Not everyone who sells pins on ebay is selling counterfeit pins. I did go to the DIS board collectors board and did my research and asked a lot of questions, before buying off of ebay. I was just trying to express, quickly I might add, some of the precautions I use to ensure I am getting authentic pins. I've also used the DIS to research sellers and gotten feedback from people here. Have I gotten fake pins before, yes, 2 of them during my first few single buys. Now I buy pin lots. If I buy a lot of 100 for $150, it works out to $1.50 a pin.
Consider this-If a Disney employee walked in and bought a bunch of those $2 pins the OP mentioned and was able to use their discount. Then separate the pins into single pins and have them listed on ebay. Even in a lot at $1.50/pin total the seller made $3 on the said pins. Making a profit. According to you though, I just bought counterfeit pins because I paid about a $1 off of ebay.
Are there counterfeit pins on ebay? Absolutely, agree with you 100%. But just because someone pays a minimal amount doesn't make the pins counterfeit. There are stories about people who have paid hundreds of dollars for items off ebay, only to have the item turn out to be counterfeit. I was just trying to tell the Op to be cautious and aware of what she is buying and from who she is buying.
ETA-When/If I do find a scrapper, it is tossed out of the trade pile. My DD has kept one of them, a Minnie, that she put in her keeper bag (one of the big pin trading bags), but she knows it is a scrapper and keeps it because she likes it, not because of its value, or lack there of.
To clarify, I did not say everyone who sells pins on ebay is selling counterfeit pins, clearly they are not. I have sold my personal pins for much less than I paid for them on ebay and they are authentic.
What I did say is that if you are buying pins in large lots, like yours, they are likely fake. I cannot say that with 100% certainty, as there will likely be a few exceptions to that rule. Using the DIS for information on credible sellers is great! There is invaluable information here, that is the main point I'm trying to make. Since you quickly noted two things you look out for are things that do not indicate a credible seller, that is what I was addressing.
Common sense dictates that the likelihood that someone selling thousands and thousands of pins, over and over again, is that they are buying scrappers from China. To your point, I am sure there will be an exception here or there where they are trying to sell their personal collection at deeply discounted prices. But they are in the stark minority on ebay, if they exist at all.
As a side note, CM's do not get their discount at the outlets, only 10% on occasion at the discretion of the outlet store. And I would bet that store didn't even have more than a hundred or so, if even that. Even if they did, I would have no objection of someone selling them online for a profit. They are REAL pins, so why would anyone care? If they're in the right place and can buy REAL pins and sell them for a profit, so be it. I'm all for free enterprise as long as it doesn't hurt anyone or a community. Buying and selling fake pins..does.
To reiterate, NO not EVERYONE who sells Disney pins inexpensively on ebay is selling fakes.
YES, use information on the DIS to get great info on ebay sellers.
This is not about the VALUE of the pin, or the lack therof. I don't buy pins to keep as in investment, nor do I toss one because it may be old or bent, or whatever. What I am talking about is damaging the value of pin trading in general by infiltrating huge amounts of fake pins. Whether or not you mind if they're fake or wish to keep it not is not my point. It's knowingly trading scrappers that is what I'm addressing. By all means, keep what you like, that's not what I'm trying to convey.
HOWEVER, if a seller is selling hundreds or thousands of pins for around a buck a piece, over and over and over again, they are fake-it's just common sense.
I am not trying to do anything other than educate the inexperienced trader about counterfeit/scrapper pins. There are many traders who, quite innocently, may buy fake pins on ebay and not know it. I offered the information I have, now what they do with the information is up them.
I love to pin trade, and encourage everyone who is interested to do it to..it is a BLAST!! But it is NO FUN when dealing with huge amounts of fake pins being traded over and over...that is not how pin trading was intended to be. Just my .02
