Good/Bad Internet and eBay Pin Sellers

[Tink-aholic]

Thanks for composing this list!

I have purchased many pins on eBay...almost exclusively as individual pins, unless part of a lanyard set or framed grouping. In the past, I used to check out the pins on PinPics. Pretty soon, I found that the list of scrappers was getting waaaaaaaay to long for me to check, and I mostly stopped buying.

A few days ago, I bought a small lot of 10 pins (all alphabet pins and only one duplicate). No card backs, in individual baggies, but with Mickey head pin backers on them. They all look really good, and not how the photos of scrappers look to me, but I really have no idea. I will tell you that the seller offered insurance but never responded to my request for it or any subsequent email. The address was a Florida address and she has not given me feedback, though I gave her positive.

My question is, what do these sellers have to gain from this? The ones I bought were $1.34 each with free shipping. The time and expense to put the Mickey pin backers on, put them into individual bags, put them up on eBay (it was a Buy It Now), pack them up, and ship them must be fclose to, if not more than, the $13.40 that I paid. They have to be making a ridiculously little profit on them. Why would anyone do this?

Unless someone is just deliberately trying to undermine the collecting community, I have a hard time believing that someone does this for profit. If anyone has any light to shed, I would be glad to hear it.

[MountNittany]

Originally Posted by Tink-aholic

Thanks for composing this list!

I have purchased many pins on eBay...almost exclusively as individual pins, unless part of a lanyard set or framed grouping. In the past, I used to check out the pins on PinPics. Pretty soon, I found that the list of scrappers was getting waaaaaaaay to long for me to check, and I mostly stopped buying.

A few days ago, I bought a small lot of 10 pins (all alphabet pins and only one duplicate). No card backs, in individual baggies, but with Mickey head pin backers on them. They all look really good, and not how the photos of scrappers look to me, but I really have no idea. I will tell you that the seller offered insurance but never responded to my request for it or any subsequent email. The address was a Florida address and she has not given me feedback, though I gave her positive.

My question is, what do these sellers have to gain from this? The ones I bought were $1.34 each with free shipping. The time and expense to put the Mickey pin backers on, put them into individual bags, put them up on eBay (it was a Buy It Now), pack them up, and ship them must be fclose to, if not more than, the $13.40 that I paid. They have to be making a ridiculously little profit on them. Why would anyone do this?

Unless someone is just deliberately trying to undermine the collecting community, I have a hard time believing that someone does this for profit. If anyone has any light to shed, I would be glad to hear it.

If they are scrappers (which they probably are, because they are so cheap), they come in plastic baggies from China, and they are pennies a piece to buy directly from China. The seller probably paid 25 cents for the mailer and $2 for shipping.

[jessrose18]

is mousepinsonline really a good website? I have read conflicting reports..any advice?

[pixiewings71]

Scrappers are obtained from China for pennies on the dollar, they are already packaged in small baggies and most have the black mickey backs. The sellers buy them, list them on eBay and make a profit on them.

Mousepins has been fine for me, I've purchased from them many times and been happy with my grab bags. They do send Pro Pins in addition to Disney pins but as far as I know I've not yet received a scrapper.

[Jen M]

thank you for setting up this thread.

[Jen M]

I am going through the list of good buyers and for gold747 I noticed they this seller has 3 lots of 15 pins for $24.99 now this is a bidding item and not buy now. There is also free shipping. I know this seller is listed as not selling scrappers but I am wondering if at this price they could be scrappers.

[pixiewings71]

Jen I would have to see them myself to determine if they are good or not. Have you ordered from them at all previously?

[MountNittany]

Originally Posted by Jen M

thank you for setting up this thread.

Originally Posted by Jen M

I am going through the list of good buyers and for gold747 I noticed they this seller has 3 lots of 15 pins for $24.99 now this is a bidding item and not buy now. There is also free shipping. I know this seller is listed as not selling scrappers but I am wondering if at this price they could be scrappers.

They barely sell any pins. I trust that they do sell real pins. If you look at their feedback, most of their items are stamps and antiques. I'd go ahead and buy from them. If you do, try to post a few pictures (like I did). I'd take pictures in sets of five so we get a closer view of them. If your camera has a flower button, press it, because it's the button for close-up pictures. Try to take a picture of about two of the backs also (the backer and the stamp).

[Jen M]

Originally Posted by MountNittany

They barely sell any pins. I trust that they do sell real pins. If you look at their feedback, most of their items are stamps and antiques. I'd go ahead and buy from them. If you do, try to post a few pictures (like I did). I'd take pictures in sets of five so we get a closer view of them. If your camera has a flower button, press it, because it's the button for close-up pictures. Try to take a picture of about two of the backs also (the backer and the stamp).

Thanks. It is a pretty good deal if they are real. I am also looking at ordering some from Olivejuiceyou21. I like that fact that I can look at disneypins.com and compare the orginal selling price with her selling price. I think I am going to get in trouble with this pin trading thing. We haven't even started trading and I am already hooked.

[pixiewings71]

Oh pin trading is extremely addictive! LOL And yes, you can find people who really don't know much about pins, don't really care, or they got them at an estate sale/garage sale for dirt cheap and they will list them on eBay. If gold is like that then you've got a good seller!

[thelionqueen]

Just for the record, the very first time I bought pins on ebay I bought them from Shells7pak. SHE is the ONE who started me on my anti-scrapper nightmare

DEFINITELY add her to the "naughty list"

Thanks for doing this, I think it's a great resource!!

[pixiewings71]

Originally Posted by thelionqueen

Just for the record, the very first time I bought pins on ebay I bought them from Shells7pak. SHE is the ONE who started me on my anti-scrapper nightmare

DEFINITELY add her to the "naughty list"

Thanks for doing this, I think it's a great resource!!

I bought from her too, and yes, she definitely has a lot of scrappers....everything I got from her was bad and I didn't even know scrappers existed at that time!

[Jen M]

I just thought I would post this here because I think more people will see it here than on the other thread I post in. I got my pins from Mouse pins. I compared the weight of them to pins my neighbor bought at Disney. They all seem to be really. I know they are probably propins. There were some that had some damage to the backs nothing big but enough that I might not be able to trade them. I contacted them and they were more than willing to send new ones providing I sent the old ones back.

The problem is I live in Canada and had them shipped to a place in the US that charges $5 per package. Mouse pins was nice enough to refund me for the pins that were damaged. I would have to say I will do business with them again.

[MountNittany]

Originally Posted by Jen M

I just thought I would post this here because I think more people will see it here than on the other thread I post in. I got my pins from Mouse pins. I compared the weight of them to pins my neighbor bought at Disney. They all seem to be really. I know they are probably propins. There were some that had some damage to the backs nothing big but enough that I might not be able to trade them. I contacted them and they were more than willing to send new ones providing I sent the old ones back.

The problem is I live in Canada and had them shipped to a place in the US that charges $5 per package. Mouse pins was nice enough to refund me for the pins that were damaged. I would have to say I will do business with them again.

As long as the damage is not very bad, you can trade them to CMs .

Seems like there is nothing wrong with trading any of the pins you got.

[Jen M]

Originally Posted by MountNittany

As long as the damage is not very bad, you can trade them to CMs .

Seems like there is nothing wrong with trading any of the pins you got.

I am sure most of them can be traded. I will have to decide if I will trade the damaged ones.