D&D 5E Supporting your LGS! Yes, but...

[DRF]

Hi everyone!

Your forum is active and seems great, so I'm happy to have joined! I have sort of a moral conundrum and I am looking for input.

I generally like the idea of "Support your local game store!", and I do it enthusiastically at my local running store when buying running gear. I don't really use my LGS that much, but I still like having one and therefore would like to support them beyond a few dice and such. However, I live in Denmark, and prices here are steep. I am looking to buy an adventure, like "Curse of Strahd", the PHB and potentially the Monster Manual.

If I buy those three books in my LGS it'd amount to around $238 (~1500 DKK), whereas if I use Amazon, it's only around $95 (732 DKK!). That's crazy. How do I even justify supporting my LGS when Amazon is so ridiculously cheap?

 

[Michael Silverbane]

You need to decide if your stated principle (support my LGS) is worth ~750 DKK.

If your principle is worth that much, then it is justified.

If your principle is not worth that much, then it is not justified.

 

[robus]

Hi everyone!

Your forum is active and seems great, so I'm happy to have joined! I have sort of a moral conundrum and I am looking for input.

I generally like the idea of "Support your local game store!", and I do it enthusiastically at my local running store when buying running gear. I don't really use my LGS that much, but I still like having one and therefore would like to support them beyond a few dice and such. However, I live in Denmark, and prices here are steep. I am looking to buy an adventure, like "Curse of Strahd", the PHB and potentially the Monster Manual.

If I buy those three books in my LGS it'd amount to around $238 (~1500 DKK), whereas if I use Amazon, it's only around $95 (732 DKK!). That's crazy. How do I even justify supporting my LGS when Amazon is so ridiculously cheap?

Amazon wins by having razor thin margins and they cut their costs to the bone. They're slaughtering retail establishments left and right.

Is your game store providing more than just moving product? Do they host games, events etc etc? Are they actively supporting the gaming community?

If they're a pillar of the local gaming community then I would say yes you should support them - as you say, it's not like you're shopping there every week. If they're not providing much beyond higher prices however...

 

[DRF]

Is your game store providing more than just moving product? Do they host games, events etc etc? Are they actively supporting the gaming community?

If they're a pillar of the local gaming community then I would say yes you should support them - as you say, it's not like you're shopping there every week. If they're not providing much beyond higher prices however...

Well, it's a fairly new shop. The old LGS closed down recently. I don't know why, but they probably got Amazon'ed. There's a bunch of boardgame cafés in my town; it's quite hip these days. This particular shop hosts a bunch of Magic: The Gathering and Warhammer events, but nothing D&D specific.

 

[robus]

Well, it's a fairly new shop. The old LGS closed down recently. I don't know why, but they probably got Amazon'ed. There's a bunch of boardgame cafés in my town; it's quite hip these days. This particular shop hosts a bunch of Magic: The Gathering and Warhammer events, but nothing D&D specific.

Ah - I wouldn't worry too much then. They're raking it in from that collectable game so they're not going to miss your krøne!

 

[iserith]

My principle is to always get the best deal possible. Sorry, local gaming shop. You smell kind of funny anyway.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Hi everyone!

Your forum is active and seems great, so I'm happy to have joined! I have sort of a moral conundrum and I am looking for input.

I generally like the idea of "Support your local game store!", and I do it enthusiastically at my local running store when buying running gear. I don't really use my LGS that much, but I still like having one and therefore would like to support them beyond a few dice and such. However, I live in Denmark, and prices here are steep. I am looking to buy an adventure, like "Curse of Strahd", the PHB and potentially the Monster Manual.

If I buy those three books in my LGS it'd amount to around $238 (~1500 DKK), whereas if I use Amazon, it's only around $95 (732 DKK!). That's crazy. How do I even justify supporting my LGS when Amazon is so ridiculously cheap?

You don't. IMO one would be foolish to pay that kind of markup unless they provide some other service that makes it worth while.

 

[alienux]

I wouldn't go so far as to call that a moral conundrum, but what I do is just purchase from both. For stuff that I can get for a similar or even slightly higher price, I'll shop at my FLGS. If there's a significant difference in price and online stores are much cheaper, I'll buy online.

 

[BookBarbarian]

I found a FLGS in my area that price matches Amazon. It's a little farther to drive to it, but I think it's worth it to get the best of both worlds.

 

[Gardens & Goblins]

I give a discounts to my FLGS when they want to use our photocopier for.. ...archiving... manuals/documents*

*typically for intro days/workshops and tournaments.