Supporting Your Local Game Store Part II

So, I mentioned in my last post that I'd discuss the other two local game stores, as well as going over when I buy online.

The other two game stores locally aren't here anymore, first of all. One is under new ownership in a new location, and the other is gone. And no, I won't name either of them.

As I've matured, my taste in game stores has changed. The game store I used to support had a role-playing and miniatures focus, and it was constantly filled with miniatures gamers. I stopped shopping there when I transitioned to being more of a board gamer than a roleplayer. And when I realized that there were better ways to run a store.

It was the typical Gamer Hole style of game store. That is, there were piles and piles of games in no particular order. The store was cluttered, and the gamers there were the typical unsocialized style of gamer. The owner was more interested in playing games than in running the store, and made liberal use of his regulars for free labor, resulting in a counter which was frequently unattended. I once stood at the front for twenty minutes, waiting for help because I didn't know who was running the register. It was a classic example of monkeys running the zoo. My wife flat refused to set foot in the store after he second visit, as the atmosphere made her extremely uncomfortable - both in terms of the "It's a girl! What do we do?" factor and in terms of the Gamer Funk. Sadly, too many gamer stereotypes have a solid footing in reality.

I never even tried to take my wife into the second game store. I only visited it twice, and both times it was because a friend of mine had seen an out-of-print book I'd been looking for. It was the Gamer Hole taken to the extreme. Where the first store had stacks and stacks of games, this one had stacks and stacks for games mixed liberally with porn. You could be flipping through a stack of First Edition AD&D, and find three or four hardcore pornographic magazines mixed right into the middle of the stack. The aisles were extremely narrow - there wasn't even room to walk around other gamers without both of you holding your breath and trying hard not to touch. There were no windows, either, and the store was under-lit. Badly. I felt like bringing a flashlight with me every time I headed that way. And I took a long shower after visiting.

So if these are your local game stores, then - by all means - shop online.

I actually discussed ordering online with Brian from Phoenix yesterday, when I stopped by to play a game. It took a while to get through the game, because customers kept coming in, and they take priority (which is how a game store should be run).

But here are the circumstances under which when I'll buy online:

1) When it's an in-print game that Brian can't order in for some reason. I can think of two types of games covered by this: Self-published games such as Cobras in the Cockpit and games which are limited and exclusive in some way, such as Mordred. Funagain also used to have some exclusive games. Now that Funagain is working as a distributor as well as a retailer, Brian can get these games in. There are also games that Brian can't get because they're not distributed in the US.

2) When there is an online-only promo. Valley Games makes a special promotion available for each of their pre-orders. Brian could theoretically pre-order them for me, but the additiona effort involved more than offsets the benefit for him.

3) When a game is both out of print and not available though his distributors. Lots of games go out of print, but distributors will frequently still have the game in stock. I remember being able to order Fasa's Star Trek RPG for nearly five years after it went out of print. I loved that game.

In nearly all other circumstances, I'll purchase through Phoenix. GenCon for me is primarily a scouting run - I don't tend to spend a lot of money, there. I come back and ask Brian to order games that I saw that looked cool.

... and that's about all I have to say about that.

For now.

Supporting Your Local Game Store

Those of you who know me in person already know that I'm really big on supporting my local game store, but not all of you know what I mean by that or why I'm so firm on it.

Now, I'm not going to tell you horror stories about online game stores - I've had nothing but positive experiences with Funagain or Thoughthammer when I have purchased from them. The man who runs Boards and Bits is active on BoardGameGeek, and I have heard nothing but good about his operation as well.

But I thought it'd be a good idea to explain why I take this stance, and what exceptions I make for it.

A good game store is the center of Gamer Society. It's where gamers go to meet gamers and interact with gamers. And, of course gaming takes place in some game stores, too. Game stores are also where you learn about new products - or old ones that may have been overlooked.

When I'm exploring a new area, one of the first things I do is try to find the local game stores - they'll give you a very good idea of what the gaming is like in the area - and I'm not just talking about what games are popular in the region.

Within fifteen minutes of my apartment, there used to be three game stores. One of them has closed, one has moved, and the other is the one I support.

The game store I support is Phoenix Games in Mukilteo, Washington. I'll discuss the full whys and wherefores at some future point. It's the game store locally that best fits my needs.

It's clean, wide open, and is inviting to all ages (and genders). What he doesn't stock, he's willing to special-order (if it's available). He has tables available for gaming. He's knowledgeable about games. And he can sell Fluxx without sneering (something I struggle with).

Online game stores don't generally do special orders. There are exceptions, it's true. But it's more difficult to arrange for a special order.

I don't have to pay shipping costs when dealing with Brian.

I've never seen an online game store that has tables I can use for gaming.

While I can get rules questions answered by the online game store folks, it's a lot faster to ask Brian.

Do I pay more by buying from Brian? Yes. Absolutely. But I think the added services more than make up for the extra money I pay.

Now, I'm not saying you should support game stores who make you uncomfortable. I'll use the other two game stores that used to be nearby as examples in a future post.

I'll also discuss when I choose to buy online rather than through my local game store.

Asmodee

I saw a blurb on Asmodee's Website about Wicked Witches way, and there's a note about Ca$h'n Gun$.

I think that this means I can discuss these games.

It's always a bit nerve-wracking for me, writing about games I've seen and/or worked on before they're out.

It goes a little like this:

I work with Asmodee on their English translations - they send me their first-draft English rules, and ask me to make it more natural. I don't speak (or read) French yet (I'm working on it - very slowly), but I know English.

Usually the rules they send me require a few minor tweaks here and there. Sometimes, the necessary changes are more extensive. Either way, I make any changes I see necessary before sending it back. I can also make suggestions or ask questions for clarification. In exchange, I get copies of the games and occasional editor credit.

I'm totally cool with that. It probably makes me one of the most under-paid editors in history, but I'm not doing this for the money. I do this because I love games.

I've also been to GenCon and Origins twice each (a 20-year dream for me).

Here's my concern: I'm never sure I am allowed to discuss what I've seen.

I didn't sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement, but I also don't want to violate their trust. I very much like the Asmodee team, and don't want to jeopardize our friendship. Or our working relationship.

So, until I see word on their site (or a leak on the 'Geek) about a game, I'll tend to stay mum. I may say, "I've seen the English rules for X," or, "I'm in the middle of editing X," but that's about as far as I'll go unless I have specific permission to say otherwise.

There's another reason for this, as well: Not all the games I've seen have made the cut, and I don't want to raise your hopes. Sharur: Evolutions, for example. It's a great game, but it'll appeal to a narrow enough spectrum of gamers that printing it in English would probably lose money.

Apparently, they agree with me: It's a business. It's a business that they love, but it's still a business.

Monkeys Shouldn't Run The Zoo

I'm a huge believer in supporting your local game store. A HUGE believer. And so are a lot of people out there - but local game stores are still closing all over.

Why?

People are fast to blame the internet - it's cheaper, faster, more convenient.

But I think a large part of the problem is that monkeys are running the zoo.

A Game Store owner has to wear several hats, each of which critical to the success of the business.

The first hat they need to wear - the most important hat - is that of Businessman. If you don't approach your game store as a business, then you're already out of business.

Far too many game store owners open game stores for the sole purpose of getting discounts on their gaming products. Their goal isn't profit, it's expanding their own collections. If they can turn a profit in the process, so much the better - after all, the more they sell, the more they can buy for themselves! The owner of this type of store will typically provide discounts to all of their regular customers or buddies.

The organization of the store will be haphazard at best. The stereotypical game store has stacks and stacks of games and books spread at random throughout the store - this stereotype exists for a reason. Most Game Store owners don't know what to stock, so they either stock everything, or else they'll stock very little. They won't carry mass-market games, reasoning that customers can get those at Target or Wal*Mart.

Customers who walk in may not be noticed for several minutes if the owner is playing a game at one of the game tables. Checkout is the same way - you can stand for ten or more minutes waiting for the owner to notice you before you can spend your money.

Allow me to contrast this with Phoenix Games, my local game store.

Brian at Phoenix is a businessman. He likes games, he likes gamers, but Phoenix is a business for him.

People who have keys to the store get a discount, and that's about it. The store is bright and well-lit. He carries both mass-market and hobby games. As he explained to me a few months ago, "If Joe Average walks into a Game Store and doesn't see Monopoly or Life, their first thought is, 'What kind of Game store is this?'" He also uses the mass-market as a tool to point customers at other (better) games. For customers who enjoy Pictionary, he'll suggest Squint, for example.

He hasn't bought every RPG book availalable, either. In fact, he only carries Wizards of the Coast's RPG lines (Dungeons and Dragons and d20 Modern). He can special-order other products, if needed.

If a special order causes comment or a lot of interest, he'll sometimes start to carry it (a good example of this is Battleground: Fantasy Warfare, which he started carrying last week).

He'll also regularly check the front page at BoardGameGeek. Along the lower left-hand side of the page, there is a list of "Hot Games" - these are games that people are interested in and are looking for.

Brian has also given thought to his organization - studies have shown that customers will tend to walk in about four paces and then turn right. So, to the right, are the family-oriented games. At eye-level are colorful or otherwise eye-catching games.

Elitist Game Snobs (like me) will go through the whole store and will find the hobby games which are located to the left of the entrance with little or no difficulty.

High-theft items (collectible card games, for example) sit right up next to the counter. More expensive board games (such as Twilight Imperium 3rd Edition) are on higher shelves where small children can't get to them.

The store is carpeted and clean - Brian cleans the carpets at least once a week and polices the trash several times daily.

Customers who walk in are always greeted within seconds of their arrival. On those rare occasions when Brian is playing a game at the front table, he'll make sure that the other players know that he may need to break away to help customers. And he'll let the customers know that he welcomes interruptions (because he does). When a customer approaches the front counter, Brian will usually beat them to the counter and be ready to help them.

Those of us who game at the front table are also reminded (regularly) that we cannot block access to the games. We need to sit close to the table so as to avoid blocking the aisles, and we need to watch our language. We also need to be polite to customers.

I'm not saying that online stores haven't hurt the Local Game Store - they have - we need to make sure that we lay the blame accurately. Many game stores have put themselves out of business long before the internet had the opportunity.

WizKids vs. Distribution

I'm sure many of you have seen this news.

I'm not sure if you realize how much this will directly impact you.

See, it's all about the supply chain. Your local game store gets its games from a distributor. In some cases, that distributor gets the games from another distributor. In some cases, that distributor is direct with the manufacturer.

The closer your store is to manufacturer direct, the lower the prices they can charge and still turn a profit. Since your local game store is a business, profit is important.

If your game store is like most, they probably give you a discount if you're a regular. A higher profit margin means they can give you a better discount without cutting into their bottom line.

Exclusive distribution contracts are bad for small game stores, as it costs them some flexibility and can cost them more money, as well.

I'll use my local game store, Phoenix Games as an example.

There are several distributors that Phoenix can go through for any given item. They each have their own pricing scales, and (in general) it's better for Phoenix to go through a smaller local distributor, because they can get better prices and there's no shipping time involved.

Diamond/Alliance Distributors are a tiered distributor. The more you buy, the greater your discount. They also have a sizeable minimum order size – one that smaller game stores may not be able to afford.

With the exclusive license, Phoenix can no longer go to a smaller distributor for WizKids products. Not unless they want to pay more for the same products (this is without accounting for WizKids' continual alienation of its own fanbase – another story for another time). Phoenix also can't just run to a local distributor to pick up a box of Pirates of the Spanish Main when he runs low. He has to order it (hoping he has enough to meet his minimum order size) and wait for the shipment to arrive. He also has to order enough in advance to cover (theoretical) demand while hoping that WizKids hasn't released yet another space-eating dud that doesn't sell.

Or that they haven't alienated their fan base with dramatic rules changes yet again.

In short, exclusive distributors reduce a game store's ability to react to a changing marketplace, and make it more expensive for them to get the games that you are asking for.

I've got a rant from Brian – the proprietor of Phoenix Games – that I'll post sometime, but he sums this whole situation up nicely:

So now I am forced to choose – pay more for WizKids products or snub my local distributors who have championed my success, and buy all my products from Alliance so that I qualify for the price I already get. I don't believe I'll give my local guys the finger, just so I can continue to carry (at my existing price) the products of a company that has, over the last couple of years, done everything they could to make selling their products as difficult as possible.

WizKids, it's been great dealing with your products. I even enjoyed a few of your games. But when you hurt local game stores, you hurt the industry as a whole. I can't – and won't – support that. I love my hobby too much.

Dungeon Twister Notes

At Origins this last week, I learned something new about the upcoming English releases of Dungeon Twister:

"Fire and Water" is being released out of order in English.

Here in the US, we'll be seeing "Forces of Darkness," followed by "Mercenaries," and THEN (Probably) "Fire and Water."

It's not a problem, it just means that we'll be getting our characters in a different order than France did.