What's up with the pin traders camped out in Epcot?

[bosuch]

We just got back, and I'm trying to figure out the motives of the pin traders camped out at the tables in Epcot... They've got multiple books stuffed with hundreds of pins, but they'll only trade for something not in their collection. Out of my 3 boys and probably 20 possible trade pins, they said they had them all.

So why camp out for most of a day on the off chance of finding one pin? Some profit motive?

Bill

 

[carebee21]

It could be that you just had common pins and were trying to trade them for uncommon/rare pins and they didn't want to hurt your feelings or insult you or they truely may not have needed the pins you had.

But, some of those people do sit out there to try to "scam" people. They'll have a pin that's usually not worth much, or in some cases may be fake. They then find someone who loves it and tell them how rare/hard to find it is. They look at their pin traders and says, oh I have all those/don't need them/don't want them. But since you want the pin so much, I'll make you a deal. Go into the pin store and buy this pin or buy any new pin or even a few new pins and we will trade. Then they turn around and sell the pin(s) on ebay, making more money than what the pin was worth.

 

[Jessica527]

Typically - I only trade with cast members when I am pin trading. I have seen who you are talking about, and while some I see it as just a hobby I understand the PPs point as well.

Tell you kids to look for CM with Green Lanyards - those are KIDS ONLY landyards for pin trading. They have some great pins that should really interest them! And they won't be turned down for trading a pin - all CMs must trade!

Let me know how it turns out!

 

[Swamp_Fox]

I just wanted to put my two cents about the Epcot trading area. Not all traders are looking swindle kids or adults for that matter. Not all of us have motives to get a pin. This is the kind of thing that paints all traders with a broad Shark brush. I only speak for myself from this point foward. I sometimes go there when I'm on vacation. I have one book and a lanyard. I love trading with kids. I've been trading since 1998 before Disney made it's trading official in 2000. My best advice for handling the Epcot traders is use your gut feeling and common sense ask questions if your kids are trading keep an eye on the trade if your spider sense is tingling in a bad way just say no thanks and walk away. Yes there are sharky traders out there, but there are good traders out there too we're not many but we are out there.

Swamp Fox

 

[Mickey527]

I thought Disney changed the rules and only allows people to bring in one book at a time now. I know during the pin events you can bring in all your traders but I thought they said only one book to cut down on the sharkiness?
I haven't traded in so many years, I stopped collecting (spending) in 2004 when i got sick and I have os many pins, but boy was trading fun back in the day when this board was so active and there were so many great people on it.

 

[Swamp_Fox]

@Mickey527 Disney did change the rules, but the one pin bag rule was mainly for Downtown Disney at Pin Traders and since Disney Killed pin trading at pin traders I'm assuming the one bag rule may now apply at the EPCOT pin trading tables.

Swamp Fox