#25: Reasons Game Stores Fail ( And how you’ll avoid them)

[RPGnet Columns]

http://www.rpg.net/columns/businesso...retail25.phtml

Summary:

Six ways to avoid common problems (plus a bonus round).

Go to the column for more information.

[DiceMan]

You missed one that is almost as big a mistake as undercapitalization...

Poor location.

I knew one entrepreneur who had a marketing background. He marketed the living hell out of his shop, using every trick in the trade. He had synergies with local kids groups, schools, etc. He actual became quite active in GAMA and other industry orgs. He got free advertising in any number of clever ways.

Folded shop after two years. No traffic. He picked a bargain rent place in a completely stupid spot (small non-college town, "back room" with no facade to the sidewalk for walk-ins).

Here in the NYC area, even though it's the densest population per square mile in the nation, square footage comes at such a premium, only a very patient (and perhaps lucky) location scout can find the rare bargain in a viable location.

[sean2099]

Another thing missed...good customer service. Don't ignore me because the owner is too busy playing Magic or the employee is talking to his friends (who aren't buying anything). Keep in clean, in appearance and behavior. Nothing worse than a dirty, cluttered store or tell me my game choices suck. The employee can say he or she doesn't play that game or explain why they don't like the game in reasonable manner. I should know because one guy almost lost his store from and another only kept afloat because he owned a bar and several rentals which could cover his losses (he has since sold the store).

[AmesJainchill]

Originally Posted by DiceMan

Folded shop after two years. No traffic. He picked a bargain rent place in a completely stupid spot (small non-college town, "back room" with no facade to the sidewalk for walk-ins).

There's a place like that (or maybe there was ;D ) in my town.
Strip mall...it was in this underground basement place you went down these stairs to get to. Shop itself focused on action figures and comic books, but they had some gaming stuff, but that location SUCKED.

[LBrownIII]

Good call there, Diceman.

Location is a huge factor and it deserves a discussion on its own. Wait...I did that in #14.

Yeah, it should arguably be on the list. If we were to argue that, it would be in the #2 or #3 spot, because I listed them *roughly* in order of most common reasons for failure.