I am a very happy GRC customer.

My Lord of the Rings LE and my Hook both came from GRC - they will not be the last.

YES - there is ABSOLUTELY some "premium" (i.e. profit) in the pricing BUT - to me, well worth it. The games I got are in exemplary condition and also I know that GRC/Wide Area "has my back" when I need repair help. I don't particularly have a problem with the pricing because my games are purchased and I will KEEP THEM - I am not looking into the future to sell or profit from them - I am looking to PLAY AND ENJOY them - and unconcerned with "backend profit" or flipping for any kind of monetary gain on my games. They are not going anywhere. If you are super-fixated on "the money" and have a problem with a private business** earning a fair profit, then I would say that you can buy from Craigs List and deal with the equally penny pinching sellers on there. DO NOT FORGET that GRC operates a "storefront" that you can actually walk into and "shop" - I think there is great value in this. "You get what you pay for".

**Full disclosure - I am also a self-employed business owner - not in the pinball arena.

I have no problem with "using a retailer" (and in fact I use more than one) for my game purchases - though in reality I do a combination of things - including purchases off of (the dreaded) Craigs List (only good experiences for me) and also at shows.

Ray/ Wide Area Repairs has been great when I have hired him to come for a visit to repair a game - or recently, more than one game. I am HAPPY to pay him for his expertise. True story - during his November 2013 visit, one of my games needed a part - Ray disappeared for about 10-15 minutes to go out to his van. One of my games needed some metal part/doohickey to be replaced - and he was out in the van/workshop MAKING a new part. That's the guy with the expertise you want to fix your games!

As for the competition between TNT/GRC - I too have "bristled" at some of the sayings I have seen levelled by either side....but even so - they DO get along and guess what? Here we all are DISCUSSING it - because we find it to be either funny, offensive, or (like me) a combination of the two. "Publicity" for both businesses due to the oddball cultish following that wonders what we will see them say or do to each other next. It bothered me at one point, but it DOES turn out that it is a bit of a "friendly" competition - though the kisses between them are often spiked with poison. LOL

I have no problem recommending GRC/Wide Area to ANYONE who would like to purchase a game from them.