Why do some shops do well and others not?

[catty_big]

Elsewhere on this forum is a thread discussing the opening of a new shop in Maidstone. A number of voices- including mine- were raised, casting doubt on whether they would succeed in the current nuclear winter-style economic climate. It got me wondering, Carrie Bradshaw stylee, Why do some shops do well and others not? Here are some suggestions: I was in Eclectic Games, in Reading, yesterday, they have a fantastic shop in a very central part of the city, and I think they score because they

1. Are friendly and welcoming
2. Are knowledgeable about their stock
3. Seem to be on top of their stock control and inventory systems
4. Have an enormous range
4b. Are always willing to try out new games
5. Don't conecentrate only on board games, or RPGs, or wargames, but have all of the above and even a range of family games, e.g. [sharp intake of breath] Scrabble. (Yes, I said the word Scrabble. I'm sorry).
6. Have more than one gaming table, and a vast game library for folks to try out new games.
7. Have club nights.
8. Are in a very central part of the city and so benefit from passing trade, who they welcome in and talk to rather than just ignore.

Thoughts everyone?

[w00hoo]

I think you've pretty much covered all the bases.

A bricks and mortar shop is up against the internet nowadays and so needs to create a reason for people to come in and hand over money in there shop. That means either a sufficient added value that they don't mind the slightly higher price point, or being competitive with whatever is on the 'net and finding other ways to supplement the income versus sellers who don't have a shops overheads.

Anyone who wants to make a games shop work has to be willing to put in very long hours and not expect to make a fortune from it, it really is in labour of love territory, as just being open 9-5, 6 days a week isn't going to cut it unless you have heaps of loyal customers or a second income stream i.e. Leisure Games and their internet shop, you could probably make a good argument that the Leisure Games bricks and mortar store is really just an oddly set out warehouse for their on-line business, although being in London is always going to skew things for them a bit.

[markanthonyquested]

Elsewhere on this forum is a thread discussing the opening of a new shop in Maidstone. A number of voices- including mine- were raised, casting doubt on whether they would succeed in the current nuclear winter-style economic climate. It got me wondering, Carrie Bradshaw stylee, Why do some shops do well and others not? Here are some suggestions: I was in Eclectic Games, in Reading, yesterday, they have a fantastic shop in a very central part of the city, and I think they score because they

1. Are friendly and welcoming
2. Are knowledgeable about their stock
3. Seem to be on top of their stock control and inventory systems
4. Have an enormous range
4b. Are always willing to try out new games
5. Don't conecentrate only on board games, or RPGs, or wargames, but have all of the above and even a range of family games, e.g. [sharp intake of breath] Scrabble. (Yes, I said the word Scrabble. I'm sorry).
6. Have more than one gaming table, and a vast game library for folks to try out new games.
7. Have club nights.
8. Are in a very central part of the city and so benefit from passing trade, who they welcome in and talk to rather than just ignore.

Thoughts everyone?

4 - Not necessarily easy having an enormous range to begin with, as not every start-up shop can afford to have an enormous range. But starting with the popular basics is a good starting point, such as Pathfinder, maybe 4th ed D&D, Doctor Who, Star Wars, Dark Heresy, Call of Chuthul, etc. Also stocking some more traditional, family favourites is not such a bad idea, as it may draw some non-RPG gamers into the store. Asking customers what they play is a good way of finding out what to stock.

8 - "Orc's Nest" is fortunate in being in a busy part of London and "Leisure Games" being in North London and accessible by tube via other parts of London. But I am not sure whether a small shop opening in a small town stands much of a chance, unless it is a bohemian kind of town and the shop is in a prominent place; and prominent place usually incurs possible higher business rates and rent.

A number 9 would also be offering a mail order service for customers who cannot visit the store on a regular basis. Two of the long established gaming stores, Leisure Games and Orc's Nest, both have a mail order service.

[catty_big]

A number 9 would also be offering a mail order service for customers who cannot visit the store on a regular basis. Two of the long established gaming stores, Leisure Games and Orc's Nest, both have a mail order service.

Yes, Leisure Games and increasing numbers of other shops are doing well out of mail-order. I saw recently that a guy living in Denmark had bought a copy of LeCardo, and, curious as to where he had got hold of it in Denmark, when I asked him he said he'd purchased it from boardgameguru.com, a leading UK-based mail-order business.

[Neil Gow]

Well, my flippant first observation would be whether they are running a shop or a games shop?

I think sorting that out is crucial. If you are a shop, you are engaging in all of the tricks of the retail sector to make your customers experience the best it can be - both online and B&M customers. You have a welcoming and conducive interior, a well dressed exterior, a pleasant staff who are knowledgeable and non-judgmental, a modern attitude to customer service and maybe even some sort of rudimentary customer relationship management system. In fact, the entire arcane art of relationship marketing is something that would seem crucial here - making sure people come back, over and over, and advocate your store to their friends.

However, many stores are 'games shops' with all the unpleasant stereotypes that come along with that - its not as bad as it used to be, but I still shudder at the thought of shopping in places like 'Dungeons and Starships' in Birmingham (closed now) and Interstellar Master Traders in Lancaster (Peter is a lovely guy, but the shop...)

I think another thing, which has been underlined here, is not to be prissy about the games you stock and embrace the possibilities that they throw up. CCGs might be a swear word for some people but they bring bodies into stores and provide large, predictable blocks of revenue.

Loads of other stuff as well, but its late. It would be interesting to hear which stores people think are 'good' gaming stores - beyond Leisure Games. I'd throw my hat into the ring for Patriot Games (Sheffield). Even though it does have a little bit of a games store thing, it does what it does so well - so VERY well - that its like its YOUR games store, regardless.

[catty_big]

I think another thing, which has been underlined here, is not to be prissy about the games you stock

I must admit, when I was in Eclectic Games on Saturday, and asked someone who had wandered in and was looking round what games they liked and they said Scrabble, I began ro reach for my garlic, and to add to the film cliches, point my arm out and screech like in the Donald Sutherland version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. But yes, we shouldn't be snobbish.

[Rikus]

Elsewhere on this forum is a thread discussing the opening of a new shop in Maidstone. A number of voices- including mine- were raised, casting doubt on whether they would succeed in the current nuclear winter-style economic climate. It got me wondering, Carrie Bradshaw stylee, Why do some shops do well and others not? Here are some suggestions: I was in Eclectic Games, in Reading, yesterday, they have a fantastic shop in a very central part of the city, and I think they score because they

1. Are friendly and welcoming
2. Are knowledgeable about their stock
3. Seem to be on top of their stock control and inventory systems
4. Have an enormous range
4b. Are always willing to try out new games
5. Don't conecentrate only on board games, or RPGs, or wargames, but have all of the above and even a range of family games, e.g. [sharp intake of breath] Scrabble. (Yes, I said the word Scrabble. I'm sorry).
6. Have more than one gaming table, and a vast game library for folks to try out new games.
7. Have club nights.
8. Are in a very central part of the city and so benefit from passing trade, who they welcome in and talk to rather than just ignore.

Thoughts everyone?

4 - Not necessarily easy having an enormous range to begin with, as not every start-up shop can afford to have an enormous range. But starting with the popular basics is a good starting point, such as Pathfinder, maybe 4th ed D&D, Doctor Who, Star Wars, Dark Heresy, Call of Chuthul, etc. Also stocking some more traditional, family favourites is not such a bad idea, as it may draw some non-RPG gamers into the store. Asking customers what they play is a good way of finding out what to stock.

8 - "Orc's Nest" is fortunate in being in a busy part of London and "Leisure Games" being in North London and accessible by tube via other parts of London. But I am not sure whether a small shop opening in a small town stands much of a chance, unless it is a bohemian kind of town and the shop is in a prominent place; and prominent place usually incurs possible higher business rates and rent.

A number 9 would also be offering a mail order service for customers who cannot visit the store on a regular basis. Two of the long established gaming stores, Leisure Games and Orc's Nest, both have a mail order service.

I agree with the points raised in this article regarding ranges. It's not possible to have a huge catalogue from the get go as much as I'd have liked. I had to concentrate on the best sellers and also introduce other things such as t-shirts. Overheads are considerably lower being an online store but that's not to say that you still don't get them. Worldpay for example charge for their service and also for every credit card they process, but I've gone with it to give my store a professional appearance rather than just sticking Paypal on as the only payment method.
I'm even contemplating starting a pre-owned section of the site. If I can find some old out of print books, rather than try to flog them on ebay amongst the myriad of other people doing the same I'll consider selling them through my store instead. The thing is, you have to think like a retailer first and foremost even if it is your hobby and your passion and some people may become stuck if they don't. I'm lucky? to have been in retail all my working life, been in industries that I've had a passion for so may find it a little easier to have that distinction. That's not to say that I haven't been tempted to open a Gears Of War boardgame and have a few mates round to play it, because I have. But I know that it would then become unsaleable to the general public and effectively have cost me money. So that's my thoughts on this thing, just need more customers to give my store a try

[catty_big]

Worldpay for example charge for their service and also for every credit card they process, but I've gone with it to give my store a professional appearance rather than just sticking Paypal on as the only payment method

Why is Worldpay considered more professional than Paypal? And is it?

[Rikus]

Worldpay for example charge for their service and also for every credit card they process, but I've gone with it to give my store a professional appearance rather than just sticking Paypal on as the only payment method

Why is Worldpay considered more professional than Paypal? And is it?

I thought so due to the fact that anybody could put Paypal on their site. Don't get me wrong, I accept Paypal as a form of payment as customers have a lot of trust with them, any issues and it will be sorted out. With Worldpay you have to jump through hoops to be able to display their logo, such as have proper terms and conditions regarding returns for example. All this should be done anyway for legal reasons but they make sure that you stick to it and monitor you. Any breach of the conditions could suspend your account. They also have all my details on file so gives a little more faith that I am a reputable business.
Worldpay are also one of the biggest providers of electronic payments solutions so another reason I considered them. I had to ask the question when looking into payment solutions, what would give the customer confidence in shopping with me that I wasn't some kind of mickey mouse outfit that would take their money then shut shop? I looked at various options, obviously Paypal being a large part of it but also looked at other solutions such as Google Checkout. When I asked potential customers in Market Research, the response was that I should have Paypal and not Google Checkout because it was well known.
From a business point of view, Paypal is fine to start off with but if you start to do some serious business then the cost of running it through Paypal exclusively becomes quite large.