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

[Dannyalcatraz]

No play space (but lots of wasted space on never-changing used books) with a few comics, miniatures, dice and a decent array of RPG books.

As an MBA with a degree in Economics, that is something that has always bugged me. Retailers: if you have stock that simply isn't selling, you're better off getting rid of it as soon as possible- even if it means moving it into a storage building- and replacing that stuff with merchandise you can move. All you're doing by shuffling old merch around the store is using your retail space as high-dollar storage while conveying an image of stasis. A store whose inventory doesn't change over time may be perceived as stagnant.

 

[Haffrung Helleyes]

My opinion

The main thing I see is that retail bookstores/game stores no longer serve an essential function.

It's 100 times more convenient for me to have a Paizo adventure path and chronicles subscription than it is to drive down to the game store. And I find time spent talking with James Jacobs on the Paizo forums to be more interesting and educational than time talking with bob the store clerk at my local FLGS.

On top of that, buying online is cheaper, and more of my money is going to the producers of what I am buying. I'm cutting out two middlemen -- the distributor and the game store.

And coming down the road I see devices like the iPad making PDFs of products I buy an absolute requirement for me. I automatically get a free PDF of everything Paizo ships me. How can a game store give me this?

Ken

 

[pawsplay]

As an MBA with a degree in Economics, that is something that has always bugged me. Retailers: if you have stock that simply isn't selling, you're better off getting rid of it as soon as possible- even if it means moving it into a storage building- and replacing that stuff with merchandise you can move. All you're doing by shuffling old merch around the store is using your retail space as high-dollar storage while conveying an image of stasis. A store whose inventory doesn't change over time may be perceived as stagnant.

Counterpoint. Walking into a game store and catching a whiff of all that old paper and seeing game after game lined up is what keeps me coming back. As decorations go, reams of product that isn't worth very much is actually pretty cheap. Now, true, if you have multiple copies of old d20 books, sure, hide one or two in the back and clearance the rest. There's no sense in storing stuff just to store it. But the experience of shopping in a good specialty store is greater than the sum of its inventory.

 

[JohnSnow]

Counterpoint. Walking into a game store and catching a whiff of all that old paper and seeing game after game lined up is what keeps me coming back. As decorations go, reams of product that isn't worth very much is actually pretty cheap. Now, true, if you have multiple copies of old d20 books, sure, hide one or two in the back and clearance the rest. There's no sense in storing stuff just to store it. But the experience of shopping in a good specialty store is greater than the sum of its inventory.

Counterpoint deuce. If you're looking for atmosphere, you can do a whole lot better than plyboard shelving covered in shrink-wrapped gaming product. For example, since most gamers are fantasy/sci-fi geeks, designing your game shop with a tavern atmosphere might be very welcoming.

Hell, there's a part of me that thinks designing a gameshop that IS a tavern might be the smartest move of all. But it would require some creative thinking and a sharp direction so as not to lose focus. The multiple revenue streams might be a very good idea - IF you could avoid losing focus by essentially running 2 (or 3) businesses under one roof.

 

[jcfiala]

Here in Denver, 4E is doing pretty well that I can see.

For example, they're running Encounters down at one shop named 'Enchanted Grounds' (which also sells coffee -mmmm) and they're running four tables a night, two at 5 and two at 7... and now turning people away because they don't have the room.

I bought the PHB 3 for full price from a store so I could make a Psion - I wanted a telekinetic one, and the character builder only has the telepathic options.

Encounters, by the way, is a great idea so far - my wife and I are enjoying taking a break during the week to do a little D&D - but not so much that we don't have time to get home, relax, and then get to bed at a reasonable hour. And so far EG has sold us four coffee drinks and will no doubt be selling us some games soon.

 

[jaerdaph]

Just to make this thread a little more fun and lively...

Louis Porter, Jr. has weighed in on the subject at his blog:

In the Mind of a Mad Man!!!: Sounds like Marcus King is trying to make excuses for RPG retailers' lack of sales

I'm not exactly sure, but I think LPJ is doing that thing he did with Joe Goodman again - disagreeing with him... by agreeing with him.



All kidding aside, that video of his friend's store he has linked is pretty cool and informative.

 

[JohnSnow]

Here in Denver, 4E is doing pretty well that I can see.

For example, they're running Encounters down at one shop named 'Enchanted Grounds' (which also sells coffee -mmmm) and they're running four tables a night, two at 5 and two at 7... and now turning people away because they don't have the room.

Hmm...interesting. The place I'd like to go for D&D Encounters (which is doing it) is another game/coffee shop in Berkeley, CA. It's called Eudemonia. The only sad part is they're running the game not on Wednesdays, but on Tuesday or Monday. And they're starting "late." The Tuesday game isn't starting until March 30th, and the Monday game starts April 5th. I suspect it might have something to do with another, older, shop 2 blocks away doing it as well.

I wonder if there's something to be said for all these coffee/game shops. Even one of the Barnes & Nobles in my area is hosting a D&D Encounters game. Coincidence? Or trend? Maybe game shops need coffee areas as much as bookstores do...

 

[Alaxk Knight of Galt]

95%+ of my gaming purchases are now made on-line or from the local used book store. Reason is simple, I'm cheap and the FLGS doesn't try too hard to get my business.

The last time I went into the FLGS was on a whim looking for the Shadows Over Camelot Expansion. I was told that if I didn't know the title, I was out of luck. I went home, googled, and purchased the item in less then 2 minutes.

The last I purchased and item from the FLGS was the Reaper Legendary Encounter pre-painted minis. They were too cool to pass up. I asked when these figures came out and what I could expect in the future from this line. Blank expressions and shrugs all around.

So yeah, my FLGS isn't that helpful

 

[Henry]

You know FLGS's should hire smart, charasmatic, fun GMs to constantly run games in store, so most evenings there are games happening. Create a real fun atmosphere and people will spend. maybe even charge a fiver for a drop-in game.

It is something that could really encourage gaming (and spending on gaming)- I notice the Games Workshop store in town always has tonnes of kids in the window, playing and painting, and it is always packed. This is a busy main street in Dublin.

Only problem is the problem with all hiring -- the people most knowledgeable about the subject matter are also likely to be rather uncharismatic, and the most charismatic are likely unwilling to become very knowledgeable about the material. Local Gaming Stores need their own "Geek Squads" to go with the sales staff - otherwise its more likely to be like a software company getting their coders to sell the product.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Counterpoint. Walking into a game store and catching a whiff of all that old paper and seeing game after game lined up is what keeps me coming back.

I'm not talking about doing away with stocking things deep. I'm talking about having portions of your store taken up by games and other merchandise you bought 3 years ago and haven't been able to sell.

Now, there are stores that do quite well by stocking OoP games, but they're set up to do so. Gamers know to go there for those games, so they actually sell those games rather than merely store them.

But stuff that just sits there year after year, getting dusted and shifted around is just reducing your ability to make productive use of the space.

Hell, there's a part of me that thinks designing a gameshop that IS a tavern might be the smartest move of all. But it would require some creative thinking and a sharp direction so as not to lose focus. The multiple revenue streams might be a very good idea - IF you could avoid losing focus by essentially running 2 (or 3) businesses under one roof.

"You all meet in a inn..."