The problem with FLGS

[Zaruthustran]

Despite my above comments...

It's not price that is a threat with big chains, it's availability of small press product.

Sure you can get core books from amazon, but what about some obscure d20 product that happens to catch your fancy? Is amazon going to be willing to carry a book that only has a print run of 200 to 500 or so?

Yes. In fact, it's more likely to carry it.

If the book has an ISBN number, Amazon likely carries it--or can order it for you.

-z

 

[DonAdam]

The economists I like are more like naturalists -- they describe interesting fauna and flora and breed fruit flies to learn more about the rules of the ecosystem (econsystem?). It's the ones that like to practice financial eugenics that tick me off.

Then I think that you and this econ major would get along...

 

[Zaruthustran]

What bothers me is manufactures being unable to sell books directly to customers at full discount. Years ago distributers were needed, In this electronic era distributers are price inflating middlemen who's time has passed.

This is an interesting but incorrect observation that merits further discussion. Allow me to start:

Distribution takes a lot of work. A *lot* or work. A lot of selling, a lot buying, a lot of warehousing, a lot of tracking, a lot of shipping.

Manufacturers are not distributors. They're not good at distribution, and they simply don't have the expertise, experience, and infrastructure to do it themselves.

Now, if you're talking about non-physical goods like software, and software versions of movies (DivX), music (MP3), games (zipped EXE), books (PDF) and other media*, then you're right--physical distributors aren't needed**.

But retailers are definitely still needed--manufacturers aren't set up with credit card processing, fraud detection/deterrant, security, and the incredible design and technical expertise needed to run a full-time retail web site. Not to mention the huge cost/investment required for bandwidth, customer service, and hardware.

But in addition to the above, the biggest reason why manufacturers can't and won't make significant money selling direct is customers. Customers go to retail sites; very few go to manufacturer sites.

And the middlemen will still be there, in the form of encryption and digital rights management companies, and in the form of storage/bandwidth/secure transmission companies. These guys are in effect digital distributors. Everybody likes the idea of selling digital goods (drastically reduced transport and warehousing costs!) but no one likes the idea of Bob Customer copying the digital good and sending it to 10,000,000 of his closest friends***.

-z

*Those file formats are not what would actually get used/sold, but they're the most recognizable.

**Of course they're still needed. There will always be those customers that want to buy a box, even though the box contains nothing but bits printed onto a plastic disc.

***Well, maybe Bob and his friends like that idea.

 

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

Here's what my favorite LGS does:

Every customer gets a card that is stamped once for every $10 they spend. Each card is stamped 12 times before it can be redeemed/utilized to get a flat 15% off your NEXT purchase ( Let's call this your "SUPERpurchase" ). Example: If you spend $54, you get 5 stamps ( round down )... Money spent on a SUPERpurchase ( or other sale items ) do NOT count for stamps on a new card.


This is a great way to reward your best customers, and it encourages them to spend more ( or buy things they normally might not have bought - worked on me - multiple times! ) to best utlilize the discount. Definitely a moneymaker for the LGS, and the frequent buyer feels special. The LGS does not lose money from the impulse/infrequent buyer, because they don't come back, or lost the card.

BFG

edit - spelling AGAIN

 

[jasamcarl]

<deleted>

 

[jasamcarl]

Then I think that you and this econ major would get along...

The nature of the discipline makes it markatable. A business which looks beyond simple market pricing has to know how resources are located within a market. This includes small busineses, which are coming under increasing competition from national, nontraditional retailers, such as Amazon. Having some concept of how to price their traditional vestiges of customer loyalty, commitment to quality, etc. has made I/O a burgenong conscern amongst small-medium businesses. Economists didn't force themselves on the process, they were asked in because their expertise has value.

 

[jasamcarl]

Ok...that is my last post. I promise.

 

[DonAdam]

A business which looks beyond simple market pricing has to know how resources are located within a market.

You're confusing economics with econometrics.

 

[jasamcarl]

You're confusing economics with econometrics.

Let me be more clear. They have to know how and why desciscions are made. That should have been allocated. My bad.

 

[Azure Trance]

Yes. In fact, it's more likely to carry it.

If the book has an ISBN number, Amazon likely carries it--or can order it for you.

-z

I'm not sure about that. I looked, and while Amazon does indeed carry an impressive amount of D20 games and supplements, some are full price (thus negating that special Amazon 30% discount) or just not listed. I looked at Amazon for a large list of books I wanted and it only carried half. The others were only on RPG book sites.