Advice for Boosting a FLGS

[Dedekind]

Is he trying to tap into gaming demand that is already there? Probably add LFR and maybe some miniature painting workshops.

Is he trying to create demand? Much harder. Maybe get some workshops on how to play RPGs or M:TG at the local library.

And, while this may be stupid, he may want to think carefully about his hours of operation. Our FLGS is flagging partly because it closes early relative to when people can (and want) to play games.

 

[OnlineDM]

Another thought: Set up a Facebook fan page and encourage people who are fans of the store to "like" it. My FLGS does this, and I've found out about (and patronized) numerous events this way. Just this past weekend they announced a clearance sale on Facebook on a day when I ordinarily wouldn't have gone to the store; an hour later, I was there buying some gaming stuff.

 

[PaulofCthulhu]

Having had long discussion with UK store owners about such things.

Organised card game events are the things that bring in the money, so as people have said, Magic (and also Yu-Gi-Oh! etc).

The bread and butter that helps keep the rest of the store open.

Speaking of bread & butter, I see more and more small stores in the UK opening a cafe/coffee bar section - something you can't get on the internet.

 

[Herschel]

Sell snacks. Get your own fridge to sell Coke & Pepsi products. Do not accept the Coke or Pepsi fridge deal; it seems like a good idea on the surface, but it's a trap. Meanwhile, you can go to Costco (or similar), get soft drinks and snacks at a fair price, and then mark-up according to market value. Even people who don't have the $ to buy the latest boxed set may buy some Doritos while playing.

Be VERY careful to check your local resale ordinances before doing this. In many places it's illegal to resell items not bought through a commercial distributor and carries a hefty fine.

 

[Kzach]

Be VERY careful to check your local resale ordinances before doing this. In many places it's illegal to resell items not bought through a commercial distributor and carries a hefty fine.

Yeah, you really don't want to mess with this. You may think you're small-fry and nobody will bother with you, but believe me, they can and they will.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Be VERY careful to check your local resale ordinances before doing this. In many places it's illegal to resell items not bought through a commercial distributor and carries a hefty fine.

Yeah, you really don't want to mess with this. You may think you're small-fry and nobody will bother with you, but believe me, they can and they will.

Fair enough; check your local ordinances first.


RC

 

[BriarMonkey]

I think most things have been covered, but one other bit to mention is keep the shop clean. If the store is run in a professional manner, and the environment is well maintained and clean, people will want to be there. And the longer people are there, the more likely that they will buy something - especially if you have a coffee bar (or something similar) there too.

 

[Kzach]

Fair enough; check your local ordinances first.


RC

It's kinda sad how badly these companies have small businesses over a barrel like they do. They charge idiotic rates which is why you get such high prices on soft-drinks in shops like this and then have the support of government to do it.

Of course, you can go a generic brand that doesn't have a distribution channel and sales reps, like Coke or Pepsi do, but then nobody buys them because they're not Coke or Pepsi.

Quite frankly it's the same for every distributor model. Small business gets shafted on everything. The greed of distributors is ironic in it's idiocy. Small businesses form most of their revenue streams, and yet they treat them like crap and give all the best deals to the big guns who order in bulk.

This is why franchises work. Franchises are universally a complete rip-off where the small business owner gets screwed in all sorts of interesting ways. But at least they have buying power, which the idiotic distributors respect. If they had any sense, they'd be actively supporting small businesses instead of trying to wring every little penny from them.

A better idea is to try and get into a shop alliance. Find similar businesses in the local area or even state and see if they're in a shop alliance. Shop alliances work in a similar way to a franchise in the sense that you buy as one entity and therefore get bulk discounts, but other than that, the shops aren't affiliated in any other way.

 

[William Ronald]

I am active in Pathfinder Society Organized Play, and several shops in the Chicago area run events. That might be one way to draw in some new players.

Also, see what some successful shops are doing. Also, see if thalmin at Games Plus in Mount Prospect, IL (he posts here) can give you some advice.

 

[scourger]

Here are the things that get me into the stores here (my FLGS) and there (out-of town shops), and that seem successful for the operation:

1. Stock it and offer subscriptions. This is more for comics, but it applies to games, too. My FLGS pulls Knights of the Dinner Table for me, and I get it at a discount. Sure, I could get it mailed from the publisher, but then it isn't as clean a copy after it goes through the mail. And it is discounted, so I get a board & bag. And, I buy other things while I am there. Every month.

2. Keep it clean. Especially the bathrooms. At times, I take my child or wife to the store.

3. Sell drinks & snacks. Same with dice & other little goodies near the register. Those little impulse buys add up.

4. Keep friendly, knowledgeable employees. A profane debate behind the counter may be funny to me at moments, but it really isn't appropriate to the retail workplace.

5. Have an internet site with address & directions and make sure google points to it. An old school yellow pages listing is important, too.

6. Signage. I need to be able to find the store from the road.

7. Hours. I need to be able to go there when I am not working.

8. Discounts & sales. When I worked on commission, I always figured that part of something is better than all of nothing. So, a sale that nets less profit is better than no sale.

9. Free RPG day. I love it. And I but stuff from my FLGS when they have it.