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What SHOULD FLGS do?
- Thread starter pogminky
- Start date
A gaming store has to add value. If the gaming store does nothing but generic retail, it probably isn't adding value over what I could get online.
The ways a gaming store adds value for me is by handling the labor of ordering or preordering for me, stocking small instant gratification items on their shelves, and hosting events.
The problem is that in reality, gaming stores are notoriously useless for ordering or preordering, are incapable of stocking small items effectively, and usually suck at hosting events. They have excuses for each of these, but excuses don't add value.
I don't care if its really the supplier's fault you can't get me the products I ordered. The point is that I haven't got them, and I could have if I went online.
I don't care if its really hard to stock small items like miniature paints, because there's so many of them and you can't keep track of them all at once. The point is that I want Reaper Master Series Burnt Orange, and you don't have it.
I don't care if you can't force people to attend your boardgame night, or you can't control the DMs you invited for your D&D night. The point is that no one showed up, or your host was rude. It may not be your fault, but I'm not having fun.
The ways a gaming store adds value for me is by handling the labor of ordering or preordering for me, stocking small instant gratification items on their shelves, and hosting events.
The problem is that in reality, gaming stores are notoriously useless for ordering or preordering, are incapable of stocking small items effectively, and usually suck at hosting events. They have excuses for each of these, but excuses don't add value.
I don't care if its really the supplier's fault you can't get me the products I ordered. The point is that I haven't got them, and I could have if I went online.
I don't care if its really hard to stock small items like miniature paints, because there's so many of them and you can't keep track of them all at once. The point is that I want Reaper Master Series Burnt Orange, and you don't have it.
I don't care if you can't force people to attend your boardgame night, or you can't control the DMs you invited for your D&D night. The point is that no one showed up, or your host was rude. It may not be your fault, but I'm not having fun.
Imperialus
Explorer
I have an exceptional FLGS, I've bragged about it here before but hey I'll do it again.
www.sentrybox.com
A couple of the things they do right.
Massive selection. Their motto on the front page of the website sums it up. "If it's in print, we try and stock it".
Well organized. With give or take 46,000 items on any particular day it can be a bit dizzying the first couple visits but once you get a feel for the stores layout it's easy to navigate and find exactly what you're looking for.
Stock indy stuff. Though D&D and Warhammer take up probably 40% of the stores retail space, the rest has everything from indy board games, to Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels (and not just the top 10 stuff either), to historical wargames, not to mention smaller RPG's like Shadowrun, GURPS, Rifts, HERO and any other game system you care to mention.
Get good staff. This has been mentioned to death but I think it deserves repeating. Naturally they pretty much need to be gamers, but make sure your staff have a wide variety of interests to match your stock. Specialists are good too, but don't overdo them. SB has a guy who deals with nothing but historical wargames, another one who just manages the CCG counter and a third who only deals with novels. Staff also need to be friendly and personable, in addition to being presentable. You don't need a uniform but a 'business casual' dress code is probably a good idea.
Give people a place to play. SB has a massive upper floor with diner style booths for CCG's, RPG's and other games that don't take up massive amounts of space as well as probably a dozen large folding tables that can be used for wargames and the like. They also have an after hours game room that can be booked.
They used to have an internet cafe/gaming room attached but it was too expensive to keep things up on the technology curve so they ended up doing away with it.
Use the internet. You'll never compete with Amazon.com or Ebay but especially if you've been in business for a while take advantage of your old stock and market it to collectors. You can also have customers sign up for a discount card, Sentry Box's is free and lets me buy books at the US sticker price (a big deal in Canada). They also send me an emailed newsletter once a month with a half dozen or so coupons in it for everything from 20% off paints, to 20% off a bestseller book. The newsletter also has a list of new stock, reviews, and stuff like that.
Sentry Box is in a fairly unique position since they're almost a mini distributor unto themselves. They serve as a middle man for a lot of smaller game shops in western Canada which gives them the flexibility to do things that other game stores can't do like hang onto stock for years (or decades in some cases). They're probably not a good model for most game stores to follow but it sure works for them.
www.sentrybox.com
A couple of the things they do right.
Massive selection. Their motto on the front page of the website sums it up. "If it's in print, we try and stock it".
Well organized. With give or take 46,000 items on any particular day it can be a bit dizzying the first couple visits but once you get a feel for the stores layout it's easy to navigate and find exactly what you're looking for.
Stock indy stuff. Though D&D and Warhammer take up probably 40% of the stores retail space, the rest has everything from indy board games, to Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels (and not just the top 10 stuff either), to historical wargames, not to mention smaller RPG's like Shadowrun, GURPS, Rifts, HERO and any other game system you care to mention.
Get good staff. This has been mentioned to death but I think it deserves repeating. Naturally they pretty much need to be gamers, but make sure your staff have a wide variety of interests to match your stock. Specialists are good too, but don't overdo them. SB has a guy who deals with nothing but historical wargames, another one who just manages the CCG counter and a third who only deals with novels. Staff also need to be friendly and personable, in addition to being presentable. You don't need a uniform but a 'business casual' dress code is probably a good idea.
Give people a place to play. SB has a massive upper floor with diner style booths for CCG's, RPG's and other games that don't take up massive amounts of space as well as probably a dozen large folding tables that can be used for wargames and the like. They also have an after hours game room that can be booked.
They used to have an internet cafe/gaming room attached but it was too expensive to keep things up on the technology curve so they ended up doing away with it.
Use the internet. You'll never compete with Amazon.com or Ebay but especially if you've been in business for a while take advantage of your old stock and market it to collectors. You can also have customers sign up for a discount card, Sentry Box's is free and lets me buy books at the US sticker price (a big deal in Canada). They also send me an emailed newsletter once a month with a half dozen or so coupons in it for everything from 20% off paints, to 20% off a bestseller book. The newsletter also has a list of new stock, reviews, and stuff like that.
Sentry Box is in a fairly unique position since they're almost a mini distributor unto themselves. They serve as a middle man for a lot of smaller game shops in western Canada which gives them the flexibility to do things that other game stores can't do like hang onto stock for years (or decades in some cases). They're probably not a good model for most game stores to follow but it sure works for them.
First off, the FLGS that tries to rely on new books as its main selling item isn't going to last. There's just no competing with Amazon. But there are other areas where the FLGS can do better:
#1: Dice. Everybody loves dice, and part of what everybody loves about dice is the way they look; which means you want to be able to see them in person before you buy. Plus they don't take up much space on the shelf. The FLGS should stock lots of dice in a variety of types and colors.
#2: CCGs. It's too expensive to buy CCGs on Amazon unless you're buying in bulk. Plus there's the secondary market.
#3: Expertise. The FLGS owner should know his/her product inside and out, and be able to advise customers (without seeming pushy about it).
#4: Experience. Whenever possible, the FLGS should offer customers a way to try out product before they buy. If you're thinking about picking up that new CCG, you should be able to walk down to the FLGS with a friend and play a game using "store decks" (with the cards marked as such so they don't get stolen). Have a generous return policy so people can try out new sourcebooks, secure in the knowledge that they can return them if they don't like them.
#5: Used books. Again, you can look before you buy at the FLGS, whereas buying online you're at the mercy of the seller. Plus you can't count on getting the kind of speedy shipping for used books that you can from Amazon itself.
#6: Gaming connections. Especially important in rural areas where putting together a gaming group is a major challenge. Have online sign-up sheets for campaigns, and offer space for gaming at a reasonable price (with occasional freebies to show people what a cool venue you are).
#1: Dice. Everybody loves dice, and part of what everybody loves about dice is the way they look; which means you want to be able to see them in person before you buy. Plus they don't take up much space on the shelf. The FLGS should stock lots of dice in a variety of types and colors.
#2: CCGs. It's too expensive to buy CCGs on Amazon unless you're buying in bulk. Plus there's the secondary market.
#3: Expertise. The FLGS owner should know his/her product inside and out, and be able to advise customers (without seeming pushy about it).
#4: Experience. Whenever possible, the FLGS should offer customers a way to try out product before they buy. If you're thinking about picking up that new CCG, you should be able to walk down to the FLGS with a friend and play a game using "store decks" (with the cards marked as such so they don't get stolen). Have a generous return policy so people can try out new sourcebooks, secure in the knowledge that they can return them if they don't like them.
#5: Used books. Again, you can look before you buy at the FLGS, whereas buying online you're at the mercy of the seller. Plus you can't count on getting the kind of speedy shipping for used books that you can from Amazon itself.
#6: Gaming connections. Especially important in rural areas where putting together a gaming group is a major challenge. Have online sign-up sheets for campaigns, and offer space for gaming at a reasonable price (with occasional freebies to show people what a cool venue you are).
Here's some ideas that might be worth a try...
1) A discount on pre-ordered and special ordered stuff.
2) Keeping used games in stock.
3) Starting up a game-store centered "gaming club" of sorts. For a one-time annual fee (like the B&N cards or such), you'll get a discount off all purchases and you'll be able to join up or participate in store-sponsored gaming events. This would be stuff like a weekly D&D game that the store hosts, using minis/maps provided by the store, etc. Basically think of it as a tabletop version of DDI. Throw in some more events going on that people can participate in and it wouldn't be a bad deal. I know I'd pay $50-$60 bucks a year for 10% off my books and the knowledge that my RPG group is taken care of (either as DM or Player).
But mostly I get fed up with FLGS because they lose my special orders. That's the absolute worst. I'm basically giving them a sale. Yet I'm always amazed at how many different ways I've gotten screwed on that.
Also, FLGSs will need to find some way to compete with the big bookstores price-wise, if not the online vendors. If that means selling some sort of discount card or discounts on pre-orders, then so be it. Sure, that hurts some. But business is business. And they'll continue to lose if I can buy a set of books on Amazon for 40+% less than what they're selling them for.
I don't know of any FLGS that has offered me anything that can sway me from that kind of price differential. At some point, it just becomes simple economics...
1) A discount on pre-ordered and special ordered stuff.
2) Keeping used games in stock.
3) Starting up a game-store centered "gaming club" of sorts. For a one-time annual fee (like the B&N cards or such), you'll get a discount off all purchases and you'll be able to join up or participate in store-sponsored gaming events. This would be stuff like a weekly D&D game that the store hosts, using minis/maps provided by the store, etc. Basically think of it as a tabletop version of DDI. Throw in some more events going on that people can participate in and it wouldn't be a bad deal. I know I'd pay $50-$60 bucks a year for 10% off my books and the knowledge that my RPG group is taken care of (either as DM or Player).
But mostly I get fed up with FLGS because they lose my special orders. That's the absolute worst. I'm basically giving them a sale. Yet I'm always amazed at how many different ways I've gotten screwed on that.
Also, FLGSs will need to find some way to compete with the big bookstores price-wise, if not the online vendors. If that means selling some sort of discount card or discounts on pre-orders, then so be it. Sure, that hurts some. But business is business. And they'll continue to lose if I can buy a set of books on Amazon for 40+% less than what they're selling them for.
I don't know of any FLGS that has offered me anything that can sway me from that kind of price differential. At some point, it just becomes simple economics...
Crothian
First Post
Have a clean store. It amazes me how big an issue this is with some places.
Don't just be friendly, but have the person that is on the cash register be at the cash register. They should be waiting on me. I shouldn't have to wait for them.
Games run at stores are great. But I've found that those games after a while become very unfriendly to new people. I think a store should have someone on the weekends once a month or so that just runs game for people theat show up and not scheduled things.
Don't just be friendly, but have the person that is on the cash register be at the cash register. They should be waiting on me. I shouldn't have to wait for them.
Games run at stores are great. But I've found that those games after a while become very unfriendly to new people. I think a store should have someone on the weekends once a month or so that just runs game for people theat show up and not scheduled things.
Philotomy Jurament
First Post
I'll preface this by saying I don't buy much from gaming stores, these days. I get my gaming stuff online. New stuff is cheaper, I don't pay tax, and I get free shipping. Old or out-of-print material is easier to find online. Reviews, advice, and tips are easy to find online. Gaming meet-ups and discussion with other gamers are easy to find online. Et cetera.
A game store could attract me by:
1. Being a GREAT place to play. That means it needs to be clean, comfortable, allow food/drink, have open tables, et cetera. This is *the main reason* I'd go to a gaming store. If I'm there, I might impulse buy something. Also, if a game store had a private room, I'd *pay* to use that, if it were nice.
2. Stock material that people who are gaming in the store might need. That means dice, of course (I want Gamescience dice -- the ugly ones with the sharp edges that haven't been tumbled and polished), but it also means graph paper, mechanical pencils, overhead projector pens, snacks, drinks, et cetera.
3. Encourage/facilitate in-store gaming clubs and groups. Maybe that means maintaining a database of local gamers that can be accessed.
4. Sell used/out-of-print material.
I guess I'm describing something that is more like a place-to-game than a traditional gaming store. That's because I don't *buy* much from a gaming store, these days. I don't know if a viable business model could be built around the idea of "come here to play," but I'd be a lot more interested in that than in a store trying to compete with Amazon, Ebay, and Noble Knight.
A game store could attract me by:
1. Being a GREAT place to play. That means it needs to be clean, comfortable, allow food/drink, have open tables, et cetera. This is *the main reason* I'd go to a gaming store. If I'm there, I might impulse buy something. Also, if a game store had a private room, I'd *pay* to use that, if it were nice.
2. Stock material that people who are gaming in the store might need. That means dice, of course (I want Gamescience dice -- the ugly ones with the sharp edges that haven't been tumbled and polished), but it also means graph paper, mechanical pencils, overhead projector pens, snacks, drinks, et cetera.
3. Encourage/facilitate in-store gaming clubs and groups. Maybe that means maintaining a database of local gamers that can be accessed.
4. Sell used/out-of-print material.
I guess I'm describing something that is more like a place-to-game than a traditional gaming store. That's because I don't *buy* much from a gaming store, these days. I don't know if a viable business model could be built around the idea of "come here to play," but I'd be a lot more interested in that than in a store trying to compete with Amazon, Ebay, and Noble Knight.
Philotomy Jurament
First Post
That's a good idea.Crothian said:
From what I've been told by FLGS owners in the recent past, some of the major online retailers are selling the games for less than the FLGSs can acquire them from the publishers. Those online stores are getting massive bulk discounts that the small guys simply can't match.
IOW, there is simply no way for individual game stores to compete with the Amazons of the world on a price basis, thus they must compete on environment and services.
So ultimately, the the suggestions above all boil down to one core bit of advice:
Provide an inviting location that lets gamers network with other gamers (customers and/or staff).
Amazon simply can't do that.
An FLGS should be clean. The staff should be knowledgeable. There should be a can-do attitude about special orders of obscure, foreign or OoP games. If they have the space to do so, they should run demos or "league play" (for games that allow for such).
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