So,,,, if the economy is bad, why are pin prices up??
bobinphx
pin prices going up. Is it just ebay or what????
bob b
Rick Swanson
pinball ownership. Now there is more demand than supply. Those folks who have
built businesses around Ebay pinball sales and high end retail outlets are now
scrambling to pick up popular titles, regardless of condition.
Rick Swanson
Morristown, TN
CARGPB#6
Steve
I think e-bay is part of the story, but only a small part. The
"bottom line" is that the supply of pinball machines is fixed (except
for new Stern machines)--or even dwindling as replacement parts become
harder & harder to find. At the same time, demand is the same or
possibly even increasing, especially if you're talking about the
demand for home machines (I do think e-bay has helped to stimulate the
demand for home machines because many people have learned through
e-bay that it is economically possible to own their own machine).
Shrinking supply + stagnant or increasing demand = higher prices.
Just my opinion--I'm sure others will disagree or have other thoughts.
Steve
On Wed, 26 Feb 2003 00:19:10 GMT, "bobinphx" <rbel...@cox.net>
wrote:
Dsybok
getting a STTNG for my garage game room :
" wow, I didnt know you could buy a pinball machine for your house!!"
Now those same friends are looking at buying themselves. Sorry, not my
fault! But its simple fact that as more of us get them in the home, more
people will be aware of the fact you can get them for the home and ebay is
the first place they will look.
D
"Rick Swanson" <rns...@charter.net> wrote in message
news:3E5C183E...@charter.net...
Rick Swanson
machines come back on the market?
Rick Swanson
Morristown, TN
CARGPB#6
Lloyd Olson
play on location to see if you like it enough to try and buy one. And as more
and more games disappear into collections or are lost through attrition,
unless the hobby collapses, it will get harder to find a lot of them for sale.
LTG :)
Rick Swanson <rns...@charter.net> wrote in message
news:3E5C3A4C...@charter.net...
GPE
-- Ed
"bobinphx" <rbel...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:2KT6a.7178$Nf.1...@news1.west.cox.net...
Orin Day
Steve <stop...@mindspring.com> wrote:
>I think e-bay is part of the story, but only a small part. The
>"bottom line" is that the supply of pinball machines is fixed (except
>for new Stern machines)--or even dwindling as replacement parts become
>harder & harder to find. At the same time, demand is the same or
>possibly even increasing, especially if you're talking about the
>demand for home machines (I do think e-bay has helped to stimulate the
>demand for home machines because many people have learned through
>e-bay that it is economically possible to own their own machine).
>Shrinking supply + stagnant or increasing demand = higher prices.
Higher euro = higher prices for imports, but more opportunity for pinball
companies to sell overseas.
>Just my opinion--I'm sure others will disagree or have other thoughts.
Quite typically pinball companies do well when the economy is not so
great, it's cheap entertainment. When times are bad often bars see more
business, and taverns are a key location for pinballs. Bowling is also
cheap entertainment, plenty of games in bowling alleys.
Interestingly enough 1992 and 1993 were banner years for pinball, I just
saw an article today that consumer confidence had dipped to the lowest
point since then. In terms of home game prices/demand, well, interest
rates are at an all time low and the market is still in the crapper, the
opportunity cost of tying up some money in an already depreciated pinball
machine that will probably hold its value is lower than ever.
OD
--
Orin A. Day | "...a large black and white bird whose thievish
lobster | disposition suggested to someone that it might
@ | be taught to speak."
lobsterdevil.com | -- Ambrose Bierce, on the topic of magpies
DB Coop
wrote:
>I keep hearing that the economy is bad and un-employment is up,,, so why are
>pin prices going up. Is it just ebay or what????
It's not Ebay per se. I dabble in antiques, too, and the antique
dealers are saying that the market is down about 10% this year but
Ebay deals antiques, too. And what's odd is that you can buy some
antiques for short money but most pins *start* at hundreds of dollars.
But I will agree that Ebay has widened the door to pinball ownership.
This is a great question BTW.
Coop
Dsybok
been wanting it for 10 years, I sure wont be parting with it. I might suck
up a TAF and TZ too.
D
"Rick Swanson" <rns...@charter.net> wrote in message
news:3E5C3A4C...@charter.net...
Jeremy Wilson
says...
>I keep hearing that the economy is bad and un-employment is up,,, so
why are
>pin prices going up. Is it just ebay or what????
I dunno, for the first time in a year a pin I was selling failed to
meet reserve. Of course it's a bit beat up but not unreasonably
priced...
--
Jeremy Wilson (xe...@inforamp.net) Classic Video / Pinball Collector
http://www.inforamp.net/~xeno/wallet | http://www.syslog.com/~jwilson
Jim Clark
Auction pricing would seem to dictate that prices overall are relatively
flat, although there are a few specific games that are increasing in value
more than the rest. Now gasoline, that's another story.
"bobinphx" <rbel...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:2KT6a.7178$Nf.1...@news1.west.cox.net...
josh
> In article <2KT6a.7178$Nf.1...@news1.west.cox.net>, rbel...@cox.net
> says...
> >I keep hearing that the economy is bad and un-employment is up,,, so
> why are
> >pin prices going up. Is it just ebay or what????
>
> I dunno, for the first time in a year a pin I was selling failed to
> meet reserve. Of course it's a bit beat up but not unreasonably
> priced...
It's not really the pin market overall. I think it's more like which
"titles" have gone up in price. As long as there are employed
collectors, certain titles will continue to fetch ungodly prices, like
$2k plus "Nags", $3k EBD, and the list goes on. The prices continue
to go up on these, regardless of the threat of war and a trashed
economy.
Josh
http://www.joshkaplan.com, home of Pinball Central
Todd Carter
1) Demise of machine makers. The ramp-up in prices seemed to start when
Williams/Bally went away. Stern is not enough to keep demand from
outrunning supply.
2) Visibility. How many times have other RGPers had to explain what
Usenet is? Do you have to explain what eBay is? With an international
market and huge name recognition, eBay is a major force. 5-10 years ago
the only way to buy a pinball was to know somebody, catch a classified
ad or go to an auction. All these are hit and miss. How many of you
think your machine is worth at least $500 more on eBay with just the
hassle of shipping? There's some sap out there who'll pony up $.
3) The economy is a negative factor for many. I know my enthusiasm for
buying another machine(s) has dropped with the fear of potentially
losing my job. It's a want, not a need. (Even for this group ;)
4) Fickleness - to a small degree. Popularity ebbs and flows over time.
I've bought several pachinko machines in the last 6 months. The same
thing has happened with their prices. Though there are plenty of new
machines being made, there are a fixed number of old mechanicals.
Todd
Jeremy Wilson
jo...@joshkaplan.com says...
>It's not really the pin market overall. I think it's more like which
>"titles" have gone up in price.
I'm selling a good title, and thankfully it met reserve this time
around. Maybe things aren't as bad as I thought.
Also, it's February, a typically horrible month for pins. Should be
good for March through May, and go down for summer as people go on
vacation.
Dan Nix
them and resell them? Are they buying better or paying more in this
bad economy?
Dan
Jeremy Wilson
DN...@asccompanies.com says...
>What about the guys who buy containers of machines from overseas, shop
>them and resell them? Are they buying better or paying more in this
>bad economy?
I'm paying less, but the quality is much, much less. On my container
from Holland, the prices were $150 per machine higher but 80% of the
games cleaned up very nicely and worked well. I got 5 sample games
from down south for much cheaper, but the games are really beat up.
I'm getting a full container but I don't expect the games to be as nice
as from Holland. I won't be shopping out this load - it'll be
first-come first-served at reasonable prices.
Orin Day
From Europe the importers are paying more than a year ago, the Euro is
much stronger with respect to the dollar and the European supply has
gotten smaller. That means that all else equal the importers sell games
for higher prices or their margin drops.
However the dollar is still strong with respect to some South American
countries that haven't sent many of games "back" to the US yet, thus we're
seeing more games coming from there.
Brian
honestly don't picture importers grabbing a foreign phone directory and making
some calls :) It's great that we have many RGPers that re-import some of our
favorite pins for better (hopefully) deals. I just am curious as to how these
importers start their ventures into this end of the hobby/business.
Brian
Jeremy Wilson
wtr...@aol.com says...
>I just am curious as to how these importers start their ventures
>into this end of the hobby/business.
Well, if I tell you, then everyone will do it!