Trading Pins on Ebay?

[linzjriley]

Just curious of people's experiences purchasing lots of trading pins off of eBay. Worth it ? Not worth it? Are they genuine disney pins? I've heard some people warn of cheap imitation pins made in china that are not accepted in the parks for trading... For anyone who's done it, do you recommend any particular sellers for quality of pins and service?

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

Unfortunately Disney does allow ppl to trade the cheap Chinese scrapper/fakes. That is what you get when you buy off Ebay. Disney sells pins for $4-$10 range so you can assume if you are getting a lot of 50 pins for $50 they are most certainly fakes. But ppl still buy them everyday and take them in the park and trade them and couldn't care less that they are scrappers.

So if it were me I guess I would do as the Romans do and buy the cheap fake crap off Ebay so that you aren't trading $5 pins for fake scrappers that the CM's have on their lanyards.

 

[alix1979]

I really wouldn't buy off ebay in all honesty. I don't want to start an argument or anything but I think the previous poster has given terrible advice.
There are people who don't care if they take scrappers/fakes to trade for genuine pins but it's really a crappy thing to do as plenty of people have paid full price and receive in exchange fakes. Doing this unknowingly is one thing but being well aware this is likely - pretty rough thing to do.
If you do receive a scrapper/fake in a trade with a CM you can to take to it to customer services and they will help you out. Disney are trying to get rid of these as much as possible but the more people that take them, the more they flood the market.
My husband collects pins and I bought many from ebay before we understood exactly how to identify scrappers etc.
A good idea is joining: http://gallery.pinpics.com/cgi-bin/browse.cgi
This helps you learn to identify real pins from fakes and learn a little more.

 

[linzjriley]

I really wouldn't buy off ebay in all honesty. I don't want to start an argument or anything but I think the previous poster has given terrible advice.
There are people who don't care if they take scrappers/fakes to trade for genuine pins but it's really a crappy thing to do as plenty of people have paid full price and receive in exchange fakes. Doing this unknowingly is one thing but being well aware this is likely - pretty rough thing to do.
If you do receive a scrapper/fake in a trade with a CM you can to take to it to customer services and they will help you out. Disney are trying to get rid of these as much as possible but the more people that take them, the more they flood the market.
My husband collects pins and I bought many from ebay before we understood exactly how to identify scrappers etc.
A good idea is joining: http://gallery.pinpics.com/cgi-bin/browse.cgi
This helps you learn to identify real pins from fakes and learn a little more.

Thanks for that link! I don't want fakes its just so costly to buy traders at the parks. I don't need a ton Of traders I only collect 2 characters( figment and jiminy cricket). I just like to have some ready incase.

 

[eculmone]

The pins you buy in Disney are made in China - I've checked them out myself so whats the problem again?

 

[Burnedout]

The pins you buy in Disney are made in China - I've checked them out myself so whats the problem again?

Scrapers are oftentimes overruns or defective pins that were not authorized or should have been trashed. Thus they are stolen from Disney.

 

[eeyore04]

The pins you buy in Disney are made in China - I've checked them out myself so whats the problem again?

I've done some research on this and this is the problem that I've seen identified...

When Disney pin moulds are no longer used to make official Disney pins, they are not destroyed. Manufacturers in China will use these same moulds to make 'scrappers' or unauthorized pins. Now some you will see with misspellings on the logos on the back. For the pins which have the Mickey silhouettes on the back of the pins, scrappers will often have a boarder around the edges which shows that it's a scrapper. Also the Mickey's could be deformed or just look wrong. Colors could be different, etc. Basically the quality isn't there.

 

[scuba]

This subject is as controversial as flash photography on dark rides or giving up a seat for someone on a Disney bus.......look, I have been collecting pins for a long time, as a family we own and trade pins that for the most part fit the description of a "scrapper" but there are no "fake" pins. A pin is pretty much defined as an object with a sharp pointy thing used to pierce fabric with a pin back to hold the object in place. My guess is that 75% maybe more of the pins on cast members lanyards fit the scrapper description and in the end you trade a pin that you don't want for one that you do. It has been my experience that all the authentic rare pins are being traded by pro collecters at shows and resorts and NOT off of a cast members lanyard from "It's a Small World". Pro collectors are also able to spot scrappers and pass on them when they want, Kids generally don't care if the pin was bought at Disney or picked off the floor in China, if it has their favorite character then they are happy. Lastly, unless things have changed from just a year ago....our last trip, then Disney isn't doing anything about the scrapper pin issue, I've gone to guest services just to trade pins and again, 75% or more were mostly scrappers. Buy the ones you want, that is the only way to know they are authentic but when it comes to trading off of lanyards, you have to consider the possibility that you just traded for a scrapper but regardless of how you get your trader pins, have fun because in the end it is just pins.

 

[Burnedout]

That is like saying that because counterfeit purses are all that people should be fine with buying them. There are many of us who do trade real purchased pins with cast member. Pin trading was invented for the fun of it but for Disney to make a profit off of their merchandise and images. When people buy stolen pins it is like buying anything else that is stolen.

 

[eculmone]

This subject is as controversial as flash photography on dark rides or giving up a seat for someone on a Disney bus.......look, I have been collecting pins for a long time, as a family we own and trade pins that for the most part fit the description of a "scrapper" but there are no "fake" pins. A pin is pretty much defined as an object with a sharp pointy thing used to pierce fabric with a pin back to hold the object in place. My guess is that 75% maybe more of the pins on cast members lanyards fit the scrapper description and in the end you trade a pin that you don't want for one that you do. It has been my experience that all the authentic rare pins are being traded by pro collecters at shows and resorts and NOT off of a cast members lanyard from "It's a Small World". Pro collectors are also able to spot scrappers and pass on them when they want, Kids generally don't care if the pin was bought at Disney or picked off the floor in China, if it has their favorite character then they are happy. Lastly, unless things have changed from just a year ago....our last trip, then Disney isn't doing anything about the scrapper pin issue, I've gone to guest services just to trade pins and again, 75% or more were mostly scrappers. Buy the ones you want, that is the only way to know they are authentic but when it comes to trading off of lanyards, you have to consider the possibility that you just traded for a scrapper but regardless of how you get your trader pins, have fun because in the end it is just pins.

I'm not sure my 4 year old grandson will see a difference. It's just a fun activity and to the other poster. I beg to differ, these are most certainly NOT stolen pins. At the end of the day 'They are just pins'

 

[eculmone]

That is like saying that because counterfeit purses are all that people should be fine with buying them. There are many of us who do trade real purchased pins with cast member. Pin trading was invented for the fun of it but for Disney to make a profit off of their merchandise and images. When people buy stolen pins it is like buying anything else that is stolen.

AND as for counterfeit purses... I once saved my $$$$ to buy an original guess 'wallet' and went into the store in Chicago dedicated to ONLY Guess - when I asked the sales lady prior to handing over $2,000 for a 'wallet' how do I know this is 'real' her reply? 'Your pocketbook will be the only one who knows' SERIOUSLY?????

My pocketbook and I don't have that kind of relationship
Happy Wednesday ya'll

 

[Burnedout]

I'm not sure my 4 year old grandson will see a difference. It's just a fun activity and to the other poster. I beg to differ, these are most certainly NOT stolen pins. At the end of the day 'They are just pins'

They are stolen if they were not suppose to be made or were supposed to have been trashed due to defects.

What else do you call taking something that isn't your right to take?

 

[beck02]

I've got the same type of deliema as the OP. I bought a couple of those large lots off e-bay, before I realized they were scrappers or overruns. I've since shopped around some more, and have bought other pins that are more likely to be legit... some from other e-bay sellers that probably took the cheaper pins to the park & traded for real ones (! Is this really any better?!). At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter--sometimes you've got to be an expert to know what colors are the real ones. And there's HUNDREDS of those pin lots ending EVERY day, most with buyers. You can try to be 'good' but honestly, the control lies SOLELY with disney. THEY can destroy the molds so that they aren't used--but they don't.

My 5 year old doesn't much care, and we'll have fun with it. I threw out the ones that I thought were just poor quality, and have about 1/2 real ones (bought direct from Disney or e-bay), and 1/2 overrun/cheaper pins. My daughter liked quite of few of the fake ones for her own collection anyway, and would be perfectly happy trading the real ones for a fake one, if it's a character she wants. I started doing all this because I thought it would be a fun activity--and I think it will--and find out you can drive yourself crazy.

Just have fun with it!

 

[beck02]

Also--you might see if there's a disney outlet store near you. There's one that's about 45 minutes from my house, and I've bought a few pins from them (have been looking for 4 months now, and trip is in September). Some have been higher price (the speciality pins), but occasionally they have some of the starter pin packages for around $2/pin.

My only thing is that our outlet store ONLY gets items from DL, and we're going to WDW. Not sure if WDW will take pins from DL, but I think they will. If not, it's not too big a deal to keep them--I don't buy anything that I don't like at least a little.

 

[6loversofdisney]

I don't want to start an argument on this either but I have an opinion.

The first time we went to Disney and lanyards were the new thing, my kids wanted them. Four kids, Four lanyards, plus pins - it was not in the budget. I came home and started searching around on ebay. I ended up buying all four lanyards and filled them with pins. Many of them hidden Mickey pins. I can't tell you if they were real, fake, or something in between. I can tell you that we took all the lanyards full of pins and traded them without problem. Although some of the pins that we bought off of ebay the kids did not want to trade. Just wanted to say that we did it without incident.

Also, for the people who think this is wrong, I say when you are choosing a pin from a cast member, inspect it carefully. If you think it's fake or junk, don't trade it, simple...

Here's my final point, we don't hate Disney because our trips there cost thousands of dollars. We don't hate Disney because they charge too much for a drink or a meal. It is what it is and if I can save money on something like the lanyards and still let my kids have the experience, I'm gonna do it!

 

[Burnedout]

Lol, because Disney is expensive it is ok to buy and exchange counterfeit products?

It is amazing what people rationalize.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

In the just for fun forum there is a Disney Collectors section. In that section, is a list of good pin sellers on ebay.

Here's the link: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3076860

I sometimes trade pins in the parks and know I prefer to get an actual Disney pin when I trade and not scrappers. On my June trip, I did end up getting a couple of Hidden Mickey scrappers when I traded with CM's which I tossed.
Since I'd traded real Disney pins for them it was disappointing.

So I really appreciate it when people take the time to track down pin sellers who don't sell scrappers because it really does make a difference to me - an adult pin collector.

 

[Burnedout]

I agree. It is good that those lists exist.

 

[scuba]

Lol, because Disney is expensive it is ok to buy and exchange counterfeit products?

It is amazing what people rationalize.

I expected a post like this one sooner then later but I half expected the "just because everyone does it doesn't make it right" response. I've been to Disneyana shows where MEGA collectors have set up and the truth of the matter is NO ONE can really tell the difference between scrapper pins and unauthorized, some may look a little off but there is really no way to tell. I have purchased pins from Disney only to have a "all knowing collector" tell me it was a scrapper. I'm not thinking that Disney's quality control is any better than my local big box stores so in fact low quality authorized pins are out there. I see the whole Disney pin industry taking a hit in the next couple of years not unlike what baseball cards did in the 90's ( I know, I collected them) when adults start taking a hobby above and beyond it's intended purpose which is interaction between guest and cast member and hold value in the actual item they are trading then problems are bound to happen. In the end, Disney can most certainly control the problem and I don't see a cast member refusing to trade with a 5 year old because her parents bought a pin that no one can actually confirm to be a scrapper. As we all know, we cannot control folks from taking pictures on dark rides and making someone offer a seat on a bus to a child so if someone is interested in trading pins then be knowledgeable and walk away from a trade you think to be a scrapper. I've traded for scrappers and have many in my collection because I like them, does that make me responsible too? I think many of "US" collectors are looking for some kind of response from Disney but alas we have heard little. I say drop the cost to be more competitive across the board with scrapper pins, it is pretty much a no brainer for many to choose a 1-2 dollar pin over a 7 dollar pin. Drop to cost to 3 dollars per pin at Disney and I think most folks would do the right thing

 

[Burnedout]

So if everyone does it and no one can tell it is ok? What kind of logic is that? You don't want people taking your stuff. If you made or invented something you'd have no problem with people stealing your copyrighted product?

Heck, if someone stole the veggies out of your garden to sell at the market because no one can't tell the difference does that make it right?

I get get that they are the same. They are the same because they are stolen!