So, I work for one FLGS which is also down the street from another. The other one is is more RPG oriented and is likely to have third party Pathfinder products but I haven't seen many make it to their shelves. The one I work for has had a grand total of one third party Pathfinder hardcover on the small RPG shelf, but it's more focused on being a cyber cafe and Magic: the Gathering venue. Either way both instances lead me to believe that third party products have a hard time finding their way to FLGSs so I have to ask, how do you guys keep visibility with them. From what I've seen in the area, if either of the two local game stores doesn't have it, and the used book store across the street doesn't have it then you're not going to find it on a shelf in any of the neighboring cities.
I understand that most of you guys are primarily either stay in pdf only or at best Print on Demand for economic and practicality reasons, but some of you guys have actual print releases that I'll see on amazon occasionally. I am curious how much you guys push towards brick and mortar retailers because the d20/3.5 era collection at the other FLGS was MASSIVE before they decided to bulk sell it when 5th edition came out.
In case anyone wants to know, the things for Pathfinder I've seen in store in person:
Ponyfinder.
Red Dragon Inn: Guide to Inns and Taverns.
A few 4 Winds Fantasy things.
Psionics Unleashed.
Pure Steam.
Thunderscape: World of Aden.
Wicked Fantasy.
The Advanced Bestiary.
Also LPJ Games for Free RPG days.
You should start the thread title with: 3PPs:
My nearest store has a small selection of pathfinder core. I bought their entire shelf when I first discovered Pf. They restocked with the same things, so that was that.
No 3rd party to speak of.
The other store, near the college I attend, used to have about three Pf books, but recently changed owners and is now exclusively focused on warhammer.
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I have a new good FLGS*. It's not as close, but it doubles as a cafe, and has basically anything Pathfinder I might need. The big draw are things that I can't download (minis, pathfinder game aids like maps and such). They also have all the 5e stuff I might need, but I usually get better prices on Amazon (sorry, but I am being honest).
I am contemplating making a purchase of Savage Worlds (which they keep in good stock) or Fiasco (likewise), but as for the more mainstream stuff, they have it, but I don't buy it there. I might if they give a good discount like my old FLGS did...
*My old favorite one closed down due to gentrification... blog post about that HERE
My local store is the only one around, so they feel that since they are "the only game in town", they don't need to put any effort into their business.
I shop online.
My nearest store has a small selection of pathfinder core. I bought their entire shelf when I first discovered Pf. They restocked with the same things, so that was that.
No 3rd party to speak of.
The other store, near the college I attend, used to have about three Pf books, but recently changed owners and is now exclusively focused on warhammer.
WH/MTG is where the money is. Paizo made a niche for itself in RPGs with subscription model that is virtually impossible for FLGSs to replicate. So RPGs will always be back seat until the industry finds a way to encourage 80% of players to spend $10-20 a week forever.