Good/Bad Internet and eBay Pin Sellers

[DisneyRunner2009]

Last year, I was able to trade with a couple at EPCOT that helped me add to my DeeBee collection. I traded pins of similar value. They did have a vinylmation pin I traded for that turned out to be a scrapper. I didn't notice until I left the table. I miss the tables at DTD. The tables were an opportuinty to meet others and see if they had a pin I might need to complete a collection. I trade one for one and will not buy any pins for the ability to trade. I also try and trade pins of similar value.

 

[pixiewings71]

I will say that yes, I have done the "go buy a pin for this one" deal before, not that I've told someone to do it but that I've purchased a pin for a pin I wanted....I don't do it often and I don't do it if the pin I want was $9.95 and the pin they want is more than $12.95 (I refuse to go higher than $3 over what the original pin price was) but I've done it and it's worked out fine for me...I got really lucky (what I consider lucky anyway) once when a lady had a Jessica Rabbit I'd been looking for, she asked me to go buy her ANY LE pin in the store, I said "any? because this one was only $11.95 originally" she said "any, even if it's $9.95" so off I went, bought an LE for $9.95 and she took the trade. She did say she wanted a Haunted Mansion LE but it was any HM LE for the JR LE, I thought that was great and was super excited to be able to make that trade.

 

[debranator]

I will say that yes, I have done the "go buy a pin for this one" deal before, not that I've told someone to do it but that I've purchased a pin for a pin I wanted....I don't do it often and I don't do it if the pin I want was $9.95 and the pin they want is more than $12.95 (I refuse to go higher than $3 over what the original pin price was) but I've done it and it's worked out fine for me...I got really lucky (what I consider lucky anyway) once when a lady had a Jessica Rabbit I'd been looking for, she asked me to go buy her ANY LE pin in the store, I said "any? because this one was only $11.95 originally" she said "any, even if it's $9.95" so off I went, bought an LE for $9.95 and she took the trade. She did say she wanted a Haunted Mansion LE but it was any HM LE for the JR LE, I thought that was great and was super excited to be able to make that trade.

Pix,I too once got a decent trade out of them..
and..I was once almost terribly ripped off at a trading event.
but, would NEVER go buy them a pin..on principle.
They are really shady and should never be encouraged.
It is not us that I worry about..
it is what they do to young families that gets me really annoyed.
I have seen it and it is penny pinching and disgusting.
I have handed the kids free pins to trade when I see that they are about to get their parents suckered.
and..if they keep up their bull...they will be banned from epcot also.
they already got the pin board..
that was always there..
all day long..
removed..
and now it comes out twice a day..
why?
Because they stalked it.
I just believe that you can make money without..suckering folks.
I have seen 2 of em..
heavy couples in those motorized wheelchairs..
stalking the DTD pin store..
just last week..
and pulling out tourists..to sucker.

 

[earthfaries]

I steer clear of the sharks, ever since we moved here, and my son got taken advantage of by one.

I did buy about 75.00 worth of Flower and Garden Festival pins for a trader last year visiting from Disneyland. She had a few complete sets of REAL Disneyland Hidden Mickeys, and she wanted about 25.00 worth of pins (or 2 LEs) for each set.

I did not get taken advantage of, and was glad to help her get the pins she wanted, for pins I wanted

You can tell a shark...

I bought fantasy pins on eBay that show a picture of a spray can, with a shark on it wearing a pin lanyard with pins, and big teeth, and it say's "Pin Shark Repellent" It's awesome, my kids and I wear them to every pin trading event

 

[DisneyRunner2009]

That makes me that the pin board at EPCOT only comes out twice day. Do you know the times? I'll use the information for future reference. I have heard in the past adults could only look at it for 30 seconds, or something like that. Maybe this was an earlier move to rid sharks.

 

[ajh88]

most important..
see if the seller communicates BEFORE you buy.
DO NOT ask lots of scrapper questions to a higher end pin seller...
Why?
Because a smart one will block you..
thinking..you are one of those that sees a fake pin behind every bush and that you could destroy their feedback.
But,ask them where they got it....
and..just read your responses...
If a seller responds with.."we"..be a little careful..
I do not buy from those..that cannot say.."I"...
as...
if there is a concern..it is always the "we" part.that messed up..
and not them.
A good answer from a seller..
would be something like:
I bought them in.....wherever...
or...I live near the park....
or...I had these lying around the house...
a bad one..
is a stock answer.

I have to disagree with this advice ever so slightly. I'll start by saying the only Disney pins I've ever sold on ebay were ones that my DH acquired while he was a CM at The Disney Store and we sold those almost a decade ago. FWIW, we sold pin sets of his for quite a lot of money and he had acquired them for little or next to nothing...waiting for clearance and using his discount back in the day...started all auctions at 99 cents and let them go. Nowadays, I'd probably be accused of selling them as scrappers...

Anywho, I do sell a lot of other random stuff on ebay and I answer ALL of my messages with "we" because most times it is my husband's junk that I am selling (hence, we). I sometimes rely on him to take photos or give me more information about things I don't know as much about (like his vintage Star Wars toys or something). You may be correct in terms of pin sellers, but I would not tell people that as a matter of rule you should become wary when a person uses "we" in an email response.

I also have to comment on themuchnessofdisney...I just bought one set from her and am very pleased with the transaction. I didn't see any of the information here before I bought (just that she wasn't on the front page) so I only purchased one set for around $15 (free shipping) to test her out. I'm thinking of maybe buying some more from her before our next trip.

Honestly, I'm a little appalled by the veiled accusations surrounding her...I understand that avid pin collectors feel very passionate about scrappers (and now that I know about them, I'm ever vigilant about avoiding sellers that sell them - I would rather pay $2-3 for a pin and have it be real than 25 cents for a scrapper). I also understand the curiosity about how she can sell pins cheaply or seemingly at a loss. I don't know her methods, but I do know that some of the speculation (stealing gift card numbers, participating in other shady methods of gift card acquisition, etc.??) feels a little out of bounds and unwarranted to me. I can think of several different scenarios where people can legitimately acquire gift cards to use for pin purchases, none of them illegal OR shady.

I have no attachment to that seller other than making a single purchase from her...but sometimes I think the speculation goes a bit too far.

Just my humble opinion...I've gotten a lot of great information from this thread (pixie in particular - thanks!) and I've taken it to heart. I appreciate the information and the education!

ETA: I also purchased several single pins and one Nightmare Before Christmas pack from beekerlg (green seller on 1st page). I'm happy with all of the pins I received, however, in looking through her auctions I did avoid any single pins that had scrapper alerts on Pin Pics. I like that she lists the Pin Pics number in her auctions - made it super easy to check them! I'm not saying she was selling scrappers...just that some of her pins had scrapper alerts on them (then again, I guess it seems MOST pins should have that alert nowadays). It was a good transaction, I paid on average $2.50 per pin, and although I had to purchase them individually (not in a lot) she combined shipping so I paid $6 to ship about 15 or so pins, including one "set" on a large card.

 

[debranator]

I steer clear of the sharks, ever since we moved here, and my son got taken advantage of by one.

I did buy about 75.00 worth of Flower and Garden Festival pins for a trader last year visiting from Disneyland. She had a few complete sets of REAL Disneyland Hidden Mickeys, and she wanted about 25.00 worth of pins (or 2 LEs) for each set.

I did not get taken advantage of, and was glad to help her get the pins she wanted, for pins I wanted

You can tell a shark...

I bought fantasy pins on eBay that show a picture of a spray can, with a shark on it wearing a pin lanyard with pins, and big teeth, and it say's "Pin Shark Repellent" It's awesome, my kids and I wear them to every pin trading event

Girl..I WANT one of those!

 

[debranator]

That makes me that the pin board at EPCOT only comes out twice day. Do you know the times? I'll use the information for future reference. I have heard in the past adults could only look at it for 30 seconds, or something like that. Maybe this was an earlier move to rid sharks.

the times change..of course.
there is no particular time at this point...due to the sharks.
I DID find another interesting trading area the other night though.
it was strange to me as I had never before seen it.
the little pin cart..near E street in DTD...
there was a girl there with a pin book..
FULL of decent pins.
It was quite surprising as most cm books are filled with garbage recently.

 

[debranator]

I have to disagree with this advice ever so slightly. I'll start by saying the only Disney pins I've ever sold on ebay were ones that my DH acquired while he was a CM at The Disney Store and we sold those almost a decade ago. FWIW, we sold pin sets of his for quite a lot of money and he had acquired them for little or next to nothing...waiting for clearance and using his discount back in the day...started all auctions at 99 cents and let them go. Nowadays, I'd probably be accused of selling them as scrappers...

Anywho, I do sell a lot of other random stuff on ebay and I answer ALL of my messages with "we" because most times it is my husband's junk that I am selling (hence, we). I sometimes rely on him to take photos or give me more information about things I don't know as much about (like his vintage Star Wars toys or something). You may be correct in terms of pin sellers, but I would not tell people that as a matter of rule you should become wary when a person uses "we" in an email response.

I also have to comment on themuchnessofdisney...I just bought one set from her and am very pleased with the transaction. I didn't see any of the information here before I bought (just that she wasn't on the front page) so I only purchased one set for around $15 (free shipping) to test her out. I'm thinking of maybe buying some more from her before our next trip.

Honestly, I'm a little appalled by the veiled accusations surrounding her...I understand that avid pin collectors feel very passionate about scrappers (and now that I know about them, I'm ever vigilant about avoiding sellers that sell them - I would rather pay $2-3 for a pin and have it be real than 25 cents for a scrapper). I also understand the curiosity about how she can sell pins cheaply or seemingly at a loss. I don't know her methods, but I do know that some of the speculation (stealing gift card numbers, participating in other shady methods of gift card acquisition, etc.??) feels a little out of bounds and unwarranted to me. I can think of several different scenarios where people can legitimately acquire gift cards to use for pin purchases, none of them illegal OR shady.

I have no attachment to that seller other than making a single purchase from her...but sometimes I think the speculation goes a bit too far.

Just my humble opinion...I've gotten a lot of great information from this thread (pixie in particular - thanks!) and I've taken it to heart. I appreciate the information and the education!

ETA: I also purchased several single pins and one Nightmare Before Christmas pack from beekerlg (green seller on 1st page). I'm happy with all of the pins I received, however, in looking through her auctions I did avoid any single pins that had scrapper alerts on Pin Pics. I like that she lists the Pin Pics number in her auctions - made it super easy to check them! I'm not saying she was selling scrappers...just that some of her pins had scrapper alerts on them (then again, I guess it seems MOST pins should have that alert nowadays). It was a good transaction, I paid on average $2.50 per pin, and although I had to purchase them individually (not in a lot) she combined shipping so I paid $6 to ship about 15 or so pins, including one "set" on a large card.

Hi there....
as for 99. cent auctions..
that is different..
I LOVE 99 cent auctions...
it is the sellers that sell them cheaply with "buy it nows" that concern me.
as for the "we" thing...
that is my personal opinion...
I do not buy from sellers that say.."we"..
unless..it is as you said...
there is a reason for the "we" and it is spelled out in the listing.
Too many sellers on the bay act as if they are giant businesses...
and..that is the "we" that bothers me..
not the spouse.
as for the gift card thing...
if you know of a way to get thousands of dollars in gift cards..
on a regular basis..
that is not slightly shady...[I did NOT say "crooked"..I said..shady]
then..I want to shake your hand..
you probably never again need to work a day in your life.
as for the "shady" gift card thing...
I did it for a couple of years...
as part of being a professional couponer.
I made my living...
as a pro cvser and couponer.
You CAN get gift cards that way...
all kinds of them..
but..it requires a lot of hard work.
It is not illegal....
it is shady..
as you have to dodge store rules...
in turning your hard earned store money into gift cards.
Another way..is to buy items with the 50% holiday discount[at Disney]..
and..return them for the full amount without a receipt.
again..not illegal..but..shady.
and..if it is done too often...
your CM discount will go the way of the dinosaurs.
but..a completely legal ..
totally above board..
way of attaining limitless amount of gift cards without hard labor...
[if the labor was hard..the price would not be that cheap]
if that is possible..my hat is off to you..and to her.

 

[earthfaries]

the times change..of course.
there is no particular time at this point...due to the sharks.
I DID find another interesting trading area the other night though.
it was strange to me as I had never before seen it.
the little pin cart..near E street in DTD...
there was a girl there with a pin book..
FULL of decent pins.
It was quite surprising as most cm books are filled with garbage recently.

Do you mean D Street? The Vinylmation store?

Was she a CM? I have seen a pin book at a cart/stand near D Street in the past. Sometimes it's there, sometimes it's not ... I think it is a CMs personal book.

​

 

[ajh88]

as for the gift card thing...
if you know of a way to get thousands of dollars in gift cards..
on a regular basis..
that is not slightly shady...[I did NOT say "crooked"..I said..shady]
then..I want to shake your hand..
you probably never again need to work a day in your life.
as for the "shady" gift card thing...
I did it for a couple of years...
as part of being a professional couponer.
I made my living...
as a pro cvser and couponer.
You CAN get gift cards that way...
all kinds of them..
but..it requires a lot of hard work.
It is not illegal....
it is shady..
as you have to dodge store rules...
in turning your hard earned store money into gift cards.
Another way..is to buy items with the 50% holiday discount[at Disney]..
and..return them for the full amount without a receipt.
again..not illegal..but..shady.
and..if it is done too often...
your CM discount will go the way of the dinosaurs.
but..a completely legal ..
totally above board..
way of attaining limitless amount of gift cards without hard labor...
[if the labor was hard..the price would not be that cheap]
if that is possible..my hat is off to you..and to her.

I appreciate your clarification of what you deem shady practices. I just want to clarify that I didn't purport being able to acquire thousands of dollars worth of gift cards in any fashion. Maybe I live in a fairytale world, but my first assumptions about the seller in question were not ones of theft, dishonesty, or shady activities when discussions started about this seller.

I get gift cards on a regular basis through various rewards programs...I hear of people who take hundreds (if not more) of dollars in Disney rewards dollars on vacation with them...another poster on a different board talked about a gift card promo where you purchased $100 and got $10 free. My point was simply that there were a lot of conclusions drawn about how this, that, or the other activity was carried out and I personally found it all a little presumptuous...especially since this person's ebay ID is out there for all to know.

I still appreciate what I have learned from this thread, but accusations, allegations, and assumptions that seem to be relatively unfounded just leave a sour taste in my mouth. It is a concern I had previously expressed to pixiewings and one that remains today.

 

[debranator]

Do you mean D Street? The Vinylmation store?

Was she a CM? I have seen a pin book at a cart/stand near D Street in the past. Sometimes it's there, sometimes it's not ... I think it is a CMs personal book.

​

Yes.,.she was a cm..
and..she was supposed to be there...
she was behind the cart...
they have a big electrical box or something there.
her book was on top of it.
she had plastic bags filled with pins...
the plastic bags were on the side of the book..
I asked if I could look through em and she said that they were just duplicates..to refill the book with.
It was around 10 PM Thursday night.
The book has some Les and nicer pins..
I actually found 5 that I took.
[I had my girls with me]

 

[debranator]

I appreciate your clarification of what you deem shady practices. I just want to clarify that I didn't purport being able to acquire thousands of dollars worth of gift cards in any fashion. Maybe I live in a fairytale world, but my first assumptions about the seller in question were not ones of theft, dishonesty, or shady activities when discussions started about this seller.

I get gift cards on a regular basis through various rewards programs...I hear of people who take hundreds (if not more) of dollars in Disney rewards dollars on vacation with them...another poster on a different board talked about a gift card promo where you purchased $100 and got $10 free. My point was simply that there were a lot of conclusions drawn about how this, that, or the other activity was carried out and I personally found it all a little presumptuous...especially since this person's ebay ID is out there for all to know.

I still appreciate what I have learned from this thread, but accusations, allegations, and assumptions that seem to be relatively unfounded just leave a sour taste in my mouth. It is a concern I had previously expressed to pixiewings and one that remains today.

and yes...
I do see your point..
but, mine is...anyone can get a few free gift cards or a few hundred dollars worth of them..
and..anyone can sell a few things below cost or very cheaply..
I do it all the time with certain items.
but, only a few of em...
To have MANY of the same items..
and have a variety..
and..they are all brand new..
for WAY below any profit margin..
is still..suspicious to me.
once again..this is my own opinion...
and many people have put down sellers names for the world to see...
and accused them of outright theft.
that is what..feedback is.
Whether it is put in a feedback thread or a thread on a board.
this is America..we can have our own opinions.

 

[ajh88]

and many people have put down sellers names for the world to see...
and accused them of outright theft.
that is what..feedback is.
Whether it is put in a feedback thread or a thread on a board.
this is America..we can have our own opinions.

I guess the difference for me is that feedback is based on an actual transaction between a seller and a buyer. (And is not always truthful at that, but that is a debate for a different time). The person making the claim of thievery has some sort of basis for that claim - again, first-hand experiences with that seller.

However, when people who have absolutely no first-hand knowledge of the practices of a seller make outright or implied accusations, I have a problem with that. This isn't a question of feedback...these are public accusations in an anonymous forum not linked to specific buyer-seller transactions. And of course everyone is entitled to their opinions (I don't need a lesson on American liberties), but there are also protections for people against baseless accusations (like slander and libel).

I will concede your point on the acquisition of inventory...I don't know how it's done either. I hope it is all legitimate and above board. I know it is difficult to believe that people would purchase so many of the same item to re-sell and it certainly doesn't seem like a sustainable business venture if you're losing money on every one. But I know people who do it...it's like an illness with them. They become obsessed and can't stand the thought of not purchasing every item on the shelf even if they end up just sitting in their garage for years (not talking Disney pins but a different breed of collectible).

ETA: Some people are willing to sell loss leaders to get more customers...big chains do it all the time. That may not be what's going on here, but perhaps some sellers feel that if they sell an item at cost (and take a loss on the fees), they may cultivate future customers for profit-generating merchandise. That may be more of a devil's advocate position, but it could still be plausible. If the items were purchased with the 50% discount, they are being sold at cost (but at a negative profit margin).

I can agree to disagree on this issue...I've said my piece and have gotten it off of my chest.

 

[earthfaries]

I appreciate your clarification of what you deem shady practices. I just want to clarify that I didn't purport being able to acquire thousands of dollars worth of gift cards in any fashion. Maybe I live in a fairytale world, but my first assumptions about the seller in question were not ones of theft, dishonesty, or shady activities when discussions started about this seller.

I get gift cards on a regular basis through various rewards programs...I hear of people who take hundreds (if not more) of dollars in Disney rewards dollars on vacation with them...another poster on a different board talked about a gift card promo where you purchased $100 and got $10 free. My point was simply that there were a lot of conclusions drawn about how this, that, or the other activity was carried out and I personally found it all a little presumptuous...especially since this person's ebay ID is out there for all to know.

I still appreciate what I have learned from this thread, but accusations, allegations, and assumptions that seem to be relatively unfounded just leave a sour taste in my mouth. It is a concern I had previously expressed to pixiewings and one that remains today.

I agree with you about assumptions and sellers getting their items in a totally decent and legal way

I don't think it's appropriate for posts about what sellers *might* be doing on this thread. It hurts the good sellers on eBay that are questioned, and the folks trying to read this thread and learn about pins, and buying pins on eBay.

This thread was originally started to discuss personal experiences with sellers on eBay pertaining to scrappers, but lately has been about personal opinions and speculation.

I know personally, and I will NOT elaborate on this subject, that people can get new pins and Disney items for a super, duper, decent price. Cheap enough to buy and resale for a cheap price and make a profit. I know someone who I met at the pin trading nights who does this. I would like to be able to do it to, but the quantity you have to buy, and the minimum order is such an outrageously large amount that I could not.

So, maybe we should focus more on our personal experiences here, and not judge so much.

No one knows how these pins were obtained, and for us to guess and assume it was in a shady way is just a waste of our time, unless we're purposely trying to make other eBay sellers look bad.

 

[debranator]

I guess the difference for me is that feedback is based on an actual transaction between a seller and a buyer. (And is not always truthful at that, but that is a debate for a different time). The person making the claim of thievery has some sort of basis for that claim - again, first-hand experiences with that seller.

However, when people who have absolutely no first-hand knowledge of the practices of a seller make outright or implied accusations, I have a problem with that. This isn't a question of feedback...these are public accusations in an anonymous forum not linked to specific buyer-seller transactions. And of course everyone is entitled to their opinions (I don't need a lesson on American liberties), but there are also protections for people against baseless accusations (like slander and libel).

I will concede your point on the acquisition of inventory...I don't know how it's done either. I hope it is all legitimate and above board. I know it is difficult to believe that people would purchase so many of the same item to re-sell and it certainly doesn't seem like a sustainable business venture if you're losing money on every one. But I know people who do it...it's like an illness with them. They become obsessed and can't stand the thought of not purchasing every item on the shelf even if they end up just sitting in their garage for years (not talking Disney pins but a different breed of collectible).

ETA: Some people are willing to sell loss leaders to get more customers...big chains do it all the time. That may not be what's going on here, but perhaps some sellers feel that if they sell an item at cost (and take a loss on the fees), they may cultivate future customers for profit-generating merchandise. That may be more of a devil's advocate position, but it could still be plausible. If the items were purchased with the 50% discount, they are being sold at cost (but at a negative profit margin).

I can agree to disagree on this issue...I've said my piece and have gotten it off of my chest.

Yes girl..you sure have.
so..let us agree to disagree on this.
and..at another time..
let us have the loss leader on Ebay debate..
as..ir sure has never worked for me.
i have learned to stick with the buyers..
that do not count every penny...
as..they treat me better than the ones i have given out 99 cent deals to..

 

[debranator]

I agree with you about assumptions and sellers getting their items in a totally decent and legal way

I don't think it's appropriate for posts about what sellers *might* be doing on this thread. It hurts the good sellers on eBay that are questioned, and the folks trying to read this thread and learn about pins, and buying pins on eBay.

This thread was originally started to discuss personal experiences with sellers on eBay pertaining to scrappers, but lately has been about personal opinions and speculation.

I know personally, and I will NOT elaborate on this subject, that people can get new pins and Disney items for a super, duper, decent price. Cheap enough to buy and resale for a cheap price and make a profit. I know someone who I met at the pin trading nights who does this. I would like to be able to do it to, but the quantity you have to buy, and the minimum order is such an outrageously large amount that I could not.

So, maybe we should focus more on our personal experiences here, and not judge so much.

No one knows how these pins were obtained, and for us to guess and assume it was in a shady way is just a waste of our time, unless we're purposely trying to make other eBay sellers look bad.

oh..come on..elaborate...

 

[pixiewings71]

Pix,I too once got a decent trade out of them..
and..I was once almost terribly ripped off at a trading event.
but, would NEVER go buy them a pin..on principle.
They are really shady and should never be encouraged.
It is not us that I worry about..
it is what they do to young families that gets me really annoyed.
I have seen it and it is penny pinching and disgusting.
I have handed the kids free pins to trade when I see that they are about to get their parents suckered.
and..if they keep up their bull...they will be banned from epcot also.
they already got the pin board..
that was always there..
all day long..
removed..
and now it comes out twice a day..
why?
Because they stalked it.
I just believe that you can make money without..suckering folks.
I have seen 2 of em..
heavy couples in those motorized wheelchairs..
stalking the DTD pin store..
just last week..
and pulling out tourists..to sucker.

I've been almost ripped off as well....plenty of times, and I HAVE been very ripped before, more times than I care to admit. But I will say that as an adult I am smart enough to figure out who's trying to swindle me and who isn't. The lady who wanted the HM LE for the JR LE, that was a good trade! DBF bought 1 lady about $150 in HM LE pins because she had a ton he wanted/needed, when people tell the girls to do that they know to get us, we talk to the trader regarding what they have, what they want and the end cost to us, we aren't stupid when it comes to this. I know other's are not aware of this type of thing so when I am trading and see it happening I try to talk to the parents to let them know to be careful, but it's a learning process and honestly, everyone needs to learn. I help those I can and hope those that don't hear from me don't hold the "sharks" against the "good" traders out there, because we do exist and we do want to make the best trade possible for BOTH parties, not just for one. But that's MY opinion and how we handle it as a family, everyone will be different.

I steer clear of the sharks, ever since we moved here, and my son got taken advantage of by one.

I did buy about 75.00 worth of Flower and Garden Festival pins for a trader last year visiting from Disneyland. She had a few complete sets of REAL Disneyland Hidden Mickeys, and she wanted about 25.00 worth of pins (or 2 LEs) for each set.

I did not get taken advantage of, and was glad to help her get the pins she wanted, for pins I wanted

You can tell a shark...

I bought fantasy pins on eBay that show a picture of a spray can, with a shark on it wearing a pin lanyard with pins, and big teeth, and it say's "Pin Shark Repellent" It's awesome, my kids and I wear them to every pin trading event

I love the pin shark repellent pin....in fact I'm going to see if I can find any of those to buy for our trip, I just wonder if I can get them in a week's time...LOL

Hi there....
as for 99. cent auctions..
that is different..
I LOVE 99 cent auctions...
it is the sellers that sell them cheaply with "buy it nows" that concern me.
as for the "we" thing...
that is my personal opinion...
I do not buy from sellers that say.."we"..
unless..it is as you said...
there is a reason for the "we" and it is spelled out in the listing.
Too many sellers on the bay act as if they are giant businesses...
and..that is the "we" that bothers me..
not the spouse.
as for the gift card thing...
if you know of a way to get thousands of dollars in gift cards..
on a regular basis..
that is not slightly shady...[I did NOT say "crooked"..I said..shady]
then..I want to shake your hand..
you probably never again need to work a day in your life.
as for the "shady" gift card thing...
I did it for a couple of years...
as part of being a professional couponer.
I made my living...
as a pro cvser and couponer.
You CAN get gift cards that way...
all kinds of them..
but..it requires a lot of hard work.
It is not illegal....
it is shady..
as you have to dodge store rules...
in turning your hard earned store money into gift cards.
Another way..is to buy items with the 50% holiday discount[at Disney]..
and..return them for the full amount without a receipt.
again..not illegal..but..shady.
and..if it is done too often...
your CM discount will go the way of the dinosaurs.
but..a completely legal ..
totally above board..
way of attaining limitless amount of gift cards without hard labor...
[if the labor was hard..the price would not be that cheap]
if that is possible..my hat is off to you..and to her.

It's really not all that hard....I have a bunch of rewards cards we are taking to DL with us in a week, we have 3 or 4 credit cards that give rewards for every dollar we spend, it's very feasible that people get these rewards cards and combine them with sales/discounts and are able to sell the pins for less that way. Disney doesn't limit how many pin sets you can buy so the quantity that someone has really doesn't flag anything for me. It isn't shady, I haven't dodged ANY store rules, in fact I follow the rules to the letter. I'm not getting thousands of dollars in rewards, but I could if I used my card for everything....heck yes, I could have paid in full for my Disney vacation next week if I'd used the card for everything....lol and it wouldn't be shady or illegal at all....

I guess the difference for me is that feedback is based on an actual transaction between a seller and a buyer. (And is not always truthful at that, but that is a debate for a different time). The person making the claim of thievery has some sort of basis for that claim - again, first-hand experiences with that seller.

However, when people who have absolutely no first-hand knowledge of the practices of a seller make outright or implied accusations, I have a problem with that. This isn't a question of feedback...these are public accusations in an anonymous forum not linked to specific buyer-seller transactions. And of course everyone is entitled to their opinions (I don't need a lesson on American liberties), but there are also protections for people against baseless accusations (like slander and libel).

I will concede your point on the acquisition of inventory...I don't know how it's done either. I hope it is all legitimate and above board. I know it is difficult to believe that people would purchase so many of the same item to re-sell and it certainly doesn't seem like a sustainable business venture if you're losing money on every one. But I know people who do it...it's like an illness with them. They become obsessed and can't stand the thought of not purchasing every item on the shelf even if they end up just sitting in their garage for years (not talking Disney pins but a different breed of collectible).

ETA: Some people are willing to sell loss leaders to get more customers...big chains do it all the time. That may not be what's going on here, but perhaps some sellers feel that if they sell an item at cost (and take a loss on the fees), they may cultivate future customers for profit-generating merchandise. That may be more of a devil's advocate position, but it could still be plausible. If the items were purchased with the 50% discount, they are being sold at cost (but at a negative profit margin).

I can agree to disagree on this issue...I've said my piece and have gotten it off of my chest.

Which is why I always say "this is MY opinion and I have NOT used this seller, but this is why I would avoid them." or only comment on sellers I have personally used. I'm not out to hurt anyone or slander anyone, I'm only out to help new buyers use eBay in the BEST way possible.

I have received notification that my order from pinpros has shipped, I have not received any communication from postcards altho I paid last week. I will come back to report on those when I receive them.

And yes, I agree that this thread has become too much with regards to finger pointing, it's not the point and we really need to get back on track....

 

[DISMiss85]

Thanks for the great advice!!!

 

[pixiewings71]

I received my pins from pinpros today...very very fast!!! They are in FL, we are in CA, the orders were won on Friday, paid on Saturday and received today!! Insanely fast!!!! But I am sad to say that out of 31 pins only 8 are legit, 5 are questionable and the rest are either scrappers or have missing paint....I would be willing to buy from them one more time but if the end result was the same I would not, could not suggest using them in good conscious. Again, these are MY findings, someone else's may be different.