Kind of a weird place to buy new pins from, what made you decide to go with them in the first place?

I think pinsider hassellcastle on here works there. Maybe he could help?

Hope you paid with a credit card, charge it back!

A quick google search of rgp for FUN! Will tell you all you need to know.

There is two sides to every story.

Brandon (aka allpinball) as stated in e-mail privately to you. The check was cut on Oct 17th and mailed on the 20th. You will see that it arrives in the next few days and this can be put to rest. Sometimes mail takes longer than normal. Or things get lost in the mail. No one is scamming you. All we ask is your patience to which you have proven time and time again you don't have. (see below)

All this could have been avoided if you would have taken delivery for the game YOU had ordered.
You ordered Star Wars LE #16 paying extra for the low number. Low number games cost extra not only to the customer but to the distributor as well.
So a specific game was ordered especially for you.
Although there was a snafu from the manufacturer shipping out the wrong numbered game at first. Which we intercepted
at the terminal before it was to be delivered. Options were given to which you declined.
We then inform you that #16 was on Stern's dock and we were then ready to ship you YOUR correct game you ordered.
Then for whatever reason you get cold feet. Your logic as you told me over the phone was that because it was #16 you were expecting to get
the 16th game off the production line. I told you that isn't the case...you were bent out of shape that other LE owners got their
LE's before you and now your #16 was meaningless. All the while this was only a week since your game was original supposed to ship.
You stated you didn't want the game anymore because you wanted your game first before everyone else.
Your answer to me then was if we were to then ship you #16...(the game you ordered!!!) you would refuse the shipment.

So pretty much you were leaving us in a ringer taking a low number game....we really didn't want.
Since you wouldn't take delivery....you left us no choice but for us to take delivery of a low number game and you were informed
you would be refunded once the game had sold.

Although it didn't sell overnight the game finally sold and now your check is in the mail. Honestly.
We have nothing to gain by keeping your money and that was never the intention.

So I ask this ...of those reading this e-mail. What did we do wrong? Maybe the post shouldn't read beware of FUN! but beware of Brandon the buyer.

I really didn't want to air this dirty laundry ....but man. You have left me no choice.
As I said...there are two sides to every story.

If you had nothing to gain by keeping his money... why did you keep his money? Based on this account, I agree he seems flaky, but if you didn't ship him the product, I don't think you had a right to keep the money until you sold the product. My 2 cents, only because you asked.

Because it was a special custom order for him that cost above and beyond a normal game. He's lucky they didn't charge a restocking fee because of the custom order. Hell, most companies don't allow returns of custom orders.

Wow, I can't believe I am saying this but, I kinda see where FUN! is coming from on this one. MIND BLOWN.

Should've had Stern ship him a #16 plate and all would've been right in the universe...oh well.

These "buyer beware" threads never go well and always seem to hide the full story. If I were a business that made special orders, they'd have to be paid up front. A refund could be issued with a restocking fee since most of the time a special order can't be returned, so the business is stuck for with the special order and less capital for the business to make other purchases or payroll.

Thanks guys.
I look at it like a dealership, what if you special ordered a Purple Camaro. The dealership would have charged a restocking fee.
We were just about at the brink of doing that...but we didn't. He caused us to buy a game we did not want as it was at a higher
cost to us.

Guys, I know there is a lot of bad dirt on FUN on rgp but when is that from 5+ years ago?
Since that 5 years the team that works for this company has changed ...more so for the better.
We have two of the best most respected techs in the DFW area working for us now. Myself coming on board in the last two
years I feel like I have brought a lot to the table as I have been a long time hobbyist/collector/TPF organizer dating back to 1998 on RGP.
I have put more attention to detail on the games that go out and I'm doing everything I can in my power to make us a more
well respected gameroom store not only retail but on the collector side. I'm working towards ownership of this company and I want
FUN to be the best it can be. I can't change the past....I can only work towards the furture of this company.

Everyone loves to hate on FUN. Yes their old games are over priced but they are retail and it seems like they are trying to be competitive on NIB game. Plus they also seem like decent enough people. I question anyone that leaves a half baked blast of a company online without specific details about how they gave them numerous chances to make it right and didn't.

Simple fact is some clients are completely unreasonable and cannot be appeased and are not worth the effort or time.

Funny you mention that.
That was the offer that was made when wrong number game had left Stern.
But buyer refused to do that as well. It wasn't the OFFICIAL #16 ...so he didn't want it.

But the point is, he ordered something that you literally never shipped to him. Sure, he SAID he would refuse shipment, but you never actually shipped it to find out. If you had shipped it and he refused shipment, I'd completely back you here, but you kept his money and didn't send him anything, so that's where I have a small problem.

Don't get me wrong, based on your response, I disagree with what the original poster did too. But you asked what your company did wrong, and in my opinion, keeping money without shipping a product is it.

Can I throw a negative vote for Stern too? Why would a low number cost more, if it really isn't the 16th machine off the line? If the number is meaningless, why aren't they the same price? :/

EDIT: Seeing your comment on the #16 plate -- definitely more on your side, but the fact still stands that you didn't ship him anything. Should've shipped it, and if he refused shipment, keep the game and the money or do the restocking or something like that. My opinion though, which doesn't mean much.

If you can't figure out how to post emails here, you arn't the brightest...

I told Allpinball. Let me ship you #16 from Stern. His answer was "I don't want it....if you do...I'll refuse it"
I didn't intend to not ship him his game. Seriously if he would have said "ship it". This would all be a mute point.

For us to just ship the game to him anyways and him not take delivery at the shipping terminal. The game would have then been returned to either us (FUN) or Stern Pinball. Since we would have setup the drop ship from Stern Pinball we would have been responsible for refused freight storage, and shipping fee's to buyers freight terminal and return freight back. We did not want to throw money out the window on a game that wasn't told to us at point blank it would not be picked up. Once again #16 ...the game HE purchased.

This is going to get ugly. Both parties have stated their sides. I'd just stop now and be happy you got the refund and Fun didn't get stuck with an item they didn't want in the first place

redacted

Bud agreed. I've stated my case.
Like I said I really didn't want to. But I felt like I needed to defend our side as he was on the side of slander.

Bottom line. His check is in route. Full amount for a game he ordered and we got stuck with. He will receive it.

Next topic....so what do y'all think of GOTG?
Personally I think it looks badass. Might be my next personal purchase for the home gameroom. I love Borg games!

I don’t know where exactly the truth lies but one side has 7 total posts on pinside, 5 of which are from this thread and the other side has nearly 1600 posts. May not have anything to do with credibility but then again it may.

Keeping peoples money is not the right thing to do. Wait until I sell this to someone else is really not the industry standard. I do not know the real story but it seems as if things could have been explained a lot better when making the sale to begin with. Not everyone knows that companies LE #'s do not go in order. If I was not in the industry it could have been an easy assumption from an in educated buyer. SWLE has been out for a long time now. If I ordered mine and asked for a #16 not knowing what I know I would have been pissed. If you are an experienced seller/ distributor perhaps this should be explained prior taking almost 9k from someone. Separate note more money for low Number? WTF! You lost me there. Charge a restocking fee to make sure customers do not back out. Or just say all sales final. But to keep a customers money until you resell the game sounds a little shaky to me. Again I was not there but if people can learn anything from this please ask questions and have it all in writing. No room for error. We are dealing with a lot of money here. Lets ALL be more careful. I hope the Buyer does receive his money soon. Please update the community when the check arrives & clears.

The check is in the mail, sounds familiar lol.

Well, not that I want to get involved, but I just asked a distributor that I use and was told the low # "extra charge" is a bullshit charge.

I really dislike when someone is attempting to plead their case and people are very quick to dismiss them. I was under the assumption that this Great Fourm was a way to call upon others for help, information and warn people of potential harmful situations. Lets all try to watch our words so we are not slandering people. Perhaps even the Title is a little harsh. This seems like an unfortunate situation for both parties. It has been made public so people will see the outcome. (Whatever that may Be)

All I can do is shake my head in wonderment at the importance some people put on a stupid number. This thread perfectly exemplifies just how ridiculous LE games have become.

I gotta call this one for OP.. he ordered a game and FUN failed to deliver the right machine in a timely fashion, so OP cancelled his order. If "number 16" is important enough that OP specifically ordered and paid extra for it, it's important enough for the distributor to get that numbered game to him *on time*.

Sorry its so close to Halloween I just had to do it.

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first class mail has really gotten slow. personally if i send a check for anything more than $100, i use priority mail as it's 3 days tops, and has tracking. it cost $6, big deal. people that send important documents via first class mail are crazy.

This being pinball, there is actually the middle truth.

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I feel compelled to put in a good word for FUN!. I have purchased 6 pinballs and 2 arcade machines from them. Had a great experience on all, but here is where they go above and beyond. My wife wanted a GBLE which they did not have, so we ordered from another distributor (i was told the last one by Stern). Steve and Ruth agreed to receive the pin for me, set it up and deliver it to my house at my convenience. They did the same when my wife wanted a Dialed-In CE; we ended up getting it directly from Jack, but FUN! accepted delivery and white gloved it to our house for a very small charge at my convenience. Steve has a great relationship with other distributors so they had no problem shipping to FUN! for me - Steve handle all of the arrangements for me to make this happen. FUN! (Steve) did me a solid. I have no problem recommending them and will buy from them again in the future The only reason I went to others was because they exceeded their allocation of the specific pin I wanted, but it did not keep them from helping me out.

Rich Lakin, a.k.a., RJL
Rockwall, TX

Terms should be clearly set forth at the time of sale in the event of a back out situation. For example, if buyer fails to complete transaction a refund will be given less 10% transaction fee or something like that. Did his paperwork say non refundable sale? Holding his money hostage until you sell the game doesn't seem right unless your going to partner with him on the profits on the game he's financed for you.

Pricing has no place in this thread, as an independent business you are allowed to charge what you want. Having said that, I would think people come to you guys to avoid this type of behavior. I've been there, you guys have a beautiful place that I'm sure has large overhead. This thread is why most car dealers would rather give your money back then deal with the rash of bad reviews. Hope you guys work it out.

I know this is a little off topic...I'm fairly new to this....What exactly does the "#16"mean?

After reading the thread I'm really confused on this! If that is the game number? I'd feel like things are a little shady when someone tells me "just switch the plates". Huh? That doesn't make any sense at all to me but I'm not clear on what the "#16" actually means. And maybe I'm looking at it all wrong. And not sure that's a good thing for Stern or the seller right now if that's out there. Again, not sure what that number actually means.

The rest of it? Tough call! I've been on both ends of this on much less money and get a little of both sides. If what's stated is the truth.

Added.....The more I think about this? Sry to say I'm on the ops side. Depending on what the "#16" means. Or what it is presented to mean!
When you are talking that kind of money? I wouldn't mess around! If I want my money back especially that kind of money after playing around and getting frustrated? The OP has more patience than I do. That is a lot of money!

There's the signpost up ahead, this thread has just crossed The Annoying Zone.

OP, your money's on it's way. Don't be another douche that beats a dead horse into dust.

Craig, what the heck were you thinking entering into a 'partnership' with Steve Nordseth? After how many hundreds of posts about 'questionable' and 'shady' business dealings? Well, just be prepared for blowback or to be haunted by all those people that dealt with SN and ended up on rec.games.pinball saying they wished they had searched that site for FUN! before buyng.

Best of fortune to all parties involved...except SN.

Actually, there is always 3 sides to a story like this; yours, his and the TRUTH!!

Ok...This makes a little more sense then. So...If ordered and paid extra for that number(which I understand why someone would do that) and the seller or the company told me "just change plates"? That would be such a let down to me to know that either of them wasn't exactly honest. I would have been done at that point. "give me my money back right now!!!!!"

Did I understand something wrong here? What am I missing?

Probably the smartest and most professional move he could do at this point.

You made a personal dispute public with a half story in the beginning. The guy came in this topic to tell his side of the story and defend his livelihood. We all seen you crawfished out of a special purchase from a retailer who has no control on how fast Stern can get you a special ordered game or name plate.

I really am sorry to hear your money was tied up for awhile and I'm not taking sides on the matter. In the end, you are getting your money back in full (so it seems) and he isn't stuck with a pin. Problem seems to have been resolved in all aspects before the public announcement. So what's the problem other than this is turning into a Jerry Springer session?

I've been to retailers and things didn't happen as fast as I would have liked but I never played Paul Revere about it and it's always worked out better for me that way. You should try it some time. A little respect and patience goes a lot further than a pissing match ever will.