Wargame/Tabletop/GW selling sites?

Started by undercovergeek, March 03, 2018, 05:03:26 PM

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undercovergeek

I follow a FLGS on facebook and after 9 years as a bricks and mortar business hes retiring and selling up

In the sale spiel the guy says he set it up originally as internet only in 2003

What i dont understand is how does an independent retailer exist when the stock he is selling is already available on the principal companys own web portal. He sells GW, XWing, Warlord Games etc etc im just struggling with the concept.

I play Bolt Action, if i want an army, a paint, a sprue i go to Warlord games bricks and mortar store or oder from Warlord games - what is it that makes people buy from this guy instead? Do the main companies actually undercut themselves to be sold independently?

The guys is claiming a turnover of 190k so hes obviously doing it right

Nefaro

#1
You talking minis games?

I'm not a minis player, but I've had good experiences ordering a couple things from Miniature Market in the past (board games).

https://www.miniaturemarket.com/


They're in St Louis, MO.  So I don't use them as often as I normally would because I get hit with extra state tax.

I see the have Bolt Action stuff, among others.

undercovergeek

Yeah it's not that I'm looking for a supplier I'm just wondering why customers order from an independents web site - we have goblin games over here selling warlord stuff at the same price as warlord themselves but there's obviously a market in it

Staggerwing

Quote from: undercovergeek on March 04, 2018, 04:18:05 AM
Yeah it's not that I'm looking for a supplier I'm just wondering why customers order from an independents web site - we have goblin games over here selling warlord stuff at the same price as warlord themselves but there's obviously a market in it

I cannot say for sure but I think game publishers sell to the shops at such a lower price because that is still where a lot of the most business is. Also, having your stuff in the shops will cause folks to notice it who have not come across it online, so it's a sort of advertising in it's own way, much like the 'show-rooming' effect in electronics stores. If those customers buy in the store then the shop owner will order more. If the customer instead goes home and buys online from the publisher, that's good too. Win-win for the latter.
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Rybon66

#4
Well as a player of multiple mini-games.   I know that at my local FLG I have a punch card that fills up as I buy product.   The punch card gives me a 20% discount on a purchase.  I save them for a big purchase.   I find my self buying stuff after playing a game at the shop because I need something new and cool.   Sometime people just want the interaction of going in and picking up right away.   I mean I have more miniatures right now than I could paint in a lifetime but I still buy more.  I think it is because I see it at the store and think I need it.   I know that is the mentality of most gamer's.