No, they don't worry me at all.

I'm fine with them. About a year ago the "I Buy Pinball Machine" ad people got into a fight on craigslist in my area. It was funny to watch. Lots of name calling in anonymous posts... I guess just like Pinside.

I can't imagine they work at all. I think they are kind of goofy though.

Some people are just jealous that others put more effort into their search for games I guess. The ads don't bother me.

I've got quite a few games from ad's. I stopped doing them once started putting games on location. Just not enough time to do both.

I think the "I buy Pinball" ads are placed by buyers who hope to "lowball" someone who just wants to get rid of a pinball machine. Nothing wrong with it. More power to them.

I will start by saying I do not hate anything. I may dislike or disagree with something/someone but I just don't harbor hate. As far as "buying" pinball ads - I am kinda meh but I respect the fact others are trying. Lets face it, we all want that gem in someones basement with low plays for a low price. How you going to get it if you don't put forth any effort?
CL is a wild west and watching the trains run off the tracks is about the most enjoyment I receive from it.

They work in my area. Generated about a half dozen contacts in a couple months, one purchased.

I ignore them. I just figure it's someone looking for the low ball deal to get something nice, nothing wrong with it. It's America, so it's all good.

Yep.

I would love to see the reaction on Pinside if someone posted an "I buy pinball machines" here.

I buy pinball machines!

Me too and I even pay CASH!

I don't hate them. What I hate is when is when I go on a site like kijiji and the same guy has posted the add 20 times filling up the que with his crap. Post one... that's fine. Post 10 and you're being a d=ck

Oh yeah, the "I pay cash" enticement never gets old every time you read it in one of those ads.

That said, I commend anyone who displays any level of proactivity even an online classified in finding that elusive bargain.

The Craigslist folks already have a much better understanding of the requirements for an effective flagging system than your comments suggest. If you care to delve into the details of it the CL forums are a fairly good resource. forums.craigslist.org link

I send them links to my pachinko machines just for fun!

There a few flippers here, in Alberta that run those kind of ads. Does not make me mad. It is all based on how much time you have, to follow Kijiji or Craigslist. Also your ability to re-act fast to inquirers.

I started in this hobby when I was around 11-12 years old. I initially started with player pianos which I LOVED restoring. I would place ads weekly in the local Pennysaver with, "Wanted-Player Pianos Working or Not". I would get anywhere between 8-10 calls a week and the majority were "just get the piano out of here for free" type calls. Even though I liked doing this, it started to get difficult to sell them. A few years later when I was about 14, I started doing the same ads only instead of pianos, I looked for pinballs & videos. Again, I'd get quite a few calls weekly and would pick up anywhere between 10 to 15 pins per month. This was around 1977 so videos didn't really come into the picture until the mid-80's. I could not drive at the time (being 14 and all) so I had 2 college guys that my sister knew and they'd pick these machines up for me.
It wasn't like it is today with all the bitterness, jealousy and competition that the Craigslist ads bring. Kindof sad, really because it just seemed that people were more decent back then.....

We've got someone here in KC who says on Craigslist that he pays "Top Doller" for pinball machines.

Well I buy pinball machines, pay CASH, Pay Top Dollar, and will even accept your credit card, birth date, and social security number

IMO I think they are lame unless you are sourcing machines for an arcade, operating or a "collection" that you actually play. My view is that most of the people with ads are just looking to low ball or flip. I feel that slowly erodes the cache of cheaper machines giving more of a barrier for normal people to actually play & enjoy them. I also don't get ripping off the uninformed seller either, I don't want any "basement gems for a low price". I personally like working my job for profit and playing pinball for fun, and not trying to mix the two up.

It can also be good to get games in the hands of collectors and back into circulation and people that appreciate the hobby . It gives people a buyer and can often make transactions painless . Don't knock it till you try it !

agreed, trollers, lookin for a quick pickup. no prob.

agreed again. just bein a D!(K. got nuthin better to do.

Nuthin bad about that.
The ones that hack me off, are the ...???..."people", that run PINBALL MACHINE WANTED adds.
They don't want any pinball, they are just lookin for a quick flip. nuthin wrong with that either. but...
they need to be honest in the post. I don't like answering an add , only to discover, they ONLY want NEW games to flip.
PUT THAT IN YOUR ADD! quit jerkin folks around.
"Steps down from soap box", drinks Beer...

I think it is slimy of folks posting "I service pinball machines", simply as a ruse to get in the door and talk the person into selling their machines cheap. Or worse yet .. take their machine to service it then whine about how expensive the repair will be and perhaps you would like to sell it instead. No this has never happened to me .. and no I never sold it to the slimeball.

I posted a WTB for a specific machine and it led to a fair trade for that machine. I don't expect it to be that easy every time, but it can work. I was willing to pay a fair price, so that probably helped.

Ugh, I definitely hate that. And you know when they post that, they really pay bottom dollar, whatever that may be.

If you add -wanted to your craigslist search all the ads with the word wanted will go away. Substitute wanted for whatever word annoys you. Works on ebay and google also.

Just reply to them with a list of spectacular games and say they were your late husband's and you were looking for information on what they may be worth. I'll bet the answer they give will be worth a chuckle.