and I've gotten lucky that some of mine increased in value. None of us should feel bad for making money on pins, as long as we're not doing anything wrong and we're being fair and reasonable.

So yeah...I don't think 'value" is the issue, but I agree that greed is. I think any and all FAIR trades should be considered, and it seems to me like your offer was fair, and the son agreed. The "shark" mentality of his parents (i.e. I don't want EVEN, I want MORE) and their lack of good spirit ruined that day.

Also? I've gotten bad attitude from people just starting out. There was one teen at PTN who had nothing but lanyard pins. She could have picked anything from my "one for one" pile, but she wanted a HTG pin (story of my life...sometimes, it feels my Trades list could be my top 20 pins, with the way the others get overlooked). I was polite in my refusal, but her face twisted into a sneer anyway, and she proceeded at leave in a huff. We need to think about how acting out can hurt others.

Bottom line? People need to check their attitudes. We can be polite and honest. If we want to use value in trading, fine...but you don't have to act like an elitist snob, and you don't have to be mean. I get refused all the time, and I'm disappointed for a little bit, sure. But the things I REALLY remember? the a**hole traders who are jerks about it.

Hee, "newbie glow." I like that.

Thanks for that; I'm glad to hear that perspective. And you're right; the important part is the fairness and the good attitude.

The only real niggle I have at the moment is the price hike / omg tangled that goes on right now. Iv missed out on two big wants because of those stupid podms. Honestly it's put a real sour taste in my mouth for pin trading and when my traders are gone I'm not buying any more. I will just be a collector.

Tho trading hasn't all been el sucky for me I have met some wonderful people and done some fab trades, I really can't enjoy it any more because I can't afford to buy the pins people want to trade for. I don't live near a park or anything really so I am feeling quite depressed about trading at the mo and am honestly ready to give up and just buy the pins I want when I see them.

It sucks being a newbie, if you're only just starting out really you're stuffed if you want anything more than a year or two old.

I think Ive always been a collector more so than a trader. Ive made trades here and there but its never been a constant flow of mail days. Only times its been like that is when Ive gotten some pins off ebay.

Id consider myself a collector purely basing it on my wants list which is down to 4 pins (its more currently as waiting on pins to arrive) and pins are not out yet but other than that my wants is basically 4 XD

SyriusLionwing, I've never really had a lot of luck getting the pins I want for trade (lots of Stitch DA100). I bought lots of good DA100 pins for trade, but still never really had any luck setting up trades. More than 90% of all of my pins were purchased, and I'm OK with that.

I have to say that I guess I'm into pin collecting, since I've never really had a lot of luck with pin trading.

unibear said:

SyriusLionwing, I've never really had a lot of luck getting the pins I want for trade (lots of Stitch DA100). I bought lots of good DA100 pins for trade, but still never really had any luck setting up trades. More than 90% of all of my pins were purchased, and I'm OK with that.

I have to say that I guess I'm into pin collecting, since I've never really had a lot of luck with pin trading.

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I would agree with this....... From the time my wife and I started out we are primarily collectors. As I look through our collection the pins have a sentimental meaning to me/us. Not to say there isn't a few I wouldn't trade but the majority of them I can trace back to a certain memory or moment. Now I just purchase the pins I like / want and at times I've spent a premium on them but they create new memories so they are worth it.

I agree. People just cant afford those crazy prices on eBay

Me and my mom think that that pin trading is not fun anymore Becouse people buy pins and re sell them on eBay i miss the good old days when pin trading was fun back then my video of my pins will be up here late tonight

Case in point, someone had an DSF UP Marquee. I can trade for it well but owner wanted $700 in trade worth of Tangled pins only. After quoting "it sold on eBay for $500" they still wanted $700 in trade.

I told them with 8 years trading, GOOD LUCK and left.

Newbies want Grails for free and they want them NOW!!

And then that mean we can't get the pins they will bring more kids and then they will buy and re sell them and then they will say its sold out and then they will make the prices even more high then the stores

I know how you feel. I don't really like trading at the barrels because I find that a lot of people don't take me seriously because I am a bit younger than most of them. It just upsets me that people don't understand that I'm really into trading. Whenever I walk up people aren't exactly welcoming. And when I do ask to see their pins, they seem a bit hesitant. I just think its so incredibly annoying. Just because I'm a teenager, doesn't mean I'm not as committed to this hobby as others are. Okay, I just had to get that off my chest. This doesn't mean everyone, though. I have met such nice people. Like in line for TLM PODM I got to know the people near me in line so much! So it really is not everyone.

I started a thread almost like this DSF Brave pins & EBay . It's sad and it's wrong . I'd rather keep my treasures to trade for my wanted treasures . I still enjoy the fun in pin trading and every once in awhile you get it .

Well, I’ve definitely come to the same conclusion lately—it’s just not fun anymore. Between buying the POMH pins at Disney, and running into the kind of pin traders you describe—it’s creating more stress rather than being the hobby that helps alleviate the stress of everyday life.

Someone next to me in line at the Tangled release (1 ½ hours in line and no pin) said that Disney needs to remember it’s not their job to help these other people make money. If this is to make Disney more fun, her idea was that they sell only 1 per person and stamp your hand when you buy at one place, so that you can’t buy anywhere else that day. I mean, as people here have mentioned, they take the day off of work, wait in lines, and then come up empty because some people have everyone in their party buy 2 on the chance of making a profit on e-bay or with another trader. I’ve watched the Tangled pins on e-bay and the fact is that many are making a one-time profit, but the ones with less desirable scenes are going for cheap or unsold. Eventually the demand will peter out and a lot of people will be left with pins that the rest of us would have liked a fair chance to purchase retail. Like several people here have said, I’m more of a collector than a trader—and I think that’s who Disney should cater to.

Can’t do much about the individuals at the tables except walk away when they are like the ones Jrdnsmom describes. I can’t imagine that those people are very happy anyway.

Pin trading still seems fun, I think 2 pins is perfect one for me one for a gift or to trade. everyone cries about not being able to get a pin or that people value them to highly but that is the whole point on LE, there is a reason you want this pin, thousands of other people want it too. if i decide to sale it at non profit how would you chose the person??? money is a factor that should help. I make over 200 dollars a day at work, rather than take the day off and miss out on money I'd rather just pay 150$ for a pin for my daughter. lucky me my wife went and I was able to meet her up. If you don't want to spend 200 dollars on the pin then just wake up early like the rest of the real fans, we didnt have to camp out we just showed up 3mins before they opened at 7:57.

zoelovespins said:

I know how you feel. I don't really like trading at the barrels because I find that a lot of people don't take me seriously because I am a bit younger than most of them. It just upsets me that people don't understand that I'm really into trading. Whenever I walk up people aren't exactly welcoming. And when I do ask to see their pins, they seem a bit hesitant. I just think its so incredibly annoying. Just because I'm a teenager, doesn't mean I'm not as committed to this hobby as others are. Okay, I just had to get that off my chest. This doesn't mean everyone, though. I have met such nice people. Like in line for TLM PODM I got to know the people near me in line so much! So it really is not everyone.

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Hi Zoe!!! How are you doing? We met at the TLM PODM release!!! It's great to see you on here. I had a wonderful time getting to know you. It was a blast!!