Re: Gloranthan Trading Co.

From: Eric Rowe <rowe_at_chaosium.com>
Date: Fri, 05 Feb 1999 16:54:36 -0800

>As another foreigner, albeit closer to the USA than most, I also see some
>limitations in the proposed 10% discount for members.
>1) It isn't competitive. As others have said: given the exchange rates,
>import duty, shipping costs; my local games store can probably still get me
>the item at a better price than direct ordering it from the USA.
>2) It is not healthy for Gloranthan sales. My local shop only stocks
>Gloranthan material because they know they can get reliable sales of at
>least a few units of any product. If I and the few other local fans become
>members and start direct-ordering, then the shop may well decide not to
>waste shelf space on Gloranthan material, and that means new people won't
>see the material. Which is bad for recruitment and long-term sales.
>
>It might cost Issaries more and be harder to administer, but maybe instead
>of a direct-order discount, they could offer a retail rebate? For example: I
>buy a product at my local shop, I send proof-of-purchase to Issaries, they
>put some credit in my account at Wizard's Attic, I get to use that credit to
>buy or at least subsidize the occassional product that my local merchant
>doesn't have.

These are good points and common beliefs in the game/book trade, but frankly don't exist in reality.

You and your friends will be able to get Issaries Inc. books from Amazon or elswhere at a 20 or even 30% discount, just like they can get Chaosium books and some games (as well as TSR/White Wolf/etc) now. Why whould a 10% discount somewhere else change anything? We have had retailers complain in the past about mail-order, direct sales, or discounts of various kinds as have other companies. When we have catered to the retailers, we have lost money. This goes for all game companies I have dealt with.

As for vouchers and credit we've tried that too, but it is almost impossible to organise and get done correctly. Some retailers won't accept them, other will, others want cash, others want credit, others want product, others won't sell stuff that puts credit elsewhere. A publisher can't win with all retailers no matter what they do, so if they want to survive they better think of themselves first, and hope retailers are doing the same.

Given Chaosium's length in business, it may trip and falter a lot, but it's long-term strategy certainly worked.

Eric Rowe
Wizard's Attic

ps Also note that the GTA would probably love to get some sort of retailer base/program going, but it can only promise what it can actually deliver. Rest assured that there are lots of other ideas and hopes for the organization and hopefully the initiall benefits are only the beginning.

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