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If your paying fees for the shops membership then you have no obligation to buy from there as your already supporting them with Weekly/Monthly/Yearly payments.
If the services they provide are free e.g. Escalation leagues or monthly 1 day tournaments then you should do your best to support them. Buying a paint pot or 2 wont hurt your wallet but it will help your LGS.
my FLGS is running a free year long Escalation League that will turn into a 5 game tournament this time next year. I try supporting them by spending €15/20 on paints, board games and Card games whenever I go to the shop. Unfortunately, the shop is new so they cant discount any GW products atm but I get my Models and stuff from Darksphere mostly.
I buy mine from the FLGS and If they don't have it I have the owner put it on the next shipment and pay him up front for doing it. I like having a FLGS in my small town so I don't have to drive an hour to play a casual game.
Club fees or not, there is no obligation to buy from a FLGS. Its your money, any store that wants your money needs to earn it. Loyalty to store, which may very well be gone in 5 years, is misplaced in my opinion.
If you feel unhappy about buying elsewhere, discuss with the shop your concerns.
Resipsa131 wrote: I buy mine from the FLGS and If they don't have it I have the owner put it on the next shipment and pay him up front for doing it. I like having a FLGS in my small town so I don't have to drive an hour to play a casual game.
But I don't feel obligated to do it.
This.
I feel loyalty to my FLGS and will shop there. That loyalty is not, however, an obligation. I also can't imagine my FLGS owner trying to place such an obligation on me. Instead, he generates loyalty by supporting the community.
All you have to do is fire three rounds a minute, and stand
Obliged? Absolutely not. I'm going to play devil's advocate here. Many game stores offer gak, when you think about it. The only real commodity they usually offer is table space, and if you're lucky a good selection of terrain. But is that enough? Maybe to patronize frequently, but not to buy there all the time. It depends on their stock. If they keep a healthy stock and offer a discount, then along with the tablespace it provides a bigger incentive to shop there.
But I have had game stores that had barely any stock, offered a discount so low that after factoring in sales tax it came out to saving a few pennies, and could take upwards of a month or more to order anything from their distributor. In comparison you can order online, get a good discount, often have free shipping, and be guaranteed the order in a week or so. A no brainer.
If I have a good shop that gives a discount I will often shop there, but otherwise it's only for impulse buys; any sort of bulk order I'll do online instead for the savings.
If the FLGS is charging considerably more for the models, and to use their tables... well, I'm not sure that 'F' is accurate (unless this is a normal thing in your area).
I'd be nice and order third-party stuff from them if it's cheaper. If not, I'd just buy my stuff online and buy what is reasonable from them. If they ever ask you why, tell them.
I don't think this should be an issue at all. If people make you feel bad about buying elsewhere, it's worth pointing out that most people have at least one figure in their armies that they didn't buy at that store. Or paint. Or brushes to paint the figures. Or basing materials...
Saying that I feel guilty if I go into GW, and walk out without buying, as the people who run it are very nice. I end up buying a single figure or some paints, or the WD magazine when I go in there. They've never made me feel bad about buying elsewhere, and are understanding if I want to save £20+ on a box set, by buying it online.
I tend to split my purchases between the FLGS and online. I like to support my gaming store but also I like saving money so I try to do a good mix of both.
I feel that if you play there, yes, you should feel obliged to spend money there. Not all of it, but it's kind of a dick move to use his resources for your own fun, and not give back.
I play exclusively at one store in our town. I certainly don't buy all my warhammer stuff there, but when I'm make a big move on my army, I ensure he gets a percentage of it.
If you feel like the store isn't being fair with its pricing why are you playing there? If you are ok enough for it to play there you should spend at least some money there.
Otherwise you are kind of hoping that someone else is making the game profitable enough for the FLGS to support. If that person(s) stops buying or switches games then you could find yourself with a bunch of product and no place to play.
Bender wrote:* Realise that despite the way people talk, this is not a professional sport played by demi gods, but rather a game of toy soldiers played by tired, inebriated human beings.
thankfully my FLGS doesn't charge for tables, they have an excellent selection of terrain, are open late 2200hrs and generally have most hobby supplies in stock. if they charged for the use of their tables, I probably wouldn't play as much as I do. even tho I probably spend approx what they would charge for table time.
They do charge full price for models, which I am perfectly happy to pay since the aforementioned perks are wonderful. I don't like buying stuff online unless I have to. my wife & I run a small business(not game related) and don't mind supporting another local business. if I have to buy GW stuff online, I just have it shipped to the GW store 30min away.
in regards to the op, if you are looking at the $€£¥ exclusively and already pay for the use of their space don't feel obligated. now if you are looking at value then for sure buy as much stuff from them as possible.
but as already been said, don't feel beholden to any particular store and give your hard earned $€£¥ to whom you think is most deserving.
I think if you are paying club dues that go to the store, then you are buying from them.. you're buying space and time and stuff like that.
If you are at a store that offers free open gaming whenever you want, then you should try to support them. Models are expensive and it's ok to get stuff off ebay, but you could at least pick up your paints there or buy other items.
The store we play Bolt Action at lets us use their tables and terrain for free so I buy stuff there, not everything but I try to buy something every week.
Gaming stores are business, and if you don't like their prices, you are obviously under no obligation to pay them. (this is the free market approach)
However, gaming stores are also the central gathering point for hobby communities. If nobody buys enough to keep the store in business, it will fail, and hurt the whole community. (this is the utilitarian/tragedy fo the commons approach)
Nobody can answer this question for anybody else. Really, you need to think about your relationship with your local, and determine if you gain a benefit worth paying a little more for your models for.
ChargerIIC wrote: If you feel like the store isn't being fair with its pricing why are you playing there? If you are ok enough for it to play there you should spend at least some money there.
Because playing facilities and cost of models are two different things? Besides, they're already paying for the playing side of things, making the cost of the models a different issue altogether.
ChargerIIC wrote: If you feel like the store isn't being fair with its pricing why are you playing there? If you are ok enough for it to play there you should spend at least some money there.
Because playing facilities and cost of models are two different things? Besides, they're already paying for the playing side of things, making the cost of the models a different issue altogether.
It seems weird since your playing, is in itself, advertising for the store. You are supporting the store, but don't want its business practices to spread.
Bender wrote:* Realise that despite the way people talk, this is not a professional sport played by demi gods, but rather a game of toy soldiers played by tired, inebriated human beings.
If you don't buy at the store, please don't be stupid enough to be surprised when the store makes a rational business decision to no longer exist.
A FLGS is a terrible business choice, and it's an even worse business choice if the store has a large selection of tables. If you enjoy going to this place that is making the terrible business choice of continuing to exist, you get the store to continue to exist by giving them money.
Do you have to do this? Of course not. But actions have consequences.
The truth is, at the end of the day it's YOUR money. You choose what you want to do with it.
If the FLGS is over-charging you, then you might be well within your rights to purchase somewhere else. I've seen this first-hand, and the shop eventually became nothing more than a card store after a while.
If you need a place to game, then do the basic math.
Figure out how much you're spending at the shop vs. buying from GW. Ball park it, at least.
Take a look at the difference.
If you can afford to make your own table, then it might be wise. If you can afford to get together with some friends and rent tables at a recreation center, do that.
Because while others will tell you 'Support your local FLGS!' and act like you're an awful person for not throwing away your money... I'll be the one that will tell you that there's plenty of businesses that will price-gouge you and don't give two turds about your gaming community.
Don't be a fool with your money. Better to be able to eat and buy more things than to support a business that doesn't care about you.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Anyone who tells you to support your local business is doing one of two things:
-running that business
-repeating what people who run that business say
Your gaming community won't 'go away' because some price-gouging shop went out of business. I grew up for years in an area with NO FLGS within 70 miles. We still had a gaming community, we just saved for the trip and mail-ordered from magazines.
If the business is foolish enough that they can charge you WAY more than the normal value of an item, because you don't have another choice? Well, don't worry. It won't be long before a new choice comes along and puts the old choice out of business or forces him to adjust so he can compete.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/02/03 00:19:41
Mob Rule is not a rule.
2018/02/03 00:25:24
Subject: Re:Should I be obliged to buy from my FLGS?
I wish I had this problem-- there is no FLGS where I live. If there were, I would buy from them pretty much exclusively, because I would want them to stay in business.
JoshInJapan wrote: I wish I had this problem-- there is no FLGS where I live. If there were, I would buy from them pretty much exclusively, because I would want them to stay in business.
Okinawa. Gate 2 street.
Guy has a shelf in the back and a table you can use.
Mob Rule is not a rule.
2018/02/03 00:39:33
Subject: Re:Should I be obliged to buy from my FLGS?
JoshInJapan wrote: I wish I had this problem-- there is no FLGS where I live. If there were, I would buy from them pretty much exclusively, because I would want them to stay in business.
Okinawa. Gate 2 street.
Guy has a shelf in the back and a table you can use.
That's about as far from me as you can get and still be in Japan. I'm in Iwate.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/02/03 00:39:45
JoshInJapan wrote: That's about as far from me as you can get and still be in Japan. I'm in Iwate.
Then I recommend taking a trip to the beaches in Okinawa when it gets closer to spring. The ocean will do you well.
I've been there twice, and plan to go again, probably this summer. My work and family are up here, so this is where I'll stay. No beaches (or game stores), but the skiing is great.
The truth is, at the end of the day it's YOUR money. You choose what you want to do with it.
If the FLGS is over-charging you, then you might be well within your rights to purchase somewhere else. I've seen this first-hand, and the shop eventually became nothing more than a card store after a while.
If you need a place to game, then do the basic math.
Figure out how much you're spending at the shop vs. buying from GW. Ball park it, at least.
Take a look at the difference.
If you can afford to make your own table, then it might be wise. If you can afford to get together with some friends and rent tables at a recreation center, do that.
This really seems like jousting at windmills here, I mean is LGS price gouging a common occurrence? I can't say I've ever encountered it.
Generally the big-bad businesses exploiting gamers are the manufacturers, not the point of sale.
I prefer to buy from miniature manufacturers that *don't* support the overthrow of democracy.
ScarletRose wrote: This really seems like jousting at windmills here, I mean is LGS price gouging a common occurrence? I can't say I've ever encountered it.
Generally the big-bad businesses exploiting gamers are the manufacturers, not the point of sale.
I'm a very pro free-market kind of guy. But rest assured, I've seen quite a few specialty shops that realize when there's no nearby competition... they will gladly raise the prices as long as people are coming in and paying them. Fortunately, online shopping has put a stop to the worst of this. However, the price of convenience and the abundance of impulse-shoppers keeps some of it still alive.
I mean, FFS I grew up in a town with ONE grocery store. It was half an hour to the other. You can bet your butt there was a price difference between the milk in that store and the stuff thirty minutes away- and the other town had several small grocers, they were just priced better because they had competition.
A smart FLGS will provide goods and services that are not available elsewhere: snacks and drinks; game events, such as Magic the Gathering; and the discount clearance section. Or carry small items whose price justifies the convenience: dice, paints, and, again, snacks and drinks.
Our FLGS even has quarterly boardgame flea markets, which you'd think are competition, but still result in sales, including moving their own clearance stock. (The store even has its own online store, with store pickup.)
Polonius wrote: This is one of those classic moral quandaries.
Gaming stores are business, and if you don't like their prices, you are obviously under no obligation to pay them. (this is the free market approach)
However, gaming stores are also the central gathering point for hobby communities. If nobody buys enough to keep the store in business, it will fail, and hurt the whole community. (this is the utilitarian/tragedy fo the commons approach)
Nobody can answer this question for anybody else. Really, you need to think about your relationship with your local, and determine if you gain a benefit worth paying a little more for your models for.
I agree with this.
At the end of the day, it's your choice where you spend your money.
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