My Experience of 4e Marketing Failing

[FalcWP]

Whoa there buddy! Lets not go bringing logic into a messageboard thread. The entire fabric of the universe will be torn apart!

Would that mean fewer 4E complaint threads? 'cause that might be worth it...

plus, think of the XP I'd get...

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

Case in point. I work in a deli. One of the cheeses we carry won an award at some cheese festival. They sent us a note. We read the note. When people ask for brie, I always mention "hey, this one won an award a few months ago."

That cheese outsells everything else, simply because those guys sent us a note telling us about their product.

Really, when you're marketing a game, you should do the same. Companies never do, but it does pay off. Hell, they should at least ship signage - a little cardstock thing that says "this is the new fourth edition D&D!" to put on the bookshelves. I know I see it at my FLGS.

I'm just guessing here, but I'd bet that you're deli actually cares a lot more about getting expert customer service out of its employees than the big box book store cares about getting it out of its helpless worker drones.

This isn't just a failing on WotC's part here.

 

[delericho]

Putting out the starter boxed set months after the hype about the new edition, with existing 3E boxes still out there, probably SEEMED like a good idea, I guess, but I can't imagine how.

That's my view, too. The new 4e Basic Set should have been released on the same day as the Core Rulebooks, and WotC should have requested that old stock be pulled at that time (or perhaps the stores would just have done that themselves).

Putting out a new basic set six months after the hype for the new edition has been and gone is an odd move, to say the least.

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

That's my view, too. The new 4e Basic Set should have been released on the same day as the Core Rulebooks, and WotC should have requested that old stock be pulled at that time (or perhaps the stores would just have done that themselves).

Putting out a new basic set six months after the hype for the new edition has been and gone is an odd move, to say the least.

I think their thinking was that that they wanted the 'expert' community to be familiar with the game before they started recruiting novices.

That's not a horrible general strategy given how much recruitment for this game moves from the experts to friendly outsiders.

 

[Maggan]

It is not, however, unrealistic for a marketing department to realize that having prior edition's introductory merchandise compete with your shiny new edition is a bad stupid thing. This has nothing to do with the clerk, dude; the Basic Box shouldn't have been on the shelf to begin with.

WotC marketing doesn't tell stores what to put on their shelves. I've seen game stores keep old merchandise on the shelves for years, and years, without marking down anything, or having a clearence sale.

I've also heard game store employees say more stupid things than the OP heard expressed, even though I have looked at the very same marketing material that they have ... where the correct answer was spelled out in neon signs three feet high. Figuratively speaking of course.

Some people just don't take information to heart. And WotC marketing could be standing there with loudspeakers and cardboard signs and it wouldn't make any difference.

Now, I haven't seen all in store marketing material for 4e, but I have seen some. And if a clerk willfully dismisses printed material a feet square saying "this is the new 4e! look these are the books and this is what they're for", as well as all the other information WotC sends out that we consumers never see ...

... I think WotC marketing has a problem. That problem is "how to reach people who don't give a damn".

/M

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

Only bookstore around here has all 3.5 stuff nothing marked down and 1 4e book....and no they don't know it doesn't work togather

 

[Ginnel]

Forget about D&D turning into WoW, ENWorld is turning into the WoW boards.

surely its epic fail

common fail

rare fail

 

[Weregrognard]

I dunno, I think this is an epic win for all involved:

- Borders sells old stock.

- Kids get their first "shot" of D&D along with dice, a few miniatures, and some tiles.

- If the kids like it enough, you know they'll be asking for the core books for the next gift giving occasion or whatnot. Heck! I pawned my old Nintendo back in the day to get the 2nd edition AD&D books once I had all but used up the 1990's D&D Basic Set.

- WotC (and possibly the same Borders) sells 4th edition books.

Epic Win

 

[Lorthanoth]

Surely Heroic Fail? Or perhaps Paragon Fail?

 

[xechnao]

....and no they don't know it doesn't work togather

They do work together. What works most for them, their priority, is that you buy the products. This is their job.