Price Madness at my LGS

[wedgeski]

I used to spend about aus$200 or more a month at that store; I don't think I will any more.

Might I suggest, if you do so, that you tell the new owners exactly how much money they won't be getting from you any more. They'll probably take notice.

 

[Terwox]

We select "regular" mail, so I don't understand why there is a difference. Maybe its because I order opals and livestock medicines? Does the Australian gov't give those type of products some type of "favored" status, that allows for them to get into the US fast?

Wait, you order opals and lifestock medicine from Australia? That's stranger than fiction!

That's way more exciting than peanut butter and razor blades.

 

[Ranes]

The stores I know in London are all selling this adventure for £9.99. Other releases in the same format retail for £6.99. The price hike is ridiculous but your new LGS owners may not be to blame.

 

[Arnwyn]

The item in question was Scourge of the Howling Horde. US price $15. The price my store had it market at: AU$32. (US$24).

Hmm.

Just wondering how this compares to your LGS,

My LGS in Canada:

Scourge of the Howling Horde: US price $15. Canadian LGS: CDN$16.85 (US$14.68).


This is typical of most of my LGS's prices (and many prices on other products in Canada, barring most, but not all, electronics [for example, the PS3 in Canada is US$574, not the standard price of US$600]).

*Ahem* That was unneccessarily long-winded...

 

[Mark Hope]

I have noticed that most FLGS prices simple cannot hope to compete with online prices these days. I'm not talking about discounts in the region of 10% to 15%, such as those offered by Amazon. Those make sense, and I'd be happy to pay that little bit more to support the store. Only buying a book or two a month means that the extra £2 or £3 is not a deal-breaker.

But more and more I am seeing online sellers offering prices waaay below what even Amazon can offer. The recent WotC hardbacks are being offered for £10 and change. Sourge of the Howling Horde is going for £4 and pennies. Even with shipping, this is so much of a saving that I find it hard to refuse. Savings of £10 to £15 a month make a big difference.

I guess what I am saying is that price hike or no price hike, the flgs is going to lose business anyway. They can't hope to compete with prices like this and maybe adding a few bucks or quid to their prices is the only way they can make a profit in the longer term. They can't compete with low-priced online retailers, so maybe they are hoping to reduce their losses by getting an extra few dollars on those books that they do manage to sell. Not sure. Bit grim for the flgs, really, but the gaming hobby seems to have moved beyond the point where the flgs is even necessary anymore.

 

[Ranger REG]

Might I suggest, if you do so, that you tell the new owners exactly how much money they won't be getting from you any more. They'll probably take notice.

Why?

I'd rather bring the attention of the gaming store to the local chapter of the gaming club or spread among gamers at local game conventions.

Not my duty to educate and help the dumb new business owner. Let him fail the hard way.

 

[Ranger REG]

I guess what I am saying is that price hike or no price hike, the flgs is going to lose business anyway. They can't hope to compete with prices like this and maybe adding a few bucks or quid to their prices is the only way they can make a profit in the longer term. They can't compete with low-priced online retailers, so maybe they are hoping to reduce their losses by getting an extra few dollars on those books that they do manage to sell. Not sure. Bit grim for the flgs, really, but the gaming hobby seems to have moved beyond the point where the flgs is even necessary anymore.

If you ask me, we don't have to worry about chain stores (like Wal-Mart) killing local businesses. It's the online stores that are killing local businesses.

 

[Mark Hope]

If you ask me, we don't have to worry about chain stores (like Wal-Mart) killing local businesses. It's the online stores that are killing local businesses.

Within a certain number of market areas, I'd agree with you completely. When it comes to media like books, cds, dvds etc, I have bought almost exclusively online for a few years now. There is a large supermarket in my town that does a line of cheap dvds (£4.99 and £5.99 for last year's releases) and I buy those, but all others I get from the net. Foodstuffs, clothes and larger consumer electronics I still get from regular stores, but that's more because I prefer to check these things out before buying. As far as gaming material goes, the appearance of seriously discounted goods in the last 6 months to a year (and it really is that recent) has rapidly eroded my flgs loyalty. My flgs is a great little place, I really like the owner and he offers some cool oop stuff. But for the current releases (ie his bread and butter) he simply can't hope to match online retailers who offer a 30% discount on his prices. At the end of the day, I have to budget too, and that's the way it goes, I'm afraid.

I'm not even sure that a healthy flgs community is vital to the survival of the hobby anymore. It used to be a factor, but the internet itself has replaced the community aspect of the flgs for the most part. I in the demographic that has homes and families, so my group doesn't need a place to play (and are required to play at our houses due to our families anyway), so that aspect is not relevant to us either. I can't even bring myself to feel bad about it. It's a shame for the flgs owner, but such is the way things are these days.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Of course the FLGS is still a good way to introduce new people into the game. Your average non-gamer is more likely to wander into a gaming shop as they pass by it in the street, mall, etc., then they are to come across it online.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Jakar]

That is really expensive Merric. Up here in Bristopia, we have a store called Ace Comics and Games where I am pretty sure I saw it there for $20.00. Most of the WotC books sell at $39.95, so it is a good place to buy for me. They have all the books in stock normally as well.