Safe Enamel Pin Trading Guide
This is a guide to help those that are new to the pin trading community to be able to trade safely so that they can avoid being scammed out of their pins. As a maker we believe that we should do our best to try to make the community safer so we created two timestamp pins to help with trading authentically.
Note: We are not responsible for any trades that go awry as a result of following this guide.
If your new to pin trading review your Community Terminology Here.
Enamel Pin Value
In order to get a fair trade for your enamel pins going to have to understand the value of your pins. The overall value will depend on what someone is willing to pay and/or trade for it in the marketplace.
🏪 Find out the Original Retail Value from the maker or store (Research the back stamp).
✨ Understand the Rarity. Pins with (Limited Edition) LE markings or unique color schemes will be more valuable.
✔ Size. In general larger sized pins are worth more.
🌟 Effects and features are worth more. Glitter, Glow in the Dark, Spinners, Sliders, Hinges, Chains, Jewels, etc.
✔ Condition. Make sure that there are no scratches, missing print, dents, tarnish, or broken parts that will devalue your pin.
💲 Marketplace Price. Look at other sellers online in trading forums, FB Groups, IG pin trading stores to get a general sense of value.
😍 Personal Value. If a person really likes the character it will be less likely to move in a trade.
😎 Popularity. In general if a design is more popular it has more value.
⚠ How to Trade Safely
The internet is a wild and unforgiving place. Here are some tips to prevent yourself from being taken advantage of during trades.
🔍 Ask for Trading History: Get screenshots of successful trades vetted by others.
🔍 Fake Profiles: Be cautious around extremely new profiles without history and fake pictures.
🔍 Research their Profile: Quickly search their profile names in the Scammer and Call out groups.
🔍 Fake Pictures: Sometimes there will be fake pictures of the pin with time stamps. Ask for front, back, updated timestamp and close up pics at different angles or video.
🚚 Exchange time & Tracked shipping: Trade at an agreed upon date and ship out at the same time with tracked shipping.
Trading Etiquette
Follow a few of these tips to trade both ethically and reasonably in the community.
📜 Rules: Always read the rules of the trading group you are about to join and follow them closely.
✌ In-Hand Only: Do not trade what you don't own. If you do not physically have the pin in hand do not trade the pre-order.
🤑 Extreme Overvaluation: If you extremely overvalue your own pins and devalue others on a consistent basis and always looking for the better deal you will run out of people to trade with.
🤗 Give Credit: Give credit back to the person that traded with you, the maker and the original artist in your posts.
🤬 Callouts: They are serious. Avoid drama and unjustified callouts:
Lost packages in the mail.
Entitlement to trades.
👻 Don't Ghost: Be upfront, responsive and on time
🙏 Ask if a person is open to other pins besides their D/ISO before sending.
🔞 Always ask if you can show NSFW traders. Not everyone is comfortable with nudity.
