Author Topic: What determines production numbers..?  (Read 975 times)

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Offline roundball

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What determines production numbers..?
« on: January 22, 2012, 11:25:03 PM »
As per the title. 'What determines production numbers' of pinball machines.

I read in the WCS thread that it 'must have been a good game because 6500 were made'.   So that would suggest that if a pin is popular onsite then they keep on building them.  Which got me thinking. 
Wasn't it LOTR LE Gold Edition that was released as a LE run, but then they built more LE's to cater for demand.? How ripped off would you feel if you purchased 1 of 500, for them to produce another few hunderd down the track.?

AC/DC for example.  Will they produce more LE's when the initial supply has dried up.?

Regarding LE's, is production based on exclusivity or supply and demand.?

For Pro's, is production based on supply and demand or on a pre-determined build quantity.?

Offline Olivia_jason

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Re: What determines production numbers..?
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2012, 11:37:11 PM »
would probly work out a sales estimate for first run production i would say.
would also have a bit with licences for say acdc for limited editions and what not. but then they would see once the production doesnt meet original production estimates they would pull the pin, and if it continues to sell they would keep making it  till it starts to decline in sales, or to a date they might have set for their company to make the model for. and start tooling up for the next model
« Last Edit: January 22, 2012, 11:38:50 PM by Olivia_jason »

Offline mildflame

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Re: What determines production numbers..?
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2012, 11:38:14 PM »
i don't know but i recon if money wasn't a problem i could get 1,000,000 people to buy an acdc pin
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Offline Olivia_jason

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Re: What determines production numbers..?
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2012, 11:45:43 PM »
you would assume they would work in a similar style as a car manufacture, when determining how long to run a particular car model for, have model projections for best case scenario if the model sells for how long they would keep the model on sale for and production numbers and if it succeeds those number they would continue selling, and if it didn't they would end it early, if they have set a number for limited editions that is very limited in numbers they would stay with that if they have advertised and continue selling the base models, might even revamp and alter the limited edition and make a second limited run, like car manufacturers do also.
it would be very interesting to see how many of these they sell.
« Last Edit: January 22, 2012, 11:47:38 PM by Olivia_jason »

Offline Caveoftreasures

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Re: What determines production numbers..?
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2012, 05:44:10 AM »
I would suggest Gary Stern has a list of customers who he could depend on to say buy 1 or 2 machines every time their is a new title made.

Lets say he has 50 dealers in the USA, and the average dealer buys say 5 machines, to site or sell, thats about 250 machines, in PRO form for the USA. Then add say another 2 machines per dealer for LE, thats another 100. making it a total of say 350 sold.. Then say add up the rest of the world, and u might have another basic sales order number of say another 200 combined. Thats 550 machines. Who knows if this thinking is correct, but he would know, on average that he could probably depend on around 500 units with a low selling title. If he sells the games for say $4,000 to $4350 USA dollars, allowing the Dealer a $750 margin in the USA, then the usual $5 grand USA selling retail price might be right. ?

If STERN sells say 500 machines, say at a profit of 2 grand a machine (he builds for 2 grand and sells to his dealers for 4 grand), then there is a million dollars in a 500 unit production run.  I reckon these figures would be close. I am sure STERN would have anyone believe they make less than $500 a machine, but after being in business for 20 yrs, I know that no one trades say $900,000 to $950,000 in cost to only add $50,000 to their profit levels etc. If Stern is making that coin, they shld, and deserve to do so to stay alive. The above figures make business sense. He would have to be making decent coin per unit, cause running a dece3nt factory today is not cheap at all.

Selling LE versions, would be much more profitable again for Stern. Since Stern never releases numbers of machines built (pro models) who knows what they really sell.

and yes, they will do more of the LE AC/DC versions, cause demand, demands it !.lol They will just change it again, and do a numbered run to keep those who missed out early. No one knocks back coin, and Stern will happily take more money for another LE. So they shld. Everyone wins if the next LE is different.  ^^^
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Offline swinks

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Re: What determines production numbers..?
« Reply #5 on: January 23, 2012, 08:33:54 AM »
never thought about it, but checked the stern site and they are still producing "buck Hunter, Iron Man, and Batman - probably home versions I am guessing

http://www.sternpinball.com/In_Production.shtml

would be interesting to know how many machines have been made though for any one game.
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Offline Cow Corner

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Re: What determines production numbers..?
« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2012, 09:09:28 AM »
i don't know but i recon if money wasn't a problem i could get 1,000,000 people to buy an acdc pin
1 million......I doubt it....even if I had $$$ ooozing out my ears I still wouldn't buy one.
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Offline Cow Corner

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Re: What determines production numbers..?
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2012, 09:16:56 AM »
never thought about it, but checked the stern site and they are still producing "buck Hunter, Iron Man, and Batman - probably home versions I am guessing

http://www.sternpinball.com/In_Production.shtml

would be interesting to know how many machines have been made though for any one game.


Me too, I have tried to check how many Spiderman machines have been made, the best I can get is around 7000 not 7040 or whatever...around 7000.
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Offline GORGAR 1

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Re: What determines production numbers..?
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2012, 10:02:45 AM »
never thought about it, but checked the stern site and they are still producing "buck Hunter, Iron Man, and Batman - probably home versions I am guessing

http://www.sternpinball.com/In_Production.shtml

would be interesting to know how many machines have been made though for any one game.


Me too, I have tried to check how many Spiderman machines have been made, the best I can get is around 7000 not 7040 or whatever...around 7000.

7000 spidermans wow that's good going that's up with Williams in the 90's

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Offline Cow Corner

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Re: What determines production numbers..?
« Reply #9 on: January 23, 2012, 10:36:25 AM »
never thought about it, but checked the stern site and they are still producing "buck Hunter, Iron Man, and Batman - probably home versions I am guessing

http://www.sternpinball.com/In_Production.shtml

would be interesting to know how many machines have been made though for any one game.


Me too, I have tried to check how many Spiderman machines have been made, the best I can get is around 7000 not 7040 or whatever...around 7000.

7000 spidermans wow that's good going that's up with Williams in the 90's

Peter

Yeah, assuming that the figure is correct. I would love to get a final figure on spiderman and ironman pro. Are they still making ironman pro? I think it is only the classic now.
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Offline Pop Bumper Pete

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Re: What determines production numbers..?
« Reply #10 on: January 23, 2012, 12:08:10 PM »
I would doubt the 7000 figuure
My spidy was from the last run, when i get home i will check the playfield number

Offline Pop Bumper Pete

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Re: What determines production numbers..?
« Reply #11 on: January 23, 2012, 01:09:00 PM »
Edit. Double post
« Last Edit: January 23, 2012, 01:10:40 PM by Pop Bumper Pete »

Offline Pop Bumper Pete

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Re: What determines production numbers..?
« Reply #12 on: January 23, 2012, 03:02:09 PM »
my Spiderman is from one of the last runsof this game
The playfeild number is 3403, so i would say a maximum  run of 4000

Offline Cow Corner

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Re: What determines production numbers..?
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2012, 03:53:12 PM »
my Spiderman is from one of the last runsof this game
The playfeild number is 3403, so i would say a maximum  run of 4000


Thanks pete, that makes more sense to me than 7000 made, do you have any idea on Ironman pro produciton numbers?
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Offline Pop Bumper Pete

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Re: What determines production numbers..?
« Reply #14 on: January 23, 2012, 03:56:52 PM »
Nup, my Ironman was an early production game . Number 85 if i remember right