RPGNow: Ok, I'll say it.

[pawsplay]

Open letter to Morrus and whomever:

The 35% to 40% cut OBS (RNGow/DruveThru) takes is too high. While I acknowledge their right to do business as they see fit, I'm not sure what they bring to the table you don't get from Paizo or Your Games Now... other than their massive customer base and their status as the 500 pound gorilla. I would really much rather promote Your Games Now or the fine folks at Paizo.

As Morrus has required we direct sales through the EN World storefront as a condition of using this site to advertise, I have held off on announcing my first PDF product here while my application is being processed at OBS. During that time, I have had a little bit of time to think about this relationship. How do I feel about EN World serving as the selling arm of OBS? How do I feel about supporting OBS in preference to other storefronts that charge smaller commissions? Does Morrus understand he is helping cement OBS's dominance of the PDF market while strangulating smaller competitors? I don't think 35%+ should be the industry standard consignment for PDFs. Doing business with OBS is a practical necessity, and I accept that without resenment, there is nothing with their web site, or their services, or the desire to make money, but I don't actually wish to promote them in preference to other vendors I would prefer.

Morrus, is there any chance of a shift in this policy?

 

[Morrus]

If there's a viable alternative which doesn't hit me financially, of course there is. If any of the other sites were to open affiliate storefronts, I'd happily take them up on it. Unfortunately, RPGNow is the only one doing so at present.

Myself, I'm slowly moving ENP's production over to the EN World subscription model. That saves me paying that 40% - so I know exactly what you're talking about. That 40% is a hell of a hit, and I do what I can to avoid it.

 

[the Jester]

...I'm not sure what they bring to the table you don't get from Paizo or Your Games Now... other than their massive customer base...

This alone is a pretty big advantage, I would think. It's hard to sell stuff without a customer base.

 

[jaerdaph]

The only reason Morrus requires publishers to use the EN World affiliate entrance to the RPGNow store is because he gets a percentage of sales which help run this site. It doesn't effect your cut of the sale, and it's only fair if you are going to use EN World for free advertising. There's a huge potential customer base you can reach here, and it costs you nothing.

You also have to consider the benefits RPGNow/DrivethruRPG/OBS offers to their huge customer base - wish lists, PayPal, all your PDF purchases at one central location, easy access/notification of PDFs that get updated, etc. There are several competitors, but they don't offer all that OBS offers to its customers.

I make most of my PDF purchases through RPGNow, but I have bought items only available at Paizo (I wish they would offer a PayPal option though), Green Ronin (their PDFs often go on sale there but not at RPGNow), Lulu, IPR and e23, and directly from Profantasy (CC3 products).

Also, I think a lot of online consumers want to limit the number of places they are giving their credit card info, especially those who don't for whatever reason want to use their credit card through PayPal (which I love - I don't use my bank account through PayPal).

 

[pawsplay]

If there's a viable alternative which doesn't hit me financially, of course there is. If any of the other sites were to open affiliate storefronts, I'd happily take them up on it. Unfortunately, RPGNow is the only one doing so at present.

Myself, I'm slowly moving ENP's production over to the EN World subscription model. That saves me paying that 40% - so I know exactly what you're talking about. That 40% is a hell of a hit, and I do what I can to avoid it.

I could make a few suggestions, but they're, no question, more complicated than "Use OBS so we can get a kickback." Off the top of my head, maybe you could exempt products that have banner ads on ENW ... which basically relies on the assumption that you probably aren't actively policing, otherwise it would be a PITA.

 

[pawsplay]

This alone is a pretty big advantage, I would think. It's hard to sell stuff without a customer base.

I don't begrudge them their right to leverage their customer base. But as pointed out, most people only shop at one or two PDF shops. The more people channeled to RPGnow, the more people will continue to shop only or primarily at RPGnow. Ultimately, that either raises prices (decreasing demand) or reduces the benefits to the publisher (reducing suppy). While I am sure OBS has their reasons for setting their percentage where it is, it's higher than what the norm before the merge of RPG and DriveThru, higher now even then it was right after the merge, and higher than Paizo, Your Games Now, and (last time I checked) e23.

The one really premium service they offer, the only thing that has ever impacted me, is offering the custom storefront, like the one ENWorld has. That, yes, is something no one else does, which is how we ended up in the current state of affairs. Unfortunately, like many "business opportunities," the financial relationship is disfavorable to everyone but OBS.

Honestly, I am tempted to bypass OBS entirely, but I really do want to support ENWorld. I miss the old ENW store, really, but that's all water under the bridge at this point.

Morrus, I am quite happy to link the ENW storefront on OBS. Tell me, is it kosher to list that link side by side with other sites, or are you asking that the ENW storefront be the only link for products available from OBS?

 

[Morrus]

I miss the old ENW store, really, but that's all water under the bridge at this point.

Yeah, as things turned out in the long run I really shouldn't have agreed to close it. Too late now, though. You live and learn.

Morrus, I am quite happy to link the ENW storefront on OBS. Tell me, is it kosher to list that link side by side with other sites

That's fine.

 

[jaerdaph]

Yeah, Morrus has always allowed you to link other places you sell your product, whether you sell at OBS or not, which is really quite cool of him. All he's asked is that you use the EN World entrance to OBS/RPGNow if you sell at OBS in your link.