Why should I care about the FLGS?

[Taelorn76]

I like being able to go into my FLGS and previewing the books asking others their opinions on it and just socialize in general. Is that not of what being a gamer is about, socializing with people who share your interests, be that playing a campaign or looking through the lastest book and discussing it face to face.

Also in the case of minis my FLGS has them out on the floor so I can handle them and score the heavier, bigger mins.

 

[DragonLancer]

I like to support my LGS where possible, but I have taken to ordering online lately. This is because the guy who runs the shop doesn't know the first thing about the hobby and sometimes takes ages to get books in (3 months for the MM2!!!). I can order online and get it a day or two after the release date rather than waiting over a week or two to get it.

 

[Breakdaddy]

Without reading replies to the first post, Reason #1 that internet isn't better:

Shipping.

On EBay, for example, people frequently overcharge on shipping - and even if they don't, a few bucks saved could turn into a few extra spent due to the shipping. Between that and the lack of immediacy (it costs at least about $15 for one-day shipiing for one item), a FLGS beats out the internet shops rather nicely.

Overstock dot com charges a buck and a quarter to ship almost any book. You still have to wait a few days, but unless you are compulsive about your gaming purchases, you can save big dollars in the long run this way.

 

[Prothall]

Well, I'm not saying it's always the case, just frequently. It was the first thing that came to mind. Most of the other aspects are rather well covered, as is this one.

 

[Thumper3333]

Personally, when I go to the game store, it's not just to "buy that book I want", or "Pick up a new 20 sider, my speckled gold and blue let me down last night!" It's a little like going to hang out. I wonder around the strore, pick up and browse several items, maybe chat it up with another gamer or one of the employees (depends on which store, i have 2 FLGS).

There have only been a few times I have ordered online, and that was for out of print items, or when Kenzer is having an online sale. Part of it is to keep my money in my community, part of it is because I plan to open my own store in a couple years, and would hope my fellow gamers would support me. When a guy I know from another board opened his game store, 80 miles from me, I drove down and dropped $100 in his store on opening day. I knew he was opening it, so I held off on some purchases and saved the money.

I never buy anything from Wal-Mart or the big "book" stores, they don;t need my money....they're doing just fine, and they don;t really care about games. You have a complaint about your LGS staff and their gaming knowledge, try hitting a Barnes & Noble sometime......ask them what they think of the 3e/3.5 debate, or if they think Eberron will suck as hard as it seems, heck, tell them about how your character saved the party last night by rolling 3 nat 20s in a row and killing the giant cheif. After they escort you from the store with security, let me know how much fun that was.

The game store isn't just a store, it's a hang-out. But if none of that matters to you, then I guess you have no reason to care about your LGS..........and they have no reason to care about you.

 

[Mr. Kaze]

I tend to split my purchases between FLGS and online, but have been tending more to FLGS lately. This goes for normal books, too. The simple question is "Do I care enough about this purchase to want this one now?"

Amazon.com gave me Complete Warrior at 60% off, but it was pretty busted up in shipping. My FLGS, meanwhile, sold me a copy of Slayers d20 that didn't get munched in some kind of printing paper-jam. They also sold me one pack of Giants of Legend because I wanted that huge mini for the next session. But with Amazon.com being $6 cheaper per pack, I can't justify buying more sight-unseen packs from the FLGS.

IMO, haggling would be a great tool for the FLGS. "Don't see why you need another campaign setting for $40? Well Amazon's got 'em in stock for 30% off. But there's this horrid and rampant printing error. So I'll tell ya what, I'll sell you one that's misprinted for 25% off and then give you a call when the corrected replacement copy comes in -- so you're not waiting for it to ship just so you can ship it back and wait for it to ship again, see?" At which point I would've been tempted by Eberron, but since I have my campaign under control for the foreseeable future, a full-price campaign setting was just straight-out.

 

[Turanil]

I feel an inherent need to (...) eat in non-chain restautants whenever possible.

I unlike most right-winger-types hate Walmart and everything it really stands for.

Okay, my comment is unrelated to the thread:

1) About non-chain restaurant: I totally agree with you. The day there will be only left chain restaurants here in Pris, the end of the world will be close, and I will be forced to spare money (on food that is) and make a regime. There is really no pleasure with chain-restaurant food, when you know the truly excellent individual restaurant here and there (not necessarily expensive).

2) What the Hell is "Walmart"?

Complete Warrior at 60% off,

What? I must check this immediately!

 

[Creeping Death]

Why should you care about anyone or anything?

I mean if their existance doesn't directly, immediatly benefit you, then to hell with them, right?

Heck, I'll feed the troll. In capitalism when dealing with business, you are right. You go where you get the best price and the best service. It is the responsibility of the business to cater<sp> to my needs, not me to theirs.

Now, like most of the capitalistic business people that I know, you treat business this way but you treat individual people differently. Some of the most generous people I know are capitalist. They donate time, money, and skills to charity and helping their neighbor.

Do not confuse capitalism with greed they are different.

 

[Piratecat]

I love my FLGS (Pandemonium, in Harvard Square, also a sci-fi/fantasy book shop.) The owner and the manager (who posts here) are both enthusiastic and knowledgeable gamers. They have a ton of stuff with no shrink-wrapping, discount prices on used games, and when they don't have something in stock they're happy to special order it for you. They're always friendly and they help support the hobby, and for me that's worth my support.

The best FLGS I've seen is Games Plus in Mt. Prospect, IL, outside of Chicago. If I lived in Chicago, I'd never want to order online. Thalmin (who runs it) has my everlasting respect.

 

[wizardneedsfood]

Actually most of the people at my local Barnes and Noble are gamers, PnP and video games so I've just stood around talking to them about stuff a lot in the past.