Its not that people should be pinball pros... but they should have done some basic research and own their actions.

Stern is a manufacturer - they do not do direct sales (as the op knows). The retailer is who provides support. So obviously if support and care are important to you, shop that.

Pinballs are commercial vending equipment. Your expectations of retail consumer experience for returns and hand holding do not apply. If you want someone who will provide that kind of end-user hand holding.... shop for that. Do not assume every seller provides a retail experience.

Also, don’t crap on someone for charging more for a retail experience and then cry the wholesaler you chose to buy from didn’t give you a full retail experience.

This pattern is as old as time... people buying from wholesalers or drop ship distributors and then cry about horrible treatment because they did’t get a full retail experience.

If you want service, hand holding, and consumer services.... STOP BUYING FROM COMMERCIAL DISTRIBUTION and buy from a retailer.

Doesn’t matter that people are putting them in homes. That is still how stern builds, tests, certifies, services, and the model used for their sales distribution.

You can make an argument that sterns’s distribution model is outdated... but i think its more that stern hasn’t managed the distributor role well enough. There should be two tier distribution for retail buyers or distributors who actually have the services to support the customers. But the market has let distributors sell at wholesale to direct consumers. Stern hasn’t regulated nor structured the discounts to allow the two tier model to really be successful.

Stern pinballs are still built and distributed like other commercial vending equipment.

If you walk into the plumbing supply store you are going to have different experiences vs shopping at home depot. When the customers ignore that and just try to chase price over everything else and bury their head to everything else. Well... that is on them.

I’m sorry... did the distribution channel change when i wasn’t looking? Or how stern builds, tests, supports, and certifies their kit? It doesn’t matter than there are more home buyers now... its still commercial vending equipment and that is how stern is structured.

Totally agree... and I don’t really understand why distributors tough it out. This is where stern has gotten lazy and cheap after they were last man standing. From documentation, training, parts, service... its a joke.

Yes, but just because you find a wholesaler of electrical parts intended for commercial construction that is willing to sell to you as an individual ... that doesn’t mean you get to dictate to the manufacturer that they need to change and meet YOUR terms. And its still commercial kit...

Yes Sterns distribution and support model is fubar... mainly in that the model can’t work as intended given the effort stern puts in. But it is still commercial vending kit.

Don’t let gary see this thread... next game will remove all coin door stuff in a heart beat and make it an “vending kit” upgrade.

Ive replaced mine once in 16 years. YMMV

No, Stern's street price (nor MSRP) does not match the mid-2000s with inflation.
Stern also has multiple competitors it did not have in the mid-2000s which should help with pricing pressure - but instead the competition has been at a less price sensitive product point... allowing Stern to inflate prices in their wake.