Death of the LGS

[Glyfair]

OTOH, WotC dropped support of paper magazines in order to move players onto the Internet. Perhaps they don't see a need for healthy LGSs.

I will state that one of my FLGSs stated shortly after the last print issues that it was affecting his gaming sales. People would drop by to look at and pick up the latest magazines. They'd look around, and usually see something they wanted and picked that up. After the magazines were canceled those customers dropped by less often, and bought less things.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'll chime in with an anecdote of my own: I subscribed to both Dragon and Dungeon along with other gaming mags. The ads and reviews made me at least ask about RPG products I didn't necessarily see.

As each one ceased standard publication (by either going digital or going out of business), my gaming selections became more focused, and I spent less money on RPGs in general. When WotC took the last of my gaming mags from my hands, I turned entirely to word of mouth. Most of my purchases since the death of the physical magazines have been used purchases- IOW, not in LGSs.

And now that I've had 4Ed for a while, what remains for me is catching up on HERO supplements.

 

[CountPopeula]

My LGS offer a mail order service and when I recently had a problem with an item I bought through the post they replaced it with out any hassle at all; if I'd bought from Amazon I'd have no end of problems.

Untrue. I've had a few issues with products I bought at Amazon. For instance, i got one of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows books with missing/double printed pages. I thought it was better me who could download a pdf to read the missing chapter in about 5 minutes than some 8 year old kid who would cry about it. Finished the book, e-mailed amazon, and my replacement arrived like, two days later with a postage-paid return mailer for my book.

I also bought a digital camera from Amazon that got lost in transit. Called customer service, was on the phone with the agent for about two minutes. He checked the tracking page, said it looked like it got lost, and sent me a replacement with overnight shipping free, and refunded the shipping I paid originally.

Amazon seems to have a bad rap for the delays on the 4e core books, but they really do have excellent customer service. I've never had a problem with them that wasn't resolved quickly and to my satisfaction. Just one more thing for a LGS to consider.

 

[Corjay]

Until recently, Amazon was getting reported enumerable times on its refusal to live up to its promises and obligations as a service provider, siting such things as endless runarounds and unfulfilled promises, such as replacement products that would never arrive, or purchased products arriving months after being ordered, and in some cases never. The government began to fine them hefty sums. After that, cost benefit analysis probably set them straight.

 

[graywizard8]

I have been to gamersgambit.

Long first post.

I have been to gamersgambit.

First, they have done a nice job of fixing up the store. It is clean and will lit with a nice bathroom. However the downstairs gamming area needs some work.

Second, the staff has been friendly with me on all occasions that I have shopped there. I did have to wait one time to checkout while a clerk was playing a video game. They have answered my questions to my satisfaction. I feel like the owners do care about there store and customers.

The thing is, that even though this is a good store, I will not play there. For me its hard to just show up to the store and sit down where some group is playing and insert myself into there group. I feel like an outsider. This goes for any game store I have been in.
To get me to come game at your store I need to feel invited to play before I come in. I played my first 4th edition game at the gamersgambit and it was a nice experience. While shopping for some DnD minis and stuff I was told they where doing some 4th edition demo games and asked if I would like to play. They did a good job of making it an event, they had a BBQ and lots of premade character sheets. They should have had someone organize a marshaling area because I did not know where to go to get into a starting game. If you invite me to game at your store I will buy some gaming stuff while I'm there.

The area you need to really improve on is communicating. You have my email address and have had it for awhile. But I have never got a any email from you. It would be nice to get a email telling me about any events you have going and what I can do to get into the events.

Thanks
Thomas T

 

[haakon1]

3. Taxed year after year.

There's a tax on ASSETS in Illinois, not sure on sales/income?

Weird state, if so.

 

[haakon1]

otoh, wotc dropped support of paper magazines in order to move players onto the internet. Perhaps they don't see a need for healthy lgss.

qft

 

[haakon1]

For me its hard to just show up to the store and sit down where some group is playing and insert myself into there group. I feel like an outsider. This goes for any game store I have been in.

True for me too. Where I have played, it's been at the invitation of the game store owner. Both times, it was at the same FLGS (Games Plus in Woodinville, WA), with the same guy.

Once there was no one else around, we talked briefly about the Civil War, he pulled out his favorite board game, and I beat him at it (did he let me win? if so, he wasn't obvious about it!).

The other time we was demo'ing D&D with another store employee and his daughter to someone who hadn't played. He invited me and my wife to join in, and when my wife (non-gamer) didn't want to, his daughter showed her Blokus instead.

Truly, the "F" in FLGS is there.

I'm lucky enough to have another FLGS, which actually sold the books at official WOTC game day in Seattle, but they've never asked me to play, so I never have. Nice enough folks, though.

 

[Corjay]

The thing is, that even though this is a good store, I will not play there. For me its hard to just show up to the store and sit down where some group is playing and insert myself into there group. I feel like an outsider. This goes for any game store I have been in.
To get me to come game at your store I need to feel invited to play before I come in. I played my first 4th edition game at the gamersgambit and it was a nice experience. While shopping for some DnD minis and stuff I was told they where doing some 4th edition demo games and asked if I would like to play. They did a good job of making it an event, they had a BBQ and lots of premade character sheets. They should have had someone organize a marshaling area because I did not know where to go to get into a starting game. If you invite me to game at your store I will buy some gaming stuff while I'm there.

This is indeed a good point. I'm surprised I didn't think of it considering my own experience. This is definitely a major problem that should be resolved in most LGS. I don't have any ideas on how to consistently resolve this issue at this time, but I'm sure a little brainstorming could birth a reasonable result.

The area you need to really improve on is communicating. You have my email address and have had it for awhile. But I have never got a any email from you. It would be nice to get a email telling me about any events you have going and what I can do to get into the events.

There you go. Straight from the customer's mouth. They want the information you can provide. Imagine how many other customers out there WANT to receive emails on products and services you offer, let alone simply wouldn't mind even if it's not a conscious desire. Customers who would like to be informed when the latest 4e book is in.