Edition Bias and 4e Sales Perception

[Barcode]

I do agree with the management issue, but to a degree stores can drive sales. If the store manager's bias causes him to always badmouth a specific product, only stock the bare minimum of that product, and not realy make it apparent that he has that product at all... It's going to lower sales of said product at his place at least.

But then again he was in the end a bad salesman... He badmouthed 4e, but then didn't end up selling the person ANYTHING.

Similar experience, but going back to 3.5 even. The owner of my FLGS knows bupkis about RPG's (he is a model train guy) - I went in to ask whether he had Monster Manual V in during the week it was due. He says he doesn't know, calls over his "RPG Expert" who proceeds to go on a conspiracy theorist diatribe about Hasbro, and tells me they won't have it for several months, if ever (froth, froth).

They got it in the next week. I had of course already bought it from the local Barnes and Nobles.

I can understand not liking the product, thinking/hoping it won't sell, and refusing to stock it. But stocking it, then badmouthing it? Bad business. But then again, I don't see too many FLGS owners on the cover of Forbes.

 

[Grazzt]

I am trying to track the influence of edition bias on people's perception of WOTC's sales of 4e.

Of course this is an online poll, so it's not reliable. But, I am curious about the answers anyway.

Voted. Neutral on 4e. It has its good and bad points.

As for sales, I suspect it's doing ok. Nowhere near as good as 3.0 did, but I'd say the numbers are probably ok ("ok" may mean something different to Hasbro than it does to WotC though).

 

[Jhaelen]

I can understand not liking the product, thinking/hoping it won't sell, and refusing to stock it. But stocking it, then badmouthing it? Bad business. But then again, I don't see too many FLGS owners on the cover of Forbes.

Reminds me of my FLGS refusing to sell D&D minis... "random plasticrap", indeed.

 

[xechnao]

Hey I am not looking for what you know...just what you suspect is the case.

I suspect it is doing merely ok.
Not really well but not too bad either. I believe that there is a smaller public interested in 4e but this public buys more Wotc product on the average individual level than the public of 3.x. Also sales of a small number of products of 4e could have already topped sales of any product 3.xe.
But I am not sure about overall profits. I suspect them to be a bit smaller (we have to speculate on costs too). I also suspect the brand losing a bit of value in the long run due to the smaller public and the higher focus of 4e (these 2 come together).

 

[ExploderWizard]

Reminds me of my FLGS refusing to sell D&D minis... "random plasticrap", indeed.

I agree with your FLGS opinion, but thats no way to do business. A store should sell stuff the customers want no matter thier personal opinion.

 

[Rolflyn]

Although not I'm not all that keen on 4E, the use of the word "relatively" makes me vote "relatively good". I think the economy and changes in the media industry are having an effect, and thus 4E is relatively good consider those factors.

 

[lutecius]

I dislike 4e so part of me hopes it tanks but I suppose it's doing ok Maybe not as well as expected, considering wotc's behaviour and what I read online, but ok still.

 

[alleynbard]

I love anecdotes. Okay, not really, but I can give mine. My local store seems to be selling 4e at a brisk pace. In fact, the owner has stated he has seen sales steadily increase since release as reluctant buyers give in. I imagine PHB 2 really helped with that.

Of course, his well stocked Paizo selection seems to be selling well too. But I have never really asked him how it is doing so I don't know for sure. He did seem to find it odd that his distributor was asking for pre-orders on the Pathfinder RPG now. I think that indicates it will be a strong seller. At least I hope it indicates that fact.

I dislike 4e so part of me hopes it tanks but I suppose it's doing ok Maybe not as well as expected, considering wotc's behaviour and what I read online, but ok still.

I am not sure I understand this mode of thinking. I never liked 3e but I certainly don't hope that Paizo and the other 3PPs supporting 3e and Pathfinder tank because I never liked the system. In fact, I hope they do well so that people who prefer 3e can continue to see their game supported.

I felt bad when the 3e support seemed to dry up after and slightly before the announcement of 4e. I certainly think Pathfinder can help revitalize that market outside of just the Pathfinder line of products. Heck, I still buy Pathfinder stuff because the fluff is so darn good.

I know a number of my recent posts might earn me a reputation for being a "rainbow and bunnies guy" when it comes to edition wars. But I honestly want to see us move past some of this and start relating as gamers and not by what edition we play. I know that is not entirely possible and that some people on both sides of the debate can never be entirely happy with how things have gone. But I can hope, can't I?

Edit: I want to make it clear I am not being confrontational or trying to take this thread too far off topic. The idea does confuse me a bit and I am curious why anyone would want to see someone else's game of choice and source of entertainment take a nose dive. No hard feelings, just genuine confusion.

 

[lutecius]

I am not sure I understand this mode of thinking. I never liked 3e but I certainly don't hope that Paizo and the other 3PPs supporting 3e and Pathfinder tank because I never liked the system. In fact, I hope they do well so that people who prefer 3e can continue to see their game supported.

I felt bad when the 3e support seemed to dry up after and slightly before the announcement of 4e. I certainly think Pathfinder can help revitalize that market outside of just the Pathfinder line of products. Heck, I still buy Pathfinder stuff because the fluff is so darn good.

I know a number of my recent posts might earn me a reputation for being a "rainbow and bunnies guy" when it comes to edition wars. But I honestly want to see us move past some of this and start relating as gamers and not by what edition we play. I know that is not entirely possible and that some people on both sides of the debate can never be entirely happy with how things have gone. But I can hope, can't I?

Edit: I want to make it clear I am not being confrontational or trying to take this thread too far off topic. The idea does confuse me a bit and I am curious why anyone would want to see someone else's game of choice and source of entertainment take a nose dive. No hard feelings, just genuine confusion.

Note that I said "part of me".
I liked 3e a lot but got burned out after a while and felt it could be improved in many ways so I had high hopes for 4e. But it turned out to be the opposite of what i wanted and I felt betrayed. The irrational jerk in me wants someone to pay for this and would also love to have his opinion validated.

On a more rational level, the sooner 4e fails, the sooner 5e will come and the more different it will be.

That said, I'm not actively rooting for anyone to lose their job or wishing the philistines who enjoy 4e were denied further support. Not all the time, that is

 

[Starglim]

"Relatively" could mean several things, though most of them wouldn't change my answer.