My FLGS just put 4E on 50% off discount

[TikkchikFenTikktikk]

So, as the subject more than implies, my FLGS gave all non-PHB, DMG, and MM books a 50%-off clearance sale on Wednesday.

Also, D&D Encounters is down from 4 tables plus subs if someone can't show up to one table, which includes 1-2 people who used to be DMs.

PANIC!!!!!1!one!!!!!!!2?!!!!!!!!!!!!

On the plus side, Magic has never been more popular, ever.

(A coupla Pathfinder RPG books have sold, but it's worse than the 4E situation.)

Store owner blames a downturn in the RPG market plus typical WotC stupidity plus schools out for summer.

I say this is part of a larger digital trend, which includes Magic and will eventually also eat comics.

Opinions and experiences?

Also, does anyone play Pathfinder **in-store**?

 

[Dice4Hire]

Well, I'm glad the sky is falling over there.

Sounds like that store is not doing well with any RPGs, but different stores, different folks.

The magic thing does not surprise me, as it is a different market and one far mroe friendly to gaming stores, where impulse buys are a lot cheaper and mroe useful for the game.

For RPGS, about hte only thing that equals a pack of cards is dice, and most people get enough of htem. SPlurging on a 20-30 dollar book is a lot mroe than a few bucks for a pack of cards.

 

[haakon1]

Store owner blames a downturn in the RPG market plus typical WotC stupidity plus schools out for summer.

There's a lot of economic carnage out there, in general.

I'm not sure if it's hitting FLGS worse than other small businesses.

 

[TirionAnthion]

FLGS Sales

My local store, which I work for, has managed to maintain strong sales. We do have a contigent of customers who come in and browse the books and then go buy them online but overall our sales are still strong. We have a large dedicated gaming space that allows us to host a variety of activities which draws in traffic. This also breeds loyalty. The customers enjoy the gaming space and so they spend money at the store to support that space.

Customer service is very important. People expect top notch service for their gaming dollars. If they are going to fork over money for a product that they could get online for less, customers expect extra service.

Another important factor is employee participation in events. At our store, the events that are run by or hyped by the employees draw alot of business. When the employees are excited about a game, that enthusiasm spreads to customers and helps bring them in the door.

However, every store is different. My store has a steady stream of customers. We are not in a college town so we have consistent business year round. Our sister store is in a college town and they suffer a sharp down turn in business during the summer months.

In regards to WotC marketing strategies, we have seen a definate improvement in their communication with our store. We became a premeire store which allows us to receive and sell products before the local chain stores which has been a huge boon for us. In the past the chain stores would receive product the weekend before the official release date and would sell it immediately. now we get the books 1 to 2 weeks ahead of the official release and can sell them right away. I have noticed WotC working much harder to help our store generate sales and succeed. Our Encounters attendence has held strong at about 20 people and WotC promoting of the program has brought in quite a bit of foot traffic. All in all I have been pleased with their programs over the last 6 months to a year.

I could be wrong. My opinions are based on the experiences and your mileage may vary. I am sorry to here that your FLGS is suffering. I think the FLGS is the backbone of our hobby. It is an important social hub to bring gamers together and expose them to new games that they might not get a chance to play.

 

[TikkchikFenTikktikk]

For RPGS, about hte only thing that equals a pack of cards is dice, and most people get enough of htem. SPlurging on a 20-30 dollar book is a lot mroe than a few bucks for a pack of cards.

The store owner and I were talking about what makes Friday Night Magic work and what we can bring over to Wednesday Night Encounters.

With FNM, the players buy-in for $5 and for a guaranteed pack of the latest set, worth $4 (MSRP).

With WNE, the players show up for free, and after an indeterminate number of appearances earning "renown points" win a--approximately--worthless card, one of which (if they've won more than one) can be used per evening.

There is no way to reconcile WNE to FNM in this fashion that makes economic sense.

 

[thatdarnedbob]

However, every store is different. My store has a steady stream of customers. We are not in a college town so we have consistent business year round. Our sister store is in a college town and they suffer a sharp down turn in business during the summer months.

Yeah, every store is different. I have a great example from when 4E was first released: One store had a great RPG section of seven shelves of current and classic material. Everything was well lit and organized, and the 4E books well front and center, even having a display up front by the register. In the other, RPGs were confined to a single shelf, which was located right next to the large public gaming area. To browse their selection, you would constantly have to stand rump-to-head with a large oblivious gamer, who would breathe very loudly.

Guess which store stocks at least six copies of every new 4E release, and which gave up on 4E, and less vocally, RPGs in general, two years ago because "it's not what the gamers want". Hint: it's the logical choice.

 

[TikkchikFenTikktikk]

We have a large dedicated gaming space that allows us to host a variety of activities which draws in traffic.

My FLGS has a large gaming space, including a few private rooms, and has a pretty decent retail location in the revitalized downtown of my town.

Customer service is very important. People expect top notch service for their gaming dollars. If they are going to fork over money for a product that they could get online for less, customers expect extra service.

The reason this store is still open and at least a half-dozen others in the metro area are not is because it knows how to treat its customers.

Another important factor is employee participation in events. At our store, the events that are run by or hyped by the employees draw alot of business. When the employees are excited about a game, that enthusiasm spreads to customers and helps bring them in the door.

I will grant that the owner and the employees are Magic and Comic fans. That doesn't explain the huge Yu-gi-oh tournament turnouts.

We became a premeire store which allows us to receive and sell products before the local chain stores which has been a huge boon for us.

My FLGS has been a top-tier WotC store for a looong time. I'll be picking up my Dark Sun books tomorrow when I can take off midday.

[/quote]Our Encounters attendence has held strong at about 20 people and WotC promoting of the program has brought in quite a bit of foot traffic. All in all I have been pleased with their programs over the last 6 months to a year.[/quote]

We started with 24-32 players, which overwhelmed us considering the previous season ended with ~8-10 players and 2 DMs. Now we're down to ~4-5 players + a DM/player and a DM.

I am sorry to here that your FLGS is suffering.

The FLGS is doing great. But at this point 4E product is not carrying its weight to support the amount of shelf-space it receives.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Different stores, even within a given region, will show some kind of variance in what products they can actually sell.

When M:tG hit the stores, I lived in Austin. One store in particular always seemed to have Boxes, Starter Packs and Boosters for sale weeks after everyone else had sold out. This happened with Alpha, Beta, Legends, Antiquities...even Ice Age.

Why? Because the owner was buddies with a store owner on the West Coast that ordered the game and couldn't move it- the Austin store was buying his unsold surplus.

While it could be true that 4Ed is slipping in general, it could simply be that your FLGS is simply not moving 4Ed products. Indeed, its the far more likely scenario.

 

[Jhaelen]

So, as the subject more than implies, my FLGS gave all non-PHB, DMG, and MM books a 50%-off clearance sale on Wednesday.

Cool!

Also, D&D Encounters is down from 4 tables plus subs if someone can't show up to one table, which includes 1-2 people who used to be DMs.

What a pity!

On the plus side, Magic has never been more popular, ever.

That doesn't surprise me, since it matches my personal experience.

(A coupla Pathfinder RPG books have sold, but it's worse than the 4E situation.)

OMG! Well, now the sky is clearly falling!!!

 

[jaerdaph]

I'm guessing they're just making room for Essentials/4.5e. They probably remember getting burned on 3.0e stock when 3.5e came out. At least this time they don't have to worry so much about getting burned by 3PP stock with an edition change.