Death of the LGS

[billd91]

Hey, that factory pig farm is a producer, not a reseller. ;P

- Marty Lund

And he also may be producing as much waste as the city of New York without a single waste treatment plant (NY has something like 8).

The point of it all is - there are repercussions that go with your spending habits that, in some cases, mean more than just saving a few bucks. I, for example, subscribe to the Pathfinder modules with Paizo rather than buy them at my FLGS because I want to send some money directly there. But I also shop regularly at my FLGS and am buying the back mods from before I subscribed there when I see them. I do this because Pegasus Games has been a rockin' FLGS since I first cut my teeth in the hobby over 25 years ago and inspired me with a lot more games than I originally knew about or found on the internet.
And I don't shop at Walmart.

 

[mlund]

What does this have to do with whether you buy a (mass market, corporate) retail item from an independent, niche hobby retailer or off of Amazon again?

Nothing really, but you if you buy all the National Socialism arguments together (economic "justice," environmental "justice," social "justice") you get the bundle discount on your Totalitarian State.

- Marty Lund

 

[tenkar]

But, ultimately, why should it be unfair to put on you the downsteam effects of spending the money the way you spend your money? If Walmart bullies manufacturers into selling their products for unsustainable prices and manufacturing jobs are lost, what of it? Who cares if rivers are poisoned by the untreated waste runoff from factory pig farms in North Carolina? I got to save money, didn't I?

I live in NYC and I've yet to find a FLGS in the area... there are LGSs, but they are far from friendly. So if my gaming dollars help employ friendly people and /or support a company with better prices in another part of the country that's great in my opinion.

People seem to confuse FLGS with LGS... I would be willing to pay more at a FLGS as the "friendly" part is a service that is valuable to me. I refuse to pay more just because they are local.

 

[Creeping Death]

Sure, they can stretch their dollar by sending their money out of their community to some remote massive parasite rather than to their neighbor parasite, who at least contributes to the community as their property taxes support the local schools and municipal services and who tries to maintain a vibrant downtown so people don't have to all drive out to the fringes to shop at the big box.

So, why do I want to just support the remote parasite who could care less for my local town's tax base and will probably ship off his phone support to some call center in another country so it can save even more money?

Sorry man, the remote parasite (walmart) in my city pays more taxes to my local city than most other businesses and all homeowners (property taxes) combined. Another remote parasite (stouffers) pays less than walmart but still pays a lot. That money goes to our schools and other community services. So I fail to see the truth in your post.

 

[billd91]

Sorry man, the remote parasite (walmart) in my city pays more taxes to my local city than most other businesses and all homeowners (property taxes) combined. Another remote parasite (stouffers) pays less than walmart but still pays a lot. That money goes to our schools and other community services. So I fail to see the truth in your post.

If the reseller parasite is local and not remote, then it's not remote, is it?

Which doesn't mean there aren't negative repercussions of business shifting there. It just means they're not the remote parasite I happened to mention in that particular post.

 

[Corjay]

There seems to be some misunderstanding going around on all sides about the point of my prediction of the internet vs. small business post and the discount cap. But that's neither here nor there.

What I'm seeing all of us agreeing on is:
Regardless of political and economic views, we all agree that the LGS needs to diversify deeper into service and capitalize on convenience, and do whatever it can to bring down the costs of its products, even if at a loss.

So if we all agree on that, then there's no point to discussing economics any further. It serves no purpose and has therefore become irrelevant to the thread. The point is had. Let's get back to the topic about how best to make this model work.

 

[Korgoth]

Sure, they can stretch their dollar by sending their money out of their community to some remote massive parasite rather than to their neighbor parasite, who at least contributes to the community as their property taxes support the local schools and municipal services and who tries to maintain a vibrant downtown so people don't have to all drive out to the fringes to shop at the big box.

So, why do I want to just support the remote parasite who could care less for my local town's tax base and will probably ship off his phone support to some call center in another country so it can save even more money?

I'll take either capitalism or socialism, but I'm not so keen on both at once. Either let me go with whoever provides the best price and service (which I can decide for myself by "shopping around"), or let's have socialism where the government just hands out "People's Glorious Democratic Revolutionary Orange Juice", "People's Glorious Democratic Revolutionary Microwave Pork Ribs" and "People's Glorious Democratic Revolutionary Fantasy Game" and I don't have to worry about affording anything because there's no such thing as affording or not affording it.

What I don't want is a monstrous hybrid where the business owners get to have socialism and the working stiffs are stuck with capitalism. That's the worst of both worlds.

I continue to chafe at the proposal that the government should essentially outlaw discounts which are too good because with efficient companies offering those discounts, the inefficient ones will have to close down. Guess what? That's how it's supposed to work. But certain folks want to see money taken from my pocket and handed to business owners who have an unviable business. No thanks. Or should I say, Solidarnosc!

 

[Creeping Death]

There seems to be some misunderstanding going around on all sides about the point of my prediction of the internet vs. small business post and the discount cap. But that's neither here nor there.

What I'm seeing all of us agreeing on is:
Regardless of political and economic views, we all agree that the LGS needs to diversify deeper into service and capitalize on convenience.

So if we all agree on that, then there's no point to discussing economics any further. It serves no purpose and has therefore become irrelevant to the thread. The point is had. Let's get back to the topic about how best to make this model work.

In my area, the FLGS (Dragon's Keep) is great. They are very friendly. Whenever I go in with my 5 and 7 year old, they usually give them free stuff. My kids also get an allowance and if the price is close enough, the owner will sometimes discount the stuff enough so that my sons can afford it. It's kept us going there for the last few years.

Do I buy from amazon? Sure do. Do I buy from Dragon's Keep? YES. Several years ago, there used to be a lot of creeps there. Then the store came under new ownership, moved down the street to a place that was cleaner, brighter, and more accessible, they also branched out to board games and other stuff.

There seems to be tournaments and other stuff going on and once in a while they will have some comic book artist come in and work there. It's really neat watching how he draws stuff. They've even had some painting classes to teach you how to paint miniatures and terrain and stuff.

They do have 1 or 2 tables to play at on the first floor and some tables in the basement. After the change in ownership the crowd has changed too, I see more women especially mothers and fathers there buying games or getting comic books for their kids.

You want success, make mom and dad feel comfortable. Don't throw up the fantasy sci-fi porn posters on the wall. A few years ago, I would not bring my kids to the store because of that, now, I have no problems. Offer other things for those playing the games there (candy, snacks, soda, paper, etc.)

Oh, one big turn off from the previous owner, they would shrink wrap everything and then charge 25 cents to open the shrink wrap. That 25 cents was waived if you bought the product. I'm not going to pay any amount of money for the privilage of deciding if I want the product or not. It was at this time that I usually went to B&N, borders, or amazon.

Throw out the people that are afraid of soap. Nothing like walking into a store and being confronted by an invisible wall of stench.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Korgoth]

What I'm seeing all of us agreeing on is:
Regardless of political and economic views, we all agree that the LGS needs to diversify deeper into service and capitalize on convenience, and do whatever it can to bring down the costs of its products, even if at a loss.

Sounds good to me. I'm all for seeing the LGS regain its relevance and viability (just not at my own expense... I don't have that kind of dough!).

 

[Mallus]

Nothing really, but you if you buy all the National Socialism arguments...

Hey... whoa... I'm not accusing accusing anyone of being a socialist. That's verboten around here. Besides, as a lifelong East Coast liberal, it would be hypocritical...

I do make an effort to support local, independent businesses, the ones that offer me something for the price premium they charge, at least. I'm just not convinced I need to support a business solely by virtue of it being local and independent, even if it's in my hobby of choice.