will you keep collecting and/or trading as much

[pintrader]

I have heard that Disney is responding to guest's requests that pins become more interactive, involved and flashy. It's not that I don't believe that, but from what has been posted here does anyone get the impression that THOSE people are not posting to threads like this? Is there anyone out there that will stand up and say "The pins are better, they are worth more and I will keep buying as many as I have since I began collecting two years ago?"

I long for the days when pins were 4 bucks a piece and I could afford to buy a trader or three and send them to people who were not so lucky as to live down here.

Those days are gone. I no longer can even get one each of the pins for my own collection. They've gotten too expensive for me. I'll be cutting down on the number of pins I buy this year and I'm sure gonna miss trading. There are so many intricate, cute, special, LE pins that we just start grabbing without adding the cost, and then we can't afford to trade them. DH (Gary) says I could have a nice paid-for Cadillac sitting in the driveway for what I spent on pins last year. With less pin for my money I don't think I'll be doing the same in 2002. The more cutesy they are getting the quicker they break. People can't even get them traded before they break now.

I, for one am going to have to make do with just going to meets and socializing. EVERYONE I have spoken with has said the same thing. "I'm not buying any more pins. I'm just going to trade for what I want." Well, if this is true, just WHO IS going to be buying those pins we are think we are going to trade for???

Once I read that Disney says for every person who stops at Guest Services to make a comment there are 300 who did not. Based on the possibility of that being somewhat true, perhaps the masses are speaking out here when 15 before me have said "PHEW, uncle, I give, enough is enough."

For those in marketing, is there possible cause to question whether the increase in expense and creativity is REALLY as appreciated by your paying guests as some have led marketing to believe?

Disney, please listen to us. If each of us only represents even 100 rather than 300, 100 opinions x 15 replies to this post should speak volumes. We don’t want to be forced out of our hobby. You started something that we could afford, please try to find a way to get our hobby back to that financial place for us.

It has brought so many of us together, and has been therapeutic for me; beter than any medications the doctors have put me on. But even in the medical world, if I cannot afford the prescription and I don't have insurance I have to stop taking the medicine.

Am I alone in these sentiments kids? I hear Disney reads our boards.

 

[Mickey7811]

I feel like if I sold off my collection now, which I would not consider doing, I could buy the Condo in Florida that I want and come and visit alot more ofter.

We have to cut back on everything Disney this year. We have gone way overboard.

Our future plans are to have a place down there one day so0n, but if we keep coming down there and if I keep buying pins, then that dream just gets further and further away.

I think if I stick to just buying one pin I will be okay, but I always think of all my friends that would love that pin and wind up buying 6 of each. And then I always say, that will be a great trader and get a couple more. Before you know it, you have spent hundreds of dollars.

And I think because I am not exposed to it every week I just go crazy when I am there.

I have about 10 binders of pins right now and keep asking, do I really need anymore. But I do love them and I do sit and look at them and organize them and I feel it is my little part of the Magic right here in Baltimore.

My new years resolution is to cut back on the pins and to cut back on the trips. I think 2002 is not going to be a very good year =(.

I will see you all real soon - 52 to WDW - I really stink at resolutions.

DArlene

 

[sgtslovak]

Like Darlene, we have cut back on all things Disney. Not completely but somewhat. We have begun to cut back especially on the high priced pins-the ones that spin,do somersaults,sing opera & toast bread. I will occassionally buy one just for the novelty but at $15 dollars each-forget about getting them all. This is why I am getting all the Disney Store pins-very reasonably priced. I can even afford a few extras to trade when we next visit the parks to castmembers and people from Vermont,North Dakota & Wyoming. Disney is issuing too many pins(I can't believe I'm saying this) & charging way too much(I CAN believe I'm saying that). They are killing the hobby. I won't stop collecting but I will be much more selective.
Chris

 

[Dom13]

I have always been selective and on this recent trip I tried to trade rather than buy. I was much more successful than on my previous trip in August. If the pins were not so expensive I would probably have bought more of the X-mas pins. But at $12.50 a pop I tried, and suceeded to a degree , not to start collecting X-mas pins. The ones I did buy were for other people and or to have to wear around X-mas. During Halloween I had all sorts of pins to wear being a Villain collector and all. For X-mas I had only 1. So I needed to add a few there.

I have been trying very hard to stick to my themes lately and will continue to do so.

 

[Brise Nannie]

I've already begun to cut back on pins. I really enjoy looking at my small collection and the friends I've met through this board and trading are priceless and like Kathryn said, "very therapeutic" but I just can't spend money on pins when there are so many other things I really *need.* I have to slow down on buying my Longaberger baskets too and that's REALLY killing me!

 

[Figment2]

Kathryn, I could not agree more with your statements. I'm tired of spending my vacations running from pin cart to pin cart. I'm tired of getting $2,000 credit card bills and 90% of it is pins. You know you're out of control when instead of planning how many attractions you'll hit during a day, you're planning how many pin carts you can hit.!

Yes, I may get up early to get a wristband, but you can be sure it won't be the highlight of my trip.

Cyn

 

[suzanneb]

I'm backing off some...but OF COURSE.. not QUITTING...
I got kinda upset with the Mickey Reindeer Osborne being $12.50, but I rationalized that it did look like part of it was "hand painted" and did have exquisite detail...but now it seems like ALL the new LE's are 10.50 or 12.50...SIGH... many fewer NEW traders...and more selective about what I collect...I've decided to forgo the new comics spinner series...

 

[BeautyLLM]

I agree with everyone here. I am definitely being more selective, only buying the pins I really like. For instance, I only bought one of the Osborne pins this year, only one of the Night Before Christmas pins, a little less than half of the 100 Years of Dreams from TDS. I am trying really hard not to get caught in the frenzy like I did at the pin event in August where I bought many multiples of everything and am now stuck with them. I also have several other sets that I bought just because they were there, but really don't care for them..transportation pin and the Land pins come to mind, and the pom from last year for that matter....I won't do that again.

I also find that my children are less interested in going to WDW now, and although they are teenagers, I know that alot of it has to do with my over zealousness toward getting pins. I don't ask them to get in line with me anymore to purchase pins and I try to limit my pin time when I am at WDW with them.

All that being said, I still love pin collecting and trading and all that goes along with it. I can't imagine giving up on this wonderful hobby of ours!

Leslie

 

[Dar20]

I responded that we have cut back or quit already. I like to trade, and have tons of traders. But we have not bought anything new since early December, and it had trailed off considerably before then. In fact, the August Pin Event was our last real effort. That really burned us both out. It was just way too much. And none of those pins are trading (or selling below cost!). Perhaps I'll try my luck trading them at DL later this year! (Yes, I said DL!)

Anyways, with the new house and new puppy, our priorities have seriously shifted. Should I buy the bookshelf we need or the latest pin? Hard to justify the pin. We can't really visit WDW much currently, anyways, until Molly gets fully vaccinated and can hang out in the kennel during the day.

Dar

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

With a family of five pin collectors, our pin spending budget is a challenge.

Luckily, we all seem to have focused on some specific interests, and that limits the pins we buy.

I like pins that move -- spinning wheels, spinners, etc. -- but not necessarily my favorites.

I don't care for the light ups because they are not as interesting once framed, and I have seen a lot of broken pins. Also, at $15 minimum, that is stretching what I think is reasonable for a pin.

I agree that the rack pins and basic (no frills) LEs cannot afford a price increase. It would really hurt the hobby for the new collectors, kids, people on tighter budgets, etc.

 

[NHMickey]

It's been a fun doing this but we to have found that the cost is becoming way to much. T okeep going at the pace we have been. As my wife was saying just this morning in fact "at one time you could by the pin you wanted and get 2 or 3 extras to trade. Now you are lucky to get one extra". And then this leaves more on the rack so the person you want to trade with can just buy it as well. Makes trading for the harder to get pins harder. Look how long LEs stay on the rack now... And the new low edition ones look like they have been copied from clipart.

As far as the designs of pins getting more complicated and bigger... Well there is only so many things you can do with a small pin. How many ways can the fab 5 be shown on a pin the size of a half dollar. My guess is that Disney is just looking for ways to make pins different.

Sandy and I have slowed down on the types of pins we collect. Now the main focus is Christmas and Disneyana. I also do the 4th of July as a subset but for the most part we have pared down our collection to these.

The one thing I have seen though is that pin trading as a whole is still growing. More and more people are starting this hobby and that I find to be great news.... I hope to enjoy this hobby for a long time to come. And by the looks of things I will.

 

[tennisnut]

I have decided that my Pin Year Resolution will be

1. Holiday pins ...with Christmas being the main emphasis.
2. Pluto

Now I haven't officially pulled it off yet but am going to give it the old College try!


I have also decided ( with the help of my mentor , Scottakamickey ) that if I want a

NON holiday or NON Pluto pin that I must trade for it.

I hope that this will help the purse strings and keep it fun for me.

Nicholas must stay with Tigger , dogs , and cats.

Allison my Eeyore lover is a Freshman in High School and is WAY too mature for such frivolity.

Wish me LOTS of luck!!!

 

[lisapooh]

I'm backing off but not quitting by any means. Too many higher priced pins. Will still pin collect but will be more selective.

Lisa

 

[suzanneb]

why haven't the TWENTY SIX folks who are "on a roll" not posting "specifics" here like the rest of us who are cutting back are.....just curious...

 

[perndwler]

I've already started cutting back. I do not have the money to spend $8.50 on pins that use to be $6.00 or $6.50. I've become much more specific on which series and types of pins I'm going to collect. I am definately not buying any of the Disney Store pins, which are now $5.00 instead of $4.00. One thing I've been thinking of is keeping my collections to WDW pins only.

 

[ScroogesNephew]

Susan,

Perhaps because it's supposed to be a POLL and not an 'explain myself' thread? Not everyone feels the need to justify their reasons. Secret ballot is VERY American, you know.

Gee, I wonder how I voted?

 

[disney-pins]

I changed my pin buying last year when i realized that I wanted to limit myself to those pins that I really, really liked.....especially since there are so many pins to choose from. I tend to buy the villains....especially all those that pertain to Maleficent. I also developed a love for the Japanese pins...but again only those pins that really caught my eye. I will still pay e*** prices for those pins that I really want. After going through my pin inventory, I realized that there were lots of pins that were "so-so" and I regretted purchasing them. I am definitely more selective now. I will not buy multiples any more and I do not buy DS pins. Just ordered all of the new snow globe pins from Disney merchandising, and realized that I bought all of them because they were just put into stock and I wanted to get the most for my money since the shipping charges are high.

Hopefully I will be able to do a lot more trading when I am at WDW in March. I will especially be looking for the Japanese traders because I was able to make some great trades with them in August.

Keep making those villain pins!!!!!!!

 

[MadStrawberry]

Disney keeps this up and they will ruin pin trading as we know it now. I heard there was gonna be a 1.00 raise in the pin prices at WDW......that means DLR will be right with them shortly. I don't understand this. We have so many pins still sitting on the racks, even the smaller LEs take along time to disappear. They raised the prices at the Disney Store......guess they figured 4.00 was not enough. I will keep pin trading...........I have meet so many great people, but I haven't bought many pins for myself lately. I try to trade for what I want and then if I have no luck, I buy them. Let's hope Disney gets with it and realises that they are charging to much for pins............before they ruin it. I know it is money making for them, but do they want big money fast or reasonable money for a long time.
Barbara

 

[sneezy1956]

We have cut back alot. Used to be if I had a chance to buy one extra of any LE we bought it. Now we just buy one for our books and forget about getting an extra. Disney is getting more and more expensive, so even the trips are getting cut back. The money that even a yr ago fed a family of 3 will now not even fill up 2 people for the same price.

POM's have went from 10.50 to 12.50. Costs are just to high.

 

[pintrader]

Donald D. Stelle III , I can't help but wonder who and where all those people are that make up 49% of this poll. I don't want to blast, challenge them or attack in any way. I would just like to hear THEIR side of how they can justify to themselves and their budget the rapid rate of price increase. Inflation is a certainty, but these increases are staggering in such a short period of time to me personally. I wish I could raise our rates in the company we own from as rapidly and still keep 49% with a growing list of newbies every day.