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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cbas_10" data-source="post: 3892044" data-attributes="member: 55767">My suggestions, from real personal experience in managing such a store:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Be open during hours that cater to gamers.  Many of us are either career-minded types that work during the day; others of us are....less career-minded and are not conscious until the sun is going down.  In any case, before 4pm...nearly the only reason to be in the store is to deal with distributors and move displays around.  The game shops near me are open until 6pm  (extended hours on the weekend: 7pm...woo hoo!).</li> </ul><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Whoever you have working with/for you, make sure they are both knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the products you carry.  Gamers like to talk, hang out, discuss all of the conspiracies and rumors about whatever hobby they are purchasing, etc.  The longer they are there with someone to talk to, the more apt they are to buy....and to return and buy again.</li> </ul><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gaming space and an area for people to comfortably hang out to play is essential.  One of the most difficult parts of keeping games together (to those of us that have a career and, thus, more money to spend) is a place to play without interfering too much with family or jobs.  Make them feel welcome, let them simply hang out, and don't even DREAM of charging for table time or requiring that they pay for a book or something to be able to use the tables.  This is necessary because you need to have a good rapport with your regulars.  Such a good variety of relationships help you battle.......</li> </ul><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Shrinkage.  It will happen.  It's retail.  Gamers will bring their own books to games and will more easily be able to slip a stolen book into theirs.  Deal with it.  It will happen.  However, when your regulars see that you are providing a service to them, at least a select few will have your back and recognize that stealing from you is not what will keep your doors open (and thus, removes the hang-out/gaming place they enjoy).</li> </ul><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Most importantly: consider your business to be more of a service than a games retailer.  You cannot compete with the price point that the internet retailer is able to provide.  Your customers can (and certainly occasionally will) get what you carry from someone else who can provide on the cheap...and fast.  Give them reasons to simply BE at your store...don't pitch sales at them, and keep the pay-to-participate tourneys to a minimum.  Remember the TV show, "Cheers?"  Give gamers a place to go where they are hanging out with and buying from a buddy that knows their name.</li> </ul>......Oh....and don't lay any wieght on when you will open based upon 4E.  Your RPG sales may be significant, but the profit margins will be considerably less significant (especially when you take discounts to regulars into consideration).Oh....one MORE thing: if one of your staff ever starts talking about gaming, says "X sucks, but Z is a better game" (where you sell X but don't sell Z)....give them their FINAL paycheck.  Too many gamer employees of game stores forget that the store is still actually a place of business and not a place for them to be paid to hang out.</blockquote>

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