3 hours ago, Mep said:

If game stores know how to work the system they will be just fine. They can layoff all their employees (can always hire back later) and they will get full unemployment benefits that covers 100% of what they made. The store can get a loan to pay rent and there are provisions for loan forgivement if the loan is used for things like rent. If a game store is still trying to stay open and do curb side delivery, well, they aren't essential at all, so wth, and there are ways to survive.

Firstly, I don't know where you live that unemployment is equivalent to your net pay... in my state in order to qualify for the maximum payout (the equivalent of working 40 hours at $9.50/hour), your previous payrate had to be at least $35/hour. They also lose any benefits that were provided by the store, such as health or retirement. Obviously retirement isn't super necessary in the short term, but losing the group rate for health insurance could hurt.

Secondly, the provisions for loan forgiveness I can find require the business to dissolve.

Finally, not every state is requiring "non-essential" businesses to close, so long as physical distancing is maintained. The definition of "essential" is also pretty broad in some places...

Edit: so if they can stay open safely, staying open helps them keep in business and keep their employees from worrying about being able to pay their bills.

2 hours ago, Mep said:

If game stores know how to work the system they will be just fine. They can layoff all their employees (can always hire back later) and they will get full unemployment benefits that covers 100% of what they made. The store can get a loan to pay rent and there are provisions for loan forgivement if the loan is used for things like rent. If a game store is still trying to stay open and do curb side delivery, well, they aren't essential at all, so wth, and there are ways to survive.

If they know how to work the system? You don't know what their employees are getting paid and what their benefits are. You don't know who knows how to do what in each store, how many employees they have, how many owners there are and how many people they need to run the store. You don't know their rent + utilities cost, what loans they may already have, how much their business has been affected or how that could affect them getting a loan in their area. On top of that unemployment benefits are different state by state so I don't know where the 100% covers what they got comes from when you don't know that or what they're earning. Saying people will be just fine is false. This is an event like we've never seen and it's only going to get worse before it gets better. People will lose their livelihoods and people will die. But please continue about how a store should remain open regardless so you can get plastic miniature figures.

On 3/30/2020 at 5:28 AM, drail14me said:

When that COVID stimulus check hits, people will be BEGGING for a release. 🤣

My wife says the check is for bills not toys 😕

7 minutes ago, TheHoosh said:

My wife says the check is for bills not toys 😕

So pay for it with a credit card then it becomes a bill 😁

BTW, part of the stimulus package is 100% pay for unemployment benefits and loans for things like rent to affected businesses, which supposedly will be forgiven if they are used for qualified payments, like rent. So yes, normally, my critics would be true. Now however, because of the stimulus that was just past, things are different. What do you think that $2 trillion as for? So business can close down and people not get their plastic crack for a short time. It does require knowledge of how to work the system to get part of that $2 trillion. That isn't so easy. So yes, sadly, game stores with people who can't to figure out all the government bureaucracy to get the free government money will have problems. Stores operating from week to week were going to go out of business anyways. Sad to say, but game stores go out of business at a high rate. This will cause many to close down for good months in advance of their eventual demise. That is just how things are. No one likes it but it is what it is.

@Mep

Your understanding of the new law in regards to unemployment at least is slightly flawed.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/article/coronavirus-stimulus-package-questions-answers.amp.html

Unemployment goes up by at most $600, which still may not be replacing entire paychecks. The numbers cited in the article claim the average worker earns $1000, so for half of workers the $600 does not entirely replace the salary. (I do conceed it will likely make up for the salary of most employees at game shops though). It also doesn't include any text about providing health insurance at low or no cost to those on unemployment due to the current circumstances, at least not that I can find.

The new loans are only forgiven if "75% of the loan is used for payroll" which for some businesses payroll is not their majority expense:

https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/paycheck-protection-program-ppp

And I will point out this package was only recently passed, I expect more businesses may shut down if they would meet the eligibility require ments for completely forgiven loans. My FLGS may be among those companies, so long as the store and employees would be financially secure and still have benefits. Hard to tell, since I'm not the owner and don't know how much of their costs during a closure would be payroll related as opposed to rent. If the store does close for the interim, good for them, I'll look forward to frequenting them again when they reopen.

In retrospect, I think Asmodee made the right call to push back the releases since the lockdowns have had to increase in severity in multiple states and countries, owing to people ignoring the less restrictive guidelines, and how easy the disease spreads. Besides , they have enough trouble getting their releases on time without a pandemic, might as well admit things will be late a bit earlier, and give the manufacturing facilities time to catch up on all their delayed orders, rather than continuing to choke the supply lines.

There are always lots of details that make working the system very difficult. There are however solutions. Asmodee shouldn't be making any calls right now. Toys are not essential and the distributor should also be shutting down. No decision to be made right now, just do it.

4 hours ago, Mep said:

There are always lots of details that make working the system very difficult. There are however solutions. Asmodee shouldn't be making any calls right now. Toys are not essential and the distributor should also be shutting down. No decision to be made right now, just do it.

The silly thing is that online retailers have been considered "essential" regardless of what they sell...

41 minutes ago, Caimheul1313 said:

The silly thing is that online retailers have been considered "essential" regardless of what they sell...

Some online retailers are essential but a bunch of dudes together in a warehouse sending out toys, no, not really.

Seriously, just figure out the government forms, fill them out, take the free government money.

12 hours ago, Mep said:

Some online retailers are essential but a bunch of dudes together in a warehouse sending out toys, no, not really.

Seriously, just figure out the government forms, fill them out, take the free government money.

This isn't just toy companies making the determination for themselves, the governments are telling online retailers to remain open.

I agree with you on this one, although this is something being seen not just in the US, and relief packages (or lack thereof) differ from place to place.

13 hours ago, Mep said:

Some online retailers are essential but a bunch of dudes together in a warehouse sending out toys, no, not really.

Here’s the thing: if you’re not open, you’re not making money. This isn’t like a hurricane where you can relatively return to normal in a short time span: with months likely involved it could cripple all but the most hearty businesses (places far bigger than FFG/Asmodee).

Most brick and mortar stores don’t get an out/loophole from the shelter in place / quarantine orders. They’ll be in trouble before too long unfortunately. Online stores can somewhat bypass the restrictions either by showing how they are “essential” or otherwise.

I don’t blame companies for trying to stay open.

I don't like seeing businesses go out, but if you didn't put money into your coffers for bad times. I have to set aside money into savings for times such as when I get laid-off after oil went bust or a life event like a pandemic happens. For a company to rinse and repeat with employees is really irresponsible and bad business. Hopefully FFG is taking care of the employee and not just investor.

45 minutes ago, John79 said:

I don't like seeing businesses go out, but if you didn't put money into your coffers for bad times. I have to set aside money into savings for times such as when I get laid-off after oil went bust or a life event like a pandemic happens. For a company to rinse and repeat with employees is really irresponsible and bad business. Hopefully FFG is taking care of the employee and not just investor.

Things aren’t so simple. Every business has different conditions. My local store got bought by new owners two weeks before COVID hit. They didn’t have a chance to put money back as they had invested what they had in a new store. Hate it for them. A new release could help them. I’d buy all the new X-Wing, Armada and Legion expansions I could to help them. I’m headed by today to buy the copy of Star Wars Rebellion that’s been sitting on the shelf since it released. I’ll probably never play it but the new guys need help.

3 hours ago, drail14me said:

Things aren’t so simple. Every business has different conditions. My local store got bought by new owners two weeks before COVID hit. They didn’t have a chance to put money back as they had invested what they had in a new store. Hate it for them. A new release could help them. I’d buy all the new X-Wing, Armada and Legion expansions I could to help them. I’m headed by today to buy the copy of Star Wars Rebellion that’s been sitting on the shelf since it released. I’ll probably never play it but the new guys need help.

Rebellion is a ton of fun. The asymetric gameplay gives a decent feeling for Star Wars. If you're in quarantine with one or more other people who like board games, especially ones like Risk (but with a shorter play time), you're in luck Gift cards are also a good thing to buy.

This is a great point about differing situations. Additionally, how many big corporations have been asking for bailouts to survive? If the big multinationals are claiming to be unable to survive without support, why should the small businesses be held to a different standard?

5 hours ago, Caimheul1313 said:

This is a great point about differing situations. Additionally, how many big corporations have been asking for bailouts to survive? If the big multinationals are claiming to be unable to survive without support, why should the small businesses be held to a different standard?

Money (Politics and lobbying) is why they are held to a different standard

On 4/1/2020 at 6:22 PM, Mep said:

fill them out, take the free government money.

No such thing as free. We'll end up paying for this in the form of higher taxes, insurance and other costs.

1 hour ago, buckero0 said:

No such thing as free. We'll end up paying for this in the form of higher taxes, insurance and other costs.

Been hearing that for decades. So far paying back the debt isn't a thing. Tax cuts yes. I'm not sure how much or how long the government can keep printing money but I remember a movie back in the 80s with a premise that if the government debt hit 3 trillion society falls apart. I mean, at some point, it all becomes monopoly money. 3 trillion, 30 trillion, 300 trillion at some point it stopped having any meaning. So yeah, people do what they can to survive in the short term. Do that long enough, suddenly you survive the long term. Right now, that is take the disaster relief funds. A year from now, it will be do something else. Yes, long term planning is smart but there are times when short term, day by day thinking is necessary.

The best thing you can do for your local game store is buy gift cards and hope they stay around long enough to cash them in. Rewarding the online toy sellers right now, meh. Those employees don't need to be coming into contact with each other.

6 minutes ago, Mep said:

Been hearing that for decades. So far paying back the debt isn't a thing. Tax cuts yes. I'm not sure how much or how long the government can keep printing money but I remember a movie back in the 80s with a premise that if the government debt hit 3 trillion society falls apart. I mean, at some point, it all becomes monopoly money. 3 trillion, 30 trillion, 300 trillion at some point it stopped having any meaning. So yeah, people do what they can to survive in the short term. Do that long enough, suddenly you survive the long term. Right now, that is take the disaster relief funds. A year from now, it will be do something else. Yes, long term planning is smart but there are times when short term, day by day thinking is necessary.

The best thing you can do for your local game store is buy gift cards and hope they stay around long enough to cash them in. Rewarding the online toy sellers right now, meh. Those employees don't need to be coming into contact with each other.

I went to my FLGS, the only one in town, today to share the love. I decided last night that I’d buy the copy of Star Wars Rebellion that’s been sitting on the store shelf since the games release. Thought I’d do a little to help out.

While there, I asked about ordering a couple of new Armada expansions to help out a little more. They said their distributor was shut down so they couldn’t order anything. That sucks!

So FFG says their warehouse is open and shipping older titles but the middle man that gets it to stores is shut down. My store is screwed. They said they didn’t think they would make it through this.

I asked about applying for relief through the COVID relief bill. They didn’t think they would be eligible since they didn’t have a 2019 tax return because the new owners weren’t in business then. So, they have no product coming in to sell, can’t have customers in to game but still have to pay all the bills. That’s not gonna last.

@drail14me Yeah, they aren't going to do so well then. The government doesn't make it easy to get that free money. Right now, you need to have filed a tax return and the return needs to show certain amounts to qualify. I missed out on a lot for health care market place subsidy last year but getting it this year. Buying a game store is always risky but doing so a few months ago, yeah, that one hurts.

@Mep Inflation is still a thing, which is exasperated by deficit spending. If the government pumps too much money into the economy in an attempt to save it, they end up reducing the buying power of the dollar, and increasing interest rates across the board. So yes, at some point the dollar could have the same value as monopoly money. This has happened in third world nations before (Zimbabwean), and is VERY unlikely to happen to the US without MASSIVE overspending, or a complete failure to purchase the Treasury securities. Treasury securities are a fairly safe (if low yield) investment, so they should sell, especially given the current state of the stock market.

The effect of a deficit isn't instantaneous, there isn't a switch that gets flipped and suddenly the economy instantly collapses. So long as the government can keep borrowing money, it'll keep chugging along. Things might cost more, and interest rates for loans might increase though.

As the saying goes, there ain't no such thing as a free lunch, those of us who are not economists just might not see the link to the cost directly, and the companies taking the loans may not shoulder it alone.

Sometimes doing what allows you to survive for the short term can lead to failure in the long term, though, or at the very least, doing worse than you would have otherwise. Purely short term thinking is a hunter gatherer society. Long term thinking is an agrarian society, leading to the development of cities, etc etc. The long term needs to be at least considered.

That doesn't mean I don't agree that companies should take the steps they can in order to try to come out the other side of this thing, especially since those lucky enough to be able to telecommute are likely to come out of quarantine with money burning a hole in their pocket.

@Caimheul1313 Yeah, been hearing the inflation argument for decades now and people used to care. After 2008, the debt became monopoly money and everyone stopped caring. I am not sure that is a good thing but the economic collapse that causes running away inflation is more complex than just printing more money.

The short term thinking is survival thinking. When you are running away from a lion, you might want to concentration on not tripping on a rock rather than thinking about how best to store food for the winter.

On 3/27/2020 at 1:26 PM, TauntaunScout said:

I don't know why. But I assume this whole thread is a misdirect. I bet the delay is because of something YOU did, and you're trying to throw us off your scent. Probably you and Dewback Scout. I wouldn't put anything past that guy.

You caught me.

I bought all the Cassian supplies so they won't overshadow my Dewbacks.

On 3/27/2020 at 1:10 PM, Hijodecain said:

Probably because it is not fair as distributor send those stuff to just some stores which a high online presence, when the crisis ends, local retailers will have nothing to sale because some big online companies sold almost most of the materials to customers.

I’m seeing photos of painted Cassian, K2SO and Iden being posted in various places. Looks like some stores got them and some didn’t.

Casian, Iden, AAT and Vital Assets are widely available in Europe now that's why you see them painted.

14 minutes ago, NetCop said:

Casian, Iden, AAT and Vital Assets are widely available in Europe now that's why you see them painted.

`There are stores getting them in the united states too, but it's sparse. There doesn't seem to be any direction behind who is getting what here.