Re: [DL] My 10 cents worth

[Sam & Max <samnmax@swbell.net>]

Steve Peterson wrote:

> Pinnacle's recent releases were created by Pinnacle... and that's the
> way it should be. Cybergames.com did not buy PInnacle to create their
> products for them. The pace of new releases had to be changed to suit
> the reality of the marketplace and Pinnacle's needs. Too many
> products at one time are a problem for a variety of reasons. The
> majority of gamers have only a certain amount of money to spend on
> new products, and it takes time for them to read them and enjoy them.
> If you release several products at the same time, you'll lose sales
> overall. The game industry's major distributors now work on a 4-month
> solicitation cycle, which means they require 4 months lead time from
> when you announce a product before they will ship it in order to
> maximize sales.  Distributors will substantially reduce orders (or
> not even carry a product at all) if you don't give them 4 month's
> notice with proper information.

-SNIP-

> - Steve Peterson, Cybergames.com

First of all, David has let me use his account so I can remain anonymous and not
jeopardize my job. What follows are not his opinions or my employer's.

	This statement by Mr. Peterson couldn't be more false. The distributor I work
for and the distributors I deal with closely as an inventory manager all base
their purchasing schedules around the announced release dates made by the
manufacturers. Distributors order products based on pre-orders submitted by
retail stores. If a certain product has x number on pre-order, the distributor
will order x + y, where y is equal to a certain percentage of x based on past
sales of that product line. Distributors don't' reduce orders, retailers simply
can't put in pre-orders if they don't know the product is coming out. There have
been many times when we have been given only a few days by the manufacturer to
give them our orders. In the case of Mage Knight, we were given 24 hours.
Wizards of the Coast gives us about 2 months. Wizard's Attic gives 2 weeks. The
products being held back by Cybergames were solicited for six months ago, seven
in some cases. So even by the Cybergames version of reality, these items should
have shipped by now.
	Distributors do not hold product until 4 months have passed either. Space in a
warehouse costs money and a shipment that is just sitting there does nothing for
you. It just gets in the way and collects dust. That's not a very good business
model is it?
	In the past, Pinnacle would release 2-4 new products every 2 months. Does
Cybergames really think that Pinnacle fans take over 2 months to read two 128
page supplements? Retailers also buy multiple products at the same time to keep
the cost of shipping down. So releasing multiple products at the same time isn't
really a problem.
	Next subject. No one here cares that you have been in this business for over 20
years. Its easy to stay in buisiness that long when you have no overhead putting
out any new products except to repackage all your old items with new artwork and
slaping a "new edition" logo on the cover. Age means nothing in this buisiness.
Quality products, customer relations and product support combine to make a good
company. And so far, I havn't seen any of these three qualities in your company.
	So lets tally up the score so far. First you blamed the freelancers. They shot
you down. Then you blamed the distributors. You were shot down. Are you going to
blame the comsumers (the gamers on this list) and shoot yourself next?

 - Anonymous