$100 for a one-off mod isn't too bad. The big plus? You don't have to buy it

We sell the ecto 1 car all lit up for $40 for example. Shop around, get best pricing.

Maybe blame stern for the "Contact us " pricing since it is against their policies to display it in email, forums etc.

I totally agree on the "contact us for price BS".

However the majority of the money in mod sales is the time it takes someone to make the mod. Someone wealthy enough to own pinballs isn't going to be motivated to work for $5/hour to get $20 mods out with a build of materials for $10. If a mod takes an hour to assemble and package, I would expect it to go for at least $50 profit. Most people around here probably make $50-$100 an hour with several people making more. Why should they work for pennies for cheapos that want to pay less? At least on mods you can either build your own or pass.

Extortion?! Alright, which of you vendors have pics of me from last year's Southern Fried Gameroom Expo? I thought I'd gotten all those pics destroyed, dammit.

#4 sounds downright weird. But a specific example would help. I'm not saying you're wrong...

I kinda got that response when I was quoted full retail for a new in box Mustang a month ago.

Yeah, that's messed up. It's not like it's the last run of Tron.

BAM I'm with you...just like changing car brakes.

Brake places & dealership prices fo sho'

Shit I actually don't know whom you're talking aboot

Well hes a good guy we don't need dick eating in real life but it's horrible yes

Naw no bubble will be burst....I told you earlier that's how this works. "Lighted swamp mode" on TAF...bulb connected to socket....LITERALLY 3 cents. But some people pay for an oil change at the dealership

So if this is Automated, I kind of respect their business model. Buy and Hold, and hold and hold. That's just how they roll.

TheLaw and me are apparently both starting the weekend together. Sympatico brother.

Contact me for best pricing.

No that's actually the point of this thread

Well you work in mods so...

Be glad you live in the USA and have a choice
Here in Australia there is only one stern distributor, it is his price

I think anyone who's considering a $35 adaptor to get 5v/12v on a spike game should be aware of this:

http://www.mouser.com/search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=0virtualkey0virtualkeyRD-65A

It's not sexy, but you'd have all the amps you'd ever need for mods. Plug it into the aux A/C output in the head, boom, done.

I am pretty sure I can guess who you are talking about with the hints you dropped

I'm sure it's a mistranslation of the Chinese name, but I thought it was funny too. Stern uses the Mean Well 48V in Spike, so I think they are a good vendor.

For the record, I hope none of you or anyone else chokes on a bag of dicks. Sounds horrific.

Finally lure out the somehow now reclusive Centerflank post ?!? Weird it's rare these days.

Gym and work leaves me too tired to post anymore, plus I've been working on my TRON that needs rehabbing.

So more of just a gag thing, I'll need video to know if it's acceptable.

No totally I, and I cannot be more clear here, I DO NOT want you to post at all.

So more TRON work you are saying? On it.
image_(resized).jpeg

Late Edit:
Imagine Pinside without Centerflank - that's like a $1600 JD...uff, no I WILL NOT SIR!!!!!!

I just assume mods are all overpriced, so I'm pleasantly surprised if they aren't. But threats and blacklisting are not good business. Not cool.

I didn't know that was even a thing. If you google it you find bags and bags of penis shaped gummy candy.

Speaking of mods my first child is due on 6.11.16....we shall see....gonna be crazy

Good luck Rook!

I don't know who you are talking about specifically, though I may have a couple of guesses. I do know there are some sellers out there that you CAN NOT say a critical word about or you will get chased with torches and pitchforks by their groupies. So congrats on not upsetting the mob.

The point of this thread? The title is about contact us for best pricing policy sucking

you are correct here, very little upfront cost, but huge ongoing costs. If Mods had this price structure…..

There is not supposed to be any best pricing with Sterns new structure. They dictate 3 different price points you can sell a machine for. There are no huge profits selling NIB pins. And the price should be the same at every dealer. The competition for pricing should be between manufacturers. Not sure why dealers try to keep their prices hushed up. And prices are going up.

What sucks are people getting ripped off in the used market. Went on a service call to a guys house yesterday. We are 2 miles from his house and he never realized we were there. But he bought 3 used pins from a big dealer. He paid $10,000 for a mediocre Funhouse with cabinet damage, $7500 for an ok Twilight Zone, and $6500 for a Tales From the Crypt. $500 shipping each. On TFTC the large insert in the middle is cracked in half, separated, and they put Mylar over it. It amazes me that someone would rip off an someone like this.

This is a great point, more people are getting screwed on used than new. I have to say though, it's their own fault. If you are too lazy to do some leg work to find out what something is worth, you clearly don't need the money.

I guess the dealer never stated who "contact us for best pricing" benefits. It's the best for him possibly so the statement is accurate.

Caveat emptor!
It's in Latin which means it's been true since the dawn of man.

As far as different dealers offering different prices on new, some guys are probably comfortable making less on each machine and make it up in quantity. And if stern (or insert manufacturer here) says they can't sell less than this price point, or they can be "punished". They don't advertise it. I agree its completely frustrating, but in business sometimes you have to play by those rules. FYI I am in no way affiliated with any pinball mfr, or dist.

After talking to the dealer about the NIB Mustang, I was wondering if I was quoted a higher price because I was a nOOb for a NIB. No reputation. I get that in any industry, the people that deal together often will probably get better deals over time. But if those same people are referring other people to those dealers because of the great price, I'd expect a friends discount.

When I'm back in the market again for a NIB, I very well may come here to Pinside to hire someone to find me a great deal if it comes down to it. I'd pay someone $100 if they could track down a $500 cheaper machine.

Sucks when the "friend " discount is $1000 more then the other distributor. How dare somebody call around to find the best prices! I personally have had some crappy experiences with So called good guys in this hobby. Snake in the grass wearing a sheeps suit is what they are. Claiming one day deals, using methods to make customer feel bad almost guilting them for shopping around, badgering the customer almost endlessly for shopping around, calling other distributors and linking together against customers searching for the best possible price and bad talking anybody that beats there prices...

You can't be serious? You think most pinball distributors are wealthy? I don't think you personally know many of them. Most of them are doing it on the side as something they like because they love the hobby. The few that only sell games have huge inventories and a ton of upfront money invested which is a huge risk.

In the end it's real simple. Find someone that you like to work with and build a good relationship with them. They might be a couple hundred higher on one game but are a couple hundred lower on another so it all balances out. If you a just calling everyone looking for nothing but the cheapest price don't be surprised when you get the F off treatment. Most of these guys work other jobs and sell games because they love the hobby and don't have time for that crap.

Mods on the otherhand are crazy priced for what you get. But they are small runs so development time is hard to recoop without a high price. The good thing about mods is that they are not needed or required. You don't like them or the price just don't buy them.