The Great Glut of Gaming Guides at "Go away" prices...

[Ulrick]

Greetings!

Pardon the excessive alliteration.

I was at Half-Price Books in Des Moines, IA, a few hours prior to making this thread.
I saw a HUGE supply of gaming books, a lot of them new/not used, a lot of them WotC. Still, a lot were third party publishers. A lot of these same books were there about two months or so ago...before the general annnoucement of 4e.

Then, I go to Mayhem, the local gaming store, and they still have a huge supply of books that came out like five years ago. Most of these being 3rd party d20 publishers and for lesser known systems. These, of course, were at normal prices.

I want to know if this is a nationwide phenomenon? Or even worldwide?

Because I'm thinking to myself: How are these stores going to sell these? Particularly the 3rd party stuff. Is there a demand for this stuff? With the advent of 4e, I'm certain that I few die-hard 3.5/3e players will snatch up these books at a discount, but still....

I remember about five years ago, before the release of 3.5e, people spoke of the d20 bubble bursting. I know a lot of third party publishers went under, but I don't think it really did. I think it burst in the last six months or so, leading up to the 4e announcement.

What are peoples thoughts on this issue?
Will gaming stores carry as much 3rd party 4e products?

 

[danbuter1]

My LGS still has 2e books on the shelf. At 20% off, though.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I noted over at Necromancer's bb that there were several WoTC and Fantasy Flight games in the old Half-Priced bookstore in Skokie.

 

[boerngrim]

Hi
I think that many retailers are not aware of the pending edition change, or don't understand that it means that any 3e product sitting on their shelves will soon be obselete. If they did understand, they would try to unload it. The specialty games shops get this of course, but the book stores probably don't.
Thanks.

 

[Greylock]

*sigh*

I've said this so many times, but the FLGS does not have the ability to deep discount those books. For most of them, the price generally reflects what they truly paid for it. Paid. Money is gone. The books can't be returned for credit and reissued to them as remainders. If they mark the books down, it's money out of their pockets. And if the customers don't want them now, they aren't losing anything. Someday, someone will buy them.

Someone like me, digging through bins for 2Edition books.

 

[Merlin the Tuna]

I've said this so many times, but the FLGS does not have the ability to deep discount those books. For most of them, the price generally reflects what they truly paid for it. Paid. Money is gone. The books can't be returned for credit and reissued to them as remainders. If they mark the books down, it's money out of their pockets.

And if it just sits on the shelf, it's even more money out of their pockets.

 

[ivocaliban]

And if it just sits on the shelf, it's even more money out of their pockets.

Of course, if they're smart and they watch eBay prices, this might never happen. Certain books are only going to become more valuable as time goes on. It might be a long-term investment that won't help in the next couple of years, but if they keep an eye out for what's hot and what's not, they could possibly make a killing.

 

[Turanil]

I think that gaming stores will become even more reluctant to order third party publishers books. But something like d20 may not exist when 4e is released.

Of course, if they're smart and they watch eBay prices, this might never happen. Certain books are only going to become more valuable as time goes on. It might be a long-term investment that won't help in the next couple of years, but if they keep an eye out for what's hot and what's not, they could possibly make a killing.

Very few DnD books sell high on ebay. I've bought a few lately, and all of them at a low price. Only a few boxed sets such as Greyhawk sell high, and it takes time to find customers. Also an old Rules Cyclopedia in new condition that sold at 36$ a few days ago.

 

[Arashi Ravenblade]

I do notice that non-D&D books tend to sell high. OWOD books for example are hard to find at a decent price.

 

[Crothian]

The local half priced stores have plenty of gaming stuff (most 3e though). The local stores though have very little older stuff.