how do they make money?

[dcninja]

How do arcade part suppliers make money? particularly on buttons and sticks? How can these companies continue to make them and stay in business? I see so many different arcade part seller websites, but most people don't even know the hobby still exists. It can't be beneficial for them to continue to manufacture these things for much longer, right? I just worry that one day something will break and there will be nowhere to get replacements and our machines will end up being giant paperweights. Am I overthinking this?

[Malenko]

Im pretty sure "arcade buttons" have other uses, like when I went to the automated car wash the buttons to pick what wash you wanted were arcade buttons.

[Sjaak]

I think most of them are resellers and not manufacturers.

[Louis Tully]

.

[nitrogen_widget]

I think most of them are resellers and not manufacturers.

I think the buttons are all made in one or two factories in china for pennies then shipped here to resellers.

I doubt they will ever disappear.
There are some factories in China that will make anything for anyone cheaply.
My dad used to have a factory manufacturing his own line of knock-off eyeglass frames.
The same factory that made the name-brand frames.

He was not a rich man however his overhead was only his car & roach motels when he went on the road.
The markup on eyeglasses is insane by the way.

Joysticks probably cost a little more.
For name brand joysticks I assume the parts are made in china then shipped here for assembly for better quality control but that is just a guess on my part.

[yotsuya]

If you have a couple extras on hand, I think you'll be fine. The level of abuse your home use game will take is nowhere near what it would see out in the wild. I'd probably be more worried about a microswitch failing than the actual button or joystick.

[pbj]

The real money is in t-molding.  First you tell your customers that they only need 20 feet, when they really need 30.  Then you charge $12 to ship a box weighing 4oz.  If they order 40 feet, cut them a break on shipping and only charge $20.

 

[Vigo]

3D printing becoming cheaper and better makes many of the parts potentially becoming "irreplaceable" a moot point.

[pbj]

Yeah, I said the same thing about women and real dolls but the dream of the 90s has yet to be fully realized

[nitrogen_widget]

Real doll can't make you a sam'ich. 

[pbj]

Women quit making sandwiches the second they're married.

[Ginsu Victim]

Real doll can't make you a sam'ich. 

Unless you get two Real Dolls.

[CraftyMech]

Yeah, I said the same thing about women and real dolls but the dream of the 90s has yet to be fully realized

Possibly the funniest and most disturbing thing I've heard on BYOAC in awhile.

[Le Chuck]

Real doll can't make you a sam'ich. 

Unless you get two Real Dolls.

     

[yotsuya]

Real doll can't make you a sam'ich. 

Unless you get two Real Dolls.

     

Oh, I get it now. 

[ChanceKJ]

...now I want a sandwich.

[Warborg]

My woman's idea of making a sandwich is sending me to Subway...   

[AlienInferno]

My woman's idea of making a sandwich is sending me to Subway...   

LOL!  Mine is having me go into the kitchen and make me a sandwich.  Then make her one as well.