[Soapbox] Buy Retail

Several people have been asking about getting this or that through KR in the
US or Jon in th UK, but having been an intergral part of the chain as
consumer, retailer, and ditributor, I have a somewhat broader perspective on
what it really COSTS to go direct.

The main point is this: if you can get the stuff at a retail store in your
area, DO IT. "Why in the world would I want to do that?" you might ask,
"I
can get it quicker/cheaper from source X."

Simple, if your local retailer doesn't feel demand for the product, he won't
stock it, especially in today's tighter game market. If he doesn't stock it,
it doesn't get exposed to as many new players. Though the net and convention
exposure are also important, they cannot substitute for a gamer flipping
through the pages on the shelf of a store and deciding that this might be
worth a go. That decision brings him to the net or convention so he can become
a FT nut like the rest of us. Even better if a store clerk is a FT nut as
well, but if it's not stocked, he can't very well tell all his customers that
it's the coolest thing since sliced bread.

If not enough retailers carry the product, the distributor won't carry it,
which has more far reaching effects. Now the retailers for a whole area
can't get the product - unless they order from someone else than their
regular distributor. So if it's asked for, they can't even special order it
without extra effort. Once again, less exposure to new players.

All of this amounts to greater demand for the manufacturer, who with bigger
print runs, can afford to make our beloved books slightly cheaper. Sure,
direct sales DO give them a bigger slice of the profit pie, but in general it
doesn't make up for lost demand on the other side of the chain. Sure, they
sold one to you at a better margin, but they might have sold one or two dozen
to a distributor.

I hope that this hasn't bored anyone, but it is important to consider. Of
course you can say, "Sure, you've got a Fleet Book already; you can afford to
be on a soapbox." True, but this is something that I feel strongly enough
about that I'm also going to buy one from my local retail store. After all,
that way I can give one away as a gift, and get someone ELSE
hooked. ;-)