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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pickin_grinnin" data-source="post: 6194737" data-attributes="member: 6697674">>So just like independent book stores >they will be non existent in about 10-15 years, got it. I don't see them all disappearing, but we may not be out of the "whittling down" phase yet. I am a library director, and for far more than a decade now people have been predicting the imminent demise of libraries.  Their arguments typically run along the lines of people not reading anymore (far from true), Internet removing the need for books (still not true), and ebooks replacing print ones.  That last one is similar to the idea that gamers are mostly moving to PDFs, as you noted.Ebooks have not been a threat to libraries, for many reasons.  One of the biggest is that they cost too much for many people to afford, so they turn to libraries even for their electronic needs.  Another is that people who grew up with physical books as their primary source of reading tend to retain the preference for that.  That's true even for those who have grown up with ebooks as an option.  It's human nature to cling to that which is familiar.  There are also benefits to print books that people like, and drawbacks to ebooks that they don't.  Print books will probably eventually go away, but we won't see it in our lifetimes.  It will be a very gradual thing.When it comes to independent bookstores, they are actually having an easier time surviving these days than they were ten years ago.  After Borders closed and many of the big box bookstores started disappearing, they left a gap that has helped independent bookstores survive (and even thrive) in some areas.  On a side note, the failure of Borders was entirely it's own fault.  I worked for the company when they were in their golden period and during the start of the slide, and watched them destroy themselves.A lot of game, hobby, and comic stores have closed, and many are struggling.  The same is true of independent bookstores.  That doesn't mean that they are going to disappear entirely, though.  They may even experience a small renaissance at some point.  Amazon and DriveThruRPG have become the "destinations" of choice for many gamers, but they don't have a total lock on the market.  You can't beat them for price, convenience, and selection, but there are other value-added things that gaming stores can do (and some DO do) to remain viable businesses.Price is not the main determining factor for everyone, particularly if the difference is $5 or less.  It's a big factor for me, but far more people are happy to go across town and buy something TODAY than wait two days to get something a few dollars cheaper from Amazon.  I'm too budget conscious for that (I have been known to watch eBay for YEARS to get a $100 object for $75), but most people aren't that way.  That's why Amazon hasn't taken over all non-perishable item sales.Game stores, comic stores, etc. have the capability to capitalize on the benefits of having a brick-and-mortar location and develop loyal customer bases, IF they are smart and IF they are run like real businesses.  Many (though not all) of the game stores that fail are not run like real businesses - they are basically just extensions of the owner's hobby interests.  You could get by with that in the old days, pre-Internet, but not today.It is possible to run a profitable, thriving game store today, and to continue to do so for many years.  Doing so takes work, sacrifice, flexibility, and intelligence, though.  Unfortunately, most game (and other hobby) store owners and/or managers aren't capable of doing that, or aren't willing to, which is why we see so many fail.  You see the same thing in a lot of other areas of retail.  You even see it in public libraries, which aren't even retail establishments.You should read the Black Diamond Games blog, if you haven't already.  It is a very good example of how to run a game store like a real business.</blockquote>

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