Is the age of discounts over?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

So, maybe you are only talking about RPGs, but in the larger market, it certainly is not stupid to now be able to demand to Wal-Mart and other retailers that you won't lower your prices just for them. They can still refuse to sell your product, but this court ruling does (for good or bad, I dunno) give vendors more backing to demand equal pricing from various retailers.

I should have been MUCH clearer. I was talking about the hobbyist market and that's all. I'm well aware of the impact of predatory pricing on the economy. I just think Dancey's thesis is based in romantic notions of an idealized mom and pop hobbyist shop rather than actual reality.

 

[kenmarable]

I wasn't. The "F" in FLGS tells it all: There is a bias on the part of many RPG gamers in favor of the mom and pop shop, based in sentiment.

Can't speak for others, but in general it's also about supporting the local economy. I buy something from a mom and pop shop, then mom and pop keep the profits and hopefully stay in business longer. They probably live nearby so spend their money nearby, and hopefully help local business stay around longer, too.

If I buy from Amazon, then the profits go off to shareholders who knows where. Mom and pop can't keep the doors open and go out of business. Local unemployment goes up, and less money locally also hurts my own job.

It's a small thing, but I try to buy local when I can - RPG or not. It's not sentimental for me, it's supporting the local economy, and indirectly, my own job.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Do more people game at hobby shops or Wal-Mart?

At home. The tiny proportion of people gaming at hobby shops are inconsequential.

It's possible for small retail outlets to be profitable and yet unprofitable for publishers to engage in direct-retailing. Would you refuse to consider that WotC closed their retail outlets when Hasbro, which has been a successful gaming company for a while now, found that direct retailing was unadvisable?

See, I remember when these stores closed, and we had reports from gamers who shopped there (including me), we had reports from employees at the stores and we might have even had a few WotC bigwigs post here at the time.

They closed because they weren't profitable. It's no more mysterious than that.

 

[kenmarable]

I should have been MUCH clearer. I was talking about the hobbyist market and that's all. I'm well aware of the impact of predatory pricing on the economy. I just think Dancey's thesis is based in romantic notions of an idealized mom and pop hobbyist shop rather than actual reality.

Fair enough, that's why I tried to predicate my comments with "I don't know if this applies to hobby market". I doubt it factors into RPGs, but I can see the card games possibly facing this issue.

Bottom line, I'm not sure if this is overall good or bad. Just the way I initially read you, I saw assumptions that I didn't necessarily agree with.

(Gol darn assumptions mucking everything up! We just need someone to lay down the absolute truthiness for it all!)

 

[Felix]

They closed because they weren't profitable. It's no more mysterious than that.

Were they unprofitable in part because of online discount retailers?

 

[Raven Crowking]

They closed because they weren't profitable. It's no more mysterious than that.

If I can invest $1 to make $2 or $5, then I'm going to invest that $1 to make $5; the $2 isn't profitable for me.

It does not therefore follow that if you can invest $1 to make $2, but you do not have the same options as I do to turn that $1 to $5, that turning that $1 to $2 will not be profitable for you.

 

[Storminator]

The tiny proportion of people gaming at hobby shops are inconsequential.

This is just an assumption on your part tho. In substance it's no different than the assumptions you are arguing against, and no more justifiable.

PS

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It's a small thing, but I try to buy local when I can - RPG or not. It's not sentimental for me, it's supporting the local economy, and indirectly, my own job.

My wife and I feel the same way. But I'm also aware this is a minority viewpoint. More people buy pizza at Pizza Hut near me than go the extra block for the mom and pop shop with the vastly superior pizza. I don't think it's any different for RPGs, especially since there's quite a few LGSes that are pretty unpleasant places to shop -- lots of threads on that here, over the years. The health department at least keeps the pizza places to a minimum standard.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

This is just an assumption on your part tho. In substance it's no different than the assumptions you are arguing against, and no more justifiable.

Again, we have had polls here on ENWorld. Most people learned from friends at home, not in a store and most people have never played at a store or at a convention.

The primary method of bringing people into the hobby is living rooms and basements, not any sort of store. The LGS is not vital to the hobby. Books being sold in places where gamers can get to them is all that's required.

When the Supreme Court bans living rooms and basements, I promise to be as alarmed as can be about the fate of the hobby.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Were they unprofitable in part because of online discount retailers?

In the late 1990s and early 21st century, before online retailing really took off?