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Support your local Game Store?
Cuban Commissar
 Post subject: Support your local Game Store?
PostPosted: Thu May 04, 2006 6:38 pm 
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I have a question of divided loyaties.

We have a local game store that I frequent quite often and I'm friends with the employees and owner. Its a good store that has done fairly well and recently moved to a bigger location, about 100 feet from the original spot.

A couple of years ago a local guy that I knew opened a game store directly across the street from this store.  

This man was not a nice guy and an all around just rubbed you the wrong way.  It was his declared intention to put the first game store out of business.  

I never went inside this second store even when they had 70% off sales.  I did not like the owner and I thought the whole premise of attacking another game store was just wrong.  Well two years later that store closed his doors.

So I figured that ugly episode was behind us.  Well then something happen.  

Recently another guy moved in from out of town and opened a new game store right next where the second game store was located.  Unfortunately this new game store owner was not aware of the first one being right across the street.

I went into this store for the first time last night because some friends meet there for a game.  Now I was feeling a little weird.

The owner is a very nice guy, with a nice family too, and the the store while smaller than the first is very nice.  It would be a great place to visit if it wasn't for the fact that it was in direct competition with another one so close that I have ties to.  

So I feeling real conflicted, can you really support two game stores in such close proximity to each other?  

I mean everytime you buy something, run demos, or play a game you are denying that same money and time from a place yards away.  

In my circle of gaming associates and friends I have some that would go to one and not the other.  It's really weird.

How does one ride this fence.  It feels like I'm being forced to make a choice and I really hate that feeling.  

Well I don't know if this is a rant or a question but there is the situation.
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Dwarf Supreme
 Post subject: Support your local Game Store?
PostPosted: Thu May 04, 2006 8:10 pm 
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I know what you're going through, from first hand experience.

For the longest time there was only one hobby store in my hometown. It opened when I was 13 and I got to know a couple of the owners pretty well. It didn't take too long for me to become a regular customer and for the primary owner to recognize me whenever I went in.

About 15 years later, a second hobby store opened, not across the street but a couple of miles away. At the time, both sold GW stuff, AH games and D&D stuff (this was during the SM2 era). So, for me there was quite a bit of overlap of products. However, it was a total overlap. The old store sold model kits, which the new one didn't and the new sold comic books and video games, which the old store didn't sell.

I know for a fact that the new store was trying to steal customers from the first store and succeeded to a certain extent, especially for those gamers who could walk to the new store, whereas before they needed a ride from mommy to the old store, which was the only hobby store in town.

The owner of the new store was nice enough and I did buy a few epic blisters from him, since he was having a Grand Opening sale, but I did feel like a traitor. I even felt guilty simply walking in the new store. I truly felt an allegiance to the old store, which continues to this day.

What I decided on was to go to the new store only for those things I couldn't get at the old store. I realized that I didn't want to take sales away from the old store, since they had been good to me for so long.

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The_Real_Chris
 Post subject: Support your local Game Store?
PostPosted: Thu May 04, 2006 11:13 pm 
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To be honest I'd buy from the cheapest for Epic and accessories - but then again we don't rely on shops for opponents and play space.

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primarch
 Post subject: Support your local Game Store?
PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 1:11 am 
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Hi!

As an ex-retailer and store owner, a bit of advice...

..you dont OWE either of them anything. Not your money, your patronage or time.....

..they must EARN those.

So support that one that caters to YOUR needs. Its really that simple. Go to both and see which, for your money, treats you best.

Primarch

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dafrca
 Post subject: Support your local Game Store?
PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 3:36 am 
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Although I agree with Primarch 99.5%, I do want to make one point.

While you don't owe them anything as a retailer, you do owe your friends honesty.

Regardless what you do, do not try and pretend you did not make a choice.  If you elect to support one store over the other, be honest and stand by your choice. That means even if you run into the other and they ask about your not going by.

If you do try and support both, do not worry about it. That is your right.

OK, enough of my rant.  :p

dafrca

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nealhunt
 Post subject: Support your local Game Store?
PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 2:49 pm 
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The new game store did so little market research before opening a location that they didn't know the other one was there...  That's either stupendously naive or he's lying.

Of course, with the way I see most game stores being run maybe it really is naivete.

===

In any case, I would agree with Primarch.  I've had 2 stores within 15-20 minutes of me before.  I patronized both and gave the most business to the one that would let me do playtests and demos during EA development.  I "spread the love" based on what I wanted, who had it in stock, and who was running the games I wanted to play at that particular time.

Now the local GW store is ~20-25 minutes away and pretty much the same thing stands.  Generally, the GW store is much better run and will do whatever they need to for me to get my Epic fix.  The indy story does a crappy job of supplying GW stuff (he's convinced it's not worth the effort with the competition) but he carries a lot of other products.  Non-GW is pretty much the only stuff I buy there because of that.

No need to pick and no need to feel bad about it.

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Dwarf Supreme
 Post subject: Support your local Game Store?
PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 3:13 pm 
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Looks like I'm in the minority. I guess I should mention that the old hobby store always gives me a "preferred customer" discount on everything I buy.

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Cuban Commissar
 Post subject: Support your local Game Store?
PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 3:34 pm 
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Your not in the minority Dwarf, or I'm in there with you.  

Unfortuately what the second store carries that the first doesn't doesn't does not interest me.  Mostly an additional line of fantasy figures nad made fantasy terrian.  

It's such a waste.  It's not like we have enough gamers as it is that we afford to divide each other up into different camps.  AGHH!!    :80:
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dafrca
 Post subject: Support your local Game Store?
PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 3:50 pm 
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Quote (Dwarf Supreme @ 05 May 2006 (07:13))
Looks like I'm in the minority. I guess I should mention that the old hobby store always gives me a "preferred customer" discount on everything I buy.

I would not say Minority, so much as we are saying this is a choice for you to make and should not be done out of guilt.

The discount is something that needs to be factored in, but if the local knitting store gave me a 25% discount it would not matter, I would not go there because they do not offer things I want to buy.

Silly example I know, but your loyalty should be based on service, product mix, other extras like the discount. Then what ever you elect to do, NO GUILT!  :D

dafrca

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Cuban Commissar
 Post subject: Support your local Game Store?
PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 5:52 pm 
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I'm a Catholic Cuban guilt will always be a factor.... :D  :p
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primarch
 Post subject: Support your local Game Store?
PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 11:15 pm 
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Quote (dafrca @ 04 May 2006 (22:36))
Although I agree with Primarch 99.5%, I do want to make one point.

While you don't owe them anything as a retailer, you do owe your friends honesty.

Regardless what you do, do not try and pretend you did not make a choice. ?If you elect to support one store over the other, be honest and stand by your choice. That means even if you run into the other and they ask about your not going by.

If you do try and support both, do not worry about it. That is your right.

OK, enough of my rant. ?:p

dafrca

Hi!

Personally, I have given up on LGS. The internet is my sole provider now.

Online stores have everything I could ever want all the time and at a hefty discount.

In business you adapt.. or die. LGS are rapidly becoming obsolete IMO.

Primarch

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dafrca
 Post subject: Support your local Game Store?
PostPosted: Sat May 06, 2006 4:08 am 
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Quote (Cuban Commissar @ 05 May 2006 (09:52))
I'm a Catholic Cuban guilt will always be a factor.... :D ?:p

I am sorry.  :;):

Then let me say, lower levels of guilt then.  :laugh:

dafrca

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dafrca
 Post subject: Support your local Game Store?
PostPosted: Sat May 06, 2006 4:25 am 
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Quote (primarch @ 05 May 2006 (15:15))
In business you adapt.. or die. LGS are rapidly becoming obsolete IMO.

I sort of agree. The LGS has entered a new phase of life. They will adapt or die, true. But I do not agree it does not have a place. The LGS can offer quite a lot to the local players etc, if they elect to do so.

The successful store going forward will be a clean, professional workplace. It will understand the need to expand their coverage into other fields besides just games. It will treat clients like clients, not someone who is interrupting their game/conversation about their 45th level Druid/Fighter/thief. Special orders will be not only accepted, but encouraged. Game areas will be well lit and clean. Rules of behavior will be posted and enforced. Gone will be the dirty, unkempt dark dudgeons of the past. Parents will feel comfortable with allowing their 12-14 year olds to be near the employees of the store.

Bottom line is any real store who wants to know how to look need only look at the GW store near my house. If they want to see how it should not be done, just visit the LGS here.

dafrca

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Cuban Commissar
 Post subject: Support your local Game Store?
PostPosted: Mon May 08, 2006 3:02 am 
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Quote (dafrca @ 05 May 2006 (21:08))
Quote (Cuban Commissar @ 05 May 2006 (09:52))
I'm a Catholic Cuban guilt will always be a factor.... :D ?:p

I am sorry. ?:;):

Then let me say, lower levels of guilt then. ?:laugh:

dafrca

I'm on the patch now... :D
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dafrca
 Post subject: Support your local Game Store?
PostPosted: Mon May 08, 2006 3:07 am 
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Quote (Cuban Commissar @ 07 May 2006 (19:02))
Quote (dafrca @ 05 May 2006 (21:08))
Quote (Cuban Commissar @ 05 May 2006 (09:52))
I'm a Catholic Cuban guilt will always be a factor.... :D ?:p

I am sorry. ?:;):

Then let me say, lower levels of guilt then. ?:laugh:

dafrca

I'm on the patch now... :D

Hahahahahaahaha

Yes, I think a lot of us could use a patch.  :;):

dafrca

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