WotC and brick and mortar retail stores - Greg Leeds weighs in

[EnochSeven]

As a seller of 4E books, I can tell you that sales have dropped dramatically for new books. The first 60 days of sales of Martial Powers 2 was well under half the comparable sales of Martial Powers 1, and whereas I used to bring in a dozen or more copies of each new book for opening week, I am now bringing in no more than half a dozen.
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Some of this is easily explained by the amazing continued growth of Amazon.com. I want to support my local store, but honestly he is a Magic guy and I have a hard time when I can save so much.

 

[Herschel]

The third "post" is just pointless whining and not really my problem. The first two are pretty interesting though and something I've discussed often with friends. It is difficult because too many people do only equate value with selling price.

 

[Mark]

It's that thought which recently caused me to speculate whether wizards.com, like paizo.com, will ever offer a direct sales model on their webpage, i.e. an online store.

DDI is a direct sales model for material that was previously sold through retailers (among other things).

 

[Joshua Randall]

II did find it worthwhile to learn that retailers are currently forced to host WotC promotion events to get a bonus that online stores get for free - the possibility to sell new product as early as possible.

As others have pointed out, this is 100% false.

Also, taking the word of one person as representative of all retailers is credulous in the extreme.

of these event-driven sales, is about 95% attributable to the attitude of the FLGS owner/staff toward 4E and, to a lesser degree, the official Organized Play initiative.

That has been my experience as well. As others have said -- it's pretty much that way in any sales-driven business. A good salesman sells more product. No mystery there.

DDI is a direct sales model for material that was previously sold through retailers (among other things).

Excellent point.

 

[Windjammer]

As others have pointed out, this is 100% false.

Except it isn't. Two people on page 1 confirmed this. Thanlis wrote, "any game store that participates in organized play events gets to break street date now."

Amazon has been breaking D&D street dates for years. Heck, the Gift Set was shipped early even to us people in the UK before June 6 in 2008.

 

[Thanlis]

Except it isn't. Two people on page 1 confirmed this. Thanlis wrote, "any game store that participates in organized play events gets to break street date now."

Amazon has been breaking D&D street dates for years. Heck, the Gift Set was shipped early even to us people in the UK before June 6 in 2008.

I can't speak to the UK, but Amazon absolutely doesn't break street dates in the US. I have heard that they break street dates in Japan. B&N online also does not break street dates. Books-A-Million broke street date on Divine Power and hasn't broke street date since that I'm aware of.

 

[Obryn]

Except it isn't. Two people on page 1 confirmed this. Thanlis wrote, "any game store that participates in organized play events gets to break street date now."

Amazon has been breaking D&D street dates for years. Heck, the Gift Set was shipped early even to us people in the UK before June 6 in 2008.

Not around here, it doesn't. Neither Amazon nor any of my local retailers routinely break street date. I've found exactly one WotC book before its official release date, and that was Open Grave at my local B&N.

The third guy claims this is somehow epidemic. I don't think that's the case, given how flooded "I got the new book early!" threads can get.

-O

 

[El Mahdi]

deleted

 

[AngryMojo]

This is an argument I've seen multiple times by different stores.
Before I moved, there was a FLGS who ran events, was enthusiastic about 4e, and got people into the store to play. I bought books from this store, even though it's cheaper to do it online.
Now, the FLGS grumbles about 4e, refuses to run games in the store, and complains that nobody comes in and he's going under. I now buy my books online.
I can't stand whining. There are solutions out there for the FLGS in response to online discounts. Those that are doing something to get butts in the chairs and gaming done in their stores are doing well. Those that grumble, complain, and start getting lazy about running events are going out of business.
If it's your store, stop whining and do something about it.

 

[catsclaw227]

From the small amount of first- and second-hand access to retailers' internal discussions that I have, I think that the relative success/failure of 4E, and of these event-driven sales, is about 95% attributable to the attitude of the FLGS owner/staff toward 4E and, to a lesser degree, the official Organized Play initiative.

It seems that enthusiastic early adopters of 4E have had their expectations met with huge sales and big successful in-store events. Meanwhile, grudging 4E haters have had their expectations met with lackluster sales and ghost-town events.

Even though it's just anecdotal, this is something I agree with.

Our local FLGS has been readily and enthusiastically supporting 4e since its release and the store has done well as a result. It's also clean, has a friendly staff and participates in many, many Game Days and MtG tourneys, as well as Pokemon (I think) and Yu-Gi-Oh days. They also have board game night and supports mini wargaming with Warhammer, WarMachine, etc...

They aren't on any side of the edition war either, stocking lots of Pathfinder and supporting Pathfinder Society organized play along side LFR.

These are the reasons they are doing well. They GET IT. They need to be active participants in the hobby, not just passive retails of RPG content.

The third quote in the OP sounded a lot like sour grapes to me as well. "You mean that I should host these stupid game days to get a leg up on the competition?"*

Yes! Duh!

* Not a real quote, a paraphrased example.