Arcade Game Buyers Guide and FAQ | Residential     
The best way to learn about buying arcade games for the home would be to read this whole section if you have the time. Otherwise, if you have a particular question you want answered, you may select from among the many common questions
we get from our customers each week below, or contact us anytime if your question (s) are not answered in this section.
Frequently Asked Questions About Buying Arcade Games From BMI Gaming:
 How do I know that your firm is reputable and that I will get what I order?
A: Great question - and a very good one to ask if you are thinking about placing a order for
thousands of dollars of product online with anyone! BMIGaming.com was the first and is still
the only truly "global" brand name for commercial-quality arcade games in the world today,
and our amazing success story has been the subject of national newspapers and magazines,
online news sites, and we have even appeared on a few radio and television shows!
BMIGaming.com is one of the very few broadline, full service, worldwide arcade game distributors
to be registered and certified by the National Better Business Bureau Online Reliability Program
with a A-Rated, 100% satisfaction record, in addition to our website being fully compliant with
Consumer Reports WebWatch Site Pledge.
We also offer all customers our 30-Day Return Policy and Satisfaction Guarantee, Free Lifetime
Technical Support from our own in-house service department and our Free Extended Electronics
Warranties on many games we sell, in addition to offering Extended Game Warranty programs.
Still not convinced? Then hop on over to our Customer Testimonials page, read what our
customers have to say about us, and even have the chance to ask them directly what they
think about their experience with BMI Gaming - a industry first from the leader in gaming!
I heard that sales taxes are free on internet purchases! Do I have to pay any?
A: All purchases on the BMIGaming.com web site are TAX FREE. We are only authorized to
collect a 6.50% sales tax on orders being shipped to any address within the State of Florida.
Of course, you may be responsible for paying sales tax to the state in which you live, but that
is entirely a matter left to your discretion.
What is the cost of a typical arcade game?
A: There is nothing typical about arcade games! Arcade games prices vary considerably in
price depending on a number of factors; the majority of games range from just a few hundred
to over fifteen thousand dollars and up, depending on the game title, condition (new or used)
and game popularity. Prices for the same game title may vary by several hundred dollars from
dealer to dealer due to the presence of (or the lack of) game return policies, game warranties,
qualified technical support technicians, etc. The current market price of the game and most
importantly the machine condition (if preowned) also affects the actual price of a game.
You may obtain a lower price by purchasing a less expensive unit, but then the chance that it is
a substandard game that will fail to operate, breakdown or just not play increases dramatically.
And what happens when your game needs service? Who will you turn to? Make sure you know
exactly who you are dealing with and what policies are in place before buying your game!
What type or kind of arcade game should I buy?
A: Although we love to provide our customers with guidance in this area when asked, which
is quite often; we frequently are requested to suggest several game types and titles to in
order to fully furnish a new home or office gameroom. However, sometimes this question
is best answered by you, along with some guidance from our gaming experts...
Unless you already have a good idea what you want, the best thing is to visit a large local
game arcade near you, preferably during the slow period, so you can hear what you might
be buying (which is important since many cool game sounds and nuances are completely
lost in typical very loud and dark arcade centers) and spend $20-$50 to play all the games
that might interest you, so you might have a better idea what type of game suit you the best!
Click here for a listing of addresses and telephone numbers for Arcade Centers nationwide
Other things to consider are how much money are you willing to spend on your gameroom,
and will your games be used primarily by family and children or just adults? Will the game be
situated in a business or retail establishment or just be used by yourself and friends? If the
game is in a home, where will it be located? A centerpiece for your home or in your garage?
You might want to check out these two buyers guides for more ideas and information:
Click here for our Pinball Machine " First Time Buyers Guide "
Click here for our Video Arcade Game " First Time Buyers Guide "
Click here for our Commercial Arcade / Family Entertainment Center "Buyers Guide"
What if my game needs to be delivered inside, downstairs or upstairs ?
A: Done! Our Inside Delivery Service Program includes delivery to the ground floor of your
business or home in the base price. If your game needs to be delivered up or down a flight
of stairs (more than four steps) there is an additional $125 charge for that service.
Please note that shipping firms require at a least 1/2" clearance on each side of the game
to deliver through a door, and approximately 2-4" clearance to deliver a game up or down
an enclosed stairway; if the clearance is less than that, you may have to make arrangements
with a local mover of your choice to have the game moved once it is delivered to your location.
There can be additional charges for complicated steps or for more than 1 flight of stairs.
You can learn more about shipping costs and other shipping options on our Shipping page.
After I place my order, how long will it take before I receive my games ?
A: While most new game orders ship out from the factory within just a few days, some large
sit-down arcade games, casino and shuffleboard tables, plus many furniture items are built
to order by the specific manufacturer, and can take anywhere from 3 to 4 weeks on average
to be produced and readied to be shipped out to you after placing your order with us. General
shipping times can be found for most products we sell within our website, or if you have a
more specific question shipping question, visit our shipping page or contact us anytime!
Most refurbished game machines can be shipped out from 3 to 6 weeks after your order is
placed, since most of them must undergo our intensive restoration process.
If any game you purchase from us is either on backorder or is currently out of stock,
we will promptly notify you via email or phone of the situation.
Are there any other costs besides the price of the game and shipping?
A: No. But you might decide to add an Extended Warranty for added protection and
peace-of-mind with your gaming purchase at an additional cost, but that's just about it.
There also may be additional "stair charges" if your game will not be delivered on the
ground floor, but only if you elected to use our In-Home Delivery Program. Plus check
payments receive a additional cash discount ! (see Payments Page for details)
Do you offer discounts on multiple game orders ? How about online sales ?
A: Yes! We offer excellent discounts for customers buying more three or more games
at a time, and we also offer generous discounts on various game packages and purchases
of more than three games at one time. Once you have decided on the games you would
like to purchase, email our Sales Department with your purchase details or just call us at
1-800-746-2255 or +1-561-910-0061 to request a special multi-game discount from us
As far as store-wide online sales, it depends on the time of year and the current supply
and demand situation for games, but we do offer special discounts for specific game
categories ordered online, and these sales change at least every few days. To be notified
on our latest sales and discounts programs and offers, please join our mailing list below,
or just keep a sharp eye out for these sales as offered on our Main or Specials page!
Do most of the games you offer fit through a standard doorway ?
A: The majority of our pinball machines and video games are designed to fit through
most "standard-size" American doorways; however, a few large and sit-down type
video games may not fit through a standard doorway. A good rule of thumb is to have
at least 1" clearance on each side of a passageway, but most games can be moved
carefully through doors with as little as 1/2" clearance, if on a flat and level surface.
Some doors can be taken off their hinges to allow greater clearance, and more than
a few of our customers have had door jambs taken off temporarily to allow a game to
be brought into their home or office. Be sure to double-check the width and height
of a game and the clearance of your doors, stairways and stairwells before buying
your game, or contact us for further assistance.
Do most of your games use a standard household electrical outlet ?
A: Yes!. 100% of the games we sell online use a standard 110V three-prong outlet that
you just plug in and play like you would any other electrically powered item. A few very
large (and expensive) games may require a special outlet to be installed that can be done
usually for less than $150 by your local electrician. For our international customers, some
games come with a dual voltage option (110/220V) standard, and most can be ordered
with the voltage that is right for your country. Please email us for more information
What sort of electrical requirements do your arcade games have?
A: Speaking in general, the *average* amperage / wattage usage on most standard
upright video arcade and modern electronic pinball machines is:
Amps : 2.0 Amps Min | 10.0 Amps Max - Watts : 300 Watts Min | 1000 Watts Max
Almost all of our standard upright video arcade and modern electronic pinball machines
can be plugged in and played straight out of the box on any standard home or commercial
electrical system. When thinking of adding 4 to 5 or more games on one circuit, it may be
necessary to have a local electrician make a simple upgrade the breaker in your circuit
box, which typically runs from $75-$175, depending on where you live in the country
Will I have to use coins to play my game ? Can I charge people to play it ?
A: No... and Yes! The majority of our coin-operated games ship with a "free-play" option,
which allows you to play your game without the use of coins or tokens. If the game you
select is coin-operated and does not have this feature, we can arrange to install a "credit"
or free-play button on the coin door for you at a slight additional fee. As far as charging
people to play, almost all of coin-operated games allow this, and you can set the pricing
anyway you like (usually from $0.25-$1.50, sometime more) Some of our customers have
actually paid for their games by charging their friends and family to play!
Do you have a catalog you can send me?
A: Yes we do have a catalog, but it is entirely online. We do not have a print catalog to mail
you at this time. With the advent of the internet and web pages, producing a paper catalog
just contributes to the continuing destruction of our scarce natural resources unnecessarily,
and a print catalog cannot offer the latest in pricing and products updates like we can online.
To view our extensive online catalog, just select any game from our Master Selection Guide
or from the top menu tabs located on all the pages in our website. If you need a printed
copy to refer back to later, simply print out the specific webpage (s) you wish to keep.
What if I want to buy a game that is not listed in your online catalog ?
A: Please contact us using our Game Inquiry Form with your request and we will do our
best to locate it for you as soon as possible if you are serious about purchasing one.
Will you beat other dealer's pricing? Do you offer a Low-Price Guarantee ?
A: Yes! Our Everyday Low-Price Guarantee promises to meet or beat all authorized
distributor and retail dealer advertised pricing on all new arcade and sports games !
* Policy does not cover "internet-only" retailers without showrooms or technical support, limited stock, or rare / hard-to-find
items. Must present the offer (printed or website price) along with the authorized dealer's name and phone number
What type of payments do you accept ?
A: Just about everything ! We accept most Major Credit Cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover)
Personal, Business or E-Checks, Wire Transfers, Money Orders, PayPal "e-Checks".
Please visit our Payments Page for more information and restrictions.
You can also get an additional cash discount when paying via check - See Payments for details !
Do you have a service and repair center ?
A: Yes! BMIGaming.com offers nationwide on-site game repair and service, and worldwide free lifetime technical support for all items we sell - But we currently provide service, repair, parts and technical
support to BMIGaming.com Customers Only at this time.
Do you sell replacement parts ?
A: Yes! But only to current BMIGaming.com customers. If you are looking for replacement
parts, kit upgrades and game upgrades for pinball machines and video games, and you
are not a current customer of ours, please visit our Replacement Parts Page for a listing
of part suppliers and vendors who may be able to help you find what you are looking for.
What happens if a game is delivered damaged or not working ?
A:: If there is damage to the carton, you would contact us first before doing anything.
In the unlikely event we cannot be reached, or if the damage is extensive, do not accept
the game from the shipper and refuse the shipment. If the damage appears light or easily
repairable, you may accept the order but be sure to detail all damage to the game on
the bill of lading before signing it. If your game appears fine, but does not work property
after first being powered up, in about 90% of the cases, just a simple adjustment of a part
or wire that may have come loose during transit is all that is usually required. Our technical
support professionals will be more than happy to assist you with this via phone.
Do I have to do any sort of setup or assembly after my game is delivered ?
A: Most new games we sell are ready to play right out of the box, or require about 5 to10
minutes worth of "setup" time at worst. Refurbished games are ready to go when delivered.
Some games like new foosball tables, new air hockey and new bubble hockey machines,
new popcorn machines, new pinball machines and new sit-down driving games require a
bit more assembly time (from 5 to 60 minutes) using standard household tools. Our service
technicians are more than happy to assist you with this over the phone or email if needed.
Have other questions not answered here or elsewhere on our site?
Please call us at or Contact us via Inquiry Form anytime
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Hablamos Español : Departamento de Ventas Latinoamericano | 09am - 07pm L-V / GMT -5 | Llama : + 561.288.4889
