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Service in Melbourne - Non Existant!!!


mamejay

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Just wanted to start a thread at my disgust with a few of the arcade suppliers in Melbourne. I am in the Port Melbourne area so I am sure a few of you know the 2 main suppliers there.

One of them just BUMPED! Me up the wrong way. I have been in there with a few people to buy some parts. At one stage I was hitting the bell at the service counter for 10 minutes straight till the owner came out. He said I had to wait another 15 minutes to get the part that I could seeing the display counter. There is only one person in the whole company that can serve customers and if he is not there the business stops. We where in there for at least 45 minutes playing games and making a racket. Still no one came out to see what we where doing.

 

I have gone in there at least 4 times in the last 3 months and walked out after some time with no one even batting an eyelid at us.

 

After ordering my parts from OS and getting them 5 days later!!! And cheaper than quoted from you know who I tried to source out another supply.

 

Just my luck I found one around the corner. It looked eZAKly what I was looking for. I spoke too soon. After 20 minutes of standing at the counter listening to the sales person talking to a customer (About football I believe) Me and another mate walked out.

 

What is it with these companies? Are they so cashed up that they can let customers wander around not serving them or finding out what they need? Are these 2 companies related because the service was identical – NON EXISTANT!!!!

 

Anyone else share there experiences with these 2 companies?

 

I would like feedback as I am interested in opening a business. If this is the caliber of arcade retailer in Melbourne I will absolutely kick ass.

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Just wanted to start a thread at my disgust with a few of the arcade suppliers in Melbourne. I am in the Port Melbourne area so I am sure a few of you know the 2 main suppliers there.

One of them just BUMPED! Me up the wrong way. I have been in there with a few people to buy some parts. At one stage I was hitting the bell at the service counter for 10 minutes straight till the owner came out. He said I had to wait another 15 minutes to get the part that I could seeing the display counter. There is only one person in the whole company that can serve customers and if he is not there the business stops. We where in there for at least 45 minutes playing games and making a racket. Still no one came out to see what we where doing.

 

I have gone in there at least 4 times in the last 3 months and walked out after some time with no one even batting an eyelid at us.

 

After ordering my parts from OS and getting them 5 days later!!! And cheaper than quoted from you know who I tried to source out another supply.

 

Just my luck I found one around the corner. It looked eZAKly what I was looking for. I spoke too soon. After 20 minutes of standing at the counter listening to the sales person talking to a customer (About football I believe) Me and another mate walked out.

 

What is it with these companies? Are they so cashed up that they can let customers wander around not serving them or finding out what they need? Are these 2 companies related because the service was identical – NON EXISTANT!!!!

 

Anyone else share there experiences with these 2 companies?

 

I would like feedback as I am interested in opening a business. If this is the caliber of arcade retailer in Melbourne I will absolutely kick ass.

 

I get my parts at Coinplay Australia.Service is the best.I have been going there for 4 yrs.I am a regular there.Gunnar is a so help full with advice.Give him a go.

 

Coin Play Australia Pty Ltd

21 Tereva Cres.

Wheelers Hill, Vic. 3150.

Tel: 613 9560 0707

Fax:613 9560 0820

Sales line : 1800 333 350

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I have dealt with one of those people a few time over the phone. I have had cash ready to go to purchase stuff and they never bothered to get back to me. I made it quite clear that i was wanting to purchase also.

 

I will never ever bother to deal with this afore mentioned lot again. Infact, im glad that i dint because i managed to get all the stuff i was after for cheaper overseas. $1000 for a noami motherboard.... give me a break, if there service wasnt so terrible then i would have paid that stupid amount.

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Thanks for that Staceyamusements. I will keep them in mind. I have decided to start importing some goods from OS. The home market is growing and if these sorts of companies keep treating customers like that I will be driving a Mercedes in no time.

My theory on the whole thing is that the arcade industry was run by bogans and criminals way back when. A few where left with the machines and a heap of money they laundered over the years. Thats why service is so bad. Total lack of experience.

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to be honest I import most of our spare parts

we do buy some from where you have said and another local place in SE sub

but most are way cheaper from the US

 

we are only starting to carry stock for pinballs as we offer back up service. We will over the next few months.... well hoping have many more parts for sale and start to list them on our web site.

 

but at this stage try

marco and bayarea i buy from both of these

 

mark

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I have dealt with one of those people a few time over the phone. I have had cash ready to go to purchase stuff and they never bothered to get back to me. I made it quite clear that i was wanting to purchase also.

 

I will never ever bother to deal with this afore mentioned lot again. Infact, im glad that i dint because i managed to get all the stuff i was after for cheaper overseas. $1000 for a noami motherboard.... give me a break, if there service wasnt so terrible then i would have paid that stupid amount.

 

How much did you pay for your motherboard in the end out of interest?

 

Anyway, I had my first experiences with these 2 companies mid year and it wasn't the greatest. At Bumper we went there for the auction and when I turned up the next day to pick up a PCB everyone was in a meeting (in that glass room though) and so we were just playing around on machines for like 20 minutes.

 

Went to Zax's straight after as I wanted to grab a kick and that Street Fighter 3 they had listed for $150. Another half an hour wait under similar circumstances to yours there. Were playing on a few of the machines to pass the time and were getting like death stares from the other people there. Finally the guy finds the Street Fighter 3 board and says it's broken. Great big waste of my time.

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Guest Burra749
I get my parts at Coinplay Australia.Service is the best.I have been going there for 4 yrs.I am a regular there.Gunnar is a so help full with advice.Give him a go.

 

Coin Play Australia Pty Ltd

21 Tereva Cres.

Wheelers Hill, Vic. 3150.

Tel: 613 9560 0707

Fax:613 9560 0820

Sales line : 1800 333 350

 

I will second that

Ive been dealing with him for about 4 years & service is excellent.

:038:

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my vote goes to gunnar as well

have known and dealt with him for at least 10 years, one of the true good guys and we need more like him out there :D

(and hes got a freecall phone number :badgrin )

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Dont get me started on how fucked up aussie suppliers are. :x

 

Ive had to deal with most tools in the arcade industry... there are a lot of em!.

(I hope this isn't against forum rules... mod it if you wish.)

 

Never ever give Zax your time, let alone your money.

As Trav has said... they don't want your business, so don't pay their ripoff prices... trust me.

 

As a general rule. If your not spending well over at least 2k... they don't wanna know about it.

 

I could say more... but i think ill leave it at that.

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had few phone calls with both shops

only new to this and wanted to ask a bit about monitors

they just buffed me off im a guy that if you walk into a clothes shop and they dont serve you straight away i walk out next shop wants my money!

 

i rang markc awhile ago now about somethings and man i had to hang up on him nearly! he was a great help

just my two cents thanks

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http://www.gamedude.com.au/arcade

 

I probably dont have everything and I dont do pinballs at all but we dont stuff around with sales.

Call me (07) 3387 1500 ask for Dorian if your after specific parts or some help/advice.

 

Given that we are #1 on the toplist I cant understand why noone suggest us for some of the arcade parts.... We even do new cabinets.

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I've restored 14 pins in 6 years with not one part from an aussie spare parts ripoff merchant. I have at least 12 more to go, and all parts will be sourced from PBR, BAA, Marco & Pinballlife.

 

Example -

Generic Bumper Body Early Bally from PBR = US 54 cents

Generic Bumper Body Early Bally from melbourne "dealer" $5.50 !!!!

 

Coils ? Don't get me started :x

 

Once you've placed your first US order, you'll never order another part locally.

 

Disclaimer - I only order Pinball spares, not arcade stuff.

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  • Administrators
http://www.gamedude.com.au/arcade

 

I probably dont have everything and I dont do pinballs at all but we dont stuff around with sales.

Call me (07) 3387 1500 ask for Dorian if your after specific parts or some help/advice.

 

Given that we are #1 on the toplist I cant understand why noone suggest us for some of the arcade parts.... We even do new cabinets.

 

Probably because you're still living in the shadow of computer gear people might overlook.

Might want to get those boys at the counter up to speed as well, last time i went in there they just looked at me like a idiot. Perhaps It would pay to look at getting somebody to handle the arcade stuff separately.

 

I might change a few of the "recommended" repairers/retailers threads to just a list of retailers and repairers. If anybody wanted to be added to the list they can pm me what they have to offer the backyard community, I'll put a thread up later.

Just have to remember we don't get paid for advertising here at AA we do everything for free, Ryan and myself have thought about a few options on making the forum pay for itself but don't really want to go down the track of ads, paypal donations is probably the way to go.

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Just have to remember we don't get paid for advertising here at AA we do everything for free, Ryan and myself have thought about a few options on making the site pay for itself but don't really want to go down the track of ads, paypal donations is probably the way to go.

 

What, no auto posting ads like the *other* #1 arcade forum? :badgrin

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Guest Burra749
http://www.gamedude.com.au/arcade

 

I probably dont have everything and I dont do pinballs at all but we dont stuff around with sales.

Call me (07) 3387 1500 ask for Dorian if your after specific parts or some help/advice.

 

Given that we are #1 on the toplist I cant understand why noone suggest us for some of the arcade parts.... We even do new cabinets.

 

I must admit the one & only time Ive been in I stood in line for 35 minutes.

Had I not driven 1.5 hours to get there I would have walked out.

Im sure over the phone or email is the way to go.

:confused:

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http://www.gamedude.com.au/arcade

 

Given that we are #1 on the toplist I cant understand why noone suggest us for some of the arcade parts.... We even do new cabinets.

 

I am another one who on principal of poor service in the past will not walk into your store to buy anything.

 

Some please correct if the level of service has improved?

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i went in about 6 mnths ago and thought that even though they were buisy, they had all their registers/computers manned (unlike most places that have 4 operator spaces and only 1 person working), people comming and going to get the parts people were after, and they got through the line pretty quick. i only waited like 10 minutes if that and it was pretty hectic by the looks of things. i will also say that the computer parts i got were very cheap and the guy behind the counter was a good help. even wrapped em up so i could put them in the back of the bike.
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I too have had and heard of a few other people having bad experiences with Gamedude. Although I must admit from experience that the PC hardware industry is an extremely hard market to successfully operate and make a profit in. GD have been around for a long time in an industry where plenty of more "customer friendly" companies have come and gone. The reality is business are there to make money and GD have grown when many other stores have been struggling to stay afloat. It basically comes down to a choice between service or price, you can't have both.
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I too have had and heard of a few other people having bad experiences with Gamedude. Although I must admit from experience that the PC hardware industry is an extremely hard market to successfully operate and make a profit in. GD have been around for a long time in an industry where plenty of more "customer friendly" companies have come and gone. The reality is business are there to make money and GD have grown when many other stores have been struggling to stay afloat. It basically comes down to a choice between service or price, you can't have both.

 

That may or may not have been the case up until a few years back. This is no longer an industry made up mostly of ops with the occasional cashed up collector. Now, most of the people involved in the industry are private owners with one or 2 machines. The non-op now has much more buying power. It makes more sence to keep the larger percentile of customers with a little better focus on service (especially towards noobs).

 

Viva la backyarder

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