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Message: <blockquote data-quote="El Mahdi" data-source="post: 5602313" data-attributes="member: 59506">It's not the price (which isn't very much), or the comparison to other products or services (of which $5 gaming is obviously cheaper)... It's the very concept. If a storeowner can't develop a way to get that money from customers through snacks, credits, or other means...then they should not be in a retail business. If the store's model was specifically about providing a place to play, with  better environments or reasons for playing there instead of at home, and they specifically advertised their store in this manner, then sure - a pay to play model makes sense. But doing it in this manner is essentially telling your customers that you see them as a bunch of freeloaders who only come to their store to play and not buy anything.  It's condescending and creates an us-vs.-them environement. Come on!  You're in Sales! Woo me in.  Do your job and make incentives for me to spend money in your store - not reasons to walk away. There's been multiple people pointing out how it's really not that much money so it's no big deal.  Yes it is.  It's lose-lose.  Pay-to-Play<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Small financial return for the store.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Participants feel that since they have paid to play, they don't need to feel guilty about not spending money in the store (less unplanned, random purchases).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The majority of participants are those who have no other alternative to group play, leaving a higher percentage of inexperienced players and players/GM's that are unable to find or generate a group of their own (many times due to their own personalities, or lack thereof).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Likely to generate ill will with customer base - and if an alternative establishment is available, will likely incentivize them to go there instead.</li> </ul>Incentive Based<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Higher financial return for the store ($10 in shacks vs. $5 pay-to-play fee; or $5 credit leads to buying a $25 dollar book, rather than buying nothing; more unplanned and random purchases).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Participants feel "beholden" to the establishment, rather than "entitled" because they paid.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">An overall more diverse and better group of customers and participants (the bad apples are outnumbered).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Generates good will and an incentive to patron the establishment.</li> </ul>Seems like a no brainer to me.</blockquote>

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