RE: [DL] Where to buy (was: deadlands-digest.20010417)

["Heivilin, Jim" <banzai@missouri.edu>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Anthony Ragan [mailto:irishspy@mindspring.com] 
> Subject: [DL] Where to buy (was: deadlands-digest.20010417)
> > Following up Allan's comments of "Buy, Buy, Buy!", I've got 
<snip>
> > it online instead?
> 
> My first choice would be to buy at a store, unless they just refuse to
> carry Pinnacle products (must be servants of the Reckoners). 
> Buying in a store shows there's demand and will encourage store 
> owners to stock more -- meaning money for PEG.
> 
While in general I support what Allan and Anthony have said (buy locally),
I'd also like to point out that given the distribution network and the way
it works, buying direct from the publisher will often give them as much as
*twice* the profit than they would normally get if they sold to a
distributor.  And when you pay them their paid.  Such is not always the case
with distributors.  And with most small publishers, twice the profit means
you're that much closer to getting the next book since those profits are
*usually* used to defray it's printing costs (or to print a few more
copies).

> Conversely, quite a few retailers resent direct sales from publishers,
<snip>
> may all bent out of shape and refuse to carry PEG products anymore.
> 
Sounds to me like they take it personally instead of taking the long view,
a) it's only business, b) you're a gamer, you're going to be in their store
anyway, c) asking themselves why you did it and what they can offer you
instead and providing it.  

However gamers are an emotional lot ... although I don't know many game
store owners. 

Jim 

Jim Heivilin, System Administrator
IAT Services, Open Systems Team 
University of Missouri at Columbia
mailto:banzai@missouri.edu, 573-884-3898