Scrye 17 - 32 - X-Files: Mention
Four Corners
What does a NEW CCG manufacturer have to do to get your store
to order 5 or more boxes of their brand new CCG?
There's hope...
Starbase One: "A demo packet with posters and
promos is essential. Players don't want to read a
rulebook, they want to watch a demo."
Rich's Cards & Comics: "Send a demo team and
advertise very heavily."
R & R Cards: "Convince the customer to request
the product. It comes down to supply and demand.
I order one of each. If it sells quickly, I buy 4-6
boxes. If not, I don't buy any more."
The Wizard's Guild: "Good license, solid game-
play that can be taught in 15 minutes, and strong
advertising."
Kard Kage: "Find some way to get people playing.
No one buys a new game unless others around are
already into it."
Dreamer's Sportscards & More: "Give a buy-back
after 90 days for unopened product."
What does a NEW CCG manufacturer have to do to get your store
to order 5 or more boxes of their brand new CCG?
There's hope...
Starbase One: "A demo packet with posters and
promos is essential. Players don't want to read a
rulebook, they want to watch a demo."
Rich's Cards & Comics: "Send a demo team and
advertise very heavily."
R & R Cards: "Convince the customer to request
the product. It comes down to supply and demand.
I order one of each. If it sells quickly, I buy 4-6
boxes. If not, I don't buy any more."
The Wizard's Guild: "Good license, solid game-
play that can be taught in 15 minutes, and strong
advertising."
Kard Kage: "Find some way to get people playing.
No one buys a new game unless others around are
already into it."
Dreamer's Sportscards & More: "Give a buy-back
after 90 days for unopened product."
The Neutral Zone: "Offer co-op advertising
and/or store visit."
T + C Cards: "Make it collectible, not like the
new Star Trek where the three most sought after
cards are common in each Starter."
Gamer's Underground: "First, a highly playable
game system, easy to learn and good art.
Second, they should NOT price competively with
MTG. Finally, offer free items for demos, tour-
naments, etc."
Gator Games: "Send samples, advanced rules,
and have nice, colorful flyers showing the cards."
The Magic Source: "It has to be playable, good
art, and be well-supported by the manufacturer."
TRS Sportscards: "We need a lot of customer
interest and a strong, pack-buying market."
Wulf's H.Q.: "Send promo packs so that I can try
it out first!"
S.S. Cards & Stuff: "Free card samples and tour-
nament rules."
D.J's Sports Cards: "Promotional info, demo sup-
port, contact person."
and/or store visit."
T + C Cards: "Make it collectible, not like the
new Star Trek where the three most sought after
cards are common in each Starter."
Gamer's Underground: "First, a highly playable
game system, easy to learn and good art.
Second, they should NOT price competively with
MTG. Finally, offer free items for demos, tour-
naments, etc."
Gator Games: "Send samples, advanced rules,
and have nice, colorful flyers showing the cards."
The Magic Source: "It has to be playable, good
art, and be well-supported by the manufacturer."
TRS Sportscards: "We need a lot of customer
interest and a strong, pack-buying market."
Wulf's H.Q.: "Send promo packs so that I can try
it out first!"
S.S. Cards & Stuff: "Free card samples and tour-
nament rules."
D.J's Sports Cards: "Promotional info, demo sup-
port, contact person."
Heroes Unlimited: "Come in and demonstrate
the game, pass out some starters, advertise and
have a support plan."
State Street Dugout: "Send me rules ahead of
time. Some demo decks would be great or at least
a few cards so that I can see how it looks."
The Comic Store: "Give retailers product samples
and an instructional video which demos the prod-
uct (to be played in-store.)"
No there isn't...
Gathering Ground: "Include five feather dusters."
Wargames West on Central: "It's almost impossi-
ble - demo, demo, demo - The GAMA Trade
Show is the best place to introduce new products to
Retailers."
Aquilonia: "Have a marketable, recognizable
property like the X-Files, Star Wars, Tolkien or
something published by WotC."
Roraback's: "Call it Star Wars, Star Trek, Magic,
and we'll get it. Games other than those only sell
at a substantial discount and through mail order."
the game, pass out some starters, advertise and
have a support plan."
State Street Dugout: "Send me rules ahead of
time. Some demo decks would be great or at least
a few cards so that I can see how it looks."
The Comic Store: "Give retailers product samples
and an instructional video which demos the prod-
uct (to be played in-store.)"
No there isn't...
Gathering Ground: "Include five feather dusters."
Wargames West on Central: "It's almost impossi-
ble - demo, demo, demo - The GAMA Trade
Show is the best place to introduce new products to
Retailers."
Aquilonia: "Have a marketable, recognizable
property like the X-Files, Star Wars, Tolkien or
something published by WotC."
Roraback's: "Call it Star Wars, Star Trek, Magic,
and we'll get it. Games other than those only sell
at a substantial discount and through mail order."
Wizards of the Desert: "Tell me they're from
Wizards of the Coast..."
Sunshine Roleplayers: "I think the opposite should
be done. I should be able to order less than a box
to test it out and if it sells then I would order
boxes."
Adventures & Hobbies: "A good licensed product
(i.e. Star Wars) that has a good track record with
prior CCGs (quality of play and meeting release
deadlines)."
Collector's Cache: "Make a product that most
MTG players will look to and play. It would be
difficult."
Fathers and Sons: "Guarantee sales, 90-day terms.
Unique product with proven commercial tie-in."
Cartes et Hobby: "Be better than Magic."
A general conclusion is that a manufacturer
(other than WotC) faces an almost impossi-
ble task. Every store wants them to do some-
thing different, including some things that are
just not realistically possible.
Wizards of the Coast..."
Sunshine Roleplayers: "I think the opposite should
be done. I should be able to order less than a box
to test it out and if it sells then I would order
boxes."
Adventures & Hobbies: "A good licensed product
(i.e. Star Wars) that has a good track record with
prior CCGs (quality of play and meeting release
deadlines)."
Collector's Cache: "Make a product that most
MTG players will look to and play. It would be
difficult."
Fathers and Sons: "Guarantee sales, 90-day terms.
Unique product with proven commercial tie-in."
Cartes et Hobby: "Be better than Magic."
A general conclusion is that a manufacturer
(other than WotC) faces an almost impossi-
ble task. Every store wants them to do some-
thing different, including some things that are
just not realistically possible.
INCIDENTALLY, WE'RE PUBLISHING THE RESULTS TO
THE ABOVE QUESTION AS WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO
SEE NEW, INNOVATIVE CCG PRODUCTS.
What percent of your Alliances
shipments have you sold?
Every store we surveyed sold through on its
first shipment and 30% had sold through on
their second shipment. Of those who had not
sold through on the second shipment, they
had sold an average of 60% of their second
shipment. This strongly indicates that Alliances
was neither under nor overprinted.
Are your M:TG regulars excited about
the Pro Tour? Do they talk about it?
About 60% are enthused about the Pro Tour
and another 15% are slightly interested. Those
living far from Pro Tour sites and Pro Tour
Qualifier sites had little interest.
The Neutral Zone: "Not really. Most of them
think it is too difficult to win a spot in the tour
with so few qualifiers in the area and the fact
that only 2-5 people get to advance anyway, it
really seems too difficult and has left a bad taste
in players' mouths."
S.S. Cards & Stuff: "They talk about and like the
prizes awarded."
THE ABOVE QUESTION AS WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO
SEE NEW, INNOVATIVE CCG PRODUCTS.
What percent of your Alliances
shipments have you sold?
Every store we surveyed sold through on its
first shipment and 30% had sold through on
their second shipment. Of those who had not
sold through on the second shipment, they
had sold an average of 60% of their second
shipment. This strongly indicates that Alliances
was neither under nor overprinted.
Are your M:TG regulars excited about
the Pro Tour? Do they talk about it?
About 60% are enthused about the Pro Tour
and another 15% are slightly interested. Those
living far from Pro Tour sites and Pro Tour
Qualifier sites had little interest.
The Neutral Zone: "Not really. Most of them
think it is too difficult to win a spot in the tour
with so few qualifiers in the area and the fact
that only 2-5 people get to advance anyway, it
really seems too difficult and has left a bad taste
in players' mouths."
S.S. Cards & Stuff: "They talk about and like the
prizes awarded."
The Days of Knights: "This question made me
realize a curious aspect of my business. My regu-
lar M:TG customers, as a whole, are not the
players who show up in droves for my monthly
tournaments. I'm not sure why, perhaps there is
a different mind set between collector and
player. To answer the question, my regular cus-
tomers do not, but my regular tournament play-
ers most certainly do."
Empire Hero: "Most (regular customers) are
shocked by the prize money totals."
