I've been told distributors no longer have the ability to accept credit card without charging more. One must pay cash for the base prices.

JJ at Colorado Game Exchange takes credit cards. There's a CC fee, but he splits it with the buyer.

yup add 3 percent, usually they split 1.5% each.

When I bought a GoT Premium, there was a CC upcharge (essentially a split of the fee, which made it worth it for me to have the extra security). Then about 9 months later, I bought a GB premium right around the time the price hikes went into place. I was told there was no cc upcharge, so it made sense to use my CC.

Not sure if my distributor makes/wants that public, so feel free to PM me... could be he waived the fee as a loyalty kind of thing, could be because of the price hikes, I'm not sure but wasn't going to question it.

just because prices have gone up, doesn't mean that margins for distributors have. if people truly knew the time and energy put into being a distributor (shows, tech support, paperwork, etc) for the margins that are out there on new games, they would probably accuse us of being mental (sorry, listening to the harry potter books again has me using British words from time to time).

i am currently in the process of looking into credit card acceptance as i understand it is a part of modern business. heck, i did the same exact thing when remodeling my house. put everything on the credit card (and pay it off of course) so i could get the points back. as i said, i am looking into it, but not really excited about it.

Depending on your CC perks I say CC every time assuming it's still worth it with the fees.

I can vouch for this.

Everyone runs their business differently but with many companies an MSRP includes a companies costs (like credit card). So when I bought my last game I negotiated the price (obviously below MSRP) and then asked if I got a further discount for cash. At that point I did the math to determine whether my rewards points and the protection was more valuable than the discount offered.

Not quite. If an eBay seller is paying $20 a month for an eBay store then the max fee for selling a game is $250. Paypal, if the seller accepts it, is about 2.5%.

Where did you gather that Stern prices are higher to create more margin for distributors? Stern prices are higher because people are paying them and it makes Stern more money, period. The distributors that people on Pinside prefer to use because of their lower prices make very little on a new game and assume a lot of risk and potential headache because of the nature of the product (cost, likelihood of damage/issues, not to mention recent build quality issues...). For the record I am not a distributor (or a distributor selling buddy) but I have talked to a variety of them past and present and the margins are slim. They make the most money on lucrative trade-ins, similar to a car dealership...sorry for the comparison.

I mail checks to my distributor.

Using CC the buyer can get 1% back from your CC issuer. You are forfeiting this. If the distro asks for non-CC payment ask for 1% additional off the negotiated price. If it's good for the seller, it should be good for the buyer as well.

That's not how it works. There is no negotiating. The base price is what it is as directed by Stern.

Correction, if a distributor is overcharging you there may be some wiggle room between their bogus price and the base price. I don't deal with that.

Star Wars LE prices are not consistent across distros, not all are quoting the mandated minimum price set by Stern. Some distros offer a cash discount because they are saving CC processing fees. You are giving up 1% cash back from your CC issuer by using cash instead. That is an acceptable negotiating angle.

1% back is pretty standard for CC cashback/rewards programs, so unless your distributor is eating the entire CC fee you're not going to come out ahead using a CC.

Some intro deals are way better than that. However haven't looked into getting a CC in forever. Haha

Some distros add $100 when they list on eBay over what you can get thru their website.

You need to talk with other distributors. There is in fact negotiating and I am still not sure where this myth was actually able to take hold.

Stern fabricated the whole idea of "mandatory minimum" sold the distributors on the idea that they needed to push the story to also increase their profit margins and now apparantly Stern turned right back around and raised many dealers pricing (so they get the added profit).

Distributors are allowed and DO negotiate.

So what is the "base" price of a Stern SWLE?

Care to share the negotiated prices you are paying on NIB Sterns?

It is illegal to charge for using a cc but not illegal to give a discount for cash

no

I personally do not have a problem with my distributor making money. He is entitled to a profit.

He has bills, he has employees, he has insurance, he has a mortgage to pay, he probably puts in long hours.

I get it all the time with my company. In 2009, I would negotiate on my price. Since 2014, I don't negotiate. The price I quote is the price I quote.

if-you-re-good-at-something-never-do-it-for-free (resized).jpg

if I had to guess, I'd say based on pricing reports, that the minimum SWLE price was around $8300, maybe $8250, plus shipping in both cases. Maybe it was $8499 and the best distros took it on the chin for free shipping.

My question to you is why deal with any distributor who is marking up pins which are currently in production? There is no reason to do so, unless I suppose you "must have the LE" and also waited too long to order one. Then prepare to get bent over.

Care to elaborate?

I looked at the few SW Premium listings on ebay and only ONE clearly states at the start of the description it is not shipping until late July, the others don't even mention a preorder. One does have the estimated delivery date listed of July-August, but still does not mention preorder anywhere in the description...

I would steer clear of those just out of principle, people who don't know any better might just plunk down the money not expecting a two month wait.

That's the same way they came up with the theme.

Don't forget to consider the added cost of sales tax when buying local. 8.125% around here.

guess you will have to test it for all of us and find out..... personally id rather pay a few extra bucks to a distro and know I have a actual relationship with one incase there are issues in the future instead of me being just some ebay buyer in their eyes. Curious how your ebay distro will help you out if you end up with cabinet splitting after ebays return policy is done.

For me the extra charge for CC is well worth it. I'm comfortable with the distributor so not worried about any problems and don't mind paying a little surcharge since that would be costing them a good chunk of money otherwise. However, the rewards my card offers is still higher than what they charge me for using it so win-win. Plus it's convenient.

http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/business-surcharge-card-customers-1585.php

There are situations where it's not legal. See the part about violating amex TOS, and certain states where it is banned. Legal some places though.

I use CC with big companies, but not small business. Just bad for the economy. Especially locally.

Technically you still owe the tax, even if you buy it out of state. Nobody ever follows this though. Should be paid as state use tax.

Please cite the statute and jurisdiction. I'm unaware of any law about it.
Merchant terms with a cc processor are not laws and are routinely ignored. Ever been to a government office to pay your fees? Every one I've been to in the past few years charges extra for credit cards.

"Waiting too long" to order something "currently in production"? Please think that through again, I'm eagerly awaiting such thoughtful insight....

You need the Citi Double Cash card. 2% back across the board. https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/credit-card-details/citi.action?ID=citi-double-cash-credit-card

Those roads and bridges don't just get fixed magically. Buy from your local distro...if you can afford a NIB $8k toy you can afford to pay some tax on it.

My comment makes perfect sense to everyone else, I assure you. Stick around a bit longer and you'll figure it out.

Just buy the game from the NIB buyer who flips the game in under 6 months - then prices are what you negotiate

The reason for these kinds of 'minimum prices' are to prevent a 'race to the bottom' in the channel. They are distribution models to protect the dealers from facing unrealistic pricing pressure from other dealers.

If the manufacturer expects dealers to provide A, B, and C... dealers have a reasonable expectation that they will have enough margin and market protection (territory, controlled distribution, or other things) to do that and be successful themselves. If your channel is not healthy... you can't be either.

These models are intended to keep a dealer who decides they can live on unrealistic margins (by cutting services, not doing what is expected of them, not building a sustainable business) from disrupting the market by offering games at prices that the channel as a whole can not sustain. Random joe starts undercutting everyone... and everyone in the channel suffers either due to lost sales or trying to keep up. Ultimately the channel is weaker, they don't offer the services that the manufacturer leans on them for... and if uncorrected, dealers fold, distribution suffers, and customers end up suffering because the manufacturer isn't offering the direct services... and the dealer network isn't there either.

It's not so much about 'more profit' - its to ensure a healthy enough margin so that the channel partners can actually succeed and hence both parties win.

California overturned that law maybe 5 years ago that did not allow businesses to charge more than the stated price for using a credit card. Credit Card laws and regulations vary from state to state, which is why they are all incorporated in Delaware.

2% cash back with a JP Morgan Safire card intro rate.

After the 4th of July I plan to go back on my hunt for a JJP distro that will work with me on the DI price a bit and accept a credit card without hitting me with the fee. I contacted a couple JJP distros and they all wanted the MSRP and one wouldn't do a cc at all and the other would do it but charge me 3%.

It's a tough market for an NIB buyer these days...prices are high and discounts and incentives (like free shaker motors or shipping) don't seem be around for either Stern or JJP.

Did you try Joe at PinballStar yet? He discounts his JJP pins sometimes. Not sure if DI is too new for that.

I had to pay 3% more when I ordered my KISS Pro though Cointaker and used a credit card.