Best 3.5 pre-order prices: $17.62 each at Walmart ($52.86 + $5.88 S&H = $58.74)

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Re: Shop Local

Buy where you play, please. If we don't support our local gamestores they will become another casualty of the Walmart effect. I don't recall ever hanging out after hours at a walmart to utilize their large miniatures gaming tables or play in aweekly D&D game or even partake in a ccg tournament. Yes it will cost more to buy from a locally owned game store than from the scourge of downtowns everywhere but to keep our gaming establishments open it is worth the price. The lowest price is not always the best deal.

Remember, not all of us have the luxury of a FLGS...I'm stuck with an E(vil)LGS. Also, not all of us have the money for the higher prices at some gaming stores.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Exactly. I'm getting mine for my 1 year anniversary. We're broke.

I pledge no fealty to any merchant and will march boldly to the darkest depths of Baator (read Wal-Mart) holding my free shipping coupon before me like an adamantine shield if it will save me a few coppers.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Long live economic Darwinism! Adam Smith and all that ...

I support my LGS on the things they can compete on (miniatures, for example -- which is their core business, or out of print products), but I don't prop up economic dinosaurs. d20 products are cheaper at the local bookstore than they are at the LGS.

 

[Enceladus]

I pledge no fealty to any merchant and will march boldly to the darkest depths of Baator (read Wal-Mart) holding my free shipping coupon before me like an adamantine shield if it will save me a few coppers.

I could no longer stand it and caved to the media marketing scheme and preordered. I think Wal-Mart flashes subliminal messages to me thru my computer screen.

Buy.

Buy.

Buy.

 

[Kershek]

I ordered from them as well. $30 cheaper is just too much to ignore.

 

[Dr. NRG]

If you never want to ask a knowledgable salesperson about a gaming product again, buy from Wal-Mart.

If you don't want to have a place to play games outside your home, buy from Wal-Mart.

If you think bland, faceless multi-national corporations are a good thing, and deserve your economic support, by from Wal-Mart.

If, however, you are interested in preserving your FLGS, support them. FLGS's offer more than Wal-Mart. If you don't support them, they will go away.

Not flaming, but starting to steam,

NRG

 

[Tiefling]

FLGS's offer more than Wal-Mart.

Except low, low prices which is, of course, what the people who buy from them want.

 

[Kershek]

If you never want to ask a knowledgable salesperson about a gaming product again, buy from Wal-Mart.

Don't need to when internet forums and reviews can give you the same thing.

If you don't want to have a place to play games outside your home, buy from Wal-Mart.

I have a group to play with and we barely have enough time to get together as it is.

If you think bland, faceless multi-national corporations are a good thing, and deserve your economic support, by from Wal-Mart.

I don't like Wal-Mart, but capitalism and supply/demand is king. I don't like Microsoft's practices, but their products are too useful and ubiquitous to ignore.

If, however, you are interested in preserving your FLGS, support them. FLGS's offer more than Wal-Mart. If you don't support them, they will go away.

I like my FLGS and the owner, but they have to compete for my dollars as much as any other company. Also, the store is 20 miles away now that they moved to a new building. Ten years ago I would have visited them more often, but nowadays I have different priorities and might only go up there a few times a year. These days, my only interest in the FLGS is a miniature whenever we start a new campaign, since I like to look at them up close before purchase. If they go out of business, then I'll just get those online as well. The most recent thing I bought from them were some Mage Knight dungeon pieces last year since I thought they would look cool on the battlemap. I don't believe I've purchased anything RPG-related since then.

Not flaming, but starting to steam,

NRG

I don't mean to steam you up, but you should realize that not everyone has the same requirements to enjoy the hobby.

 

[ced1106]

Let's see...

* By selling the D&D books through non-hobby outlets, they may be enlarging their customer base. Emphasis on the may, since online selling isn't the same as retail selling.

* WotC's hoping they'll either make more money this way, or sell more books, neither which is particularly bad for them. More books sold = greater network externalities, etc. D&D 3.5's main competitor is D&D 3.0, many copies of which were bought for $20; maybe D&D 3.0 buyers wouldn't buy 3.5 for $30, but they will for $20.

* Maybe it's a trial-run to learn how to sell product through new methods, for future WotC (Hasbro?) releases.

* Hobby stores are still selling d20 product. No way will Wal-Mart sell stuff like Arcana Unearthed.

Or not.


Cedric.
aka. Washu! ^O^

 

[krunchyfrogg]

I don't even know what a FLGS is.

I'm buying Wal-Mart. If the other stores can't keep up, that's their problem.

If anybody here doesn't like that, then e-mail me asking for my home address. You can buy me the books, and mail them to my address.