They're probably running off this:
I tell them I was fortunate to get in when the game started. Now you would have to drop upwards of $500-$800 to even get close to what I have. It turns a lot of potential customers away.
That sounds like discouragement.
BBBBZ is one of the most competitive squads right now.
Total MSRP, including the core set: $115. (Yeah, I know B-Wings are scarce right now. They'll be back soon.)
"We're having a 60-point tournament next week. Small ships only. Get a core set and an expansion or two and you'll be good to go."When a guy who just bought his first falcon... goes home and watches the FFG worlds finals and say "oh man I need to get a C-3PO for my Fat Han build... then finds out he has to buy an $80 corvette for one upgrade card? Then comes and complains to me about it. What should I tell him?
"The guys who play at our weekly game nights are usually happy to let you borrow stuff, and you can proxy anything when playing casually."
"It's a lot cheaper than golf or watercolors."
Escalation leagues orgainzed by release waves might be an interesting idea.
Also I had this idea to split the difference between totally random cards, pack-ins and the secondary market.-
If FFG started to put a single, random upgrade card into every new release. You might wind up with Autothrusters in your B-Wing, in addition to everything else that it comes with, or a C-3P0 or an R2 unit... If you get an upgrade you don't want, trade it or sell it.
( strangely random packs of cards gives my store money.)
Random packs are undoubtedly a good deal on the supply/sales side, because they (a) key into the same psychology as lotteries and casinos, and (b) reduce the likelihood of getting the game element you want/need, requiring you to spend more money.
But they're bad for players for exactly the same reasons. As it stands now, I can get a Heavy Laser Cannon for $10-15, depending on where I buy. A $3.75 card pack with (say) a 10% chance of containing an HLC means I might spend as little as $3.75, but the median amount I'd have to spend is $26.25 (for seven packs, with a 52% chance of pulling at least one HLC).
Introducing random packs for X-wing would probably make your store more money, but that's because it would actually cost more for the typical player than the current distribution model does.
It's been over 10 years, and I *still* regret my time as a Heroclix player. Paid however much money for an entire case of Collateral Damage, got one Moloid. The one generic that I actually wanted to swarm, and I got fewer of him than I did of the actual uniques from that set.
The thing I love about this game is that I know exactly how much money I need to spend to get the cards I want, and that I don't necessarily need to have all the cards I want (because I want all the cards, to run every combination I imagine, which would probably ruin my life if I actually spent the money to buy it) in order to do well.
First of all I never said you can't play x wing unless you drop $500! All I said was that my collection is that amount. They were curious!
"All of them marvel at my collection and long for the same thing but the buy in is much much to large."
just because you don't blatantly say it doesn't mean you aren't sending the message.
stop being so defensive and run a beginner league in your store.
All I said was that my collection is that amount. They were curious!
I really shouldn't laugh, I could have another car.....
[...]Also I had this idea to split the difference between totally random cards, pack-ins and the secondary market.-
If FFG started to put a single, random upgrade card into every new release. You might wind up with Autothrusters in your B-Wing, in addition to everything else that it comes with, or a C-3P0 or an R2 unit... If you get an upgrade you don't want, trade it or sell it.
It isn't in between if it is still random. Random purchases are not what FFG business model it about. I personally would not have purchased the first piece if it was random.
Nope! I want to know what I am purchasing. Kind of simple actually.
FFG created the LCG to escape the blind buy plague. They're not going near it again with a 2,000 ft pole.
Also, the secondary market, aka the price gouge farm, gets FFG nothing. No reason to promote it.
stop being so defensive and run a beginner league in your store.
With a tone like that you're more likely to convince him not to.
Edited by TIE PilotFFG is already making 17 alternate art Push the Limit cards available as part of the spring OP kit. Seems like a good way to get players the extra upgrades they want while having them actually play the game.
Seventeen? I knew there was a TIE interceptor, but seventeen?
Seventeen? I knew there was a TIE interceptor, but seventeen?
The Interceptor IS the alt art on the PTL card:
So wizards of smart, please tell me what I should do when a kid wants to buy a most wanted pack and two star vipers, then asks this should be good to get me started right? I inform him that he needs to buy a starter set to get his dice, templates, ruler and asteroids. He says but I don't want the x wing or tie fighters. What do I say then? Tough luck?
There are places that sell cards separately however the cards people want are generally out of stock or overpriced (like $3+) a card. And while the card issue is a problem for new players I think the increased complexity of the game is starting to throw people off of xwing. For instance my friend comes over wants to play the game. I give them my binder with all the cards and he chooses his faction and ships and spends like an hour reading the hundreds of upgrade cards. I give him some pointers based on the ships he chooses but eventually he just gives up and decides to play with whatever he choses originally. All the mods, titles, talents, and system uogrades over complicate what people original chose to play this game, The ships and models.
I would ask him:
-Who is he going to play against? Assuming the answer is "another human being", I would offer to him that even if he doesn't want to collect rebels or imperials, he could still use those models to trade with. Most guys who want to play will be happy to add 2 more ties for their swarm.
-If he's still like "no, this is all I want, for sures", you could sell him a pack of dice and a set of acrylic rangers and maneuver templates that come stand alone (I bought one the blue wizkids one for Star Trek.) Assuming he can do basic math and sees that that will cost him $30, when he could get the core set for $10 more, he might rethink his position of "all I want is {scum}"
-Barring that, if you have a bunch of people that want to get into Star Wars and they all fall into the same camp, is there any reason that *you* mr. Store owner, can't bust open a couple sets and sell the components piecemeal? You could do range rulers/manuever dials for $15, and then each ship for $12. Hell you'd even make some money.
He says but I don't want the x wing or tie fighters. What do I say then? Tough luck?
What do you do when someone wants to buy a pack of 40k models and then finds out he has to spend another $100+ to buy the rules and codex?
The X-Wing and Tie fighter aren't going to go bad or anything so they will be useful if the person ever decides to expand their collection.
Or they could always just sell the extra ships and cards, I'm sure someone would buy them for say $5 per ship, which would help pay for the core set.
Honestly, it's starting to seem more and more like you're making things up in order to make a point, because I'm having trouble believing that someone who can't answer basic questions like this can run a store.
Unfortunately I haven't read everything in this thread, but skimming it I didn't see one solution:
As a small business owner, do you open brand new MTG packs to seed your singles sales? Do you sell singles on eBay, etc for market value? And if so, is there any reason to NOT open up two of each ship and figure out what market price is on all components of each pack?
A lot of what has been said makes sense, you don't tell (or even lead someone to believe) that they NEED a ridiculous amount of xWing stuff to be competitive. You should be selling the game on its diversity of fleets. And have a casual night where cards aren't required, but things can be tested.
Do you have this problem with Warhammer 40k items? Just glancing through this thread, there's a lot of things that could be done to address this perceived problem of one person thinking they NEED to drop $500 at your store to play xwing.
Seventeen? I knew there was a TIE interceptor, but seventeen?
The Interceptor IS the alt art on the PTL card:
Misread it as seventeen different PTLs.
So wizards of smart, please tell me what I should do when a kid wants to buy a most wanted pack and two star vipers, then asks this should be good to get me started right? I inform him that he needs to buy a starter set to get his dice, templates, ruler and asteroids. He says but I don't want the x wing or tie fighters. What do I say then? Tough luck?
Wait, are you complaining that someone needs to buy the starter to play the game?
Do you think this is a realistic scenario? I'm not sure it is, but if so, you could either tell him that you need the starter box to play the game because it comes with all the parts, he could team up with someone who does want the extra X-wings or TIE fighters, or you could say you could buy the third party stuff.
Edited by TIE PilotThere are places that sell cards separately however the cards people want are generally out of stock or overpriced (like $3+) a card. And while the card issue is a problem for new players I think the increased complexity of the game is starting to throw people off of xwing. For instance my friend comes over wants to play the game. I give them my binder with all the cards and he chooses his faction and ships and spends like an hour reading the hundreds of upgrade cards. I give him some pointers based on the ships he chooses but eventually he just gives up and decides to play with whatever he choses originally. All the mods, titles, talents, and system uogrades over complicate what people original chose to play this game, The ships and models.
This is one of my issues too.
That is why I am a strong proponent of Mission Control; Missions with suggested squads (my favorite); a stack of pre-built squads for pickup games.
In fact I strongly wish Fantasy Flight would come out with a mission book with 50 plus scenarios each with 'suggested' pre-built squads for situations just like you described.
Scenarios and Pre-built squads accomplish:
To only name a few.
So wizards of smart, please tell me what I should do when a kid wants to buy a most wanted pack and two star vipers, then asks this should be good to get me started right? I inform him that he needs to buy a starter set to get his dice, templates, ruler and asteroids. He says but I don't want the x wing or tie fighters. What do I say then? Tough luck?
yeah...you got me.
X-wing is a terrible game. You should stop stocking it.
OR...offer to split the box with him...you get the ships and he gets everything else for $20 and... now you have ships you can sell cheap for the beginners league.
God forbid that you have to work a little to get players in your store.
So wizards of smart, please tell me what I should do when a kid wants to buy a most wanted pack and two star vipers, then asks this should be good to get me started right? I inform him that he needs to buy a starter set to get his dice, templates, ruler and asteroids. He says but I don't want the x wing or tie fighters. What do I say then? Tough luck?
You know, that's a tough situation to be in and I don't envy you. I'd suggest that making the Core Set part of your standard learn-to-play session for new players might be a good idea, and that you might offer a discount to anyone who buys more than (say) $100 worth of X-wing products. That at least makes it less painful to sell a $40 core set to your hypothetical(?) player who's really sure he or she isn't interested in playing Rebels or Empire, ever.
But moreover, what you seem to be taking exception to now is the entire distribution model for X-wing. The core set is a little dated by now, and you're right that it doesn't offer anything to someone who only wants to play Scum, but even in a card pack I don't think FFG is likely to include enough cardboard to mimic the core set.
Edited by Vorpal SwordSo wizards of smart, please tell me what I should do when a kid wants to buy a most wanted pack and two star vipers, then asks this should be good to get me started right? I inform him that he needs to buy a starter set to get his dice, templates, ruler and asteroids. He says but I don't want the x wing or tie fighters. What do I say then? Tough luck?
You tell him/her the truth: You need the Core Set in order to play the game. Of course, if the hypothetical new player bothered to read any of the packaging of the expansions, they all repeat that you need the Core Set to play.
So wizards of smart, please tell me what I should do when a kid wants to buy a most wanted pack and two star vipers, then asks this should be good to get me started right? I inform him that he needs to buy a starter set to get his dice, templates, ruler and asteroids. He says but I don't want the x wing or tie fighters. What do I say then? Tough luck?
You know, that's a tough situation to be in and I don't envy you. I'd suggest that making the Core Set part of your standard learn-to-play session for new players might be a good idea, and that you might offer a discount to anyone who buys more than (say) $100 worth of X-wing products. That at least makes it less painful to sell a $40 core set to your hypothetical(?) player who's really sure he or she isn't interested in playing Rebels or Empire, ever.
But moreover, what you seem to be taking exception to now is the entire distribution model for X-wing. The core set is a little dated by now, and you're right that it doesn't offer anything to someone who only wants to play Scum, but even in a card pack I don't think FFG is likely to include enough cardboard to mimic the core set.
It does include the movement templates, range templates, damage deck, rules. dice, etc...
It had quite a few things everyone actually is required to have in order to play the game.
Unless you're relying on someone else and if so then the entire argument is moot.
Thanks everyone for the great ideas, I like the busting open starter sets idea and selling individual components, also the starter league, and tell I customers about the online element for single cards. I just thought this morning I would throw out an idea that I did not know was already so discussed, my bad. But over the last couple of hours my methods of trying to get people into x wing have been called an utter failure and that I have no idea what I am doing so I will go back to selling magic which I do know how to do, and hopefully fumble my way around selling someone $500 worth of x wing (no less) in one transaction. Maybe someday i will be efficient at selling x wing, till then if you are ever in northwest iowa stop by, I'm always down for a game or two
You're in Northwest Iowa? What town?
So wizards of smart, please tell me what I should do when a kid wants to buy a most wanted pack and two star vipers, then asks this should be good to get me started right? I inform him that he needs to buy a starter set to get his dice, templates, ruler and asteroids. He says but I don't want the x wing or tie fighters. What do I say then? Tough luck?
Use your initiative. You're a sales person and in this to make a living, aren't you? Pitch them the core set as well.
"Well, the Scum & Villainy ships are definitely cool and fun to fly, but they don't come with the rules. The rules are in the Core Set, along with the movement templates you need, the damage deck, the asteroid tokens, the dice and the range ruler. Even if you don't want the X-Wing or TIE Fighters, you'll definitely need them. You can't play the game without them.".
And if he's still definite that he doesn't want the Core set, either just sell them the S&V sets on their own and invited them back to play at the store (after all, if they come back, chances are they might buy again), or as others have said, cut them a deal.
"Tell you what, if you're not interested in the X-Wing and TIE fighter ships (a shame, they're really useful and fun to fly as well) , I'll split the core set with you. $20 and you can keep the rules, dice, damage deck, the templates and box, I'll keep the ships - I'm sure someone will be interested in expanding their fleet.".
Edited by FTS GeckoOrange city Iowa, Facebook ocgamesandcomics