Yeah, would be nice if dealers had a price list where you wouldn't have to bug them.
The market for pins sold through commercial sellers is too tight and they risk having a competitor undercut their price by a few hundred and listing an identical machine just to sabotage their auction or product.
Best advice is to know the current market value of the pin you want and stick to your guns when bidding/buying. I have just imported a container of pins I will be adding to my personal collection and trust me from this experience, they have PLENTY of profit margin safety net to negotiate with.
The commercial importers should be chasing YOU for a sale, not the other way around. 
Absolutely 100% correct. Could not agree more. It really is up to the individual's Business acumen and honesty when pricing machines. I've made sure my prices are affordable and also my standard of reconditioning is at a high standard. This is in a time when competition is at an "all time high", and instead of raising the bar over the competition, most are cutting corners to sell cheaper pins. If the industry was regulated, most business' would close down.
The marketplace reminds me of an individual who was buying from a local dealer for years. Happy to pay the price and happy with the condition of the game. Years later, the individual dabbles in importation and then to his disgust, he finds out how much the games cost and screams Blue Murder that he (and the public) were / are being ripped off. Finally, the guy ends up working within the industry, and he sells his games higher than the market price. The irony !
The payoff is ALWAYS the risks involved, the meticulous paperwork and the risks involved if things go wrong - and they DO go wrong.
As far as I'm concerned, importing pinballs and presenting them to the marketplace should involve some sort of passion and product knowledge. Profit should come second. For me, the "hunt" is my favorite part of the game.
