the game should go back to the distributor with a big discount from stern, and OP should get a new machine shipped out ( after inspection )

I still think Stern should just hire a decal installer and get the new decals installed at the guys house. It would a) fix the problem...and b) they wouldn't look greedy.

Current decals on game could devalue resale $200-$300. Stern offers replacement decals which cost them $50.

At this point, id take decals and a $250 check from Stern and call it a day..

that is terrible and shouldn't happen

stern need to cough up more than a set of decals, should include the labour costs for someone to come in and install or a kiss topper so you are happy with the outcome and feel looked after.

like if Gary got a new car and the paint was peeling off within a month and Ford just sent him a can of paint and said paint it yourself - your local distributor has the responsibility to sort it out or settle on a good deal. I bet Stern are worried as what ever they do will become a public solution for what they do for any future dramas. What they need to do is improve QA and look at the process of how they were applied or if it was a rushed day on that day.

hope you achieve a favourable solution.

free new decal set? ok, but do u need to frig around and do it yourself?.... surely they take it back and get someone who knows what they are doing to do it. then ship it back to you. and hey, a big discount off their next title (if your interested ; p )

Exercise and explore your return options. Not sure your form of payment, but if you used Amex your options are several layers deep ( purchase protection compiled with their warranty for large purchases ). You purchased a new game, not a defective wrinkled shell of a game. Imagine what potential other items may be " not right " in your damaged game. Stern really needs to look into some manufacturing principles emphasizing quality while maintaining productivity ( i.e., Lean manufacturing concepts, Lean Sigma, etc... ).

i think id go with this option.

Are you going to have the distributor unbox the new game and do a quality control check?

Screw NIB games any more, I will take a HUO that I can inspect all day long! When I buy a NIB pin I don't want to have to hold my breath while I unbox it.

That is awesome that your distributor is taking care of you and will exchange the game. Kudos to your distributor.

FAILING GRADE FOR STERN
DISTRIBUTOR A+. If he takes the game back and gives you a new one at the end of the summer as stated.

Very happy that you found a suitable solution from your distributor. Stern obviously doesn't give a shit what they send out!! Just be glad it was a Pro and NOT a LE. Then you'd probably be stuck with it. I'm going to go over my Premium with a fine tooth comb when it arrives. I'd post your hacked up decals on Stern's Facebook page.

That's great. No surprises then.

What a shame for Stern!

Problems could happen at every Company,
you could only see the real Quality of a Company if a Problem is there

AND HOW THEY HANDLE IT

absolute failed and a shame!

in europe that would be against the law!
I am surprised that this is possible in the USA

A+ to your distri!
but in his case i would not exept this, too.

OP is in Belgium and last time I checked Belgium is within Europe :

And this is a perfect solution so why not accept it? He gets a new Kiss and he can keep his old Kiss to play till the new one arrives?? What can be wrong with this?

stern fails but distributor is A+

I know of a MET LED pro this has happened on too on the back box. Decals have almost fallen off. Having done wet method on a wood cabinet, I put on a bunch of liquid and after smoothing it out the same is left underneath to dry whether u put a little or a lot. The decals when dry not even an edge came up ever. Maybe decal wet method over a metal non porous finish leads to problems installing wet. Anyway it's sad to see happen. Hopefully this isn't an ongoing issue. I'd like to get an IMVE and METPro

you are right!

Distri A+
Stern failed

but i think also at the Distri - why must it be HIS problem !!

It isn't the distributor's fault, obviously the machine came bad from the factory. But I think it bears repeating (and I know I have said it at least once in this thread), Stern sells to the distributor, not the customer. Stern is the factory, not the sales outlet.

So, proper chain in this type of thing should be:
a) Customer buys machine from distributor.
b) Customer notices issue with the machine.
c) Customer notifies the distributor.
d) Distributor makes it right for customer.
e) Distributor deals with Stern to get a credit on the machine, or money back, or whatever they need to make themselves right.

That is why distributors get a chunk of change. They are supposed to be the middleman. You buy a defective piece of furniture from a store, you take it back to the store and get a new one. You don't call up the furniture factory and start yelling. They have no idea who you are. (See what I did there, I avoided a cargument)

So I do say "boo" to Stern for shipping an obviously defective decal job in the first place. A QC issue that definitely should've been caught. However offering to ship free decals to the customer is not out of line imo. That is really all Stern is set up to do.

If I were the distributor in this situation I would be calling up Stern looking for a refund or credit on a future machine, then everyone is made right.

Decals were mailed to my buddy on his MET.

I would re-title this with the outcome of what happend (e.g. Stern fails, distro saves the day) and we keep bumping it at least until the next game comes out, if not forever.

This is "Crap, Crap, and Megacrap" as my SM likes to remind me...

Don't be surprised. In Europe, the government protects people from big business. In the U.S., the government protects big business from people.

There should be decals sent out and pay someone to take old ones off and apply new ones. Either that or Stern pay to send it back n send a new one out. Any other solution is inadequate IMO.

OP at least they will send out a new one. Play the heck outta this one and then get a new one in a few months. Not a bad solution IMO. I would not touch the decals that's their problem to deal with.

The Dist is going above and beyond....I would pack up the existing Kiss and give it back to the Dist so he can install the new decals and try to sell it asap to recover some funds. I would ask for my money back or store credit to be used to buy the new Kiss when it arrives. Yes you don't get to play while waiting but that is the fair thing for all involved.

I'm more interested in what Stern will do for the Distributor who "purchased" the machine. The Distributor did exactly the right thing for the customer and I would buy from this entity till the cows come home. Quality control is a fail, however it would be real interesting to see what Stern does for this distributor, perhaps he can let us know what kinda company we are all supporting.

I'd be very interested to know as well. I hope they would stand behind their product and the distributors that help sell machines to the public.

Sounds like its the just the decals for the distro - Stern only offered the decals, but the distro knew it was a b***s**t offer so took it on himself to swap the game and will do the re-decal himself. Then sell it off as a demo. Distro needs Stern so doesnt want to create waves.

Full marks to the distro. Full fail to Stern.

for sure. whoever the distributor is, please let us know what Stern does here.

tell us who your distributor is OP... we want to know, such a gracious act ...

this thread aint goin anywhere.

This is how Stern has been dealing with crappy decals since they started using them on Transformers.

My friends NIB game, A Transformers and his first NIB, arrived with wrinkled decals. Sterns remedy was a new set of decals similar to the OP. As others have pointed out this is not an acceptable remedy for the issue.

With what NIB games are selling for these types of issues are absurd and something I reflect on when considering buying NIB from them. Having an interest in some upcoming titles and then reading this thread has me closing my checkbook.

Id rather have a game with unfinished code ship than this type of poor craftsmanship. Smh.

After all this people will still be popping a blood vessel to buy the next stern machine

I think it's easy to understand why. If you want a NIB from anyone but Stern, you are in for at least a few months wait minimum, if not years.

When there are in-stock options that compete with Stern, it might be a little different.

Not to hijack this thread, but what do you think about these defects? The game plays great but cosmetically Im a little disappointed..reading more of this topic has kind of increased my concern on it.

The decal in the front is not sealed above the edge of the coin door.
The translite art have these weird indentions on the bottom, there also appears to be some warpage around these areas
The start button and the slot below it doesn't have the paint finished around them.

There was also a chip in the decal around the left speaker grill, but I filled that in with a sharpie.
There was also a good wrinkles around the flipper buttons, but some new rails helped cover those.

I've had it since early July, and I initially sent an email to Stern through their site, but heard no response. After hearing the complaints about the game itself, I just enjoyed playing and tried to overlook the cosmetic defects. But wanting to keep this game I'm more than a little disappointed that my first pin is dinged up like it is, new out of the box.

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If this is really getting under your skin contact your distributer send him the pictures and your concerns. It's always best to voice concerns about machine sooner than later. I think your issues are pretty minor when compared to the OP in this thread but Stern may send you out a new translight or something to help ease the situation.

thanks.

This really makes me scared of buying a new Stern.

You can't raise prices and lower quality. But not sure if Stern cares as once they announce a new pin, everyone will flock to buy.

Why? 99% of them are ok; still best pinball manufacturer for me.

My tron decals have areas that are not great. It's in the almost worth to complain category but I loved the game so much I just dealt with it. I wish I would have said something so they started to get a history of these decals are not ok

I'll tell you what... I did this very thing to one of the beloved boutique companies and was flat out told "we don't have time to read everything written or look at all the pictures people send us". Then to have "sounds like you machine is haunted" be sent as a response to software concerns was the final straw.

It ain't just Stern with these opinions on what is acceptable.

Now that's a really funny but at the same time really naughty response . Not sure how I'd have taken it to be honest

I would never waste my money on a NIB Stern game. Just not worth it. I'd rather wait and buy one used. The current NIB prices in relation to quality stinks and I don't see it getting any better.

Looks like I will be joining the club here, but not near as bad as OP's pin. Two weeks ago I smoothed out a slight wrinkle on the front by coin door and now it is back ten fold, so I wonder would happen and what it would like if I let it set for a month or two months without attempting to smooth it out.

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Man, that is unbelievable!

Wow, starting to regret Gary's visit to China to see their manufacturing prowess

Yeah that's terrible. Paying big $$$ and that's what you get.

Holy shit.

What model is that? The kiss logo looks metallic?