Quoted from TigerLaw:

METLE, I didn't think I'd need to pre-order the same day the prices were announced to get one and a couple days after the price release they were all gone. After that I tried to buy from a couple different flippers I was referred to but they wanted an $1,800 profit (I don't mind them making money but $1,800 for holding on to the rights of a game that hasn't been released yet seemed a bit much). Dampened my enthusiasm for the game and Stern . . . which Stern had just fixed with the really nice XMen code release.
Oh well, I'm probably being too whiny and just need to recover from the burned ass feeling for a few weeks.

Quoted from starbase:

Hassel jesus read your own posts. You sound like someone who got his favorite toy taken away, shit happened to lots of people. It sucks but dude you want the game more now than when you thought you had one. I bet you buy one as soon as you can for a fair price?
How does saying I am never ordering a Stern again do anything, they sold out without you? You think they will be butthurt if they lose your business? You are also talking about american company making a american made electronic game, can you say that and not want to support them?
The Metallica Fan Club got a ton of LEs and first dibs at that I am told. So I know this had a effect on allotments and a trickle down effect. Its as if Gary Stern and company forgot about there little fan club agreement with stern. Anyways I am not a Metallica club member but this is what I was told by a member who says he has a early release on order and had access to it because of his membership.
Rlevin nice threat sure those two games will be flying off the shelf. Why not just take your lumps and try again with Star Trek, margins are low anyways. But I could in my spare time be a distributor considering what you guys do (very little). You take a order you get money and than you ship the game from the manufacturer to customer. You do not have to much of anything but write a order. Seriously I can do that in my sleep.
See personally I manufacturer, design, retail at 5 stores I own and manage, deliver, customer service,ordering , inventory, advertising and marketing, shop competition , train sales staff, improve product, and have to stay one step ahead of the competition. So basically quit your whining and take your easy money. Your OMG I sell JJP now is laughable at best.
I really hate this whole thread and I am sorry you are not getting a game or stern cut you. But seriously grow up you guys all you distributors do not really do crap other than be a order take orders, there is no selling, customer calls you and gives you money and you are going to complain. And some of them will not lift a finger or just basically ignore the problem when there is one.
This is why I do not order a thing from Michael@ flipper fidelity, nice guy great guy awesome guy. Completely terribly service after major problem with my AC/DC on delivery. It took literally months for this guy to give me answer to my not easy to fix problem. Even if I gave him detailed account of problems he shipped me a part I did not need to fix the problem(new lockdown bar)if you were on my end and than waited 2 months to recieve a part that you did not need you would be pissed.Sorry Michael but you sucked ass on my 11k sale(ac/dc premium and tron pro) and now I buy from JJ and try very hard to not give you another penny(waits for FF defenders to tell me how nice is).(My AC/DC cabinets lockdown receiver holes were drilled to low and made it impossible to close lock down bar, even though a CNC machine drilled it ,it was slightly off). Local pinball tech verified the drilling was off slightly we even measured it versus my other sterns and it was a quarter inch or less off and after a lot of futzing around and adjustments it now closes poorly I still need to put weight on me and all the great guy stuff I hear drives me nuts, law of averages I guess, but his attitude and service went from "nicest guy in the world" to " I really do not get it, impossible) and it is hard to do it with one person(I just live with it now). Sorry off topic but another weight lifted and sick of all the Michael is great. JJ is great, Michael pissed me off enough that regardless of how good his stuff is I just buy from Pinball Pro who has given me excellent service and I am happy with the sound too. I am left with a scratch on the corner top of my cabinet because I continued to play it for two months and my little brother had the lockdown pop off during a game because we could not close it, I do not blame my little brother I blame shitty customer service. So seriously I know I should start a new thread and blast him but I rather just put it right here in this one because I think it speaks volumes for what most of you do if theres a problem, you put your tails between your legs and deny a issue because lets be frank you have my money and you have moved onto your next game. JJ and his Dad have always been there for me before and after and I am confident if I purchased it from him he would have listened to my issue and not ignored the problem like Michael did. I expect a PM from Michael now and you know what I will just blast him there too. Because I documented all calls with him and how long I received a call back and it was just sad how he treated me after his sale. I actually paid 300 bucks more than JJ all because everyone said how nice he was(pinside was right nice until there was a issue). I really wanted to make a thread about my experience but I choose the high road of not supporting me. But I have new feeling about holding shit in and you know what I am not going to do that anymore. He got easy money from me and as soon as there was a problem he made me feel miserable about the purchase and made me wait two months for the wrong part. Anyone want to buy a new lockdown bar? I have one sitting in my garage that I never needed and waited two months for, still to this day I scratch my head because I explained in detail not the lockdown bar it was the receiver not being high enough(yes I adjusted it to its highest setting).
So in short you got it easy, you do nothing but take orders, I know I know ban incoming I said something bad again. Deal with it, bunch of whiny distributors who do nothing but write a order place a order and than count money. What about when shit goes wrong, what will you do tell me call 1800 kickers? Anyways to much info but I cannot believe you whine about your easy money.
This thread makes me want to become a distributor I like free money too, and I do call my customers back and fix a problem if there is one. So in short you got it easy, quit your bitching and enjoy your easy money before someone smarter in business and better with customer service comes along and takes your customers and your easy free money. Be careful who you buy from make sure there is going to be follow up after the sale. Not neener I got your money bu by sucker. Glad I could shed some light on my feelings on stern Distributors. If I could buy direct from Stern I would to avoid all you middle men. There are some good distributors who do follow up besides JJ so just be careful who you buy from. I know I will get flamed for this but I just do not understand your side and cannot fathom you do not understand how easy it is for you to make some nice side money with almost zero effort and in Michaels case almost zero follow up or care after he had my money.
p.s. I did not get bumped by JJ and am thankful for that and feel bad for anyone who was bumped.

Quoted from starbase:

Hassel jesus read your own posts. You sound like someone who got his favorite toy taken away, shit happened to lots of people. It sucks but dude you want the game more now than when you thought you had one. I bet you buy one as soon as you can for a fair price?
How does saying I am never ordering a Stern again do anything, they sold out without you? You think they will be butthurt if they lose your business? You are also talking about american company making a american made electronic game, can you say that and not want to support them?
The Metallica Fan Club got a ton of LEs and first dibs at that I am told. So I know this had a effect on allotments and a trickle down effect. Its as if Gary Stern and company forgot about there little fan club agreement with stern. Anyways I am not a Metallica club member but this is what I was told by a member who says he has a early release on order and had access to it because of his membership.
Rlevin nice threat sure those two games will be flying off the shelf. Why not just take your lumps and try again with Star Trek, margins are low anyways. But I could in my spare time be a distributor considering what you guys do (very little). You take a order you get money and than you ship the game from the manufacturer to customer. You do not have to much of anything but write a order. Seriously I can do that in my sleep.
See personally I manufacturer, design, retail at 5 stores I own and manage, deliver, customer service,ordering , inventory, advertising and marketing, shop competition , train sales staff, improve product, and have to stay one step ahead of the competition. So basically quit your whining and take your easy money. Your OMG I sell JJP now is laughable at best.
I really hate this whole thread and I am sorry you are not getting a game or stern cut you. But seriously grow up you guys all you distributors do not really do crap other than be a order take orders, there is no selling, customer calls you and gives you money and you are going to complain. And some of them will not lift a finger or just basically ignore the problem when there is one.
This is why I do not order a thing from Michael@ flipper fidelity, nice guy great guy awesome guy. Completely terribly service after major problem with my AC/DC on delivery. It took literally months for this guy to give me answer to my not easy to fix problem. Even if I gave him detailed account of problems he shipped me a part I did not need to fix the problem(new lockdown bar)if you were on my end and than waited 2 months to recieve a part that you did not need you would be pissed.Sorry Michael but you sucked ass on my 11k sale(ac/dc premium and tron pro) and now I buy from JJ and try very hard to not give you another penny(waits for FF defenders to tell me how nice is).(My AC/DC cabinets lockdown receiver holes were drilled to low and made it impossible to close lock down bar, even though a CNC machine drilled it ,it was slightly off). Local pinball tech verified the drilling was off slightly we even measured it versus my other sterns and it was a quarter inch or less off and after a lot of futzing around and adjustments it now closes poorly I still need to put weight on me and all the great guy stuff I hear drives me nuts, law of averages I guess, but his attitude and service went from "nicest guy in the world" to " I really do not get it, impossible) and it is hard to do it with one person(I just live with it now). Sorry off topic but another weight lifted and sick of all the Michael is great. JJ is great, Michael pissed me off enough that regardless of how good his stuff is I just buy from Pinball Pro who has given me excellent service and I am happy with the sound too. I am left with a scratch on the corner top of my cabinet because I continued to play it for two months and my little brother had the lockdown pop off during a game because we could not close it, I do not blame my little brother I blame shitty customer service. So seriously I know I should start a new thread and blast him but I rather just put it right here in this one because I think it speaks volumes for what most of you do if theres a problem, you put your tails between your legs and deny a issue because lets be frank you have my money and you have moved onto your next game. JJ and his Dad have always been there for me before and after and I am confident if I purchased it from him he would have listened to my issue and not ignored the problem like Michael did. I expect a PM from Michael now and you know what I will just blast him there too. Because I documented all calls with him and how long I received a call back and it was just sad how he treated me after his sale. I actually paid 300 bucks more than JJ all because everyone said how nice he was(pinside was right nice until there was a issue). I really wanted to make a thread about my experience but I choose the high road of not supporting me. But I have new feeling about holding shit in and you know what I am not going to do that anymore. He got easy money from me and as soon as there was a problem he made me feel miserable about the purchase and made me wait two months for the wrong part. Anyone want to buy a new lockdown bar? I have one sitting in my garage that I never needed and waited two months for, still to this day I scratch my head because I explained in detail not the lockdown bar it was the receiver not being high enough(yes I adjusted it to its highest setting).
So in short you got it easy, you do nothing but take orders, I know I know ban incoming I said something bad again. Deal with it, bunch of whiny distributors who do nothing but write a order place a order and than count money. What about when shit goes wrong, what will you do tell me call 1800 kickers? Anyways to much info but I cannot believe you whine about your easy money.
This thread makes me want to become a distributor I like free money too, and I do call my customers back and fix a problem if there is one. So in short you got it easy, quit your bitching and enjoy your easy money before someone smarter in business and better with customer service comes along and takes your customers and your easy free money. Be careful who you buy from make sure there is going to be follow up after the sale. Not neener I got your money bu by sucker. Glad I could shed some light on my feelings on stern Distributors. If I could buy direct from Stern I would to avoid all you middle men. There are some good distributors who do follow up besides JJ so just be careful who you buy from. I know I will get flamed for this but I just do not understand your side and cannot fathom you do not understand how easy it is for you to make some nice side money with almost zero effort and in Michaels case almost zero follow up or care after he had my money.
p.s. I did not get bumped by JJ and am thankful for that and feel bad for anyone who was bumped.

Quoted from Nevus:

Did I just read, you guys all quit whining but listen to how bad I got screwed?

Quoted from starbase:

his thread makes me want to become a distributor I like free money too, and I do call my customers back and fix a problem if there is one.