INSANE Hobby Shop QUITS on Magic The Gathering (and other TCG's)???

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ม.ค. 2025

ความคิดเห็น • 78

  • @ferdinandblack319
    @ferdinandblack319 13 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +19

    My FLGS refuses to stock Magic. That was not always the case, the current owner dropped it when he took over. He tells me that he came out ahead, because dropping Magic made most of the worst customers stop showing up. The store started off pretty stereotypically, but suddenly all the Great Unclean Ones were gone. Moms and girlfriends were a lot more willing to actually go into the store. He's doing better now, but he's got a fairly big store in a highish income rural area, with lots of retired engineers and so on. He's got a section for model train supplies. The owner mostly has an encyclopedic knowledge of miniature agnostic games and a ton of good value minis. So it's probably not representative, but I think it's a neat phenomenon. The owner was shocked; he thought Magic was basically mandatory and the only way to stay in business.

  • @reformedbugman703
    @reformedbugman703 8 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +4

    I am just thrilled to see a video where people aren't constantly talking about trench crusade in the comments.

  • @Darth_Rosie
    @Darth_Rosie 13 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +2

    I enjoyed learning about the MTG card economy “stocks”. I find it entertaining when you guys discuss these “behind the curtain” topics. Another great episode ! Thanks

  • @krzysztofmathews738
    @krzysztofmathews738 10 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +2

    Another great breakdown of the "Nuts and Bolts" of making decisions in a small business. What you are saying here makes a great deal of sense.

  • @DasDevilSquid
    @DasDevilSquid 13 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +3

    Personal Experience: We had a great miniature gaming store in the area that had tables, painting stations, and events. It was doing very well for two years till they tried to take on another store in their strength: Magic the Gathering. They started buying collections, and investing in box sets, and suddenly there wasn't money for the miniature stuff anymore. Special orders got forgotten, paints weren't stocked, and the store started to be filled with card gamers, pushing out the miniature gamers. The store closed a year later.
    The other local store does magic correctly, with employees dedicated to the management of their stock and singles. They host large events (have the space for it), and continue to do a great job of bullriding MTG (and other games) because they made it a priority by dedicating the resources to managing it.
    As you infered, if you don't have a strong grasp on the card games, they'll run rampant.

  • @GoalOrientedLifting
    @GoalOrientedLifting 15 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +2

    oh man, i was thinking today "i hope they release a video soon" and here you are.

  • @Techpriest
    @Techpriest 15 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +5

    Magic margins are brutal and over time we've seen our Magic sections shrink because of how bad it is in favor of other product lines. With that being said, if you buy a couple boxes online from whatever third party you can get them at or under distribution prices and put them on the shelf for the occasional pack sale here and there, with Commander decks being the big seller usually if you can get them from distro. That being said, a big goal for us is to bring in Magic players and get them into other hobbies as Wizards did a study and found the average Magic player sticks with the game for about two years and when they do get bored of it they usually jump to something else like Warhammer.
    Also, agree with the value minded mindset being incredibly frustrating.

    • @Shadygit
      @Shadygit 11 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

      From the consumer side of things, WotC has long ago signaled they don't care for my money. And I very much think they've been signaling to shops and owners they won't protect their money. Between the endless churn (the market prognostication that requires talked about in the video) and directly marketing what have become de facto definitive versions of cards with Secret Lair, WotC and their Hasbro overlords are damaging all trust for all consumers- save the Whales. Sadly I was one of the people that saw my cards in some way as 'having value' beyond just being a game piece.
      Be it bans or reprints driving my collection into the dirt, I just couldn't do it anymore. I sold the bulk of my cards and feel happier for it.

  • @Jez-Hunt
    @Jez-Hunt 15 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +13

    Im looking forward to Magic the Gathering: Trench Crusade
    😂

    • @michaelnomnomandryuk
      @michaelnomnomandryuk 13 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

      Metazoo

    • @lordsofwargamesandhobbies3905
      @lordsofwargamesandhobbies3905  13 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +4

      Universes beeeeyond!

    • @Shadygit
      @Shadygit 12 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

      ​@lordsofwargamesandhobbies3905 another reason I love your channel. Beat me to the comment lol

  • @tragicthegarnering3619
    @tragicthegarnering3619 6 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +2

    There is a store down south that dropped tcg products dude to fights breaking out in the store, own pivoted to entirely wargames and dnd figures. Margins on card packs here in nz can get pretty bad, plus it doesn't help that it often costs stores more than the us stores can sell at.

  • @Steyrshrek1
    @Steyrshrek1 15 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +2

    Came to your store the first time after Christmas grabbed an air brush some miniatures and supplies. Great store had great service I’m in Guelph but I’ll be back.

  • @mort8949
    @mort8949 13 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +3

    A local FLGS here in Portland was broken into 4 times last year. What did the thieves take every single time? Magic and Pokemon cards. Grocery stores put them behind the counter like cigarettes and Pokemon have their own poke center vending machines at the grocery store entrance.

  • @Huascar180
    @Huascar180 4 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

    Another interesting video. My FLgS is big into magic (and now lorcana) and I always wondered about the economics. Fortunately they do a great job of support minis and magic.

  • @Techpriest
    @Techpriest 15 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +5

    Oh, and speaking of margin, a couple years ago the company that makes the product was constantly dumping boxes for significantly under what distributors were selling it for of every available set. Imagine if GW made you sell at MSRP while their stores and website offered a discount. During that time a big card store that had established a reputation over 30 years stopped carrying Magic in favor of any other card game.

    • @mikegrant8031
      @mikegrant8031 14 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

      Troll and toad is who you are thinking of.

    • @Techpriest
      @Techpriest 13 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

      @@mikegrant8031 Correct, but I tend to leave names out just to be safe in case the channel owner doesn't want them mentioned. Around that same time Penguin Random House dropped D&D books as well.

    • @bobh9492
      @bobh9492 9 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

      Skaventide was dumped on resellers at a heavy discount by gw as soon as it failed to sell Out… so yeah.

    • @Techpriest
      @Techpriest 8 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

      @@bobh9492 If it was it was short lived and not noticeable to us as a business. Though one item out of a range of hundreds is not the same as every in print product being substantially under distribution prices for extended periods of time.

    • @mikegrant8031
      @mikegrant8031 8 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

      @@bobh9492 I never saw skaventide selling below MAP price.

  • @xgymratx83
    @xgymratx83 8 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    Interesting to watch this. My local is ALL IN on cards. I’m at one of 2 tables in the back doing tabletop miniatures. They just do t support it. Not many models, rarely get paint restocks, and very little hobby stuff.

  • @JeffG-n8p
    @JeffG-n8p 5 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

    Love it. Had no idea about magic. Now I know why it’s absent or over abundant at some stores.

  • @crann777
    @crann777 15 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +2

    The only hobby shops around here that I can think of that are primarily focused on TCGs exist so that the owner and their buddies can get boxes at cost. The rest are focused primarily on other product lines and sell TCGs as an excuse to use the space between other events (RPGs, tabletop games, wargames, etc.).

  • @HacksawsHobbyBunker
    @HacksawsHobbyBunker 13 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    The FLGS's that I frequent all have MTG and others as a sizable pillar. I'm not into those but I do appreciate that those customers help keep the stores open so I can come play the weird stuff I play and buy random boxes of figures on a whim.

  • @DasDevilSquid
    @DasDevilSquid 14 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +6

    TCG's are a form of legalized gambling where you get hooked on the idea of 'winning' by opening a pack with a rare $$ card. They're also 'pay to win' which is why I don't participate in them anymore.

    • @neilcaskey3305
      @neilcaskey3305 12 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

      They are irl NFTs

    • @DasDevilSquid
      @DasDevilSquid 12 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

      At least you have the physical cardboard.

  • @amn1088
    @amn1088 15 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +3

    A big problem with the LCG model is the company who did it, well did it terribly. A single pack of 20 different cards every month is a nightmare for retailers to keep in stock and on the shelves and if it doesn't do well who is going to want to carry 50+ different little packs. The bigger cycle endcap boxes were always way way more popular. Instead of 6 packs released over a cycle with a big box at the end they should have released all 6 packs in a single box one quarter, then do their more specialized endcap box the next quarter and sell that way. The single packs also rarely affected the game much unless something was obscenely broken so they were not even exciting to buy as most cards were "this will be great when we see tons more support." Adding to the poor sales to those little boxes.
    The other issue is FFG would release a new LCG every 1-2 years. This cannibalized existing customers and games so you would have people play AGOT one day and then oh netrunner came out so you lose half your community to that. After years of this the players were so fractured between games none of them could survive. Then you also had people who realized this so they would refuse to get into an LCG after 2 years because they didn't want to catch up, they would just wait for the next one and get into that one instead of the one they were really interested and the quality on some of these were pretty bad. Like the Star Wars and Warhammer 40k ones were just bad games.
    If FFG just focused on 3 LCGs maybe they would have made it work with the changes above, but ultimately despite they sold well it was never as much as a ccg.

    • @thecommuterzombie
      @thecommuterzombie 14 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

      Truth, FFG did at least course correct with the Arkham and LOTR LCGs and being co-op they appeal to a different customer base anyway.

  • @mikegrant8031
    @mikegrant8031 14 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    Lol, at the start I thought you were talking about my store.

  • @Dayvon11
    @Dayvon11 10 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    Dealing with tcgs is just such a massive timesink for not much money. Probably more rewarding for the the larger stores who have more capital to afford a sorter, storage space, and insurance to cover multiple breakins

  • @PrivateInfo-xe1cl
    @PrivateInfo-xe1cl 9 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    Many years ago I used to work at a Dollarama, and I always wondered how they could sell MtG cards at such low price (was $1 for a ten pack). Then I found out they were all the garbage cards that had been discarded from people buying all the blind boxes and keeping/selling the good ones. It made sense after that lol.

  • @josephpurdy8390
    @josephpurdy8390 8 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    A product that can be sold once for $20-25. At least a 40% margin for the retailers. It is a game that can be played with 2 to 4 players. A single deck without the dice and poker chips that can be retailed for $10-15. That permits satisfying customers who want all 108 cards to build their own custom decks. This also allows a retailer to source dice and tokens from others. If that is more profitable for them, then that option should exist.

  • @grimlock1985
    @grimlock1985 9 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +2

    I am working on a opening hobby store myself and planning NOT to carry any TCG. It will save space, huge timesink, and one side of the hobby store I'm not interested in, plus it seems the worse of the worse come to play, purchase, or just talk shit.... hard pass. I rather have room for paints, brushes, etc. and lots of miniatures

  • @michaelnomnomandryuk
    @michaelnomnomandryuk 15 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    One of the surprising things I've heard is how labor intensive Magic is if you want to maximize profit. Sorting singles, entering on TCG player, managing the large volume of singles sales with 1¢ profit each. The boxes will have value but you need to wait 3-5 years to sell them.
    The business model that has developed since 1993 has tilted to benefit big Channel Fireballs and hamper small mom and pops.
    Edit: Further thought, I've heard stories of folks in the 90s who would be able to get a distributor connection and buy Magic boxes off a credit card to sell in the back of their computer store or whatever. In those days it was much easier to make a profit off the actual product (without funging into singles) immediately after purchasing it.

    • @em3sis
      @em3sis 15 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

      My local store doesnt carry singles but still has a decent commander scene. They are largely a board game company though and really have just created a great play space and that seems to be enough

    • @klavakkhazga3996
      @klavakkhazga3996 10 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

      This is how I bought packs when I was a child, walking into a grimy as hell computer repair shop where the tobacco smoke was so thick it was hard to walk through. Different times 😂

  • @TomK_421
    @TomK_421 4 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

    Sorting and selling MtG singles is the worst part of working in a hobby store. Especially in terms of effort/time vs profit. I spent hours upon hours handing customers a binder to flip through, pricing random cards for them, only to have them spend maybe $2.

  • @nekochen
    @nekochen 12 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +2

    Is it going to be a difficult time to be dabbling in MtG with the spicy tariff coming? I remember 2017, MtG price went up by at least 10% because of the tariff on playing cards. Luckily, Games Workshop is a UK company so we safe with that product

  • @jacawandersmok9043
    @jacawandersmok9043 10 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

    9:35 yey is even shelf abnd storage space making enought that somethink els can be done there
    + deliverys cost?

  • @aftergood
    @aftergood 9 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    many LGS dont have magic. They split stores for this reason! a main store that carries models, dnd, and other games. then a TCG smaller shop. out in Calgary, and the 2 major LGS's (Sentrybox and Pheonix comics) did this to great success.

  • @gdsmith785
    @gdsmith785 5 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

    Glad no ripping on the Timmy's today. As an ex-pat I am nostalgic for that Canadian brew. The card games never attracted me much but interesting to understand the economics behind the business. To me it seems a lot less value add that you pride yourselves on. Seems much easier for you both to continue to focus on minis and build your business around that aspect. From my visit it was apparent that you are experts in all things hobby. Continue to keep up the good work. I look forward to driving up from the US to see you soon. Quick question when does the sales tax holiday expire and does that holiday apply to your products. All the best.

  • @vagabondprime1691
    @vagabondprime1691 12 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    I'm so glad my FLGS doesn't carry Magic. The customers at my store are pretty chill and the Magic crowd feels pretty toxically needy. Another shop in my area DOES carry Magic, and they have to staff an extra person just to handle the Magic singles, which most of the time ends up being time wasted while someone obsessively browses the stock on hand and whines about the selection. I'm sure there's some cool Magic players out there, I just haven't met them yet.

  • @JasonDaniels-y4c
    @JasonDaniels-y4c 13 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +2

    I don't understand...what does this have to do with Trench Crusade?

  • @jacawandersmok9043
    @jacawandersmok9043 11 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    is intresing;
    i heard in my country in poland Kraków; all exept one place turn in to magic shops play events of card games from minature clubs ...
    i hope may be new ish offical warhamer store will suplement with event there a bit for the people there

  • @uruk_bye1232
    @uruk_bye1232 15 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +19

    MTG may be more anti-consumer than GW, and that's a high standard. I loathe them, their art direction, and their marketing strats.

    • @JacketVEVO
      @JacketVEVO 14 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +9

      It's funny you say that, lifelong magic player here who is selling my magic collection today to buy Warhammer miniatures. I've been buying and painting miniatures casually for the past year while I've been on hiatus with magic, and last night I realized that even if I dislike the practices of GW, at least I'm getting a physical product that I can paint and play my own way.

    • @TheOtakuKat
      @TheOtakuKat 6 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

      ​@@JacketVEVOAnd your models aren't married to the system you initially bought them for too unlike TCG cards where if your not enjoying the game anymore your just SoL but war game minis can be reused in any number of ways and not just war gaming which was my reason for transferring over.

  • @XirielNZ
    @XirielNZ 3 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

    Seems like most of the places near me are cards first, and everything else is a distant second, and I get it, that's where their money is. But the last thing I want to do is spend time in a place where 60 odd people have been sitting shoulder to shoulder for the last few hours. So I just don't bother going in and buy online. And since I'm buying online anyway I'm going to go to whoever gives me the best price. It's a shame because the people running the places have always been great people.
    I'd be curious about what the foot traffic and regular player difference was for stores that have stopped stocking TCG's/running TCG events, whether it was a noticeable long term drop in traffic, or the miniature gamers and ttrpg players visiting increased to fill the void.

  • @schooner2000
    @schooner2000 12 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    Will you be jumping on Malediction? It’s card based similar to MTG and has 3D printed miniatures. Checks all your boxes.

  • @diaperlord
    @diaperlord 12 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    I wish I could drop all tcgs, but I would not be able to stay in business.

  • @BurgurBun
    @BurgurBun 13 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +2

    Be glad your store doesn't have the Spectre of Mike Long LOL

  • @marshaledrek71
    @marshaledrek71 10 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    As an American, one of your southern neighbors who love your videos and would one day like to do the day drive north and visit your store, I would like to know if my new shiny president's threats of a tariff on Canadian goods would affect the economics of your store? For the record I don't support him or that nonsense. I love you guys. I love Canada. I love Canadians!

    • @lordsofwargamesandhobbies3905
      @lordsofwargamesandhobbies3905  8 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

      It would certainly be catastrophic to our economy. Even if it doesn't effect many products in our store (it kinda does tho) it would effect other essentials that every household relies on to the point of damaging all businesses (likely).

  • @MrBanditoRazor
    @MrBanditoRazor 14 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    I'm making this a separate comment lol
    What's funny is people ARE obsessed with "my card is worth" while ALSO being so proxy friendly outside of MOST tournaments.
    It reminds me of BT that way.

  • @punk6119
    @punk6119 53 นาทีที่ผ่านมา

    I love when people complain about GW prices then I tell them I've spent more in magic in the past year getting back into it than I've spent in the past 6 years of warhammer.

  • @terrencemiltner1005
    @terrencemiltner1005 14 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    Oh, *you* are the insane game shop. And yeah, why deal with WotC whims and an angry player base? Glad you do what you do and can keep the lights on that way.

  • @orkman198
    @orkman198 8 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    I just listened to you both speaking for 25 mins about mtg and other tcg and i dont care about those card games 😂 as a kid it was fun to play and collect, but as an adult it is just competitive and you know its pay to win as the richest person buys the best cards/more boosters... also alot of people only buy boosters/card packs and try make money out of it... and in the end, those cards are just a piece of paper with a picture on it woth 0 value, exvept the value a bunch of other nerda give to it 😂

  • @CityofLight11
    @CityofLight11 4 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

    I'm way too deep in magic to ever be fully out, but have pretty much entirely stopped buying. The secret lair and universes beyond shit killed it for me, in a way that even WotC toxicity or players or whatever couldn't. And given I was the anchor/organiser of my playgroup it meant around 8 of us have pretty much unplugged entirely.

  • @PMMagro
    @PMMagro 14 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +2

    Collectable cardgames are a scheme.

  • @jacawandersmok9043
    @jacawandersmok9043 10 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    oo you have cool answ with nice picture at fornt;
    here in like poladn thay sell same nonsens all text in 15+ langueges; yes that is preserraise tank .... with like long nonsens...

  • @jacawandersmok9043
    @jacawandersmok9043 10 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    11:40 hmm so not only consumer gamble ; store need to gamble
    thats innded sinister bines model on card producer / middle man distributor;

  • @leonard247popper
    @leonard247popper 7 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    you guys should make a video about "will 2d printer kill the TCG market?"

  • @ToySnowman
    @ToySnowman 25 นาทีที่ผ่านมา

    Magic margins are okay but huge but !! The issuse is there is a lot of big stores that sell at razor thin margins. So for the first half of the products life noone want to buy from you. And as a store do u really want to tie up money to age and eventually profits.
    We also carry tcg and dont do singles

  • @schooner2000
    @schooner2000 12 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    Probably don’t sell popsicles either 🤷‍♂️

  • @irishmarine3
    @irishmarine3 15 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +2

    magic the get together

  • @Jeff-ne1lh
    @Jeff-ne1lh 13 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +2

    I've seen it happen several times during my life, mostly because the MTG player base is made up of horrible people....yes you sell MTG cards but you alienate everyone else.

  • @jacawandersmok9043
    @jacawandersmok9043 10 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    23:00 menwile DND
    COntorverys after controvensty;
    one consumer stryke agans jakne on onpen agrimen licees soemthink like that even won by just disconintsin dnd pdfs subscribers...

  • @FelipeBudinich
    @FelipeBudinich 12 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +2

    What killed mtg for me was the One Ring "booster fun" BS; decided to stop engaging as soon as that was announced.

  • @traestorm
    @traestorm ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา

    The way Hasbro has messed with MtG and DnD... I'm out. YMMV.

  • @alllovemark
    @alllovemark 51 นาทีที่ผ่านมา

    Magic has sucked since 2014. Wotc is a garbage company.

  • @MrBanditoRazor
    @MrBanditoRazor 14 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา +1

    I'm glad MTG is doing so well in the mainstream though..wotc might be evil as fuck yes, but I love the art direction, I love that they are leaning more inclusive, and I love that their entire goal is to make it open for anyone to find a niche in the game.
    That being said, I fully get why a store wouldn't want to try to break into that market if they don't already have a foot hold.