GenCon Sales and Stock

[Luke]

Hi all. I will be at the Forge booth running demos until I drop. How much stock should I have on hand? This is my first GenCon, and I only have an inkling of what to expect.

For those of you who don't know: I have a fairly nice looking, two-book set that runs $15. My demos last about 45 minutes to an hour. I can easily take four kids per demo.

For those of you who have read/seen the game and been to GenCon yourselves, what do you think? Any suggestions as to how much I might conceivably sell? I am thinking twenty sets myself, but I might be being conservative. What were your sales figures like last year?

thanks,
-Luke

[Matt Snyder]

Yes, you're being conservative, slightly. My experience last year with a nice looking, but comb-bound game, Dust Devils, sold through 35+ copies. I think that your game, especially being fantasy which is likely to please gamers, could easily match that performance, if not beat the pants off it. I'd recommend doubling your expectation.

[Valamir]

Even ultra niche Universalis sold more than 20 at its debut.

I'd plan on 50 copies or so, and plenty of those little card board stuffers.

I'm bringing 100 but thats only because Uni is so small that all fits in a standard shipping box and its easier than repacking it.

Storage space is going to be at a premium in the booth, so I suspect / suggest that most stock is kept in the hotel room and only a daily supply actually maintained in the booth itself.

[rpghost]

Since a couple of you are RPGMall.com vendor I thought I'd bring this up here...

As an RPGMall vendor we'll sell your product at the conventions. We plan to sell everything from the mall unless we're told specifically from the vendor not to do so. So please let us know if you DON'T want us selling your stuff at our booth at Origins or Gencon. I suspect multiple loctions of exposure would be a good thing and I can always send them to the Forge booth for more info.

Also a note for those who are on the fense about RPGMall... if you want to get sold at our booth, all you have to do is sign the contract and send some copies (or bring them as I've got limited room) and that's all. No big fees up front... Of course we'll be taking our standard cut on things we sell there - but we'll also be taking credit cards.

James

[Luke]

ok, that's a good start.

i have a second question, how are you all getting your stock to GenCon? I myself am flying out there, so transporting 50 sets (100 books) myself is untenable. I was planning on shipping Fedex Ground or something. This must seem like a silly question, but do I ship to the hotel? I'll have to ship "care of" someone who actually has a room.

suggestions? caveats?

the other side of this problem is getting it all back. I'm leaving on sunday, if I have 25 sets (50 books) to carry back with me I am doomed.  Anyone lingering until Monday who like to be a designated Forge shipper?


I can't be the only one with a situation like this.
(i hope)
-L

[rpghost]

I'll be driving... I may or may not be taking a trailer on the back...

Anyway, you're welcome to leave the extra books with us at RPGmall :)

I think your safest thing if you're going to ship is to ship to your hotel, they are used to that. But anything besides media mail is damn expensive.

I wish I could offer to bring your extra copies, but if I don't bring the trailer (I don't want to) then I am very tight on room.

James