Pinball Transaction Database?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I'm kicking around the idea of trying to compile a pinball transaction
database that would be similar to the auction results on the Mr.
Pinball site but would rely on buyers and/or sellers submitting
information.

Information could include the game, a brief description of it's
condition, location and price. I figured this information could be
useful to prospective buyers and sellers plus would be an interesting
way to track pricing trends.

I'd be interested in any suggestions or comments (good idea / dumb
idea?).

Thanks,

John

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

It's a great idea if everyone participates. I'd imagine, though, that
it might degenerate into a bitch forum for disgruntled buyers and
sellers. Plus, some might want not to post the t/a for fear that it
might be used against them in later negotiations.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

It's a great idea if everyone participates. I'd imagine, though, that
it might degenerate into a bitch forum for disgruntled buyers and
sellers. Plus, some might want not to post the t/a for fear that it
might be used against them in later negotiations.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I think it is a great idea

It would end a lot of the gouging

If it becomes a bitch forum for bad sales it will only be because bad
sales took place

Most sales are fairly good though

but the bad ones need to be reported, not swept under the rug

my two cents

gary

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

by the way ...

most bad sales are a result of improper pin grading

see Ebay today and every day for examples of that ...

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Good luck. I doubt many would be willing to divulge what is their
personal business for all to ogle. I know I certainly never would.
People would be called thieves for getting a great deal on a pin or
called crooks for selling high. To me it's a no win situation.

Cliffy
A passion for pinball!
www.passionforpinball.com

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

People post here every day about it ...

good seller, bad seller

of course a lot are scared to name a bad seller that is a favorite up
here, because of the flaming that would take place

but on an independant site ....

no direct flaming ...

gary

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I guess my intent would be for this to be a tabulated list, which would
not include the identity of the buyer or the seller.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Then what is the point?

People could just submit fake entries

"Hey, I just paid $12,000 for a TZ"

meanwhile the guy bought nothing and then tries to sell his own TZ for
$11,500, giving the next guy in line a "deal"

bad idea I think ...

gary

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Then I'd tend to agree with Cliffy.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Then I will agree with Cliffy as well

gary

 

[pt]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Gary, for once we agree. Cliffy is right.

Also, certain people might give false numbers or report transactions
that did not occur to throw things off one way or the other. No way to
verify unless both parties in a transaction are aware of the database.

I think the two price guides that are available are as good as we can
get. They use fairly scientific data gathering methods and are updated
annually.

John

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Those price guides are so-so ...

They don't list by condition ...

Just one flat price ...

at least the ones I saw a few years ago ...

There is no hope as far as cleaning up pin grading

It is just screw or be screwed ... (that's why I don't sell anymore)

Like a jungle out there

gary

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Pinhead wrote:

> I'm kicking around the idea of trying to compile a pinball transaction
> database that would be similar to the auction results on the Mr.
> Pinball site but would rely on buyers and/or sellers submitting
> information.

What would really be useful is to have eBay pin prices archived
somewhere for individual games. Jay with the IPDB did it for two years
strictly for EM machines, but indicated that it got to be too much of a
hassle, so he stopped:

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.pinball/msg/ba552a4ec6efb48c

Pinball transactions between collectors are often not consummated
strictly with cash. Lots of horse trading going on. Also goats,
mattresses, NOS playfields, what have you. I don't think a database
devoted to this would lend itself to easy analysis like auction results
or eBay prices would.

- Josh A.

 

[pt]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

The Mr Pinball guide gives the price for an average working machine.
Add extra for a great machine and detract for a clunker. As a general
guide I have found this book to be very good and I buy a new one every
year.

I've never seen the Larry Bieza's Pinball Price Guide, but I thought it
has three prices for each machine that are condition dependent? I may
buy one next year...

John

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Yes Larrys breaks them down by medians of conditions. Even still I
think the best price guide is whatever the current market is at the
time. The only real time data we have will be from places like here and
ebay. Google here on rgp for a game you want to know the price and
condition of and sort by date or go to ebay and do the same thing.
Gives a better general idea and probably more accurate than auctions
results.

Cliffy
A passion for pinball!
www.passionforpinball.com

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I think if you made it both buyers and sellers there would be issues
(which are noted above). If you made it a seller only list though with
all important information (condition, local pickup or shipped, etc)
then maybe it would be useful. The buyer would not be identified, so
it could not come back to haunt him at later dates.

Aaron

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

>I doubt many would be willing to divulge what is their personal business for all to ogle

No kidding. Bad idea all the way around.

Kirb

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

>People post here every day about it ...
>good seller, bad seller
>of course a lot are scared to name a bad seller that is a favorite up
>here, because of the flaming that would take place

WTF does this have to do with game prices and transactions? Nothing,
that's what.

Kirb

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Kirb ...

Let's see if we can do this without cheap shots

What I am saying, is that behind the scenes I hear that some of the
"faves" up here are the worst people on the planet to deal with in real
life

Not all

Not most

but a few .... (a few, a few, a few)

but nobody goes public because they are smart and they don't want the
flames

ok ...

gary

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

>They don't list by condition ...
>Just one flat price ...

That is why it is called a "guide". The guide gives an idea of where
the game is compared to others. This guide is far more helpful with
other details than just price. In the end it is the opinion of the
seller and buyer on price. A published book cannot track current trends
(like the spike in funhouse pricing).

>There is no hope as far as cleaning up pin grading

Like anything else sold on the used market. Your opinion of condition
is totally different than someone elses. Been like that since trading
chickens.

>It is just screw or be screwed ... (that's why I don't sell anymore)

(here we go with the overblown IJ story again....)
Did you ever hear of taking many clear digital pictures, answering
questions, posting a fair and honest description, and acting like you
would want a seller to act? How hard it is to sell and buy these days?
I don't get all the gloom and doom. I have no problem buying and
selling games (then again, I know what I am doing).

Kirb

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

I would not participate, nor would I bother checking the list when
working my own transactions. The whole enterprise would be quite
useless.

We already HAVE something like this. It's called "check ebay completed
listings."

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

>What I am saying, is that behind the scenes I hear that some of the
>"faves" up here are the worst people on the planet to deal with in real
>life

You avoided the direct questions -AGAIN-

What does the good/bad seller have to do with a web page about
transaction prices and locations? NOTHING.

>What I am saying, is that behind the scenes I hear that some of the
>"faves" up here are the worst people on the planet to deal with in real
>life

You are spouting second hand BS (which might even be untrue) for
whatever reason. Unless you have a direct problem it would be in your
best interest to STFU. What you "hear" doesn't matter and means nothing
to this post.

Kirb

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Kirb ...

OK, you win ...

I agree with you now, people in this biz are always, or almost always,
very honest about disclosing condition of games

I agree with you ...

very honest hobby ...

gary

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

>I agree with you ...
>very honest hobby ...

You avoided the question YET AGAIN!

You are on a quest to sully SOMEONE (god knows who today). Who is it?
Come on Gary. Get it out. Quit being a pansy and just say who is the
scumbag and get it over with. You know you want to.

Did I say that everyone was a saint? no.
It doesn't matter when the point is about a web page about prices.

(watch him turn this post about me, or how hated he is, or whatever
that isn't even on the same topic)

Kirb