Selling your own GLO's badges on EBay

[OrigamiTulip]

I know we've discussed the sale of badges by non-members before, but I came across a couple of ebay listings that got me thinking about this issue from a different angle. How do you feel about people who sell the badges of their own GLO on Ebay? Especially when they are badges that have historical significance to the GLO? For example:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lambda-Chi-Alpha...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Theta-Kappa-Nu-P...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lambda-Chi-Alpha...QQcmdZViewItem


Personally, I think that it's really sad that people are so disloyal to their GLO that they would stoop to selling their badges to non-members. Don't most GLO's have policies to deal with such traitorous behaviour?

[cuteASAbug]

Oh dear. I've only been an ASA for a couple of days, but I love my badge and everything it symbolizes. I can't imagine parting with it, let alone selling it to a stranger on ebay. Maybe the seller deactivated from Lambda Chi Alpha and is selling the pin because he left on bad terms?

[kddani]

I've come to accept the fact that there are pin collectors and sellers out there. What I can't accept or fathom is someone who would sell a pin of their own GLO for profit. If you have a pin that you no longer need - why not donate it to either your HQ or a local chapter? You could still get a tax write off.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by kddani

I've come to accept the fact that there are pin collectors and sellers out there. What I can't accept or fathom is someone who would sell a pin of their own GLO for profit. If you have a pin that you no longer need - why not donate it to either your HQ or a local chapter? You could still get a tax write off.

I would NEVER sell my own Alpha pin! That is ridiculous and disloyal. When I don't need something, I give it to a younger Brother. If it is of value, I would sell it to BROTHERS. To put your own pin on ebay, especially if it has historical significance..... shame.

[AchtungBaby80]

Originally Posted by kddani

I've come to accept the fact that there are pin collectors and sellers out there. What I can't accept or fathom is someone who would sell a pin of their own GLO for profit. If you have a pin that you no longer need - why not donate it to either your HQ or a local chapter? You could still get a tax write off.

I agree.

It took me a long, long time to see and accept the reasons why pin collectors do what they do, and while I still wouldn't do it myself, I recognize that they're not evil and horrible. I don't, however, understand people who sell their own GLO's badges. Why? Is it the money? Do they just not care about their organization that much? I think donating them would be a much better alternative than trying to get as much $$$$ out of them as possible on eBay.

[DSTRen13]

That it's your own GLO's pin makes it even worse ... I always kind of assumed that pin sellers/traders/etc. were mostly GDIs who just didn't understand. That's really sick.

[banditone]

No one sells their own badge. At least in my world, I can't fathom anyone actually selling their own badge.

[kddani]

And as an aside, I personally NEVER trust an ebayer that only accepts money orders. The buyer has no recourse if the item isn't as described or never shows. Well, technically they could go to the cops but that's pretty fruitless.

For instance, this seller sold an ADPi badge. http://cgi.ebay.com/Alpha-Delta-Pi-P...QQcmdZViewItem
It sold for $61, even though it was plain, because the listing asserted that the badge was 103 years old. However, the "04" had to have been for 2004 - ADPi did not exist under the name ADPi until 1913.

So some poor buyer was led to believe that they were buying a pin with over 100 years worth of history. They have no recourse against the seller because they paid by money order. If you pay by paypal, you have a level of protection, and if you pay by credit card you have another layer of protection.

So not only is this person selling pins of their own orgs, they are ripping off members of other orgs by blatantly misrepresenting their pins.

[Tippiechick]

Selling your own badge is completely deplorable.

This seller, from Kansas City (according to Ebay), also is kind enough to also sell other glo badges ...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260076124842

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260101696574

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260098648549

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260098655381

You MUST wonder what kind of sick bastard would do such a thing to make money off their own brothers! But, to do it to ALL greeks, is just... WOW.

[FirstAndFinest]

Originally Posted by banditone

No one sells their own badge. At least in my world, I can't fathom anyone actually selling their own badge.

I think it is sad anytime a GLO member sells his/her own badge. I don't agree with it, nor do I understand it. I try not to pass judgement on the seller, though. Once, I bought a badge from an ADPi on Ebay. Her story was sad and she was glad to see it go to a member who would cherish it. However, some non-member easily could have outbid me!

After seeing so many badges on Ebay that come from estate sales, I have instructed my husband that, upon my death, my badges go to specific members & to our Executive Office if those members have pre-deceased me.

[AlexMack]

It drives me nuts when I find my own GLO badges on eBay but then the seller usually doesn't know any better. This guy seems to if his user name is anything to go by.
I just posted a thread in my GLO's forum the other day about badges on ebay. Seriously, have a little respect.

[1908Revelations]

I agree with everyone that selling your own badge it wrong!!! Period!
But is it just me or are these people selling these badges for almost nothing!! I say that because I paid a big grip for my badge, which is 10k gold w/20 real pearls. For things that are worth so much to people you would think thay would sell them for a lot more money than $35 (some I saw were way less than that).

[AlphaFrog]

When I lost my orginal badge, and I announced here, I had a CHAPTER sister PM me and tell me I could buy hers (plain one, that she would have sold to me for more than the price I could have bought the most blingy badge for straight from HQ) because she was just going to put it on ebay otherwise. I couldn't afford the price she was asking, so I assume she went through with it. I also saw another sister selling her own badge and her own COLONY FOUNDER'S pin - yes, folks, she was a colony founding member of Alpha Sigma Alpha who sold her badge on ebay. I alerted HQ to it, and they figured out who it was. I don't know what happened, but I really hope her membership was terminated, because it obviously didn't mean anything to her anymore!!!!

[Sister Havana]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

I would NEVER sell my own Alpha pin! That is ridiculous and disloyal. When I don't need something, I give it to a younger Brother. If it is of value, I would sell it to BROTHERS. To put your own pin on ebay, especially if it has historical significance..... shame.

Exactly. I would never sell my APO pin! If I was ever in such dire financial straits that I had to sell APO things of value, I would sell to Brothers and Brothers ONLY.

I have bought a couple APO badges and pins off Ebay. I don't like to see things like that going to non-Brothers. (And I did tell people I bought them from that I am an APO Brother.)

[Jen]

I don't get why someone would sell their own badges. Seriously, donate to a local chapter. If they don't care about their own organizations badges, why are they even IN a fraternity or sorority?? They could just buy badges from their IHQ and re-sell them on eBay to make a profit.

And to dupe people on top of it is just disgusting.