Has kickstarter created the “Privatiation of retailing for customers”?

The biggest issue of late about kickstarter has been the issue of Kickstarter “taking the cream off the top of the sale” business model.  But what if Kickstarter has caused the “ Privatization of retailing for customers”?  Privatization as defined by Wikipedia is the process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency, public service or public property from the public sector (a government) to the private sector, either to a business that operate for a profit or to a non-profit organization. What many have been accusing Kickstarter of is doing something similar to that. Kickstarter is taking the “ownership of the sale” from the retailer and placing it in the hands of the manufacturer.  This places the manufacturer in the sale role as the retailer, which of course upsets the retailer. Who owns the customers, if a product can never/will never be sold in a retailer location and only from the manufacturer directly?

Many retailers have complained with manufacturers becoming retailers (but many retailers don’t seem to have this same complaint with Apple doing this) but with the recent release of Marvel Comic new Marvel InfiniteComic line, I have to wonder what might be the future of retailers in the comic space which of course would come to the gaming space.  If Marvel has decided that the “infinite canvas” is the future of their products, where does that leave the retailer?  While I think of the whole infinite comic look reminds me a little too much of the late 1960s Marvel Comic cartoon where they use the artwork and simulated motion to make it “animated”, many feel this is the way of the future. What is old is new again. The Infinite comics give you the “perception” of movement but without those costly animators.

Now here is something that will sound even crazier, but what if Marvel Comic started doing retail stores? Now many retailers are laughing right now saying it would never happen. But what if Marvel copied the Best Buy / GeekSquad business model? Marvel open stores inside of other retailer store locations. Maybe 500 sq.ft to a maximum of 1,000 sq.ft is this locations size. These stores only focus on selling the “best” of the new comics and graphic novels only. Marvel gets to sell in stores; the store get comic fan base as customers; Marvel make a better percentage selling direct to customers; The store gets a percentage of the sales from Marvel. And where does this leave the current retail model? Video game companies have been doing something like this for years in GameStop. Why could this not work in coming and gaming stores? Maybe Marvel stores in Disney stores?

The part that really makes this whole think interesting to me is that Kickstarter and the other various online crowd funding copy cats are the real power in all of this. They use the “Hostage” or “Patron” business model and updated it for the 21^st century. So if you have a good idea, can make a good video, have a large enough “tribe” of followers, and can amplify you messages “loud enough” then you can success at this over and OVER again. While many of these Kickstarter do have retailer rewards, I have heard responses from retailer saying they would not support Kickstarter projects (see my post on February 6, 21013 labeled “Angry retailer tells me how he feelsabout Kickstarter, Paizo, Free RPG Day and his customers…”).  It looks like Kickstarter, retailers, and manufactures are headed to a showdown that somebody is going to win and somebody is going to lose it all. So what do you think? What do you think about the “ Privatization of retailing for customers”? Talk to you later…

Thank you Paizo for showing what good graphic design looks like...

Paizo understands the need for having good looking products.  The graphic design of an item is skill that needs to be developed by pushing one's self into better and more unique graphic design. Now, I am just talking about the graphic design and NOT the artwork.  They are different, even though Paizo does both very well.  Just look at this two page spread for Pathfinder Advanced Player's Guide. The design makes the page come alive. Everything is important with graphic design from the type of font used to the color of the page.  Everything is important.  But best of all if you do it really well, most people will not even notice your work.  People will say it "looks nice" but they can describe why it looks nice. The other problem with good design is everyone thinks they know what do design is with the use of drop shadows, blurs, bevel and other little effects and trick they think help their design.  Good design is about the design, not how many effects you can put on an item.  The really sad part is that good graphic design is the first time people want but the last this they take the time to do right. Just look at the last product you bought.  Did it do the job you wanted AND look nice.  Form plus function equals success.  Just ask Apple how well that has worked for them. Talk to you later...

A great business Opportunity for RPG Publisher AND retailers...

This is a Facebook conversation that I am having with Gary Ray of Black Diamond Games about selling RPGNow / Paizo gift cards at RPG Retailer stores.

Louis Porter JrBlack Diamond Games: Here is a RPG Publisher question for a retailer: If RPGNow.com made gift cards; like iTunes does and sells in Target; would you as a retailer carry them?

Black Diamond Games 

I don't see why not.

Louis Porter Jr 

I want to make sure I got this right, you are saying it is OK if RPGNow.com made gift cards that were sold in your store that customer could to purchase product on RPGNow.com?

Black Diamond Games 

Sure. If It follows that PDF sales are add on and not print replacement sales offering such a product provides us income without harming our existing sales. We would just need to provide space and promotion. I have doubts it would work, but I'm not against the idea.

Louis Porter Jr 

Hmm... Interesting. I have spoken to other retailers who were dead against it on the fear of purchasing product exclusively available only on RPGNow.com. That seem like something I might want to discuss with a online PDF store like RPGNow.com or Paizo.

Black Diamond Games 

That's exactly why I don't have anything against it. It gives me a cut of something I don't even sell.

Now the next question to ask is who will be the first online retailer to do this: RPGNow or Paizo? and best of all, how long will it take?  I think I am going to post this is several place and get other peoples opinions on this. Talk to you later...

Paizo gets it, and you should copy their business plan...

Once again Paizo proves themselves as the heir apparent to the D&D throne. I picked up my copy of Master of the Fallen Fortress from my local gaming store for Free RPG Day this weekend (if you are going to be in South Florida this weekend, you can see & meet me in person at Florida SuperCon in Miami looking to recruit artists) and I also picked up the NPC Guide. Full color, amazing art and layout.  Fantastic all around products. I was talking to some friends and they told me that thye have jumped ship from 4E to Pathfinder.   The main reason? "Pathfinder felt like D&D".  I keep hearing that from more and more people.  "4E isn't bad, but Pathfinder fells more like D&D to me." is what people are saying.  And I have to agree with the people.

Paizo follows a very simple business formula.  It is the same formula that Apple and Zappos use. They turn customers into evangelist of their products. People talk about Paizo products. Sometimes it is good and sometimes it is bad, but you can talk about Paizo and what they do, and I don't get the feeling they just want you to tell them what you feel so they can make their products better. Plus is Paizo makes a mistake like like with their GameMastery Face Cards: Enemies Deck, they just admit it and move on to do better next time.  Paizo gets it, and if you don't get it maybe you should follow what they do and see if it helps you out.  Hell I did. Where do you think the idea of the Quartermaster digital item cards cam from.  Talk to you later...

Where is the RPGNow iPad App?

iPad Preview - iVerse Comics from Michael Murphey on Vimeo.

OK this is simple, iPad comes out Saturday RPGNow.com should have their iPad App out Saturday.  Have you heard anything about a RPGNow.com iPad App?  Neither have I and that is the problem.  I have about Marvel Comics App and even Paizo is talking about an app, but where is RPGNow.com?  I hope they are working on this one, beacuase will be a license to print money for us in the PDF RPG market.  Well maybe not print money, but it will be MORE MONEY for us which is a good thing. I just hope they are working on this one.  RPGNow.com missed an opportunity by not offering their affiliate PDF stores to retailers with websites and I don't want them to miss out on this.  Talk to you later...