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So everybody knows that your friendly local gaming store is a business. Further it's a business that's often operated on a very thin margin, often by a very hard working individual who's usually very passionate about game. Often times they run special events, host gaming, answer questions, and encourage new people to get into the hobby. For many people the are the only place they have to game, have the best terrain, and the greatest variety of opponents. In many places they operate as a sort of informal club house for wargamers, with people hanging out at all hours of the day (and night, if the owners pretty flexible), drinking, and having a good time. I've met a number of decent individuals in these locals, some of whom have gone on to become good friends of mine.

However, we're playing a game that's extremely expensive, requires many many figures, and an investment that's greater than the cost of a brand new gaming console. It's very possible to get some very very good discounts at online stores, or via ebay.

So what do you feel is your "obligation" to the FLGS when you use their "free" space?

(title edited by frazzled for spelling)

I chose #2.
I feel a personal requirement to help keep them in business, just because they're local and provide a service to the gaming community in my city.

However, since my FLGS is only slightly F and not so L, it's mostly just a GS to me. : )

I game at home (mine or friends) and Sunday was the first time I've gone into a FLGS to use their space for something aside from a tourney in about 4 or 5 years... and this particular store is almost an hour from me. I didn't buy anything because the only stuff I NEEDED was Vallejo Game Color paint (#17, Scurf Green) and they only carried Reaper & GW paints (and the GW version isn't that good for airbrushing).

So, I consider #2 to be fairly "generous," considering MY situation.

Eric

My FLGS is poorly run and regularly doesn't actual order the orders that I give them. I do spot buys from them for store merchandise, but big purchases I usually get online. I'd love to give them my business, but I'm still waiting for dreadnoughts and some daemons from the original C:CD release.

Have two not so local shops in relation to me. Usually when I go there I pick up any paints, brushes and a odd blister or two I want. The other stuff I usually order online since I may make it to the shop once a month at most just to look around. Usually game at home with friends. If I was closer to a shop or had more time I might spend more time there as well as more money.

I have a great FLGS in my town (Bridgetowen Hobbies in Portland, Oregon). I buy (and/or order) anything that's in-print from them. I go to eBay or other online sellers for OP items (which I tend to buy a lot of). I actually played a game there for the first time a few weeks ago, and found the experience to be much more enjoyable than I'd anticipated.

I buy from the shop, but that's because that's mostly where I play.

I buy from my local store (Showcase in Media, PA) because it's 10 minutes away and when I know I want something, I don't want to wait for it to be shipped even at a discount. And the store is run very well so I don't mind paying full price at a worthwhile store. If I do need to order something, I'll usually just order it from the store unless it's something they can't get. The only exception is when my club plays at a different store (TDS in West Chester, PA), and I usually like to buy something when we play there just to show some support.. but since that store is much farther away I pretty much never go there if I'm not playing.

I think Malfred has hit the nail on the head.

If you game in a store, then I would say you have a certain moral obligation to buy your models there. After all, be it a GW or an Indy, they aren't charging you to game there. It's used as an incentive to garner customer loyalty. It wouldn't sit right me with using free facilities without purchasing from there. You could say it's like buying a McDonalds, and eating it in the Ritz. Just not on!

Most people have a local store that they go to and have formed some what of an allegiance or symbiotic relationship with.

Since I am a transient, and go to a lot of shops all over the place I do try to support them when ever I play at their store (which is mostly during RTTs).

Also I have more money than pacience, so I want something right way normally I just go out and buy it at a store. The big problem with that is that most stores do not carry what I want/need. I am not a young kid buying the newest release, but I want other items that I thought are not that hard to find, but are never in stock. Last time I was looking for Empire sorcerers, and I had to go to 3 stores before I found one. With the cost of gas, I am better off going to e-bay anyways. Same thing happened with I wanted Oblits, only I was never able to find those.

If you play a local store on a regular basis you should be a regular customer of the store. If that's not the case then you aren't under any obligation to support them. I rarely game at any of the local stores. Most don't have good gaming areas, have poor operational hours, or are too far away. The bulk of my GW related buying is via the internet.

I game at my local store, so I make occasional minor purchases there to earn my playtime. For major purchases, though, the major discounts offered by online vendors is hard to ignore.

Use or lose it essentially, and do *not* blame GW if it goes under.

I try to buy some from the not-so-local shop, especially when they have a sale and/or when I'm but I do a lot of my shopping online.

I've tried to support the local store, and I usually buy something when I'm there. However I also must admit that I find the occasional ebay special too much to pass up.

I've also run into some static with one of the local store employees, so I've stopped going there, unless one of my friends wants to head up there for whatever reason. (One of the reasons was that I was supposedly not buying anything, which was untrue).

Personally I'm getting to the point that I'd prefer to play at home. I've been building up my terrain, etc, but there are a lot more opponents at the FLGS. I also seem to have trouble getting my friends to play at my place, instead of the local store. I find this to be a bit strange, but I think it's habit.

I also dislike feeling obligated to buy things from the local store because they offer "free" space. Sometimes I really don't want to buy anything, or have any need. The new store I've been going to is charging $8 for the league they're running, and I'd almost prefer that they rent out the tables for everything.

Well, if the shop is being an arse, then it sounds like it well close anyway. In the Wargames Industry, it seems customer service is the biggest stick you can be beaten with.

I buy 90% of my gaming purchases from my semi-local store. (Tabletop hobby and game, Overland park, KS.) I haven't played a game there in years, but I do hang around and annoy people with my opinions and ask questions of the owner whenever he's in, so it's worth it. They usually have what I want or will order it. It helps that the only Hardee's I know of is right across the street. (MMMMMMMmmmm...Thickburgers...)

I often will buy things from the stores I play at, though such times are very infrequently these days. I do most of my playing at my house now, but when I do go to the shops I can be relied upon to clear out some clearance items, or make a few impulse buys of stuff. I generally don't get anything too big though, because I have enough of a backlog going that wanting anything in particular "now" is unlikely compared to wanting to save 20%. The main trouble is the stores I play at don't really have the inventory, and the one that does I don't like going to. I suppose more people should have problems like mine though...

I voted for #4. I frequent a few different stores on a regular basis. I have my "home" store that get's the majority of my orders, but I try to buy paints, foam, dice, something from the other stores.

I think it's very dependent on how you play. If you never play in the store except for tournaments then I can see ordering a lot of stuff online. However, if you like playing in tournaments what are you going to do if the store goes away .

Most of my gaming is done at stores, I like to meet and play new people and that's the easiest way for me to do that.

These days, I go to my local RPG/minis/stuff store pretty rarely. I buy a fair bit of my stuff at the local GW, especially paints and such, I figure it's a fair compensation for the use of their tables and paint station. I also get supplies from a local general-purpose hobby store, because they have a better selection.

@Warpcrafter

I'm visiting Kansas for work and have been here a month and I've got to say I really like Tabletop Hobby and Games. First FLGS that actually has most stuff in stock and is actually CLEAN! It even has light and a good sized gaming area. I've bought more stuff at cost in the last month than I have in the last year (building and painting my demon army) because of these reasons.

Begin Rant::
If my normal FLGS was like this then i'd probably spend money there but I stopped when they told me I had to put the Ork codex on order since they didn't order any the week it came out and had no intention of ordering them to keep on the shelves. I nearly hit the guy behind the counter (this is because of other issues and one of the reasons I don't frequent the store anymore, staff!) when he told me this. First codex in 10 years and they didn't one 1!
End Rant::

I don't know what games stores are like elsewhere, but here in Oz, from my experience, they're generally pretty dismal.

They tend to be pokey little places that reek of unwashed gamer. If they have playing space at all, (and most don't) it's the maximum number of tables crammed into a minimal amount of space, making gaming there quite uncomfortable. Terrain is usually minimal and/or mass-produced, spray-painted polystyrene lumps.

If I could find a store at which I would be happy to spend time playing games, and if their pricing was competitive, then sure, I'd buy from them. If the gaming's good and their miniature prices aren't, they're still going to make money from me on snacks and drinks.

If a store offers free gaming space, that's a business decision that they've made specifically to try to entice you to buy from them. You're under no more obligation to buy from them than you would be to buy from a company that drops free samples of their product in your mail box, or that lays out their store in a way that encourages you to spend longer in there (most likely just trying to find your way out, but theoretically more time = more likely to see something you want to buy)...

If offering gaming space is costing the store and players aren't buying in return, then the store has to make the decision to change their prices, remove or reduce the gaming space, or find other ways to make money off players while they're in the store.

At the end of the day, the store is a business. Getting you to spend your cash in their store is their job, not their right. If enough people are playing and not spending to be hurting the store, then that's a sign that the store is doing something wrong.

If I game there, I'll buy there.

But if I'm gaming at garages, I'll buy from Neal.

What do you consider to be competitive pricing? There's just no way a brick and mortar store can compete with an online wholesaler. There's just too much overhead involved.

That being said, I think if they are offering it at the price that gw is selling it for thats competitive.

There are 3 stores that I go to in my area. One of them used to be good at keeping things in stock but now sucks, another is mediocre, and one is phenominal.

The phenominal one will actually apologize to you if they don't have something in stock. They usually stock 2 deep on all gw items (plus other games), and more for new releases. They post advance order sheets for people to sign up on, assist with bit orders, everything you would want.

This store also organizes mega battles, painting competitions, tournaments, you name it.
I still remember wanting to get the special release power fist space marine. So I called up the store and asked if there was any way he could get it for me. He called his gw rep and found out that if I ordered specialty items or bitz through his store he could get it in for me. So a bunch of epic models and shoulder pads later I had my mini.

I know that he places his orders on Tuesday's so I can actually call the store and ask them to special order something, and unless gw is out of stock it will be there on friday.

That is the kind of customer service I'm willing to pay for. Unfortunately I'm now a lot further away (its about an hour drive for me) so I don't make it down there as much. And the stores near where I live now pale in comparison.

Man this is long winded and sounding more like a rant than I wanted it to, but oh well.

I buy from my local as much as possible. When it comes to new product if they don't get it in on time I will some times go elswhere. Same with orders I will mention I need something or order it give them 2-3 weeks and if they don't get it in time I go elsewhere. My LGS is notorious at not getting things in a timely manner for local customers. Go figure? When I play in another store tourny or event I make it a practice to spend a little money in thier shop to show my support for the event.

Warmaster wrote:What do you consider to be competitive pricing? There's just no way a brick and mortar store can compete with an online wholesaler. There's just too much overhead involved.

For me personally, 'competitive' means 'around the same price I can get it elsewhere' since I rarely need anything right there and then, so am happy to wait for something to come through the mail.

But that being said, I would still quite likely succumb to the occasional impulse buy if the store gave me a decent reason for being there in the first place.

That's the real issue... if stores can't compete with online traders pricewise, then they need to give people other reasons to spend time in the store, and give them other things to spend their money on. And I haven't found a games store yet that I'd be willing to spend any significant amount of time in.

The gaming store here is pretty friendly and local, so since moving here I've been pretty good about buying stuff from them. I usually try to shop online (through Ebay mostly) but I've spent about $300 at the store in the last couple months, so I feel l'm not much of a free loader.

djones520 wrote:The gaming store here is pretty friendly and local, so since moving here I've been pretty good about buying stuff from them. I usually try to shop online (through Ebay mostly) but I've spent about $300 at the store in the last couple months, so I feel l'm not much of a free loader.

Where are you spending your time & money?
I'm curious.

Eric

I don't order models unless its through a game store. I dislike ebay when it comes to closed box products and in general I prefer most of what I get to come from a brick and mortar establishment when it comes to my hobbies.

That said there is more than one store in this state, and often times I will buy at one store then play at another. I actually tend to feel conflicted when I do so, but it's not something I lose sleep over.

I'll buy wherever I can get a great deal as I like to do conversions and things like resin bases with the money I save to improve the look of my forces.

Having said that I was getting about 40% off Oz retail by online ordering from the UK until the financial crisis hit and our dollar nosedived.

Now a friend who is big in the OzWHFB tourney scene has opened a store on the other side of town with a 15% discount on everything so I go there even though its an 80 minute round trip (I go once a month) despite there being a GW 4km from my house. Sure I'll get the odd paint pot from the GW store but the savings are just too much to warrant buying anything else there.

Price wins for me everytime. My FLGS doesn't offer play space, so why should I give them anything in return? And I discount playing in GW stores as I am a *ahem* "little" over the age of 12 so feel uncomfortable gaming in those environs. The only time I buy stuff from the store is if they have a sale, or if (rarely) I really, really can't wait for the postman!