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Old 03-25-2020, 11:30 AM   #1
oma
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
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Default W23 no physical stock

Is it normal that there be almost no physical books for sale in 4th Edition?

Almost everything seems to be a digital item. Is there a policy that all books are limited run? Is this to force a collectors market? Is there not a big enough market for multiple runs?
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Old 03-25-2020, 11:51 AM   #2
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Default Re: W23 no physical stock

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Originally Posted by oma View Post
Is it normal that there be almost no physical books for sale in 4th Edition?

Almost everything seems to be a digital item. Is there a policy that all books are limited run? Is this to force a collectors market? Is there not a big enough market for multiple runs?
So far as I can tell, the answer to that last question is no. Most books from all publishers receive limited runs, in the sense that any given print run is of finite size and subsequent print runs are not a given. If enough demand is perceived for more print runs for a given book, they'll do that. Notably, they do a pretty good job of keeping the Basic Set volumes in print. But beyond that, there's often not enough demand established to justify the investment in more print runs. If you want physical copies, there's the GURPS On Demand program. You can get physical copies of lots of books, just not via Warehouse 23.

As to trying to create a collectors' market...why on earth would they do that? It's a secondary market, so SJ Games doesn't see a penny of it, and a small number of people making money off of selling used books to each doesn't bring in new players.
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Old 03-25-2020, 10:46 PM   #3
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Default Re: W23 no physical stock

Quote:
Originally Posted by oma View Post
Is it normal that there be almost no physical books for sale in 4th Edition?

Almost everything seems to be a digital item. Is there a policy that all books are limited run? Is this to force a collectors market? Is there not a big enough market for multiple runs?
As I understand it, SJG staff would love to wander among corridors of stock of every book they've ever published, but availability is limited by realities of the market. Notably, I believe the state of Texas taxes unsold inventory, which is one of the most ludicrous taxes I've ever heard of.
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Old 03-27-2020, 04:50 PM   #4
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Default Re: W23 no physical stock

Kenzerco have also said that the current customer demand and tax laws don't make it possible for them to reprint most games (they can launch a new edition of something that they and fans like, but not afford to reprint).
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Old 03-27-2020, 07:54 PM   #5
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Default Re: W23 no physical stock

There's also shipping costs, which are really high from the U.S. to other countries.

So, Print on Demand is a good way for Steve Jackson Games and other companies to make games available and not pay inventory taxes.

Even when print was king, games company needed to be careful not to overprint. Most game supplements don't have a large market and even the core book for a game doesn't need a huge print run unless the game is very popular.

For GURPS 4th edition, well it came amount after digital. . .
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