Behind the Counter
Lately, as any of you regular readers will know, I have been “again” changing my store. We recently put a LOT of money into renovations - new carpet, a floor repair, a large scale change of our retail layout, a change in what we carry and sell, and a change to how much of each category we display.
One thing about retailing in an economy like Michigan, change is inevitable, and often required, for the continued success of a retail establishment. Certainly, a store could change so much that it is no longer a “game” store at all. I am mindful of that, and am trying not to cross that threshold - but, my bottom line is....... well, .............. my bottom line. I have to provide for my family, and for my children who work for me, and for my employee’s.
I wonder sometimes if the gamers who buy online, but come to my store to ask about events, tournaments, demo-days and other such get-together’s realize - it is they who made my shop change. Some may not want to hear this, but -well: Here is the deal: a retailer has certain costs that internet discounters don’t. And, if the retailer cannot meet their obligations, they are out of business, or on to ANOTHER business (If they are lucky!).
Generally speaking, internet shops do not share the same expenses that a B&M (Brick and Mortar) retail establishment has. Lease is the beginning - generally speaking, retail space is 4 to 10 times more expensive than warehouse space (and some discounters don’t even have that expense, I know of one large internet dealer who runs his store from three storage units, and his living room table). After that, comes insurance (A major cost for retailers, generally required by law, or by their lease, to have the general public into their space). Utilities on my store run about $1000 a month (generally, we spend about $12,000 a year on utilities, though it is more GAS in the winter, and more ELECTRICITY in the summer). That is because we are trying to keep it comfortable for the public in our space. Now, I used to be a person who ran an internet discounter out of his house - so I know a little about this. Generally speaking, my costs for having a retail store are about 5 times what it cost to run an internet store.
Are internet discounters evil? Are they the scum of the earth? No, and no. It is their right to run their businesses, and most run them well, and offer a great service. I am not railing against them, I am simply wanting to illuminate what the costs are for B&M stores, because I think THEY (we?) Have something to offer, too.
If you play D&D, did you learn how to read a 4-sided dice online? If you play board games, did you make any great friends playing Settlers of Catan online? One of the first things a retail game store can offer you is a social setting, and the opportunity to make friends in this hobby of ours.
Secondly, and maybe just as importantly, a retail store offers gamers a showroom of games to look at. Pick up, feel, touch, experience. Personally, and maybe this is unique to me - I love the look of a game store, the feel of a game store. My mother was a very churchy woman - I go occasionally. But, I think my mother felt at home in a church. It was “her kind of place” where people were soft spoken, never vulgar, and often more patient, more kind, most social.
I get that feeling from a game store. I get that from my own store, I get that from stores I visit, hell - I get that “I am home” feeling from my competitors store. The sounds of dice rolling, players retelling stories of their characters glory, the laughter of people enjoying a common good time. I get it, also, from the smells, and displays. From rows and rows of game books, dice, miniatures, paints or other merchandise. And, although I have bought some items online in my life - I have never bought a game online for myself, because I would prefer to have that experience of the feeling of home when I shop. (Btw, I do pay retail when I buy my own games, whether from my own store, my competitor, or somewhere I visit - this is a rule for my business, which encourages me to buy elsewhere, and have that bit of fun I get from visiting a game store).
Lately, these past two months at least, I have been fearful that my store is approaching that time when it would no longer BE a game-store. See, we sell a lot of stuff. Games, used novels, music (CD and records), DVDs (movies and sets), video games and systems, comics (new and back issues) and, oddly, we sell rare coins (because that is my real hobby, and there isn’t a coin shop here). I make good money on the coins, I enjoy the coins, we have a lot of customers for them - but it was the coins success which made me worry about the game store aspect of Titan Games.
My goal has been to make my coin customers think of our store as a coin shop that also sold other stuff. I want my music customers to think of us as a Music Store that also sells other stuff. I want the comics customers to think of us as a comic store that sells other stuff. And, I want out games customers to think of us as a game store, that has an odd mix of other stuff. Yet, I know there is a threshold where we would have so little games, or so much other stuff, that we would quit being a game store, and became a (fill in the blank) store that also has some games.
We are planning some big changes here with our games selection - we are planning cull our selection of board games down to about 50 which we believe are both good sellers, and a good value - and carry those. We are going to select 6 to 8 RPGs and carry the core books only - and carry 2 rpgs only very deeply - every available title. We have already dropped bare metal miniatures, but have greatly increased the number of prepainted figures we offer. But, soon, by the end of April at least, we are going to build our “games display unit” where our games will have custom shelving made especially for games. I think this will be a big winner for us, and our customers.
Back to the topic at hand - that of what a game retailer has to offer. I would encourage you gamers who have a local store to support it - buy from them whenever you can. Play there, tell others about that store, promote it. No store can carry everything, and if they don’t have the specific game you want, well......... you might try special ordering it (some shops do this well, some do not). From my experience, it is darn hard to make a living at retail of games. Most retailers would make more money working for Sam’s Club, or managing a Game Stop. But, they do it for love of the hobby. They are not “cheating” anyone by charging retail price for a game. A lot goes into that game before they ever sell it. They have to pay for it, they have to pay for the space to display it, they have to market and advertise their store, they have to pay insurance, license fees, utility costs, and other costs - and then they have to actually sell it, and do so often enough to make it work long term.
The internet, and discounting, is with us to stay. There are things I could not care less where I buy them - and there are things I prefer to buy in a store. Milk would be one. Games are another. Those who disagree are, of course, within their rights to buy anywhere they please. Vote with your dollars, as they say.
It is possible, likely, even, that retail game stores are not going to be a part of the retail landscape as they were for the past 30 years. That is not the fault of the gamers, or the internet. It may just be the net result of how retail has changed in the world. After all - there is no difference between a new game you bought at a game store, or one you bought online for $10 less - except you paid $10 less for it.
I’d love to hear other people opinions on that topic. My direct email is: titangamesinc at aol dot com
Marcus King
Titan Games & Music
Owner
