Board gaming is getting a shakeup more than perhaps any other because of tariffs, and now the online retailer Bordlandia is shutting down and blaming tariffs for their situation.
From first glance, and as a brick and mortar retailer myself, it almost sounds like these games—from good ol' Stratego to RPGs—have not really helped them navigate the regular obstacles of life.
One thing all of the successful board game stores have in common is a sustainable source of cash.
This is primarily in the form of card games like Magic the Gathering. Those kind of games require their players to keep buying the newest products which makes them repeat customers and is a continuous revenue stream for the store. At $3 - $5 per pack its easy for players to keep purchasing new products.
Board game players don't work that way. Games regularly cost $50-$100 each. How many copies of Carcassonne do you need? We still use the one we bought 10 years ago. Once you purchase a board game that's really it. When people first get into modern board games they may buy several different games but there is a limit in cash, time, and storage space as to how many they will buy.
The current board game industry depends on an ever-increasing player base and that's not a realistic model for a brick and mortar store
Shall I fetch some cheese to go with Madame's whine? Or would that be redundant considering that "Important Notice"?
I'd say that they are getting what they deserve for not buying American-made goods.
From first glance, and as a brick and mortar retailer myself, it almost sounds like these games—from good ol' Stratego to RPGs—have not really helped them navigate the regular obstacles of life.
One thing all of the successful board game stores have in common is a sustainable source of cash.
This is primarily in the form of card games like Magic the Gathering. Those kind of games require their players to keep buying the newest products which makes them repeat customers and is a continuous revenue stream for the store. At $3 - $5 per pack its easy for players to keep purchasing new products.
Board game players don't work that way. Games regularly cost $50-$100 each. How many copies of Carcassonne do you need? We still use the one we bought 10 years ago. Once you purchase a board game that's really it. When people first get into modern board games they may buy several different games but there is a limit in cash, time, and storage space as to how many they will buy.
The current board game industry depends on an ever-increasing player base and that's not a realistic model for a brick and mortar store