(Topic ID: 204517)

Stern announces new China Distributor

By Rondogg

6 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 36 posts
  • 28 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 6 years ago by Haymaker
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

You

Linked Games

No games have been linked to this topic.

    Topic Gallery

    View topic image gallery

    download (resized).jpg
    HK Redemption.png
    Hello Kitty Pin..png
    Hello Kitty Pin.png

    #1 6 years ago

    http://sternpinball.com/community/2247

    11/30/2017 7:14:17 PM

    Guangzhou Stern Electronic Technology Company Ltd. as Exclusive Importer for China

    ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL – November 29, 2017 – Stern Pinball, Inc., the world's oldest and largest producer of arcade-quality pinball machines, proudly announced today the appointment of Guangzhou Stern Electronic Technology Company Ltd. (GSET) as its exclusive importer and distributor for China. Witnessing the resurgence of pinball around the world, a group of Chinese companies experienced in gaming operations, marketing, and distribution formed GSET. These companies began the relationship by distributing Stern Pinball’s titles including Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Batman, Aerosmith, WWE WrestleMania, Metallica and AC/DC. GSET will also be distributing Stern’s newest title, Guardians of the Galaxy.

    GSET will be adding personnel to their already experienced staff to facilitate sales of Stern Pinball machines to the commercial and consumer markets.

    “We selected GSET as our exclusive importer and distributor because of its various related businesses, financial strength, knowledge of our industry, and passion for Stern Pinball products,” said Gary Stern, Chairman and CEO of Stern Pinball.

    As the world leader in pinball manufacturing, Stern Pinball has captured global attention for fueling the resurgence of pinball across the world. SPI’s expansion into China marks a monumental distribution accomplishment.

    “We are very pleased to have the opportunity to represent Stern Pinball and serve the Chinese market,” said Aaron Wong, CEO of GSET

    #2 6 years ago

    Wow some people called this one a while back

    #3 6 years ago
    #4 6 years ago

    I know people don't think pinball can catch on in China but damn, if it could...

    #5 6 years ago

    It will be tough growing the market when pins aren't allowed to operate out on location (outside of Hong Kong and Macao).
    Or did Roger Sharpe go over there recently and convince China to change their stance on pins as gambling devices?

    If the China home/collector market does get traction, brace yourself for the effect on our pricing.... affluent Chinese love love love to spend big bucks on luxury items they deem will improve their "face."

    #6 6 years ago

    How will the people in China buy $5400 pro games? My only guess will be they build them there.

    #7 6 years ago

    I believe China requires you to build there in order to sell.

    #8 6 years ago
    Quoted from PinballManiac40:

    How will the people in China buy $5400 pro games?

    I don't know, and I don't know why they are the second largest Ferrari market in the world either. The wealth gap there is exponentially larger than in the US.

    If GSET takes bitcoin, they will find a lot of new customers!

    #9 6 years ago
    Quoted from PinballManiac40:

    How will the people in China buy $5400 pro games? My only guess will be they build them there.

    Is that the goal, or is it to get pinball on location? We're the nutcases that buy commercial machines for our homes.

    #10 6 years ago

    All China needs to know is that a NIB Tron Pro increased in price by 50% and they will warehouse 100,000 machines.

    #11 6 years ago
    Quoted from Snailman:

    Affluent Chinese love love love to spend big bucks on luxury items they deem will improve their "face."

    Good to know. I think I'll put all my classic B/W games up for sale on Craigslist in mainland China.

    #12 6 years ago
    Quoted from PinballManiac40:

    How will the people in China buy $5400 pro games? My only guess will be they build them there.

    Duh, they're rollin' in all that iPhone manufacturing money...!

    #13 6 years ago
    Quoted from PinballManiac40:

    How will the people in China buy $5400 pro games? My only guess will be they build them there.

    Maybe they’ll start making counterfeits and we could get nib games for $500!!!

    #14 6 years ago
    Quoted from SilverBallz:

    Maybe they’ll start making counterfeits and we could get nib games for $500!!!

    And the new excitement for DOA games.

    #15 6 years ago

    Will the pins over there have shorter legs installed?

    #16 6 years ago

    Wow, stern starts trying to sell games in China to grow the pinball market and all of the ignorant Chinese nonsense instantly pours out of pinside. Have any of you posting this crap actually been to China?

    More pinball around the world is a great thing.

    #17 6 years ago
    Quoted from PinballManiac40:

    How will the people in China buy $5400 pro games? My only guess will be they build them there.

    There are ~1.4 billion people in China and they have embraced a certain level of capitalism. While their average income is still much lower than the US or Europe, there are plenty of rich people in China who can afford pinball machines.

    #18 6 years ago
    Quoted from oohlou:

    There are ~1.4 billion people in China and they have embraced a certain level of capitalism. While their average income is still much lower than the US or Europe, there are plenty of rich people in China who can afford pinball machines.

    Absolutely correct.

    #19 6 years ago
    Quoted from BOBCADE:

    I believe China requires you to build there in order to sell.

    Interesting that there is a pinball factory in China now. hmm.

    #20 6 years ago
    Quoted from littlecammi:

    Good to know. I think I'll put all my classic B/W games up for sale on Craigslist in mainland China.

    Good idea but actually shipping the games into China might be an issue.

    #21 6 years ago

    Well they tried exporting a bunch of NBA's to China and I am not sure how they liked them or what happened to them? They do love video, arcade games, and redemption. It will be interesting to see if it catches on or not. Mabye Stern should test the waters first.....

    By exporting a 'Pin' version of Hello Kitty to place next to beloved Hello Kitty novelty game 'We will take 1000 units!'

    Hello Kitty Pin.pngHello Kitty Pin.png
    Hello Kitty Pin..pngHello Kitty Pin..png
    HK Redemption.pngHK Redemption.png

    #22 6 years ago

    I think it will be a challenge to "introduce" pinball to a Chinese market. The only reason there is a renaissance of pinball in our parts of the world is a big part of nostalgia and home ownership for people who grew up in arcades and are recreating that experience at home.

    #23 6 years ago

    Pacific Rim machine from Stern, here we come! Oh, and Stern, keep your hands off Godzilla, that one belongs to Charlie at Spooky.

    #24 6 years ago
    Quoted from oohlou:

    there are plenty of rich people in China who can afford pinball machines.

    When we were in Tansania (which was a very expensive holiday....), we met a lot of chinese people in the lodges of Serengeti, much more than US-Citizens.

    So IF they want pins they will get pins.

    #25 6 years ago

    My 1993 TFTC is a reimport from China. I've always wondered what the story on it was and how many they actually shipped over there in the 90s.

    #26 6 years ago
    Quoted from oohlou:

    There are ~1.4 billion people in China and they have embraced a certain level of capitalism. While their average income is still much lower than the US or Europe, there are plenty of rich people in China who can afford pinball machines.

    It's like when Yao Ming came to the NBA and it was mentioned there are hundreds or thousands of seven-foot tall Chinese athletes out there, so if the country gets the basketball bug watch out.

    Point is when you have that many people, you also have a ton of every type of person, whether it's the wealthiest, poorest, tallest, shortest, least pinballiest or (potentially) most pinballiest.

    #27 6 years ago

    It's all a ruse to get the rest of the WWE stock unloaded.

    Seriously though, it could be great for pinball if this market opened up.

    #28 6 years ago
    Quoted from PinballManiac40:

    How will the people in China buy $5400 pro games? My only guess will be they build them there.

    1) I think you're a little out of date here, China's economy is growing by leaps and bounds, and their population is so huge that even if their middle-class market is smaller than USA's in terms of percentage, it's still a big market.

    2) China still has arcades worth speaking of.

    #29 6 years ago

    If it catches on, growth of pinball in China would dwarf the growth here.

    #30 6 years ago
    Quoted from SilverBallz:

    Maybe they’ll start making counterfeits and we could get nib games for $500!!!

    I would totally pay $500 for a Storn or Jersey Jake machine.

    #31 6 years ago

    I'm sure most people are wondering if more cheap parts will find there way into our pins!! When Walmart came out,they reached out to a Paint brush co.that made the best commercial Brushes,and told them they would buy pallets of brushes to sell all over! Then,after the deal is done,Walmart says they gotta pay less ,cause there selling more! So,the co.(Purdy) made a cheaper product to sell,and lost the market!

    #32 6 years ago

    Do not forget, they produce already a pinball machine in China ....

    download (resized).jpgdownload (resized).jpg

    #33 6 years ago

    Import duties are huge in China. So it's going to be an expensive exercise. But it appears to be aimed at getting games on location since arcades are still a thing. Apart from the mega wealthy, I can't see home collection of pinball taking off.

    Having said that, its Hard to imagine the new importer won't be immediately trying to find a way to have them manufactured locally.

    #34 6 years ago

    I personally believe NIB pinball machine is a luxury item. To sell or promote pinball in China, GSET may need to team up with a few luxury apartment developers. Just like what Tesla did.

    http://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/buy-us5m-hong-kong-flat-and-get-tesla-car

    On the other hand, I am not sure how many Chinese willing to buy a pinball machine and put it in their home. I was born in Hong Kong and all my Asian friends think I am crazy to put a few pinball machines in my house, plus they think all the pinball machine is the same, they don't know each machine has different set of rules. I hope GSET can crack the Chinese market. They need to keep "pounding the rock."

    #35 6 years ago

    This is great news..kudos!

    #36 6 years ago
    Quoted from TomDK:

    Do not forget, they produce already a pinball machine in China ....

    Thunderbirds is also made there

    Reply

    Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

    Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

    Donate to Pinside

    Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


    This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/stern-announces-new-china-distributor?hl=blueberryjohnson and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

    Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.