Basicaly the way it works is you see a pin on someone's lanyard that you would like and ask if they would like to trade. If the other person is a CM they must trade as long as they don't already have the pin you want to give them and the pin you are trading has a Disney stamp on the back. With t CM you get to pick which pin you want from their lanyard and which pin you want to give them from yours. If you are trading with another pin collector you try to reach a mutually satisfactory trade with them. Both of you have the right to walk away at any point before a trade is reached. Since I am not a real pin nut I tend to trade with CMs only.