Never been to a con but considering going to Gen Con. My questions is this:
Will I find the books and products there at a discount or do they charge cover prices usually? Not just Paizo, just asking in general.
Expect most things to be cover. I have only been to Gen Con once since it went to Indy so I don't recall if they do this, but back in Milwaukee, they usually didn't charge you sales tax because of some "trade show" classification in the Wisconsin tax code.
As the others said, new books will generally be cover price.
Many places (typically game stores or internet retailers) sell older books at a discount, especially if they have a surplus of them. Old, rare books (like some classic 1E adventures) are going to be higher than the original cover price, of course...
In general, do sellers at conventions like GenCon prove to have better or worse deals for out-of-print stuff than Amazon or other large websites?
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I've been trying to complete my 1e, Basic, and Greyhawk collection for years. I have a spreadsheet with all the prices I've found. At the Con I've found some cheaper, some comparable, and some more expensive.
At a con you can make a Diplomacy check with vendors (and you get a +2 circumstance bonus on Sunday as they're more willing to deal when it's time to pack up.)
There is a lot to be said for seeing the selection in person. It gives me a -2 to my Will save v. Impulse Buys though.... :-)
In general, do sellers at conventions like GenCon prove to have better or worse deals for out-of-print stuff than Amazon or other large websites?
That's a hard question to answer.
One, it really, really depends on what product you're talking about. If you're looking for ROTL#1, it's a different sort of rarity than finding a copy of the 2e AD&D Thri-Kreen of Athas supplement for Dark Sun, or finding the with-Cthulhu-mythos version of the 1e AD&D Deities and Demigods, and that affects whether or not the price goes up.
Two, there are multiple retailers at the show selling old stuff and used stuff, and because they're from all over the country they may have different pricing based on supply & demand in their area. If Bob's Games from Philly has a lot of Dark Sun players in their area, their Thri-Kreen of Athas may be listed at a higher price than Dave's Games from Detroit (where nobody plays Dark Sun and Dave is trying to unload all of his old DS shelf stock).
I went to GenCon and found a retailer selling the with Cthulhu Deities & Demigods for $100. I went to a small con called BashCon and found a guy selling his old D&D stuff, and he had TWO copies of that book for $20 each.
The exhibit hall is HUGE. If you spot something you want, make note of the price and booth number. Then check out other places, you may find a better deal.
The one problem posed by such convention buying is the large number of competitors for rare finds, even if they are high priced.
... though someone who scours GenCon for deals is probably someone who's been going to GenCon for years, and they already own most of the rare stuff they want.
It's a lot of factors. :p
When I went for my first convention I saw a bit worn out Runequest 3rd edition boxed set for sale (system almost completely unknown in Poland in 1996) - I looked at it but decided to get Monster Manual for AD&D instead. I saw it again the next year (I think it was the same one, in fact). I think I saw it the next year again. When I finally decided to get it, it hadn't appeared anymore... I am a bit sorry that I didn't bought it the first time as, from my current knowledge of systems and my own preferences it would be much better investment from my side than AD&D Monster Manual but, alas, I didn't know what RQ is then.
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At huge cons like GenCon, expect to see high prices. But this is balanced out by a very very large selection. I've rarely had problems finding most of the semi-rare items I was looking for and it is terrific for discovery. It is also large enough that some items are ONLY sold there, such as special figures or promotional items.
Small local cons usually have very good deals in play. But... you wont always find what you are looking for. I've had a fun time getting deals on items I didn't know I wanted (Robo Rally!)... but I can never count on an item actually being there.
That's disheartening and a tad surprising, that vendors do not lower the prices at cons. I've never been to a trade show or hobby convention where things were retail price.
Oh well. Amazon is still a steady 20% or more less.
Play at the con, buy it online. Got it!
Is the swag usually decent at least?
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That's disheartening and a tad surprising, that vendors do not lower the prices at cons. I've never been to a trade show or hobby convention where things were retail price.
Oh well. Amazon is still a steady 20% or more less.
Play at the con, buy it online. Got it!
Is the swag usually decent at least?
I recommend playing at the con and buying from your FLGS, especially if you use their gaming space.
Swag is non-existent except for the annual GenCon d6.
If you're looking for bargains, check out the GenCon auction. You can find some gems there at a steal if you get in at the right time.
Chief Technical Officer
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Expect most things to be cover. I have only been to Gen Con once since it went to Indy so I don't recall if they do this, but back in Milwaukee, they usually didn't charge you sales tax because of some "trade show" classification in the Wisconsin tax code.
Vendors had to pay tax in Milwaukee, and they have to pay it in Indy. They may or may not pass that on to you; Paizo does collect proper sales tax.
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My experience with the four or five conventions I've attended is that you want to do your shopping the last day of the con. The vendors have to carry all that product into the venue which means whatever they don't sell has to be carried out. I've met more than a few vendors willing to haggle for discount prices on the last day just so they don't have to lug a few hundred pounds of merch back to the van.
That reminds me...remember to haggle. It's easier on the last day, sure, but, if you want to buy several items from one vendor, ask for a package deal. You might be able to get 10-20% off or more if you're taking a stack of books off a vendor's hands.
That's disheartening and a tad surprising, that vendors do not lower the prices at cons. I've never been to a trade show or hobby convention where things were retail price.
It really depends if you're dealing with a smart retailer or a dumb retailer.
A dumb retailer makes it a point of pride to stock EVERY SINGLE product from a particular line, even if that means a whole shelf is taken up with books that haven't moved in 10 years.
A smart retailer realizes that shelf of dead product is much less profitable than a shelf full of new product (product that actually has a chance of selling), and discounts that dead product to get it out of the store so he can replace it with new product.
At GenCon you'll find unwanted $30 box sets in the original shrinkwrap for $10, and you'll find battered, used, in-demand $30 box sets for $60. You'll find treasures in $1 bins, junk in "buy one, get one d20-glut product free" offers, and everything in between.
As far as swag goes, GenCon has a coupon book with offers from exhibitors and vendors. Sometimes it's just a heads-up to a free product being given away at a booth. Sometime it's a real deal, like "bring this coupon, get a cupful of dice for $5 off." And sometimes it's something unfathomable like "present this coupon to Jason Bulmahn for a kiss and a free $5 bill."
Expect most things to be cover. I have only been to Gen Con once since it went to Indy so I don't recall if they do this, but back in Milwaukee, they usually didn't charge you sales tax because of some "trade show" classification in the Wisconsin tax code.Vendors had to pay tax in Milwaukee, and they have to pay it in Indy. They may or may not pass that on to you; Paizo does collect proper sales tax.
That is interesting because I don't recall paying sales taxes of any significance when buying stuff at Gen Con in Milwaukee and some vendors in the mid-80s were saying that they didn't have to collect it. Makes me wonder if a lot of them were just trying to dodge the tax knowing the record of sales would be difficult for the state to prove.
That's disheartening and a tad surprising, that vendors do not lower the prices at cons. I've never been to a trade show or hobby convention where things were retail price.
Well, this is their chance to make a higher profit on each of the items they're selling. So I don't think it's surprising at all.
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Sean, you ... you don't clear things like that with Jason before you post them, do you?
It's more interesting if I don't. :)
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Chief Technical Officer
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My experience with the four or five conventions I've attended is that you want to do your shopping the last day of the con. The vendors have to carry all that product into the venue which means whatever they don't sell has to be carried out. I've met more than a few vendors willing to haggle for discount prices on the last day just so they don't have to lug a few hundred pounds of merch back to the van.
While this advice applies to many, it doesn't apply to Paizo; we don't haggle. Feel free to buy from us immediately!
While this advice applies to many, it doesn't apply to Paizo; we don't haggle. Feel free to buy from us immediately!
Indeed. I lose count of the number of people who seem surprised when they rush into the booth on Sunday afternoon and ask, "What's the discount?!" to be told there is none.