Support Your Local Game Store?

[woodelf]

At GenCon this year, I spent maybe $150 on various gaming products. Some of these were available at my local store, and some aren't. A couple things I bought because they aren't available in the store yet, a couple because I wanted to play them with friends at the con, and a couple just because they were impulse buys.

My local store (I'm friends with the owners) gets really upset with publishers who offer special deals at Cons. They feel that this undermines the store, and is especially low when they (the store) try to support the games with tournaments and demos of the very games being undersold at GenCon. They point out several examples of $100+ sales lost simply because a customer was able to save a few bucks by purchasing directly from the manufacturer at GenCon.

Which manufacturers were selling at discounts at the con? Most of them, for exactly the reason you cite, sell at retail at conventions. Other than the occasional "buy all our books and save $5", i didn't see any discounts from manufacturers. just from retailers with booths. And even those manufacterer deals i only saw at two booths.

Myself, i mostly only buy stuff at GenCon that i [expect i] can't get from the FLGS. Partly out of respect for the FLGS, but also because i only have so much money--i only buy at GenCon what i "have" to, figuring i can buy the rest later. Not that i haven't burned myself now and then by doing this (i still wish i'd bought Shattered Sky at Gen Con, but i expected it to get into distribution and show up at the store).

 

[thalmin]

In the past, when it was in Milwaukee, many of my customers would attend GenCon. Quite a few were apologetic about buying games at the con. I tried to tell them they wer more concerned about it than I was. I would recommend they budget their money by buying what they needed for the con, the things they couldn't wait for, the bargains too good to pass up, and the things they thought I wouldn't carry. I appreciated them letting me know what they bought so I could adjust my orders accordingly.

Would I have liked all of those lost sales? Sure, but my customers are more valuable than a few lost sales once a year.

 

[Balgus]

Well, I used to buy a lot from the store- almost exclusively... unless he does not, and will not carry it.

But since that store closed down, I found the wonders of online shopping. Then I moved and found another store. Nowhere near as friendly as the old one. In fact- I am only picking up things that I cannot order online for a better deal (as in the price is about the same)...

The reason is that the owner is kind of a jerk- and rips me off occasionally. (example- i preordered a mini that cost $22. It never came and so I asked if i could get a refund- he said store credit only. WTF! And so I decided to buy the three core books- 3.5- from his store and I had a discount card for being a frequent buyer. The total came out to be about $100, minus the 15% for the card and -$22 from credit would have been $63. Instead, he took the $22 off first, and then took the discount. Which brought the total up about $4. Now, I wouldn't have minded except he does this very often and in many other ways... and a rip is still a rip. it's the principle of the matter).

So unless I need something right away, I usually get it from Buy.com, or walmart, or FRP or whichever place I can find it for cheap. I have no qualms or feel any pity for shops like that. But the last shop that closed... man that guy was nice- and I did feel bad and never bought from anywhere else but him...

edit spelling errors

 

[Mucknuggle]

Indeed, it was the Valet d'coeur. Not sure if they are still like that, or if they are still owned by the same guy. The owner at least used to be that asian guy, who, by all accounts, was really, really rich. They also had some really cool employees, at least back then. And if you were friends with them, you got some really good inside info. I made some serious money on M:TG thanks to some info from one guy there. Of course, he made even more. That guy even payed his dentist with magic cards.

I only used Captain Quebec for comics, though. Back when I was there, their RPG selection truly sucked.

Edit: Oh and for those of you from Montreal, you -really- need to go visit the TOG. He's located somewhere near the plaza St-Hubert, and he has -lots- of tables, cheap snacks, video and computer games, RPG rooms, and he sometimes holds D&D tournaments, but mostly CCGs tournaments. He also holds ALL-nighters, with LAN setup and all. Very nice setup. Tell Yannick (the owner) that JF Mador sent ya, and you'll be treated extra nice. The guy -did- drive 8 hours to come to my wedding.

The employees at LVDC are weird...Is TOG the name of that store? Sounds like a cool place.

 

[d4]

i've never been to a con, so that part of the discussion i cannot speak to.

however, as far as why would someone prefer shopping at the FLGS at full price as opposed to online, well... i doubt Amazon or Barnes & Noble is willing to listen to me talk about my new character or what happened in my game last night for 45 minutes.

the only really great online retailer i've found is good ol' Derek at Talon Comics. ordering from him makes you feel like you're physically in his store.

i remember ordering a few things from him and the confirmation email had a little personalized note at the bottom to the effect of, "Hey, i see you bought Book X and Supplement Y, did you know that i just got in Supplement Z in stock? Interested?"

it's that personalized touch that wins loyalty.

 

[Harlock]

i've never been to a con, so that part of the discussion i cannot speak to.

however, as far as why would someone prefer shopping at the FLGS at full price as opposed to online, well... i doubt Amazon or Barnes & Noble is willing to listen to me talk about my new character or what happened in my game last night for 45 minutes.

the only really great online retailer i've found is good ol' Derek at Talon Comics. ordering from him makes you feel like you're physically in his store.

i remember ordering a few things from him and the confirmation email had a little personalized note at the bottom to the effect of, "Hey, i see you bought Book X and Supplement Y, did you know that i just got in Supplement Z in stock? Interested?"

it's that personalized touch that wins loyalty.

That's the personalized touch? Man, I always thought it was good salesmanship. Plus, Amazon gives you that same "personal" feel. For instance, create a wish list. Add Robotech Macross Complete to it. Now see what they recommend... only EVERY ANIME EVER MADE!!! Oh sorry. I really just needed to vent.

 

[TalonComics]

i've never been to a con, so that part of the discussion i cannot speak to.

however, as far as why would someone prefer shopping at the FLGS at full price as opposed to online, well... i doubt Amazon or Barnes & Noble is willing to listen to me talk about my new character or what happened in my game last night for 45 minutes.

the only really great online retailer i've found is good ol' Derek at Talon Comics. ordering from him makes you feel like you're physically in his store.

i remember ordering a few things from him and the confirmation email had a little personalized note at the bottom to the effect of, "Hey, i see you bought Book X and Supplement Y, did you know that i just got in Supplement Z in stock? Interested?"

it's that personalized touch that wins loyalty.

Thank you, sir!
You should hear me ramble on in person! I think one of my favorite things lately is to actually get to play Living Greyhawk with many of my customers and friends. Nothing lets you get to know your customers more than to actually play in a game with them.

~D

 

[Wraithdrit]

however, as far as why would someone prefer shopping at the FLGS at full price as opposed to online, well... i doubt Amazon or Barnes & Noble is willing to listen to me talk about my new character or what happened in my game last night for 45 minutes.

You know... I used to work at an FLGS (it closed to many tears many years ago... but anyway...).

Never again will I attempt to regale anyone with a tale about my latest creation unless they open the floodgate themselves.

I spent too many hours caught behind the counter trying to look interested while the latest gaming troll *shudder* rambled on about Yorgor the mighty or, worse yet, their vampire character Timmy the Tragic.

You know whats worse than UGS? AUGS. Alabama Unwashed Gamer Syndrome. Have you ever experienced Alabama summer humidity and heat... ugh. Mix in a UGS.... its a near deadly toxin.

Wow, I'm way off topic now. Heh.

- Wraith

 

[Desdichado]

If one can get a book and a supplement online for the same price of just a book at the FLGS, it's hard to see a fiscal reason not to order online.

I guess that's the whole point I was makin' -- there's more reasons than just the fiscal one that drive my decision. 90% of my stuff I buy from one store, just because I know I can pop in there and find something interesting. I don't get any discount, but the convenience is still worth it to me, most of the time.

 

[Barak]

The employees at LVDC are weird...Is TOG the name of that store? Sounds like a cool place.

Indeed the employees at LVDC are weird.. If you ever saw the owner, you'd understand why. He's weirder then all of them put together! Of course I haven't been there in over 6-7 years, so I couldn't speak of the current ones..

And yes, it's Le Tog. I'd like to give ya the address, but the store moved to a bigger location not long after I moved to the states, so I don't really know. I know it's still close to the plaza St-Hubert, walking distance from the subway station there. Hmm wait a sec.. Yep, I do have the phone number to the store.
273-3123. They can probably give ya the address.