Howdy,
>Correct me if I'm wrong: IMHO for first timer with 0-experience to get a
distributor is 10% chance
>at best. ( Apparently Clark rolled a natural 20 on this one. ) Therefore
until new product line will
>get some reputation direct sells is really the only way. And that's where
web comes in, big time...
>Perhaps I'm clinically optimistic, but I do believe if product is really
really good you can sell
>1000 and 5000 and 10 000 directly from the web in a year.
A first timer with 0-experience has almost the same chance as a industry
veteran with a new company and new product. However, and a big however,
they still have to take the time to ask all the right questions and talk to
lots of manufacturers and distributors before starting. 0-experience
doesn't have to mean 0-knowledge. Knowledge is easy to aquire, experience
is harder.
In the case of someone then who has taken the time, then the chance of
getting picked up is closer to 100%. However (jeesh, always with the
howevers...), this only applies if you listened to their advice. If your
product doesn't have a unique of compelling sales feature and a great
cover, they won't pick you up unless you can convince them there will be
heavy marketing or it is the best thing since sliced bread (and they don't
like bread that much). A standard RPG product by a small press company is
less likely to be picked up by any because the vast majority have no unique
or compelling features (mechanics don't count). In most cases (plenty of
exceptions) the product is all or nothing. Either all distributors pick it
up, or none do. The key is to land one of the big ones early, then all the
others want to have it too.
Your clinical optimism on numbers from web sales is indeed an order of
magnitude or two too optimistic for this market. I think most companies (in
distribution) are happy to sell a few dozen products direct from the web,
larger companies would be happy with a few hundred. Thousands is out of the
question without having the marketing arm and reach of WotC, or other
companies with hot product and large amounts of capital to market it (ie
Mage Knight). The big problem being how does joe's game co. get people to
come to their site and buy their game. That's the hurdle for direct sales.
Cheers,
Eric Rowe
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.wizards-attic.com
