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An independant stockist that had it setup not for self service.

Like jewellers do it - where you ask to see the products that you want, rather than having loads and loads out on the shelving. (Would also have monitors with a digital catalogue, for you to browse through.

Im asking because me and a friend have been debating this, and we are interested to get the publics opinion.

As long as i could get view the product before purchase then yes.

I've come across a couple of stores over the years that had everything locked away in cabinets. It's fine if you know exactly what you're looking for, but it's really off-putting for the casual browser who wants to pick stuff up and look at the back of the box.

I thought like that myself, but then i actually got to thinking - what does the back of a box have that a computer terminal wouldnt?

And you would be able to ask to see any box you wanted. It was just an idea we had as to a way to get more table space instore for gaming/painting/hobby.

My local hobby store does something similar: They have a counter in front of their GW product shelves, so you can only see the front/side of the boxes (depending on how they are stacked on the shelves), and you have to ask if you can see anything closer. I find this off-putting, as I like to be able to look at stuff thoroughly before I buy it. I also like to know how much exactly I am spending, so I like to be able to see price tags on the box, another thing they don't always do here.

To me, a computer screen just won't show detail like the back of the box. Pictures never translate as well as the real thing in your hands.

K3 wrote:
I thought like that myself, but then i actually got to thinking - what does the back of a box have that a computer terminal wouldnt?

Convenience. I can pick up the box that's on the shelf right in front of me... or I can look in the cabinet, see what I want, consider walking over to the computer terminal and running a search to find out what's actually in the box, after which I have to go track down a staff member to get the box out for me so I can buy it... and decide it's all too much bother, go grab a coffee instead, and next time around just go to the other store up the road that has a more customer-friendly layout.

And you would be able to ask to see any box you wanted.

Which works great, right up until there are more customers in the store than staff.

And that assumes that the customer is feeling inclined to ask, which many of them won't be. Customers, particularly young guys from my experience, don't like asking for help. And if they're just browsing, they have to ask to see this box, and that box, and that one there... Customer starts feeling more embarrassed about wasting the staff member's time with every extra box they ask to see, Staff member sees other customers walking in, but can't go to serve them because he's tied down helping this indecisive idiot who wants to look at everything and won't just buy something and go away, customer starts to pick up on staff member's attitude and decides it's all too hard...

I've spent a large chunk of my working career in retail. I can guarantee you that every little thing that makes it harder, even just in a small way, for your customer to buy your product without having to ask for help will contribute to that customer choosing to shop somewhere else next time.

Insaniak has it right. Staffing has a lot to do with it too.

The only way I could see this working is if you were literally running the business out of a cart or something... like a hot-dog vendor. Actually, that would be pretty fething cool

Thankyou for the input.

Was just looking at options, as am looking at funding a stockist in the near future with a friend, and the store we are looking at buying would eithger be run as a conventional store with standard shelving, allowing us 2 6x4 tables, or the other method, allowing 5 6x4's.

If I'm going to have to look up an item on a computer, why am I going to the store?

Now that makes it different. As long as the store let's you play there, I don't think that method will put people off if it frees up room for more tables! Then you can hold tournaments there and make up for it with last-minute tournament purchases!

 FoxPhoenix135 wrote:
Now that makes it different.

It really doesn't.

Encouraging people to play there isn't particularly useful if they don't also spend money there. 5 tables means tournaments of at most 10 players. You're not going to make enough from carry-on sales from tournament players to make it worthwhile.

You need to create a store where gamers are going to want to go. If you're strapped enough for space that putting all the stock away out of reach still only allows you to set up 5 tables, I would be looking at another location rather than trying to find ways to make that one work, because that sounds like it's just too small to ever be a comfortable gaming space.

To the OP: No. I wouldn't buy from such a store. It offends my sensibilities. I want to pick stuff up and look at it, possibly shake it, carry it around, pet it, name it George, but mostly just hold it.
It also speaks volumes about what the store owner thinks about his customer base: they're all possible thieves.

Ok, I'll give you that. But if a guy in a hot-dog cart walked up and opened the top, and a bunch of GW kits were down inside, wouldn't that be awesome? He could do your Tournament sales, 40k parties, and birthdays!

Its all about convenience and the shopping hands on experience. Why go to your store and order through a computer terminal (that's basically what you're doing) when I could just order through my own computer at home from an online store?

Why on earth would you hide/lock up stock from your customers? It's an idiotic idea.

Once a customer has something in their hands they are more likely to buy it. I've sold many battleforces/battalions, just because the boxes were sitting there looking lonely when the right customer walked in the door. The customer wasn't coming in to buy anything, but because the box was out and available they bought it.

I understand the need for play space, but how many hours that you are open will you fill 5 tables? If that number is >50% product behind the counter makes sense. You will still lose casual sales, though. If you'll only need 5 tables occasionally, put the product out so your customer can browse.

You might consider rolling gridwalls so you can move them to the side when you need more space.

That's a pretty good idea. Keep the tables, but put boxes out on display when the tables are not in use. Stack up a number of different kits on the table in a pleasant fashion, so people can look at them.

 Cyporiean wrote:
If I'm going to have to look up an item on a computer, why am I going to the store?

Exactly. The idea is to make it a better experience in the store not a worse one. Make people want to get up, put pants on, leave their house, and come in to spend money instead of staying home on their own computers and buy (for less usually!).

Isn't this exactly what Argos does?

I can remember going to a model train shop that was set up like this. Boxes on the walls around the shop with glad fronted cabinets with displays and used stuff in front of it, but that was 20+ years ago and its long gone; the only thing you will see like that these days is a jewellers.

I would imagine this is a good way of minimising thefts at the exPense of turnover and requires more staff to work well (assuming they get busy?).

It is a rather old fashioned way of doing things, most shops would have been like this before the 60s in the UK.

orkybenji wrote:
Its all about convenience and the shopping hands on experience. Why go to your store and order through a computer terminal (that's basically what you're doing) when I could just order through my own computer at home from an online store?

Why on earth would you hide/lock up stock from your customers? It's an idiotic idea.

Pretty much my feelings on the matter. Jewelers lock their stuff away because it is so valuable and worth stealing that it makes sense. GW stuff well not so much. I would not even consider buying from a store that would be so foolish as to inconvenience me that much. When I go to a store I mostly want to walk in have a quick look and grab what strikes my fancy. If I have to wait for a staffer to actually get me a product that would be my last time in the store.

Crap, paints. You cannot do this for paints. Do not do this for paints, repeat do not do this for paints. I don't know exactly what it would do for your paint sales, but I would estimate it would decrease it by 75%. For most people a pot of paint is an impulse buy.

I have my rack between the models and the cash-wrap. People pick out their model, see the rack of paints and suddenly remember...the green I use for orks dried out...I'm out of primer...I wanted to try a new glaze...a tute that shows how to paint using only washes. Or they will fondle all of the models, building army lists in their head while bemoaning their lack of funds. As they start to leave, they see the rack of affordable paints and will buy a pot or two for future projects or to touch up some minis at home.

I would also estimate 2% of your customers will use up 20% of your day asking you to hand them every shade of green, before suddenly deciding to buy purple. Seriously, I have customers that will take an hour to pick out one pot of paint. One guy got permission to buy three pots one day and I thought his head would explode. There are 145 paints in the Citadel line and he had all of them out at least once and most of them out multiple times. It took him three times to bring the paints up to the register before he bought them. He would get there, reconsider his choices, go back switch a color, etc.

DO NOT PUT PAINTS BEHIND THE COUNTER.

edit: I own a store, if you want some advice feel free to pm me.

For myself, it be off putting to keep asking to see Model box X, Y, Z. I like being able to pick them up and look undisturbed.

I hate that, I want to get stuff in my hands before buying it. Even worse, often, people don't even bother to put price tags on it.

Anyway, it makes sense from a vendor's point of view: it's simple reciprocity. You get someone to open the cabinet for you and you immediately are more inclined to buy the product thinking "He did something for me, now I have to do something for him". It's clever, but as a customer; I don't like it at all.

I personally want to be able to walk into a store, browse through stuff and not have to talk to anyone (bar a greeting) if i want.
There are a lot of folks like me that would rather not have to chat at all sometimes.

I'm in agreement with everyone else here. Hobby money is disposable income, so you want your customers to have every chance for an impulse buy.

Having a computer essentially forces the customer to know what they want before they come into the store. You don't want that. You want them to have a vague idea and then walk out with all the other stuff they see in the store.

With a computer, they will likely never walk out of the store with a game or figure that isn't in the Brand/Game/faction that they weren't already looking for and that lack of impulse buy and upsell is DEATH to a retail establishment

K3 wrote:
An independant stockist that had it setup not for self service.

Like jewellers do it - where you ask to see the products that you want, rather than having loads and loads out on the shelving. (Would also have monitors with a digital catalogue, for you to browse through.

Im asking because me and a friend have been debating this, and we are interested to get the publics opinion.

No.

People wouldn't even bother coming in the door. No products? Just a computer?

I can do that at home.

I would lock them up.

I've often daydreamed of openning a gaming store.

I would have a friend of mine paint one of EVERYTHING. And have all the models set up under glass. I would keep all the instructions in a binder so people could see all the bits.

All the product would be in the back room. Paints, glue, tools, and new releases would be on the sales floor.

Less boxes on the sales floor means more room for tables.

I don't know if Avid Games in ...Blackstone?... Mass is still around but the had EVERYTHING on the sales floor. Making it very hazardous to move around a table while playing.

I have friends who wouldn't be able to fit through half the doorways or around any of the tables.

Great store though.

People keep saying "I can do that at home", but one thing occurred to me: You can get your product THAT DAY if you buy it at a store. Isn't that really the only reason we buy from a store in the first place? I know that the reason I go to the store is not to pick up a box and look at it. If I go all the way to the store, its because I want something right away. I generally have an idea of what I want before I even leave the house.

So really, the only thing you might lose out on is impulse sales. But that is where salesmanship really comes into play. It's all about the upsale. Suggesting things to the customer, handing them boxes to look at that would go with the item they want to purchase, reminding them about glues and paints, etc.

Example: People don't always go to the New Car Dealership knowing EXACTLY what they want, all they know is that they want something new. A good salesman will listen to what they are looking for, show them what they want, get them interested in a vehicle, and then try to upsale (option packages, warantees, service packages, etc).

What you are going to do to get the customers to come in the store in the first place is really the biggest part of the battle. I have seen TWO of my local shops close down recently because they only offered 10 percent discount (or none, in the case of one store) on GW prices rather than the standard 20 percent. People are willing to support local businesses, but not to the point where they are paying 20 percent more than they would elsewhere. If you are going to try charging that much, you better have a darn good reason for the customer to come to your store rather than buying stuff online.

I can see keeping some of the slower moving stock behind counters/ in storage, fi you want to save room, just put a box of each kind out on the shelves, so customers can look and impules by, but you would need to restock it immediately. In all honesty just keeping your goods on the shelves is easier both as an employee, and as a customer.

I've heard it's effective in retail for the salesperson to take the product off the shelf and place it in the customer's hands. Not an easy thing to do with an order desk model.