Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. I’m a service provider and market my own services. I value the relationships I build because I know if I treat my clients well that they will keep coming back to me for many years to come. I always take the big picture, long term approach and never try to make a quick buck at the expense of jeopardizing that trusted client relationship. I think Stern is at least straddling the line at this point. If another pin manufacturer every gets their act together completely and takes a more customer centric approach, I can certainly see Stern losing market share.

Can’t agree more. I feel the same way about my Seawitch. You can get 2 to 3 classic Sterns for the price of a new Stern premium. It will be interesting to see how Stern’s price increase impacts, if any, the secondary market for older pins.

I think you are over simplifying your analysis. The past doesn’t always predict the future. At some point Stern will hit the ceiling with its NIB prices whether it’s due to inflation, increases in cost of materials or just trying to maximize profit. At that point, people will start looking elsewhere for their pinball fix. Maybe it will be classic Sterns, maybe it will be the Bally Williams pins. I think it will be interesting. Everything about this hobby is interesting. In the end, I guess every pin doesn’t increase exactly $100 across the board every year. Anyone that follows this hobby knows that’s not correct.

I just don’t think it’s that exact of a science. Maybe it went up $200. Maybe $300. Prices are all over the place on pins. That’s what makes it interesting. I find it a bit humorous that “the Pinside experts” declare that there is a straight line rule of $100 increases across the board for all pins each and every year.

By the way, I’m not complaining about the price increases. However, the thing people like you and Crazy Levi are missing is that everyone’s compensation isn’t also increasing at the same rate. Other consumer products prices are also increasing. Everyone is competing for the same dollar. Some are essential, some are not. Of course, there are always people that will be able to afford pins no matter what, but at some point the price will be so high that it just won’t be worth it anymore regardless of whether the price is justified or not.

There’s always a bubble with everything at some point.

My point exactly. You can’t assume everyone is getting cost of living or any raise to match the increase in pinball prices. I think that is/was the hole in your logic.

I actually think pinball people are very educated and sharp. They certainly aren’t stupid. I’m continually impressed by how articulate the vast majority of the Pinsiders are. You must interpret a lot of posts through a different lens than I do.