Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

For the good of the Game

A

ableycp78

New Member
*** NOTE (yes I do own a retail gaming store) ***

With city championships coming to the end I thought I'd throw my two cents in.

I dont get to play much anymore (see note above ) but after talking with many retails owners one thing they all had in common was that Pokemon tournaments do NOT help business. Don't get me wrong, all of the owners were glad to have card players in the store, thats why they are in business, but Pokemon tournaments do not increase their sales. Locally over 4 shops have closed in the last year. Pokemon tournaments are being held at McDonalds, Librarys, Pizza Joints, etc.

I think its a shame. Most players buy their cards online for discount, buy singles online then expect to play at a card shop (usually complaining about space) then consider their selves justified by buying a coke and a bag of chips.

Not that every one needs to follow my example but I Spend $20 anytime I play at some elses shop.


Or Worlds 2011 should be held at EBAY headquarters in a conferance room.
 
I'd prefer google's

I worked for our local retail store for 4 years while playing pokemon the whole way...

The reason your stores do not bring in money is because you're not advertising properly.

Instead of advertising regular price try adding "special deals" for those who come to your league...Advertise Pokemon SINGLES for those in the 10- category...

offer specials for older sets to move your product...and hold YOUR OWN sanctioned tournaments (which you can charge for as long as you supply some product).

Its not an issue of people buying online,

you just need to be aware and compete with your online competition...

(I'm taking advertising corses :)
 
ableycp78 said:
*** NOTE (yes I do own a retail gaming store) ***

With city championships coming to the end I thought I'd throw my two cents in.

I dont get to play much anymore (see note above ) but after talking with many retails owners one thing they all had in common was that Pokemon tournaments do NOT help business. Don't get me wrong, all of the owners were glad to have card players in the store, thats why they are in business, but Pokemon tournaments do not increase their sales. Locally over 4 shops have closed in the last year. Pokemon tournaments are being held at McDonalds, Librarys, Pizza Joints, etc.

I think its a shame. Most players buy their cards online for discount, buy singles online then expect to play at a card shop (usually complaining about space) then consider their selves justified by buying a coke and a bag of chips.

Not that every one needs to follow my example but I Spend $20 anytime I play at some elses shop.


Or Worlds 2011 should be held at EBAY headquarters in a conferance room.
Click to expand...

Wow, you must have a lot of money to blow if you're spending $20 per visit...Nice vote of confidence to keep them in business though; I have no right to tread on that.

Honestly, it's the cost of product. If booster packs weren't ~$4 for ten pieces of cardboard, you'd see business booming.

Perhaps someone who understands the business dynamics between producer, wholesaler, and retailer can chime in, but as a customer, I would obviously be more willing to spend $2 on a booster than $4. A lot of Pokemon TCG's impractical gimmicks that subtly increase price could be cut (uber shiny packaging, holographics, etc). In theory this would decrease costs across the board, and ultimately drive down the price.

I guarantee you that if I saw Pokemon in stores for the MSRP of $1.99, I'd get tons of packs in a heartbeat. :biggrin:

...And yes, this includes card shops!
 
Something to consider: Charge for your league & give players something.

We have one shop that charges $5 for league. When I first heard that, I was thinking, hmm, this must be some upscale community! However, they also give the kids a pack. The place does very well on all their Pokemon TCG merchandise. This store is always happy to see us coming with a PRE or small event (tho' I've had to stop running cities there). The store is doing what fits their community, but I think it might be a smart approach to look at in general.

Why is this working for them? The player gets a few cards every time they go there. They trade, they are close to having the deck they want. So? They want more cards. When parent comes by after shopping nearby, they ask for another pack, a theme, a binder, a tin, the book with the promo, etc. The players are having fun AND buying product. These are kids, now, with working parents. This is not a formula for starving college students. However, if you want to make Pokemon earn for you, find the formula that works for your area.


Libraries and Pizza joints: Some stores can't or won't welcome the crowd.

Floor space is at a premium in big coastal cites. We have 1 store in L.A. county, which could seat 120 in terms of space and fire code at an event. One store in a place with about 14 freaking million people and the size of at least 5 average east of the Rockies counties. But this owner makes half the CC players stand each round (flights) because 1) he won't reschedule one of his two weekly back to back days of 'free board game meet-ups' and 2) he won't make the minimal investment for a few more basic folding tables and chairs so he can put away his 4 model railroad sized 8'x8' tables during the yearly big events. He takes the $200 (assuming what I heard was $ for venue), the sellout of Rumble, all the revenue from drinks and candy and packs, and the purchase of a few of those big PKMN board game sets, but can't give those customers seats. When asked about the flighting, we hear, "that's the way its always done". So, with owners like this who could host a big event making a non-effort, and many owners who can't afford the play space, is it any wonder we resort to libraries, pizza joints and schools for 80+ player events like Cities?

I always promote the store when I get to organize in one. The stores I do get to organize in are plenty glad to have an event and we have good relations and they have good revenues from the Pokemon product, events and players.

The stores that do well stock a little of a lot of things. Talk to your players and LL and find out what's hot. You could not keep the Promo Toxicroak Platinum/Rivals book in stock. The tins sell well. Talk to your players. I do see some stores (still) that only have old cards (like not playable in Premiere events). These stores overordered (not talking to customers) and refuse to suck it up and get some relevant product. There can be no expectation of success like that.


Summary:
Find what tactics and events make money for you (league and weekly tourneys if you're smaller). Do what you can to remove the obstacles that keep your customers from enjoying your store.
 
Last edited:
At the first store we had league at down here (Sugar Land,TX) The owner used to ask the league leader for the value of cards, and sell them as such. He would also offer discounts during events.

We used to have special league tournamnets.

Everyone pays 3-5 dollars (depending on the location)
Money is pooled into a bank (cardboard box)
We would have a mini swiss/elimination tournamnet (mixed ages usually 3-4 swiss and top 2 or 4)
All money would go to the store, however the top 2 or 4 players in the tournamnet would get a portion of the money in the form of store credit.

Thus a reward is given to the player and the store makes money.
I was able to save up enough store credit to buy a box.
 
Ya know, I do feel compelled to buy from a store if I play there AND can afford it. I.E. its not rent week where I pay rent and a car payment so 2/3 weeks out of the month I feel I should buy something. Is it always a big purchase? No, but its something like 2-3 packs or something of comparable cost.

As mentioned many stores don't have an interest in stocking non MTG non YGO singles and this kills some of their business. My rough monthly TCG money might be 30$, and I need *dart boards something* Mismagius GL X(pure example lol) and find it on e-bay for 15$. Where will 15ish dollars likely go?

If stores would bust maybe 1 box of product per set they would be able to put all the commons/uncommons in a box for 25-75 cents rares in the 1-5$ range(possibly higher ex. Claydol like card) and then holos and LvlX/Prime at their respective values.

This isn't to be a criticism of stores, but if you want to make sales make sure you know what your player base wants. Heck if you have EX packs that aren't moving have a buy 2 DP on get 1 EX free type of deal. Some people will want something from those packs, but not want to buy as they aren't legal.

One other thing a shop owner friend of mine did was: Disallow selling of cards in your store by players. Some places this goes without saying, but others allow this. Sellers could buy a permit to sell in the store for say 20$ per two weeks. Many people would EASILY flip this into a profit as they hit the premier events over stock things like Promocroak and move the product easily.
 
I don't know about yor store, but 99% of the stores I've been to for CC's, battle roads, etc don't have any pkmn singles. I prefer singles to packs, so that could be one reason why you aren't selling anything.
 
What sales or advantages did you give to the pokemon players on the day of the event? Most stores I go to on tourney days have one day specials. It moves the product that the crowd is interested in. Take advantage of the players in the room. As an atty, if I charged a minimum of 10K for every divorce, I wouldnt do too many divorces. Get the idea? I know you have overhead, but there are ways to make things better. Stock the newer stuff, have reasonable prizes (too many times I have seen stores overprice themselves simply bc a book says the price is X).

Keith
 
ableycp78 said:
*** NOTE (yes I do own a retail gaming store) ***

With city championships coming to the end I thought I'd throw my two cents in.

I dont get to play much anymore (see note above ) but after talking with many retails owners one thing they all had in common was that Pokemon tournaments do NOT help business. Don't get me wrong, all of the owners were glad to have card players in the store, thats why they are in business, but Pokemon tournaments do not increase their sales. Locally over 4 shops have closed in the last year. Pokemon tournaments are being held at McDonalds, Librarys, Pizza Joints, etc.

I think its a shame. Most players buy their cards online for discount, buy singles online then expect to play at a card shop (usually complaining about space) then consider their selves justified by buying a coke and a bag of chips.

Not that every one needs to follow my example but I Spend $20 anytime I play at some elses shop.


Or Worlds 2011 should be held at EBAY headquarters in a conferance room.
Click to expand...

must be nice, bra
 
If you sell current singles at 75% of the going price (top dollar doesn't usually net the highest profits AND it pushes potential bulk business away) at any and every tournament and league session you host, you will find the Pokemon community literally emptying their pockets to buy what all you have because they are used to having to pay more. It will be seen as a bargain to the consumer and you will be clearing a higher margin than you do on single packs.

It is a little more work, but the other option is to goof off on your laptop, play Warhammer, or whatever you do to entertain yourself when it is dead (every comic/gaming store owner I know does something to while away the dead times) and then complain that you don't make enough money off the Pokemon community when they come play at your store. Be a smart businessman, be prepared, and it will pay off.
 
Librarys host pokemon to premote reading...

Pizza parlours host pokemon because THEY MAKE TONS on FOOD SALES

Retail stores host pokemon because it brings RETURNING CUSTOMERS to your store.

holding a tournament might be a stress on the store for the day, but chances are 30% have never been in your store before. 10% of which will come back asuming you're either BETTER (cheaper) then their local store. Or you have product which they can't find elsewhere....Economics 101
 
#1 you are OWN a store, you can afford 20 bucks every time you visit another store, many people who play this game are kids with a 20 buck A WEEK allowance, and that's what they use to get cards.
#2 you yourself noted the fact that pokemon players prefer to buy singles online than packs at a store. Have you ever thought as to WHY that is? Its easier to get cards you need than buying ten packs and pulling one LV.X you don't need. if its working for stores online, why don't you try it? Sell singles at a reasonable price (if not people will still go online). Id know id much prefer to buy singles at a store than online, its faster, and you don't have to pay shipping.
#3 are the packs your selling any good, because if your seling a ton of EX boosters, bussness will be slow.
Just a thought.
 
I went to a CC recently in a card/comic shop. Their shelves were lined with booster boxes not selling. I had 18 packs from a CC I won the day before. I sold them all within 2 minutes since I was selling them at $2 each. No joke. Lower prices on packs and people will buy them. Even $2.50 - $3 is good.
 
Austino said:
I went to a CC recently in a card/comic shop. Their shelves were lined with booster boxes not selling. I had 18 packs from a CC I won the day before. I sold them all within 2 minutes since I was selling them at $2 each. No joke. Lower prices on packs and people will buy them. Even $2.50 - $3 is good.
Click to expand...

:nonono: Thats not cool selling product in the card shop that they have the same of on the shelves. :nonono:

Keith
 
This is a stupid thread. Pokemon tournaments, or any game really, put people in your store that would otherwise not be there. This helps sell things because more people are there to potentially buy it. /thread
 
I went to a CC recently in a card/comic shop. Their shelves were lined with booster boxes not selling. I had 18 packs from a CC I won the day before. I sold them all within 2 minutes since I was selling them at $2 each. No joke. Lower prices on packs and people will buy them. Even $2.50 - $3 is good.
Click to expand...

Just count yourself lucky it wasn't at the store I go to. Can you say perma-ban?
 
Well, regardless of the context it happened in, Austino's post proves my point: a reasonable price in an environment where reason typically does not exist leads to HUGE demand.

TPCi and store owners everywhere, take to heart how much profit could be gained by actually holding back the natural urge to raise prices. Your customer base will respond to it, and will wipe out your product stocks..
 
Last edited:
Austino said:
I went to a CC recently in a card/comic shop. Their shelves were lined with booster boxes not selling. I had 18 packs from a CC I won the day before. I sold them all within 2 minutes since I was selling them at $2 each.
Click to expand...

$2 is probably exactly what they paid their distributor to buy each pack.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top