What would you most like to see in a vintage only game store
Just something I'm working on. I have a very good idea of what I'd like to carry, but it's always good to hear other people's ideas, because inevitably I'll forget/not think of something. I'm probably a year off, depending on some other things going on, for those who might have asked.
Comments
#1 at least 1 of each system to try out games before you buy them.
#2 Arcade games (you only need 2 or 3)
#3 Pieces and parts. By that I mean, not just games, but separate manuals, boxes, etc.(I'm sure you'll have no problem here)
There are a few threads on here in which I and others go very in-depth, it's worth a search.
Some big points:
Demos, including regular tournaments of popular classic games with age brackets.
Nerd apparel - the best you can find/make. Steal ideas, everyone else does.
Contests every week. Make every purchase a chance to win something cool and different.
A great website promoting all of the above, with a forum to let local gamers gather and talk.
A signup list with local peoples' Wii ID's and wahtever. I don't know what they're called.
Contests every week. Make every purchase a chance to win something cool and different.
BTW sorry to self-quote, but I hate that paid-membership-card crap a la GameCrazy and Gamestop. Contests are a great excuse to get the people's information, and you can just offer good prices to everyone, not just the people who buy-in to your plastic.
Be sure to offer a lower store-credit alternative, advertised next to the prize, so as not to turn anyone off.
Also to discourage the "I'll buy each one of these games separately" syndrome, and encourage buyers to spread purchases out (to help your cashflow and encourage loyalty), one entry per person per week, ANY size purchase - even those little Nintendo mints. They came in, saw what you had, and wanted to enter, and should be rewarded with a chance.
(I know with my local game store, I pop in maybe once every two weeks, and 4 times out of 5 there won't be a damn bit of difference in anything)
Bundling games into value lots is what Pedro does very well, and I'm sure they'll continue to do so in their vintage store.
In-demand commons will be priced so that they're in-stock. Keeping track of the "right" price locally is their job. It's completely different than eBay, my guide, or any other list. It's mini/maxed so that there's always at least some of each popular title available, but not so expensive that it never sells.
Unfortunately, for Mario games, this is usually $25 or so, same with Zelda. It's just what local stores charge to strike this balance. It's not so much about having a profit, as it is having a copy so that customers don't go elsewhere looking for their popular game.
Once a local customer has logged on because you didn't have SMB3, Zelda and TMNT1 for their kid, you've lost them and every person they'd tell word-of-mouth.
Commons in-stock are critical, it sounds silly because to you or I or any other hobbyist, we'd define a great store as having cheap Fire n Ice or something...but that's just great for us, NOT great for business, and it doesn't keep doors open.
It's not about profit at all.
Also I hear often people saying that "you need to make enough profit to keep the doors open" in the same breath. These are two different ideas. Keeping the doors open implies overhead, cost of utilities, rent and depreciation of equipment/fixtures. Also implies wages paid. Profit is the margin left after you assess all costs versus all revenues. Profit is nice, but the fact is most small businesses run at a deficit, and the owners/operators barely if ever cut a draw for themselves in the first few years, if ever.
That extra money paid on the cartridges generally won't even cover minimum wage for the shopowner, but people still call it a profit. This is the tragedy of the customer's POV to their local shop - they see greedy markups, when in reality they could do better just working at Wal-mart. But they're trying to bring you something nice.
/jaded
Profit is nice, but the fact is most small businesses run at a deficit, and the owners/operators barely if ever cut a draw for themselves in the first few years, if ever.
/jaded
Yup, when I opened my store abou 10 years ago, our accountant told us not to expect to be out of the red for 3-5 years.
Pedro!, you of all people should be able to do this very successfully because you seem very dedicated. I'll even admit that I first got into reselling when I saw "Pedro!" popping up in the search results everytime I looked at any NES game. Then when I started bidding on lots, there have been a great many times when I would see the name "Pedro!" pop up as the winner. However, not as much as that gadget5250 guy (I could be wrong on the numbers, but I know the first part of his name is gadget)... that guy buys EVERYTHING!! (PS - Anyone know who he is?)
Congrats on your decision to open a store as it shows you are very passionate about this industry. Best of luck and if any extra ideas pop in my head I'll be sure to relay them to you.
Recently they had a new idea that appears to have flopped. They purchased 12 or so smaller LCD TVs (probably around 20") where people can play any game/console for like $5 an hour I think. Very few people appear to have taken them up on it and the TV's just sit there unused for most of the day.
Just something to keep in mind as far as branching out of the "just a game store" genre.
Moral of the story: don't trust women, ever.
Moral of the story: don't trust women, ever.
The sooner you learn this the better off you are. I feel sorry for the guys who get married to quick and lose half of thier stuff because they married a cheating whore.
Games of course but those stores are also cool because they sell stuff like old board games and toys etc
I personally wouldn't spend money on board games and toys with a Nintendo theme, but I enjoy receiving them as a gift, so it's a fine idea actually.
Moral of the story: don't trust women, ever.
Isn't this common male knowledge?
This may sound very sexist, but if I ever opened a store I would hire a very good looking female to run the register. Face it most of the people buying games are young males. nothing like a good looking female to get the blood pumping and spending started.
A certain local game store (Rhino...that eventually became GameStop) actually had a decent-looking girl running the register at one point. She and I actually got to know each other fairly well (unfortunately, she was engaged...I was single at the time), and she'd kinda hold back all the good stuff for me to buy (I'd stop in every 2 days or so to see what came in). One day, a factory-sealed copy of Dragon Warrior VII came in, and to, um..."advertise", she conveniently placed it at chest height (and a very nice chest she had
As for ideas for a classic gaming store...this thread actually prompted me to draw up a few ideas on this random pack of index cards I had lying around. I had 2 ideas in mind: one, the regular classic game store look (games neatly displayed on shelves, a 4-way demo kiosk, etc.), and two, a much more updated feel to it (think Apple Store, if you've ever been to one) with classic advertisement scattered throughout the store and flipbooks full of cards showing games, info about the games, and prices (with inventory codes on the back for quick scanning).
Games of course but those stores are also cool because they sell stuff like old board games and toys etc
I personally wouldn't spend money on board games and toys with a Nintendo theme, but I enjoy receiving them as a gift, so it's a fine idea actually.
I bet Donkey Kong Jenga would sell well (assuming he could get them at wholesale).
Also, if you cycled through interesting odds and ends, like the TOPPS Nintendo cards (very cheap to come by, especially if you resell by the pack) I'm sure that would provide a certain novelty.
Mappy-Land Mouse Trap
Wild Gunman Crossfire
Mike Tyson's Rock'em Sock'em Robots