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Message: <blockquote data-quote="JohnNephew" data-source="post: 886810" data-attributes="member: 2171">Years ago we had a couple of New Zealand distributors.  I think they went out of business in the first great CCG crash (the 1995/1996 period).I am, unfortunately, dubious about how viable a game distributor for New Zealand would be.  Even one of our Australian distributors no longer buys directly from us, but rather purchases from a US distributor (at the same prices that US retailers pay), and then re-sales (with a markup) to Australian customers (and probably New Zealand as well).  While the cost of goods is higher, it is apparently still cheaper than arranging shipping and consolidation when buying direct from individual manufacturers.Still, here are replies to your questions:> are there existing roadblocks like exclusive contracts with big > distributors?Rarely.  Some manufacturers do exclusives in some countries, but in general manufacturers don't like it, since it stifles competition.  Some manufacturers themselves face limitations on where they are allowed to sell various items (licensed goods, for example, where a licensing agreement may limit their sales territory -- say, trading card games based on TV Show X, which may only be marketed in North America).> Would some of you consider printing locally to save on shipping > costs?No.  Any shipping cost savings would be more than offset by the higher unit costs of printing a small run over there.  If there was enough demand to make a print run economical, the same volume would make shipping and related costs dramatically lower as well.> Do you have minimum order sizes?Yes.  It varies by manufacturer.  Some have a minimum of a number of units, others have a minimum dollar figure.> What kind of legal assurances do you need before working with> a distributor?Most manufacturers will want some kind of demonstration that you actually are a distributor re-selling to stores, legally established as a business, etc.  This may put you in a chicken-and-egg situation (manufacturers won't sign you up until you have customers; customers won't sign up until you have manufacturers whose goods you can sell them).> Can I push your stuff at conventions?Most likely.  Manufacturers are not likely to appreciate it if you are selling at a discount, however (compared to what other retailers can afford to sell for -- in other words, taking advantage of the discount you're being given that is designed to allow you to re-sell to stores who in turn need a good markup before selling to the public).</blockquote>

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