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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Gargoyle" data-source="post: 952083" data-attributes="member: 529">You can't change the behavior of consumers by admonishing them to do what's best for the industry.  As a consumer, I'll always strive to pay less and get the most value for my buck, as long as it is convenient enough.  If you're attempting to influence the behavior of the market by imploring them to do what's right for the hobby, then your attempt will fail.  That's why your post seemed like pointless ranting to me (although there is nothing wrong with that now and then..), and why it comes off as self-serving to some. (I know it's not meant to be, I love this industry too, and I share your concerns.)That's very hypothetical, and your scenario ignores the fact that FLGS's also depend on publishers.  I think it's clear that FLGS's and publishers have a symbiotic relationship.  Without good products to sell, FLGS's are at a disadvantage.  Without a good way to bring products to market, the publishers are at a disadvantage.  But I've heard many FLGS owners say that if MtG didn't come along, they would have went out of business.  Without FLGS's, I think WOTC would have sold MtG at cons, book stores, software stores, toy stores, and comic book only stores, and some FLGS's would have emerged to sell the product.   There are many ways to sell your product, even without the Internet.   It's just cheaper and easier if you can distribute it through FLGS's.  No one who loves gaming wants to see FLGS's disappear (just the UFLGS's <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> ).  I agree that they make a major difference, especially in the long term.  Introducing new players to the hobby, provding a place to play, etc.  The only people who can really do anything about it, however, are the FLGSs and game publishers.   Amazon doesn't care and neither do the consumers.   (Even if a few consumers do care, it won't be enough; the market as a whole wants the best deal.)FLGS's need to find ways to be more competitive.  They need to be knowledgeable about gaming products, they need to be friendly, they need to provide a place to play, and they need to host events.  They need to have a great selection.  Most FLGS's are responsible for their own failures.  Some are doing all this and have survived.  Game publishers need to avoid undercutting FLGS's with steeply discounted direct sales via the Internet.  Both FLGS's and publishers need to get together more and talk about how they can get customers in the stores on a regular basis.   (Like we're doing right now)   We need to make it so that FLGS's don't merely survive; they need to prosper.But I don't have all the answers, of course.  As a retailer, what do you think small publishers can do to help FLGS's?  Maybe there isn't much I can do, but if enough small publishers make an effort, it could mean something.   Larger publishers should help too, but as you've implied, the reality is that they don't need FLGS's as much as small publishers, so they don't have as big a stake.</blockquote>

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