Price Hike

[arbycoffee]

Yes no burns, or digs, or screen burn ins, or busted backs.
I don't know if it is or just in my mind. the shooter seem to be more responcive ?
Not a sloppy ?
What do you think ?

[slotter]

I'd definitely pay more for a clean and non-beat up machine instead of a scratched up one. Have had fun, though, taking a beat up machine and polishing and cleaning and making it sparkle again.

[Tulsa]

My Thunderzone is pristine. Very responsive shooter. To say that is to say that the other shooters I have don't really compare to it. One I really have to turn and it seems to be a small movement then to go from easy to fast.

[slotter]

All three of my machine's shooters work about the same and have approximately the same responsiveness when transitioning from easy-shooter to fast or hard-shooter. Can control the sweet spots pretty well on each one...

The TZ came in pretty nicked up and required hours of creative work and painting to get it looking good. Curt, to his credit, did refund some of the price to compensate for my time after sending pictures of it to him. Now, to the average person, it looks nearly like brand new.

[Tulsa]

I guess that's the advantages of grabbing the first one since my TZ was the first auctioned when I picked it up last June.

[Lddrizzt]

Now if you wanted to do a price guide, the best way to do it use the same type of layout that is used for comic books. You set up a grading system: Mint= brand new, Near Mint=almost new, shows very minor wear (what we hope to get from our vendors), Very fine=shows some signs of use, small scratches at coin mech, minor scratches in coin tray, fine=scratches on coin mech, coin tray, slight wear on the buttons. etc etc

Prices listed would be near mint and each grade below that is a percentage of that price. All that is needed is someone to come up with the prices and do the work to set it up. bad thing will be agreeing on prices, then the monthly updates, as new titles appear and as prices fluctuate.

[Tulsa]

and who's going to tell us what is and isn't mint, near mint and a piece of crap?

[slotter]

and who's going to tell us what is and isn't mint, near mint and a piece of crap?

Not the vendors.

[luckydog]

then we would need a pachi grading company!!!!

like for coins, comics and sports cards.

and you couldn't play your machine if it was graded mint 10 and if they stuck it in a big plastic box!!!!!

[slotter]

I hate to get my machines dirty by playing with them! haha!

[doodude]

Man, that sounds like alot of work.
But wouldnt a resource like that be a major influence in the feild!?
If the venders are reading these post you know theyre thinking to themselves, " rut row..."

[Lddrizzt]

and who's going to tell us what is and isn't mint, near mint and a piece of crap?

Once the grades have been defined then it is pretty easy to look at your machine and see where it falls. The grade definitions would be decided by a group of people not just one person.
Besides I was just tossing out an idea that will never get done, because someone suggested a book that has prices. I know that the monthly price guides for comics work, with the thousands of comics that change prices each month and the new ones being added and older nonpopular ones leaving the lists. This would be a full time job for anyone that decides to do it, with pretty much no pay so the best bet for anyone who wants to know what a machine is worth is to quit being lazy and go look on ebay at the finished auctions to see what they are going for.

[doodude]

Knowing that you are sooooo right, Ive been keeping a record of past winning bids on the machines Im interested in. That gives me a little bit to work with...

[Tulsa]

It would be worth it if would could actually sell the guide to offset costs. My costs are around $75,000 a year.

[logicprobe]

This would be a full time job for anyone that decides to do it, with pretty much no pay so the best bet for anyone who wants to know what a machine is worth is to quit being lazy and go look on ebay at the finished auctions to see what they are going for.

Boy... you hit that one square on the head, Lddrizzt ol' buddy!

"Why don't you guys make a book?" (So I don't have to look it up myself!!!)

Yet... not one person said "Why dont I make a book, and contribute it to PachiTalk". Imagine that. Sorry users... but this is a group. Contribute... don't just wish and complain. This is a free site, staffed by VOLUNTEERS.

Back to basics, ladies and gentlemen.
Check past prices on eBay. Keep tabs. Do it for a year. See the trends and seasons. Then make your buying decision from there. If you feel you're in a bidding war... then for cryin' out loud... DON'T BUY!!!

We can tell you this much.... you're entering the "buyer's market" season right now... and it's going to be even better soon, for the buyer at least. People are outside already... the weather is warm. Gamerooms are winter activity things for most people. They don't put them on their porches and decks. (Well... maybe luckydog does... but that's an exception to the rule)

Self-control will get you a lot of good deals. Wait until November again, and get ready to pay big bucks if you want something. That's when the dealers make their bones. Heck... that's when ALL of retail make their bones! This past Christmas buying season didn't wind down until just about a month ago. It was amazing, and as you can see... the "gotta have ONE more" thing carried on for longer than most. Maybe PachiTalk helped out on that, too.

Now, the thread started by wondering if Gaku was justified in raising prices. He hasn't had the chance to see the Christmas buying season, yet. He's entering the slow point of the season. If he needs to raise prices to make ends meet, and he's got a machine I want at what I feel to be a fair price (Dang... that SBJ sure tempts me!!!), then he needs to do what he needs to do. He doesn't have the padding of the Christmas season to get him through... yet. I truly hope that he gets through it... and that he has a bumper Christmas season... because it is RARE to have a vendor support the hobby the way he does. His descriptions and manuals... OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON HIS SITE... are a supurb contribution, above and beyond anything I've seen ANY other dealer do thus far!!! His contributions here have been excellent as well.

So that being said... If he needs to bump it up to eat... let him bump!

And if you feel you can get a better "deal" somewhere else... hey... it's your moolah!!! Don't whine if he takes down his manuals, or doesn't do any more... and you didn't support him.

/soapbox mode - off

[johntofva]

Gamerooms are winter activity things for most people. They don't put them on their porches and decks. (Well... maybe luckydog does... but that's an exception to the rule)

Hey ................that is a wonderful Idea . I didn't realize these things where waterproof!! I guess I still have to plug them into a GFI breaker. I can put next to my old dryer, which makes a wonderful plant stand.

[Bilko44]

I am definitely against a price guide for pachinkos and pachislos!

These are games to be played and enjoyed. Once a price guide is introduced, people tend to zero in on rarity, value, serial numbers, every scuff mark, deductions for minuscule issues, etc.

Look what price guides did to sports card collecting. Unrealistic and inflated prices in price guides made millions for the card companies that were literally printing the equivalent of money. Collectors and dealers were scurrying about opening packs and demanding ungodly sums for a piece of newly minted cardboard.

I don't need no stinking experts telling everyone which games are good for them and how much they should pay for one!

If we get hung up on what some guide says something like a pachislo or pachinko is worth, then haven't we gotten away from the purpose of simply enjoying our games?

What matters most with me is what other member's experiences with a game have been. Even then, if a number of persons like a particular game, it doesn't mean I should go out and buy it or pay a premium for it. I might not like the color scheme, or theme, or sound effects, or bonus rounds.

Price guides usually just muddy the water and divert the buyer from what is really important and that is simply, is the game fun to play?

[johntofva]

Well said Dennis.