This is sad news indeed. The thought process behind a move like this, if indeed it does happen, would have to be in favor of promoting brick and mortar stores. I do have not one but two gaming venues within twenty miles of me. They both have official DDM and SWM tournaments. Neither offers a discount to someone buying by the case. I have tried to even offer a three case purchase at each release to get some kind of discount but to no avail.

 

I have tried to support my local gaming store but asked only for a discount in mass purchase. I could not, so I therefore took my business on-line. Do I buy boosters from my local stores? Yes, I do. I buy about a case of each release to be honest. I buy the majority on-line though because I can get almost twice as much product for the same amount of money. Did Wizards make less on those two cases I bought on-line? No, they shouldn’t have. So there profit margin should remain the same from me either way.

 

I buy a case worth of boosters from my local gaming store but I feel no loyalty to do so. I buy miniatures for RPG purposes only. I could care less about the officially sponsored events held there. I don’t play the miniature game. The way I see it they almost drive me away from their business with their desire to milk as much from each sell as they can. A 10% discount would have kept my business and their profit margin off of me would be much higher then it is now.

 

The only reason I go at all is because the manager (note: the owner makes the calls I mentioned above) is a great guy and my kids love him.

 

I digress. I buy my boosters from an on-line vendor and a lot of single sells from either Auggest or Baltac’s Trading store. Whoever has the most of the miniatures I want in stock at my time of order. I have had great service from both and must say I feel more loyalty to them then I do to my LGS.

 

Would those going out of business stop me from buying WOTC products? Shamefully no. It would however limit the money I spend on their products however. I would continue to buy the case I get from my LGS but I would no longer buy the other two cases I get on-line nor the money (probably $150) a month in single purchases. That’s probably 3 cases that I don’t purchase each set including singles.

 

Will my loss of revenue affect them? Of course not, but the loss of other people like me might.

 

In the end I will hope this is all a big misunderstanding and that my purchases can continue as they have. If not I guess I might have to try to get my son into Heroclix again. At least there I find myself chasing rares a whole lot less and I can buy singles of that line.

 

My thoughts are with you Auggust because you are an important link in my collection and your service keeps me and my son in the miniatures we desire.

As far as I know, not even Wizkids ever tried dictating who could and who could not buy their product. Their goofs were limited to a series of increasingly bad marketing gimics and gross public-relations errors. Come to think of it, this is exactly the sort of decision which would have fit perfectly into the downward spiral that Mage Knight became at the end.

Cheers,

Dagonet

Let me just say that this is a bad move on Wizards' part. I emailed these guys. Auggie has a physical store front where I can play Dungeons and Dragons with my friends. You see, he needs to sell miniatures online in order to make enough money to rent out store space where people can come and play. In fact, I would never have even become interested in WOTC's gaming products if I had not seen them on display in his storefront, which, incidentally happens to be at a flea market. It shouldn't matter where the store is located. He is continuously promoting Dungeons and Dragons products to people who walk in and in fact, having met him, I can safely say that the game is indeed a passion of his. My friends and I enjoy having a place to play and Auggie has always thought of his customers.

I see the biggest argument for this new proposal is of course the survival of the FLGS. This is fine if you live in an area with a FLGS. What about the people who live over an hour from one. Should they have to suffer in their areas because of a lack of one?

 

Does Amazon have a brick and mortar store that supports DDM? Of course not! I bet WOTC is not planning to stop sending it to them. So the argument that it helps the local guy is BS if they continue to ship miniatures into a MEGA on-line store like Amazon. Wal-Mart sells them, not in my area but I have heard in others, and I bet no one has seen them break open a couple of boxes and give a demonstration.

 

This idea that it’s to help the FLGS is IMO flawed. Until they pull it out of the two above mentioned Mega Stores I’m not buying that reasoning. IMO the FLGS deserves your support only if you use it’s venue. Let them earn my patronage don’t force me to shop there.

 

While I was writing this response (in Word) I see Jade Phoenix posted a similar but I will post it anyway to reiterate.

Glad to hear that Vesuvius is lending us moral support, but seriously, who buys from them? Unless you live in Canada (which is looking better and better every day) his mini prices and shipping costs are way too high.

For instance:

Gulgar from Vesuvius costs $7.50 + $7 shipping

Gulgar from Auggie: $4.79 + $3.50 shipping


If I had to buy all my minis from Vesuvius I'd long since have gone broke!!!!

Unfortunately, if WoTC/Hasbro really enforces what Auggie is telling us, then Vesuvius' prices might end up being the new Auggies bargain place to buy - which is terribly frightening to contemplate given my level of addiction....