You should reply because this isn't CL,it is Pinside. It was set up so that we could communicate as a community and help each other in this hobby. I have purchased from an inquiry and did expect to pay more as I was the hunter but the seller never abused the value of machine.

I guess I don't have any games anyone wants, since I've never been received an unsolicited offer Most of my games I have no interest in selling, but if someone inquired about one of the few games that I am not strongly attached to, I would certainly be open to it since it would likely motivate me to get something new -- can't have an empty spot in the lineup. Regardless, it would not bother me if someone asked, opens the door for future transactions.

When I sell, I typically tell the person that part of the deal is they have to let me know when they are ready to sell it, so I can have right of first refusal. Obviously not everyone adheres to that, but I have gotten a couple of calls when someone was getting ready to sell a machine I had sold to them, and did buy one back at the price I originally sold it to them for. And the person that has my BK2K sure has heck better call me when they are ready to sell it -- you know who you are.

I was a little taken back when I received my first cold call to sell a pin a few years ago but I have gotten used to it. Can't blame someone for going after what they want. Like others have stated - be nice and courteous when you are reaching out blindly to ask- it makes a difference and just might snag you that pin your after.

That response is a trainwreck.

Not really. This is basically how I found one of my keeper games. I asked on RGP if anyone owned such and such game and ONE guy came back and said "yes I have serial number...... "and that's how the deal began.

John P. Dayhuff
Battle Creek, MI.
269-979-3836

I don't mind it at all. If I don't want to sell I just say "Not really looking to sell but you can make me a crazy offer." I think that this is actually one of the benefits of this little community of ours. You may have not considered selling something but somebody asks and you have an easy sale.

I have met mostly great guys and a few a-holes. If we've met and you want to know which category you fall in shoot me a p.m.

I think back and I did PM nicovolta about his Surf Side which wasn't for sale, but was going to cost more at the time then I wanted to pay and it was in Texas anyway. So he sold it to rat and then later rat traded it to me. So I guess it never hurts to ask?

Uh, no. That might work if a game is readily available, but what if there are only 1 or 2 of them in the area, and you don't want to ship?
What REALLY works best is getting to know the owner, visiting them, playing the game you'd like to own some day, and THEN making them an offer that they'll keep in the back of their mind, even if they say "no" for now.

I had an instance when I asked about a game, the individual said they would sell it. Then they looked at my collection, and asked if I would sell one of mine, and when I said it wasn't for sale, they politely said neither was theirs any more.

Goes both ways, I guess.

I get it quite a bit and always respond to tell them I'm not looking to sell....which I'm not unless I throw it out there for sale. I did sell one time to a guy that made me a CRAZY offer for a game and to be quite honest it wasn't a immediate decision maker, I had to think about it for a couple of weeks and then then I counter offered and he couldn't send me the money fast enough. I had been thinking about selling it but knowing that I'd NEVER find another one and for what it took for me to find the game it was a tough decision but I agreed to it and have resented it now ever since.....ugh !! It wasn't the money it was the fact that once it was gone it was gone for good.....but we'll see....

John P. Dayhuff
Battle Creek, MI.
269-979-3836

This happened to me once. It went on for months before he finally wore me down, but his offers kept going up until I finally caved in. That's OK because in the end he wanted it more than I did. I think.

I have been PM'ed a few times and asked if I was interested in selling one of my pins. I rarely sell any of my pins but I honestly don't mind unless it turns into haunting me about it. As long as its done politely I feel its perfectly acceptable.

You are all welcome to send me unsolicited offers for any of my games except LOTR, TOM, IJ4 (daughter's fave), STTNG, and WOZ (wife's fave).

I've done this multiple times and every time got a game out of it and even made friends with local guys that I would not have known unless I reached out

If someone wants to make an offer on my LOTR, please PM me. Perfect thread.

he either just got to me or I am being trolled, LOL.

"Hi , are you open to sell your time machine?

Give me a price that would make you comfortable

Thx

Stef"

He opened with a hello and told me his name so I will at least reply. He is not going to like the number

Hello Hilton,
Would you like to sell your Congo at a price that makes me comfortable ? I'm all warm and snuggly at $1500.
Thanks,
Gryszzz

lol you soab

It's why I own two games. No one asks me to sell one of my two. It gives me the bonus that my opinions are often less important to those who measure success by pinball machines owned in threads too

I thought you went out soliciting for Eager Beavers here not too long ago, right? Didn't find any for sale?

Saw this thread, had no idea what it was about, thought I would check it out. I've got a game that will be listed soon and guess what, a local is looking to buy one. If the sale happens, I'll be making a donation to Pinside. If it doesn't happen, no loss, I'll just list it when I'm ready. Good subject for a thread. Thread title could be better though.

So nobody has to look at my game list and wonder which game, Austin Powers.

Cheers.

I got one pin this way and all the people who messaged me back were really cool about it even if they were not selling. We are all collectors and know what it is like to hunt down a pin. I have never bought a pin from a for sale ad actually. I dig word of mouth and planting seeds of - let me know if you ever want to sell in the future.

I get some PM's to buy my ACDC. I was not interested in selling, but guided folks to others who had one for sale if I could. If you help people buy and sell in their collections the karma will come back to you. It has for me.

Another tip I would recommend if you pm folks is to soft sell people and say "If you ever want to sell ___ let me know. My wife really likes it and I will pay a fair price for it. Nice collection you have - love your Pinside posts." Tell your story and make a friend along the way. Plant some seeds for the future if can not get a purchase going. Be cool.

thats the right way IMO

I've both purchased and sold pins on cold calls. I only reach out if I'm absolutely willing to buy and at a premium - condition obviously considered.

I receive about one unsolicited offer every four to six weeks or so on my Varkon. I've had multiple unsolicited offers on my doctor who over the years but not regularly or all that frequent (maybe four or so).

I've never had an unsolicited offer on any other game I own though, just those two.

Fine, I'll trade you my Space Station for Iron Man. Do you deliver?

Which reminds me, when are you going to be ready to sell me that tx-sector? Ed

I've contacted users on pinballowners.com, but only if that title says "for sale or maybe". If it says "never", I assume they don't want to be bothered, or they'll want crazy money. Never had a transaction go through.

I think the point being made is that sending a pm just might free up a local pin that was not otherwise for sale......even if you created a wanted add. Offering a little over the current market value might just get someone to move a game they wouldn't have otherwise.

Oh, and I think it's perfectly okay to not respond to one.

No Eager Beaver, no Wonderland, no Thunderbird, and no Fun House. Just as well. I decided to just see what comes my way instead and plenty of good ones did. All those others will probably turn up some day.

I had a trade offer once here on Pinside but the guy didn't look at my profile properly and thought I lived nearby in Albany NY instead of Albury, Australia. Too bad really because it was a really nice Nitro Ground Shaker he had on offer. I would have liked that.

I've had a few people pm trying to buy something in my collection and I always politely respond that it's not for sale at this time.
But what I'm really thinking is what is wrong with this guy if I wanted to sell it I would have listed it for sale. I find it annoying to have someone I don't know cold call like that. If I know you its not as bad but still if I wanted to sell something I'd put up an ad.

Lol, I just went back to this thread. I meant inquiries...but injuries is a lot funnier. Autocorrect is great.

On the other hand, I've sold two pins I really didn't intend to sell at the time, based on someone posting a WTB thread.

I wouldn't mind if I got cold calls. As long as there polite although I've never gotten any.

when you increase the value amount in trade for your IJ

(and make the drive to WI, or atleast central IL)

Odds are that you both want too much for your IJ and TX.

So I guess the best option is to do both (I did both looking for my last pin).

actual odds are that neither will ever be available to you.

In reality both are priced fairly for condition, but of course neither really want to get rid of the game nor make a long drive.

I've received a few "cold calls" and I've made a few myself. It's how I got my Nitro ground shaker off pinballowners.

I don't mind it, I just politely reply back.

As a community I don't see a need to get upset or offended that someone is hunting for a pin they want and is reaching out to find it. We've all been on that hunt.

I'm in this club as well. I've seen games for sale and I always look at the persons collection to see if there is something else I might like that they have (if I'm not interested in there current game for sale)......and shoot them a PM. All they can say is no.....who knows as some have experienced they may get back to me later knowing I was interested in it at some point down the road.

I've also been PMed about selling a couple times as well. One time I picked up a pin and posted pics of it's nice condition.....a week or so later a local guy PMed me asking to trade the same pin he had (in less than nice shape) plus cash on my end. So a swap for the same pin with some moolah for me to sweeten the trade down on my end. I declined but it didn't bother me.....we were both cool about it and life went on.

I'm really pleased to see the comments from sellers who have reached out to others based on their wishlists. It can be insanely aggravating to miss out on a machine you really want just because you weren't monitoring ads every minute. Giving a first shot to someone with a wishlist is such a courteous, COMMUNITY thing to do. You know, decent human being kinda stuff.

Having recently been burned, missing out on a machine I really wanted for a price I couldn't refuse -- only because I couldn't magically appear that very second with cash in hand (you know, day job, commute to get there, etc.) -- I can't lie, that was unbelievably disappointing. Seeing folks starting a sale by checking local pinsiders' wish lists restores some hope.

I for one will definitely start a sale this way I'd I decide to sell any of mine in the future.

Hello Mr. Dayhuff,
Would you trade your King Kong for my City Slicker? My future wife really enjoys it. You're collection is the best of all time and your pinside posts are like Shakespeare.

I have been, and always shall be, your friend,
dmbjunky

Here's what annoyed me about it and why I own "two machines" according to my profile. For a while, I had the majority of the games that I own listed. I would often (at least once a month) get a PM like one of the two following:

"Hey, I see that you have a _____ right now. What is your price?"

"Neat! You have a ____ in your collection. I've always wanted to play that! I'm free Wednesday in town to stop by and play!"

The first one wasn't so bad except that half of the time when I would reply that I don't have a price and I'm not planning on selling it, I would get a response that was like, "If you aren't planning on selling it, why do you have so many listed? You're clearly a vendor. What do you have for sale?! Or are you just one of those jerks who only sells to their own clientele - a flipper who is in this hobby only to make money? You need to sell me that game!"

That happened with three different people three times in one year. There is *no* point that I have ever pretended I'm a vendor. I don't sell to a clientele. I have purchased in my life one game to flip, and that was about 10 years ago now. I hated the experience. Why it suddenly becomes personal that I have one of their games and am not selling is annoying.

The second one I just hate. I love people and friends and love having people over. Haven't done it in about five years because I have a TINY house and not enough space to comfortably put people, and babies make it tougher yet. But someone who I don't know at all, suggesting that they are going to come over to play a machine I own with me not knowing them at all just feels weird. The majority of those people would also do just that, telling me when they were free to come like I should just be free then.

So... I own two machines. The unsolicited sales emails and "stop by to play" emails have stopped. My friends in the hobby, which thanks to real-world meet ups like the Midwest Gaming Classic and Pinball Expo is a big group, all know that I have a few more than that. I also get a big grin on my face whenever I see people who don't know me discounting my opinion on some topic because of it.

Win - win - win.

I find that idea hilarious as well. Like people who play pinball but don't own any machines don't know what they are talking about.

I haven't messaged anybody in my area that has pinball if I could come play but I've thought about it. The closest place to play is two hours away and there have been times where it was hard to scratch the itch. I've been reluctant to do it though cause it makes me feel a little too much like a creeper.

Gryszzz has said I could come over any time though, so I'm looking forward to that. See ya in ten minutes!

I've gotten lots of requests to buy a Space Shuttle that I had on the pinball owners site. I eventually had to just delete the game to stop people from emailing me since I made the mistake of listing an email for whatever reason. Its not really a big deal to get requests I just expect it to some degree if I list my collection on different sites.

Yup - I am of the mindset that as long as you have played a pinball machine (any, even just one that isn't what is being talked about!), you can have an opinion. I have had people on these boards tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about with a game that I actually own because "You only own two games, and not this one so how would you know?" It's great. There is another local collector who has a similar number of games as I do who also lists his collection as two, and him and I have had conversations about how funny it is to have our opinions regularly dismissed by some over it.

There is a way that I think that it can be done without sounding like a creeper, but 90% of the messages that I got sounded like a creeper. To do it without sounding like a creeper, tell the person that you're a local area collector looking to meet others and invite them over first to play! Simple. Now, I'm busy as heck, so that might not work out, but maybe I can introduce you to some others that I know who do, and then you become "part of the group." But the "HEY, LEMME COME PLAY YOUR GAME IN THREE DAYS!" that people regularly did when I had most of my stuff listed just made me feel like they were trying to use me, or worse.