Quoted from HereToStay:When you are looking at buying or selling a game, what does the phrase “needs a shop job” mean to you?
“Shop job” is just nebulous enough to mean different things to different people, and the phrase is probably best avoided to reduce confusion.
My definition matches Isochronic’s, and I always assumed this was basically “universal” and non controversial:
Quoted from Isochronic_Frost:Machine needs to have all the plastics and topside mechs removed to give it a deep clean, change burnt out lights, replace all the rubbers, rebuild the mechs. It’s very common, games need them every few years.
Game intact and mostly functional, but in obvious need of a good scrubbing and some TLC = shop job
Game not playable and needs full playfield teardown and/or major mechanical or electronics rebuild = full overhaul
