I have never purchased a pin NIB, but have read threads and post after post from fellow pinsiders voicing complaints and outrage about the issues they are having with their playfields. Most notably, the GNR playfield’s seem to be having a lot of issues. Because no one seems to know what the fix is, I’m assuming no NIB pin comes with a written warranty. How can that be possible with an item as expensive and complex as a pin? Cars come with warranties. TVs come with warranties. The list goes on...

If pins came with warranties, it would level the playing field between manufacturers and customers. Everyone would know before they purchased a pin, what risk they would be taking. Customers would no longer be forced to sit guessing and waiting for a response from a manufacturer. Maybe I’m missing something, but I’m really surprised there isn’t a warranty that would cover the playfield issues everyone is having even if it is a warranty that says your SOL. At least then, you knew you would be SOL going into the purchase.

I guess I think as a group of consumers the push should be for a better warranty as part of the complaint process about the current issues. I’m really shocked that the warranty is basically no warranty. I don’t think that would be acceptable in any other consumer environment.

I get all that. I work with business owners every day in a number of capacities and sometimes decisions are based not just upon short term gain. There is a backlog of games now, but that might not always be the case. As part of building a company, brand and consumer loyalty, I think a warranty that makes sense for the home use buyer makes a lot of sense. Think how the home use buyer would react if one of the pin manufacturers rolled that out unsolicited? Talk about being good for business... I think the let’s see what I can get away with approach isn’t a good long term business model.

So, the Stern warranty is a warranty in name only. It’s a total joke...

Same with JJP.

CGC is better.

Those aren’t warranties from companies that are willing to stand behind their products. It’s hard to even call them warranties...

Huh? You lost me with this one... Sounds a bit extreme and is certainly missing the point.

If your a lawyer, you must be at the tail end of your career. None of us have handwritten a contract for quite some time. We all use computers, so I would expect a pinball manufacturer to do the same.

And they don’t...

But that massive success doesn’t make it right because of the playfield issues. I understand the need to make a profit, but what I don’t understand is the lack of integrity.

Also, weren’t the vast majority of those orders placed before the playfield issue really reared its ugly head? I think that is an important fact knowing the orders can’t be cancelled per JJP policy.

The other thing I don’t understand is doesn’t Mirco provide a warranty to JJP so that if there is a playfield issue the customer goes to JJP and then JJP goes to Mirco? That’s how it would work in any other business. Maybe pinball manufacturers have a unique business model...

I understand what you are saying, but JJP is well aware that times have changed and home use buyers are an important segment of the pinball market. To pretend that they are not is simply ignoring the obvious as a matter of convenience.

Evidence of this being the Dead Flip and Buffalo Pinball streams.