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Post by strutsagget on Oct 24, 2018 6:38:10 GMT
Well, customer satisfaction is way more than just being nice. Even though it usually goes a long way. It's more about value for your money. And it's is not up to the store, it's up to the customers who receive it if they value it. A part of marketing is telling your customers why they should be at your store, but if the customers don't buy your argument, then it's not their fault. Of course, you segment customers, so everyone is not the target group. Ryan Air, piss on your customers but be the cheapest on the market, still customer value(you get what you expect). Apple, be the most expensive but make sure ”everyone” loves it, a lot of customer value(you get what you expect). :/
Complaining about online stores prices is like sticking your head in the sand. It takes nothing these days to start an online store if you already have a physical one. Time and dedication yes. Indeed some store will be driven out of the market, happens everywhere in every market. Why should hobby stores be different?
I know plenty of stores capable of doing this transmission for the last ten-20 years. They are doing good, both teaching kids new games in store and selling tons online and in store with the same price in store.
Blaming the customer for not realizing store value instead of adapting with new benefits that the customer do understand is probably doom for the store. The Rick Morty example pretty much shows that. Time changes. Good Businesses adapt.
The GW example you pretty much have to accept, but then you can't expect loyalty from that group. I don't think you can't have both.
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Post by gjnoronh on Oct 24, 2018 14:01:05 GMT
Will check out the FB feed of the store we both are talking about. They are doing a very large amount to maintain their community - may not be the things you need but they've got something going on every weekend and I will frequently walk in on a weekend and see people just hanging out and painting and chatting.
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Post by gjnoronh on Oct 24, 2018 14:06:15 GMT
Well, customer satisfaction is way more than just being nice. Even though it usually goes a long way. It's more about value for your money. And it's is not up to the store, it's up to the customers who receive it if they value it. A part of marketing is telling your customers why they should be at your store, but if the customers don't buy your argument, then it's not their fault. Of course, you segment customers, so everyone is not the target group. Ryan Air, piss on your customers but be the cheapest on the market, still customer value(you get what you expect). Apple, be the most expensive but make sure ”everyone” loves it, a lot of customer value(you get what you expect). :/ Complaining about online stores prices is like sticking your head in the sand. It takes nothing these days to start an online store if you already have a physical one. Time and dedication yes. Indeed some store will be driven out of the market, happens everywhere in every market. Why should hobby stores be different? I know plenty of stores capable of doing this transmission for the last ten-20 years. They are doing good, both teaching kids new games in store and selling tons online and in store with the same price in store. Blaming the customer for not realizing store value instead of adapting with new benefits that the customer do understand is probably doom for the store. The Rick Morty example pretty much shows that. Time changes. Good Businesses adapt. The GW example you pretty much have to accept, but then you can't expect loyalty from that group. I don't think you can't have both. They shouldn't be different - but if the niche hobby store goes then what happens to the hobby? What happens when a 12 year old can't walk into a store and say wow these miniatures looks so cool I want to buy some? What happens to miniature games when there aren't stores around to bring in the next generation of players? What happens to my love of X game if in five years I can't find an opponent? Online sales advantage the biggest online store (who gets the biggest mark downs and has the lowest per sale overhead) that drives out other online sellers. The small mom and pop store isn't competing with Amazon to sell the same product. I know lots of guys who work in the industry for various game manufacturers - their sales (online or retail) are predominantly where there is a Brick and Mortar store carrying their brand. What happens in the long run to those companies when those stores disappear? There's a reason GW has tried in various ways to provide advantage to Brick and Mortar stores - it helps create new players.
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Post by strutsagget on Oct 24, 2018 14:48:26 GMT
Well, customer satisfaction is way more than just being nice. Even though it usually goes a long way. It's more about value for your money. And it's is not up to the store, it's up to the customers who receive it if they value it. A part of marketing is telling your customers why they should be at your store, but if the customers don't buy your argument, then it's not their fault. Of course, you segment customers, so everyone is not the target group. Ryan Air, piss on your customers but be the cheapest on the market, still customer value(you get what you expect). Apple, be the most expensive but make sure ”everyone” loves it, a lot of customer value(you get what you expect). :/ Complaining about online stores prices is like sticking your head in the sand. It takes nothing these days to start an online store if you already have a physical one. Time and dedication yes. Indeed some store will be driven out of the market, happens everywhere in every market. Why should hobby stores be different? I know plenty of stores capable of doing this transmission for the last ten-20 years. They are doing good, both teaching kids new games in store and selling tons online and in store with the same price in store. Blaming the customer for not realizing store value instead of adapting with new benefits that the customer do understand is probably doom for the store. The Rick Morty example pretty much shows that. Time changes. Good Businesses adapt. The GW example you pretty much have to accept, but then you can't expect loyalty from that group. I don't think you can't have both. They shouldn't be different - but if the niche hobby store goes then what happens to the hobby? What happens when a 12 year old can't walk into a store and say wow these miniatures looks so cool I want to buy some? What happens to miniature games when there aren't stores around to bring in the next generation of players? What happens to my love of X game if in five years I can't find an opponent? Online sales advantage the biggest online store (who gets the biggest mark downs and has the lowest per sale overhead) that drives out other online sellers. The small mom and pop store isn't competing with Amazon to sell the same product. I know lots of guys who work in the industry for various game manufacturers - their sales (online or retail) are predominantly where there is a Brick and Mortar store carrying their brand. What happens in the long run to those companies when those stores disappear? There's a reason GW has tried in various ways to provide advantage to Brick and Mortar stores - it helps create new players. Well if not enough people values it then it will go out of business or adapt to find new customers. I definitely don't think the hobby stand and fall with b&m stores. In my gaming group no one has never played a game in one and think some might never have put a foot in one and we buy a lot...
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Post by mottdon on Oct 24, 2018 16:46:09 GMT
Yeah, B&M stores come and go all the time and much of that has to do with how they conduct their business. Take Giga-bytes Cafe in Atlanta, GA. I visited there a few months ago and it was thriving. It was obvious that they not only encouraged players to come and go as they pleased, hang out all day and use their facility to host a wide variety of events, but they went out of their way to ensure that it happened! They not only provided the space, environment and supplies to facilitate a wide variety of gaming, but they also operated a cafe in-store so that gamers had access to food and drink, so that they never needed to leave the store all day long.        This is a complete contrast to what GW stores are offering. They want to in, drop your money, and want you out. That's not the community that this hobby needs. Stores like Giga-bytes are. And that's why and how a B&M store is thriving. Sure, online prices are more convenient and lower in many cases, but you better bet that I'm going to be 100x more likely to drop my money in a store like Giga-bytes if they put forth an effort to help me like that. (Heck, I even met the owner and we had a great, animated talk about 8th! - He's a VC player.) The utter lack of effort from GW stores is why I've stopped going to them. I was hoping that this new Citadel Cafe (whatever the new name is) would start to break this hideous standard for their stores. I haven't heard anything recently about it though.
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Post by wilsonthenarc on Oct 24, 2018 18:52:18 GMT
Wow. Looks a great place to game. +1 for sure. Giga-bytes Cafe looks just like Millennium Games in Rochester, NY. I try to stop in to Millennium at least every other week and buy something... Some bones minis, a $30-$40ish G.W. box, paints, brushes, heck - even 3 packs of the new M:tG set. If I didn't have Rick's basement, I'd spend even more time at Millennium. Thanks TheREALricksalamone
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Post by TheREALricksalamone on Oct 24, 2018 19:23:45 GMT
Exactly. The (to me, newer) GW stores are asking me to make a transaction with NO community. Just hurry up and buy and get out and how dare you even question buying your stuff anywhere else. The transaction they offer brings just about as much, if not less, value to me than simply purchasing online and playing with friends in a basement with zero commercial interests involved. I have a number of premium items for sale in my basement right now. Bring cash.
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Post by wilsonthenarc on Oct 24, 2018 20:55:57 GMT
I have a number of premium items for sale in my basement right now. Bring cash. LOL. How 'bout a sack of dirty nickels?
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Post by roughtimes on Oct 24, 2018 21:49:32 GMT
I've spent at least $250 on disc golf at Millennium. Does that help?
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Post by midnightfox0083 on Oct 24, 2018 23:15:03 GMT
Exactly. The (to me, newer) GW stores are asking me to make a transaction with NO community. Just hurry up and buy and get out and how dare you even question buying your stuff anywhere else. The transaction they offer brings just about as much, if not less, value to me than simply purchasing online and playing with friends in a basement with zero commercial interests involved. I have a number of premium items for sale in my basement right now. Bring cash.
I'll leave the key under the at-may.
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Post by knoffles on Oct 25, 2018 11:31:22 GMT
I've spent at least $250 on disc golf at Millennium. Does that help? I had to look up what that was. Never knew that was a thing.
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Post by mottdon on Oct 25, 2018 11:55:12 GMT
I've spent at least $250 on disc golf at Millennium. Does that help? Lol, there are a couple of courses around Starkville, MS, where I live. It's pretty popular down here! That and Ultimate Frisbee. Mississippi State University event has an "unofficial" Ultimate team.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2018 15:36:06 GMT
Yeah I read an article the other day about Ultimate Frisbee; apparently it's becoming more mainstream, we should begin to expect to see more organized teams, amateur leagues, semi-professional, that kind of thing.
I played it a lot when I was younger, but I got hurt pretty bad and haven't really recovered. (ankle injury - makes it hard to run/play for extended periods of time)
And Frisbee Golf rocks.
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Post by wilsonthenarc on Oct 25, 2018 15:46:34 GMT
I do both.
I was on my University Ultimate Frisbee Team for 2 years. We were never the "best" but doggone it was fun. I tried playing a few seasons ago with the local Rochester, NY club team. Had a blast, but... but I was too out of shape to run for an hour straight. It's still super fun!!!
Yup. I play disc golf. There are 4 or 5 really fun courses all less than 20 minutes from home or work. I actually have a buddy from work based out of our Portland, Maine office. Whenever he visits Rochester we sling a quick 9 of disc golf. Just some co-workers playing a little golf. No big deal.
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Post by mottdon on Oct 25, 2018 16:33:32 GMT
I played a lot of Ultimate while I was at Mississippi State University, and then, a couple of years later, when I started at Auburn University, I actually joined up on their team. I played a year, and stopped after I took a rather brutal hit (jumping for a catch, I got my feet swept from beneath me, turning me for a 450 degree spin, which luckly landed me on my stomach. I still caught the pass though!). After that, I had to admit that I had lost a step on some of those younger guys and chose to focus on my studies instead. LOVE the game though!
Golf is great fun too! The best thing about it that you don't really need a "course" to play it. Just pick a target and go!
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