Game Stores Need Websites!

[Scribble]

If you own and operate a game store have a website! It's not 1985 anymore. I expect to find you present and active on the web if I want info about your store.

If you own and operate a game store have a GOOD web site. It's not 1995 anymore. I don't mean you have to be a master at web design, but I expect to find something more then a single page with like your phone number and store hours on it.


And coming soon messages don't cut it. It's super easy to build a website these days. Do it instead of telling me you're planning to do it sometime in the nebulous future.


Sorry just needed to rant. (I've been looking at some of the local game store finder things, and stores with no/lame web sites piss me off.)

 

[renau1g]

That's true, I'd hope you had a list of updated products on there that you carry, perhaps if you have some sort of inventory system (good-sized stores should certainly have something right?) that could link to the site would be awesome!

Also, just curious why this has "Combat" in front of the thread title?

 

[darjr]

And have a forum that you post to for scheduling games and letting people know of upcoming events and store schedules.

And post to it, and read it. Letting it rot on the vine is worse than not having one.

 

[MichaelSomething]

The guy as my FLGS still doesn't have a real website. I really wish he would make a site a forum for his store. I already have a forum handle ready for it. I can't wait to register the form name "I luv kitties."

 

[HailToTheThief]

Agreed completely. Not to pimp my thread, but this certainly falls under the category of "run your gaming store like a business'.

A good web site with an up to date event calendar and a forum is invaluable.

 

[Jdvn1]

Also--it's FREE!

Get a Google account for your store, make a free webpage (it's super easy), connect it with a Google Calendar (they provide step-by-step instructions) and a photo album. Plenty of stores use this sort of thing, and it's definitely more professional than not having a website at all. Also, there are some stores with terrible websites because they paid someone to do a shoddy job. Save you money, do it how you want, and go the free route.

And, try to keep it updated. My FLGS updates once every few years. That's simply not enough. It takes 10 minutes to do.

 

[Thondor]

To be fair to us, very computer savvy posters here on enworld, it is super easy.
Some of the population however barely touch computers, and anything beyond basic word processing and simple e-mail is far beyond them (these people are frustrated by program or site updates.)
We are not all of us computer literate, and many game store owners likely have little time to become more literate or even become aware of some of the options that have been mentioned.

 

[Gilwen]

chances are that someone (mostly likely several someones) that visits their store IS computer savvy though and might be able to work out a trade for services deal vs cold hard cash.

gil

 

[Thondor]

chances are that someone (mostly likely several someones) that visits their store IS computer savvy though and might be able to work out a trade for services deal vs cold hard cash.

gil

Excellent point.

 

[Alzrius]

If you own and operate a game store have a website! It's not 1985 anymore. I expect to find you present and active on the web if I want info about your store.

If you own and operate a game store have a GOOD web site. It's not 1995 anymore. I don't mean you have to be a master at web design, but I expect to find something more then a single page with like your phone number and store hours on it.

If you own and operate a game store have a good website with a Twitter account and Facebook page! It's not 2005 anymore. You don't have to update it every five minutes, but I expect to be able to integrate you into my social networking feeds so I can keep up with everything going on at your store.