Rappan Athuk: Reloaded SOLD OUT by wide margin!!

[freebfrost]

I wonder how many of the people on this thread (and ones like it) have ever successfully run their own business.

Define "successfully" first...

 

[ShinHakkaider]

I wonder how many of the people on this thread (and ones like it) have ever successfully run their own business.

Meaning what, exactly?

 

[Twowolves]

Price has never been an issue with me, insofar as I'll pay what I need to pay. If I can get it for $25, then that's what I'll pay.

But, you can't get it for $25, so now you are slamming the company? You didn't want the product, you wanted a bargain. NG wasn't selling bargains. They were trying to insure they at least broke even on a pricey product in an uncertain market.

I choose to use Amazon b/c I find it more reliable, better priced, and more convenient (not to mention I have assurances of refunds if a publisher goes under; something nowhere near as certain with online publishing stores). And apparently there's a heck of a lot of people out there who agree. To write Amazon out of your business model pretty much assures you of never being more than one or two failed products away from bankruptcy.

NG said they would be filling the orders in the order they received them, and Alliance got there first. Amazon came along later and expected NG to cancel other pre-orders so as to be capable of filling Amazon's order. This isn't "writing Amazon out of their business model", it's "line starts back there, buddy". Seriously, how is this anything but fair? Supporting gaming stores over massive retailers who could give two squirts about you, your business and your hobby, is NOT eliteism, it's supporting your fanbase.

And anything you buy with a credit card has the assurance of a refund if the publisher goes under. File a complaint, raise a stink, you get your money back.

Being called cheap, being called bitter, hearing "screw you" to Amazon (from the publisher of the product, no less). Sorry, but this smacks of bushleague-ism at its very worst.

You are being cheap. You wanted a signed, limited print run product for 1/3 of list price, which would have been a loss for NG, and are bitterly crying when they won't sell you RAR at a $7 loss! WTH? I hate to break it to you, but Amazon considers all RPG publishers "bush-league".

I've ordered from Amazon twice, and had bad experiences both times. Some folks swear by them, I swear AT them. I've had nothing but quality products and good experiences with the guys at NG. Sorry if you feel so bitter that they won't let Amazon cut in line in front of other distributers that got there first just so you can buy a product you were TOLD would be extremely limited and in high demand at a price that would screw the manufacturer.

I know I've just cancelled my pre-order for Bard's Gate from Amazon. Since NG doesn't care for Amazon and all.

Why are you pre-ordering something that's been on the shelves for over 2 months? (I forgot, you are getting it from Amazon. They NEVER have anything RPG related within 3-6 months after it's released.) And you are cancelling an order with company A (denying them your money and sales) because you don't like the fact that Company B won't kiss Company A's arse? LoL! Ok, have fun with that!

 

[Treebore]

I wonder how many of the people on this thread (and ones like it) have ever successfully run their own business.

I have.

My old business

With the change for the worse in my wife's health while in the Army I am now retiring and selling off my inventory in Phoenix in the next month or two. Not that i am not going to work, but I am going to go back to college for a couple of years and then work at starting up another type of business. I hope to have it up and running in 5 years.



Amazon. Let me be clear about Amazon. Necromancer does not like the effect Amazon is having on the "good" LGS, and believe it or not they do exist. HOWEVER, this is in no way why they did not sell RA:R through Amazon. They did not sell through Amazon simply because they were only able to supply the pre-orders, the 100 copies for GenCon, and the Alliance order, which they were not able to completely fill as it is.


PDF's. I have a hard spot with Necromancer and every other company that charges more than 30% of retail for pdf's. I do not accept the reasons given for doing so. So as a result I buy very few pdf's. Except for some ENWorld pdf companies such as Silven.

So yes, expect the RA:R pdf to be $50 to $60, even though I personally think it should be about $25.00, especially since it won't be competing with any print sales by September.

 

[froggie]

pdfs and Amazon

Amazon sells books at a cheap rate, and I have continually heard retailers complain that they simply cannot afford to compete w/ them. Sure, we sell some books through them, but I only do so after the FLGS orders are filled. Like I said before, no one ever had a tabletop game at Amazon.

Treebore, good point on the price of the pdf--that really will be the "white-bordered" version of the book. Since it won't compete w/ the limited edition, I may drop the price a bit.

 

[Treebore]

The "coolness" of you and Clark are the real reason I am a Necromancer Fanboy. The good/awesome products contribute heavily, but the "coolness" is the determining factor.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

So yes, expect the RA:R pdf to be $50 to $60, even though I personally think it should be about $25.00, especially since it won't be competing with any print sales by September.

I seldom agree with you on a fair amount of things, but I totally agree with you on this.
I buy a fair amount of PDF's since printing them out for me isnt that big of a deal. I have my home data archived / Backed up on about 3 different hard drives so loss of data isnt really a issue. I just printed out my PDF copy of Bard's Gate for use in my Age of Worms game. I was considering buying a PDF copy of Wilderlands Of High Fantasy even though I already have the boxed set, but @ $48 it didnt seem like a good idea. I hope that the RAR PDF comes out at a reasonable price....

 

[Numion]

If you're that good at predicting the future (or even the present), submit your resume with concrete examples of success throughout the marketing world. You will be paid beyond your wildest dreams.

As it happens part of my work is decision analysis, but I wasn't saying I was good at anything.

In hindsight 1500 would've been a better choice. I don't know how they came up with the number 1000, but probably if they had done more market research they might've known the demand better. Then again, all that stuff costs money, which would then increase the risks.

Optimal decision is dependent on information the company has and their attitude towards risk.

 

[Odhanan]

Good news. Let's hope Necromancer Games negotiations bear fruit.

 

[catsclaw227]

I ran a business with two other partners, rather successfully, for 5 years until the dotcom blowout occurred.

It never ceases to amaze me that people on the outside looking in, view costs and margins without any consideration for the intangible costs associated with running a business. Overhead costs for freelancers, internal labor costs, utilities and property expenses, supplies, hardware costs, insurance, worker's comp and disability, taxes, and all the day-to-day operational costs that don't get accounted for as hard costs. I also know difficult it is to find balance between predicting sales, risk management, and knowing I can pay my employees and still provide for my family.

Please don't take these concerns flippantly, they are real. I respect NG's decision to estimate a run of only 1000 copies, especially considering the sales of the Wilderlands Box Set.

I bought this knowing it would be a limited edition. I wanted something special, unique, LIMITED. I am glad that Bill and Clark are sticking to their guns on this.

I buy from Amazon. But when I want something special, I buy direct, even if it costs me a bit extra (in this case $20 maybe... whoo hoo... I'm going broke). I pre-ordered it the moment I heard about it.

And for those of you still concerned that you can't get it, it is likely that there are going to be copies at an online retailer, like frpgames.com.