I'm looking for data from publishers who have swtiched from a pure direct sales model to a mixed direct/retail/distributor model. Ignore any cut that IPR, Key20 or other similar organisation might have taken if you use their services.

If you are one of these publishers, I'd be grateful if you let me know:

1. How were your direct sales affected by the switch.
2. How were your overall sales figures affected?

Did they increase, stay the same, or decrease. Percentages, or even actual figures would be appreciated.

1) Direct sales dropped, but by my choice. I didn't have the time to travel, and I started with the distribution a year after I went to press, so my local market and what I had easier access to was alread well saturated.

2) Through distro, product counts soared for me. I was able to push something like 36 units of 3 items the summer I started, my first order was for about 90 units of my core three products, and 90 of the supplement. Latest products: 75 copy run of Big Dumb Heroes that I ordered for GenCon is just about sold out, with the exception of the couple copies I have and a couple left at the Key20 warehouse. Twilight expansions I over-ordered on at Jason's request, which I regret. Had I kept to my original estimates I would have been happier. But even still, a significant chunk moved, twice as many as the first order, 60 per instead of 30 per.