Which is the better to sell RPG PDFs at: RPGNow or Paizo?

Here is a little experiment I have been researching of late with some interesting results. RPGNow has always been the site where I make the most sale of my PDF products that I sell. Well that was true until the introduction of 4E by WOTC and WOTC withdrawing from RPGNow. Plus with Paizo releasing Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, my sales on it have jumped amazingly. As of right now, my sales at Paizo are twice what they are with RPGNow. They are lots of reasons for this and one important factor to think about is LPJ Design have over 400 products to sell on RPGNow and only 160 products on Paizo. So what is going on?

So let’s do the math: if I sell $100 on RPGNow, then based on the statement above on Paizo, I would sell $200 worth. Now let’s subtract the percentage each company take for their services of placing my product up and hosting it. RPGNow is 35% while Paizo is 25%. Using the numbers stated above:

RPGNow = $100 ($65 for LPJ Design; $35 for RPGNow)

Paizo = $200 ($150 for LPJ Design; $50 for Paizo)

With all these facts you realize that I am paying more of a percentage of my sales for RPGNow because of their marketing, behind the scenes coding and impressive back end support. But as anyone can see, for every $1 I make at RPGNow I make $2 at Paizo. On top of that, Paizo charges me less of a percentage for what it does. Now they don’t have all the impressive bells and whistles that RPGNow has, but I think if a site can double your sale is pretty much impressive enough.

So what is the better site to sell at as a PDF publisher? Well the answer is obvious, BOTH OF THEM!!!!

While Paizo sales are hot NOW this might not last and vice versa with RPGNow. Your job as a publisher is to sell you product. Today, Paizo might be the big seller and tomorrow it might be someone else. Just sell in as many places as possible, check your numbers and you will do fine. Talk to you later…