Clovenhoof
Mongoose
Well, I can only say that I also run an import business, not books or game-related but I still have to deal with more or less sudden product updates and exchange rate fluctuations. Outdated stuff is really difficult to sell. When the USD collapsed, I also was in trouble because suddenly all the merchandise I had in stock was suddenly worth a third less. So what? I had no choice but to make special offers to get rid of it, or the customers would have simply ordered their stuff abroad and I'd have a lot of expensive junk in my warehouse once the next product line comes out.
As for my LGS, it's not like they have a shelf full of Conan core books. We're talking about two copies here. In numbers, 2. It's not like marking them down in order to make room for updated products would lose them their house and car.
I understand that online retailers put a lot of pressure on brick and mortar stores, and I also know that you have more overhead in a real store and thus can never match the prices exactly. That's all fine with me.
But in order to survive, a store has to be better at _something_ than a netshop. It can't be prices because of the aforementioned issues. Maybe it's selection (though the netshops I know usually have bigger selection than a store), but first and foremost it should be quality.
The option to browse before you buy is good, but not quite doing the trick, as many publishers already offer free sneak peeks and other online giveaways. And anyway, what good is it to browse if you then find you only get outdated stuff?
Really, I know it must be hard to run a game store, and frankly I wouldn't want to be in their shoes, but you've got to be realistic. Nobody who is informed on the releases of a game is going to buy a book that has been outdated for 5 years (or whenever AE came out) AND pay 40% more than the suggested retail price was at the time.
As for my LGS, it's not like they have a shelf full of Conan core books. We're talking about two copies here. In numbers, 2. It's not like marking them down in order to make room for updated products would lose them their house and car.
I understand that online retailers put a lot of pressure on brick and mortar stores, and I also know that you have more overhead in a real store and thus can never match the prices exactly. That's all fine with me.
But in order to survive, a store has to be better at _something_ than a netshop. It can't be prices because of the aforementioned issues. Maybe it's selection (though the netshops I know usually have bigger selection than a store), but first and foremost it should be quality.
The option to browse before you buy is good, but not quite doing the trick, as many publishers already offer free sneak peeks and other online giveaways. And anyway, what good is it to browse if you then find you only get outdated stuff?
Really, I know it must be hard to run a game store, and frankly I wouldn't want to be in their shoes, but you've got to be realistic. Nobody who is informed on the releases of a game is going to buy a book that has been outdated for 5 years (or whenever AE came out) AND pay 40% more than the suggested retail price was at the time.
