Behind the Counter
GTS offers a lot of cool things, including seminars by retailers highlighting the how-to's and such of retailing, a huge exhibition hall featuring a virtual who's who of the game industry publishers and manufacturers, meals sponsored by big game companies, a fun lounge to relax in (hosted by the Retail Division of GAMA), and more! There's also an industry-only Poker tournament, several other gaming events, open gaming in the evenings, and some other activities. Of course, it's Las Vegas, and if you can't find SOMETHING to do in Vegas, well - you just ain't tryin!
The Riviera celebrated it's 50th birthday in April 2005, so the hotel is not a new, sparkly casino - but it does have some cool history - and the convention facilities themselves are very nice. Over 2175 total attendees were at GTS last March, and it should be another record crowd this year. (GTS has enjoyed like 4 years of record setting crowds in a row!)
If you own, or are about to open, a Game Store anywhere in the world, you would be well advised to set time aside and attend the GAMA Trade Show in March, 2006.
As a retailer, I will be attending again for three reasons:
- Education
- Information
- Fun
Education
The GAMA Trade Show (GTS) each hear showcases dozens of "seminars" which are, quite frankly, the best way for a retailer like me to get educated on topics ranging from personnel issues (Hiring and firing of employees), to expansion (how to open stores number 2, 3 and beyond), from how to sell comics in your game store, to how to negotiate your lease, and how to advertise; just about every topic is covered.
The GAMA Retail Division (GRD) hosts and plans the seminars, and recruits speakers for the "classroom" discussions. Retailers like Dave & Kelli Wallace (who own 7 stores) and Jim Crocker (who owns one really cool store) as well as many other notable retailers who, each year, give their time and efforts at GTS to help educate retailers. I think this is commendable, and thank all of the wonderful retailers who give of their time to benefit others. You Guys, and Gals: ROCK!
For a retailer, GTS is a good show if all they do is show up and attend seminars. It is well worth the time away from their shops (EVEN if they had to close their shops to attend!) Just to attend those seminars is a HUGE benefit for any retailer. There are also seminars aimed at new publishers and manufacturers, writers and artists, and freelancers of all kinds.
I have retold the story of how I doubled my sales the year I attended my first GTS - and that is true. I had been a retailer for 13 years when I first attended, so I believe any games retailer could benefit from attending GTS.
Information
Of course, GTS is not just seminars. There is the exhibitors hall, jam-packed with over a hundred exhibitors (possibly as many as two hundred!), ranging from Alliance, ACD, Blackhawk, Brockhurst, Premier and other distributors, to Chessex, Crystal Caste, and Koplow dice manufactures (to name just a few). Just about everybody who is anybody in the GAME INDUSTRY is at GTS. There are so many publishers and exhibitors that if you took 15 minutes in each booth, you could NOT talk to everyone at the show in the three days the exhibitors hall is open. And, there are always lots of announcements about new products, new projects, and new lines announced at GTS: at the meals and in the Exhibitors Hall. I can hardly wait!
I find it exciting to hear about all the new games, miniatures and dice lines coming out, I dig getting the "Scoop" on things like that straight from the source from Wizards of the Coast, WizKids or Upper Deck (to name a few), and I love meeting the up-and-coming companies owners and staff, too. I usually FILL a legal pad of notes from the exhibitors hall - what I want to buy, what I want to order immediately, what we want to take pre orders from our customers on, all kinds of things!!
Last year, I went to the GPA (Game Publishers Association) cooperative booth and spoke to every exhibitor there in more depth. Guys like Bill from Cabil - who produce some cool-ass terrain making software for table top miniatures and RPG gamers. I spoke to Ann from Grey Ghost Games - makers of FUDGE. I spoke to every publisher at the GPA booth, and this resulted in my deciding to bring in 4 new lines of products, and about 12 new titles. I also spent extra time at the Guardians of Order booth, the Mongoose Publishing booth and the Green Ronin booths. These are three companies that do really well for me, and I wanted to talk to the owners personally and discuss their products, find out what is coming out, what is going out of print, what they are going to reprint, stuff like that.
As far as "information" goes, GTS has it all. Last year, I literally took 27 pages of notes at GTS while talking to publishers and manufacturers. I took several more pages of notes attending seminars (and giving a couple of seminars) and attending meetings.
I also attended a side impromptu meeting on the topic of "How to best carry and support board games" which was hosted by a fellow retailer, Steve Ellis. Honestly, that one meeting was worth the trip to GTS. I learned so much about board games and how to market and display and sell them that upon returning from GTS I completely tore out our board game display racks and rebuilt our look. In the past year, I have gone from a 30-50 game selection to over 400 games selection, and our sales have more than tripled in the "Board Game" category.
Fun
GTS for me is a working vacation. My wife and I stay a few extra days, and see some sights, gamble "very little" and see some shows, eat at some nice restaurants, and do some shopping. We actually stayed in Vegas for 10 days last year, so we could have extra time to hang out and party. (Of course, partying for the Kings is kinda like 2 Doctor Peppers, one beer, and staying up till 11; we are kinda lame.) But, we did walk the strip, see a couple shows, eat at some really cool restaurants, and did a "little" gambling. I think we lost $30 on slots the whole weekend.
But, for us, it's a nice break from the shop, the kids, and our hectic lives.
GAMA and GTS were really great last year, I can't wait to get to GTS 2006. I recommend if you are not sold yet, you check out more information about GTS on the GAMA website, at:
Marcus King
Titan Games - Owner
637 Capital Ave SW
Battle Creek, MI 49015
