and this is why this thread is helpful to me. Seems I picked the one place that does things differently. If you go on their website now you will see there is no option for placing a deposit. It is simply says "preorder" click it and you have no option other to pay in full. Easy to verify.
Quoted from amhpensfan:I really thought I said who it was Without saying it lol...... Yes it was Flip N out. I am sorry if I seemed to derail the thread. That was not my intent. This thread has been very helpful to me and seems to be my only source for true information and i appreciate it!
Did you just order online on their website or did you talk to Zach and get on a list? If you talk to Zach he normally just puts you on a list. If you just order online, well, you’re paying up front.
**Seeing your other reply, it looks like you straight up ordered online. Had you called or texted Zach, he’d just put you on a list. Dude never takes money before your item is ready for shipment unless you’re just blindly ordering online.
I did the same thing for my first pin. I just straight up ordered Turtles online before talking to him.
Quoted from vicjw66:Sounds like my distributor. But it would be nice if they told us how many premiums they get in the May run, and what position on the list we were on, and what position on the list we now sit going into the next run, (assuming we don’t make the cut)
I want to clarify that I’m speaking future tense here. The last time I spoke to my distributor was last month and he did not know what his allotment would be for the upcoming runs and he also wasn’t sure if anyone might bow out that was ahead of me on the list. So I’m hoping after this run is done he will give me a more accurate picture of my chances. Now for the guys who paid in full, I would expect full disclosure of exactly what’s going on.
Quoted from Walk:Did you just order online on their website or did you talk to Zach and get on a list? If you talk to Zach he normally just puts you on a list. If you just order online, well, you’re paying up front.
**Seeing your other reply, it looks like you straight up ordered online. Had you called or texted Zach, he’d just put you on a list. Dude never takes money before your item is ready for shipment unless you’re just blindly ordering online.
I did the same thing for my first pin. I just straight up ordered Turtles online before talking to him.
Zach should not have his website set up to have newbies paying in full for a game they might not get for more than a year. I doubt they understand this.
Quoted from vicjw66:Zach should not have his website set up to have newbies paying in full for a game they might not get for more than a year. I doubt they understand this.
I was going to say, it’s pretty easy to just set the site up for $500/$1000 deposits with a general ETA......every other distro site does it. It shouldn’t require direct communication to get on any ‘list’ without paying. That’s the point of having a website set up to accept transactions.
Quoted from vicjw66:Zach should not have his website set up to have newbies paying in full for a game they might not get for more than a year. I doubt they understand this.
Quoted from Capn12:I was going to say, it’s pretty easy to just set the site up for $500/$1000 deposits with a general ETA......every other distro site does it. It shouldn’t require direct communication to get on any ‘list’ without paying. That’s the point of having a website set up to accept transactions.
Definitely good info. And i totally agree. As I said, I made this mistake myself on my first purchase.
Quoted from Walk:Definitely good info. And i totally agree. As I said, I made this mistake myself on my first purchase.
I’m not sure about when you ordered but the links usually say pre-order and there is some estimation of which run in the description. The descriptions also say preorder is refundable minus credit card or PayPal fees…
I ordered Nov 5th. There was no indication. i emailed him and he told me mid next year, or later. So if it delivers between now and 5years from now i guess he was right. And yes I did see preorders are refundable. So do you suggest I would get a game faster if I get out of the line I got in on Nov 5th and purchased from someone else? My confusion comes when I see people who ordered a few months ago with delivery of the same exact game. Maybe the system is broken. It is what it is. If i did not love this game i would bail. I rank it 2nd to MM personally.
Quoted from amhpensfan:I ordered Nov 5th. There was no indication. i emailed him and he told me mid next year, or later. So if it delivers between now and 5years from now i guess he was right. And yes I did see preorders are refundable. So do you suggest I would get a game faster if I get out of the line I got in on Nov 5th and purchased from someone else? My confusion comes when I see people who ordered a few months ago with delivery of the same exact game. Maybe the system is broken. It is what it is. If i did not love this game i would bail. I rank it 2nd to MM personally.
The well known distros have a backlog. Some of the smaller ones might have earlier availability, maybe. No distro is getting every game they order, so I’d expect a wait for certain titles no matter where you go. Pros and cons to large or small distros.
This is not a normal scenario. Stern has a backlog and has since IL was shut down for 2-3 months early on in covid. They haven’t caught up from that but then they have put out a few high demand games since then, plus some high demand titles still in production designed pre-covid. Normally, if you order a stern you can find one in stock and it will be on the way to you in days, or on the line and drop shipped. Hopefully they will be able to catch up to the point that the waits are 1-2 months at worst. A manufacturer would love to know they have some backlog, but it varies by industry. My employer has never had less than a 12 month backlog but never longer than 24 months. That timeline is agreeable to us and our customer base. That range doesn’t go over quite so well in pinball.
Quoted from amhpensfan:I ordered Nov 5th. There was no indication. i emailed him and he told me mid next year, or later. So if it delivers between now and 5years from now i guess he was right. And yes I did see preorders are refundable. So do you suggest I would get a game faster if I get out of the line I got in on Nov 5th and purchased from someone else? My confusion comes when I see people who ordered a few months ago with delivery of the same exact game. Maybe the system is broken. It is what it is. If i did not love this game i would bail. I rank it 2nd to MM personally.
Don’t get out of line without something else lined up. Your only hope of getting it faster (at MSRP) is following this thread closely to see if they add any additional runs later this year, and the minute they do, pull up the Stern distributor website and spend an hour calling around. Some distros don’t have these never ending lists, and will only take deposits once a their allocation is set.
Another consideration: don’t assume MSRP on a premium will be $8999 in 2023 (should you not make the cut this year). They easily could be $9500-10000 soon…and certainly don’t assume you’re locked in at that price despite paying in full..you will get invoiced for the difference.
I just got my Deadpool premium for 8k shipped from a large coin-op distributor listed on the Stern website, ordered it in early April. I called a popular pinball dealer that I've been buying nib from for over 15 years and they quoted me 9k + shipping and couldn't tell me when I'd get it. It pays to shop around.
Quoted from sanctumwear:I just got my Deadpool premium for 8k shipped from a large coin-op distributor listed on the Stern website, ordered it in early April. I called a popular pinball dealer that I've been buying nib from for over 15 years and they quoted me 9k + shipping and couldn't tell me when I'd get it. It pays to shop around.
I think i know who you’re referring to, and they asked me for a 50% down payment, which honestly i can’t do ona game that could potentially be months out, as i typically sell one game to buy another…but you will get a premium for about 1k below MSRP if you’re willing
I wonder if Stern has a policy about deposits for the distributors to follow, to prevent liability issues?
Quoted from pinballjah:I wonder if Stern has a policy about deposits for the distributors to follow, to prevent liability issues?
Liability on a deposit? How would Stern have any liability from a business practice by a distributor?
Only one time did I pay full in advance, when I got Godzilla LE. It was from a distributor I never dealt with before. I didn’t think it was normal but I was just happy that I got one because my two usual dealers were sold out.
One funny time I got a STLE (those were the days $7700 all in). I sent an actual paper check, I got my game but the check had never cleared. I called up the distributor to remind them to cash the check.
Quoted from rai:Only one time did I pay full in advance, when I got Godzilla LE. It was from a distributor I never dealt with before. I didn’t think it was normal but I was just happy that I got one because my two usual dealers were sold out.
One funny time I got a STLE (those were the days $7700 all in). I sent an actual paper check, I got my game but the check had never cleared. I called up the distributor to remind them to cash the check.
MSRP for STLE was $7700? Damn.
Quoted from amhpensfan:and this is why this thread is helpful to me. Seems I picked the one place that does things differently. If you go on their website now you will see there is no option for placing a deposit. It is simply says "preorder" click it and you have no option other to pay in full. Easy to verify.
Our apologies buddy, we are working on clarification for the website. We would happily refund your money until your game is ready to ship if you'd like, just message or email me and let me know. As people have stated above, we are one of the only dealers that you can message or email an order to and you don't pay a penny until your game is close to shipping. But the website management and modification is messy and we are working on it, so yes I agree and do apologize.
That money is long gone lol. The benefit I realize in not paying in full is some communication as far as knowing a little in advance. Would be nice to get an invoice just so that I would know the game was shipping soon! It is confusing when some people know how many games their distributer has on order and what number they are on that list. Sterns way of poke and hope is turning people off for sure to the process. First time buyers (that their seems to be a lot of)
from what I have seen are not going to look back on the process of getting a NIB machine as a good experience. And the last thing you want to do is piss off who you purchased from because with the lack of transparancy they could say F this guy I am going to skip him and ship to a friend etc... and you hope that if you have an issue when you finally get it they will be responsive.
ugh
Quoted from GoodOmens:MSRP for STLE was $7700? Damn.
Sure and Tron pro was $4700
Nowadays it’s $9k for a premium, and don’t get me started when premium used to include colored side rails and legs.
Quoted from amhpensfan:That money is long gone lol. The benefit I realize in not paying in full is some communication as far as knowing a little in advance. Would be nice to get an invoice just so that I would know the game was shipping soon! It is confusing when some people know how many games their distributer has on order and what number they are on that list. Sterns way of poke and hope is turning people off for sure to the process. First time buyers (that their seems to be a lot of)
from what I have seen are not going to look back on the process of getting a NIB machine as a good experience. And the last thing you want to do is piss off who you purchased from because with the lack of transparancy they could say F this guy I am going to skip him and ship to a friend etc... and you hope that if you have an issue when you finally get it they will be responsive.
ugh
Agree, and that is why getting a game from a respectable, great dealer is important. The good ones will not leave you hanging. And sometimes us dealers not having information/updates is as transparent and honest as possible. There are some dealers that will tell you what you want to hear just to hang on to the sale and buy time. Many of us would rather be honest and tell you that we do not know, even if it means the sale is lost.
Truth is that Stern Pinball is making a ton of games and they are making them quick. Production issues cause many changes in the production schedule, some very abruptly. They want to sell and ship games. Dealers want to sell and ship games. The second half of the production year for Stern Pinball products is not as clear as the first half, it's an ever-changing type of thing. The other truth is that while us dealers know what runs are scheduled for the remainder of the year, we have not been given allotment numbers for those runs. So if a dealer is telling you they know how many they are getting of a game in September or December, etc. then they are likely not being honest with you. Dealers hope to receive an update with allotment numbers for the second half of the year here in the coming month or so.
Hopefully this helps you and everyone in the thread here. Thanks again for the feedback and we will continue to do what we can for all of us pinheads here on the forums.
P.S. Stern, let's just run Godzilla Premium for the next two months straight please hahaha
Quoted from RabanzZ28:Be patient for your Godzillas! Just reached out to Automated for my monthly update. He said I should hear from him in a few weeks. I was a November order and was originally his March allotment. They must have Godzilla on the line for a few weeks based upon his comment. Fingers crossed.
I ordered a GZ Premium in October from Automated and was told at the end of April I'd be in the next shipment. Fingers crossed.
Just sorted through 63 messages about bad distros and reputable distros etc.
Yet I’m here to see
“What’s on the line at Stern Pinball” lol
Let’s get this thread back on track, eh?
Quoted from JackG:Let's not diss all the distributors. You can go back through this thread and find many reputable distributors who are great. But this thread is about what's on the line. I'm keeping the end of May line up. We should get an update in the next couple weeks, but for now this is what's on the line.
May 2022 - Godzilla Pro & Premium
May 2022 - Mando Pro
June 2022 - Mando Premium
June 2022 - Rush Pro & Premium
July 2022 - JP Pro
July 2022 - Godzilla Pro & Premium
Aug 2022 - Star Wars Pro & Premium (original art package)
Aug 2022 - NEW STERN CORNERSTONE
Sep 2022 - NEW STERN CORNERSTONE
Oct 2022 - Star Wars the pin (original & comic art)
Oct 2022 - NEW STERN CORNERSTONE
Nov 2022 - JP the pin
Nov 2022 - Elvira Premium
Dec 2022 - TMNT Pro & Premium
Quoted from ZMeny:P.S. Stern, let's just run Godzilla Premium for the next two months straight please hahaha
For real though! Let’s get a whole month of GZ premium
Quoted from shanksfornothin:For real though! Let’s get a whole month of GZ premium
Probably limited by game specific parts. But if that’s not the case then yeah, nix all “the pins” along with Mando and TMNT.
Quoted from amhpensfan:Does anyone REALLY know what is on the line ? If so there would be 1 post with the schedule. Unless someone here works on their floor, it seems no one really knows the answer on a day by day basis
Lol, if you listen to the pinball show podcasts on mondays you’ll get the updates everyone will post on here during the week for stern’s planned schedule. Everything else will be complaints about not having preorders filled, wondering when a preorder will be filled, worrying if a preorder will be filled, or reporting that a preorder was/wasn’t filled… the thread should really be called “Stern preorder musings”.
Quoted from TheShadowsNose:Looks like LZ last call for August.
Prem or pro? Where did you hear this?
I was looking to pick up a premium but can't find any from any distributor or even the ability to pre-order
Quoted from ZoraShinoda:Prem or pro? Where did you hear this?
I was looking to pick up a premium but can't find any from any distributor or even the ability to pre-order
Maine Home Recreation has a listing in the marketplace, and automated has them listed on their site in the LZ section. Looks like 9100 is the new floor for premiums.
"What was on the line" compiled from posts indicating the build date of newly received machines:
April 11 - Godzilla Premium
May 13 - DP Premium
May 18 - JP Premium
May 20 - JP Premium
May 24 - JP Premium
May 28 - Godzilla Premium
May 31 - Godzilla Premium
Perhaps could be interesting for others to help fill this in we could get a sense of how long each game was really on the line, if they were doing multiple games at once, etc.
Quoted from GoodOmens:MSRP for STLE was $7700? Damn.
First real LE - avatar - bought NIB for $5500
Quoted from WeirPinball:First real LE - avatar - bought NIB for $5500
Elvis Limited Edition was the first LE, metal collector's plate, brass armor and everything. Beat Avatar by like 6 years.
Quoted from PinMonk:Elvis Limited Edition was the first LE, metal collector's plate, brass armor and everything. Beat Avatar by like 6 years.
I stand corrected
Monopoly platinum 2001
Elvis gold 2004
Spiderman black 2007
LOTR LE 2009
Quoted from metallik:C'mon y'all..
TAFG 1994
Which one did they first use the term limited edition?
Quoted from WeirPinball:Which one did they first use the term limited edition?
Black Knight LE 1981
Eight Ball Deluxe LE 1982
Stern is not producing Iron Maiden anymore. Talked to my distributor and they said it is an error on the Stern website.
Stern added a small run of guardians of the galaxy pros in September.
On a side note the roller coaster at Epcot Disney is crazy. Rode that a week ago.
Quoted from rai:When is AIQ stated for?
I'm not sure 'when', but AIQ is the abbreviation for 'avengers infinity quest'
edit: lol. I completely misread your message. you're asking when AIQ is next on the line. sorry 
grabbing the info from last page, I don't see it on the docket for this year
May 2022 - Godzilla Pro & Premium
May 2022 - Mando Pro
June 2022 - Mando Premium
June 2022 - Rush Pro & Premium
July 2022 - JP Pro
July 2022 - Godzilla Pro & Premium
Aug 2022 - Star Wars Pro & Premium (original art package)
Aug 2022 - NEW STERN CORNERSTONE
Sep 2022 - NEW STERN CORNERSTONE
Oct 2022 - Star Wars the pin (original & comic art)
Oct 2022 - NEW STERN CORNERSTONE
Nov 2022 - JP the pin
Nov 2022 - Elvira Premium
Dec 2022 - TMNT Pro & Premium
stern should really reconsider changing the aug star wars production (pro & premium) to the comic art version. my guess is that the demand would be higher for that art package
Quoted from rai:When is AIQ stated for?
There are tons of distributors right now that have this game it's the easiest game to find,I don't think you need to wait if you want one.
Quoted from ZoraShinoda:There are tons of distributors right now that have this game it's the easiest game to find,I don't think you need to wait if you want one.
Okay, if I get tho it’ll be in Sep-Oct because I just got DP. Maybe I’ll wait for the next cornerstone to decide.
Does anyone know who would be designing the next new game?
I am waiting for the non comic edition as I hate the cartoon one, so I say no
Quoted from j_m_:I'm not sure 'when', but AIQ is the abbreviation for 'avengers infinity quest'
edit: lol. I completely misread your message. you're asking when AIQ is next on the line. sorry grabbing the info from last page, I don't see it on the docket for this year
May 2022 - Godzilla Pro & Premium
May 2022 - Mando Pro
June 2022 - Mando Premium
June 2022 - Rush Pro & Premium
July 2022 - JP Pro
July 2022 - Godzilla Pro & Premium
Aug 2022 - Star Wars Pro & Premium (original art package)
Aug 2022 - NEW STERN CORNERSTONE
Sep 2022 - NEW STERN CORNERSTONE
Oct 2022 - Star Wars the pin (original & comic art)
Oct 2022 - NEW STERN CORNERSTONE
Nov 2022 - JP the pin
Nov 2022 - Elvira Premium
Dec 2022 - TMNT Pro & Premium
stern should really reconsider changing the aug star wars production (pro & premium) to the comic art version. my guess is that the demand would be higher for that art package
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