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Message: <blockquote data-quote="khantroll" data-source="post: 5982339" data-attributes="member: 95652">Thanks to everyone who has comment so far. To tell you the truth, Jester, I hadn't really thought the floor people in those terms. Obviously, I know that customer service is important, but the concept of personality really hadn't occurred to me to be something mention or recommend. As Herschel said, Jester is good, Jester is wise <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />ahayford: Maybe I am confused, but I really don't get that. You aren't the first person to have said as much, but it would seem to me that standing out in the amazon and Powell's based internet would be more difficult. I mean, yes, your customer pool is bigger, but so is the competition. I am a business/IT consultant by trade. Working locally, developing working relationships with my clients and providing the services they need, I make a pretty good living. If tried to compete on the internet only, or even primarily, support.com, hp, and others that I can't even think of would crush me. I understand that's an apples and oranges comparison, but the principals of local, on the ground service vs larger customer pool seem similar. Yora: a local game store isn't a comic shop (usually). There should be chairs for your to use as you chat with the staff, other gamers, or peruse the wares for sale. There should be refreshments available. The person on hand doesn't need to know everything about every game, but they should be able to help make recommendations based on what the distributor says. It should be a place you want to come to, not just to shop, but for camaraderie. The store should provide you with things you've maybe never heard of, or at least be able to point you in that direction even if they don't make that sale. You personalize service in many ways. It's remembering what you like (hopefully better then Amazon's recommendation engine). It's showing you new products you may not know are coming out, or waiting on you if you need to a few minutes more then closing time. It's having your order waiting for you when you come in. It's personal touches that make it personalized. In short, it's the difference between being a friendly local game store and being booksamillion. As to cheaper...maybe. Price usually isn't my primary motivator when I make purchases. In fact, I am much more aggressive in this regard when online shopping then I am locally. Good example: Pathfinder Bestiary. Hastings (sorry, closest thing we have to an FLGS) had it for about $30 + tax. In stock, ready to rock. Amazon had it for about $22, plus $5 shipping. So, $33 inc tax vs $27 plus 3 days. I bought my copy at Hastings.</blockquote>

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