D&D 5E 5E Lifetime Sales in North American Big Box Stores Revealed

[Parmandur]

Remember that 1.6 million PHB number does not include Amazon or Hobby shop sales. The actually number could be much higher.

Absolutely, I have a row of shelves full of books not counted here at all.

 

[Parmandur]

For comparison, here is the lifetime sales of the 1E PHB and DMG, per Ben Riggs:

 

[dave2008]

Absolutely, I have a row of shelves full of books not counted here at all.

Same. I don't think I have ever purchased a D&D book from a big-box store. Honestly, I had no idea it sold in this kind of numbers outside of hobby shops.

 

[mamba]

Having thought about it overnight, I think one of the most astonishing things is that the PHB is selling about the same week to week as it has consistently for the past decade...around 2000 copies, regularly. Even with new core vooks announced, though I suppose anybody buying a PHB from Target in 2023 is probably not plugged into online D&D news at all.

I thought this was a curve rather than a straight line (haven’t watched most of the video). It started at around 2000 a week 10 years ago, went up, and is now back to 2000 a week with some people holding off on the 2024 version.

Not sure what the peak of this ‘hill’ was though, 2500, 3000? No idea, if it was 2100 then it was essentially flat, I agree.

The majority of first time PHB buyers probably is not aware of a new version being on the horizon

 

[rooneg]

Do you think they make a base level of sales? Or do you think they are wildly high as much as low?

My understanding is they work well as a base. It's not like bookscan is making up sales that didn't happen, it's just that they miss a lot of them because many outlets that sell books (including many bookstores!) don't report their sales to bookscan.

 

[Parmandur]

Same. I don't think I have ever purchased a D&D book from a big-box store. Honestly, I had no idea it sold in this kind of numbers outside of hobby shops.

Well, the big box here also includes Barbes & Noble or Books-a-Million, the big box bookstores. While I favor buying from dedicated hobby shops, I have certainly seen D&D books at B&N all the time.

 

[dave2008]

Well, the big box here also includes Barbes & Noble or Books-a-Million, the big box bookstores. While I favor buying from dedicated hobby shops, I have certainly seen D&D books at B&N all the time.

I've seen them there, I just assumed (for no particular reason I guess) that they didn't sell much. I've never thought of buying D&D stuff at a bookstore.

 

[Parmandur]

I've seen them there, I just assumed (for no particular reason I guess) that they didn't sell much. I've never thought of buying D&D stuff at a bookstore.

A lot of people in this country have a local B&N, but no local hobby shop in driving distance.

Heck, some parts, Target is the only local bookstore...

Though I do reckon D&D probsvly sells way more st hobby shops than most books, Mark Rosewater on the Magic team has been explaining to fans for years that WotC actually sells more Magic cards at WalMart, Target, and CVS Pharmacy than they do at FLGS, and that the vast majority of Magic players have never played in a store at all.

 

[bedir than]

A lot of people in this country have a local B&N, but no local hobby shop in driving distance.

Heck, some parts, Target is the only local bookstore...

B&N is actually growing again. Revenue up 4% and they're opening 30 new stores.

The big reason? Giving local management and employees power to connect to people

 

[Parmandur]

B&N is actually growing again. Revenue up 4% and they're opening 30 new stores.

The big reason? Giving local management and employees power to connect to people

I'm old enough that I remember when Barnes & Noble was the corporate conglomerate with the upper hand, rather than the scrappy underdog.