Scrappers are killing CM pin trading!

[Michael623]

I just came back from a week at the world and I would guess that CM lanyards contained no less than 75% scrappers. Worse yet they just don't seem to care. Here is an example, while BTMRR is closed they put what I'll call a rolling pin cube at the closed entrance. It is basically a 4-sided pin board on wheels. Right off I saw the scrapper version of pin #52310. I mentioned to the CM that it was a counterfeit pin and if you notice the word haunts on the back is spelled hauns. She simply said "people trade for what they like, what do you want me to do about it?" CMs have just accepted it. I went around World Showcase one day and every CM I encountered had a minimum of 4 DL hidden Mickey scrappers on their lanyard. I didn't see who was doing it but I assume a pair of traders probably dropped 200+ scrappers at Epcot in a single day. I know it is hard to enforce because the backstamps (for the most part) look legitimate but there has to be something that can be done. I think this is much worse than the Sedesma situation in the early days of pin trading. Sorry just had to vent. On a positive note it was 80+/- degrees every day of my vacation. By far the best January weather I've ever encountered in Orlando.

 

[MaterializedHaunt]

That really does stink. Disney is focused on pin sales and marketing but when this is happening, it can ruin everything for everyone. This needs to be handled in some manor. Have they tried implementing anything to help prevent this from happening? I Understand that people purchase these scrapper lots and havent a clue what a scrapper is and then next thing you know, the pins are traded and there is another 20 scrappers in the mix on CMs lanyards. Is Disney this focused on pin sales and not the actual hobby of collecting actual authentic Disney Pins that they let this happen? Something needs to be done. I know that every once in a while a scapper seller will get caught with a massive box of pins as they come over from Asia, so that helps but Ebay seems to be an endless supply of scrappers.

I purchased a set of 20 pins from a seller who all they sell is these lots. And as I suspected... all scrappers yet this guy has a 99.9% feedback score. All these people are being fooled. I hope my negative feedback helped in someway. Needless to say I spent then shipping and returned the pins. I hope something eventually is done!

And I am glad you have fantastic weather down there in Jan. My parents are down there right now and sounds like the weather is continuing to be fantastic!

- MaterializedHaunted

 

[DARuss]

Michael623, We must have been there the same time. I just returned home on Saturday. I too purchased a lot of 25 from ebay and it too was scrappers. the seller had a 99.9% feedback on it. While we were at DTD pin traders my DD12 was asked by the CM there if she wanted to trade. When she picked out a Hidden Mickey pin of Marie I could tell right away it was a scrapper and it did not have a hidden Mickey in it. When I pointed it out to the CM she said "I dunno" and asked if we still wanted to trade for it. She even pulled out her book with a picture of that pin and it showed where the hidden mickey should have been.

 

[olbear]

There was a day when CMs in general did care. But they are now so inundated with them, I guess it's hard to fight anymore. That doesn't mean I approve, it's just a plain fact. A couple years ago at a monthly pin meet at the Contemporary I took 2 of the same cast lanyard pin to Steven Miller to ask him about which was the correct color and thus the real pin. His response to me was, "As long as it has the Disney Backstamp on it, it's tradeable". So even he finally gave up the fight.

Unfortunately greed has taken over and so many just don't care. Many haven given up the fight because so few seem to care. Even "Disney" themselves. Please know this is only my opinion. Not absolutely factual. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out if you know what I mean.

Just continue to trade as smart as you can, and above all keep positive and have FUN!!!
All my best,
Winnie

 

[Charilee7]

So how does one tell if they are getting scrappers? I was planning to buy a lot on eBay for my three kids before we went but now I'm paranoid lol. Is there a particular seller that's known to be reputable?

 

[ChrisInVenice]

So how does one tell if they are getting scrappers? I was planning to buy a lot on eBay for my three kids before we went but now I'm paranoid lol. Is there a particular seller that's known to be reputable?

Think about it this way. If you see someone that has 5 to 10 lots for sale, stay away from them. Check feedback. And of you are paying less than 2 to 3 bucks a pin, most of the time they are fake.

 

[Swissdog2010]

So i assume the word 'scrapper' implys that the pins are defective units that have been diverted from being scrapped at the manufacturer and sold though some black market arrangement?

 

[Spiffie]

So i assume the word 'scrapper' implys that the pins are defective units that have been diverted from being scrapped at the manufacturer and sold though some black market arrangement?

That and not destroying the mold as instructed.

 

[Scribble Kitty]

I frequent DLR and some CMs care and will toss scrapper pins (seen it happen) and others are maybe ignorant? I haven't received any scrappers as trades, but I think my friend did on our last trip. The colors seem right but one side has a rough edge and the mickey waffle pattern on back has an edge on it.

I haven't been trading long enough to spot a scrapper on a lanyard, but I try to pay attention to which pins I see in ebay lots and avoid those on lanyards.

 

[Mickey1Fan]

I guess this is why I only buy new pins and don't trade.

This is very sad for those who do love to trade.

 

[jewjubean]

If the pin has a Disney Trademark on the back...we have to accept them. Not every Disney CM has the knowledge about pins that the hardcore pin traders have. A majority of the time people trade for what they "LIKE" not what's valuable. There was a pin that I traded for that was not a "Disney" pin, and before I could bring it backstage a kid saw it and decided that he "HAD" to have that pin and traded. When I mentioned it was not a Disney pin he didnt care. He just liked the pin!!They don't know the difference between scrappers or real pins.

This is just my opinion.

 

[JBear66]

Seems to me that Disney would want to protect the integrity of the pins people collect and demand better controls and accountability from the suppliers for the blems. I understand that most all products are made over seas but I just think if Disney would crack down it would stop. Just imagine if the manufactures got a wake up call from Disney saying that they were canceling the contract because of all the scrappers in the market. I bet they would dry up over night. Please Disney do something about it!!!!!!

 

[ObsessedWithDW]

If the pin has a Disney Trademark on the back...we have to accept them. Not every Disney CM has the knowledge about pins that the hardcore pin traders have. A majority of the time people trade for what they "LIKE" not what's valuable. There was a pin that I traded for that was not a "Disney" pin, and before I could bring it backstage a kid saw it and decided that he "HAD" to have that pin and traded. When I mentioned it was not a Disney pin he didnt care. He just liked the pin!!They don't know the difference between scrappers or real pins.

This is just my opinion.

I agree. Pin trading is about trading and collecting pins you like not putting together a valuable collection you can sell for a profit. If profit is the name of the game then we are no better than the maker of the scrappers because that is what they are all about too.

 

[MolonLabe]

If the pin has a Disney Trademark on the back...we have to accept them. Not every Disney CM has the knowledge about pins that the hardcore pin traders have. A majority of the time people trade for what they "LIKE" not what's valuable. There was a pin that I traded for that was not a "Disney" pin, and before I could bring it backstage a kid saw it and decided that he "HAD" to have that pin and traded. When I mentioned it was not a Disney pin he didnt care. He just liked the pin!!They don't know the difference between scrappers or real pins.

This is just my opinion.

That is a great way to put it. While I'm glad individual CM's aren't second guessing park guests, it's unfortunate that the CM's lanyards aren't checked occasionally by someone who can spot fakes.

I'm not saying check them every day but every week or so, it would be a daunting process to routinely check all those lanyards, even weekly or biweekly.

 

[scrappersrkool]

for those on the 'cutting edge' scrappers are actually becoming more valuable than so called 'official' pins..i'd rather have a 'scrapper'..they have induviduality ancharacter...SCRAPPERS RULE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Westcoastwild]

I don't know how you would control it really. CMs want people to NOT complain about them. So as a CM, If you refuse to take a pin because you think it might be a scrapper, then you turn out to be wrong, bam, complaint. If you refuse to take a pin because you know it's a scrapper, bam, complaint from the folks that "had no idea that their pins were scrappers, honest"...., and possible scene that influences the opinions of other guests. If you take a pin to provide good customer service, and your supervisor has been told to come down on you hard for that, you really aren't going to want to continue trading pins with guests.

I love the pins, but I wouldn't be able to memorize signs of a scrapper on each one. And I wouldn't want to trade pins with guests at all if my job depended on catching every scrapper.

 

[supernova]

Let's look at this base line here. The average 45 year old cast member earning minimum wage doesn't really care what pins he trades for. First time guests don't know about pin trading, and so buy the starter set for way too much money, and trade off those basic awful pins for ones they like better. On their next trip, rather than pay big bucks again for six pins, they'll check eBay to see if they can find pins cheaper. And sure enough... Meanwhile, they don't know if they are real or fake. More realistically, they don't even know that there are fake pins out there. They got a good deal so they feel like they are ahead. Plus, unless they are planning on selling them off at some point, once the trip is over and the pins are home, does it really matter if they are real or fake?

In the end, Disney is making these pins for less than a dollar each, and then sells them to the public for an obscene profit. A few scrappers can slip through if it means selling others for $9.99.

 

[GadgetGirl]

Having completed a Disney College Programme and also a pin collector I see both sides of this one.
One of the best things about Pin Trading was an opportunity to interact with younger guests, they got so excited about pin trades and weren't in it to find the rarest pins etc. I wouldn't have turned down a "scrapper" in this situation, even though they are mostly easy to spot. As a younger female cast member I was actually made to feel quite uncomfortable by some (please note: not all, but also not a minority!) avid pin collectors because of the location of my lanyard and their refusal to make eye contact or conversation with me, only interested in eyeing my pins before moving on to the cast member next to me! My lanyard was my own responsibility, but I was able to take it in to cast member services and have it regularly refreshed by a cast member who had really brilliant pin knowledge. This was to try and stop it being full of starter packs pins.
As a Pin collector, I am not out for value I guess, but instead I collect the ones I like that are eye catching. As such I do have some scrappers in my collection, but they don't concern me too much. I like the look of them on my wall just as much, but I can totally appreciate that it is a disappointment to get one in a trade. As long as cast members are happy to take them though at least "scrappers" can be traded on! People like me and the kids will happily pick them up.

 

[supernova]

I'm not entirely sure people are maliciously turning in scrappers anyway.

 

[dmband]

The only way to stop the issue is for Disney to train cm to spot fakes and make it a rule that fakes will not be excepted.
This will nevvvvvvver happen. Number one training employees is to costly.
Two, pissing off (unknowingly) guests who show up and are told they can't trade because their pin is fake isnt good for business.
Three, I'm sure Disney has done research and knows most people are buying real pins to trade and that the majority out there are real.
Four, as others have stated, it's more of what you like. Sure having a real pin is a plus and I would prob be a little disappointed if I got a fake but for most families having something they like outweighs if it's real. Look at how many people have fake diamonds and purses. It's not that they don't want real, it's that they don't care

Off to eBay to buy fakes in order to trade for real and build up my collection value
JOKING