Quoted from HEAD_boss_HOG:
jjp and possibly stern will get sued soon i think
it will be a class action, and it may just bankrupt them (JJP)
as an attorney, i am thinking that its just a matter of time before some lawyer sniffs this out and smells the money, then its just a matter of time and determining how much its worth to him to represent the class.
it bums me out to think that will happen, but i really think it will.
I am new to Pinside but I am going to have to disagree with you on this. Since I just started buying pins, I have been searching the forum for more information on Playfield issues before I buy a NIB WW or JP. Playfield issues have been around for at least 6 years on this forum. And they still exist today. Nobody sued them in the past and I do not think anyone is going to over what most people consider a cosmetic item. I personally think it is more than cosmetics, but I am not in the majority of buyers.
What I have learned is that pinball NIB purchasers are willing to except all of the flaws with the NIB pins. Otherwise, this would have been resolved in the past. I grant you that some buyers have stepped away from NIB purchasing and others never buy NIB. But, they keep selling NIB pins so someone kept accepting all of the faults identified. This is the only item I have spent this large an amount of money on a single purchase and am surprised at all the issues that are just excepted. This is just like buying an exotic car. Buyers willing to except all of the issues with a brand new 6 figure sports car that is hand assembled.
Most buyers will not contact the manufacturer when they have an issue with a product. It is very difficult, even in today’s internet age, to have a count of how many products were affected by an issue even for the manufacturer. Most buyers will just accept it. Others will sell the item and some just throw the item in the trash.
I was shocked at how many NIB pins have been affected by PF issues. All one needs to do is search and you will see all of the models having the same type of issue over the years. The fact that so many different models have the issue over 6 years is surprising. And the issue is not associated with just one manufacturer.
It is a quality control issue that is fixable. All the debating is interesting, but it has nothing to do with new regulations. That just appeals to some people’s views on regulations. But that is not the problem.
Want to stop future PF issues...stop buying the machines from the manufacturer that has them. That is the only way to fix it. Let go of your strong connection to the manufacturer or the particular game. They are about profits first and customers second. That is until the customer stops buying then they will fix the issue.
One auto manufacturer has survived for decades on selling automobiles with cheap parts. There quality control is horrible. But they still exist today. Why, because some people are fans of there automobiles/models and will buy them even with all of their issues. They except it and the company knows it. That is why they still sell cheap low quality automobiles. Because their customers except it this way.
I know a lot of you have friends in the industry and just remember that in the end, the decisions are made at the top and unless a business is privately owned, the shareholders or investors are making the final decisions. And profits trump customers complaints. When profits decline because of quality issues, the issues get resolved.
Companies are in the business of making money and each will take a different path to success. Some care more about quality than style. And others care about style more than quality. It is the buyer that accepts the end result.
Sorry for the rant! Thanks for reading if you got this far. And I would like to say that I was not attacking anyone in particular. I just wish the manufactures would fix the problem so I can buy a NIB pin. I am holding off until I hear an answer I can trust. And maybe wait to see positive results with follow pinsiders photos of PF’s that look like the problem has been resolved. Until then, I will keep my money in the bank where it is making me money! Not the other way around.