Ha, I'm your worst nightmare...just kidding

Friend called and he asked me if hooking 2 4 ohm speakers on each channel would be OK I said no. Hell no. He said well I was selling some extra receivers I had and the unit I sold burned up on the guy in one day. Now the guy wants his money back or a replacement.

I did not have any good advice for him. That is why I don't sell any selling sucks.

I learnd to make sure when I sell a pin to tell buyers I give no warrantees. People can inspect it and take it or leave it.
When there's a problem then may contact me and I will try to help but am not sure I will be able to solve everything.
I don't know what they complain about in your case and what game it was, but I'd just tell something like - I'm not a dealer and you bought a used machine, if you wanted a brand new one you should've bought a new one from Stern.

Yeah. Tell him to go kick rocks and block his number.

I may try to help with whatever issue, but the bottom line is once a buyer drives off, it's their baby.

Offer him his money back minus a fee. He had a chance to review the game before the sale and should understand the kinetic forces involved in play and what a metal ball can do to plastic, wood, and metal.

It's not the best solution but it stops the calls.

This might be on you. Whenever someone buys one of my games, I literally tell them it's as-is, there is a good chance it won't work when they get home, and they should expect no support or additional compensation.

Then, I always help them anyway, but the point is that maybe you need to set better and more reasonable expectations if this is an ongoing problem for you. I've lost many sales under promising, but the sales I have made have always gone extremely well.

Did buyer play it & was happy with it in person? or bought it sight unseen?
I think we need more details.

It can go both ways. Recently bought a game that was advertised on here. Had contacted through CL. Was told it was nice and everything worked, but unshopped. BULL

Optos didn't register. Main toy didn't work at all, because it was missing a switch. The cabinet is ROACHED. Sunfade badly one side, planked on both sides. Shouldn't have bought it, but made a 3 hour drive and wanted the title. Mostly just have to shake my head because the seller really misrepresented it.

I think transparency is key to selling. Let potential buyers know of any issues prior to them coming to check it out. That way, they less leverage in negotiating price.
It really depends on the buyer, how picky they’ll be.

Also, it helps to have a standard bill of sale, stating that they had a chance to look over the game and it is sold as-is, No warrantee! I think this concept of As-Is sinks in better when they have to sign something.

This is why I vastly prefer to sell to someone who can come to the house and play the pin before paying for it. I don't want a buyer to be disappointed, and I try to be honest and thorough, but it is possible to miss something or for the pin to suffer damage in transit. On several occasions, I have taken substantially less for a pin so that I could sell it locally.

What did he complain about?

I try and disclose as much as possible with pin buying and selling but the key is reputation. I like to see other past buyers get on a sellers thread and share their experiences. Your reputation is everything in this community. That being said I am a firm believer in once it leaves your house then it is your issue to repair or fix. I sold a laser war for a friend who was moving across the county to a guy who lived about 45 minutes from me and he got about 2 months out of the pin with no issues. Something happened and he didn't know what to do being a first time pin owner. I went to his house and drug one of friends along twice to help him try and fix his issues. We were not able to figure it out so I contacted a pinball repair guy who responded and fixed the issue for a fee. I had no ownership in this machine except helping a friend sell a pin but I was more than willing to make a few trips to use my knowledge to help the buyer out. I had a Star Wars machine I sold to a guy who lives about 45 minutes from me and he had an issue later that I responded out to his house and helped him solve his repair as well. Reputation is everything and you want to make people happy and make relationships that will last. If someone is calling me every day complaining about this and complaining about that then I would probably not do much to help out because they should of inspected the machine or asked more questions before the purchase. I can usually tell the problem buyers when they come over and start pointing out every single imperfection and asking you to drop your price a grand. I just tell those people thanks for coming to take a look but I think I will wait for other potential buyers.

Every pin I sell, which admittedly isn't often, I give the potential buyer unlimited time to go over the machine. I also advise them that the game includes a tail light warranty. (There is a warranty in effect until I can't see your tail lights anymore.) I've never had one call back.

Just don't give them your phone number or tell them where you live next time.

I always have a pre-printed receipt ready.

It says that the pin is a 25 years old, well used, piece of coin operated commercial equipment.

It says that the buyer had ample time to examine every part of the game to their satisfaction.

It says that the game is sold without warranty of any kind.

We both sign each copy and the game is now theirs to love and repair.

Believe me this guy has a lot of babies..

I'm really anal about my machines, and about knowing all the problem areas when I buy a machine. I've bought five machines from Pinsiders, and I think they would all tell you that I haven't been a real problem after the sale.

Why? Because I understand that no matter how anal I may be, or how misleading the seller may be, it's ultimately MY responsibility to look the machine over and make sure everything is acceptable to me. Once it's in my car and out of their driveway, it's not their problem.

Shipped machines are a little different. It's entirely incumbent upon the seller to be anal for me and completely honest. They have to be the buyer's eyes and send detailed pics since the buyer can't be there in person.

I'm an anal buyer but I make sure to check out everything beforehand. If I get a pin home and find a problem I missed, well that's my bad then, unless it's something that was deliberately hidden by the seller.

I've only sold one pin, but I made it a point to show every single problem/issue to the buyer I could possibly find so that he knew exactly what he was getting. As a buyer I would expect the same from any pinsider, not necessarily from your average garage sale or CL seller though. And like vid, buyer or seller I insist on a receipt.

Like I said!

Meh...I don't think it's easily possible to "check out everything beforehand".

For example, I once bought a high-end MM restoration and the TROLL switches weren't working. I played a game, but didn't exercise the TROLL's. Pin was represented as "perfect in every way". Seller was at fault. Impossible for a buyer to fully exercise a pin.

Yup agreed

Not entirely true. Remove glass, trigger all functions by hand in addition to playing a game. Learned that from watching TNT's videos.

Checking the electronic functions is actually the easier part. Much harder, because you don't really know exactly what sort of problem you're looking for, to find things like stripped screw holes, damage to pf hidden by ramps or toys, plastic parts broken in hidden areas, etc.

I don't sell this ass, I give it away for free!

Ain't nobody selling this anus.

If you are buying a game, go into SWITCH TEST - test every switch.

Then go into COIL TEST - make sure each coil works.

Then SOUND TEST - you get the idea.....

You know what else would stop the calls? Ignoring them.

After I buy a used game I always shop it out and tear it apart anyways. I always expect surprises so usually only get really anal about expensive or unobtainium parts when I'm examining a machine before buying.

I hate sending a million pictures. I'm not a good photographer and prefer a buyer just examines the game himself. I think I've lost tons of sales from just not taking all the requested pictures. I like doing business in person to make sure everyone is happy and I can point out any flaws.

I've sold 8 pins, only once did I have a buyer complain about an issue (which he fixed himself). I'm very honest about every issue (if it has any), and I believe I sell at fair market value. Or maybe I'm just lucky I haven't ran into a crazy buyer yet.

What I hate is when someone comes to your house, looks over the UNSHOPPED game thoroughly, then calls you back a week later to tell you what's wrong with the game, and wants a partial refund (buyers remorse).

I just say, nope.....this game was sold to you as is, you had every opportunity to look it over......BUT I WILL TAKE IT BACK FOR A FULL REFUND. Then never sell them a game ever again. You don't want someone like that with your game, to bad mouth your reputation, saying you made them a bad deal. So take the game back and sell it to someone else.

If I go to your house, look over the game, and negotiate a price to buy it.....its on me. More and more people want sh*t for free, and must want you to warranty a 20 year old game, but don't want to pay a retail prices.

Ha, anal...

I had this one, sold a 15 year old routed game in very good condition, guy says he will take it. Once paid, his wife began to point out every scratch, blemish on the game, as if it should have been perfect, what are we going to do about this? There is a scratch on top of the head we didn't see.

Here....take your money back....see ya

You should have pointed out every blemish on his wife.

How about the guy that shows up with a check book, and is offended you won't take his $4800 check?

How about the guy that comes, says I will take these 2 games, pays a deposit, you package them up so they are ready to go for pick up day. The guy shows up expecting his deposit back, because he changed his mind. What's the point of a deposit then? Unpackage the games and put them back.....

Ever had a guy put a deposit down, and take 4 months to pick it up?

Sorry, been doing this along time

Oh man, this exactly me. I especially hate when someone local makes you start jumping through hoops, just come look at it.

I had that happen to me once years ago and the guy got mad and said he would never buy anything from me. I thanked him and sent him on his way. He did come back with cash the next day and picked up the machine

So you might say, you have endured enough anal action to last a lifetime?

I tell people that they better expect to have to deal with issues, as something WILL go wrong between now and the near future with the game. It’s sold as is, and even if something doesn’t work when you get it home, that’s how these things can be.

When asked, I will take a $100 non-refundable deposit to hold, no more, no less. I confirm (make sure I state it in an email) that you can have two weeks, or whatever we agree to come get the machine and pay in full, otherwise the deposit is mine for holding up the sale, and my time. If they needed a few more days, I will most certainly agree, but by only expending the original conditions. Some people will say they will give me half now, and they are fore sure getting it, but I stick to this $100 method, if it’s a situation where the game can’t be picked up that day.

I think this is fair, and allows everyone to confirm each’s level of commitment to each other. Any issues after, I’ll try to assist by phone or email, or by providing some documentation etc, but I’m not fixing it, not even for payment. I’m at the age where time is more important than money.

this is Called: LOST opportunity of SALE.

How so?

Yeah but then we get the "Guy sold me a broken machine and wont take my calls thread"

Buyer renegs on deposit for his lost opportunity of sale. Legal to keep the $100 if not within reasonable time.

The easiest way to avoid problems is don't sell to people who don't already own comparable pins. If a buyer says it is their first pin or they only own new Stern pins I tell them my pins are not for them (I only have 1990's and older pins).

If a buyer is incredibly persistent after the above statement I will continue to try and talk them out of buying from me. I will tell them "They can play the pin all they want at my place but the only guarantee I will make is that this pin will break and it may break before they get it home. Pinball machines break all of the time."

This will normally get rid of the people who will be a problem buyer. Others will be very insistent even after the above warning and are generally good buyers.

But I am lucky for sales, I don't have or sell pins that "look and work better than factory". I only buy/own/sell player grade pins, so I don't have to deal with buyers who go crazy if they find a scratch on the backside of the head or find a light socket that is flaky. God help you if you are a seller of a "better than factory" pin.

lol that's a horrible idea. How did you get your first pin? As long as you are aware of what you're getting into, and prepared for fixing and learning, this is a great opportunity for someone to really get addicted to something great they will most definitely be into for many years to come.

I guess...but I couldn't imagine actually doing this. I've never had one of my buyers do this either. Fortunately, whenever I've had an issue, the seller/restorer has been easy to work with. I have no problem with someone contacting me after the sale.

I take the glass off, go into service menu and cycle solenoids etc. insect the boards and connectors. Seem crazy not to open the hood if you are spending several thousand.....