(Topic ID: 200538)

Are you "selling" or "unloading" a pinball machine.

By cottonm4

6 years ago


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Topic Stats

  • 21 posts
  • 19 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 6 years ago by Joker2415
  • Topic is favorited by 2 Pinsiders

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    #1 6 years ago

    On more than one occasion I read where some of you bought a pin that you just could not stand and that you could not "unload" it fast enough. I understand this situation; I have bought my share of dogs through the years.

    So, how do you do this unloading? What reasons do you give for selling if your prospective buyer asks "why are you selling" ?

    Is it because:

    1) My wife is on my ass to get some pins outta here.
    2) The old lady is threatening to divorce me.
    3) I have too many projects waiting. And need some room.
    4) I just found my grail pin and something needs to go.
    5) I found my grail and need to raise money to buy it
    6) I'm tired of it and want something new.
    7) This pin is not to my tastes.
    8) I got this pin as part of a package deal.

    Or any other reason you would use to move a pin that YOU think plays like a piece of shit.

    Be honest now

    You don't want to unload the pin to your friend. (Surely, you would not do that, would you? )
    Are you hoping a sucker comes along ?
    What if it turns out the sucker happens to be a new Pinside member who is new to pinball ? Would you cut your "Pinside Brother" some slack and try to hold out for some sucker that has never heard of Pinside ?

    Yeah, I know. You are selling a pin you don't like or have just gotten tired of; It happens all of the time. And one man's POS is someone else's treasure.

    But, in your mind, you are not selling it; You are UNLOADING IT.
    Do you feel like the guy who sold it to you thought of you as the sucker because, in his mind, he was unloading it to you?

    Do you feel guilty for trying to unload a pile of crap to some unsuspecting newbie? Do you hold your breath while hoping the sucker starts pulling Benjamins from his pocket?

    Do you flash your pearly whites as you are busy pointing out all the features of the pin you are trying to unload?

    Do you fall into extreme ass-kissing mode when you are trying to unload? Or do you still use the take-it-or-leave approach you would use when you are selling a hot pin everybody wants and you have buyers lined up around the block?

    Did you unload to another Pinsider and do not wish to respond because you are concerned that Pinsider might see how you really felt when he was buying that pin from you?

    Do your unloading skills match the level of used car salesman or the jewelry salesman?

    I suppose the short question to all of the above is:

    Do you toss your conscience out the window when you slip into your own mental "unloading mode".

    Do you breathe a sigh of relief as the sucker/buyer loads up and drives away?

    #2 6 years ago

    One man's trash is another man's treasure.

    #3 6 years ago

    sucker/buyer?

    #4 6 years ago

    I buy junk and sell antiques

    #5 6 years ago

    This topic fits me recently. since I just sold a pin, and it was actually hard for me!

    I've only sold 2 pins. Keep in mind that I basically have no cash to work with right now. I love the hobby though! SO...I juggle selling stuff to try to support the pin disease! It's kind of like a crack addiction to me. I'm just the bottom of the barrel guy at the moment and have to grab what I can when I can sometimes paying a little strong to get it. Everything is a project! I jump around working on what I can when I get the parts or materials to do it.

    OK...On the one I just sold, I had to be a take it or leave it guy. Because of what I had in it. And being so broke at the moment? I can't lose right now. I felt so guilty! I felt the pin was in horrible shape. I did sell it to a fellow pinsider. So I was honest as could be. Took pics of any damage. Didn't hide a thing. To the point of him telling me "It's ok!!! It's what I'm looking for" since I was still pointing out the bad when he came to pick it up.

    No, I don't look at it as a sucker/buyer. I actually hope the people are happy or know exactly what they are getting when they buy something from me. The price is always what I feel I need to have or what I'm willing to let it go at. I don't care what the "market" says. I've only sold 2 pins, but have been buying and selling in other hobbies, it's the same. I want a good reputation as being honest no matter what the price I have on it is. I buy the same way. Most people won't pay what I pay for some projects. I buy strong to get things that are closer to my price range. I offer high within my range.

    #6 6 years ago

    Sometimes you just gotta foist a game!

    Foisted!

    #7 6 years ago

    #17 - Only have room for X number of pins, and currently have X+1. Something has to go

    #8 6 years ago

    Semantics - as long as you are honest as a seller, I couldn't care what terms you use. If I can play and assess myself, I will work with you from your asking price, if within the market asking price, condition, etc. If I can't see it in person, I will ask for detailed pics and accurate description. I've done it both ways, and in both occasions, I was able to work with great sellers.

    As a seller, I would (and have) provide the same.

    #9 6 years ago

    When I have to “unload” a pin for whatever reason the price is right (lower) for the buyer.

    #10 6 years ago

    Only pin I ever unloaded was when I was dragging them out of the back of the truck.

    #11 6 years ago

    OP?

    trading places 2 (resized).jpgtrading places 2 (resized).jpg

    #12 6 years ago

    one dallar !

    #13 6 years ago

    I got a new one for you .. Be honest, nothing wrong with making friends or connections in the hobby..

    #14 6 years ago

    It's all in opinion if a game is good or bad. I've "unloaded" quite a few games that others absolutely love.

    If i'm selling a game because the game play is boring to me, I would say "good starter game".
    Honestly, every game has some level of fun. Just some have more that others depending on your skill level.

    #15 6 years ago

    Man I gotta sell this game, I got 5 kids to feed!

    #16 6 years ago

    Larry David rid himself of his inept assistant in his recent Curb Your Enthusiasm season premiere and called it "foisting"....quite similar to pinball "unloading".

    #17 6 years ago

    Unloading is to whomever.

    Foisting is targeted!

    Pretty, pretty, pretty big difference.

    #18 6 years ago

    If it's a friend I'll tell them why I don't like the game and let them make their own decision whether or not it's a deal breaker. I talked a friend out of my Raven even though I offered it up for $300.

    I won't tell someone I don't know (i.e. CL) how I feel about it. I'll assume they know what they're getting into. And if they're a n00b they probably wouldn't discriminate between a good game and a bad game anyway. They'd enjoy it all the same.

    Spectrum is a game I couldn't unload quick enough. But it's one of those you can't talk someone out of -- they need to experience it for themselves.

    #19 6 years ago

    So far I have not been one to dump games because they suck. I just avoid games i don't like now it may happen some day if a game comes as part of a package deal. Luckily between the local pinball crowd and pinside i'm sure if i get a game i don't want it can't be hard to find it a new owner who will enjoy it more then me. Now i have been on the other side of this got a game form a seller who clearly didn't want jack to do with a game in it current state a project most would have run from it but was sold as parts or project so i was prepared going in.

    #20 6 years ago

    I sold a pin, along with a new set of drop targets and a new overlay as much of the play field paint was gone. The back glass was bubbled and there are no repros. Used back glasses are big bucks. It was going to cost a fortune to restore; Way more than I wanted to spend on the title.

    The game played like a dream, though.

    I put it on CL with all of the gory pics. After two weeks I had got only one call that went nowhere. Then I received a CL PM from a second person asking about it. We traded several PMs.

    My second contact came over, looked at, and played the pin. I pulled the glass and he looked inside the cab. And then he laid the money down (my asking price ) on the play field glass. He did not try to bargain, at all. Since the buyer did not live too far away I delivered the pin to his house--it was my way of closing the sale.

    I got lucky as I got out even, but even if he would have offered $200.00 less I would have made a deal just to make that pin go away. It was a clean sale, all above board. But it was an unload job, too. I was holding my breath until the money started flowing.

    #21 6 years ago

    I've done the same thing when buying, or trading....If I want it? I'm not going to play games with the seller. If have the cash. There were a couple where I was maxed out, and I was upfront about it and still ended up with the game.

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