[3.5] TALON: What are you guys going to do?

[herald]

You did what you could Talon!

 

[d20Dwarf]

That's bizarre. I've preordered my books with you and lone star down here in Irving has the MM and DMG on the shelves.

Lone Star South Arlington had them too, they had already sold out of the PHB.

 

[Olive]

Is WotC purposefully or accidentally trying to kill the Friendly Local Game Store?

Oh please. By setting a release date? It's not WotC's fault really. But they do need to have words with the people who broke it, which is huge numbers apparently, or get rid of it and ship the day it's released.

 

[Zaruthustran]

Amazon didn't break street date

Just to be clear:

A "street date" is the earliest date that you're allowed to get the books in the hands of your customers.

It is not the earliest date you can start shipping orders. As long as those orders don't arrive before the street date, everything is cool.

For example: The PHB has a street date of 7/16. If Amazon ships you your book on 7/10 (knowing that it won't arrive until 7/16) then it has not broken street date.

The distributor probably wouldn't ship to Talon because Talon is both a physical store and a web store. If Talon got books before the street date, then he could sell to his physical customers before the street date. Not that he would (Derek is a good guy), but the distributor has no control over that.

The .coms routinely get music, videos, games, and books before the street date because shipping times ensure that customers won't get product before the street date--even if the .coms ship "early"*.

Just wanted to clear that up.

-z

*Of course, accidents happen and sometimes a customer will get something a little early, or a little late. That's the uncertain nature of shipping physical goods across the country/world.

PS: "release date" and "street date" are two seperate terms, with different meanings.

 

[herald]

Oh please. By setting a release date? It's not WotC's fault really. But they do need to have words with the people who broke it, which is huge numbers apparently, or get rid of it and ship the day it's released.

No, they shouldn't hold people to a street date if they aren't going to enforce it on all store equally. At least when faced with the facts, they could drop the release date and let the distributers who are holding onto thier books, let them go out to thier buyers ans then let them satisfy thier clients.

 

[TalonComics]

Lone Star South Arlington had them too, they had already sold out of the PHB.

Basically, my response to Lone Star selling them is the same as above. There's only 3 reasons as to why they have the books for sale now. As for Lone Star breaking a street date at all: I'm not surprised.

~D

 

[TalonComics]

Re: Amazon didn't break street date

Just to be clear:

A "street date" is the earliest date that you're allowed to get the books in the hands of your customers.

It is not the earliest date you can start shipping orders. As long as those orders don't arrive before the street date, everything is cool.

For example: The PHB has a street date of 7/16. If Amazon ships you your book on 7/10 (knowing that it won't arrive until 7/16) then it has not broken street date.

The distributor probably wouldn't ship to Talon because Talon is both a physical store and a web store. If Talon got books before the street date, then he could sell to his physical customers before the street date. Not that he would (Derek is a good guy), but the distributor has no control over that.

The .coms routinely get music, videos, games, and books before the street date because shipping times ensure that customers won't get product before the street date--even if the .coms ship "early"*.

Just wanted to clear that up.

-z

*Of course, accidents happen and sometimes a customer will get something a little early, or a little late. That's the uncertain nature of shipping physical goods across the country/world.

PS: "release date" and "street date" are two seperate terms, with different meanings.

You are totally correct on the street date versus release date issue. However, the street date for all three books is the 18th. If Wizards had made it a release date I would be driving down to Austin on the 18th or otherwise I wouldn't see the books until Monday at the earliest.

The releases by the bookstore companies wasn't an accident and they're all very aware when and how to meet shipping times to land on the 18th. Many books and CDs are handled the same way pretty much on a weekly basis. Same with the distributor that ships to them.

This whole situation is going to change how and when books will be shipped as the amount of revenue lost by distributors and retailers over this could collectively end up being tens of thousands of dollars or more. And before you say, "That's ludicrous, Derek!" I know a lot more about what's going on with this situation than I'm posting here due to the sensitivity of the information.

~D

 

[Olive]

No, they shouldn't hold people to a street date if they aren't going to enforce it on all store equally. At least when faced with the facts, they could drop the release date and let the distributers who are holding onto thier books, let them go out to thier buyers ans then let them satisfy thier clients.

I agree, but I don't think this is a result of trying to drive FLGS's out of business.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

3. They bought their shipment from Ingram, the distributor that sent books to the massive discounters and mass bookstore chains.

Just an FYI, Ingram also distributes to small, independant bookstores as well, not just the massive chains & discounters. Most independant bookstores (I'm not talking about comic & game shops) order from Ingram in some capacity, either using them for special orders or as their main source of books. Some indy booksellers have the books as well, and they were never informed of any street or on sale dates. Ingram just shipped the books to them with their regular book orders.

 

[TalonComics]

I agree, I do not think WotC is trying to drive gaming stores out of business in any way, shape or form. I do think they're being very insensitive to gaming stores and distributors, however.

The only excuse that I've heard from WotC for not going ahead and letting distributors ship to retailers early is that they want to give time for distributors and retailers who haven't received the books yet to get them. That was the original reasoning behind having the street date to begin with to allow for fair competition.

Once all of the bookstore chains broke street date I think WotC should have given the go ahead for everyone else to ship upon arrival. Because they didn't, now instead of just a handful of places losing sales we're now seeing hundreds of stores getting screwed.

~D