Game Store Survivability

[Flyerfan1991]

Here's a question that gets bandied about every so often on other forums I visit: what do you think is the long term survivability of the FLGS ("full line game store" or "friendly local game store")?

Of the game stores I frequent, one is a half RPGs/boardgames and half plastic models store, and the other is RPGs/boardgames/comics/otherstuff situated in a mall (you know, Q's employer). The first store has been around since the 70's, and they're still going strong. The second I'm honestly amazed is still kicking, given the fickleness of the mall crowd; probably a lot of that has to do with things like customer service (nod in Q's direction).

However, with the continuous march of the internet and "30% off!" discount websites, I've been wondering about the long term survivability of the venerable FLGS. Well, that and that I happened to stumble on the old Salon article on WotC, something I hadn't read in years. What do people here think of the venerable game store surviving in the next decade or so?

(I suppose it's kind of a crap shoot as to whether this should be in Gen Chat or the Gaming Industry areas, but I figured let's try Gen Chat. If it gets moved, it gets moved.)

--Mike L.

[smgray1]

Good stores will survive.

They find ways to build loyalty. They have large gaming areas. They keep vampire hours on weekends. They have refreshments and snacks for sale (high margin energy for gamers). They have friendly and enthusiastic staff. They demo new games. They demo old games. They special order. They call you when orders are in. They attend conventions. They solicit opinions from their customers. Their staff joins and the store sponsors gaming groups. They buy inventory from failed competitors. They find rare inventory at shows. They build personal networks through the shop and the web. They do not stay one dimensional or follow the trend of the day. They don't lose sight of gaming as a business.

If your customers like you, they will pay the premium for merchandise to keep the gaming area open. If they are not buying from you, they are not getting enough value from your relationship with them.

[Dread0395@gmail.com]

All,

I'll chime in on this topic for a bit. As Q's boss I can tell you a few things about the industry now.

Some of the big things in survivability of the FLGS right now are diversity, customer service, and long term strategy.

BTW, I've been to the other store Mike talks about in his post. They're great people who have thrived doing what they do.

As to me 3 points above:

Diversity: Any more a store has to be diverse in its product selection/services offered that way the store doesn't succomb to Fad death. I got into this business when Pokemon came out so I've seen/survived at least 2 fads so far. Diversity also helps a store service customers better, allowing more avenues for growth.

Customer Service: Tis a no brainer!! Keep the customers happy and they will come back. This also covers things like giving you customers the straight dope when they ask you questions. (Ask Mike how many times I've straight up told him "I don't know" instead of making something up.) Custserve also covers information dissemination. Being able to let your customers know what's up about they're poison of choice (especially when they don't expect you to know about that poison) is great!

Last but not least is Long Term Strat: At my place we are in this for the long haul. We know that we can't make everyone happy or have everything in at one time, but we work on it. We keep up with what's in development and let our customers know so they can give us feedback for orders. Our customers know we want to be here for a while and that we want them to come to us for their future needs. Keeping an eye out for future lines to carry (diversity?) also helps.

When we (as managers/owners) keep this stuff in mind we are able to keep the FLGS going. It may not be the old fashioned FLGS of your past but we have to change/evolve or die (no saving throw!!)

Hope this helped!

-Eric the Dread0395

[Witchking]

I have but two words: Booth Babes!

[Qoltar]

Originally Posted by Witchking

I have but two words: Booth Babes!

That only really works at conventions.

The store is in a mall.

However, we do have two young women working there.

- Ed

[Flyerfan1991]

Ed, I don't think I'd consider them booth babes. Not that they're not attractive, but they're not just a pretty face.

Besides, the concept of "sex sells" will only go so far.

I've been meaning to ask: since your store is in a mall, does that mean that time on the gaming tables is pretty much restricted to mall operating hours?

I guess another way an FLGS can help to bolster the gaming community is to have demo nights, or share time with the local clubs.

--Mike L.

[mechgogo]

Originally Posted by Flyerfan1991

hours?I guess another way an FLGS can help to bolster the gaming community is to have demo nights, or share time with the local clubs.--Mike L.

Indeed. One thing that The Source here in MN does is develop relationships with local clubs and encourage them as well as various other gaming associations to call their store home. What I've observed is places that actively endeavor to become a destination store-ie a place that is a social venue as well as a retail outlet-do significantly better than those that just seek to separate the consumer from their money. It fosters a sense of community, increases customer loyalty and provides free word of mouth advertising. I mean, lets face it, these forums are living testament to how much geeks like to talk about the hobby. You go out some evening and have a great time with your friends at a place it's GOING to come up in conversation later and that's going to plant the seed in other people who might not be familiar with the place you were at to go check it out. And encouraging people to come in and do demos is just good business sense. Seems like every time I bust out a new game at my Friday events I'm getting people asking me if the store carries it. It's a tactile hobby. You're more likely to buy what you've played than what you've just read the box blurb on.
Just my two silver pieces.
Mech out

[Pmandrekar]

Originally Posted by mechgogo

Indeed. One thing that The Source here in MN does is develop relationships with local clubs and encourage them as well as various other gaming associations to call their store home. What I've observed is places that actively endeavor to become a destination store-ie a place that is a social venue as well as a retail outlet-do significantly better than those that just seek to separate the consumer from their money. It fosters a sense of community, increases customer loyalty and provides free word of mouth advertising. I mean, lets face it, these forums are living testament to how much geeks like to talk about the hobby. You go out some evening and have a great time with your friends at a place it's GOING to come up in conversation later and that's going to plant the seed in other people who might not be familiar with the place you were at to go check it out. And encouraging people to come in and do demos is just good business sense. Seems like every time I bust out a new game at my Friday events I'm getting people asking me if the store carries it. It's a tactile hobby. You're more likely to buy what you've played than what you've just read the box blurb on.
Just my two silver pieces.
Mech out

Mech is absolutely right. Even on weeks where I expect to purchase nothing from the FLGS that I prefer, I make pilgrimages to the FLGS, *just* to catch up with the folks that work there. My favorite employee there (Assistant Manager), is a wonderful fellow who is a great source of information to me not only what is coming out, but what his impressions are of this or that gaming system, and what the (general) impression is about a given game in the community at large. I seem to notice the same customers hanging about, gaming, shopping, or generally wasting time at the store, which means that I'm not the only one dropping in to be social.

The Assistant Manager there has, over years of shopping there, become a friend, and a trusted resource. The Owner remembers me as a 23 year old grad student stopping in at their old location, so I have a 14 year history with this gaming store now. That's one of the reasons that I *rarely* buy from the internet.

Plus, they give me VIP/regular customer discounts and benefits that I can cash in at fairly regular spending intervals. All told, I'm not actually saving much by ordering from Amazon, and I'm supporting the local game store, and by extension, the gaming community.

I realize that this is much of what mech said, but I'm saying it from the *customer* standpoint of appreciating the effort that game stores can go to to earn my repeat business.
-P.

[mechgogo]

Well said Paraj. A good game store makes friends with the customers, building a relationship that goes both ways in terms or looking out for one another. I remember a couple years ago on National D&D Day, I overheard this nitwit commenting to his GF how much he liked friendly places like THe Source because, and I quote "They're so much easier to shoplift from" . I counted to ten, thought some VERY obscene words about this cretinous oaf who dared take such a cavalier attitude towards stealing from my friends and had a nice friendly chat with one of the honchos. He found himself shadowed the rest of his time in the store. Technically speaking, since I wasn't staff it was none of my business but I MADE IT my business because I had a relationship with the people who were staff. And that's not something I'd do for a place that treated me like nothing more than a life support system for a tragically underfed wallet.

Other things I'd recomend is easy access to restaurants, a well stocked drinks cooler, an in-house supply of snackens and close proximity to public transit. Not everyone drives. Also, if you can develop a realtionship with and promote local talent in either the writing or music fields its good. A few CDs somewhere or a rack of books/comics by local creators helps foster a sense of community connection and lets face it, a LOT of creative people have a geek streek.
Cheers!

[Qoltar]

Well it is good to have regular customers who LIKE us.

That helps quite a bit.

- Ed Charlton