TheRPGSite

Pen & Paper Roleplaying Central => Pen and Paper Roleplaying Games (RPGs) Discussion => Topic started by: RPGPundit on May 17, 2016, 02:39:44 AM

Title: Looking for a Little Info about OBS
Post by: RPGPundit on May 17, 2016, 02:39:44 AM
I know Wieck runs it, but who owns it?  Also Wieck? Someone else?

How many people work at OBS?

Do we have any idea how much they take in a year?
Title: Looking for a Little Info about OBS
Post by: estar on May 17, 2016, 08:29:03 AM
Quote from: RPGPundit;898249I know Wieck runs it, but who owns it?  Also Wieck? Someone else?

How many people work at OBS?

Do we have any idea how much they take in a year?

Internally every transaction at OBS get a order number. Because of Blackmarsh being downloaded very day, I can get a rough idea of the volume of their business by looking at the order # at the 1st day of the year and the 1st day of the next year. Now this doesn't mean sales is probably some of those order numbers are probably accounting related or chargeback or something else that is not sales. But tracking it from year to year can get an idea of how much OBS is growing as more business means more accounting and sales.

The link to my latest blog spot on the topic.

http://batintheattic.blogspot.com/2015/05/some-interesting-rpgnow-number-2014-15.html

A graphic I made up to 2013
[ATTACH=CONFIG]46[/ATTACH]

For 2014 the total is 1,260,111

For 2015 the total is 1,466,629

For 2016 vs. 2015 to May 17th

2015: 548,639
2016: 880,378

Mmm, looks like 2016 may represent a major uptick for their business a 50% increase in transaction over the same time last year. So far the trend appears that OBS roughly doubles their business every 3 to 3 1/2 years.
Title: Looking for a Little Info about OBS
Post by: dbm on May 17, 2016, 03:32:42 PM
In the UK we have Companies House, where all businesses need to register, including who their directors are, and submit annual financial returns if they are of a big enough size (which isn't huge).

Is there a register of companies in the US that might have similar information?
Title: Looking for a Little Info about OBS
Post by: estar on May 17, 2016, 03:45:25 PM
It is a Georgia corporation
https://ecorp.sos.ga.gov/BusinessSearch/BusinessInformation?businessId=1199473&businessType=Domestic%20Profit%20Corporation

The only thing of interest in its filing is that it look they forgot to renew corporation registration in 2011 and later fixed it. Steve Wieck is the only person named on any of the filings.

The Dun & Bradstreet entry
https://www.dandb.com/businessdirectory/onebookshelfinc.-atlanta-ga-31152520.html
Title: Looking for a Little Info about OBS
Post by: Ulairi on May 17, 2016, 03:46:53 PM
Quote from: dbm;898342In the UK we have Companies House, where all businesses need to register, including who their directors are, and submit annual financial returns if they are of a big enough size (which isn't huge).

Is there a register of companies in the US that might have similar information?

Only public companies have to submit financials in the States. I don't think OBS would have to.
Title: Looking for a Little Info about OBS
Post by: dbm on May 17, 2016, 05:37:56 PM
The D&B listing shows an annual revenue figure, though it isn't explicit about which year that relates too. It only shows two employees, too, which seems a little light even for an organisation like OBS?
Title: Looking for a Little Info about OBS
Post by: Teazia on May 17, 2016, 11:12:39 PM
Quote from: estar;898344It is a Georgia corporation
https://ecorp.sos.ga.gov/BusinessSearch/BusinessInformation?businessId=1199473&businessType=Domestic%20Profit%20Corporation

The only thing of interest in its filing is that it look they forgot to renew corporation registration in 2011 and later fixed it. Steve Wieck is the only person named on any of the filings.

The Dun & Bradstreet entry
https://www.dandb.com/businessdirectory/onebookshelfinc.-atlanta-ga-31152520.html

A backwards way to calculate their revenue would be to somehow account for their copper, platinumum level etc products.  These levels are based on sales volumes (although cumulative).  One could use OBS's cut get an idea of their revenue (perhaps historic).  I don't know if there is a readily available way to acquire this number, but a web robot/script may be able to accumulate this data.
Title: Looking for a Little Info about OBS
Post by: Ulairi on May 18, 2016, 07:14:02 AM
Quote from: dbm;898370The D&B listing shows an annual revenue figure, though it isn't explicit about which year that relates too. It only shows two employees, too, which seems a little light even for an organisation like OBS?


The D&D listing for revenue is a made up number.
Title: Looking for a Little Info about OBS
Post by: Willie the Duck on May 18, 2016, 08:06:26 AM
Any idea what their market share is?
Title: Looking for a Little Info about OBS
Post by: Michael Gray on May 18, 2016, 12:22:18 PM
Quote from: Willie the Duck;898474Any idea what their market share is?


In the world of electronic TTRPG books? Over 9000. Until fairly recently, they were it. Due to censorship concerns some other platforms have come up, but I don't know how successful they are. Or even what they are, though I know the names have been floated on the board before.
Title: Looking for a Little Info about OBS
Post by: Shipyard Locked on May 18, 2016, 12:27:33 PM
Quote from: RPGPundit;898249I know Wieck runs it, but who owns it?  Also Wieck? Someone else?

How many people work at OBS?

Do we have any idea how much they take in a year?

Are you contemplating the feasibility of something? ;)
Title: Looking for a Little Info about OBS
Post by: RPGPundit on May 21, 2016, 12:36:06 AM
Thanks for the info, Estar!
Title: Looking for a Little Info about OBS
Post by: RPGPundit on May 21, 2016, 12:36:17 AM
Quote from: Shipyard Locked;898511Are you contemplating the feasibility of something? ;)

...or something.