My last article on Dicebucket was the catalyst for a good discussion on online discounting. (and some moronic trolls but we sent them back under the bridge). So I thought I would take some time to look at arguments for and against online discounters.
Now, first of all, a few disclosures.
1) I founded Dice of War Games in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. I am very close to the new owners and managers there, and we discuss this all the time.
2) I am good friends with Rob Baer of Spikey Bits. Spikey Bits, along with The War Store, are probably the two best online retailers, and who I have bought from when my Friendly Local Game Stores (FLGS) have not had what I needed.
So I am pretty vested in the industry, and have seen all sides. So here is my take:
Pro
1) Online Retailers help gamers by offering games and supplies at a discount. In a market that is increasingly expensive, they do the same thing Wal-Mart or Amazon do.
2) With Games Workshop prices getting ridiculous, Online Discounters are often the only way people can afford to buy GW product.
3) For gamers who don't have a FLGS, they are often the only way to get games.
So basically, they sell cheap, they allow people to keep playing GW games, which are increasingly out of the budget of many players, and they are an option for those with no nearby game store.
Did I miss something? I think those are pretty much the arguments for.
Con
1) Online retailers don't help the hobby grow. They are not bringing new people into the hobby.
2) Online retailers hurt your FLGS by taking business away.
Now that last point is dangerous. What is the FLGS responsibility here? The FLGS has to make a compelling case for WHY you should pay full price. They have a responsibility to create the business case for why you would buy at that store. Great tables, great service, a nice atmosphere.
The FLGS also has a responsibility to make sure the players in its stores are buying in their stores. Now, if they don't care, well then, that is bad business. Then again, that is one reason many game stores go out of business, the owners are gamers not business people and treat the store like a club.
But the stores I know of, make a point to tell players that they have to buy at the store if they want to use the tables. And if a player had a problem with this, then they are frakking morons.
Players owe loyalty to the store they play at. I know my buddies and I ALWAYS paid full price at the Los Angeles Games Workshop Battle Bunker, because that is where we played. It wasn't a question. (I just bought less once GWs prices started sky rocketing, but by that time I also had most of my army done and all my hobby $ were going to Forge World.)
EXAMPLE
Dice of War gives 10% off of GW. Why? Well, Pegasus Hobbies, the best hobby shop in Southern California (and 15 minutes away), gives 20% off. Pegasus doesn't have any gaming space, and game sales aren't important to them (Like all hobby shops, they make all their $ off of R/C), so Larry the owner gives 20% off because he wants to undercut the local game stores.
So Dice of War gives 10% off because they feel that you will be willing to pay the extra 10% to have a great store to play in. DoW has 8 tables, and great terrain. The store is carpeted, has awesome service and good events. The managers are great people who love gaming.
Now, that is good business. And DoW has every right to say that if you want to play in their store, you need to buy there. And frankly, if you don't, then you are an idiot to think they would allow you to play there.
So, ultimately, the FLGS has a responsibility to EARN the gamers business.
Dicebucket
My main pet peeve about Dicebucket was that they had an online shopping cart, despite GW's prohibition. They thought they were smarter than GW and could get by cheating the rules. Well, they learned (albeit after almost 2 years) that cheating catches up with you. You may not like that rule, and I think many GW rules for retailers are bullshit, but you want to sell, you need to play on the same playing field that other retailers play on. By having a shopping cart, Dicebucket had an unfair advantage over other online retailers.
Now, GW has reserved the online shopping cart for themselves. They have every right to do that. And what it does is say, you want to order on the best platform and the easiest method, well you pay for it. You want to buy online at a discount? Well, we are going to make that harder. And I support GW 100% in this.
Summary
So, to summarize, online retailing is not, by itself, bad for the hobby. But it does make it harder for local game stores. The FLGS though, has a responsibility to earn the customers they get. So if you have a FLGS, support it if you want to game there. And if you don't want to game there, go ahead and buy online, but don't bitch if that store goes out of business and you have no place to hang out. After all, we all like hanging out at a game store. We WANT it to be like "Cheers" and we all want to be Norm. Norm didn't bring his beer with him.
Loken