Advice for Boosting a FLGS

[ssampier]

Don't forget the basics:

1. Hire good employees. I'm sure this is a tough one simply because game stores can rarely offer good salaries and benefits.

A good employee will ask any customer if they can help them find anything. And they will quite asking if they say, "No." Obviously good employees answer questions and check out customers before doing anything else.

2. Try to weed out the smelly gamers. This one is tough if the Mister or Miss Smelly is a good customer. All other customers will be distracted, grossed out, and will walk out and never come back.

There is a comic shop in town that's awesome, but I avoid simply because smelly teens come in on Saturday. Granted I could come in any other day, but still.

3. Have the friend think long and hard about customer discounts. It is really hard for me to support an otherwise awesome game store when everything is marked sticker price. By the way I think the discounts for the game-nights was pretty awesome. However, most of the customers probably won't be at game night.

 

[Raven Crowking]

1. Hire good employees. I'm sure this is a tough one simply because game stores can rarely offer good salaries and benefits.

When you buy your coffee in the morning, if there is a really competent person there who makes you feel welcome.....well, those coffee places tend to underpay, so that might be a way to snag good employees.

Makes your coffee experience less good, though!

Speaking of employees, you want your employees to want to do well by you. That means that you must both treat them as professionals, and treat them as professionals whose opinions and work are valued.

3. Have the friend think long and hard about customer discounts. It is really hard for me to support an otherwise awesome game store when everything is marked sticker price. By the way I think the discounts for the game-nights was pretty awesome. However, most of the customers probably won't be at game night.

Consider rotating discounts. You can do this with announcements (Tuesday, X is Y% off, Wednesdays Z is A% off).....but consider also some deals that are not announced, to encourage impulse shopping. "Yeah, we've got that discount on the newest D&D book we announced, but there's also a discount on the new Pathfinder Boxed Sets if you want to try another game....."

And never, ever lie to your customers. If a customer asks your opinion, don't bad-mouth products, but don't lie either. "I didn't like that module, it was too railroady for my tastes. But, if you want a recommendation, I found this one much better." If your customers can learn to rely on your recommendations -- your actually knowing what is good, and knowing what they like (and how your general opinions differ from theirs', so that you can recommend what they would like rather than just hoping their tastes clone yours) -- they will keep coming back on that basis alone.

Buying six products to find two good ones isn't cost-effective, even with Amazon discounts. Buying those two good ones, because you can trust what is pointed out to you as worth buying, is cheaper even at full price. It is also a far better experience.

And again, Good Luck with it!

(Remember to link back a name, address, and web site for the store, so that we can stop there if we're in town for some reason. Remember also to consider a web store.......Developing your own "brand" products, even if they are cheap and small, or even if they are free pdfs with minimum purchase, is a value-added service.)



RC

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

One thing Lone Star Comics did for many, many years was have a discount card program. The cards were standard business cards (with all the store contact info) but had 10 little boxes along the sides and 10 lines on the back. Make a purchase of $25+, a hole gets punched in the box, and on the back, a date and initial of a store employee.

Punch all the boxes, get a % discount on your next purchase. It was very effective.

It worked because- as anyone who has studied business can tell you- coupon programs tend to drive repeat business, and will even get people in the store buying without qualifying for the discount.

One thing NOT to do is charge for table space. No matter how economically justified, it's just a bad business decision that will turn people away.

As pointed out- repeadedly- in the recent Would You Pay to Play thread- the truth of that depends greatly upon the local gaming community (do they have someplace to game for free already? Do they tend to make other purchases in the store?), city ordinances (esp. health codes & zoning), the store's lease agreement, the advertising budget and the store's overall profit margins.

Gaming space has to be a moneymaker. If it doesn't help revenues, it's a drag on your bottom line.

The best way to find out is to figure out the legal issues first, then do a quick survey of your customers.

And after a decision has been made as to how the gaming space is (or is not) paying for itself, monitor the results. What may seem like an economic drag may turn into a sales driver- or vice versa- and that is something that needs to be noticed.

 

[Raven Crowking]

And after a decision has been made as to how the gaming space is (or is not) paying for itself, monitor the results. What may seem like an economic drag may turn into a sales driver- or vice versa- and that is something that needs to be noticed.

This.

If you don't want to keep books and watch trends, you shouldn't open a store.


RC

 

[ssampier]

And I love the idea of a discount card.

When you buy your coffee in the morning, if there is a really competent person there who makes you feel welcome.....well, those coffee places tend to underpay, so that might be a way to snag good employees.

Makes your coffee experience less good, though!

Speaking of employees, you want your employees to want to do well by you. That means that you must both treat them as professionals, and treat them as professionals whose opinions and work are valued.

I think it's a good idea to find employees wherever you can. I am not positive an average coffee shop employee would want to work for a game store. Gamers can be a weird bunch that not all people are comfortable with (and in all fairness I am including myself in that characterization).

But you're correct. Treat your employees like people first and foremost. Unless they are screwing you (stealing, etc) and you can prove it, then can their sorry butt and lay civil/criminal charges.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Ahh...owning a game store...my lottery dream...

Anyway, my thoughts no what NOT to do, as based on my local experiences.

1. If you do a coupon card, do a good one to reward frequent customers. A game store near me has a yearly coupon card "deal". In a three month span you have to end up spending $500 dollars to get a $50 store credit. Thats just giving me a retroactive 10% discount off of full MSRP.

2. Stay open late. One local game store has in-store gaming tables available but closes at 7pm. Not a good fit for those with 9-5 jobs.

3. Makes sodas and snacks available. I am probably not going to buy a $35 game book every week to fell like I have paid my way to game in your store, but I would be more than happy to drop $10 for you to keep me in food and drink while I played.

4. Have a very nice and organized "Local Groups Looking For Players" board.

5. Avoid stocking your workforce with very knowledgeable but introverted geeks.

6. Have some pre-opened demo games available to play by those browsing around.

7. Sponser some board-game days at the local libraries. Supply some games or some employees or ambassadors to "run" some board/card/rpg games to get some new games in your store.

DS

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Expanding on some of that:

Gamers seeking Gamers: while I have seen bulletin boards used for this, my favorite form was a large binder kept by the register, organized by game type.

The rebate card: Lone Star's was just a punch/stamp for every $25 spent, and it was open ended. If it took you a year and a half to fill it, so be it. Yes, it only amounted to a 10% discount, but there were very few exceptions in the program.

 

[Holy Bovine]

Expanding on some of that:

Gamers seeking Gamers: while I have seen bulletin boards used for this, my favorite form was a large binder kept by the register, organized by game type.

The rebate card: Lone Star's was just a punch/stamp for every $25 spent, and it was open ended. If it took you a year and a half to fill it, so be it. Yes, it only amounted to a 10% discount, but there were very few exceptions in the program.

This is similar to how my FLGS does it - 10% of whatever you buy (sans comics which are discounted 20% all the time) goes on a green card. 10 purchases (even if they are all $5 purchases) gives you that much store credit (i.e. $5 if every purchase was $5). Given that their prices are competitive already (and they run the cleanest, friendliest store in town) have free gaming space and lots of nice employees makes it a pleasure to shop there.

 

[Hand of Evil]

You got to get the girls into the store!

The biggest thing is location, location, location! This means, visable from major shopping areas, with easy access.

Coffee shop, just having a coffee shop in or by the store can increase traffic.

Great staff - you want good people that smile and are helpful, need to know the material.

 

[ssampier]

Yes, more people are good, especially women and other folks that may not fit the gamer stereotype.

As for coffee shop, I am not sure if gamers are coffee snobs. I know I am one, but most gamers I know drink copious amounts of soda.

Ahh...owning a game store...my lottery dream...

Anyway, my thoughts no what NOT to do, as based on my local experiences.

...
5. Avoid stocking your workforce with very knowledgeable but introverted geeks.
...

Awww, I'm so sympathetic to this one. I am a total introvert but comfortable talking with folks, "Hi, welcome to xxx. How can I help you?"

Granted I probably wouldn't be the most helpful for the wide-eye mom/dad/uncle/brother/sister/friend that comes in for a gift for their relative or friend. In my mind that requires more social and selling skills.

I'd be more comfortable stocking shelves, sweeping up, running the register, and helping out the gamers who can't find the minis, etc.

Let the introverted rule the earth. We'll just be all alone not talking to anyone