The Short Answer: A great year even in the middle of a recession!
The Long Answer: Very interesting and great year. OK here are the interesting facts that you might like to see
LPJ Design Sales 2009 (Sales & Units) Breakdown
Paizo: 26%
RPGNow: 74%
LPJ Design Sales 2010 (Sales & Units) Breakdown
Paizo: 15%
RPGNow: 85%
Well as you can see, RPGNow is where I make the most sales of our products. Not really a surprise there, but I was surprised to see that only 15% of my sales can from Paizo. I wanted 2010 to be the year where I would have an even split between RPGNow and Paizo. I guess that is something I will have to work on in 2011.
RPGNow Percentage change from 2009 to 2010 (Sales): +54%
RPGNow Percentage change from 2009 to 2010 (Units): +63%
Paizo Percentage change from 2009 to 2010 (Sales): -16%
Paizo Percentage change from 2009 to 2010 (Units): -31%
Total Percentage change from 2009 to 2010 (Sales): +36%
Total Percentage change from 2009 to 2010 (Units): +45%
As we see from the number above, RPGNow is a powerhouse location for my sales. Paizo has really fallen off as my source for sales. This just reaffirms what I already know. As much as I like RPGNow, I think Paizo could become a great way to increase my overall sales. But better yet, looking into developing my own website store (something I can focus on this year) and created exclusive product to only release there.
I have been looking at the American action figure market for a few cool ideas that I have though that might work out very well in the PDF RPG industry. The Hasbro Marvel Legends series idea of Build-A-Figure add on was a great marketing idea that could be adapted to PDF RPG industry. My main goals for 2011: Increase sales & units by 350% which means I could hire a full time employee. That percentage sound crazy? Well back early on I increased the sales & units of 2002 to 2003 by over 400% and then increased sales & units of 2003 to 2004 by over 300%. But back then I was releasing a product a week. I wonder what that means for LPJ Design? Two products a week release schedule? That sounds crazy. Guess we will have to see. Talk to you later…
About time you started your own storefront, shelling out 7% or less is far better than shelling out 20% to 35%.
ReplyDeleteGo reread the OBS paperwork and documentation, there's a clause in there somewhere that really mucks with the idea of having exclusives on your website; I had to make an entire product line exclusive to my own storefront.
Yeah, I saw a bigger rise in my Paizo sales without a a steep fall off by focusing my advertising efforts toward Paizo, its a pain due to the lack of controls but you can sell 10% less and make the same money.
ReplyDeleteI am also going to have to break down and start up our own storefront.
Steve.
@Steve: I don't mind sending customers to RPGNow, especially if I can sent them to my RPGNow affiliate store. The money I make beacuse of it (That 10% percent difference) normally is what I use to pay my artists, which normally is between 3 to 5 extra pieces of artwork. Best of all, the affiliate money comes to me in real time so I can pay artist either same day or within a day or two. Better yet, I plan to send out advertisements for other 3PP in my products with links back to my affiliate store where I get a percentage of that sale. Now that is a win-win!
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