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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mercule" data-source="post: 4337832" data-attributes="member: 5100">Dunno if you gave that impression, but you didn't not give that impression, if you follow me.  I was going, largely, with the law of averages on this.In reading your later posts, though, it seems like you are running a store that might get me to stop in.  I think the wireless Internet is a great idea, especially with DDI, as you said.I don't really have any specific ideas, though.  I've got four kids, a 40+ hr job, and a lot of church activities I'm involved in.  Even if I had the ideal LGS, I wouldn't have time to hang out there, anymore.  About the best I'd do -- and I used to do this when we had a better LGS in town -- is stop in on my way home from work or while running errands and browse, chat, or get news.  That environment made me want to spend my money there.  In all honesty, a 30% discount through Amazon is still darn hard to overcome.  But, a 10, or even 15% difference would be fine if the store was warm and inviting, professional, clean, and convenient.The stores I've enjoyed and tried to spend money at have all been carpeted, had well organized shelves, and had posters on the walls that weren't all cleavage or came out of the back of a book.  The people behind the counter all looked sanitary and socially well adjusted.  Many of them had TVs that were playing quietly other than for special events.  And, their game tables were always in good condition and out of the way.The current LGS, that I avoid, has a yellowed tile floor, spartan shelving, posters with crease marks and industrial white walls.  The people behind the counter are either the greasy, forty-something, overweight guy in t-shirt and shorts or the twenty-something scrawny guy with long, greasy hair, a mangy goatee, and wearing some death metal t-shirt.  Neither one will acknowledge you without being hailed, even if you're standing at the register with a handful of books.  The main store area is filled with basic tables and the product shelving is only on the walls, which gives the impression of having to walk through somebody's gaming area (I've never seen more than one game going on there, but still) to actually browse.Did I actually bring up the appearance of the staff?  Yes, I did.  Appearance is a huge part of how people related to you, at least in a business sense.  If you look (and maybe smell) like the homeless dude begging for pocket change, don't be surprised if people treat you like that homeless dude.  I don't think anyone is surprised by the notion that people like to buy from a clean, well maintained store.  So why would anyone be surprised that people also like to buy from clean, well-groomed clerks?  (It probably bears being explicit, here, that I have no idea what you look like and it would surprise me if this applied to you, based on your comments thus far, but I mention it because it does seem to be a theme for some stores.)Ditto.  Actually, by the time I was a senior in high school, I'd been shopping there long enough that the owner started asking me for suggestions on what was good.  He was a coin collector, his wife did some sort of stitchery, and everything else was to keep those afloat.That might actually be a great perspective.  It's okay to have your own preferrence and reason for being there.  But that doesn't mean it has to be your largest source of revenue.  Just don't go all Comic Store Guy on the people supporting you.</blockquote>

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