distribution horror stories (and related anecdotes)

[xiombarg]

I know Ron and many others are on-record as being disgusted with the current RPG distribution system. I couldn't help but think about this as I was browsing the Pulsar Games website and found the following line in the news section: "The company is doing well, but our fulfillment house sold a years worth of product and never paid us."

I can't imagine how this could have happened without legal recourse, but I hear stories like this regarding gaming distribution all the time.

I know we've talked about this before -- and people are welcome to point me to some threads -- but I'm curious as to people's anecdotes on this. Not just "I got screwed" stories, but also "the distribution system works fine for me"  stories and, above all, a sort of "lessons learned" -- that is, what advice you'd give to a fledgling game company based on your experience.

[Pramas]

I know Ron and many others are on-record as being disgusted with the current RPG distribution system. I couldn't help but think about this as I was browsing the Pulsar Games website and found the following line in the news section: "The company is doing well, but our fulfillment house sold a years worth of product and never paid us."

I can't imagine how this could have happened without legal recourse, but I hear stories like this regarding gaming distribution all the time.

As a point of information, a fulfillment house and a distributor are not the same thing. Fulfillment houses are companies like Osseum, Wizard's Attic (the company Pulsar was talking about, now defunct), and Tundra. These companies warehouse product for manufacturers and fill orders from distributors (some do sales too). They are sometimes referred to as "the fourth tier" or "distributors for distributors." Actual distributors (like Alliance ACD, and Gameboard) are middlemen between manufacturers and retailers. They are the people who sell retailers most of what see on store shelves (with some exceptions, like Games Workshop and some small manufacturers).

[HinterWelt]

Don't forget WOTC, Decipher and UDE. They all have direct to retailer programs.

Bill

[xiombarg]

As a point of information, a fulfillment house and a distributor are not the same thing.

Yes, I am aware of this. But as you say, the connection between them is close, so I'm interested in stories regarding both. It's all part of the same system.

I appreciate you bringing this up, however -- I didn't mean to cause confusion by implying that they were the same thing.

[Gold Rush Games]

...a fulfillment house and a distributor are not the same thing. Fulfillment houses are companies like Osseum, Wizard's Attic (the company Pulsar was talking about, now defunct), and Tundra.

  Don't forget Impressions and the newly rolled out Eureka! in that mix. ;)

  I wish there were no need for consolidators and that distributors would order (and sell) thousands of copies of everyones' product. But the reality of the situation is that most small publishers have a very difficult time getting picked up by distributors and consolidators make it easier (and more appealing) for distributors to do so.

[xiombarg]

...a fulfillment house and a distributor are not the same thing. Fulfillment houses are companies like Osseum, Wizard's Attic (the company Pulsar was talking about, now defunct), and Tundra.

  Don't forget Impressions and the newly rolled out Eureka! in that mix. ;)

Okay, yes, we have a good smattering of companies listed in this thread... Does anyone have any actual anecdotes?