RPG Now and Drive Through RPG merge

[Mark CMG]

Well, I look at it differently, because there was a monopoly when I started writing PDFs, when RPGNow was *literally* the only game in town.

In the 4-5 years since then, we've gone from that one vendor, to 5 (RPGNow, e23, Paizo, DTRPG and ENGS) and now back to 3 (OBS, e23 and Paizo).

That isn't my definition of monopoly, especially not in the broad view.

Chuck

I, too, see a lot of potential (<--key word) benefit in having one primary outlet for PDFs. I need to see more before condoning an increase of any kind in rates. The assumptions and promises just aren't enough. I think for a lot of publishers their primary outlet will become their home site or whatever competition now, or soon, offers the lower rates. With admittedly over 50% of business coming from direct linking, this can't be the outcome OBS envisioned when merging and subsequently raising their rates. I'm hoping that OBS will side with publishers and consumers on this sticking point and rescind the rate increase.

 

[catsclaw227]

I have purchased from Enworld Game Store, RPGNow and DTRPG. I have bought a LOT of PDF's and I consider myself a major customer:

$1,920.52 at RPGNow since Nov 06, 2002
$1,401.24 at DTRPG since June 8, 2004
$89.15 at Enworld Game Store since a couple of months ago

This just means that all my money will go to one place, and quite frankly I don't care as long as the publisher gets their due. The DTRPG watermark has NEVER been a problem and I find that all stores downloaded their PDFs fine.

But...... It sucks that the prices will go up since the distributor percentages go up. THAT I disagree with. If someone opened up anther PDF store that gave better percentages to the publishers, then the prices would be better for me and all my money would go there.

I have developed and run distributor websites in the past, for other industries, and once the site gets up, it's not that tough to manage, though a couple of Customer service people help. The rate increases only seem like a golden lining in the pockets of OBS and the publishers are getting screwed? What is the justification for the rate increase? What are they doing, that increases the distributors COSTS, that justifies the percentage hike and therefore harm the (mostly) poor publisher.

This does suck. And I am pissed about it. Not because of the merger, that sounds fine to me (though I just realized that the nice discount offers of one site over another will disappear and now I won't get as many deals as I saw before). One place to shop, OK. But the rate increase for the publisher really bites.

my 0.02

 

[BryonD]

I'm no economist, Bryon.
It is a monopoly to me so long as this new competition doesn't emerge on the market. If you're point is to say that in effect competitors can still arise and challenge the quasi-monopoly of the major distributor, sure! I agree with you.

If it were a monopoly they could set the prices wherever they wanted with impunity.
If they go remotely near doing that new competition will absolutely emerge.

You can say that it is a cannible cult to you. It doesn't make it true.

They simply will not have any hint of the power that a monopoly provides.

I don't have enough information to judge whether the merger is a good or bad strategic move. I assume it's a good move for the people involved in the merger, obviously, or that wouldn't make sense.

Right. And it is their's to do with as they see best.

I think we are on a misunderstanding here. All I'm saying is that in effect OneBookShelf.com becomes the major distributor of gaming PDFs. That in effect they can thus modify the average price of gaming PDFs or affect the revenues of the publisher, since there is less to no opportunity to distribute the product otherwise.

They can not make people more than they are willling to for a product.

Heck, even if it WERE a monopoly (which it flat out is not), I can't see how it would be a big deal that there was a monopoly on RPG PDFs. There are a ton of pdfs out there I already don't buy because I judge the price to outweigh the value to me. Never for a second have I considered that to be an offense against me.

How? Please explain to me like I'm a ten years old.

Obviously I don't know all the details and can only speculate regarding these sppecifics.
But it seems quite clear that the three players all find this to be a positive for their profitability. Successful businesses tend to grow. Obviously they are saying that intend to grow. Growth indicates more sales of more products. That would be good. If, on the other hand, some agency came along and mandated that they could not do with their business as they saw fit it would be a reduction in the value of their property and could result in vendors leavin the market altogether or others not joining in.
The market grows and changes over time and changes in the players are a natural, positive part of that.

 

[Morrus]

I

But...... It sucks that the prices will go up since the distributor percentages go up. THAT I disagree with. If someone opened up anther PDF store that gave better percentages to the publishers, then the prices would be better for me and all my money would go there.

Who says prices will go up? One or two publishers out of a few hundred, sure. EN Publishing prices aren't going up. GMS has stated that Adamant prices aren't going up/

Wait and see what actually happpens before judging, please.

 

[catsclaw227]

Who says prices will go up? One or two publishers out of a few hundred, sure. EN Publishing prices aren't going up. GMS has stated that Adamant prices aren't going up/

Wait and see what actually happpens before judging, please.

I should have been clearer with what was in my mind at the time I wrote this, which was, it sucks that the publishers will lose out on some of their revenues and as a result, I imagine that prices will go up. And It's my opinon that you you may be a bit overly optimistic to say that only 1 or 2 out of a few hundred will raise their rates.

The rate increase is not only likely to mean higher prices for the end user, but lower wages/rates for freelance writers, artists, editors, etc.

I have bought many of Joe Browning's and Phil Reed's PDF's and I think it has been noted in the press release thread that their prices will go up. IT is a shame to the consumers and to the publishers.

In the world of bookmark, point and click, paypal purchasing, a merging of sites doesn't really help the consumer all that much. I didn't mind buying from three different sources. It's not like a brick and mortar merge that has given me a one-stop shop.

 

[Rystil Arden]

It was one of those nights where you turn out the lights, and everything comes into view

Two is a coincidence, three is a conspiracy.

For some reason, while I was scrolling through the thread, I thought this was part of a post about the night of the merger, but it was just part of a sig--funny how it seems apropos in context though

 

[Sledge]

Who says prices will go up? One or two publishers out of a few hundred, sure. EN Publishing prices aren't going up. GMS has stated that Adamant prices aren't going up/

Wait and see what actually happpens before judging, please.

I think well all hope well for the publishers here, but in saying that for the time being prices won't go up, when ENPublishing needs a 42% (last I heard) increase in sales just to be making the same amount of money means the money has to come from somewhere. There hasn't been any explanation of where this 42% will come from. If it doesn't materialize EN Publishing will have the unhappy choice between increasing prices and decreasing their wages.

In such a dangerous situation a wait and see approach does seem foolhardy when there is no indication of improvement.

 

[Vocenoctum]

I think well all hope well for the publishers here, but in saying that for the time being prices won't go up, when ENPublishing needs a 42% (last I heard) increase in sales just to be making the same amount of money means the money has to come from somewhere. There hasn't been any explanation of where this 42% will come from. If it doesn't materialize EN Publishing will have the unhappy choice between increasing prices and decreasing their wages.

In such a dangerous situation a wait and see approach does seem foolhardy when there is no indication of improvement.

It depends on how many of the three sites the company was on. If EN was only on their own store, then this could easily triple their sales or something. The main one hurt by this is the big guys that are already on all three sites.

 

[BryonD]

For some reason, while I was scrolling through the thread, I thought this was part of a post about the night of the merger, but it was just part of a sig--funny how it seems apropos in context though

heh!

 

[tensen]

The rate increase is not only likely to mean higher prices for the end user, but lower wages/rates for freelance writers, artists, editors, etc.

Oy.. so this is why I was getting emails from freelancers.
I am publically stating a responce on this from my company.
The situation will not negatively impact the wages paid to any freelancers or staff working for Dark Quest Games.