To Shoppe or not to Shoppe
To Shoppe or not to Shoppe... that is the question.
To the hobby enthusiast, to Shoppe - that is to shop at your local game shops, hobby shops and specialty shops - is a constant question of supporting a local business that keeps our joys convenient, easily accessible, relevant and more important: alive.
...but there is an underlying issue in the contemporary world that has always been, but was never as glaring, never as obvious as it is now.
Cost.
The markup price of a game at your local hobby shop can be upwards of twenty percent or more.
For example: Dungeons and Dragons the fifth edition retails at USD $49.99. The Dungeon Master’s Guide, the Player’s Handbook and the Monster Manual each retail at USD $49.99. At your local hobby shop you’re probably not going to pay less than USD $60.00 for each (I know I paid USD $120.00 for the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and The Player’s Handbook).
If I purchased all three from my local game store, it would cost USD $180.00.
Here’s the breakdown.
If you buy your RPG, and for the sake of argument, Dungeons and Dragons game books and expansions from the Wizards of the Coast website, you’re going to pay USD $49.99 per book.
To the hobby enthusiast, to Shoppe - that is to shop at your local game shops, hobby shops and specialty shops - is a constant question of supporting a local business that keeps our joys convenient, easily accessible, relevant and more important: alive.
...but there is an underlying issue in the contemporary world that has always been, but was never as glaring, never as obvious as it is now.
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| Retailing at USD $49.99 each from the Wizards of the Coast |
Cost.
The markup price of a game at your local hobby shop can be upwards of twenty percent or more.
For example: Dungeons and Dragons the fifth edition retails at USD $49.99. The Dungeon Master’s Guide, the Player’s Handbook and the Monster Manual each retail at USD $49.99. At your local hobby shop you’re probably not going to pay less than USD $60.00 for each (I know I paid USD $120.00 for the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and The Player’s Handbook).
If I purchased all three from my local game store, it would cost USD $180.00.
Here’s the breakdown.
If you buy your RPG, and for the sake of argument, Dungeons and Dragons game books and expansions from the Wizards of the Coast website, you’re going to pay USD $49.99 per book.
For all three books at base retail cost - before taxes - you’re going to spend USD 149.97.
Wizards of the Coast
If you buy these same books from Amazon, the prices vary... but one thing is certain: you’re going to pay less.
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Wizards of the Coast
If you buy these same books from Amazon, the prices vary... but one thing is certain: you’re going to pay less.
A lot less.
The Dungeon Master’s Guide will cost you USD $30.17, the Player’s Manual will cost you USD $27.66, and the Monster Manual is USD 27.14. If you purchase the gift set it will cost USD $91.19. If you purchase the same three books separately, it will cost USD $84.97.
Any way you spin it, that’s a dramatic cut in the cost.
Any way you spin it, that’s a dramatic cut in the cost.
A cut like this in costs could mean more books, more games, more expansions for you and your gaming troupe.
Amazon
If you show your support in the gaming community by purchasing your books through DriveThruRPG, you won’t find the fifth edition... but you’ll find Wizards of the Coast have made available a lot of classic D&D games, and some ma be available in .PDF if you prefer a digital collection. The prices are more than fair... but with publication providers such as DriveThruRPG, an order may take weeks to arrive.
DriveThruRPG
Where I live in Carson City, Nevada, our sanctuary was Nerdvana... but they closed up shop. In their place, Hydra’s Lair rose up and has been this far a successful endeavor.
Amazon
If you show your support in the gaming community by purchasing your books through DriveThruRPG, you won’t find the fifth edition... but you’ll find Wizards of the Coast have made available a lot of classic D&D games, and some ma be available in .PDF if you prefer a digital collection. The prices are more than fair... but with publication providers such as DriveThruRPG, an order may take weeks to arrive.
DriveThruRPG
Where I live in Carson City, Nevada, our sanctuary was Nerdvana... but they closed up shop. In their place, Hydra’s Lair rose up and has been this far a successful endeavor.
It was here I purchased two Dungeons and Dragons fifth edition books for $120.00.
Hydra’s Lair
So I ask you again: to Shoppe or not to Shoppe... but why is that the question?
Why do we enjoy playing tabletop role playing games more than our home entertainment systems; more than our Nintendo Switch; our Sony PlayStation 4; our Microsoft XBox One; our Alienware?
Interaction.
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| 1800 East William Carson City, Nevada 89701 |
Hydra’s Lair
So I ask you again: to Shoppe or not to Shoppe... but why is that the question?
Why do we enjoy playing tabletop role playing games more than our home entertainment systems; more than our Nintendo Switch; our Sony PlayStation 4; our Microsoft XBox One; our Alienware?
Interaction.
Live, personal interaction. Community. The pursuit of a great story, the sharpening of imagination, the laughter, the drama, the intensity of a game well played and well enjoyed.
Live interaction trumps any head-to-head video game, and whether you’re a member of Xbox Live, or the PlayStation network, a voice in a headset is nothing - nothing - compares to gathering with friends (or even strangers) and sharing a live quest, adventure, story or chronicle.
Live interaction trumps any head-to-head video game, and whether you’re a member of Xbox Live, or the PlayStation network, a voice in a headset is nothing - nothing - compares to gathering with friends (or even strangers) and sharing a live quest, adventure, story or chronicle.
In person we challenge one another in new, creative and unpredictable ways.
There is no linear format in an infinitely open world. We struggle, compete, and cooperate to achieve the goals of a story we can play, interact, or derail (hey, sometimes it happens and sometimes it has to happen).
There is no linear format in an infinitely open world. We struggle, compete, and cooperate to achieve the goals of a story we can play, interact, or derail (hey, sometimes it happens and sometimes it has to happen).
We do these things from our coffee tables, dining rooms, local parks - and yes - we do these things from our sanctuaries, our local game and hobby shops, our comic shops, our game shops.
Yeah, the prices are a little steeper, but these places have to earn a profit. If they sold you your games at retail, or below retail value, they’d never earn a profit. They couldn’t keep their doors open long enough to provide you the tools you need to get your stories going.
Your average brand new video game is going to cost you between USD $59.99 to USD $69.99. This excludes any special editions, or gimmicky collector editions which can cost upwards of USD $79.99 and exceed prices in the hundreds. You’ll play that game until it is “played out”, each passage through it lowering the replay value a little more until you’re done with that game and it sits in its case on your shelf with other games you think about playing and maybe do lag sometimes, but rarely ever really touch.
People are willing to shell out copious sums of their earned income for games of finite replay value, novelties that do what novelties always eventually do, and then they repeat the process. There’s never a question of cost, and even if there is, they still pay the price.
Video games are fun.
Yeah, the prices are a little steeper, but these places have to earn a profit. If they sold you your games at retail, or below retail value, they’d never earn a profit. They couldn’t keep their doors open long enough to provide you the tools you need to get your stories going.
Your average brand new video game is going to cost you between USD $59.99 to USD $69.99. This excludes any special editions, or gimmicky collector editions which can cost upwards of USD $79.99 and exceed prices in the hundreds. You’ll play that game until it is “played out”, each passage through it lowering the replay value a little more until you’re done with that game and it sits in its case on your shelf with other games you think about playing and maybe do lag sometimes, but rarely ever really touch.
People are willing to shell out copious sums of their earned income for games of finite replay value, novelties that do what novelties always eventually do, and then they repeat the process. There’s never a question of cost, and even if there is, they still pay the price.
Video games are fun.
They really are, and the cost of the games keeps the video game industry burning strong, a bright star in a global entertainment industry. They’re a great way to unwind, and there’s nothing wrong with that... but.
...but they lack fundamental things such s interpersonal connection, interaction and experiences.
If we as a product consumer are willing to pay our hard earned cash to play (most games now) alone, or in an online network, what is the harm of supporting our local shops? We’re going to spend the money one way or another, why not buy something lasting, something with unending replay value and something we can share with our friends? We create lasting memories, share laughter, and broaden our creative drives through a shared experience that is unique every time we play.
The best part is that even though I used Dungeons & Dragons as an example, there’s something . for everyone. Do you like horror? Check out Chronicles of Darkness, and Call of Cthulhu. Those are only a couple examples of horror based tabletop RPGs. Do you like mystery? Gumshoe is a good place to start (and the teen mystery game BubbleGumshoe). There’s comedy based tabletop RPGs, science fiction (including Star Wars!), fantasy (beyond D&D or Pathfinder), and adventures.
You could play games as a super hero, or explore post apocalyptic environments (Official licensed Fallout tabletop RPG coming soon!).
There’s far too many tabletop RPGs for me to list and link in a single article, especially when I intend to review them in articles to come.
Like everything else in life, there has to be a balance.
We find time to play the games with love with the people we love to be around.
...but they lack fundamental things such s interpersonal connection, interaction and experiences.
If we as a product consumer are willing to pay our hard earned cash to play (most games now) alone, or in an online network, what is the harm of supporting our local shops? We’re going to spend the money one way or another, why not buy something lasting, something with unending replay value and something we can share with our friends? We create lasting memories, share laughter, and broaden our creative drives through a shared experience that is unique every time we play.
The best part is that even though I used Dungeons & Dragons as an example, there’s something . for everyone. Do you like horror? Check out Chronicles of Darkness, and Call of Cthulhu. Those are only a couple examples of horror based tabletop RPGs. Do you like mystery? Gumshoe is a good place to start (and the teen mystery game BubbleGumshoe). There’s comedy based tabletop RPGs, science fiction (including Star Wars!), fantasy (beyond D&D or Pathfinder), and adventures.
You could play games as a super hero, or explore post apocalyptic environments (Official licensed Fallout tabletop RPG coming soon!).
There’s far too many tabletop RPGs for me to list and link in a single article, especially when I intend to review them in articles to come.
Like everything else in life, there has to be a balance.
We find time to play the games with love with the people we love to be around.
We do these things on a budget, most of us - and yes - we should support our local hobby shops, comic shops, and game shops when we can afford it.
They keep our community going, provide us places to play our games when we can’t do it at home (or just want a change of venue), and they give us a place to go where we can talk about our favorite games, discover new ones, and get information on the newest and latest and greatest things to come.
Balance.
Balance.
Support these local businesses, because they are our community, but spend wisely.
There’s nothing wrong with utilizing inexpensive outlets to expand upon our collections. There’s also other ways to help in our community. Consign through your local game stores, donate old books, and of course simply ask what you could do to help when you have the time.
To Shoppe or not to Shoppe?
...well, if you’re looking for the answer, you know where to find me. I’ll be at the Hydra’s Lair two or three times a month showing my support to our community.
To Shoppe or not to Shoppe?
...well, if you’re looking for the answer, you know where to find me. I’ll be at the Hydra’s Lair two or three times a month showing my support to our community.
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