To defend my previous post:

I made a comment saying that it was the responsibility of the stores to adjust their pricing such that they were getting a fair return on their services. I did not mean that I think they should adjust their pricing on merchandise in order to compete with online sources. Rather, I meant that they should charge for the service they are rendering (providing a place to play) rather than trying to offer an altogether different, inferior service (reselling booster boxes) and expect gamers to purchase one, when what they really want is the other. I realize this transition can't take place overnight, and I do take that into account when planning my purchases.

If I hung out at my gaming store 24/7, I probably would buy all of my product there; but, since I do most of my gaming with friends, at home, and only play in 1-2 events per month, I don't see a problem with purchasing the bulk of my cards elsewhere.

I do appreciate the service gaming stores provide, and thats why I generally try to make certain kinds of purchases there; but the idea that 100% of your collection needs to be purchased on-site if you want to play is out-dated.

I have been visiting this site daily because I am very excited about the Marvel card game. I am looking forward to seeing all you guys at Origins as we do battle for X-Men #1 and a chance to play on the pro tour. I read this article and while I see your heart is in the right place, I have to disagree with your take on the online seller. I am a comic/gaming shop owner. We opened a year ago last January after doing 2 years of business online. We have a great local gaming community, lots of loyal customers, and are growing everyday. And we do it because we sell both in our community and online. Our city is small, so we have to sell online. We offer the same types of discounts in store that you can get from our eBay sales or online store. We price singles at what they sell on eBay because that is the only true way to set your retail prices.

Any store owner that does not recognize the need to sell online is simply asking to be put out of business.

Any store owner that doesn't offer discounts to loyal customers is asking to be put out of business.

The average consumer has so many options available and to ask him/her not to use all of those options is unfair and unrealistic. Yes, there is a lot of overhead involved with having a brick and mortar store, but if you watch costs and offer a wide variety of things for your consumers, it isn't that hard to manage. It's not rocket science. Clean, stocked, friendly store with lots of fun things for the kids and older players, accessories and vending items. That's it. We run a tight ship and I doubt we will ever be millionaires but we do get to play games for a living.

I just wanted to defend those store owners that are sensible enough to exercise all options to make a dollar or two by embracing all aspects of the retail industry. You cannot bury your head in the sand and hope that e-tailers will go away.
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Luca cordero di montezemolo

Bravo mindgameonline!! I wish your business all the best.

I completely agree that shops need to be more agressive and compete with today's market, and ebay is very important to stay ahead of that curve, my question is this...

Do you sell boxes of cards for $50 and your comics for $1.50?

I agree with you that comic and gaming shops have to compete with e-tailers but I think that e-tailers are undercutting to the point that it effects even good shop owners.

mindgamesonline:

As much as I agree with your post, I do notice that you don't sell boosters online. I think you agree that there are some things you just can't sell online and match price-wise in-store without losing money.

But your post just confirms the heart of Kergi's article. Your local store does well because of the local community... not the online community. If all the local players decided to just buy online, would you be able to keep your store open?

You and evilspider are right... the store must do things to keep the locals shopping there. But I believe they do it more because of loyalty and positive experience than pricing. If we were to ONLY use cost as a decision maker for buying CCG stuff... then NO ONE would go to a local store because it's cheaper online.

And that's all we are saying... even if you can't do it monetarily... support your local gaming store!!

On a philosophical note...

I believe that too many people out there today feel that getting something as cheap as possible is more important than loyalty to those small business owners trying to make a living and build community.

There are a lot of great shops out there and I hear people tell me all the time that they don't want to go to the local shop because it's cheaper on the net; Then you look at the local shop and he gives discounts, encourages tournament play and bends over backwards for almost anyone in his store. Can he afford to give it to you at 5%-10% over cost, probably not.

I don't think people understand that there is more to life than saving a few bucks... I think that the mentality of "I've got mine screw you" is becoming more and more pervasive in this country as years pass and it upsets me. I don't see comic buying and gaming as dollars and cents, I see it as the things that make me happiest in life. I don't mind giving away some cards or figures to the local kid who wants to learn how to play. I don't mind paying a little more to support John (the shops owner). This subject is important to me because I feel that we're losing community everywhere we turn. We need to focus on building a strong community and less about money and competition... It's not about money and it's not about winning, "It's all about the game."

So much good stuff to respond to

Martain41:
I completely agree. My son saw some magic cards and thought they looked cool so I bought a box online for just for us to play around with. We had no plan to play in tournaments so I felt no need to pay the big price

MindGamesOnline:
Good for you that you have made a way to make the business work. Having been in and out of the business for so many years it is always good to hear from someone like you. Making a living playing games is fun. I just wish more people that did it thought of it as a business like you do.

You may be my husband, but I have to agree otherwise. There's a difference between comic/gaming stores who sell online, and distributors who sell online. DIstributors can manage to sell at cost, whereas, if a gaming store wants to make any profit (and ocver the expense of the listing), they automatically have to charge more per booster.

Our last booster auction (Duel Masters CCG) did not even make cost when the auctions ended. By suggesting that stores compete with online sales, is it being implied that stores should sell ALL boosters at that price, thus losing money?

It's NOT going to happen. While I will not dissuade people from buying online (cause we've all done it to get cheaper busts and statues, or single cards), my theory still stands that eventually, without the support of the consumer, local stores will go out of business, and all of your gaming/comic supplies, IF the continue to exist, will be available online ONLY, and you'll have to play on your dining room table.

If that's the way you want it, fine.

I think the reality of this thread is that you have comsumers and store owners, or employees, who understand the business and whose income IS the business, whereas the consumer wants the best deal possible, which a local store cannot always make.

Actually, we do sell boxes on eBay when a new set is released. Most of you know, for retailers, the more you order, the bigger the discount. So to get boxes in for the store at a good price that we can pass along to the consumer, we order a huge amount (far more than the amount needed for local players) and liquidate the remainder on eBay. We also open quite a few and list the singles on eBay to be able to price the singles in store.

Comics are an entirely different issue. We do not sell them online and we do not discount them other than any subscriber discounts we might offer. If we did sell them online, we would discount to stay competitive. Comics are different in that shipping costs so much to keep them safe that is often cheaper to just buy it from your local comic shop.

Actually, after reading through all these wonderful posts a second time, I do in fact see the online issue in a different light. I do hate deep discounters (although they certainly have a place in the retail chain). But it isn't that hard to compete with them. Most consumers recognize the value that local card shops give them and realize that in fact there is overhead and extra costs involved with running a store. They are willing to pay a bit more for the product. But that doesn't give the retailer the right to gouge the consumer.

But yes, support your local game shop!! Especially the ones that have a cool owner like me that is going to kick your butts on the pro tour someday! ;-)
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Big #### latino

You're lucky in that your store can afford to buy so many booster boxes.

My store cannot, which DOES make it difficult to compete with distributors who are selling boosters at cost or below. =\ It may work well for your store, but not for every store, and that's where the problem lies.

This discussion has gone on for three pages and you people are still being civil to each other? C'MOOOOOON! Making cogent points is NOTHING compared to what I heard 'bout Yo Mama. Yeah, you! The one reading this! Wanna make somthin' of it? :)

All kidding aside, I just have to say kudos to everyone for what so far has been an in-depth, friendly exchange of ideas. It almost makes me not want to destroy you all with my inevitable overpowered, borken Dr. Doom / Joker deck.

Almost.

As for me personally, I'm in the middle. I plan on buying plenty of boosters from my local store, but my box purchase was from an online retailer.

To be quite honest, I never even considered the possibility of buying booster boxes from my local store. Hey, I'm new to this! ;) I always thought box orders were something you could just do online...have to check that possibility out.

it's a vicious cycle. i like to call the Wal-mart syndrome. deep pockets thrive on destroying small business. and the government lets it happen. in this country a person a free to have his own business. blah blah blah. with the cost of overhead, rent, taxes, etc. especially with something like comics and cards. a small business has to sell quite a bit just to stay in business. it happens everywhere people want their goods cheap. money doesn't grow on tree's. it's understandable for someone to go to wal-mart vs joe schmoz because the juggernaut's just plain cheaper. and on the other end, you have a product and you want to push that product let's say you want your product in a multitude of stores for exposure. but certain companies will say no, you have to cut me a deal. i won't buy unless you can sell me x number of cases. and i won't buy x number of cases unless the price is this.now you really want their business so you cut them a nice deal. (for them) how do you make up for that by selling to 20 small businesses at a higher cost. which means their mark up is significantly less and harder to push. hence, your post. see "big" business demands lower cost or they won't deal. small business very rarely gets too much of a break unless they take a chance and buy maybe more than what they need. and more times than not. your inventory's out of control . just to catch a few breaks. look at hero clix made in china. they get the equivalent to 50 cents an hour. mexico gets about $1.50. how much is made in USA anymore. where's our government. just thoughts.

I disagree, like Ben Franklin said a penny saved is a penny earned.
You make it sound like buying online is a personal assault on local retailers, it's not. I don't order online laughing maniacally as lighting strikes in the background. I'm not Professor chaos plotting the demise of stores in my basement as my lackeys go forth and do my bidding. I was pretty peeved when Wizkids lowered the number of figs by one, and then raised the price a dollar! I love yu gi oh but the boosters like anywhere from 4-6 bucks, and duel masters is also like 3.50 to 4 dollars. If I can get 20 figures for 2 dollars, or all the Dbz commons from the Buu saga for 5 bucks I'm sorry but I'm buying online.

*raises hands*

EBAY 4 LIVE!!

I'll have the balls to say it: You don't care about community, local retailers, or the longevity of your game. You care about yourself.

Sorry, but when you're playing alone in your bathtub one day I hope you enjoy it.

The point of the conversation regarding your attitude isn't that it's because you live too far away to drive; it's that you don't give a rat's ### about anyone but yourself.

Fine by me. I hope you're feeding your kids with the money you're saving, at least.

That was the most asinine self-righteous. pompous comment I have ever heard on this thread.

No I don't think only of myself you self, but I do think of my responsibilities FIRST, as in the family I support, and the bills I have to pay. I care about the community but not at the expense of more important matters. Don't seek to form an opinion on me when you don't know me.

Thank you for ruining an otherwise civil and thought worthy debate with your crass personal attack on my character.