Should gaming stores have an edition bias? The answer is yes...
...if they wanna go out of business.
...if they wanna go out of business.
Should FLGS have Edition Bias?
- Thread starter brainstorm
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frankthedm
First Post
Kind of a big thing.
![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
If you feel the employee was not acting in the store's best interest, let the store owner know about it. Many game stores have employees that would have been canned a long time ago had he owners learned of their antics. There seems to be a code of silence with gamers when it comes to bad game store employees.
Just because they were not trying to sell someone your system does not make them against you.
Doug McCrae
Legend
The customers could've been looking for something similar to 3e, in which case Pathfinder seems like a good shout.
As, indeed, does 4e, many of its changes having made their debut in late 3e products, and Star Wars Saga Edition.
As, indeed, does 4e, many of its changes having made their debut in late 3e products, and Star Wars Saga Edition.
Raven Crowking
First Post
Remember, the customer is always right, if they know what they want. If you hate Edition X, and your customer loves Edition X, they are right and you are wrong.
But, when asked for a recommendation, your highest duty is to recommend something that will result in repeat business -- that your customer will like, and that will make you come across as honest and caring.
Treat others how you wish to be treated, and you will have repeat customers. The few people who do not respond to this approach are, frankly, poison to the small retailer anyway.
IMHO, of course, and IME. YMMV.
RC
.
But, when asked for a recommendation, your highest duty is to recommend something that will result in repeat business -- that your customer will like, and that will make you come across as honest and caring.
Treat others how you wish to be treated, and you will have repeat customers. The few people who do not respond to this approach are, frankly, poison to the small retailer anyway.
IMHO, of course, and IME. YMMV.
RC
.
White Tornado
Explorer
I dunno. The guys in my FLGS are crazy about everything. "4th edition is great. Pathfinder is great. You still play 2nd edition? Woah, respect! It's great". They love just about every RPG I discussed with them, they play/host/wanna play everything, and most importantly, I actually believe them. I love going there ^_^
Coffee is for Closers!
(video contains strong language)
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-AXTx4PcKI"]YouTube - Alec Baldwin - Best performance[/ame]
While a person may not like sales weasels (myself included), with my time on this planet, wisdom has taught me they bring in money so everyone else in the company gets paid.
The key to a successful sales weasel is identifying your target's desire, and then working that. Nothing else matters other than making a sale (provided you don't piss off the customer). The last thing a weasel wants is some other person that is not part of the conversation to get involved from the sidelines. A good sales weasel will find a way to include that new person in a positive way, even if they have differing opinions on what they were pitching the customer. With a little luck and a lot of skill, he might make a sale to both.
Bad sales weasels will continue an argument with the other person, confusing or irritating the customer.
You push what is most profitable on a target you've identified as interested. If they aren't interested, you don't keep pushing, you find what they do want and sell the stuffing out of that.
(video contains strong language)
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-AXTx4PcKI"]YouTube - Alec Baldwin - Best performance[/ame]
While a person may not like sales weasels (myself included), with my time on this planet, wisdom has taught me they bring in money so everyone else in the company gets paid.
The key to a successful sales weasel is identifying your target's desire, and then working that. Nothing else matters other than making a sale (provided you don't piss off the customer). The last thing a weasel wants is some other person that is not part of the conversation to get involved from the sidelines. A good sales weasel will find a way to include that new person in a positive way, even if they have differing opinions on what they were pitching the customer. With a little luck and a lot of skill, he might make a sale to both.
Bad sales weasels will continue an argument with the other person, confusing or irritating the customer.
You push what is most profitable on a target you've identified as interested. If they aren't interested, you don't keep pushing, you find what they do want and sell the stuffing out of that.
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Given that you didn't hear the entire conversation, it is not unreasonable to think that perhaps the salesperson had simply gathered from the customer that this really might be the best game currently in print for them.
But, riddle me this: Have you ever seen a FLGS that carries every RPG in print, and all the products for those games?
Probably not. So, most, if not all, FLGS have some inherent bias - they aren't offering you literally everything possible, so they are biased for the products they do carry. I doubt that most of the people who work in the store have played every single game they do carry well enough to sell them all equally, so there's another bias.
It seems that some bias is inevitable, and the customer should in the end just be careful and thoughtful in their purchasing.
But, riddle me this: Have you ever seen a FLGS that carries every RPG in print, and all the products for those games?
Probably not. So, most, if not all, FLGS have some inherent bias - they aren't offering you literally everything possible, so they are biased for the products they do carry. I doubt that most of the people who work in the store have played every single game they do carry well enough to sell them all equally, so there's another bias.
It seems that some bias is inevitable, and the customer should in the end just be careful and thoughtful in their purchasing.
pawsplay
Hero
Whether we play PF or 4E now, most of us D&D players used to be 3E or 3.5 players at some point, right?
Right. But most of the 3e -> 4e market has already converted, whereas I am guessing there are still plenty of 3e holdouts that might go Pathfinder at some point. All we really know about these players is that they obviously aren't highly motivated to upgrade or change games, but are willing to try different things. If they said something along the lines of, "Well, we like playing 3e pretty well," even one time, my business inclintation would be to sell them Pathfinder. As I said before, if they want to slowly chew through editions, that's profit for the FLGS.
Dire Bare
Legend
If the part of the sales conversation you missed was the clerk asking the question, "Well, there are two "new editions" of D&D . . . Pathfinder is an evolution of the 3rd edition ruleset, and if you want to stick with what you know, this might be your best choice. Or, if you'd like to try the latest edition of official D&D, which is a bit of a departure from 3rd, then let me show you the 4th edition products." . . . than all's good.
But knowing the typical game store clerk like I do, I would have assumed the same thing you did . . . that the clerk steered them away from 4th edition due to his own bias. Which is stupid and ultimately what makes many "F"LGS not places I like to spend time.
My local store seems to employ half and half . . . . half of the employees don't push their biases on you and are genuinely helpful . . . the other half are annoying and pushy with what products on their shelves are worth your time. Depending on which days I visit, I either have a great time or leave annoyed as all hell.
But knowing the typical game store clerk like I do, I would have assumed the same thing you did . . . that the clerk steered them away from 4th edition due to his own bias. Which is stupid and ultimately what makes many "F"LGS not places I like to spend time.
My local store seems to employ half and half . . . . half of the employees don't push their biases on you and are genuinely helpful . . . the other half are annoying and pushy with what products on their shelves are worth your time. Depending on which days I visit, I either have a great time or leave annoyed as all hell.
prosfilaes
Adventurer
If I understand the economics right, that's generally to dump the gamers out and use the space for something more profitable. FLGS may operate as commercial entities, but they're not Limited Liability Corporations (usually), and have no responsibility, legal or otherwise, to maximize profit at the cost of anything else the owner might prioritize. If that includes banning mega-corp games or D&D rip-offs, then that is as they will.
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