So I kept looking at the CV scrolls at Marco and Bay Area thinking no prob, I can pick them up later when I have an order.

Next thing you know... both out of stock! crap.

So Pinball Factory still has inventory and ordered there. Other then them being wrapped in the first page of The Australian Times and secured with a rusted paper clip; is there anything else to anticipate ordering from there?

You a$$ hurting after they tell you how much shipping is going to be?

Quoted from Vengeance

You a$$ hurting after they tell you how much shipping is going to be?

$54. That's not what I am worried about. It's the lack of lubricant with the brokers.

I've never ordered from them as the one thing I wanted that they had they wanted $30 for shipping when it could fit in an envlope.

Quoted from Vengeance

I've never ordered from them as the one thing I wanted that they had they wanted $30 for shipping when it could fit in an envlope.

Most items eventually end up in Marco and Bay Areas inventory I have found. So if it's something just newly repro'd I would wait and let them bring it in. I am sure they bulk ship via sea and are paying to import at distributor pricing, so in the end the price is the same (or less  ) and the shipping to you is cheaper.

This time I am not willing to wait for reorder. I was watching it for restocking at Marco and they just weren't coming in.

I tried ordering online from there once and my order simply disappeared (maybe I made a mistake, who knows).  So I would follow-through and get email confirmation of the order, just on case.

Quoted from necro_nemesis

$54. That's not what I am worried about. It's the lack of lubricant with the brokers.

International packages sent between 2 individuals are less subject to brokerage fee than if they are sent by a company.  Well, from my own limited experience anyway.  Wouldn't you have a better chance of not having broker involved if someone in Australia was buying for you and then ship it to you?  But maybe then the shipping would be more expansive if the company has bulk discount??  Just a thought.

Chris

Quoted from websherpa

I tried ordering online from there once and my order simply disappeared (maybe I made a mistake, who knows).  So I would follow-through and get email confirmation of the order, just on case.

That's comforting.... since I already paid for it.

I bought some parts off him a few weeks ago. no problems shipping wasn't bad. and I got it faster then some of the sites in the states.

                                                                                        

                                                                                                  Paul

Quoted from necro_nemesis

That's comforting.... since I already paid for it.

I don't think my credit card was charged, so the online order system didn't seem to complete the transaction for me (altough I thought it was complete at the time).  So likely no worries, but just a heads up.

Bit different for me as I live in Australia, but I have had many orders from Mr Pinball, all have been sent quickly and arrived intact. Most importantly all my orders have been correct and complete. Nothing worse than waiting a long time for a parcel and then getting the wrong gear. Never once happened to me with Mr Pinball

Am I the only one that would rather have used/broken/crappy parts than give one cent to Wayne?

Quoted from cooke

Am I the only one that would rather have used/broken/crappy parts than give one cent to Wayne?

I would say on a positive note that Wayne is providing some parts. I would have preferred to see the volume of reproduction manufactures around prior to Wayne shutting them down, but you take what you can get.

Buying the same items from Bay Area or Marco is still supporting Wayne. They are supplied by him.

To me the ideal situation would have been to license the people that were already in production rather than closing them down where Pinball Factory had no interest in making those parts.

Given the option of having a CV with no scrolls or supporting Wayne I am not about to get on a soapbox.

You just have to look at DE and try and get parts to see how bad zero support is.

Quoted from necro_nemesis

To me the ideal situation would have been to license the people that were already in production rather than closing them down where Pinball Factory had no interest in making those parts.

I have heard 2 stories in that regards... one stating that the manufacturers that closed were the ones that completely refused to pay licensing fees to Wayne. That would be wrong.

The other was that Wayne was asking a ridiculous licensing fee and the manufacturers stated that they rather close than charge nearly double for the same parts to the consumer.

Sad fact is that we will never know the true story, and no matter what scenario happens, the consumer pays for it.

From what I have read there are egos and animosities that are at play here rather than good business practices.

In the interest of pinball I wish they would just get over it.

Steve Engle at Mayfair Amusements has TONS of Data East parts.... you just have to e-mail and ask him. Very good shipping rates as well. He's a good guy to deal with.

Quoted from necro_nemesis

From what I have read there are egos and animosities that are at play here rather than good business practices.

In the interest of pinball I wish they would just get over it.

... A golden rule... never mix business with personal. Jeez, I know that and I still don't run a company


...yet.

"$54. That's not what I am worried about. It's the lack of lubricant with the brokers."

How is it being shipped?  If postal, then $5 for Canada Post, if UPS, then yes, prepare to be reamed.  What was the value of the scrolls though?
Optionally you can contact a broker, and see what they will charge, then when UPS shows up, tell them you have a broker already, and they will route the release through them instead. if you prepay, (give the broker the chance to just charge your CC, you should only be looking at about $20 if the goods are under $1600, cheaper if you know someone in the business.

I don't know who Pinball Factory uses for air shipping. Maybe someone else that shipped to North America from them air can advise me.

Should of waited, BAA has them in stock once again.

Quoted from HP5P

Should of waited, BAA has them in stock once again.

Maybe not. They just showed up and were shipped "properly" hint hint, nudge nudge.

In the end I think it would have cost close to the same.

3 weeks delivery for AIR.... sheesh. Must of been a pigeon.