Question about buying pins for other people?

Disclaimer: Please keep in mind, I work an early morning freight job before coming to the office as it is a great workout, extra cash which funds not only the hobby but our next trip to Disney, and since Betsy gets up at that time too, we both leave for work at the same time. For the first 2 hours, I listen to my Fantasmic MP3s and just have time to think and sort out my day, so these are ramblings from this morning's thoughts

Now that I have quantified the ramblings of someone at 4 AM, here comes the thoughts and is not directed towards anyone or anything, just thoughts:

Being in Maryland, I do not have access to many of the current release pins from DL/WDW/DLRP, etc; and due to my ex-wife, I do not have access to E-Bay, so thankfully due to the folks here at DPF, and a couple of relationships I formed via PinPics, I have people who are willing to pick up pins for me on release days, etc. Lately, I have been going after high demand pins, like the recent DSF Ticket Stub series with Rapunzel, and of course the POMH series. Now the person who got me the DSF Ticket Stubs asked for some extra for their time and trouble which I completely understand, as they were in line for hours before hand at DSF, etc and you pay a little extra for the POMHs for their time and trouble of going to the parks, going through the pins, possible pick of scenes available, etc. That is nothing new and I do not mind, as they are doing me a service by getting them for me in the first place. Last year, I "sponsored" someone for the Sci-Fi event, where I got to do a RSP form, and in turn, they got the paid entry in the event.

I was thinking about this this morning, as I am going to WDW in November and was planning to do things like the MVMCP, etc and was wondering about offering to pick up pins for people here. This will be my first trip to a Disney park as an active member of a pin board. Originally, I was thinking of doing it as a favor, but I realize that this is my vacation and my time, and in the case of the MVMCP, the costs of the party, etc; and it got me wondering:

• Is there a guideline or etiquette about asking for a little extra, not asking, etc?
• What is or is not appropriate?
• When you get pins from someone who asks for a little extra, do you take that into account as to the pin's value when it comes time to trade?

Just Random Thoughts at 4AM!

If you are going to an event, I see nothing wrong with asking for a dollar extra per pin. Although some people may disagree with me on this, if you are not a passholder for a Disney park, you are paying a lot extra to go. If someone doesn't want your help getting pins a, b, or c they won't ask you and then you won't have to stand in the lines.
JMHO.

I think there is nothing wrong at all in asking for a person to pay for the price of the pin, plus $1-$2 for you time and effort (honestly, it's YOUR vacation... if you don't buy the pin for them, they'll have to spend more money getting it somewhere else, and you could spend your time doing stuff for you) AND charging them for shipping with delivery confirmation.

I think that all of this is reasonable.

It's not like you're going to be making out with some ludicrous profit. You're putting a lot of time and energy into getting people some pins that they want... if they don't like the price, they don't have to buy.

Random thoughts in no particular order... (I get a caveat too!)

I don't see a problem is asking for a little extra. A polite person would offer a few dollars per pin as a thank you anyways. I think the edition size and collectibility of the pin determines the value. The MVMCP pins aren't super rare or low LE like the DSF pins or WDI pins or even most of the Sci-fi pins that were LE500. I think a few dollars above the retail price is fine. Remember that annual passholders get 20% off at DLR so the Sci-fi pins in the stores cost us 20% less so they are already making a little extra there. Always ask for enough shipping to pay for first class, a bubble envelope, and deliv. conf. Remember a person going to DSF has to pay for parking, minimum is $2, a day max is $10. Factor is gas. If a buyer is going just for your pin then the gas is a cost to them. If they are going for themselves and a ton of other people then the gas is not as much a factor for your pin. You're already going to WDW on vacation so asking someone to pay for gas/parking/etc is a little bit of a stretch.

I have a friend trader at WDW that picks up pins for me and vice versa. We aren't too worried about LE sizes or original price. We might keep a few pins for a month or so before we have enough to finally mail 4 or 5 at a time. For the MVMCP pins you may want to try to set up pre-trades and have the person hold their pin until you get yours and then swap. If you are trading obviously no extra money is needed. Both parties incur indirect costs of getting the pin they want.

As a new trader, and I've said this before, I do sell pins. I sell pins to buy pins that are on my wants that are older LE's and HTF's. Few veteran traders are willing to trade you a 2004 rare LE for a new 2012 DSF pin. But the DSF pin goes for double on eBay and is worth the same dollar-wise as the 2004 rare LE. So it comes down to selling to buy for me. I'm sure I am not liked for that very reason by some, sorry to those folks. It is what it is. Some will never sell a pin for money. But they will also never trade a 2006 LE1500 that was $8.95 for a 2012 LE150 that was $12.95. Even though the 2012's edition is 10x smaller and higher price, the older one is just worth way more to them. I find people only want to offer not-so-HTF LE's for the rare DSF pins and they justify it because they know you just got it. They devalue your effort, the LE size, the price, everything to make it seem less valuable than theirs. These people remind me of used car lot salesman. The tangled ticket, Jessica easter egg, Stitch pilgrim, pin trader delights, etc all are low edition and the most coveted yet the trade offers I get for them are laughable. You have to sell it for double or triple what you paid and then buy the other pin with the money. I am lucky to live near DLR, DSF, and WDI. There are people equally lucky to live near WDW, DLRP, etc. My one complaint about DSF is the people that bring 6 kids with them. They do it just for the money. They do it for a profit way above what they will put back into the pin trading community. Those people irk me. I get my one of two sets (depending on LE size) and work with what I have. I missed the UP pins because of greedy trader/sellers just like those people. The people that cut the lines, the people that pay homeless people to stay in line, the guy that asks strangers to keep going up and buying another set for him... I'm not like those people. I just want to have a fair shake at getting pins I like too. Rant over...

Oh, forgot to mention one good thing about buying for others is you can get more PWP pins!!!

broncobilly83 said:

Now the person who got me the DSF Ticket Stubs asked for some extra for their time and trouble which I completely understand, as they were in line for hours before hand at DSF, etc and you pay a little extra for the POMHs for their time and trouble of going to the parks, going through the pins, possible pick of scenes available, etc. That is nothing new and I do not mind, as they are doing me a service by getting them for me in the first place. Last year, I "sponsored" someone for the Sci-Fi event, where I got to do a RSP form, and in turn, they got the paid entry in the event.

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Just so you know, after I spoke out against the "service" of pin scalping on this board, someone sold me a set of DSF ticket pins for cost. I got a couple of other messages of support, along with offers to help me get pins at cost in the future. There are several of us on this board who detest this behavior of jacking up the pin prices immediately after release for the sake of supposedly "covering their costs." I hope in the future you can align yourself with people who want to do you a true kindness instead of a money making service.

If you are already going to a pin release, you know the costs involved and have already decided in your head that those costs are worth it. If you then decide to try and recover your parking fees and gas by scalping extra pins, so be it. That's a business transaction and not a favor, and should be out in the open, prices clearly stated in a sales thread or on eBay.

If you make the extra trip with no intention of keeping the pins for your own collection, and just want to make some extra money off the sales, fine...I believe it's a pathetic business, but also the new American way apparently. Free market capitalism can be a great thing, but it can also be a disease. As long as it's all done out in the open with prices clearly marked, you can judge for yourself if it's worth it to you. Hiding it behind the guise of a "favor" just means you know deep down what you are doing is lame, and makes it harder for those of us who want to avoid you to do so.

broncobilly83 said:

I was thinking about this this morning, as I am going to WDW in November and was planning to do things like the MVMCP, etc and was wondering about offering to pick up pins for people here. This will be my first trip to a Disney park as an active member of a pin board. Originally, I was thinking of doing it as a favor, but I realize that this is my vacation and my time, and in the case of the MVMCP, the costs of the party, etc; and it got me wondering:

• Is there a guideline or etiquette about asking for a little extra, not asking, etc?
• What is or is not appropriate?
• When you get pins from someone who asks for a little extra, do you take that into account as to the pin's value when it comes time to trade?

Just Random Thoughts at 4AM!

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I can't help you here. My wife and I are planning a WDW trip next fall/winter. If we end up going, I will buy pins for people at cost. That's just how I choose to live my life. Quite frankly, there are enough really great WDW regulars who consistently offer to buy pins for people at cost, that I think you would be wasting your time to ask for extra. Why not just enjoy your vacation and not mess with anything else? Or find someone on this board who is new to pin collecting, and do something amazingly nice for them by offering to pick up one or two pins for them at cost. Keep it small and do it right. This hobby needs more people like that.

I remember I offered DLRP pins to forum people when I went on my trip to Paris, and that was when tangled booster set was coming out, I chose to pick them up for cost as I knew they would still be there and it wouldnt effect my holiday. But if I had to run around the parks and find the sets for people I probably would have said something to them and asked for a little extra but I am glad I didnt have to do that.

I say everyone is different in the way they help out others.

If you are already planning to go to MVMCP for yourself to enjoy, then there is no need to ask for few extra bucks, you will be there anyway. It is not like there will be lines or anything, you just go into the Emporium on the way out and buy the pins. I have not experienced any lines or anything else in the past.

I have bought pins for UK collectors from disneystore.com and park pins for other friends here on DPF. If I can get a 10% Disney Visa discount, I even transfer that to them. I have a wonderful pin friend at DLR who offers to purchase pins for me and she trasfers the discounts she gets to me too. I really appreciate that.

In the end, it comes down to -Treat others as you want to be treated

broncobilly, would you like to sponsor me to go to WDW's Mickey Circus . :lol: I so want to go, but can't afford plane fare, resort ( I will take advantage of free dining ) plus a park ticket . I have very good feedback and I'd love to go for someone as long as I get to pick a pin or two off the RSP and whatever else you deem fair .

Well I personally have never asked for extra $$ when picking up Japan pins for people (as you know!) but it depends on what you are doing really. If you have to be inconvenienced, stand in line, go out of your way, the pin is a low edition size etc I think it is fair to ask for an extra few bucks. Like someone else said, you would probably be offered a little extra by the person for your time anyways. Careful not to get overwhelmed with people asking you to pick up pins though. As for the extra money and trade value, I would not typically ask someone to go out of their way to pick up a pin if I was just going to trade it away.

Everytime i go to WDW from NJ, i put an offer out there to a bunch of people (especially some UK friends) if they want anything. I just ask for the cost of the pin back (i even pay the shipping) and ya know what, i've gotten some pretty good Karma out of it. I had a sweet genemarty get me the DSF pins at cost and Ryanpins in UK get me the 150LE pins of last month, so go with your gut, but i would decide before you go, so people know what to expect. To me, if your strolling around WDW anyway, just bring your little list and grab em. Its kinda fun.

Collector49 said:

If you are already going to a pin release, you know the costs involved and have already decided in your head that those costs are worth it. If you then decide to try and recover your parking fees and gas by scalping extra pins, so be it. That's a business transaction and not a favor, and should be out in the open, prices clearly stated in a sales thread or on eBay.

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If it's someone I've never dealt with and they want the most desired DSF pin then I'm not going to just sell at cost to them. For example, the Jessica Thanksgiving pin was LE150, only 1 per person and instantly worth $50. After waiting 4+ hours in line I am not going to just hand it over at cost. Come on. As I always say, find me a trader that has a LE300 Jessica from 2008 and see if you can get it from them for cost. Wait you can't? Why not? Because they've had it in their trader bag for 4 years and never traded it that makes it worth more in trade value than my Jessica LE300 I just got yesterday? That's called hipocracy folks. You can't have it one way and not the other.

I'm a financial analyst and everything breaks down to money. If current pin sells for $50 then I will expect a $35+ pin in return or I will sell it for $50 and buy the $35+ pin myself. If someone doesn't want to trade it to me someone else will sell it. That's just the way it goes. I didn't make the rules. People get hung up on the fact that the pin just came out. So, it's rarer than the one they have they got 6 months ago if the edition size is smaller. There is an opportunity cost to everything.

I see you only have ~30 pins in your collection and less for trade. I'm not sure you have been involved first hand with trying to work a deal with picking up pins for someone else. It is a lot of effort and hassle just to help someone out. If a pin is not as desirable and is easy to come by, then sure I'll grab it for you for the cost of the pin, tax, and parking at DSF. The new Chip & Dale pins are a good example. They are $9, with tax $10. 3 pins, plus $2 for parking and $3 for shipping expenses and you get 3 LE150's pins for $35. Not bad. They will probably be listed or around $50 a set by some people. CM's get them for like 35% off, maybe they will sell to you for $8.95 each. I dont' see a big line for these so you can probably just walk in and grab them. But I'm not going to buy them for myself. I would be willing to make a trip for a friend or someone I've traded with often, but not a complete stranger. I have a WDW contact that helps me out and I help her out. I'd go buy them for her. It would be a stretch to say I'd get her the UP hinged book when it comes out. That might be a big pill to swallow. It would have to be a very very nice WDW pin, a super low LE. Maybe a rare Star Wars Weekend pin or something. If you can't see how the values of new pins stack up compared to older pins then I'm wasting my time. And so is every other new trader. How do you expect us to get older rare pins? The kindness of peoples heart is rare these days. There are a few folks here and there that are willing to help. Myself included on occasion.

Markheardjr. has some good points, if your getting an Le pin to use as trade, the math works, but i think the question was if you're already at a park, already shopping and people ask you to pick up something.....it is more rare to stand in-line at WDW for super LE pins, it isnt like the DSF release pins. Its all good, im sure it will work out...now i have to find that star tours mickey hat for Mark!!

I love helping others out. However, I've actually gotten burned a couple of times picking up pins for people who disappeared afterwards. I'm happy to do it at my cost but in the future think I should at least get pin cost up front.

dawny said:

Markheardjr. has some good points, if your getting an Le pin to use as trade, the math works, but i think the question was if you're already at a park, already shopping and people ask you to pick up something.....it is more rare to stand in-line at WDW for super LE pins, it isnt like the DSF release pins. Its all good, im sure it will work out...now i have to find that star tours mickey hat for Mark!!

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I'm going to WDI on Saturday with D23. I doubt it will be there but maybe I can get another hat to trade for it? That dumbo one is cool but not really my cup of tea. I'd take the Ariel one though! And yes, I am referring more to the DSF pins that people ask for. Some of them are hard to get and long lines/hours. DLR pins aren't as crazy hard to get. Save maybe the PODM pins which I avoid. I might get the Tangled one though, just for a SUPER good trader. Like a Star Tours jumbo or something. I pick up DLR pins for folks, or search for HM's to trade for their WDW HM's. I like that kind of trading.

Personally, if I offer to pick up pins for fellow Traders I DO NOT expect to be compensated for my travel. time, or services. A Trader offered to pick up some DSF pins, then asked for money for the pins + gas + parking! This was NOT mentioned upfront at all.

If I make an offer to do this ofr fellow Traders I am there anyhow so whats the big deal. IMHO

Mike S.

Mark,

I make enough money from my job to be able to buy food, afford the essentials, travel quite a bit and buy things that make me happy. I don't have any desire to make a buck off the next guy.

And maybe I should blame my stubborn Irish dad and granddad for molding me into the stubborn man I am, but I just can't help but speak up when I see someone trying to take advantage of someone else. Getting paid to stand in line sounds so "Californian."

Maybe that's why Disney hasn't built a park in the midwest...they are too afraid people will help other collectors get their pins without compensation, dropping the artificially created market right on it's head.

Good luck with all your sales, but I truly hope more people start opting out of your system of beliefs.

Collector49 said:

Getting paid to stand in line sounds so "Californian."

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:nono: Really?

Collector49 said:

If you make the extra trip with no intention of keeping the pins for your own collection, and just want to make some extra money off the sales, fine...I believe it's a pathetic business, but also the new American way apparently. Free market capitalism can be a great thing, but it can also be a disease. As long as it's all done out in the open with prices clearly marked, you can judge for yourself if it's worth it to you. Hiding it behind the guise of a "favor" just means you know deep down what you are doing is lame, and makes it harder for those of us who want to avoid you to do so.

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Collector49 said:

Getting paid to stand in line sounds so "Californian."

Good luck with all your sales, but I truly hope more people start opting out of your system of beliefs.

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Everyone is entitled to their opinions either way, but is it really necessary to call someone "pathetic" and "lame" and suggest others to "avoid (them)" and "opt out of (their) beliefs"? And what are you trying to imply about Californians? Everyone can do whatever they want with their trips/pins/money/deals and if you don't like it, don't buy from them. There's no reason to put down someone just because you don't agree.

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If someone wants to charge extra for their time, that's their right. If they charge too much, people won't buy. If people don't want to pay that fee, they can either search for the right person or go to the store themselves. No one is entitled to any pin and if someone wants it that bad and is not willing to pay a mark-up, they can fly/drive/boat/pay event fees and wait in line (early enough) to get the pin themselves.

And just an FYI, getting a pin at retail could still mean that they are recouping some of their costs. Consider sale racks, warehouse stores, cast stores, annual pass discounts, holiday discounts, cast discounts, etc and you will see that many people are able to recover some of their costs and that many pins at Disney aren't sold at true retail price.

Yeah, basically, do what you want.

Sometimes, I offer. Often, I don't (too much hassle, not appreciated, etc.).

For my friends, always. For everyone else...by my leave.

Wow a lot of different opinions but all I know is that I am ALWAYS willing to pick up pins at cost, when I'm there. Whether its Dlr or WDW or DSF. I'll even order from DisneyStore.com for those who can't, in fact I have.

I don't ask for anything more than the cost of the pin and actual shipping.

You get what you give.

What goes around comes around.

Do unto others.

Do I miss out when people charge shipping fee's? Gas fee's? Standing in line fee's, yes, but in the end, that is how it is.

Im ALWAYS willing to pick up pins for people, when I'm near a park or near DSF. Do I sometimes go extra times to ensure I get their pins? Yep, with pleasure.

Do I expect the same from others? Nope! That would not even be realistic. We live in a society where most people are out for themselves and this will only get worse.

If you wanna make an extra buck, hey, that's your choice and it's my choice not to buy.

Watch for when I go to the parks, I'll be happy to pick up pins for you!

Vicki

wdwjuan said:

Everyone is entitled to their opinions either way, but is it really necessary to call someone "pathetic" and "lame" and suggest others to "avoid (them)" and "opt out of (their) beliefs"? And what are you trying to imply about Californians? Everyone can do whatever they want with their trips/pins/money/deals and if you don't like it, don't buy from them. There's no reason to put down someone just because you don't agree.

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You are right about one thing...in my frustration with pin scalping I did insult all Californians, and for that I apologize. I am truly sorry.

Everything else I said is pretty spot on in my opinion. I still belong to some other collecting communities, and scalpers exist there too. The difference is they usually don't last long and are definitely not thanked for their services. I am not talking about people buying for trading purposes either. I am talking about people who buy extra pins for the purpose of jacking the price up same day and making a buck off of other collectors.

I am reminded of comic book collecting in the 1990's. About the time they decided to kill Superman, everyone started buying multiple copies of everything they thought would be rare and scalping was rampant. It created a huge bubble, the crooks moved in, and in the end it almost destroyed the industry. Is this already happening to pin collecting? Why does everyone keep saying all the "old timers" have left the hobby? Why did they leave? Which came first, the scrapper, the bootlegger or the scalper? Is jacking up the price of pins to make a quick buck attracting more bootleggers and scalpers to the hobby? DSF pins are already being faked.

I'll get off my soapbox now and you can have at it. Sorry for derailing the thread.

huertajv said:

Wow a lot of different opinions but all I know is that I am ALWAYS willing to pick up pins at cost, when I'm there. Whether its Dlr or WDW or DSF. I'll even order from DisneyStore.com for those who can't, in fact I have.

I don't ask for anything more than the cost of the pin and actual shipping.

You get what you give.

What goes around comes around.

Do unto others.

Do I miss out when people charge shipping fee's? Gas fee's? Standing in line fee's, yes, but in the end, that is how it is.

Im ALWAYS willing to pick up pins for people, when I'm near a park or near DSF. Do I sometimes go extra times to ensure I get their pins? Yep, with pleasure.

Do I expect the same from others? Nope! That would not even be realistic. We live in a society where most people are out for themselves and this will only get worse.

If you wanna make an extra buck, hey, that's your choice and it's my choice not to buy.

Watch for when I go to the parks, I'll be happy to pick up pins for you!

Vicki

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Grabbing a pin on the rack...sure. Standing 5 hours for a LE150 stitch/Jessica that is a sure sell out...no. I'd rather keep as a trader for a pin I've had my eye on my wants.

If I'm already there and my hubby is willing, which he always is, then yes, I'm getting it for someone.

Again, do I expect for someone to do it for me, NO, but I will tell you that theothersteve is just one person who has done this for me and I feel so thankful to him. I truly believe you get what you give!!!! I got and now I do the same for others.

Not judging someone else but totally holding up my opinion!

Vicki

markheardjr said:

Grabbing a pin on the rack...sure. Standing 5 hours for a LE150 stitch/Jessica that is a sure sell out...no. I'd rather keep as a trader for a pin I've had my eye on my wants.

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I agree with if your there for yourself and queueing anyway I dont see any harm in getting people the pins are cost.

I was at DLRP for a PTN and that is a complete stampede, no queue, alot of tension around waiting for the 1 person to start the line or should I say large crowd. I was there and it was when Rapunzel and Mulan was on the PTN's me and my partner both stood in the so called line and bought the pins, I got 4 of each PTN, and I knew quite a few people where after it and I gave one to a close friend at cost as she would have gone to ebay otherwise, and I offered it to another forum member but the had gone to ebay already lol

Ive come to learn NEVER expect anything at cost in this hobby, as you may agree on a price but then when people see ebay prices they may change the price. And agree there are those out there just for themselves who have no interest in helping out others but would then expect help from others when they need it.