D&D 5E (2014) Amazon US book sales rank.

[mearls]

Target lists Random House as the vendor for their D&D book products. With that relationship ending, it's likely that WotC's access to the book section there is over.

The products still listed as coming from WotC are all boxed games that would appear in the toy/games section.

 

[darjr]

Also I see Hasbro distribution is working at Amazon. Neither PHB is heavily discounted at the moment.

Was the 2014 early on? I’ll have to check way back.

 

[Parmandur]

Also I see Hasbro distribution is working at Amazon. Neither PHB is heavily discounted at the moment.

Was the 2014 early on? I’ll have to check way back.

Not as much as it became, but significantly.

I think a lot of vendors are taking action on Amazon shenanigans: the new Nintendo Switch game situatuon on Amazon has gotten super weird.

 

[Velderan]

I am guessing @mearls is correct about it just being a distribution thing, because Target started selling Battlezoo PF2e books on their website not too long ago. It would seem odd to decide to stop selling the best selling TTRPG and begin selling third party stuff for a smaller game.

 

[mearls]

I am guessing @mearls is correct about it just being a distribution thing, because Target started selling Battlezoo PF2e books on their website not too long ago. It would seem odd to decide to stop selling the best selling TTRPG and begin selling third party stuff for a smaller game.

Companies like Walmart and Target are trying to compete with Amazon by offering a similar sales platform. A retailer or manufacturer can set up a sales account and perhaps even warehouse goods with those companies.

 

[Parmandur]

Companies like Walmart and Target are trying to compete with Amazon by offering a similar sales platform. A retailer or manufacturer can set up a sales account and perhaps even warehouse goods with those companies.

Honestly, kind of crazy how slow the big box stores of yore were to get into competition with Amazon.

 

[Zardnaar]

We won't see a ranking for the 2024 PHB. I need to check with friends I have at Amazon to figure out how that happens, but the book's listing is not configured to show a sales rank.

We can infer where it is based on the number of reviews and by looking at Barnes & Noble, which does list a ranking.

At B&N, the sales ranking peaked at 12 on Wednesday, dropped to 28 on Thursday, to 32 on Friday, and is at 45 as I type this.

I think the PHB hit the same rankings at Amazon, based on the number of ratings it has received. I've tracked a few other releases from 9/17 that have sales rankings to use as comparison points.

It's also worth nothing that neither Walmart nor Target carry the new PHB. Both look like they have dropped the D&D product line. eBay prices show a little softness in demand, but nothing troubling. No one is liquidating stock, but it also doesn't command the premium of a hard to find product.

(Edit about eBay: As I was writing this, a seller who had the limited edition PH listed for $100 just dropped their price to $55. I need to do a little research and see if this is a manual update or if there are market analysis tools that vendors can use to drive pricing.)

Roll20 is the most interesting one to look at. The 2024 core rule bundle is at 6 on their top sellers list. The PHB is at 17.

Distributors and retailers are mixed. I've seen two general stories emerge. Some are doing very well with it, others have seen it lineup with a general downward trend in D&D sales over the past two years.

I track all this stuff as part of my day job, and also for clients I work with who are looking to move into TTRPGs. So, what do I think this all means?

I think TTRPGs as an overall market remains healthy. People want cool new stuff and are willing to pay good money for it. The new PHB isn't generating the wave of interest we saw in 2014, but I think that reflects WotC's poor business decisions over the past few years combined with a one-two punch of a terrible marketing campaign for 2024 pushing a nonsensical product plan.

The Roll20 ranking is the most interesting one to me, and points back to the product plan's weakness. Just what exactly are people supposed to play with the new rules? I think that alone is a huge barrier to entry.

Which is all a pity, because there is great stuff in the PHB and it deserves an audience.

We're gonna get a PHB but there's no MM, DMG or adventure to go with it so kinda pointless.

In 2014 I think we acquired the starter set first and a PHB conveniently acquired via one of the players who was overseas at the time.

Probably be late October before we can get hold of it. Downside of living in NZ.

So less than charitable thoughts about WotC combined with staggered release (excluding us from the conversation for 3 months in effect) and botched launch (no alternate art for you).

From the sounds of it it's better than 2014 side by side but we have also had a decade to get sick of 5E. Do I want to spend the next year or two playing probably next decade hmmnn.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I think its as simple as D&D Beyond is eating up a higher amount of sales because of the bundles with their bonuses.

 

[Velderan]

Companies like Walmart and Target are trying to compete with Amazon by offering a similar sales platform. A retailer or manufacturer can set up a sales account and perhaps even warehouse goods with those companies.

I know what you’re talking about, but don’t those items specify they’re sold by someone else? Usually promos don’t apply to them either and the last time they had a Buy 2, Get 1 free promo it worked on those books.

 

[M.T. Black]

We won't see a ranking for the 2024 PHB. I need to check with friends I have at Amazon to figure out how that happens, but the book's listing is not configured to show a sales rank.

...

I track all this stuff as part of my day job, and also for clients I work with who are looking to move into TTRPGs. So, what do I think this all means?

I think TTRPGs as an overall market remains healthy. People want cool new stuff and are willing to pay good money for it. The new PHB isn't generating the wave of interest we saw in 2014, but I think that reflects WotC's poor business decisions over the past few years combined with a one-two punch of a terrible marketing campaign for 2024 pushing a nonsensical product plan.

Many thanks, Mike - it's good to get the perspective of an industry insider. I always enjoy reading your commentary!

I'd be curious to hear more the "poor business decisions" you allude to. I'd also be very interested to hear what you think a better product plan would have been for D&D 24.