So I'm looking at buy.com and they're offering City of the Spider Queen for $18.86. That includes free shipping. Opposed to $29.95 plus tax at my FLGS. I like my local game store. The guy who owns it is helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable about every product he carries. Right now, however, that pales in comparison to the 11-12 dollars I could save. Perhaps if I bought major books ($30 and up) online and bought everything else at the store (dice, minis, etc.), it would be a good compromise. I don't know. I feel dirty somehow.
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Finding A Compromise Between Online Shopping And Local Game Stores
- Thread starter Slacker
- Start date
Kershek
Sci-Fi Newshound
I usually do impulse shopping at my local gaming store. Otherwise, if I can wait, I'll get it from Amazon since their prices are great.
My last impulse buy was Tomb of Abysthor (I just couldn't put it down). I also buy other things that I would normally not get online, like those Mage Knight dungeon accessory kits or miniatures. I want to see those up close before I choose to get them.
My last impulse buy was Tomb of Abysthor (I just couldn't put it down). I also buy other things that I would normally not get online, like those Mage Knight dungeon accessory kits or miniatures. I want to see those up close before I choose to get them.
Barendd Nobeard
Explorer
I was just thinking about this today.
I'm think I'm going to buy stuff I probably won't use a lot (FR, for example--I still need to get Silver Marches & now Spidey-Queen) from spamzon or cheapo.com or wherever.
For the rest (MMII, other games, minis, etc.) I'll stick to my FLGS.
I'm think I'm going to buy stuff I probably won't use a lot (FR, for example--I still need to get Silver Marches & now Spidey-Queen) from spamzon or cheapo.com or wherever.
For the rest (MMII, other games, minis, etc.) I'll stick to my FLGS.
Complete Bias Alert: I'm the owner of a FLGS.
Make your descisions based on if you're willing to lose your FLGS. Whoever you pay will generally survive.
Keep in mind that your FLGS probably does more than just give you the product. He probably also grows and provides community.
Fwiw I have ZERO chance to compete on a price-only basis with Amazon or Buy.com. But I provide a lot of other services that are beneficial to gaming in particular and people in general. I'm always hoping that people will appreciate my efforts and not immediately purchase based on price only. Of course I am.
I don't know about you (whover is reading this) but I don't want to live in a world where money is the only thing that matters. Making decisions that way will come back and bite you ... someday.
I've been in business for 12 years, though, and I don't expect miracles. Money is King, but it doesn't deserve the throne.
Cheers,
-Eric/Unknown Comics & Games in PA
Make your descisions based on if you're willing to lose your FLGS. Whoever you pay will generally survive.
Keep in mind that your FLGS probably does more than just give you the product. He probably also grows and provides community.
Fwiw I have ZERO chance to compete on a price-only basis with Amazon or Buy.com. But I provide a lot of other services that are beneficial to gaming in particular and people in general. I'm always hoping that people will appreciate my efforts and not immediately purchase based on price only. Of course I am.
I don't know about you (whover is reading this) but I don't want to live in a world where money is the only thing that matters. Making decisions that way will come back and bite you ... someday.
I've been in business for 12 years, though, and I don't expect miracles. Money is King, but it doesn't deserve the throne.
Cheers,
-Eric/Unknown Comics & Games in PA
Psychotic Dreamer
First Post
Exactly. If I had a FLGS (the one that is kind of local is neither friendly or really local) so there for I do not spend my money there. However if I had a FLGS that was both local and friendly I would be glad to spend the extra money and interact with a human being when making my purchases.
PS: If this comes off as a bit random and odd sounding it's because I'm at work and am really, really, really tired.
PS: If this comes off as a bit random and odd sounding it's because I'm at work and am really, really, really tired.
alsih2o
First Post
here http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24242 i pointed out why i buy things thru enworld.it is pretty much the "flgs" theory applied to enworld.
Well, y'see, the compromise between shopping online and shopping at you local gaming store is to shop at your Local Online Gaming Store!.
I tend to use the same rule for online shopping that my professors used to use for making illegal photocopies: I only buy online if it is something I otherwise would not buy. I just bought Masters of the Wild and Monsters of Faern from Amazon, but I would never in my wildest income fantasies have paid full price for either of those. I still feel a little guilty, but I actually give my FLGS quite a lot of business.
I feel for you guys. I've seen two FLGS stores in the area close up or diversify because they just couldn't make enough money to keep up with inflation.
Having said that, I still buy all of my hardcover books online. The money that I save by doing that is, in turn, spent at the FLGS.
The recent ELH / Buy.Com episode really helped to reinforce that decision.
I just couldn't see the sense in buying the Epic Level Handbook for $39.95 (+tax) when I could go to Buy.Com and get 2 copies for $27.64 (no tax or shipping) and then turn around and sell one of those copies to a guy at a local Con for $30, recouping all of my initial cost plus a little profit.
Everything else (adventures, softcover books, dice, miniatures, etc) I buy from my FLGS.
My next local purchase will be the new Darwins World RPG.
Having said that, I still buy all of my hardcover books online. The money that I save by doing that is, in turn, spent at the FLGS.
The recent ELH / Buy.Com episode really helped to reinforce that decision.
I just couldn't see the sense in buying the Epic Level Handbook for $39.95 (+tax) when I could go to Buy.Com and get 2 copies for $27.64 (no tax or shipping) and then turn around and sell one of those copies to a guy at a local Con for $30, recouping all of my initial cost plus a little profit.
Everything else (adventures, softcover books, dice, miniatures, etc) I buy from my FLGS.
My next local purchase will be the new Darwins World RPG.
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