Pay to Play at FLGS?

[AntiStateQuixote]

I heard this weekend about two game stores in my area that have a "pay to play policy" for their game areas.

One of the stores asks that you spend at least $5.00 if you are in the store for half an hour or more (whether playing or not) and particularly applies this to the D&D Encounters and Worldwide D&D Gameday events.

The other store apparently expects its patrons to spend some money per hour while at the store.

I understand the motivation. I'm hearing this second hand and have not personally been told to pay up or get out. I'm wondering how effective such a policy is.

A friend of mine described one of the two stores as extremely stringent about enforcement to the extent that a purchase of a $30 book last Tuesday would not "credit" you toward time in the game store on Saturday (for example). Again, I'm hearing it second hand, so maybe it's BS.

It seems to me that the net effect of this type of policy will be negative if strictly enforced without some common sense. If there's a couple of noobs in the building playing D&D Encounters for the first time there's no way in hell I'm kicking them out of my store if they don't spend $10 RIGHT NOW. I'm hoping they come back next week and buy the Basic Set or some other Essentials product.

I always thought that store traffic was a good thing for retail; even if they don't buy today they might buy later. I recognize the Amazon shoppers, but it's just a fact that retail has to deal with today. Make the in-store experience good enough that your patrons want to spend money with you. Don't try to force them; you'll drive them (at least the ones like me) away.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

If you're hearing right, I would think those two store policies will have a negative impact on them. But I don't think the idea of paying to play is always inappropriate.

One store I frequented formed a club around its gaming area. Club dues were $10 per month, less if you volunteered for the club board. The owner shared a large gaming space and all of his scenery and miniatures with the club. It seemed worth the value at the time, although that was before I had my own home.

Another had nice private rooms that could be rented hourly at a low price. The private room and low price made it worthwhile.

Neither of these places have the pay to play policy anymore, so I don't know how that would interact with modern day organized play.

 

[Retreater]

I think these examples are a little extreme. I don't get charged to walk in the door of a Wal-Mart or Kohl's. If you look around and don't like the offerings - you shouldn't be expected to buy anything.

I think that FLGS should encourage gamers to spend money there (for example, offering discounts - which my FLGS does) but shouldn't require it.

I think that if you come in for a short, one hour game (such as a DDE), you shouldn't have to pay. After all, that is a merchandising effort designed to grab new players; you wouldn't want any obstacles to ensnaring new customers.

But if you come for a 4 hour regular campaign or a Dungeons and Dragons Game Day, those I could better understand charging for.

Retreater

 

[AngryMojo]

I kinda figured this is why FLGS's frequently sell snacks as well. I'm yet to meet a gaming group that doesn't eat while they play.

 

[Lord Xtheth]

In my books, charging people to play games takes the "F" right out of FLGS

 

[Holy Bovine]

I heard this weekend about two game stores in my area that have a "pay to play policy" for their game areas.

One of the stores asks that you spend at least $5.00 if you are in the store for half an hour or more (whether playing or not) and particularly applies this to the D&D Encounters and Worldwide D&D Gameday events.

The other store apparently expects its patrons to spend some money per hour while at the store.

I understand the motivation. I'm hearing this second hand and have not personally been told to pay up or get out. I'm wondering how effective such a policy is.

A friend of mine described one of the two stores as extremely stringent about enforcement to the extent that a purchase of a $30 book last Tuesday would not "credit" you toward time in the game store on Saturday (for example). Again, I'm hearing it second hand, so maybe it's BS.

It seems to me that the net effect of this type of policy will be negative if strictly enforced without some common sense. If there's a couple of noobs in the building playing D&D Encounters for the first time there's no way in hell I'm kicking them out of my store if they don't spend $10 RIGHT NOW. I'm hoping they come back next week and buy the Basic Set or some other Essentials product.

I always thought that store traffic was a good thing for retail; even if they don't buy today they might buy later. I recognize the Amazon shoppers, but it's just a fact that retail has to deal with today. Make the in-store experience good enough that your patrons want to spend money with you. Don't try to force them; you'll drive them (at least the ones like me) away.

I would be quite surprised if the policy is exactly as you describe. But it does hold true with the idea that most people who own game stores are not business people and often make boneheaded decisions like this (or in my local area screaming at people if they dare to leaf through (not read mind you, just flip through the pages) of any book in the store.)

 

[frankthedm]

One of the stores asks that you spend at least $5.00 if you are in the store for half an hour or more (whether playing or not) and particularly applies this to the D&D Encounters and Worldwide D&D Gameday events.

The other store apparently expects its patrons to spend some money per hour while at the store.

Names of the stores?

 

[Holy Bovine]

I kinda figured this is why FLGS's frequently sell snacks as well. I'm yet to meet a gaming group that doesn't eat while they play.

My FLGS provides pizza (from a local pizza joint) for $1 a slice and pop for 50 cents on game days. Pop & pizza are free for DMs though. Oh they also have draws all day and usually have 'gift bags' for the participants with dice, minis, cards etc in them. They still make a bundle on any Game Day they have ever run.

 

[AngryMojo]

My FLGS provides pizza (from a local pizza joint) for $1 a slice and pop for 50 cents on game days. Pop & pizza are free for DMs though. Oh they also have draws all day and usually have 'gift bags' for the participants with dice, minis, cards etc in them. They still make a bundle on any Game Day they have ever run.

Rule one of a game store. Get butts in the chairs.

 

[Deset Gled]

I heard this weekend about two game stores in my area that have a "pay to play policy" for their game areas.
...
A friend of mine described one of the two stores as extremely stringent about enforcement

I can easily understand the creation of a generic pay-to-play policy. It would become extremely useful (possibly even necessary) if you have problems with creepy guys who hang around and never buy anything, or parents who drop off kids all day and treat you like a babysitter. Also, when people take something for granted they sometimes treat it with less respect, and having a pay-to-play policy helps remind people that they need to respect the owners, not be slobs, and not treat a store like it's their parents basement.

However, actual enforcement of a such a pay-to-play policy should be fairly rare. It's something an owner pulls out when they need to lay down the law, not something that should come up during peaceful playtime. It sounds like the stores in your area may have taken things a bit too far. OTOH, they may be doing it in retaliation to problems they've seen (or even just a one time mass enforcement brought on by one problem person). We don't really have enough info to judge. But I would imagine that either the policy is temporary, or the lifetime of the store is.