Got into a discussion about the the pricing of games launched via Kickstarter and how much it impacts whether we stock it.
The answer is, not as much as it used to affect the decision. In the past, we were concerned about how much of a discount a publisher would offer on a game launched through Kickstarter. For example, a game with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price of $30 would be offered to backers for $20 through a Kickstarter campaign. That's a pretty hefty discount but what we have found over time is that the length of time between the end of the Kickstarter campaign and the actually release of the product is usually so long that people forget what the discounted price was. Those people who bought it during the campaign get it for a price they long forgot about and those who buy it after the campaign either don't know about the discounted price or don't consider it as a factor.
Now, what pricing situation will impact our decision on whether to stock a game or not is its pricing on the manufacturer's website or other forms of direct to consumer sales. If said game has a MSRP of $30 and the manufacturer has it listed for $20 on their website and are selling it for that at conventions, the de facto price of the game has dropped to $20 and the store expects to be able to buy it a a price that lets us sell it for $20 as well. If we cannot, then we look at the publisher as undercutting us and will look elsewhere for products to stock.
The answer is, not as much as it used to affect the decision. In the past, we were concerned about how much of a discount a publisher would offer on a game launched through Kickstarter. For example, a game with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price of $30 would be offered to backers for $20 through a Kickstarter campaign. That's a pretty hefty discount but what we have found over time is that the length of time between the end of the Kickstarter campaign and the actually release of the product is usually so long that people forget what the discounted price was. Those people who bought it during the campaign get it for a price they long forgot about and those who buy it after the campaign either don't know about the discounted price or don't consider it as a factor.
Now, what pricing situation will impact our decision on whether to stock a game or not is its pricing on the manufacturer's website or other forms of direct to consumer sales. If said game has a MSRP of $30 and the manufacturer has it listed for $20 on their website and are selling it for that at conventions, the de facto price of the game has dropped to $20 and the store expects to be able to buy it a a price that lets us sell it for $20 as well. If we cannot, then we look at the publisher as undercutting us and will look elsewhere for products to stock.
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