FLGS Boons

[sowhereaminow]

There's an interesting thread called "Retraining due to failure to own books" which brought up an interesting point - we as gamers want to support our Friendly Local Gaming Store (FLGS) that allow us to hold PFS events at their tables. However, many gamers aren't inclined to buy books from the FLGS due to the convenience of a pdf bought from this very site. So a crazy thought entered my head: FLGS Boons.

A FLGS Boon would be a unique boon created by the PFS team for a specific book that would be issued by the FLGS when someone buys said book through the FLGS. The sheet could be downloaded by the store from a retailer specific area on the website and offered to people who buy the book at FLGS.

I think this could accomplish several goals:

1. Encourage sales of Pathfinder products by FLGS, since they have something unique to offer that you can't get elsewhere.
2. Encourage FLGS to host PFS events, as this drives sales.
3. Inform FLGS buyers about the existence of PFS, and potentially encouraging them to join PFS.
4. Allow Paizo to connect directly with retailers to keep them informed about upcoming product, and allow Paizo to gain information about their end product retailers.
5. And finally, the FLGS Boon could be used as proof that a person owns a specific book in case they forget to bring said book to a convention. (The FLGS Boon would ideally be signed by FLGS personnel, denoting proof of sale).

This is a potential sales driver with little to no cost, has the potential to grow PFS, and can provide additional marketing data. ROI should be good due to minimal investment.

Just a thought.

[Finlanderboy]

I love this idea. I do not see it going anywhere. But I think it is great.

[Uktabi]

This would be better if it was tied to preorders. Stores love preorders above all else.

[sowhereaminow]

Thanks for the feedback guys. And tying it to preorders is a great idea.

[Eric Clingenpeel]

At Paizocon during the PFS Q&A, Mike mentioned a store retailer kit that is in the works. He mentioned store only quests that only the store liaison could run. It'd be cool if something like what you're suggesting could be added to the kit.

[Luthril]

What a great idea!

[Victor Zajic]

I don't like the boon counting as proof of ownership if you forget the book. The whole point of the rule is that you have the rules source accessable for the DM if needed.

[FLite]

Victor, I don't think anybody is suggesting this in place of the ownership requirement. The problem people are addressing is that because of the ownership requirement, there is less and less incentive to buy books in store. So they are trying to add back in that incentive (without subverting the rules)

[Victor Zajic]

sowhereaminow wrote:

5. And finally, the FLGS Boon could be used as proof that a person owns a specific book in case they forget to bring said book to a convention. (The FLGS Boon would ideally be signed by FLGS personnel, denoting proof of sale).

The original poster suggested it. I like the idea otherwise.

[Luthril]

Victor Zajic wrote:

sowhereaminow wrote:

5. And finally, the FLGS Boon could be used as proof that a person owns a specific book in case they forget to bring said book to a convention. (The FLGS Boon would ideally be signed by FLGS personnel, denoting proof of sale).

The original poster suggested it. I like the idea otherwise.

It could be proof along with the dreaded photocopies to supply game info....

[FLite]

Ah, I missed that one. Good catch.

[Fromper]

My problem is that I've shifted to buying PDFs specifically because it's easier to carry a tablet to a game day than all the hard copy books. Making the dead tree edition of the books more desirable by attaching a boon to them doesn't fix that problem. It just asks players to shell out the money for both versions of the book instead, which is unfair to players who only want to have to pay for one or the other.

If Paizo wants to help the retailers out, they need to come up with some way for the retailers to sell the PDFs, so they can get a cut of that profit.

For instance, people can already buy PDFs of Paizo books as gifts for other users on the web site. Paizo just needs to come up with a pricing model that encourages players to pay a store for the PDF, then the store logs on to the web site and makes the purchase so that the player gets the PDF file in their downloads. ie Make it more expensive for players to buy the PDF directly from Paizo than from what the stores will be selling them for.

Or to cut out the store needing to log on to the web site and buy the product for the player, maybe stores could just sell gift certificates redeemable here on Paizo.com, with Paizo selling them to the store at a low enough cost that the store makes a profit off the deal.

[James Risner]

sowhereaminow wrote:

A FLGS Boon would be a unique boon created by the PFS team for a specific book that would be issued by the FLGS when someone buys said book through the FLGS.

Love the idea

Also like the idea of old Gencon Boons (2010, 2011, 2012 etc) being reused as FLGS boons for game days promos.

It would help the stores and help alleviate the whole "some people think it is unfair that some people have boons for going to cons" problem. The boons would become "exclusive for a year" instead of "forever"

[Drogon]

While I have stated many times that I am okay with Paizo's PDF policies and their having their own internet store, do not misconstrue that as not being in support of Paizo doing something to support brick and mortar stores.

I'd love to see something put in place that rewards a PFS player for buying books where he plays. Or some sort of program that stores get exclusive access to so long as they run PFS. Either way.

And James Risner's idea is certainly easy to implement, and would be very popular. Just sayin' :-D