(Topic ID: 175720)

Stern announces another price increase- TELL THEM NO!

By shacklersrevenge

7 years ago


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  • 804 posts
  • 223 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 7 years ago by JY64
  • Topic is favorited by 12 Pinsiders

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    Topic poll

    “Will you continue to buy NEW Stern games?”

    • No 510 votes
      75%
    • Yes 87 votes
      13%
    • unsure 87 votes
      13%

    (684 votes)

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    There are 804 posts in this topic. You are on page 4 of 17.
    #151 7 years ago

    If any of you see Gary Stern, you tell him Pinside says Ehllo!

    #152 7 years ago
    Quoted from J85M:

    Alien looks pretty well made from what has been shown so far, the playfields alone look like glass, far better than some of the dull clearcoats I've seen from Stern.

    Sorry, have to jump in here. I wish Heighway nothing but success with Alien. But went to the Expo unveil at Twin Peaks and they barely had the games working - in fact we were there for over an hour and saw 2 minutes of gameplay because couldn't get to work. At their own party!! I heard later in the evening and at Expo people saw them working.

    So while I'm hoping its turns out great, lets be careful talking "well made" and Alien in same breadth until proven.

    #153 7 years ago

    I would like to hear from a distributor who can confirm this???? Anyone.

    #154 7 years ago
    Quoted from jgentry:

    Stern makes some really good games. I'm not sure price increases are going to be received well when 2016 had major shipping delays, major QC issues, price increases, and very little in the way of code releases. "Stay tuned" for the next price increase.

    This should be posted at the top of pinside. Another price increase?? You have to be kidding!

    #155 7 years ago
    Quoted from kpg:

    I'm just waiting for the first Stern Kickstarter campaign for their next pin release

    Lol, yup.

    Stretch goal 1: "Premium ultra shiny pinballs included with all LE's"

    Stretch goal 2: "Service rails included on pro models"

    Stretch goal 3: "We will complete the code for the game within 5 years"

    #156 7 years ago
    Quoted from badbilly27:

    Sorry, have to jump in here. I wish Heighway nothing but success with Alien. But went to the Expo unveil at Twin Peaks and they barely had the games working - in fact we were there for over an hour and saw 2 minutes of gameplay because couldn't get to work. At their own party!! I heard later in the evening and at Expo people saw them working.
    So while I'm hoping its turns out great, lets be careful talking "well made" and Alien in same breadth until proven.

    Yeah an that bm66 played so well... Lol

    Actually the PROTOTYPE aliens played just fine on sat and sunday at expo. Full throttle is also the best built new machine i have seen in the past few years. Extremely well made and well thought out engineering also.

    #157 7 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    Yeah an that bm66 played so well... Lol
    Actually the PROTOTYPE aliens played just fine on sat and sunday at expo. Full throttle is also the best built new machine i have seen in the past few years. Extremely well made and well thought out engineering also.

    Agree on the bm66 jpop like cabinet reveal. LOL

    I've played full throttle and build feels good. It is built and plays well. Which is why I sincerely hope it all gets ironed out on Aliens.

    #158 7 years ago

    I told them 'No' 5 years ago.

    #159 7 years ago
    Quoted from Pinphila:

    I would like to hear from a distributor who can confirm this???? Anyone.

    I'm not a distributor but ours sent as an email about a month ago below (schedule was attached too as a PDF). I just sort of laughed when I got this.

    Dear Ladies & Gentlemen

    Attached is a schedule of game availability for the rest of 2016. The schedule indicates when current orders you will ship and
    when new orders will be available to ship. We have been advised that from 1/1/17 there will be a general PRICE INCREASE on all models of pinballs ordered from that date.
    As the NZ dollar is now dropping lower this will mean an increase to all NZ sales from that date. Order now any pinball in the attached list to hold the current prices in place,

    The next release will be introduced in January. This new title is one of the principal titles, with Pro, Premium and LE Edition.

    #160 7 years ago
    Quoted from badbilly27:

    I just started reading that thread last night. Learning a lot. But, not a member.

    It's easy to join and members are usually super friendly

    #161 7 years ago

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    #162 7 years ago

    I'm familiar with Heighway and Dutch, but those are still big money games. But I was referring to cheap production. I'd love to know what a pinball manufacture in Shenzhen could land a pin for in the U.S. Waaaaaaaayyyyy under $5000 (or $3000). The build quality would likely suck compared to what we're used to, but it would be interesting to see. Let's hope there's a pinball popularity exolosion in China someday.

    #163 7 years ago
    Quoted from Pinphila:

    I would like to hear from a distributor who can confirm this???? Anyone.

    No distributor is gonna get on here and confirm it.

    #164 7 years ago
    Quoted from Minneapolispin:

    I'm familiar with Heighway and Dutch, but those are still big money games. But I was referring to cheap production. I'd love to know what a pinball manufacture in Shenzhen could land a pin for in the U.S. Waaaaaaaayyyyy under $5000 (or $3000). The build quality would likely suck compared to what we're used to, but it would be interesting to see. Let's hope there's a pinball popularity exolosion in China someday.

    That won't happen. Homepin is manufacturing in China and their projected price isn't under $5k U.S.

    #165 7 years ago

    I stand corrected with Homepin (just watched one of their Facebook videos). Looks like a nice operation. Just too small to scale up to a cheaper build. I'll look forward to seeing a finished product soon.

    #166 7 years ago
    Quoted from Minneapolispin:

    The build quality would likely suck compared to what we're used

    The build quality kinda sucks already.

    #167 7 years ago

    I worked for a major tool supplier here in Western Canada. Every single tool, bit, etc had Made in Canada stamped on it. Everything was manufactured in China thru our importers. Just because it was assembled or repackaged in a country doesn't mean it was made there.

    Anyone could have everything made in China. Assemble it in "×" city Canada and say made in Canada.

    Would you care if the game came from your brothers up north? Illinois isn't far from us.

    #168 7 years ago
    Quoted from maddog14:

    spooky getting my money

    Get in on a Domino's machine while you can. 20 days left...

    #169 7 years ago
    Quoted from cait001:

    Get in on a Domino's machine while you can. 20 days left...

    I'm personally waiting for a Taco Bell pin, or if I'm lucky, a Subway: Eat Fresh LE machine

    #170 7 years ago
    Quoted from PanzerFreak:

    For $5,000 you get plastic pegs

    For the record they are metal wrapped in plastic.

    #171 7 years ago
    Quoted from shacklersrevenge:

    How many NIB have you purchased? My guess is none. I'd get off that branch, looks like it's about to buckle under the weight of your inflated ego.

    What prompted this unprovoked and vicious attack james?

    You've been sour with me ever since I bought a couple games from you. If you didn't like the price, you shouldn't have agreed to it. And considering you knowingly sold me "100 percent working" games with a badly outgassing display and slot reels that didn't work correctly and I didn't make a big deal out of it, I figure you got off pretty good. If it were me I probably would have offered up some dough towards a new dmd.

    #172 7 years ago

    And I'm totally buying all NIB STERNS!!

    16
    #173 7 years ago

    I was interested in BM66 but passed. For now, I think Dialed In will be getting my NIB 2017 bucks anyway.

    #174 7 years ago

    I've only been in pinball a few years or so but seems like it's always been the same thing. People complain about price no matter what it is and seem to think Stern just raises price out of greed. Perhaps but pretty sure there is more to it than that. I see no reason to be upset. Stern does sell cheaper pins like the home use only Spiderman but that's not what we want. Whatever the price is, you have to judge whether it is worth it or not. Plenty of people think a LE is worth the high cost when you can get a cheaper premium and much cheaper pro. Higher prices just mean higher expectations.

    #175 7 years ago
    Quoted from CrazyLevi:

    What prompted this unprovoked and vicious attack james?
    You've been sour with me ever since I bought a couple games from you. If you didn't like the price, you shouldn't have agreed to it. And considering you knowingly sold me "100 percent working" games with a badly outgassing display and slot reels that didn't work correctly and I didn't make a big deal out of it, I figure you got off pretty good. If it were me I probably would have offered up some dough towards a new dmd.

    I listed them as working 100%, and here in my home they were. You claimed ''gassing'' on the dmd and I thought it was pretty bright and clear every time I played- and this is the first I've heard of the slot reels not working correctly. I said it was probably the high voltage dmd board and not the display. You're talking about the price because I accepted your offer, so I'm not sour and neither should you be, because you're admitting it was a good deal and that was a solid deal for some good games. That BSD is worth every penny and then some and you know it. (And if you want to send me the dmd board, I'll do a voltage kit to it)

    The only part I'm sour about is you sent a 70+ year old guy to pick them up and I did most of the insane packaging to them on the fly, I must of went dizzy around those games a hundred times! Luckily, he's a good dude that I know.

    And lighten up, I was jokingly poking at you.
    P.S, did you beat the high score i put on bsd?

    34
    #176 7 years ago

    WARNING! GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION: Back in 2010, I was sitting on the john reading . . . (that's the graphic part! Ha!) . . . a Parade Magazine that is an insert in our local Sunday paper. There was a story about the collapse of the pinball industry and they featured Stern and how they may be on their last leg. The Avatar movie was recently out and I saw a picture of an Avatar pinball machine that Stern was producing. The interview with Gary gave the impression that all their hopes were on Avatar selling a lot of pins so as to save the company. Since I loved pinball as a youth, I found the story intriguing and felt bad for Stern. I wanted them to succeed so I could still play the pins out in the wild. Then, I threw the magazine in the wast basket.

    Two days later when I was emptying the trash, I saw the magazine again and just had to take one more look at the picture of the Avatar pin. Suddenly, I thought to myself, "Now if every pinball enthusiast reads this article and a large majority of them would buy one, perhaps the pinball industry could be saved." And of course, Gary professed that his was the last company in American manufacturing pins. The author of the piece said, "Can pinball be saved by this Avatar pinball machine, or will it become extinct?" The bottom line to the story was if Avatar didn't really sell well, the death of pinball could come right after that release.

    So . . . I decided to see how much they cost and when I found out I was astounded at how much the price was. I kept wrestling with myself about how could I possibly justify paying nearly $5,000 for a toy!!! But, since I was in my mid 60's, I thought what the heck. And that pin sure looked good! I became an excited kid again. I might just be buying the last pinball machine to ever be made in America. This is HISTORY! Plus, the backglass was in 3-D and the pin looked magnificent. That's when I made the decision to go for it, and that hopefully many more people would see this article and if a lot of people such as myself bought one, we all might COLLECTIVELY save this factory from closing. I had a two-fold mission: 1. To get me a nice new pin. 2. To know I might be helping save the pinball industry. I bought one and I must say it exceeded my expectations and I still have it. It has played flawlessly ever since and still looks pristine; like it is just fresh out of the box.

    Now . . .to the subject matter of this thread. I love Stern pins and have had good luck with them. I have bought NIB Sterns: LOTR LE, Iron Man, TSPP, and a damned near new HUO The Walking Dead. Plus, many other pins such as WOZECLE and MMr. And as the old potato chip commercial said, you can't eat just one, and I began to buy pins frequently. I went nuts! I now have nearly $100,000 worth of pins in my Man Cave. I'd like to think I helped save pinball. But NOW . . . NOW I'm beginning to sour on the high costs of pins.

    In summary, I have gone through a phase of 'thinking' I helped save Stern, to feeling like Stern is now being a bit ungrateful for the many of us who helped salvage this company. I can no longer justify forking over such large sums of money for a hobby and I cannot justify buying another new Stern pin.

    This was a long-winded post but I am hoping some others out there did the same thing I did. Maybe they read that magazine (Did anyone else see it?) and jumped on board to ensure the Stern factory succeeded and we all helped save pinball. I have nothing else to offer, other than this bit of history of myself and my thinking I helped old Gary out by buying an Avatar. And look what that has got me now! GIGANTIC PRICES! Haaaaaaaaa!

    Mike in Kentucky

    #177 7 years ago

    I'm voting with my wallet as well. I hope enough people do and Stern gets the message and comes back down to earth.

    #178 7 years ago
    Quoted from dmbjunky:

    That won't happen. Homepin is manufacturing in China and their projected price isn't under $5k U.S.

    My projection is currently under AU$5K - that is about US$3726 at todays rate.

    Homepin works in AUD and RMB not USD.

    This DOES NOT include our first run as we have massive setup costs to absorb - way more than any other startup as we are making every single part not buying in ready made parts (reasons explained in detail elsewhere).

    #179 7 years ago
    Quoted from Homepin:

    My projection is currently under AU$5K - that is about US$3726 at todays rate.

    Yeah Baby! Gomez is gonna feel the heat.

    #180 7 years ago

    Only one more to complete the collection.

    th (resized).jpgth (resized).jpg

    #181 7 years ago
    Quoted from o-din:

    Only one more to complete the collection.

    That would look good next to Clint

    #182 7 years ago
    Quoted from PanzerFreak:

    crazy NIB prices need to be backed up by value

    Lack of competition contributes to inefficiency and greed.

    Props to Shackler for an outstanding thread. Ignite our passion!

    #183 7 years ago

    When Stern sees $55,000 given on kickstarter towards a Stern book, what did you think they would do!?!

    #184 7 years ago

    Too easy to just was a year or so and buy for less. Also if it makes you look at classic titles in addition to NIB you will thank yourself. A shiny Congo just rocks your socks off. So does AC/DC.

    I am done with NIB. JPOP killed it for me. $200 price increases never would have.

    I would never bite on the Super LE business model for these pinball machines for NIB. I have never seen it work personally. I got in right after Tron. The premiums are just fine. I like the LEs but have found that for me there has never been a real justifiable reason to buy new. Just need to be one year behind the curve or so.

    #185 7 years ago

    IMG_0421 (resized).JPGIMG_0421 (resized).JPG

    #186 7 years ago
    Quoted from OLDPINGUY:

    In both our cases, these are assumptions.
    I would think many of our consumer products have dropped in retail price point due to global production.
    I appreciate the vote of "delusional", when everything else in the market place shows otherwise.
    Sure, Im a Nationalist, and want everything made in the US.
    Im addressing a method that might work with this thread....maintaining profits, without raising prices.
    One method is labor costs.
    Paying workers a decent wage shouldnt be a negative, of course, so Im guessing the price increases are OK
    by you?
    I can respect that position.....or welcome another thought on how to see quality improve, while seeing MSRP drop.

    It would take them a decade or two to even come close to breaking even on moving the factory, like another said profits will just get stuffed in a pocket, no way in hell would it ever make it to the consumer.

    #187 7 years ago

    Never bought NIB from Stern, and from now on I never will.

    I'm Spartacus.

    #188 7 years ago

    When pinball people want more and more STUFF in their machines, someone has to pay for it. US!
    Pinball is a luxury item to own at home, remember the good ol' days when you went out to play and caught up with other people?
    Might be going that way again me thinks. Actually I hope. Bring back the coin op business.
    WOULD LOVE MORE ARCADES TO OPEN ! like the 70's/80's/90's
    fxxk the kiddy casinos they have now

    #189 7 years ago

    Most older collectors already voted by choices not dollars, and we did not need a new poll.
    We took our toys out of the sandbox and went home long before the end of 2016.

    Plenty of other games out in the market.

    Manufacturers can do whatever they wish with new games. I do hope they have a better long term game plan than WMS did in 1998. History has a tendency to repeat itself. Just biding time for eventual closeouts from a variety of sources.

    #190 7 years ago

    When it's time to get a new game for the route, I have to ask myself "What are my options?"

    Stern NiB - just over $7K here with taxes and shipping due to our weak dollar

    *insert other pinball company name* NiB - $10K and up after taxes and shipping

    Used titles - either complete projects priced like players games ($3K and up) or totally blinged out, replacement everything 20 year old machines for 3 to 4 times the price of a players condition game. If you can find anything! Plus add travel time and time spent getting the game reliable enough to put on route.

    WWJD? (What would Jason do?)

    #191 7 years ago
    Quoted from Tuna_Delight:

    Is that the British spelling?
    » YouTube video

    hehee, have you guys seen The Inbetweeners film? it's very British, with very British humour that may not all translate outside the UK, but probably most of it does. they had the Pussay Patrol - check this clip:

    https://vimeo.com/49477506

    #192 7 years ago

    I have no problem telling them no as I just buy older stuff. However, someone needs to tell them yes so these new pins can be old pins in 15 years, when I'll be wanting to buy them, LOL.

    #193 7 years ago

    Most buyers on our forum in Belgium have the tendancy to bail out since the latest increases.

    GOT was still ok but another increase and sales will drop.

    You'll always have some LE buyers but that alone won't cut it for a company..

    #194 7 years ago

    I get the idea of "voting with your wallets". I think its great and I hope Stern listens, although the sentiment expressed here is most likely part of the loud vocal minority.

    If its a pinball theme people want, a $200 increase isn't going to stop people from buying it, yet. Cue up the Star Wars music and a few of the other themes coming in 2017.

    While you are voting with your wallets, and I'm all for total pinball anarchy, let's not act like dumbfounded hypocrites as if Stern is the only responsible party.

    JJP isn't exactly the pillar of truth and value. In addition to the misrepresentations, deadlines missed, multiple continuous LE versions they keep pumping out, let's not forget the RISING PRICES and BROKEN PROMISES from JJP when throwing around our selective outrage.

    Vote with your wallets, I will too.

    #195 7 years ago

    Understand the rising cost if Stern implements new technology in it's 2017 machines (ie. LCD screens). I think it's a given.

    However, I'm just uncomfortable if Stern suddenly decides to jack up prices of existing machines (ie. MET, GOT, GB, KISS, ST) from their factory come January. It's not the distributors that will be taking a hit, it will more than likely fall into the wallets of operators and collectors.

    I'm not going all out to say that I'm going to avoid Stern at all costs and I'm not going to dog the company like a lot of people on here do. I'm going to be more cautious going forward if Stern is going in that direction.

    #196 7 years ago

    I guess until Stern can keep up demand they will keep pulling this, it makes sense from a business standpoint.

    But man, jacking up the prices for a third time on older games is a huge turn off. 5k was my limit for a NIB Stern pro, and there's no chance in hell I'm paying $7200 for a premium game that doesn't even have powder coating etc... For that kind of cash you can pick up a used STLE or a JJP, truly loaded games.

    I love Stern games, and hopefully these price increases on upcoming games will reflect in the BOM... but if they are truly jacking up old games yet again I'm not expecting much. Hopefully they prove me wrong!

    #197 7 years ago
    Quoted from Gravity:

    Understand the rising cost if Stern implements new technology in it's 2017 machines (ie. LCD screens). I think it's a given.

    Technology that reduced the number of boards? Technology that simplified the wiring harness? Eliminated the need for high voltage displays? Enabled the use of modern programming languages over assembly?

    Technology has upfront costs, but really have to wonder how much the current machine runs vs the older machines when adjusted for inflation. My guess is that the older ones were more expensive.

    Modern software is more complicated, but easier to write and debug vs assembly so that could go either way.

    #198 7 years ago

    I said when BM66 pricing came out that they would use this "special" release as a springboard for another big price increase. Release a game that you claim is a special small run for a big price increase. Go back to normal releases with a $400 price increase and the BM66 buyers won't hardly notice. When you just paid $9500 for a BMLE or $7900 for a premium all of the sudden $8400 and $7200 doesn't feel so bad.

    In the end as long as they keep selling out the LE's and seeing good sales numbers pricing will continue to go up. It think the people most frustrated are the ones that have been buying NIB sterns for the last 5 years that are suddenly priced out now. Personally I don't really care, I'm not going to be a NIB buyer going forward anyway. The value isn't really there for any of the NIB games. I can get a HEP on the used market that was restored within the last 3 years for the price (or possibly cheaper) then the price on any of these companies full featured or limited release games. Or maybe I get 3 really good used games instead for the price. Simple fact is most good pinball machines are fun and the amount of fun does not vary 8K worth of fun. For the price of BM66LE you can get a nice Congo, Fishtales, and BSD. What is going to be more fun? The only NIB games that are going to interest me are the Whizbang releases and even those I'll try to get HUO if possible. The value just isn't there in any NIB games anymore.

    #199 7 years ago

    Someone said that even with all this talk, Stern wouldn't even notice as our numbers are too small. I just looked at the Poll.....252 and another possible 45. If they usually buy between 1 and 2 NIB a year, do the math...it's a pretty big number....

    #200 7 years ago
    Quoted from spfxted:

    Someone said that even with all this talk, Stern wouldn't even notice as our numbers are too small. I just looked at the Poll.....252 and another possible 45. If they usually buy between 1 and 2 NIB a year, do the math...it's a pretty big number....

    I have bought two NIB every year since 2012.

    I'm out due to the overall quality of the machine just as much as the silly pricing.

    There are 804 posts in this topic. You are on page 4 of 17.

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