NIB or second hand, there is always risk of damage when transporting a pinball machine.

If you buy NIB examine the packaging thoroughly, sometimes you can even open the box to look, but once you sign for it, the pin is yours. You can also request insurance from the shipper if it is not already provided.

I've opened quite a few NIB pins and personally I have yet to reject one. With that said, there are plenty on here who probably have a horror story to tell. I can recall real bad JP delivery that was posted a couple months back.

Either way, good luck to you and welcome back to the hobby.

If you're planning on buying three NIB games all at once I'd be willing to bet you could get a dealer to also do white glove delivery for a fee, that's a pretty huge purchase. Just reach out to the ones closest to you, Cointaker is only ~200 miles from you and I know they do white glove delivery.

Chicago Gaming machines are generally sold at MSRP plus shipping. Buying 2 or 3 at once should at least get you a substantial shipping discount.

I wouldn’t really worry about shipping damage on a NIB game. Their machines are packed very well, and just don’t accept it if there is any visible damage. Also, don’t hesitate to partially, or fully, open the box and take a closer look before signing - especially if there are any signs at all of mis-handling. Just tip the driver if he needs to wait awhile.

I think some distributors, e.g. Automated, accept credit cards without a premium that would give you further protection.

Gerry gstellenberg from Multimorphic
Melissa CoinTaker
Zach ZMeny with Flip ‘n Out
JJ Gexchange Game Exchange
Trent with Tilt Amusements