When should Wants vs Trades really matter when pin trading?

Hey guys,
So today I felt rather insulted by someone on pinpics would instead of just saying no thank you to a pin trade asked me if I even look at the pin wants/trades ratios. I was taken back by this cause it didn't come off any way but insulting.

I've not replied and I'm thinking I won't but I just started to think maybe I'm pin trading badly?

Like I understand LE pins going for "equal" trades (but even so I've traded many that were not of similar created number like when I traded a 1000 for a 400 pin), but for pins that aren't LE when should one really pay attention to the Wants/trade numbers on sites like Pinpics or even when trading at events when that information might not be at your finger tips all the time.

For me I go for collection pins in almost every pin trade I try to do. I want to know this pin will stay with me for a while if not forever (yes sometimes they might go into traders if I decide to change my focus collection a bit) but if I was too scared to ask for a trade cause the wants/trades numbers then I'd hardly ever pin trade I think.

I dunno, I just really got frustrated with this and started looking at my pins and thinking if I don't trade these away cause I can't find comparable want/traded pins to exchange then when would I ever get any trading done?

But yeah I'm just throwing this out there cause I'm curious what traders who have had much more experience than me think about this issue? Any advice?

I understand your frustration. Now and then, I do look at the trades vs wants only to see if a pin I may have acquired is desirable. At times, I feel too much importance is placed on the ratio. If both parties are getting a pin they really want, it shouldn't matter. Sorry your experience was a bad one. No one should be insulting in regards to trading. It really takes the fun out of it.

When it comes to trading everything is subjective. Some look at value, some look at want/trade ratio or LE status... and some have a way of all their own. But yes sometimes trade/want ratio plays a huge deal... say you have a Le 400 minnie where 100 people are trading but only 20 people want.. and you want a LE 400 Frozen pin where only 20 people are trading and 200 want. The person trading the Frozen pin will more than likely say no because they know they can get a better pin or multiples for one.. unless they are really wanting that minnie pin. So just depends on the trader.

Don't be discouraged if someone out there doesn't trade the same way as you. It is about having fun and just figuring out how you look at things.

I usually only pay attention if there's a big disparity, or if "people trading" is less than 10ish. That gives you an idea that a pin is "worth more than average." So sometimes this means that really old pins, even they were originally open edition, should maybe be treated as LEs. For example, my grails are two "rack pins" both have 0 people trading. If one popped up, I wouldn't offer something relatively common. Or this one, which is another one I unfortunately need.

it is not limited, but with a ratio of 195W/5T it's going to take a good pin to complete the trade. Not your average rack pin.



But if something is 154T/35W I'm not going to trade/offer something has 289W/3T. I have had people say well, mine is 42W/28T and yours is only 36W/30T. That's too nitpicky for me, and usually if you were to go over to Ebay the sale prices would be the same.

But if someone said something, I think most people are trying to educate. And half the time people say, "I wish people would TELL me when I make unfair trade requests instead of just saying "no thank you.""

So which pins were in question?

Thanks guys,
I never really put much focus on the numbers of wants/trades before cause to me trading for a collection pin just means I won't have to fork out for it in cash later down the road. For me that means a lot

I completely empathize with you. I'm still new at pin trading, but I had so much fun doing it in Disney World that I adopted it as a new hobby. I've only had one experience with pinpic: I received a trade request for the cube Cheshire cat pin for my Mary Blair white rabbit which I agreed to since they wanted the rabbit and I wanted the cat (I didn't pay attention to ratios), and then never heard back from them.

And, like you, my initial mind set was to trade for pins I actually want. I actually bought some pins that I don't want, but saw that others wanted them, just so I can offer them to trade for a pin I wanted on their trade list. That has backfired in my face. So, like you, I have pins that I don't want and now can't seem to trade out.

I think it would be a benefit for all of us if pinpics allowed you to maybe add your trading criteria to your profile. For example if you are a $ for $, or an LE size for LE size, state that. That way people like me, who like to trade for the fun of trading and growing a collection, can find others who's trade criteria is the same as mine.

I totally agree that if there was an easy way maybe in your profile to list how you value your pins it would help a lot.

What pins I have for trading are basically what I've gotten when trading at the park, I try not to buy pins that are traders unless they are super cheap on ebay. I guess I just felt like if the person was trying to be informative it wouldn't have been said like that.

But pinpics has also changed for me again just this week. When I go in for trades it separates everything into like 4 steps now 0_o Why did they do that. I find it takes way too much time, before it was all on one page that would "fold" out once you clicked the pins you'd be willing to trade or would want in return.
When I look at the site on my tablet it makes the pins and their check box not positioned where its easy to tell what your clicking. I dunno I think it's a screensize issue with the site. Anyone else notice this recent change?

Personally it wouldn't be an issue for me , I tend to break them down to LE500 or less / LE600 - 1000 / LE1000+ and Limited Release . I try to trade like for like but it's not a red line for me , if I like a LE4000 I'd be happy to trade a lower LE for it . In the past I've traded my LE for a standard rack pin to help out a fellow trader and I've been the other side of a similar trade .
If I get what I consider an unfair offer I usually respond with "Thank you for the offer but I'm not prepared to make this trade" , then again my traders aren't anywhere near as good as yours

I'm having the same issue with pinpics. And yep, feel dumb for spending money on pins I don't collect. Oh, well! Live and Learn!

im with hope.

wants/trades matter in the big scope, +/- 60, if the ratio between falls between say 31t/54w and 22t/34 w id do the trade, if its 3t/254w to 31t/54w then no even if they are 'equal' in release/edition etc..

its like i keep having someone spam me in pinpics with their le200/300 pin for my frozen wdis cause they are 'equal'.. nope yours i can buy for20 mine for 150...

I'm with you on the dollar for dollar trades. If I buy a pin for $50.00 and someone wants to trade with a pin that's a hidden mickey or for a pin I can buy for $15, then it's either a no go or I'll bargain for multiples. I don't want to throw money away when I can just buy the pin myself.

I really only use the ratios to see what is my likelihood of obtaining the pin. If it's a 3T/250W then I know that is going to have to be a 'hope-I-find-it-cheap-on-ebay' pin

The only time it matters to me is if I am trading for a pin that is not from one of my collections - that I am planning on using it as a trader. In that case, I will look at Wants/Trades ratio.

My problem with the T/W ratios is how accurate is that information? Do they cull off people who haven't logged on in a year? What if there are 200 people wanting a pin but 175 don't even trade anymore?

natelove said:

My problem with the T/W ratios is how accurate is that information? Do they cull off people who haven't logged on in a year? What if there are 200 people wanting a pin but 175 don't even trade anymore?

Click to expand...

this is a great point.

I tend to consider all the information I have available, including my personal taste, edition size, pin desirability, AND the attitude of the other trader. I also received a response like that from someone on PinPics when I was a new trader (something to the effect that I shouldn't bother them with anything that wasn't an LE). It may have been a fair response to my then-unknowledgeable offers, but it made me feel bad and took a bit out of the fun out of my new hobby. Well, now my collection has grown and I have many more nice LEs, but I won't be offering any of them to that person. It's never good to turn your nose up at a fellow trader; they may turn out to be a great trading partner in the future.

natelove said:

My problem with the T/W ratios is how accurate is that information? Do they cull off people who haven't logged on in a year? What if there are 200 people wanting a pin but 175 don't even trade anymore?

Click to expand...

Very good point too! I mean anyone can make an account and just put on anything they want does that make it accurate to anyone who's actively trading and those who made an account and never come back? I don't think it does.

I don't think what other people think matters. It is the way I value pins, but I don't collect many LE, I mainly collect mystery packs. I try to do trades with equivalent want/trade ratios, and try to err in favor of the person I'm trading with. I have turned down trade requests on the basis of want/trade ratio but it's usually been when I've been offered an alternate trade to the one I proposed.

I value pins my way, you value them your way, the only thing we should insist on is that we be polite and treat each other respectfully, and try not to take offense too easily.

That is an excellent point. I truly believe that most of the people on Pinpics are not active anymore and their T/W's are not even up to date.

natelove said:

My problem with the T/W ratios is how accurate is that information? Do they cull off people who haven't logged on in a year? What if there are 200 people wanting a pin but 175 don't even trade anymore?

Click to expand...