Results 1 to 15 of 15

Thread: Biggest Vendor Debate

  1. #1
    Sandwich Shooter jackdanielsx's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Mendham
    Posts
    299
    Thanks
    42
    Thanks Received
    1,335

    Default Biggest Vendor Debate

    So I talked recently online with Curt from Slot-Pachinko and he still says that he is the largest vendor in the US. Do you all think that is still true? I know that he has taken down everything from the website so his online sales have probably dropped and now I would think that either We or Bluehotaru has the biggest turn over.

    I know that we probably get shipments more often than any other vendor, but it is hard to gage how many machines are being sold from any of the other sites. I guess I'm just looking for opinions and info on who is buying where.

    -Frank
    Clover Collectables - the US's largest Pachinko and Pachislo dealer - [email]Contact@clovercollectables.com


  2. The following 3 users say "Thanks" to jackdanielsx


  3. #2
    Kungishi yose's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    roy utah
    Posts
    1,477
    Thanks
    3,485
    Thanks Received
    1,083

    Default Re: Biggest Vendor Debate

    To me it's not who's the biggest but who offers the best service and quality products,and who backs thier products the best.I have read good comments about your helping with problems that customers have with machines. Thats a plus.I have also had good luck with the tech from slot-pachinko.I think it's great the competitors can chat online with each other.In the end it's great we have vendors who can get these machines so that we can buy them Thank you very much,and I hope to do buisness with you soon.
    IMAGINATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN KNOWLEDGE

  4. The following user says "Thanks" to yose


  5. #3
    Eye Shooter Steve Cebu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Posts
    909
    Thanks
    1,025
    Thanks Received
    896

    Default Re: Biggest Vendor Debate

    Hi Frank I agree with Yose, it's not about how big you are. I'm just going to assume you mean in terms of total yearly sales.
    I've been very happy dealing with you and I think you are a fair guy who is very helpful.
    The fact that you have a phone # means a lot to a novice like myself.
    Blue Hotaru never answers their phones and rarely answers emails.
    Customer service is super important! Price is important as well as quality.

    I just hope you can get me the machines I gave you a list of.
    I have a couple more to add if I can't find them in the US.
    I really want a Julie, if you have one I'm interested.
    Any idea when you will be going back over to place your order?

    I've spoken with Curt recently he does seem to have great prices on the machines he
    has left. But nothing he has interests me.

  6. #4
    I was thrown out of Top Gear Drunkenclam's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Guildford, Surrey
    Posts
    28,495
    Thanks
    13,442
    Thanks Received
    18,805

    Default Re: Biggest Vendor Debate

    Unless we are talking about a sumo match, Your size doesn't bother me

    Most of us know its a specialized field, Unless someone has 100s of machines in storage, we all know we have to wait for the machine we want. So whats more important is customer service.
    Ian #UKPachinko

  7. #5
    Fever Hunter Ripweade's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Slatington, PA
    Posts
    140
    Thanks
    567
    Thanks Received
    191

    Default Re: Biggest Vendor Debate

    I know that Stealth used to also be a pretty big seller of Pachislos, and that's where I bought my first one in 1999. They were sold quite a few years ago (around 2003 or so?) and it's now a new owner, so I can't comment on their current service. Back when I bought my first pachi, they offered free lifetime supply of bulbs, but who knows if that is still true (which I do doubt).

    I agree with the others. It's not the size that counts!

    It's all about quality and service. The only thing I bought from Blue Hotaru is a parlor flag, and it was a great experience. As for machines, I prefer to find a dealer that's within a driving distance so I can save on shipping as well as possible damage during transit. With that in mind, you can guess who I will be buying my machines from. ;-)
    Last edited by Ripweade; 12-21-2011 at 08:39 AM.

  8. #6
    Sandwich Shooter jackdanielsx's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Mendham
    Posts
    299
    Thanks
    42
    Thanks Received
    1,335

    Default Re: Biggest Vendor Debate

    Quote Originally Posted by Ripweade View Post
    I know that Stealth used to also be a pretty big seller of Pachislos, and that's where I bought my first one in 1999. They were sold quite a few years ago (around 2003 or so?) and it's now a new owner, so I can't comment on their current service. Back when I bought my first pachi, they offered free lifetime supply of bulbs, but who knows if that is still true (which I do doubt).

    I agree with the others. It's not the size that counts!

    It's all about quality and service. The only thing I bought from Blue Hotaru is a parlor flag, and it was a great experience. As for machines, I prefer to find a dealer that's within a driving distance so I can save on shipping as well as possible damage during transit. With that in mind, you can guess who I will be buying my machines from. ;-)
    Yea, you wouldn't believe the problems I have had with both Fedex and UPS. It is funny how we have gotten 99.5% of the machines here from Japan safely (just one with broken glass last year) but we still get like 5-10% at least partially damaged in transit here and making a claim is a headache.

    We also have a new storage space in Mahwah, NJ if you ever want to come down some time and see the new machines in stock - there are a lot more than the last time you came!
    Clover Collectables - the US's largest Pachinko and Pachislo dealer - [email]Contact@clovercollectables.com


  9. The following 4 users say "Thanks" to jackdanielsx


  10. #7
    Fever Hunter mark1120's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    240
    Thanks
    280
    Thanks Received
    454

    Default Re: Biggest Vendor Debate

    I was always under the impression that Blue Hotaru, Slot-Pachinko, and other on-line vendors bought all their machines from Gaku. Maybe that was because the one machine I purchased from Slot-Pachinko last year had a similar manual…..or maybe it was how the key was attached to the black knob….can’t remember. Does Trademark Commerce still import machines? At one point, they seemed to have the drop-ship market concerned on custom machines.

    I worry that pachislo is a dying hobby. So many vendors have quit selling machines in recent years and it seems the pachinko threads outnumber the pachislo threads by a significant multiple. The local Craigslist market seems saturated with older machines selling for $150 or less. A lot of people own a Spin Luck, Bingo, Neo Planet, and other machines from 5+ years ago, but how many people own a Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Rocky Balboa, or some of the other premium titles introduced in recent years? How come we never see any of these machines for sale? Are they all going to China?

  11. #8
    Sandwich Shooter jackdanielsx's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Mendham
    Posts
    299
    Thanks
    42
    Thanks Received
    1,335

    Default Re: Biggest Vendor Debate

    Quote Originally Posted by mark1120 View Post
    I was always under the impression that Blue Hotaru, Slot-Pachinko, and other on-line vendors bought all their machines from Gaku. Maybe that was because the one machine I purchased from Slot-Pachinko last year had a similar manual…..or maybe it was how the key was attached to the black knob….can’t remember. Does Trademark Commerce still import machines? At one point, they seemed to have the drop-ship market concerned on custom machines.

    I worry that pachislo is a dying hobby. So many vendors have quit selling machines in recent years and it seems the pachinko threads outnumber the pachislo threads by a significant multiple. The local Craigslist market seems saturated with older machines selling for $150 or less. A lot of people own a Spin Luck, Bingo, Neo Planet, and other machines from 5+ years ago, but how many people own a Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Rocky Balboa, or some of the other premium titles introduced in recent years? How come we never see any of these machines for sale? Are they all going to China?
    I have actually heard this a few times about people thinking that we buy through Gaku, but that is definitely not the case. We get everything directly from Japan which is how we are able to get the newest machines available, sometimes only months after their release into parlors.

    As for the Pachislos it has been difficult finding good titles as it seems like if it is something with a really high demand it isn't usually easily available. I know that a lot of pachinkos and pachislos do end up being scrapped and sent to China which is really a shame when there are customers in the US who want them.
    Clover Collectables - the US's largest Pachinko and Pachislo dealer - [email]Contact@clovercollectables.com


  12. #9
    Kungishi yose's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    roy utah
    Posts
    1,477
    Thanks
    3,485
    Thanks Received
    1,083

    Default Re: Biggest Vendor Debate

    Ihave heard that china is taking alot of machines for the lcd screens to be used in dvd players and auto dvd players.The components are being altered to make amplifiers for the dvd players and all kinds of electrical toys and appliances.
    IMAGINATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN KNOWLEDGE

  13. #10
    Eye Shooter Steve Cebu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Posts
    909
    Thanks
    1,025
    Thanks Received
    896

    Default Re: Biggest Vendor Debate

    What a waste of good Pachinko machines.

  14. #11
    Eye Shooter monkeyboy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Orlando, Florida
    Posts
    968
    Thanks
    924
    Thanks Received
    1,627

    Default Re: Biggest Vendor Debate

    I called Slot-Pachiko to inquire what machines they had left as they don't list them on there web site anymore. I was surprised by the number of titles they had but they were all fairly old. I think the newest was Ghost also there prices are now higher than previously listed on there site.

    It seems to me that they are no longer the biggest so they are off setting the quantity sold by increasing the price.

  15. The following 5 users say "Thanks" to monkeyboy


  16. #12
    Ensign Newton owennewton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    McMinnville, Oregon, United States
    Posts
    4,830
    Thanks
    32,278
    Thanks Received
    5,244

    Default Re: Biggest Vendor Debate

    I will say that I will deal with both Blue Hotaru and Frank again without thought but it needs to be an amazing deal for me to go to slot-pachinko again.
    the

    LLTR

  17. The following 2 users say "Thanks" to owennewton


  18. #13
    da shadow d mowery's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Minneapolis Mn
    Posts
    2,154
    Thanks
    1,231
    Thanks Received
    804

    Default Re: Biggest Vendor Debate

    Stealth was great -I bought 2 plus pallets full from him and all were as said they would be and made a couple bucks befor they were bought out -Sold them at several flea markets around here and hardley any of them needed any work -just some minow operator error s to correct and all had my bus card inside for help
    These are my opinions and no body elses and you can't have them

  19. #14
    Fever Hunter mark1120's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    240
    Thanks
    280
    Thanks Received
    454

    Default Re: Biggest Vendor Debate

    Those were the days. I remember when Stealth used to have weekly specials. They'd list 3 machines every Sunday for $99.95 plus $69.95 shipping. It was those specials that hooked me.

  20. #15
    Eye Shooter Steve Cebu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Posts
    909
    Thanks
    1,025
    Thanks Received
    896

    Default Re: Biggest Vendor Debate

    I take it Stealth is out of business now?

Similar Threads

  1. What Vendor to buy from
    By drbrain in forum Vendors & Manufacturers Pachinko
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 03-07-2009, 09:32 AM
  2. New Vendor?!
    By MrGneiss in forum eBay - General Auction listings
    Replies: 45
    Last Post: 07-27-2006, 10:31 PM
  3. Thank you to the vendor who...
    By aaapachislo in forum eBay - General Auction listings
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 03-18-2006, 11:03 AM
  4. new vendor
    By coldluck in forum Vendors & Manufacturers Pachinko
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 12-22-2005, 03:17 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •