shops

signoftheserpent · May 02, 2007, 08:13:04 AM

Is it better to have no shop at all than one that doesn't know how to sell rpg's or one that sells rpg's badly?

flyingmice · May 02, 2007, 08:23:18 AM

Is bad game shopping better than no game shopping, you mean?

-clash

Abyssal Maw · May 02, 2007, 08:25:05 AM

Game shops are dead as of 1998. If I can't get it online or at Amazon.. I usually don't get it.

signoftheserpent · May 02, 2007, 08:26:09 AM

What I mean: is it better to have a shop that has crap stock, staff that don't kno what they rpg's are about or how to sell them than no shop at all?

I believe it's better to have no shop at all.

Blue Devil · May 02, 2007, 09:11:00 AM

Quote from: signoftheserpentWhat I mean: is it better to have a shop that has crap stock, staff that don't kno what they rpg's are about or how to sell them than no shop at all?

I believe it's better to have no shop at all.

Yes, it's better to have no game stores then a bad game stores.

If you have a bad game store around you go to another one or buy your items online. Eventually the bad game store will go away.

Drew · May 02, 2007, 04:06:32 PM

A crappy store at least has the potential to change. Once it disappears though it's highly unlikely another will emerge to take its place, and not everyone has the luxury of net access or a regular group to play with.

Wil · May 02, 2007, 04:27:22 PM

Quote from: signoftheserpentIs it better to have no shop at all than one that doesn't know how to sell rpg's or one that sells rpg's badly?

Yes.

Wil · May 02, 2007, 04:28:19 PM

Quote from: DrewA crappy store at least has the potential to change. Once it disappears though it's highly unlikely another will emerge to take its place, and not everyone has the luxury of net access or a regular group to play with.

I've learned it is not worth the time or effort to wait for a crappy store to change. And to actually try to influence that change is even worse.

Drew · May 02, 2007, 04:36:30 PM

Quote from: WilI've learned it is not worth the time or effort to wait for a crappy store to change. And to actually try to influence that change is even worse.

I'm not advocating camping out with placards or anything, or even shopping at a store that provides crappy service. It's just that gaming stores are fewer and farther between than ever, and at least provide a focal point for the local community that just isn't achievable through non-internet methods.

Where there's life there's hope. Once a store goes under it's likely that the one retail point for rpg's in the area is gone forever. It may not mean much to you or I, but to the lone thirteen year-old just getting into gaming it could be huge.

jgants · May 02, 2007, 04:43:21 PM

Quote from: DrewA crappy store at least has the potential to change. Once it disappears though it's highly unlikely another will emerge to take its place, and not everyone has the luxury of net access or a regular group to play with.

Nah, as long as there are gamers with no real job skills and parents with money, there will always be new, poorly-run shops opening up to take the place of those that closed.

Wil · May 02, 2007, 04:47:52 PM

I actually just discovered something I was completely unaware of somewhat close to me:

http://www.dailybulletin.com/upland/ci_3887669

I want to go check it out, but they seem to have hit on something I've never seen before. Classes. They are actually running after school programs and pay-by-the-hour classes on a variety of gaming related subjects.

Drew · May 02, 2007, 04:48:08 PM

Quote from: jgantsNah, as long as there are gamers with no real job skills and parents with money, there will always be new, poorly-run shops opening up to take the place of those that closed.

I can't say that's true in my area. London stores have slowly dwindled over the last 20 years to the point that there's only 3 now to speak of, catering to a metroploitan population of 7.5 million+.

Blue Devil · May 02, 2007, 05:20:49 PM

I have two FLGS's where I am, a really close SFLGS (Simi-Friendly Local Game Store) and a FLGS which is about 20 minutes away.

I went to the SFLGS today and I have to say the place is getting more and more disgusting. The store has crap all over the place, and I think the manager there has decided to stop cleaning the place up totally now.

I may start going out of my way to shop because that store has become real shite.

I think it would be better to have no store then that store.

Wil · May 02, 2007, 05:47:46 PM

The real kicker here is that the existence of a local game store is often cited as being the best way to entice people who are interested or inclined to actually game - by giving them a place to be able to see the products, play in demos, interact with other gamers face to face, etc. The problem is that a poorly run store - with bad customer service, dirty, cluttered, rude customers, whatever - is more likely to reinforce bad stereotypes and drive people away. So, yes, I believe that regionally having no game store is better than having a bad one.

signoftheserpent · May 02, 2007, 06:19:47 PM

Quote from: WilI've learned it is not worth the time or effort to wait for a crappy store to change. And to actually try to influence that change is even worse.

I can't imagine how you could change such places; certainly the people working there aren't going to suddenly become star retailers and rpg experts just because you say so I would think. Asking them to stock certain products in spite of that just seems futile (especially if you don't then buy them all!)

shops

Blue Devil

Blue Devil