I listened to the pinball show podcast and something that keeps the US market moving is trade ins. If Zach has a bunch of Venom prems sitting in stock that per his agreement he’s not allowed to sell under let’s say $9500, there’s nothing stopping him offering $3000 for a trade in that he knows is only worth $2000, pretty much discounting the nib $1000 without getting in trouble. It keeps the market moving, gets the new games in peoples homes where more people get to play them and maybe decide they want one and frees up space and money at the distro for the next title.
It’s not a great option here because distros have to add vat to whatever they buy as a trade in and PH are really the only distro with any significant stock anyway and how much of that is sitting not selling, not a lot I don’t think. They don’t need to free up space and money and other companies here don’t either because they don’t keep much, if anything in stock.
Stuff is still selling if the price is low enough. Some people are out of space but other people will find more space and new people are always entering/ re-entering the hobby, even if not at the same rate as a few years ago.
I think there’s people who are willing to take the hit on a nib because they just see it as the cost of a hobby and then people who are not willing or can’t afford to take a hit on anything, new or used. A couple of machines I’ve sold, after they are pending I’ve almost immediately had someone contact me that if the deal falls through to let them know. People want a machine for sale but are unsure if it will sell for the same amount so don’t buy it, then it sells and that was the confirmation they needed. Or they just get non-buyers remorse
Also some people are happy to make offers and some people either don’t think to or are worried they might offend. The Jaws that sold for 7050, there were more people who would have had it for that, so make an offer, you never know. As long as you are serious and will buy it if accepted and are also not offended if the seller then negotiates or says no, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with making an offer. I never mind getting an offer on something I'm selling as long as the person is serious, I can always say no thanks or try and agree a price somewhere in the middle. Do other people feel differently? Do offers annoy/ offend?