That, by cutting off all internet sales, they make the pirates and those who have copied their molds are are selling "counterfiet" GW miniatures stick out like a sore thumb.
>The problem is: does that employee provide half a
>day's worth of value-add to the customer?
A good employee does. They are informed regarding the gaming industry and can talk to the customer regarding upcoming releases, etc. They can point a customer quickly to where to find the item they are looking for and/or take a special order for the customer for a product that isn't there. They provide a referee and placedo "parent" to keep the gamers in the place under control. They keep the store clean and throw the trash out left by those same gamers. They move stock from the backroom to the front when it's needed and they help the store stay in business by helping to prevent shoplifting.
Of course, try hiring an good employee on the minimum wage that is all that the average FLGS owner can afford to pay.:-)
But even a mediocre employee can provide one undeniable advantage - they allow for the store to stay open 7 days a week while giving the owner a day (or even two) off.
What your friend said is essentially correct. In order to get a reasonable discount the FLGS (friendly local game store) has to invest heavily into Games Workshop, in money, time (=money) and floor/wall space (=rent money). The kind of investment required by a small business/Weird Pete sized store is significant. Returnability is also an issue for the stores, as well as "inventory creep" where the stores get stuck with an ever increasing pile of unsellable "outdated" miniatures.
It's not easy carrying GW.
Unfortunately, what was said before about people browsing the local store only to buy from the internet is incorrect. It happens all the time and is putting a serious hurt on FLGS's. If any of you are near a game store that offers regular Warhammer games go hang around one sometime. Ask a couple of the players where they bought their cards at - 60% of them (at least!) will happily tell you that they bought them online at so and so for half of what the store charges! All the while blithly unconcerned that they are playing in a store who has to pay rent on the game space that the players are using for free. . .
The same trend is there for Magic:The Gathering - though I would guess that the online sales count for 90%+ of the cards that show up in a tournament.
While there are things to call GW to task for regarding their selling methods, this is probably not be one of them.
Slashdot Mirror
You may have forgotten one reason.
That, by cutting off all internet sales, they make the pirates and those who have copied their molds are are selling "counterfiet" GW miniatures stick out like a sore thumb.
>day's worth of value-add to the customer?
A good employee does. They are informed regarding the gaming industry and can talk to the customer regarding upcoming releases, etc. They can point a customer quickly to where to find the item they are looking for and/or take a special order for the customer for a product that isn't there. They provide a referee and placedo "parent" to keep the gamers in the place under control. They keep the store clean and throw the trash out left by those same gamers. They move stock from the backroom to the front when it's needed and they help the store stay in business by helping to prevent shoplifting.
Of course, try hiring an good employee on the minimum wage that is all that the average FLGS owner can afford to pay. :-)
But even a mediocre employee can provide one undeniable advantage - they allow for the store to stay open 7 days a week while giving the owner a day (or even two) off.
What your friend said is essentially correct. In order to get a reasonable discount the FLGS (friendly local game store) has to invest heavily into Games Workshop, in money, time (=money) and floor/wall space (=rent money). The kind of investment required by a small business/Weird Pete sized store is significant. Returnability is also an issue for the stores, as well as "inventory creep" where the stores get stuck with an ever increasing pile of unsellable "outdated" miniatures.
It's not easy carrying GW.
Unfortunately, what was said before about people browsing the local store only to buy from the internet is incorrect. It happens all the time and is putting a serious hurt on FLGS's. If any of you are near a game store that offers regular Warhammer games go hang around one sometime. Ask a couple of the players where they bought their cards at - 60% of them (at least!) will happily tell you that they bought them online at so and so for half of what the store charges! All the while blithly unconcerned that they are playing in a store who has to pay rent on the game space that the players are using for free. . .
The same trend is there for Magic:The Gathering - though I would guess that the online sales count for 90%+ of the cards that show up in a tournament.
While there are things to call GW to task for regarding their selling methods, this is probably not be one of them.