I for one want ENWorld's new venture to succeed. I almost signed up with them in the beginning but seen a few things I did not care for and really did not wish my products involved in it. Yet I do see some good in what they are doing, this extra click some are worried about one of the issues I even had dealing with RPGNow regarding their recent change.
There is good from all this...
As Morris even pointed out, this will cause the general customer to get smarter, learn to read more and in turn, force publishers to make use of their own websites. Publishers need to take advantage of the moment and look at the good, start selling their products on their own sites and quit paying the 20-30% fee. If you do not think it works, I have sold 600+ copies of NPC Designer since August 1st and only sell on my site. That means I would have paid one of these Retail Outlets almost $2000 (At 20%) in fees, but instead my wife spent it on ebay.
As BrooklynKnight, myself and a few others were talking about last night, it comes down to advertising and the things you do to generate traffic to your site. It might take creating a little free content each week to keep them coming, might take grouping up with some other publishers or those that offer services but it does work. No other person is responsible for your own success more then yourself. This is Morris's baby and he can make the changes how he pleases and with each change comes good and bad. The point is if Morris can manage to succeed and make this work, he will create his own enemy.. a smarter customer. This customer will no longer go to a single location to buy his products but has learned to look around and find a better deal. He has learned to read a little more, investigate a little more and will even figure out the difference from a sales gimmick and a good buy.
I think the d20 industry needs this customer. This is just my opinion.
There is good from all this...
As Morris even pointed out, this will cause the general customer to get smarter, learn to read more and in turn, force publishers to make use of their own websites. Publishers need to take advantage of the moment and look at the good, start selling their products on their own sites and quit paying the 20-30% fee. If you do not think it works, I have sold 600+ copies of NPC Designer since August 1st and only sell on my site. That means I would have paid one of these Retail Outlets almost $2000 (At 20%) in fees, but instead my wife spent it on ebay.
As BrooklynKnight, myself and a few others were talking about last night, it comes down to advertising and the things you do to generate traffic to your site. It might take creating a little free content each week to keep them coming, might take grouping up with some other publishers or those that offer services but it does work. No other person is responsible for your own success more then yourself. This is Morris's baby and he can make the changes how he pleases and with each change comes good and bad. The point is if Morris can manage to succeed and make this work, he will create his own enemy.. a smarter customer. This customer will no longer go to a single location to buy his products but has learned to look around and find a better deal. He has learned to read a little more, investigate a little more and will even figure out the difference from a sales gimmick and a good buy.
I think the d20 industry needs this customer. This is just my opinion.