EN World GameStore Closing

[jgbrowning]

As for Mr. Browning: some publisher's prices may increase. Some may not (they may chose simply to "eat the loss" of the increased rate). Explaining to people a "price increase" which may or may not happen on a per publisher basis is really bad form.

It's not may or may not happen. It's a "which publishers will" situation. Prices for rpg PDFs will be higher after the merger than they were before.

Seriously. I'm being professional, I'm not acting badly, I'm not flinging poo-poo. Everyone please stop accusing me of such simply because I'm pointing out the obvious and immediate economic results of the proposed new site.

Many of the vendors who account for roughly 80% of the sales at rpgnow.com will make less the months after the merger than the months before. In justification for this loss of revenue, we're told that we'll make more because of volume. Where this new volume is going to come from hasn't yet been explained especially considering that it must be above and beyond what was already occuring at the old sites to make up the difference in vendor fees. We're told that there will be more marketing/advertising. We haven't been told where, or how much. Also, many of us at rpgnow.com will remember that James has said to us that he doesn't believe hard-copy advertising provided much if any real noticable return for PDF products and considered in not really worth his time and money. However, our fee increase is supposed to help do more of that because it is apparantly now considered worthy of investment. I'd like to know what made James change his mind.

The only real thing I was told is that my fees are increasing.

Also, when you joined RPGNow, you signed an agreement. I seem to recall (although I may possibly be mistaken) that certain terms of that agreement, including royalty rates, were subject to change with 30 days notice. Well, if that is a part of the agreement, then RPGNow and DTRPG has remained true to that agreement. You consented to this possibility when you became an RPGNow publisher.

Indeed! Again saying "shut up or leave" isn't constructive nor polite. Also by signing that contract I have entered a partership and I'd like to let my parters know that I'd rather they not decide to take 10% from me and give it to themselves while also telling my customers that pricing is decided by me, not them. And I'm certainly going to inform them of it. And I'm going to inform my customers (you know, those people who are also my parter's customers as well) why I'm going to raise my prices. And I'm going to inform the general PDF purchasing public as to why they might notice any price increases by several companies as well.

Why? Because any price increases due to this merger are unecessary. Any vendor fee increases are also unecessary.

On a personal note, I have a very hard time sympathizing with your "loss" when considering your overall annual profit (which is more than I have ever made annually, in any job). If the loss of $82 a month truly puts you in financial jeopardy, then I do sympathize, as this is a situation I know all too well. But if your only issue is a 9% loss of income, of a five-figure annual income, then I feel no pity.

Roughly 80% of my income comes from rpgs sales. I make roughly 20k a year in profits. That's the biz. I'm a small fry in rpgville, but a medium fry in PDFville.

Business changes. Markets change, trends rise and fall, obstacles emerge, and opportunities open. XRP has demonstrated its ability to adapt and succeed... just look at your recent entry into the OSRIC system. The new merged site is a change in the way you do business, nothing more.

I agree with most of that, but the business didn't change, the market didn't change, trends haven't fallen, yet many of us who are actually creating rpg products are now going to make less. If it was a changing business, a changing market, or falling trends I wouldn't complain (well I'd complain some) but I'd adapt and move on, trying to find something better. And those of us who don't want to make less will have to charge our customers more. I'd rather not do that because of the reasons put forth.

However, I'm viewing this obstacle as an opportunity. I will come out better than I went going it. But that's not because of any help provided by my business parter: it's going to be despite their "assistance" in our relationship. I don't like that. I think they should know and I think everyone else who cares to read my posts should as well. If someone's not really interested in what I have to say, they don't have to read my posts.

This merger should have been a joyous affair for all parties involved. It should have meant I'll make more, they'll make more, and customers get an easier shopping source with no changes in existing prices. I shouldn't have lost the "Awesome! This is going to be great for everyone!" vibe I had right when I started reading the announcement before I got to the part where I'm going to be making less.

joe b.

 

[Wolv0rine]

I see a lot of people jumping up and down screaming "Yay, it's so much easier for Me now!", and I see a few very professional people giving well thought out commentary on how this isn't the bright, shining salvation it's being advertised as.

Me, all I see is a monopoly. And monopolies are always bad, no exceptions. Regardless of what they may promise you, regardless of what bones they might throw you, monopolies are in a position to bend you over as far, and as often, as they feel like. And it's pretty rare when they don't.

I'm not a publisher, I'm just an artist who occasionaly writes. But this turn of events just makes me wish someone had the means, know-how, and clout to introduce a new competetor for this newly-merged entity. Not because I harbor any specific ill-will to those involved, but because monopolies need to be challenged by competition that provides viable alternatives to both buyer and seller.

 

[Cheiromancer]

How do I get access to the credit balance I had with the ENGS?

 

[Morrus]

How do I get access to the credit balance I had with the ENGS?

You account page is still there - just go there and withdraw it.

http://shop.enworld.org/account.php?

 

[JoeGKushner]

I see a lot of people jumping up and down screaming "Yay, it's so much easier for Me now!", and I see a few very professional people giving well thought out commentary on how this isn't the bright, shining salvation it's being advertised as.

Me, all I see is a monopoly. And monopolies are always bad, no exceptions. Regardless of what they may promise you, regardless of what bones they might throw you, monopolies are in a position to bend you over as far, and as often, as they feel like. And it's pretty rare when they don't.

I'm not a publisher, I'm just an artist who occasionaly writes. But this turn of events just makes me wish someone had the means, know-how, and clout to introduce a new competetor for this newly-merged entity. Not because I harbor any specific ill-will to those involved, but because monopolies need to be challenged by competition that provides viable alternatives to both buyer and seller.

What a bout Piazo and e-23 from SJG?

 

[Cheiromancer]

You account page is still there - just go there and withdraw it.

http://shop.enworld.org/account.php?

No, I mean how do I use it to buy stuff. When I click on something it asks me for my RPGNow email address and password, and indicates I have a $0.40 credit. Whereas I have more than $70 in the ENGS. If I withdraw it I'm pretty sure I'll lose on the transaction fee, which I don't want. I paid the transaction few to put money into the account- I don't want to pay it again to take it out.

 

[Wolv0rine]

What a bout Piazo and e-23 from SJG?

Can't say I'm familiar with them, although I noticed both mentioned on a similar thread on TheRPGSite, and the people who responded to the names seemed to indicate that neither have the traffic (if not anything else) to really be a viable alternative. But that is heresay.

 

[Bacris]

I think what's likely going to be seen is an influx in publisher-owned storefronts becoming their preferred retail outlets with the new OBS outlet being a secondary outlet. For some, this may not be viable (hosting & payment processing fees, plus the other overhead associated), for others, there have already been posts where publishers will release to their own storefront first at "normal" rates and then release to OBS at a higher rate later to compensate for the increased commission rate.

I can't say definitively which option Dreamscarred Press will take at this time, as that is not a decision for me to make alone, but I can say how this plays out will definitely influence our decision. We want to take care of our customers, but if we end up not making any money or, worse, losing money, then it's not a viable option.

Or maybe we'll see an influx in new sites like E-23 and ENWorld's GameStore that offer lower rates... although that would likely end up with quite a few businesses closing up shop due to the nature of start-up businesses

 

[Steve Conan Trustrum]

What a bout Piazo and e-23 from SJG?

Their combined share of the PDF market is inconsequential--both are barely a footnote in the overall sales of typical PDF publishers with the affected primary two stores easily accounting for the majority of a typical PDF publisher's sales (to say nothing of the overall PDF market.)

I also feel that I must state that Joe is indeed voicing legitimate concerns in a professional manner on a section of the messageboard set aside for people such as himself: publishers. The fact that he isn't looking at the situation from the same perspective as some others doesn't make him unprofessional, nor does his voicing of his opinions and concerns for his business. Classifying Joe's comments as "whining" is wholly inappropriate and inapplicable--indeed, looking over Joe's posts, I don't see anything that could accurately classfiy his comments as such.

I may not agree with everything Joe is saying, but some I do. I definately agree with him in stating he's being nothing but professional in how he's presenting those concerns, however, especially those who think he's out of line for being worried about his business' bottom line, need to take a step back and consider how their own behavior and words make them appear.

 

[Morrus]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with Joe voicing his concerns. That's the whole purpose of this thread - for publishers to discuss (there's a matching thread in general for fans).

However, I'm optimistic that his bottom line won't be affected in the way he thinks it is. Obviously, I have no way of knowing, but my belief is that RPGNow, DTRPG and ENGS publishers will see stronger overall sales. And I believe this makes is easier for OBS to grow the market more successfully.

Only time will tell. Joe's concerns are valid; I hope things don't work out like that. ENP stands to lose even more (the majoroty of ENP sales were at ENGS at 0% commission, so we're losing a full 30% of our gross revenue in one fell swoop), but I'm confident that overall sales - at least in the long term - will more than compensate.