As to Talon Comics saying that he moves a lot of "non-shiny" stuff, I'm not surprised, as he caters to ENWorlders in his mail order sales, and seems to be a sharp cookie on how to move anything, in store or out. My local game shop, on the other hand, which does no mail order or internet sales and has only a marginal grasp of how to push product (instigated by my complaints in trying to establish a New Release section instead of just jamming everything "library" style into a wall unit in no particular order--not even alphabetically by company!), sells shiny first, ugly second (but usually not at all). They sell out of Kenzer, FFG, AEG, WoTC, Atlas and Mongoose products. Products by "less shiny" companies like Chaosium, Troll Lord, Hero's Journey, Mystic Eye, Thunderhead, etc., sit on the shelf and rot for months, if not years. I think my local game store is more indicative of how the public buys and how game stores (who tend to place more value on comics, toys and trading cards) in general operate. Fat, sweaty geeks in a veritable rummage sale of merchandise new and old, with no clue how to take their store out of the Stone Age into the shiny modern marketplace. Stereotype? Truism! Most stores I've seen are like this. The better organized, brighter, shinier ones sell more product.
I look at everything that comes out, but if it doesn't have that magic glitz rub off in the first few seconds after I pick it up, it goes back on the shelf. If I miss out, is it my fault or the publishers for not catching my eye?
