Don't try to compete with Amazon on price- it's a losing battle. I've heard enough game store owners- here and in person- complain about Amazon selling RPG material at prices lower than the game store pay to acquire it. This is because Amazon can buy in such bulk AND cross-subsidize, making for ultra-low prices at any time they choose.
The only ways I've seen successful game stores compete on price is with loyalty programs (buy $X of merch, get some kind of additional discount on next purchase or all future purchases that year, etc.), and with discounts on pre-orders for new releases.
As others have said, compete with knowledge, service and environment.
On environment: an excellent read would be Paco Underhill's Why We Buy- it contains a wealth of info on how a store's internal structure affects sales. He reveals how lighting, lines of sight, depth vs breadth of products available, overstocking vs understocking, space between tables & width of aisles- even the arrangement of aisles- can affect your bottom line.
I tell you what- if I were opening a game store today, I'd invest in a computer near the main counter that let customers in the store place orders through the store's website. I've seen how kiosks like that work in a variety of retailers- grocery stores, department stores, etc. They work- they generate sales from motivated customers already in your store, usually without involving sales staff. It's like having an employee you pay in electricity.
The only ways I've seen successful game stores compete on price is with loyalty programs (buy $X of merch, get some kind of additional discount on next purchase or all future purchases that year, etc.), and with discounts on pre-orders for new releases.
As others have said, compete with knowledge, service and environment.
On environment: an excellent read would be Paco Underhill's Why We Buy- it contains a wealth of info on how a store's internal structure affects sales. He reveals how lighting, lines of sight, depth vs breadth of products available, overstocking vs understocking, space between tables & width of aisles- even the arrangement of aisles- can affect your bottom line.
I tell you what- if I were opening a game store today, I'd invest in a computer near the main counter that let customers in the store place orders through the store's website. I've seen how kiosks like that work in a variety of retailers- grocery stores, department stores, etc. They work- they generate sales from motivated customers already in your store, usually without involving sales staff. It's like having an employee you pay in electricity.
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