Buying pins on ebay

[disfan411]

I was just wondering how many of you buy your pins on ebay and trade at the parks? I am talking about those pin lots that let you buy pins for like a dollar a piece. They claim to have the official mark on the back of the pins and come with the mickey rubber backing. I read on some other posts that people do buy them and they worked out for them. I know the other ebay risks like look at their ratings and what not. But how do they get so many pins that they can sell them for $1 a piece. Any advice on this would be appreciated. I have been trading pins at the parks for the past couple of years and thought maybe i could save some money on buying pins this way if it was truely a good deal. THANKS EVERYONE.

 

[Victoria]

I've had mostly positive experiences buying pin lots on eBay. When they arrive it will be pretty obvious if the pins are real or not. Non-authentic pins tend to have a rough surface on the front and the back won't look right. I would just aim for sellers who have great feedback and seem to deal mainly with Disney items. Happy trading. :wave:

 

[jennc2001]

Thanks for posting this! I would say definitely look at the ratings. The ones I just looked at on ebay for just $1 or a little more had 100% ratings and showed the backs so they should be legit. But at $1 a piece, it doesn't really matter to me unless I actually do see one I'd like to trade with someone. I just think they're cute but think it's outrageous to spend $10-$15+ on one pin...just my opinion!
So, thanks again because this is where I'll be getting some pins for myself and my son before our trip

 

[SAV]

I got a set of 20 pins for the kids to trade this trip and they were 100% authentic trading pins. They were under a buck each. I looked up as many as I could on the Disney pin site and they were all starter pin sets or the $8 variety at the most.

As it has been said, just look at feedback and pay attention to the listing itself. If it says authentic pins, then you are protected by ebay and paypal if they aren't. Good luck!

 

[DisneyCanadian]

I've had nothing but good luck with them. Easiest thing is to look at how high their rating/percentage is. Like most items bought and sold on ebay, it's a good indicator on the quality of the pins.

 

[Timekeeper]

Look for, or request, hi-resolution images of both sides of the pins, and compare them to your own authentic pins. Also, look at the other items that the seller has sold/is selling. If multitudes of the same pin are being sold by one seller, there is a greater chance that they are counterfeit. John Doe is selling 12 Rolex watches, and they're all the same model? Hmmm... Keep in mind that positive feedback is *not* always indicative of authentic merchandise. If I got a watch that looks exactly like a Rolex for $25, heck, I'd leave positive feedback too.

As for why people would sell items for so much less than retail? Well, it's a tough economy out there. People are getting rid of stuff they don't need. Also, ebay is an auction site, so items (without reserve) are sold for what people are willing to pay. Returning to the economy issue, a lot of people can't justify spending lots of cash on collectibles such as pins right now. So people who have stuff to get rid of would rather get something than nothing for it. Also, sellers are not always the original purchasers or big Disney fans like those of us on this page. One man's trash is another man's treasure. Some pins will go for $1, while others will go for over $100.

Question:

As for counterfeit pins, although I don't think think this is a big problem, has anyone been denied a trade by a CM because your pin was (knowingly, or unknowingly), non-authentic? Are CMs trained to look for marks and characteristics of authenticity in the same way that larger bills (cash) are checked with those counterfeit-detecting-ink pens?

 

[PrincessSparrow]

we got a pin from a cm last time we were there (2009) that wasn't am official trading pin.... it was A nightmare before christmas one, but came from somewhere other than disney. i want to say like it came with buying a dvd or something. i forget and dont have the pins right here....

 

[disfan411]

Thanks for the help everyone. i placed an order today for some pins. I will wait and see how great they are when they arrive.

 

[CheshireKat]

For the past few years we've gone we always buy our pins in a lot from ebay. As you did, I looked at their feedbacks and other items they were selling. We've always been happy- and never had any problems trading them with cm's at all. Good luck with your purchase!
Sometimes they are cheaper is you bid on them versus buy it now. If you choose to bid, pick a night to sit at the computer, usually one auction after the other will end and sometimes you can get them for under a dollar each free shipping.

 

[devoy1701]

I was just wondering how many of you buy your pins on ebay and trade at the parks? I am talking about those pin lots that let you buy pins for like a dollar a piece. They claim to have the official mark on the back of the pins and come with the mickey rubber backing. I read on some other posts that people do buy them and they worked out for them. I know the other ebay risks like look at their ratings and what not. But how do they get so many pins that they can sell them for $1 a piece. Any advice on this would be appreciated. I have been trading pins at the parks for the past couple of years and thought maybe i could save some money on buying pins this way if it was truely a good deal. THANKS EVERYONE.

We buy our pins in lots of 100 off of ebay, it usually works out to be about $1.10 per pin. We keep the ones we like and end up trading about 75-80 of them without problems! We've done it 3 times so far. It actually makes it more fun I think because you get pins you don't care about so it's easier to trade them away! Plus being that they cost us a buck a piece, we often times trade for family members or friends if we know of a certain set they've been working on!

 

[tigsmom]

I have bought many pins from ebay and all have been the official Disney pins and eligible for trading. My kids have certain collections and that is how I get the rare or retired pins so they have never tried to trade them, BUT as long as they meet the requirements set forth for pin trading where you buy them really doesn't make a difference as the tradee does not ask. :lol:

 

[jennc2001]

we got a pin from a cm last time we were there (2009) that wasn't am official trading pin.... it was A nightmare before christmas one, but came from somewhere other than disney. i want to say like it came with buying a dvd or something. i forget and dont have the pins right here....

I was looking at my son's lanyard a little while ago that he got a couple years back and there was a pin on there that didn't have the Mickey ears rubber backing like the "real deal" so I was thinking it was a fake or something. But the pin was a Lightening McQueen pin from the Disney Movie Club, so I think that could be why maybe???

 

[tigsmom]

I was looking at my son's lanyard a little while ago that he got a couple years back and there was a pin on there that didn't have the Mickey ears rubber backing like the "real deal" so I was thinking it was a fake or something. But the pin was a Lightening McQueen pin from the Disney Movie Club, so I think that could be why maybe???

Older pins may have a metal backer or may have been replaced with a locking pin back, the backer is not the definitive tell. Tradable pins are cloisonnes (that's enamel ) and have the proper Disney logo.

As per the rules set for (can be found online at various sites)...

•The main criteria to judge whether a pin is tradable or not is that it must be a metal pin bearing a “©Disney”mark on the back that represents a Disney Event, Place or Location, Character or Icon.
•Pins should be in good, undamaged, tradable condition.
•For a safe trading experience, please trade one pin at a time, hand to hand with pin backs attached.
•Guests may trade a maximum of two (2) pins per Cast Member, perday.
•Please refrain from touching a Cast Member’s or Guest’s pins or lanyard. If you need a closer look, kindly ask the Cast Member or Guest wearing the lanyard if she or he can bring it into clearer view for you.
•Monies, gifts or receipts may not be exchanged or used in tradefor a pin.
•When trading with a Cast Member, Guests should offer a pin that is not currently displayed on the Cast Member’s lanyard.
•Pins from other business units of The Walt Disney Company (i.e.ABC, ESPN) are accepted for trade.
•Operating participant pins that show a Disney, Disneyland®Resort, or Walt Disney World®Resort affiliation are accepted for trading.
•Plastic pins, rubber pins or other non-metal pins are not accepted for trading.
•“Personalized Name”pins are not accepted for trade.
•“Broche style”or “clasp pins”are not accepted for trade.
•Disney Service Award pins, Spirit of Disneyland®Resort pins, Partners in Excellence pins or Cast Member costume pins (i.e. Host/Hostess Badges, Disney Trainer) are not tradable.

Remember that all sets MUST be traded together and not broken up.

We have special collectors pins that we got from the manager at the Poly years ago that is a prized possession of my daughters and myself. It is the only one we have ever gotten.

 

[MissM]

So here's the deal.

The official, authentic pins you buy at any Disney shop are manufactured in China. The factories in China are supposed to make x number of a pin and then destroy the molds. What happens however, is that often they make the x number for Disney's order...and then several thousand more.

Occasionally, these pins will have subtle color differences or reversing of color - such as the "Figment Atlas" pin which the official is grey with white and the fake is white with grey - but usually they are completely indistinguishable from the official ones because they're literally made from the same molds. I wanted one of the Figment Atlas pins for example and when I saw one on a CM lanyard I snatched it up, excited to get a LE pin! Then I went to add it to my PinPics account and saw mine's technically a fake.

Thing is, it's up to you whether or not you care about it being a "fake." It's still the same pin with the same "official Disney Pin Trading" back on it and looks just like the one you had to pay $15 for.

99% of the time the $1 pins on ebay are technically the "fakes." Realistically, the only way for certain you know it's "authentic" is if you buy it in a Disney store. But since even the "fakes" are honestly as "real" as the real ones, personally, I don't see anything wrong with trading them. I've bought the $1 ones myself and traded them. But technically...they're probably not officially authorized by Disney.

No CM has ever questioned a pin, looked closely at a pin nor doubted a pin for me, but then, I've never tried to pass any that didn't look perfect. Had I not known about the extra quantity production going on in China, neither I nor anyone else would know they're not "official." So long as it meets the requirements - is metal, has the "Disney" copyright on the back and isn't a personalized pin - they take them. And someone will come along and happily trade for it from a CM lanyard so really, no harm done.

And that's the story of the $1 pins.

 

[parkgoer]

quick way to tell if your pin is a real or fake is put a magnet up to it. If it sticks it's fake :-/ ( this coming from a epcot manager)

 

[Magical Dreamer]

I just recieved a set of 50 from an established Ebay seller to get our kids set up for our next visit.

A++.....I was very pleased with the selection and condition.

PS. Cost was at .70 each w/ shipping

 

[E P C O T]

Void.

 

[harveyt0206]

We bought a ton of pins on ebay last year before our trip. No problems at all.

 

[munkgirl]

There's a pin I want on eBay but it's $250! Not fair!

lol holy crap which one?

I love the crazy fancy limited editions.

 

[E P C O T]

Void.