As a Stern dealer, I can tell you we do not pay extra. Stern does however ship orders based on paid status. That being said dealers that are paid up early would potentially receive earlier shipments.
Greg
As a Stern dealer, I can tell you we do not pay extra. Stern does however ship orders based on paid status. That being said dealers that are paid up early would potentially receive earlier shipments.
Greg
Not hard to figure out the dealer. MIDWEST with store fronts and gouging prices that lies to customers.
Why are you guys mad they charged $15k? This idiot purchased one for that price, so why are they the bad guys? It is the buyers at these insane prices that are screwing everything up. If they would sit for months and no one bought them then the price would go down. I have purchased parts and stuff from ICE and they are great to deal with. I just think this guy is a idiot for actually paying $15k for one. We are hearing one side of the story as well. Does he have proof they told him they paid more or are we just getting his story?
Quoted from Haymaker:No crime, just sleeze. They literally lied to him. Thats not cool with me. I guess if you really really must have your stupid shiny LE then you can brush it off, but I'd never do business with somebody so willing to lie to me. If they are willing to lie to me about that, what else are they willing to lie to me about in the future? What if I need parts or service or support, am I willing to risk more lies? Not me personally, and I feel that sort of behavior should not be rewarded with a sale. Like I said though, if you gotta have your precious shiny, then screw it I guess!
there is no ethical consumption under capitalism
Quoted from ZMeny:Selling one for 15k, sure dealers can do that. But as an authorized Stern dealer myself I can tell you that their explanation is bullshit haha. Believe me, it's not true.
@ ZMeny but I'll still pay over for a Toy Story
Quoted from jgentry:Not hard to figure out the dealer. MIDWEST with store fronts and gouging prices that lies to customers.
Sounds very familiar.....
Quoted from woody76:Why are you guys mad they charged $15k? This idiot purchased one for that price, so why are they the bad guys?
I hate that they lied to him as to why they were charging them. That’s all.
Quoted from chuckwurt:I hate that they lied to him as to why they were charging them. That’s all.
They made up a stupid lie to justify the price increase. They are not criminals they just lack a pair of balls to tell a customer the truth. They should have said we are selling for more then MSRP because we can. I will only do business with straight shooters. I might not like what they say but you respect that they are not full of shit.
Quoted from playtwowin:They made up a stupid lie to justify the price increase. They are not criminals they just lack a pair of balls to tell a customer the truth. They should have said we are selling for more then MSRP because we can. I will only do business with straight shooters. I might not like what they say but you respect that they are not full of shit.
I think the only reason the police were ever mentioned is relation to the question of if this was a scam, in which case it is a crime and authorities can be contacted (doubt they'd do anything though). The rest of the people are just saying to stay away from anyone who lies to you before the sale because they will definitely lie to you after the sale.
there are 1000 le being made. plenty will be available when next new shiny le toy comes out you can go huo on second hand market
Quoted from robotron:there are 1000 le being made. plenty will be available when next new shiny le toy comes out you can go huo on second hand market
I used to think the same way but prices keep going up ! Second hand market will be even more !
Quoted from woody76:Why are you guys mad they charged $15k? This idiot purchased one for that price, so why are they the bad guys? It is the buyers at these insane prices that are screwing everything up. If they would sit for months and no one bought them then the price would go down. I have purchased parts and stuff from ICE and they are great to deal with. I just think this guy is a idiot for actually paying $15k for one. We are hearing one side of the story as well. Does he have proof they told him they paid more or are we just getting his story?
Dude still when ahead and put a deposit down on a machine for $4k over MSRP. Doesn't matter what the explanation was, he was willing to buy it. This is the problem.
Quoted from Mike_J:Please name the dealer.
They are trying to screw you.
Quoted from Shiver11:It’s a pretty big operation in the Midwest. Well known and they have multiple physical store fronts… I’m reluctant to share their name just yet for a few reasons. 1, I don’t want to falsely smear their name/reputation, 2, I want to follow up with Stern directly to confirm, and 3, if it turns out to be fraudulent I want to follow up with the police first before they get any heads up that they’ve been reported.
I can share this though, if you are asked to put down a 50% deposit for a $14999 price then you’ve likely run into the same shop.
Amini's?
If that's the case, I am not surprised by the quote you received. In my experience they place ridiculous markups on just about everything, but if you go through the motions with them you can usually haggle down to a more reasonable deal (at least in saner times, good luck with this one).
I don't think they are overt scammers (they aren't going to abscond with your deposit), just a little smarmy like a car dealership with some business practices (such as charging something like $400 for store pickup); however, the two locations I am familiar with are nice stores that are actually staffed with some knowledgeable people, and they do provide decent customer service.
If you were so quick to the draw at 15k I really don't feel bad for you. Shop around next time dude. The Insanity with prices is in customers hands such as yourself. Help the rest of us out by saying no.
Yeah to echo, I don’t see an issue with the price. That’s not generally how I like to do business but to each their own. The price doesn’t concern me. The issue I would have 1. dishonesty (never a great way to establish a business relationship) and 2. a lie placing blame on the manufacturer (if that truly was the statement made) has a possible effect on the third party (manufacturer) without them knowing. Dealers are representatives for these products. Manufacturers are not there to be a scapegoat for dealers and vice versa.
So, in my opinion, misinformation does have the ability to harm others, even if it appears like a mild sales lie.
Quoted from kklank:Have your credit card company put up a fight asap if they refuse to refund you.
Damaging their reputation publicly on Pinside is not the way to go though in my opinion when it comes to a private dispute over a transaction.
I will privately pm you for the name of the dealer.
Totally agreed, which is why I refrained from revealing their name.
Quoted from 27dnast:What's the crime, here? Have you ever bought a car? Dealers will shovel piles of crap on you to make a sale. Looks like this distro was willing to do the same.
Dishonest, yes. But worthy of calling the police? I don't think so...?
Sucks you were lied to. You'd be doing the community a big favor by calling them out. Why let someone else step in the same pile o crap?
I only mentioned the police in the case that the sales agent was pocketing or commuting some kind of fraud with unauthorized pricing and sales.
Remember, at first I wasn’t sure what to make of the situation and after providing a deposit was made aware that this was nonstandard. Very shady claims by the dealer which prompts a lot of assumptions.
Quoted from ovfdfireman:As a Stern dealer, I can tell you we do not pay extra. Stern does however ship orders based on paid status. That being said dealers that are paid up early would potentially receive earlier shipments.
Greg
Thanks! Good to know.
Quoted from woody76:Why are you guys mad they charged $15k? This idiot purchased one for that price, so why are they the bad guys? It is the buyers at these insane prices that are screwing everything up. If they would sit for months and no one bought them then the price would go down. I have purchased parts and stuff from ICE and they are great to deal with. I just think this guy is a idiot for actually paying $15k for one. We are hearing one side of the story as well. Does he have proof they told him they paid more or are we just getting his story?
Thanks for the negative criticism, I suppose you’re just as much an “idiot” for assuming the situation I was in.
Again, I was told the pricing had increased based on dealer costs and availability by an “authorized dealer sales agent”.
I’m glad your more knowledgeable than me but I chose to trust the “authorized dealer” in this case and do t think that qualifies me as an idiot.
Quoted from porkcarrot:Dude still when ahead and put a deposit down on a machine for $4k over MSRP. Doesn't matter what the explanation was, he was willing to buy it. This is the problem.
Yes indeed I was based on the dealers claims. $15k is nothing compared to what some CEs and LEs have been going for on the retail and aftermarket.
I’m obviously a Rush fan and value the theme but not ok with over paying simply based on a dealer mark up when other dealers are selling for less.
Quoted from wisefwumyogwave:If you were so quick to the draw at 15k I really don't feel bad for you. Shop around next time dude. The Insanity with prices is in customers hands such as yourself. Help the rest of us out by saying no.
Like I said, I went left to right on the national map calling every dealer/distributor in Sterns authorized network. When LEs sell out in minutes it’s kinda hard to “shop around” without completely missing out. I took the dealers word on pricing justification. This was the whole point in posting to the forums to get some verification.
Lesson learned.
Quoted from Shiver11:Like I said, I went left to right on the national map calling every dealer/distributor in Sterns authorized network. When LEs sell out in minutes it’s kinda hard to “shop around” without completely missing out. I took the dealers word on pricing justification. This was the whole point in posting to the forums to get some verification.
Lesson learned.
You bought a pinball for way over MSRP I would consider that idiocracy all day long, but you do you. You're talking about it like you got the last loaf of bread and you're starving. It's a f****** pinball machine.
Quoted from ZMeny:Yeah to echo, I don’t see an issue with the price. That’s not generally how I like to do business but to each their own. The price doesn’t concern me. The issue I would have 1. dishonesty (never a great way to establish a business relationship) and 2. a lie placing blame on the manufacturer (if that truly was the statement made) has a possible effect on the third party (manufacturer) without them knowing. Dealers are representatives for these products. Manufacturers are not there to be a scapegoat for dealers and vice versa.
So, in my opinion, misinformation does have the ability to harm others, even if it appears like a mild sales lie.
Exactly Zach.
Update for all that care:
Spoke with a Stern sales rep today who verified that the dealers sales agent claim was completely false and unjustified.
Called and left a message with Erik Gilly, director of consumer sales to report the experience. We’ll see if I get a response.
I followed up with the dealer and explained to one of their managers what was presented to me at the time of purchase and what I had learned after the fact. They were extremely apologetic about the situation and said the sales agent who sold me the LE was new and was misinformed about the reason behind the pricing. It was indeed a dealer markup, nothing more, nothing less. The dealer ultimately made up for the confusion with additional discounts and credits. I was fine with this because I’m buying quite a few pins and arcade machines for a new game room remodel.
Thanks to all the informative and positive Pinsider responses! I could not have come to this same resolution or understanding without your help.
As for the A-H@/3s in this thread. You completely missed the original intent and inquiry of the post. I did ask for the banter though so thanks for the entertainment
Cheers!
Quoted from Shiver11:the sales agent who sold me the LE was new and was misinformed about the reason behind the pricing.
Quoted from Shiver11:Exactly Zach.
Update for all that care:
Spoke with a Stern sales rep today who verified that the dealers sales agent claim was completely false and unjustified.
Called and left a message with Erik Gilly, director of consumer sales to report the experience. We’ll see if I get a response.
I followed up with the dealer and explained to one of their managers what was presented to me at the time of purchase and what I had learned after the fact. They were extremely apologetic about the situation and said the sales agent who sold me the LE was new and was misinformed about the reason behind the pricing. It was indeed a dealer markup, nothing more, nothing less. The dealer ultimately made up for the confusion with additional discounts and credits. I was fine with this because I’m buying quite a few pins and arcade machines for a new game room remodel.
Thanks to all the informative and positive Pinsider responses! I could not have come to this same resolution or understanding without your help.
As for the A-H@/3s in this thread. You completely missed the original intent and inquiry of the post. I did ask for the banter though so thanks for the entertainment
Cheers!
This is the oldest trick in the book. Blame the new guy.
It all seems so one-sided, opinions all provided
The future pre-decided detached and subdivided in the mass production zone
Nowhere is the dreamer or the misfit so alone
Quoted from Palmer:This is the oldest trick in the book. Blame the new guy.
Alright I had to fact check this one…
She actually is new, just looked her up on LinkedIn. But yeah, I laughed when the manager said it as well.
Quoted from Rezdog:It all seems so one-sided, opinions all provided
The future pre-decided detached and subdivided in the mass production zone
Nowhere is the dreamer or the misfit so alone
Oh the irony of it all…
The lyrics flow like gospel, so glad they put this song on the machine. The screen animations are pretty damn good as well. Can’t wait to play that multi-ball.
Quoted from woody76:Why are you guys mad they charged $15k? This idiot purchased one for that price, so why are they the bad guys? It is the buyers at these insane prices that are screwing everything up. If they would sit for months and no one bought them then the price would go down. I have purchased parts and stuff from ICE and they are great to deal with. I just think this guy is a idiot for actually paying $15k for one. We are hearing one side of the story as well. Does he have proof they told him they paid more or are we just getting his story?
No need to be calling the guy an idiot. Simply not necessary.
Quoted from kklank:No need to be calling the guy an idiot. Simply not necessary.
I have learned over the years on Pinside to use the block function .
Quoted from kklank:No need to be calling the guy an idiot. Simply not necessary.
Agreed.
Quoted from Shiver11:Yes indeed I was based on the dealers claims. $15k is nothing compared to what some CEs and LEs have been going for on the retail and aftermarket.
I’m obviously a Rush fan and value the theme but not ok with over paying simply based on a dealer mark up when other dealers are selling for less.
I mean even if you didn’t know the msrp or anything, just being willing to drop $15k on a machine no one has played is a problem. We can complain about shady distributors charging high prices, but clearly there are people willing to pay it. These high prices will never end as long as there are people willing to spend insane amounts of money on toys that play songs they know.
It’s your money, you do what you want. But this is truly madness.
Quoted from Shiver11:Update for all that care: Spoke with a Stern sales rep today
Meanwhile in Gary Sterns office...
Quoted from LTG:There is no paying Stern extra to ensure anything.
LTG : )
There actually is for the low numbers the early ones out the door not sure exact but I think it’s the first 100. At the very least I know it’s the first 50 but it’s a couple hundred dollars it’s not thousands. You also pay a little bit more for requesting a certain LE number.
A Stern dealer can definitely clarify this and I welcome any comments please for accuracy and clarification.
Ok. I must not know the difference between a Stern dealer and a Stern distributor. Can someone please enlighten me?
Quoted from jfh:Ok. I must not know the difference between a Stern dealer and a Stern distributor. Can someone please enlighten me?
One distributes and one deals. Keep up
Quoted from jfh:Ok. I must not know the difference between a Stern dealer and a Stern distributor. Can someone please enlighten me?
distributors are supposed to sell to commercial account (locations), while dealers are supposed to sell to non-commercial account.
both sell to both, but that is the distiction.
Quoted from Thermionic:Amini's?
If that's the case, I am not surprised by the quote you received. In my experience they place ridiculous markups on just about everything, but if you go through the motions with them you can usually haggle down to a more reasonable deal (at least in saner times, good luck with this one).
I don't think they are overt scammers (they aren't going to abscond with your deposit), just a little smarmy like a car dealership with some business practices (such as charging something like $400 for store pickup); however, the two locations I am familiar with are nice stores that are actually staffed with some knowledgeable people, and they do provide decent customer service.
OP won't say, but I bet this is the answer. I had to walk from them when they tried to bate and switch me.
Quoted from Palmer:This is the oldest trick in the book. Blame the new guy.
We always blame the most recent retired guy.
Quoted from RyanStl:OP won't say, but I bet this is the answer. I had to walk from them when they tried to bate and switch me.
*bait
or, maybe they are a REALLY shady dealer...
Quoted from RyanStl:OP won't say, but I bet this is the answer. I had to walk from them when they tried to bate and switch me.
He didn’t say, but he DID upvote my post (the only upvote at this point), so read into that for what it’s worth!
I only dealt with them once, and won’t do it again (unfortunate, because it would be very convenient); they didn’t do anything quite as egregious as a bait n’ switch, but it was still an unpleasant enough experience that it’s not worth the trouble.
Quoted from jdroc:*bait
or, maybe they are a REALLY shady dealer...
Maybe that's why I suck at fishing. I use the wrong bate.
Quoted from Thermionic:Amini's?
If that's the case, I am not surprised by the quote you received. In my experience they place ridiculous markups on just about everything, but if you go through the motions with them you can usually haggle down to a more reasonable deal (at least in saner times, good luck with this one).
I don't think they are overt scammers (they aren't going to abscond with your deposit), just a little smarmy like a car dealership with some business practices (such as charging something like $400 for store pickup); however, the two locations I am familiar with are nice stores that are actually staffed with some knowledgeable people, and they do provide decent customer service.
nah, aminis is more like 16 - 17 k
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