Have you ever??......

[olbear]

.......Had this happen to you???

You are just sitting there minding your own "trading"....and you over hear a trade, and you just KNOW that the trade is unfair?? It irks you to no end, but you don't want to cause a scene and make someone mad at you. BUT!! You cannot stand the thought of the innocent, and in this case, NEW trader being taken advantage of. What would you do??

Well, such an incident took place our last night at WDW at DPT at downtown Disney. A family approached our area looking for pins with a certain character on it for one of their kids. I did not have any, but someone next to me said they might have. Sure enough. they did. It was the Tarzan pin from last years AK event. On pinpics, 84 have it, 25 people want it.

Now, as most of you know, non of those pins really did much in the way of trading and value. Although this was one of the nicer pins in my opinion, none had much in the way of trade value. This trader asked to see my newest Tomart magazine. I do not know why, but the pin was considered a B+ pin, which meant they said it was worth upwards of $35!! I've seen that pin on e-bay, and they have gone for no more than $10 or so.

So as I sit there and steam a bit, this trader takes this parent to the DPT store and chooses not one, but THREE pins for her to buy in trade. I watched, and as he left, she caught my eye and I shook my head no from behind a stand. She came up and I told her about the pin. She thanked me profusely.

A couple minutes later as hubby and I were walking toward Pooh corner, we saw the family and stopped them to chat. The husband thanked me, and said he wouldn't have let her do it either way, but was grateful for my intervention. I then talked to their kids and asked what their names were, and who their fav character was. I showed them a pin bag I use to trade with kids, and told them each to pick out a pin they liked. One picked out a pluto pin, another a Test Track pin with movement, he thought was "cool", and their little princess picked out a Belle pin.

It was a nice moment for all of us. I realize I'm taking a chance posting this as this trader may read the boards. And I don't mean to be mean or judgemental. But I felt this mom was going to be taken advantage of by someone who should have known better. It just goes to show, even though Scoop or a manager may not be around, you never know who may be around listening or observing, and seeing what kind of example you set. It always pays to be fair and honest. That's what the magic and pixie dust are all about!!

As a side note, this same trader told me the first day we were there, that I'd never find the Tinkbell patriotic open stock pin again. He said although it was open, it was like a limited and would never be on the racks again. Weellllll...... on that last night, guess what I got off the racks at World of Disney???
unhuh! You guessed it!! I got my patriotic Tink. She's a beauty!!

Blessings, and fair trading to all,
Winnie

 

[Buzz2001]

You did the right thing!

 

[Tinkerbel129]

Winnie,

I too agree with what you did. I have also done this with some traders from Japan, they were very thankful that I gave them a heads up in a subtle way. I could see asking them to buy one limited edition or maybe 2 rack pins for the trade, that would be of equal value for what the pins cost, but 3 pins is too much. Bravo to you!!

 

[dispinfanzz]

Winnie,
I know what you mean I have seen people do that to little kids to. You did the right thing telling them not to do it. I am glad you ran into them again and could talk I am sure you made the family's day. You are a great person Winnie.


HUGS,
Susan

 

[Mr. Plutonium]

Hi!
About 2 years ago under the big Sorcerer's hat at MGM I witnessed a kindly looking grandmother attempt to swindle some nice folks from Japan. I told them in my limited Japanese that it was a bad trade. "Kore wa warui desu." Grandma immediately doubled her offer after they shook their heads no. I don't think you needed to understand any Japanese to realize what I was saying. It is like the "old wild west" sometimes when it comes to pin trading.

Same trip, different day I saw a cast member trade up on a child from his lanyard. I asked him why and he said that he had to do the trade under the rules. He also said that kids just like to trade and they think all pins are
the same...the do not assign values to them. The child was probably going to trade the pin he received again...just for fun. I had to agree.

In the gift shop at the Grand Californian during the preview for California Adventure. My cousin, sister, and I witnessed one of those people who think if you say it a lot louder the person from Japan will then understand. Dude wanted
the then new DCA Mickey Pilot pin (with spinning propellers) in trade for one of his own pins. He wanted the Japanese guy to buy it off the rack for him. It didn't seem to be a fair trade. My sister and cousin were so insensed they bought all the Mickey Pilot pins while the loud guy's back was turned. As we were leaving the loud guy couldn't find the pin he wanted. The look on his face was priceless. Didn't stick around to see what happened next. We didn't see that pin on sale anywhere for the rest of the trip.

My sister no longer trades in person with strangers. It isn't fun for her anymore. I don't blame her.

-Gene

 

[mudd]

Being an amiture myself, we do appreciate when someone looks out for us. I no longer look at anyone's books at DTD, not that I wouldn't love to. I tried to tried a couple of times but have always turned down. I wasn't trying to get one over just a simple lanyard train pin for another lanyard train pin. I assumed that both would be of equal value. If someone would have asked be to have traded with those pins I would have agreed even if I wasn't looking for the pin they offered. I didn't see much difference between having one or the other as a trader plus if I could help someone else to try to complete a set it would be worth it. I just get bad vibes as if being looked down upon at DTD. Tried to trade at the world of disney store out of the book but the lady in front of me heard me tell my husband that there was only one pin in the book I would like and we agreed to stay until it was my turn, since there was two of the same pin in the book. Well the lady took one and then stated that her husband decided to also do a trade and told him to take the other one. I don't remember what the pin was nothing spetacular just somehting that caught my eye. I hate it that people like that take the fun out of it for the rest of us, leaving a bad taste. I would love to be able to just browse and do some possible friendly trades but I'm at the point that I don't know where to find friendly people that are also in it for the fun more than trying to make a living out of it.

 

[Cruise]

Originally posted by olbear

Now, as most of you know, non of those pins really did much in the way of trading and value. Although this was one of the nicer pins in my opinion, none had much in the way of trade value. This trader asked to see my newest Tomart magazine. I do not know why, but the pin was considered a B+ pin, which meant they said it was worth upwards of $35!! I've seen that pin on e-bay, and they have gone for no more than $10 or so.

So as I sit there and steam a bit, this trader takes this parent to the DPT store and chooses not one, but THREE pins for her to buy in trade. I watched, and as he left, she caught my eye and I shook my head no from behind a stand. She came up and I told her about the pin. She thanked me profusely.

I think I've pretty much been scared out of pin trading at this point. I got interested last fall and got a little collection going. I've only ever once traded in person - and that was in London, England. I haven't been to Disney since I started collecting the pins, so I've only ever traded over the 'net.

So, in the scenario above, no, I wouldn't know anything about the Tarzan pin in question. Wouldn't have known anything about it's tradability or what it goes for on ebay. If all I had to go on was what the book said (that it was a B+ pin worth about $35), then I too might have asked for 3 rack pins in trade if all were around $10 each. With only that information, I would think it was a fair trade at that point. How are amature pin traders supposed to know the difference? In all honesty, I didn't even know about the book you're referring to that quotes pin "values."

At this point, I'm afraid any trade I ask for in person is going to make me look like a shark. At least with online trades, I can look at pinpics and see if it seems fair that way.

Julie

 

[olbear]

I can totally understand what you have said. I am sure I only know because I am a fairly regular, what you might term "seasoned" trader. Although there are times I know I have been taken advantage of after the fact. It is for that reason I try to educate myself.

Yes, they are only little pieces of metal, However there are those who sadly enough, see them as an opportunity$$$ to do and get better pins, to trade/sell. When I want to educate myself on the value on certain pins, I check e-bay, the Tomart Value magazine I mentioned, and I also check pinics for the members wanting/trading ratio. I feel this is a good measure of a pin. In this case it was far less valuable than the Tomart magazine suggested.

And yes, I have traded a much more valuable pin for one not so valuable, only because I really wanted that pin, (probably POOH)!!
And this past week, I was trading to get the surprise Dumbo for my Patriotic collection. Well, I had some Figment pins that a fella wanted. He had the new Dumbo. Well, I offered him both Figments as they were just sitting there, no one wanting them, one was LE 3500 and the other was LE 5000. His was of course an LE 1000. So I thought it fair to offer both for his one. He wouldn't hear of it. He traded one for one, then he offered me a second one for a trader for the other Figment. So in some cases what may seem like a less valuable pin to some is terrific to others! You just never know.

But as was the case with my scenario, this trader I feel knew exactly what he was doing, and he knew it was with someone who knew nothing about pins as she told him so herself. So therefore, I truely feel he was being dishonest. He even had the nerve to tell me after he came back, that "although he knew he could get 10 pins for his one Tarzan, he was trying to make her happy to get her kid a pin he wanted". I just shook my head and walked away. So sad.

The best way to learn is to just get out there and do it. Above all have fun, and although at times like this one mentioned it hard, trrryyy to remember that it is only a piece of metal with a PERSON behind it. I think we'd allll make super trades if this was remembered more.

Blessings to all,
Winnie

 

[pintrader]

Winnie,
It does happen all too often. And like you I am afraid of retaliation if I intervene, but I hate some of the things I hear as well. You did all you could. Fortunately the situation gave the "victims" a chance to catch your body language. I have told people after we both left the area, that I couldn't say anything aloud as I live around here and didn't want to suffer retribution and that I was glad they .looked up to catch a glimpse of their surroundings.

I have seen Lori do this many times with the Japanese and other guests. They were very grateful each time I witnessed her assistance and input.

Julie made a good point. But please don't fear scorn. For the more seasoned traders we often see the same people pulling this strategy over and over again and they are seasoned as well. They know about PinPics and e-Bay and they know what kind of frenzy acquiring the pin did or did not involve. I don't think we would confuse a novice with someone who is at DTD several time a month only using the pin book as their guideline. If someone is trying to be fiar and honest they will often ask others for input.

 

[pointandshoot]

Winnie,

I am personally glad we have traders like you!!! We were just at the Contemporary last Friday. Some of the traders were so nice to my daughter Nicole. They generously let her look at their pins and helped her make trades. She had the great time because of people like you taking the time to trade in a kind way.

I agree with Mr. Plutonium that "young" children just like to trade and do not care about pin value. I did run into a few shrewd kids, though.

As for Nicole, her favorite trades where for the new Tinkerbell Lanyard pin and a rack Thumper pin. Not much for the savvy trader, but her excitement was out of control.

Do what you think is right. It make a difference.

Chuck