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- -----Original Message-----
From: towonder@concentric.net
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Date: 11 March 1999 19:25
Subject: Dragon Magazine Distribution


This was recently posted on the Realms-L mailing list, and I figured I'd
pass it along, as per Keiths's request.

[BEGIN INSERTED MESSAGE]
Subject: Re: [FR] MISC:Finding TSR Products (was Dark Times at =
Bookstores)

At 04:13 PM 3/10/99 EST, you wrote:
>from the response that i have seen on this list it looks like there is =
a
>problem. that problem started with the dark times when TSR was not
>shipping product and the book store chains were not getting anything =
but
>questions from customers, along with old product and bad product ideas
> that did not sell they might have been leery about getting new product
>in.

>the problem was that nobody was telling the national distribution or =
the book
>chains what the problem was or the fact that TSR is back in the game =
with the
>backing of WOTC and is here to stay.(thanks for saving my game, WOTC)

>What needs to be done is to educate the book chains and let them know =
TSR is
>back and going strong and to get the gamers back from the hobby shops,
>unfortitly the people that order for the book chains are not gamers and =
as
>such don't know what is happening in the industry.

>I will state that it is not the fault of TSR or WOTC that the book =
chains
>don't have product, our friends would have them carry everything.
>A two prong fix is for us to call the book chains 800 number and ask =
for them
>to carry the product and for TSR/WOTC marketing to let them know that =
there
>here to stay.

This was such an important post that I wanted to respond to it
personally and let our consumers know exactly what is happening in terms =
of
bookstore chains and our products.

TSR deals with one single distributor to the book trade; that
distributor is Random House. Random House services all of the major =
book
chains and a number of smaller bookstores. As soon as WOTC/TSR started =
to
move products back into the channel, Random House worked hard to get all =
of
its previous accounts up to speed on the rebirth of TSR. I've spoken =
with
Loren Greenwood, VP of Sales for WOTC, and he informed me that all of
Random House's accounts that carried TSR products before the buyout
currently carry TSR products.

So the short of it is, the book trade knows that TSR is back. As far =
as
not being able to find products, remember that bookstores are not =
dedicated
hobby stores willing to carry every SKU TSR has ever produced. Shelf =
space
in successful book chains equals revenue for the store, and they want to
fill it with products that will move. Therefore, bookstores are =
interested
in selling only popular backlist (older products that continue to sell) =
and
frontlist products; they won't necessarily stock a full line of AD&D =
products.

If you are having a problem finding relatively new frontlist product at
bookstores, call our customer service number at 1-800-324-6496 and let =
them
know exactly what product you're looking for, as well as the name &
location of the store you tried to find it in. They will pass on that
information to our sales team, and we'll work with our distribution =
partner
and try and solve the problem. Our customer service reps can also help =
you
find retail stores/outlets that do have the product you're looking for =
in
stock.

As far as Dragon Magazine goes, it recently changed its distribution
method and can be found in the magazine sections of bookstores and
newstands--not in the rpg section of the bookstore where it used to be.
This allows Dragon to reach a wider audience. Again, if you're having
trouble finding it in a bookstore, please call customer service number =
and
be specific as to the store's location.


If possible, I would like one person to forward this message to all =
of
the various AD&D discussion groups and usenet groups, as I feel it is =
very
important for consumers to know what's going on.

And most importantly, if you can't seem to find TSR products at your
favorite store, please call us. We can't help if we don't know there is =
a
problem.

Keith Strohm
Brand Manager AD&D Core
Wizards of the Coast

************************************************** ********************
The REALMS-L FAQ: .
To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM
with UNSUB REALMS-L in the body of the message.


- --=20
Jason
http://www.cris.com/~towonder/
Sailor Moon V at http://www.cris.com/~towonder/fanfic.shtml

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-----Original =
Message-----From:=20
towonder@concentric.net =
<towonder@concentric.net>Newsgroups:=20
rec.games.frp.dndDate: 11 March 1999 19:25Subject: =

Dragon Magazine DistributionThis was recently =
posted on=20
the Realms-L mailing list, and I figured I'dpass it along, as per =
Keiths's=20
request.[BEGIN INSERTED=20
MESSAGE]Subject:      Re: [FR] MISC:Finding =
TSR=20
Products (was Dark Times at Bookstores)At 04:13 PM 3/10/99 EST, =
you=20
wrote:>from the response that i have seen on this list it looks =
like=20
there is a>problem. that problem started with the dark times when =
TSR was=20
not>shipping product and the book store chains were not getting =
anything=20
but>questions from customers, along with old product and bad =
product=20
ideas> that did not sell they might have been leery about getting =
new=20
product>in.>the problem was that nobody was telling =
the=20
national distribution or the book>chains what the problem was or =
the fact=20
that TSR is back in the game with the>backing of WOTC and is here =
to=20
stay.(thanks for saving my game, WOTC)>What needs to be done =
is to=20
educate the book chains and let them know TSR is>back and going =
strong=20
and to get the gamers back from the hobby shops,>unfortitly the =
people=20
that order for the book chains are not gamers and as>such don't =
know what=20
is happening in the industry.>I will state that it is not the =
fault=20
of TSR or WOTC that the book chains>don't have product, our =
friends would=20
have them carry everything.>A two prong fix is for us to call the =
book=20
chains 800 number and ask for them>to carry the product and for =
TSR/WOTC=20
marketing to let them know that there>here to =
stay.  =20
This was such an important post that I wanted to respond to =
itpersonally and=20
let our consumers know exactly what is happening in terms =
ofbookstore chains=20
and our products.   TSR deals with one single =
distributor to=20
the book trade; thatdistributor is  Random House. Random House =
services=20
all of the major bookchains and a number of smaller bookstores. As =
soon as=20
WOTC/TSR started tomove products back into the channel, Random House =
worked=20
hard to get all ofits previous accounts up to speed on the rebirth =
of TSR.=20
I've spoken withLoren Greenwood, VP of Sales for WOTC, and he =
informed me=20
that all ofRandom House's accounts that carried TSR products before =
the=20
buyoutcurrently carry TSR products.   So the short =
of it=20
is, the book trade knows that TSR is back. As far asnot being able =
to find=20
products, remember that bookstores are not dedicatedhobby stores =
willing to=20
carry every SKU TSR has ever produced. Shelf spacein successful book =
chains=20
equals revenue for the store, and they want tofill it with products =
that=20
will move. Therefore, bookstores are interestedin selling only =
popular=20
backlist (older products that continue to sell) andfrontlist =
products; they=20
won't necessarily stock a full line of AD&D products.If you =
are=20
having a problem finding relatively new frontlist product =
atbookstores, call=20
our customer service number at 1-800-324-6496 and let themknow =
exactly what=20
product you're looking for, as well as the name &location of the =
store=20
you tried to find it in. They will pass on thatinformation to our =
sales=20
team, and we'll work with our distribution partnerand try and solve =
the=20
problem. Our customer service reps can also help youfind retail=20
stores/outlets that do have the product you're looking for=20
instock.   As far as Dragon Magazine goes, it =
recently=20
changed its distributionmethod and can be found in the magazine =
sections of=20
bookstores andnewstands--not in the rpg section of the bookstore =
where it=20
used to be.This allows Dragon to reach a wider audience. Again, if =
you're=20
havingtrouble finding it in a bookstore, please call customer =
service number=20
andbe specific as to the store's location.   =
If=20
possible, I would like one person to forward this message to all =
ofthe=20
various AD&D discussion groups and usenet groups, as I feel it is=20
veryimportant for consumers to  know what's going=20
on.   And most importantly, if you can't seem to find =
TSR=20
products at yourfavorite store, please call us. We can't help if we =
don't=20
know there is aproblem.Keith StrohmBrand Manager =
AD&D=20
CoreWizards of the=20
Coast********************************************* ***************=
**********The=20
REALMS-L FAQ: <http://www.lava.net/~toby/fr=
faq.htm>.To=20
unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COMwith=20
UNSUB REALMS-L in the body of the message.-- Jasonhttp://www.cris.com/~towonder/Sailor=20
Moon V at http://www.cris.com/~=
towonder/fanfic.shtml

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