ORX, Sales Numbers, and Retail
Seth M. Drebitko:
Ok here is an idea I have had for when I start publishing (eventually). Get together with two or more publishers of games similar though different enough that they don't step on one another’s toes, and organize them into a special edition book. Organize a decent size print run to say gen con where you will all be and then break the books down start signing each copy then divide them up based on who put what percentage of money in. Now if you do this right each of you is in retail but with completely different stores who now get a taste of other indie publishers. This will let you put what you can afford to into the game getting back a better amount and having the added value of other publishers.
With this money you can then start getting your own print runs going, or even keep pulling off an annual joint publishing venture, say maybe 1,000 a year every gen con make sure to get your pre-orders before their gone! Any way that’s just an idea for what its worth I think it could work out well for you.
Regards, Seth
greyorm:
Quote from: Ron Edwards on July 23, 2008, 07:28:45 AM
I'm still a little confused, because several people have all provided the same advice to your question, since the beginning of the thread...Do you have any concerns that make this advice not useful? Is there any "how to" that remains?
It's just a clear thread re-direction: I realize some of the questions I just asked have been answered already, and I am inviting additional comments/suggestions on the situation/plan of action/etc if anyone has them, and I do plan on following up on the advice that has been posted. If no one else has comments on those things, let's focus on the last question instead: what have the experiences of other publishers been regarding the above possible benefits of retail versus profit on low-volume products and the rate of direct sales and profit on the same?
That is, you have a low-volume product and you've sold retail. What were the profits like in comparison to direct sales? Was it worthwhile in terms of profit or volume, or eventual profit (ie: what was the turn-around like for recouping print costs)? What retailers were the best promoters of your product?
Or, you have a low-volume product and you didn't sell retail. Why not? What kept you out? Did you try it and decide it wasn't worth it? How long did you try it for before the data was enough to convince you it was not worthwhile? What made it not worthwhile?
I know Ryan has provided some thoughts and GOB's experiences regarding that (thanks!) and I'm looking for other viewpoints/experiences with the situation as well. Basically, I'm trying to get a handle on what I'm finding myself in based on the experiences of other publishers in similar situations, rather than leaping in completely blind wearing only a decent guess when I don't have to.
Quote from: Thunder_God on July 21, 2008, 10:56:56 AM
Nitpicks, it'd be $2,300, minus $700.
And THAT is why I should not attempt to perform mathematical manipulations at 2am. Thanks, Guy.
Quote from: Seth M. Bashwinger on July 23, 2008, 04:13:40 PM
Get together with two or more publishers of games similar though different enough that they don't step on one another’s toes, and organize them into a special edition book. Organize a decent size print run to say gen con where you will all be and then break the books down start signing each copy then divide them up based on who put what percentage of money in.
Seth, thanks for the suggestion, but I'm a bit leery of the "games digest" idea. I've seen it proposed and tried a number of times, but I don't recall off the top of my head any successful examples. I do recall a couple of non-successful examples, especially when monetary issues and costs/payback percentages/book-keeping started coming into the picture (which I've seen kill such projects dead all by themselves). But I fully admit I'm not all-knowing and I'd like to hear from any group who has successfully utilized such a model for selling their games?
Seth M. Drebitko:
Well I would say for protecting your reputation you would want to carefully pick an already established though moderately successful line. You could then determine formatting issues, and create say 20-30 additional pages of special extras between you both. You then determine a price break in book cost that you want to reach and how much money you both have to put forward. Say for an example (actual numbers aside) each book costs $1 your getting a 1,000 book print run and you can front $250 for the entire deal. When the books all get sent to the single location you have both decided to meet at you divide the books up 250 for you and the difference to your partner(s). You can then go about signing each copy with one another to make it extra special for the customer, or have say 100 books signed and numbered by both of you in gold ink and auctioned.
This would eliminate your worry as far as splitting up profits per book sold and such as your each just walking away with a pile of books. This will allow you to get some seed money (as the books can be sold at a mark up) which you will walk away with more of (from the lower margins) on top of the fact that your getting 750 books worth of marketing on your partners end. Who knows in the end it may become a very popular thing with both your clients and an annual thing might be made of it say that simple 1,000 print run each year to keep the anticipation and desire to quickly buy up.
Overall if your don’t want to use a method that would slowly build momentum, some sort of joint venture may be best.
Regards, Seth
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