Champions Universe

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Champions Universe

 

Having made the choice to buy, which of the three copies on the shelf do you purchase - the one you (and many others) have leafed through, with the cover a bit scuffed and the spine less flat, or the one in the back whose cover is still glossy?

 

I'm suggesting your FLGS lets you browse before you buy, so you should be willing to return the favour and take the book that may lack a bit of shelf appeal due to your FLGS allowing browsing.

 

I've rarely had the opportunity to buy a book with multiple copies at a game store. Even with a choice, I go with whatever one I pick up and browse through, unless it's been seriously damaged, like pages coming out or something.

[Agent X]

Re: Champions Universe

 

I have mixed feelings in this regard. While there's a definite attraction to perusing the book before making a purchase decision, the business owner also needs to consider the likeliness of an ultimate purchaser not wanting "that copy" because it's been heavily used (ie it doesn't sit flat any more; cover is worn; "it's not Mint Condition") so the business owner is left with inventory he either eats or has to sell at a discount.

 

How Friendly are you being to your LGS in this regard?

Books don't wear that quickly. They won't really be that altered by someone browsing through the book unless the person is an absolute jerk or some rare mishap occurs. Most damaged books are that way when they arrive at the store or by poor shelving of the books.

 

If a storeowner is really paranoid, I suppose they could show the book to an interested party and that way they could keep the customer's 'grubby hands' off the merchandise. However, you'll lose more money running customers off that way than you'll make up in keeping your stock 100% pristine.

 

One of the first things I was taught in commission sales was to show the customer the item, introduce the item very quickly, and then hand it to the customer while I summarize the positive qualities of the item. Then read the customer to see if they want "alone" time to consider the buy or if they wanted more "help". Placing the item in the hands of the customer makes it "theirs" in a sense. If they put it back down, there is the suggestion that they not only have chosen not to purchase something but that they have, in a sense, lost something they possessed.

 

That's why the Car Dealers try to get you to sit in the car, test drive it, etc.

 

And why I used to hand the power drill over to my customers.

 

But, alas, most Games Stores lack in professional salesmanship.

[incrdbil]

Re: Champions Universe

 

I'm suggesting your FLGS lets you browse before you buy, so you should be willing to return the favour and take the book that may lack a bit of shelf appeal due to your FLGS allowing browsing.

 

I've never noticed much wear from browsing--maybe I'm just low maintenance. As long as the book is intact, and undamaged, I'll probably grab whats on top. Whatever happens from browsing is pretty unimportant to me.

 

I think that explains my constant amazement at the HERO on line store 'damaged' books

[atlascott]

Re: Champions Universe

 

The only hobby shop I remember with visibly-worn stock was one in which the only gaming stuff was in a small corner on a second floor. THe stuff they has was so old and grubby! Some of that stuff must have been on shelves for YEARS and YEARS. The dust was so thick on some of it that the books were dirty. Within a year of my discovering it, they got out of the business--and I was there to pick thru their junk! and I was HAPPY to do so (very few game stores in those days...).

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Champions Universe

 

Based on these three items' date=' I would buy my stuff directly from Hero Games.[/quote']

Which is what I do. And if they would hurry up and get Pulp Hardcover in, I'd buy my next batch of books.

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Champions Universe

 

I have mixed feelings in this regard. While there's a definite attraction to perusing the book before making a purchase decision, the business owner also needs to consider the likeliness of an ultimate purchaser not wanting "that copy" because it's been heavily used (ie it doesn't sit flat any more; cover is worn; "it's not Mint Condition") so the business owner is left with inventory he either eats or has to sell at a discount.

 

How Friendly are you being to your LGS in this regard?

This is the day of d20. There are hundreds of RPG books on the shelves. The policy isn't "handle the books with care" the policy is "no reading".

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Champions Universe

 

The last new Hero Book my FLGS had added to the shelf was Fifth Revised. It sold out and was never restocked. They used to have Galactic Champions and Spacer's Toolkit on the shelf for a very long time and nothing else but when they reorganized the store, those two books disappeared and I have no idea where they moved them to.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Champions Universe

 

I have mixed feelings in this regard. While there's a definite attraction to perusing the book before making a purchase decision, the business owner also needs to consider the likeliness of an ultimate purchaser not wanting "that copy" because it's been heavily used (ie it doesn't sit flat any more; cover is worn; "it's not Mint Condition") so the business owner is left with inventory he either eats or has to sell at a discount.

 

How Friendly are you being to your LGS in this regard?

My LGS has a no browse policy as well. I ignore it completely. I am very respectful of the books I browse, however. I make sure my hands are clean, don't open the book far enough that it will stress the binding, etc. The employees have seen me reading and never said a thing. If they did, I'd be happy to comply by closing the book, putting it back on the shelf, walking out, and never entering the store again. I give them decent business, so I don't think they want to push things that way.

 

EDIT: The store is as much a comic book store as a gaming store. I suspect they would care more about the comics, because IMHO once you read a comic there is little reason to buy it. Heh.

[John Desmarais]

Re: Champions Universe

 

Which is what I do. And if they would hurry up and get Pulp Hardcover in' date=' I'd buy my next batch of books. [/quote']

 

I feel your pain...

[John Desmarais]

Re: Champions Universe

 

The only hobby shop I remember with visibly-worn stock was one in which the only gaming stuff was in a small corner on a second floor. THe stuff they has was so old and grubby! Some of that stuff must have been on shelves for YEARS and YEARS. The dust was so thick on some of it that the books were dirty. Within a year of my discovering it' date=' they got out of the business--and I was there to pick thru their junk! and I was HAPPY to do so (very few game stores in those days...).[/quote']

Many cool things can be found picking through old junk.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Champions Universe

 

EDIT: The store is as much a comic book store as a gaming store. I suspect they would care more about the comics' date=' because IMHO once you read a comic there is little reason to buy it. Heh.[/quote']

 

As well, comics tend to be more fragile, and comic buyers tend to be much more picky about minor defects.

[atlascott]

Re: Champions Universe

 

Book stores allow people to flip through and even read books before purchasing.

Comic books are more fragile than game books, and comic book lovers tends also to be collectors, so if it aint mint, they aint buyin' (new comics).

 

Now, I can also understand the game store's point--you dont want people beating the crap out of the books or standing there are reading the entire thing cover to cover, and getting wear, and smudges all over the place. But Im with the other guys who refuse to show at store with a zero browse policy. Sounds like a prescription for going out of business--goodwill at a game store is everything. I think that running a game store as to be a labor of love anyway, because I dont think anyone make much $ doing it.