Dynasties & Demagogues: Retail Penetration?

[spacecrime.com]

Yes, I know the title sounds dirty.

Dynasties & Demagogues has been out for a couple of weeks now, so I'm starting the next phase in my obsessive quest to understand the publishing and sales process. Since there's no rational system for tracking industry stocking and sales, I'm going for as much anecdotal information as I can get.

I'm looking for answers to the following questions. Obviously, I'm most excited by glowing reports that boost my ego, but I'd rather hear a sad truth than nothing or a happy lie. Any information you can give me will help. (Other store owners are most welcome to jump in, by the way.)

1. Have you seen Dynasties & Demagogues at any of your local bookstores or game stores? If so, which ones? If not, are there stores that you know are definitely not carrying the book?

2. If you've seen Dynasties at a local store, where and how has it been displayed?

3. Do the staff members of your local stores seem to be aware of the book? Have any of them recommended the book or shown other enthusiasm for it?

4. Have you seen any reviews of the book, or heard recommendations about it?

Thanks for any information you can share!

 

[Rifter]

1. No
2. see above
3. kind of
4. On the internet, only.

Now, for the #3 part, I work at said store, and I have thought about ordering it. The store owner was vaugly familiar with it... in that he had heard of it, but had not ordered any in. I wanted to have a look at it.

I live in Boise, Idaho, and the store I work at, is probably the most popular store, but even then, he does not have a great number of sales. We are the only RPG store, in the area. We have a few other stores that stock RPG materials, but the store I work at, is the only one that is a "game store".


The days I work, I can sell a few extra D20 items, but unless it is WOTC, Green Ronin, or Sword and Sorcery, it is difficult to sell. It also does not help that my personal library of D20 books, is far larger than the store's. oh well.

 

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

1. NO

2. NA

3. NO - In fact I asked about this book with three LGS, and they all gave me blank stares. One guy INSISTED that I meant Deities and Demigods - the schmuck

4. YES - Right here on ENWorld : http://www.enworld.org/reviews/index.php?sub=yes&where=active&reviewer=ccamfield&product=DaD

I also saw a preview of it in the last Gaming Frontiers mag, and it looks great.

I'll probably order this one online if I don't see it in the stores soon. I like to give the LGS my dollar, but...

This book will be mine!

 

[trancejeremy]

1) No. But the two stores I go to don't seem to carry much of the Penumbra line. I've been looking for a couple other products from it, but all they have is Touched by the Gods. They did used to have a copy of Nymambe but it sold.

2) na

3) No. The only book I've ever seem them push was War by AEG (and they were wrong about it, actually) and one of the d20 naval books (the FFG one, IIRC)

4) Yup, saw the review here by Chris Camfield (he's one of the reviewers I always read) and one at RPG net.

While it sounded interesting, it's one of those books I really want to look through before I buy. I've been burned by similarly grandoise sounding books before.

 

[Crothian]

1. Yes. I've seen it at both Ravenstone and Comic town here in Columbus Ohio.

2. Ravenstone had it on their New Realse section, Comic Town had it with all their d20 stuff. I don't think Comic Town has a new release section. Both places the book's front was facing out making it really easy to see.

3. I don't talk to the staff of my local stores about RPGs. I've found in the past that I know way more then they do thanks to the power of EN World.

4. Only on the net

 

[Monte At Home]

Re: Re: Dynasties & Demagogues: Retail Penetration?

I've found in the past that I know way more then they do thanks to the power of EN World.

Good point. Let me give a big round of praise to those retailers that come here and read up on upcoming products. It's that kind of dedication to knowing the business which makes for a great store owner/employee, I think.

(And it says a lot about the power and quality of ENWorld as well.)

 

[Ashy]

I have to wonder what in the nine hells is wrong with some FLGS'es these days - it seems like apathy has run rampant amongst both store owners and store employees.... Has the taint of mindless card games turned their minds into half-rotten mush? I get the blank stares and the attitudes of "I could care less what book you want if it is not on the shelf" and I really have to wonder....

I wonder if I should say screw my FLGS and do all of my shopping online...

I wonder if I should open my own gaming store...

I wonder when I will finally encounter an ACTUAL F.L.G.S., 'cause to date, I have not...

Sad, but true...

Oh and spacecrime, I obviously have not seen it anywhere on shelves (but then again I don't get out much) nor I have I heard any talk of it, save two places: the Net and from Jesse Mohn, a part-time Atlas illustrator and good pal of mine - he gave the book VERY HIGH reviews and I picked it up from Atlas without a second thought. I've not had a chance to go through it yet, but it looks tres cool - I cannot wait!

Best of luck on your future endeavours!

 

[Falcon]

1. Have you seen Dynasties & Demagogues at any of your local bookstores or game stores? If so, which ones? If not, are there stores that you know are definitely not carrying the book?

I]Yes. Endgame in Oakland. [/I]

2. If you've seen Dynasties at a local store, where and how has it been displayed?

[On the front display shelf as you walk in the store. Can't miss it. They always do that with books they like.


3. Do the staff members of your local stores seem to be aware of the book? Have any of them recommended the book or shown other enthusiasm for it?

Both owners really liked it. One plans on using it in his campaign.

4. Have you seen any reviews of the book, or heard recommendations about it?

I did online, here.


I personally really like the book and want to incorporate a lot of the material into my campaign. MFLGS sold the copies they ordered, and have ordered more, I believe.

Nice job.

 

[coyote6]

1. Yes, at the Game Habitat in Monterey, CA. Haven't been in any other game or book stores since the book came out, so I don't know about them.

2. IIRC, it was displayed on the "new books" shelf, next to Urban Arcana. (My copy was behind the counter, 'cause I pre-ordered it.)

3. Yes, they seemed aware of it. I didn't hear 'em recommend it; however, it wouldn't make much sense to recommend it to me since I pre-ordered, and I went during lunch -- there were two other customers, and one of them came with me. They did, however, mention Crime & Punishment -- so they're aware of Penumbra in general.

4. Yeah, I've seen KDLadage's and Chris Camfield's reviews, and I've heard recommendations from them, you, John Nephew, and myself.

Nice to see a revision of the Discreet Companion, btw; I had just looked at the class in Traps & Treachery the other day, and thought about fixing it. Keep doing things for me, eh?

 

[CCamfield]

1. No, I haven't been to the local store since I got my review copy. But I'll make a point of checking.

Trancejeremy, thanks for the comment about my reviews. I'm flattered! (I don't feel I've written that many reviews as it is.)