Has anyone got a Container of pins on the cards ?

[Strangeways]

Some interesting points. Each importer does it for similar reasons - They enjoy the industry, they enjoy playing the games, they enjoy the profits.

I do it because I love pinball. I don't sell machines "out of the container" as I don't want to be lumped in the same bucket as most importers. I do things differently.

I buy games based on

1 - What customers ask me for.
2 - Games in very good condition
3 - Basket cases that I see the challenge in restoring
4 - Games I want, or have not seen before.

I import games because I love what I do, and I don't want to run out of games. I have easily - 5-10 years at minimum of work on my stock.

I don't buy games ;

1 - To put others "out of business". It simply does not work, and a few are learning the lesson the hard way.
2 - To sell games at 1000% profit. This is NOT the industry to become a millionaire.
3 - To sell "as is", to customers.
4 - Quick turnover of machines - which creates it's own mini industry for repairers.

I will LOCATE games for friends that have been looking for titles. That is my prerogative and I have my reasons for doing so. If I'm asked about an "as is" machine, I arrive at the figure I want for the RESTORED game - as I'm losing the enjoyment of the process. Not being flippant, but I like restoring !

Demand has shifted slightly. Customers won't pay $9000 for a TZ unless they see $9000 worth of value. The impulse buyer is no longer the big fish that dealers want to catch.

Project Machines - When a seller has too much stock, or not enough room - then they do sell projects and you can score bargains. The tactic of flooding fleabay just creates more work for restorers and repairers. When pricing projects (or shilling ebay auctions), there's always homework done by the seller. They price the game high enough that when it is restored, the buyer won't make a profit.

It is a VERY strange industry.

[Dimsims]

ok, so this topic has bought up pretty much all the bad points of importing Pinball machines 

Is there any good points out there ?


The other thing is my original question:
If anyone is organising a container of pins in the near future ? Or is there anyone interested in organising / sharing one ?

As no one has answered that, I suppose the answer is no ?
 

[Homepin]

The good point would be that you will have an instant collection of (very likely) non-working machines.

Probably 50% of which will be either rubbish titles or ones you are not keen on.

If you are not keen on this 50%, chances are others won't be either unless they can "steal them".

You will likely outlay 20~40K UP FRONT several months in advance and then cross your fingers.

You will have sleepless nights wondering where your goods are, will customs put a hold on my goods as a first time importer and it cost me thousands more? What if the ship sinks? What if pirates seize the ship (don't laugh, this is an optional extra on most shipping insurance policies)? and 200 other worries.

There are very few positives UNLESS (like I said earlier) you are going to do it on a regular basis, you commit to it as a JOB and pour LOTS of money that you have every chance of losing into the venture.

Those who are doing it and making $500~1000 per machine I say good luck to them!! They are earning EVERY CENT!

[Dimsims]

Well, I definitely cant do a container by myself, that's for sure(I don't have that sort of cash floating about)
This is why I started the thread in the first place.

From my home work I've found a supplier that will ship as little as 6 machines.
So I worked out what that 6 would cost landed (roughly) and that worked out to my maxed budget.
For the that amount of dough I'd be hoping that not much was wrong with them.
Would be hoping to spend less then $500 for parts on each for what ever they needed, otherwise it would be the same as buying them here.

With only 6 machines there's no real buying power.
If the order was 20 machines, then I think there would be some buying power and will be able to barter with them.
Also works out cheaper for freight per pin.

This was just 1 supplier, so there's probably better suppliers out there and maybe cheaper prices ?

[Strangeways]

The only way to find out is to try will a small shipment. You have heard almost all the bad points to importing your own container, but there are risks involved. There are also rewards for taking those risks. But when things do go bad, they are not small insignificant issues. I'll give you an example ;

A container from Europe arrived in 2008. The supplier filled out all the correct info on the Commercial Invoice, the Packing Dec and the Bill of Lading. It arrived in Port Melbourne, and the "night staff" ticked the wrong box. Instead of going from the wharf to Sunshine, it went to Newport. That's just a "tick box" - does not seem like much - but - At Newport, they empty the container. That's the AQIS inspection depot. My Driver goes to Sunshine to pick up the container, only to find it was not there, and it was moved overnight to Newport and then the staff emptied the container, and as per process, my pinballs were inspected. Every single game was removed. My container (58 games) lay in a warehouse with forklifts buzzing around, and priceless EMs and SS games with backglasses exposed. It WAS a big deal. what should have cost $700 suddenly cost me 2 transport trips, then a Hire truck for 2 days. no help from anyone (accept a fellow pinhead - Marco). AQIS don't care, my former Freight forwarder didn't care and the Staff at Newport wanted my games gone.

That's what I called a mess ! I use a different freight forwarder - and they are the best in the business.

Every container (3 other countries) have been successful.

The other point worth mentioning - I don't charge for the hours upon hours of research, collecting info on the games, the time spent with the Freight forwarder, the trips to the bank - small things that all add up. It is part of the fun for me now, and I sleep well knowing I can track my container as it floats around the world. It is part of the game - but it is not all as "glamorous" as the container Threads depict it as.

[Dimsims]

A container from Europe arrived in 2008. The supplier filled out all the correct info on the Commercial Invoice, the Packing Dec and the Bill of Lading. It arrived in Port Melbourne, and the "night staff" ticked the wrong box. Instead of going from the wharf to Sunshine, it went to Newport. That's just a "tick box" - does not seem like much - but - At Newport, they empty the container. That's the AQIS inspection depot. My Driver goes to Sunshine to pick up the container, only to find it was not there, and it was moved overnight to Newport and then the staff emptied the container, and as per process, my pinballs were inspected. Every single game was removed. My container (58 games) lay in a warehouse with forklifts buzzing around, and priceless EMs and SS games with backglasses exposed. It WAS a big deal. what should have cost $700 suddenly cost me 2 transport trips, then a Hire truck for 2 days. no help from anyone (accept a fellow pinhead - Marco). AQIS don't care, my former Freight forwarder didn't care and the Staff at Newport wanted my games gone.

WOW, what a mess !!

I know how it feels, but on a smaller scale 
I've got many stories about importing stuff by air freight (using DHL, EMS and so on), that gets delivered to my door.
Tracking is a massive help, but once it lands in Aus, DHL use a third party courier and this is where trouble starts.
Once the third party is involved, DHL's Tracking stops ! then there's no of finding out who the third party is, unless I call them.
By the time the boxes get to me half the time, they've been thrown around so much the box spits open and who know whats missing ?

Then there's customs, ripping through my boxes to check whats in them !
Many items have been ruined over the years as anything that is bubble wrapped, customs just run the stanley knife through it !

But yeah many a time I'm stressing out about my orders getting here on time and safely.

[Pop Bumper Pete]

The way I look at it , your biggest problem is that you cannot inspect the game before you buy it
To me this is the most important issue, no matter if you are importing or buying local.

If I cannot inspect before buying I am not interested
I have been burnt too many times

Well, I definitely cant do a container by myself, that's for sure(I don't have that sort of cash floating about)
This is why I started the thread in the first place.

From my home work I've found a supplier that will ship as little as 6 machines.
So I worked out what that 6 would cost landed (roughly) and that worked out to my maxed budget.
For the that amount of dough I'd be hoping that not much was wrong with them.
Would be hoping to spend less then $500 for parts on each for what ever they needed, otherwise it would be the same as buying them here.

With only 6 machines there's no real buying power.
If the order was 20 machines, then I think there would be some buying power and will be able to barter with them.
Also works out cheaper for freight per pin.

This was just 1 supplier, so there's probably better suppliers out there and maybe cheaper prices ?