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Pinball prices : Toy story the pin that’s about to cost us all!

Silverpaolo

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Sep 17, 2020
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I’d like a healthy debate about pinball pricing future and would value all of your thoughts … I’m not saying my thoughts are right but I want others feedback to argue for and against

So I’ve been into pins since 2010 buying a bttf for £500 fast forward 10 year I’m back in it and in twelve months it’s been a education with prices.

With the shortage and new popularity of pinball coming in fashion again we are only seeing prices increase to new highs

Last year saw record increases and sterns and jjps highest rrp for prices

So where does toy story come in ? Well I’ll tell you some believe that jjp will raise that price to an eye watering 15k dollars because of demand and supply issues etc . This probably means it will hit our shores at 14k for the ce or a tad more and 12k for the le … when you look at recent price increases across the board this is entirely possible

So that being said as we all know toy story ce will sell out due to theme and new adopters of pinball driving up demand , stern will then undoubtedly look at there pricing and before long a premium will be 10999 and a le will be £13k perhaps bit more

So the question is whether we like it or not be it second hand or nib we are all going to paying more … that used stern pro will be 6.5k instead of 5.5k the premium will be 8.5k to 9k and do on

What are peoples thoughts we can’t simply say if we don’t buy they’ll reduce prices because if we don’t buy someone else will and beside a gz premium at 10k now will prob still draw 10k in 2 year because all the while stern are price increasing

Come on people let’s hear peoples thoughts let’s have a healthy debate because these companies don’t need an excuse to raise prices look at diesel it should be £1.32 a litre we had panic buying over something not real and here we are at £1.52 per litre so is it fair to say stern and jjp will never reduce prices while demand rockets ?
 
I'm not sure there's anything to debate, there's no way they are reducing their pricing, they'll keep increasing it until they find the limit.

They are a business out to make as much money as possible.
The debate is do we keep buying ? Are pins now an investment that given long enough you won’t lose a penny we the manufacturers keep putting prices up , do we all just keep sat on our pins smug that they’ve gone up in value but really it doesn’t mean nothing because we can’t buy cheaply to replace if we sell ?
 
I'm not sure there's anything to debate, there's no way they are reducing their pricing, they'll keep increasing it until they find the limit.

They are a business out to make as much money as possible.
Whilst I know I’m it’s simpler form there is nothing to debate as they’ll keep putting prices up but where does that leave pinball a hobby for the rich and famous where no common man can buy in ?
 
I'm not sure there's anything to debate, there's no way they are reducing their pricing, they'll keep increasing it until they find the limit.

They are a business out to make as much money as possible.

Yup, nothing else to it. They’re going to keep going down this same path, no debate to be had.

We also have to bear in mind that we’re a tiny, tiny fraction of their market. They’re making decisions based on the US market where HUO pins are frequently selling for more than NIB due to demand outstripping supply. The price over here is completely incidental.

All we can do is purchase if we can stomach the prices, or stop if we can’t. But less NIB sales means less pins on the secondary market.

Prices are only going to go in one direction for the foreseeable future.
 
Yup, nothing else to it. They’re going to keep going down this same path, no debate to be had.

We also have to bear in mind that we’re a tiny, tiny fraction of their market. They’re making decisions based on the US market where HUO pins are frequently selling for more than NIB due to demand outstripping supply. The price over here is completely incidental.

All we can do is purchase if we can stomach the prices, or stop if we can’t. But less NIB sales means less pins on the secondary market.

Prices are only going to go in one direction for the foreseeable future.
Well that’s that il shut me face and carry on saving up for toy story 🤪 cheers lad ha ha
 
I was prepared to Stump up for a CCR - however since those sold out before they were even advertised, it's just not happening for me. NIB prices are just too high for me (and i earn a decent wage)...
I'll never own a NIB - is as simple as that.
Sad though Paul ain’t it that they are only getting more expensive and less attainable
 
The ever increasing prices mean you can almost enjoy the hobby for free, you just put X amount in and get it all back when you sell, but as you say it's all relative if you want to buy another Pin.

Nothing gold can stay though so the bubble will burst at some point.
It’s like the housing market flying high but for how long and wait too long you’ll never catch up
 
Well that’s that il shut me face and carry on saving up for toy story 🤪 cheers lad ha ha

I didn’t mean to be dismissive, I’m frustrated by the constant price increases too. My first NIB was an AC/DC Premium that cost me a little over £5k, and now we’re at £10k for Godzilla Premium - a 100% price increase in less than a decade.

It’s just that there’s nothing to be done. If we stop buying it won’t have any impact on the manufacturers when the USA market is so crazy - it will just mean that there’s even less supply over here going forwards.
 
I didn’t mean to be dismissive, I’m frustrated by the constant price increases too. My first NIB was an AC/DC Premium that cost me a little over £5k, and now we’re at £10k for Godzilla Premium - a 100% price increase in less than a decade.

It’s just that there’s nothing to be done. If we stop buying it won’t have any impact on the manufacturers when the USA market is so crazy - it will just mean that there’s even less supply over here going forwards.
That’s ok buddy I’m just playing … again less supply over here means the ones that are here drawing a premium again we can’t bloody win
 
That’s ok buddy I’m just playing … again less supply over here means the ones that are here drawing a premium again we can’t bloody win

Exactly - we stop buying new games and prices increase due to lack of supply. We keep buying games and prices increase because people don’t want to lose thousands on a NIB when they come to sell. Either way, prices go up. It’s frustrating, but it’s just the way things are going.

It doesn’t help that more and more people are coming into the hobby either, things have definitely changed over the past couple of years in terms of supply and demand on the secondary market. Don’t get me wrong, it‘s great to see more people getting into pins, but it’s definitely caused prices to increase.
 
One thing I will say about them across the pond in the main joe public aren’t getting LEs etc at sterns prices generally they are getting eaten up by flippers and scalpers in America and hitting the markets at a few k above msrp least we get a equal shot here … all be it after the vat man’s pumped us !
 
It's a rich mans hobby now. Like a lot of things e.g. classic cars. I really don't know where the money is coming from. It's inexplicable. But absolutely unsustainable.
Bit like going to Disney Orlando, and don’t get me started on that!
 
It's a rich mans hobby now. Like a lot of things e.g. classic cars. I really don't know where the money is coming from. It's inexplicable. But absolutely unsustainable.
If it’s pinball or food on the table pins gotta go !
 
nibs are not the only option, other pins are available. just wait until gottlieb ss are in vogue - or stock up cheap now
 
I’ve still got my Twilight zone £900 bought it 15 years ago in cyprus only to find I got ripped off, paid too much.
 
It's a rich mans hobby now. Like a lot of things e.g. classic cars. I really don't know where the money is coming from. It's inexplicable. But absolutely unsustainable.
Why is it unsustainable? Like your comparison with classic cars, that is far from unsustainable.
 
Bit like going to Disney Orlando, and don’t get me started on that!

Why?? Looking at the prices from 3 years ago it seems reasonable... ( Up until 2020 i used to go yearly.... I looked at the prices last night... 2 weeks in AK... £4.5k... Same as it was in 2018 when i last went...)

Universal Orlando is a bargain in comparison.

Universal has always been the cheaper cousin... and lost would argue the better value as long as you dont want/need to involve a mouse..
 
Why?? Looking at the prices from 3 years ago it seems reasonable... ( Up until 2020 i used to go yearly.... I looked at the prices last night... 2 weeks in AK... £4.5k... Same as it was in 2018 when i last went...)

I don’t want to go entirely off topic here, but Disney have spent the last few years effectively raising prices by turning countless things that used to be included into additional expenses. They’ve made nickel and diming their guests into an art form, even more so since Bob Chapek took over from Iger as CEO. So yes, the headline resort cost may be the same - at least at some resorts - but the overall cost is higher. The sentiment amongst Disney fans has definitely started to shift in response.

I’ve also visited annually for years, but over the years we switched from a longer stay at WDW and a shorter stay at UOR, to shorter stays at WDW and longer stays at UOR as the value proposition is just so much better. And the hotels are much better too.

Edit: Not to mention the declining quality of the Disney World product, but that’s a whole other argument.
 
I don’t want to go entirely off topic here, but Disney have spent the last few years effectively raising prices by turning countless things that used to be included into additional expenses. They’ve made nickel and diming their guests into an art form, even more so since Bob Chapek took over from Iger as CEO. So yes, the headline resort cost may be the same - at least at some resorts - but the overall cost is higher. The sentiment amongst Disney fans has definitely started to shift in response.

Oh i completely agree!! Walt would be turning in his grave....

However it's not unusual. It's the same as Merlin and their annual passes...

I keep hoping Bob will change his mind, and there have been rumours... however unfortunately Chapek is currently making the tills fill more than ever and thats what counts to the shareholders after a rough year.. down 12% over the last year, however up 42% over the last 5 years...

Anyhow, yes... back on Topic :D
 
so these companies are owed by bankers/investors looking for their 30% (at least) return. Stark reality is that everything that makes a pinball machine has gone up by at least 25%. shipping costs are up as much as 600%.

Don't get me wrong, Stern and JJP are probably wishing they'd jacked the price up more aggressively themselves but the recent raft of increases (and Stern prices went up again today) are not fully within the control of the manufacturers.

folks wondering why xbox series x and PS5's are hard to find. not because they couldn't make enough but because both Sony and MS are not willing to pay the increased manufacturing costs and are playing the long game.

I think anyone buying toy story is super brave though given the **** show that was GNR!
 
Oh i completely agree!! Walt would be turning in his grave....

However it's not unusual. It's the same as Merlin and their annual passes...

I keep hoping Bob will change his mind, and there have been rumours... however unfortunately Chapek is currently making the tills fill more than ever and thats what counts to the shareholders after a rough year.. down 12% over the last year, however up 42% over the last 5 years...

Anyhow, yes... back on Topic :D

Oh for sure, Disney aren’t unusual in their approach here, but they are taking it to an extreme. I can only assume they’re relying on the fact that their fans are so dedicated, but I think they’ve slowly started to reach something of a tipping point over the course of the pandemic - the sentiment amongst long term fans has definitely started to shift.

I’m sure shareholders and wall st do like Chapek for the time being, but personally I fear he’s beginning to milk the parks and resorts cash cow slightly dry. Like most corporate America CEOs he’s entirely focused on immediate quarterly results whilst he holds that position, and isn’t at all concerned about slowly eroding long term good will. Guess we’ll see how it plays out over the long term but I’m not too optimistic.

Universal on the other hand are on something of a roll, and with a third gate currently under construction have a fantastic opportunity to take further market share from the mouse. Their hotels are better, the perks of staying on site are better, and it’s a much more relaxing resort to visit. Over the course of the pandemic we’ve missed UOR much more than WDW, and we actually have a ten day trip there booked later this month with no plans to go to any id the Disney parks. It looks like we’ll be cancelling that trip because of the requirement to have a negative test to fly home, but if we do we’ll be rebooking another UOR only trip which we probably wouldn’t have considered 5+ years ago.

My next proper Disney trip will be back to Tokyo. Fortunately the OLC still uphold the high standards that made the parks great.

But yes sorry really should get back on topic! I just can’t help myself when this comes up, it’s up there with pinball for me as an interest.
 
My next proper Disney trip will be back to Tokyo. Fortunately the OLC still uphold the high standards that made the parks great.
👍 Have done HK Disney.. Japan is on my list... But way down as Japan in general is rather pricy (And if i didnt take my 21 year old who still desparately wants to be a Manga Artist i would never hear the end of it!

But yes sorry really should get back on topic! I just can’t help myself when this comes up, it’s up there with pinball for me as an interest.
And me! Looking forwards to hitting Velociraptor when i'm next there for HHN 2022.... if we make it!
 
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