Important Shipping Info
We offer a 3rd party insurance policy, pallet up-size option & we only ship with top-rated carriers! Why is this important? Because arcade games go on Ltl (less than truckload) semi-truck freight carriers when traveling long distances. They can't go on a UPS or Fed Ex Truck. (Well they can, but that is also Ltl just a different division than your local driver in the small trucks). What all this means is when freight goes Ltl it is put into a freight class category. That category is covered based on the commodity. Almost every single freight carrier only covers $1500.00 on coin-operated pinball machines and arcade games - new or used and no matter what you paid for it! This includes the specialized "White Glove" carriers. Our 3rd Party Policy only adds $40 to your quote. We have used this policy multiple times and it is a much smoother process than trying to deal with the carrier. Although damage is rare, it happens. If it happens, we handle every single aspect of this process, and we also pay the deductible for you!
The second part of this equation is the pallet size. Pinball manufactures use a 31X31 pallet so they can get 3 wide in semi-trucks and/or containers heading overseas. This means the size of the pallet is the same size of the box. Why does this matter? Well, this means the various other freight traveling with your game can hit your game since the pallet and the games box are the same size. Transferring the game over to a standard 40X48 pallet allows more space around your game to help minimize the risk of other freight or forklift drivers damaging it. It also greatly increases the inability of the freight to tip over. A pinball machine on a 40X48 pallet is much more planted and creates a larger footprint. A 31X31 can tip over quite easily if the truck hits a curb and it is not strapped in to the wall of the trailer. Once that game gets loaded on the trailer at our dock, it is mandatory that we have the driver strap that game in. Does it stay that way from truck to truck? We would hope so, but honestly once it leaves our dock it is no longer under our control. We have no idea as it goes from terminal to terminal and truck to truck. One thing is certain though, if it's not strapped in and it's on a 40X48 pallet it's much harder to tip over! This pallet upsizing service does change the freight cost because it puts it into the next freight class category due to its larger footprint. This service including the 40X48 pallet is $45.
The last piece if vital info you should know about is the actual carrier. There are some great carriers and not-so-great carriers out there. We have used them all over the past 25 years. The not-so-great may be cheaper, but they have extremely high claims for damaged freight. Years ago as a company we made the decision to stay away from them. They are just not worth the savings. It's minimal in retrospect of what these games can cost, not to mention replacing a pristine fully restored original game or even a brand new game that is no longer in production! We will ONLY use an above-average-rated carrier to transport your game. The old saying "you get what you pay for" can not be stressed enough in LTL shipping! For the cost of this high-end equipment, don't skimp on the shipping! Trust us on this, we have learned the hard way! Some of these carriers are paid by the skid. You can stamp, write and scream DO NOT STACK all over the freight and paperwork but guess what they will do? Stack on top of it to get more pallets on the truck. We have had it happen. Last, EVERY GAME gets a tip and tell affixed to the shipment. This assures you and us that the freight during transit has remained upright and has not fallen over. This is also a huge sign for the carriers to handle with care when they see these indicators on the freight. Once they see a tip and tell they tend to understand that they are being monitored and that the freight IS in fact fragile! All this, along with the service of upsizing the pallet to help minimize the risk of damage are strongly recommended if you are shipping your game any significant distance. You are looking at an $85 investment to protect thousands of dollars in product that you just purchased. If your game is eligible for free shipping your only cost would be the $85 for these two services. We will cover your actual freight bill if that promotion is valid for your game.
We Ship Anywhere! Fill Out This Form for a Quote!
- We accept personal checks, wire transfers, and all major credit cards. Contact Us for more info.
- We have various promotions at different times of the year, so please Contact Us about the game you're interested in and we can discuss specific pricing and promotions on that game.
- Are you confused with all the different models and pricing out there? Call Us! We will explain it in simple terms you can understand! 630-792-8910, Ask for Kurt
- We distribute many other brands of coin-operated equipment. If you're looking for anything coin-operated, Ask Us! Chances are we can get it and we will beat the big guys with the fancy expensive (overpriced) websites. Guaranteed!!!