I’ve been pulled back to Magic The Gathering recently, at least in terms of story, the art, the cards, the books–if not yet getting to actually PLAY the game itself. There’s been so much to it–from my history with the game 23 years ago, through the years, and the general nostalgia–that it’s been a real "thing" in my life, in my own way, the last few weeks.
While I have mixed feelings on pricing with stuff, the Signature Spellbook: Jace is quite a thing with Magic, and Wizards of the Coast (the publisher of the game).
It’s this small boxed set with several cards reprinted with new artwork focused on the Planeswalker character Jace Beleren.
This set is not even actually out yet–I believe it’s scheduled to become available June 15. That’s…nearly 3 1/2 weeks away. Almost a month.
The publisher’s website shows off the set–the box and its contents. It also shows off–PROMINENTLY–their MSRP of $19.99 (which applies to the US only, but seeing as I am in the US and not seeking it outside the US, that’s a moot note).
Thing is…to pre-order this online (because it’s not out yet, any transaction regarding this would BE a pre-order) it’s pretty much UNAVAILABLE for anything under $45 or so.
That’s online stores, that’s eBay, that’s Amazon, that’s the various MTG community selling sites.
I asked the local comic shop about ordering this, and their distributors apparently don’t have this.
On further research, seems this is only available to certain retailers that are somehow associated with the publisher, in a way that apparently the local comic shop is not. (Ditto another shop I asked).
After attempting to support my local comic shop (which also does Magic) I tried the local game shop. They were happy to put my name down for it…but when I asked the price, to confirm that it was indeed this $20, they had to call someone to check.
I was told it’s $40. The reason being–and I quote–"It’s already going for $45 on eBay."
I opted to "pass on it," then.
There’s the notion of "supporting the local game store" or #ShopLocal. Shouldn’t this then be something to entice someone exactly like me to come INTO the FLGS?
Seeing the ridiculous prices online, that prompted me to actually take action "live" and "in person." So if it was some sort of "force people to #ShopLocal" thing, one could say it worked: it spurred me into action, ready to put out my $20 on the spot today. Yes, I first approached the comic shops–I’m a comics guy first, gamer second.
But then I visited the "actual games store" and…well, $40 MAY be slightly less than eBay or Amazon, but that’s STILL double-MSRP.
While they were checking on the pre-order price, I was looking at the wall, and was getting ready to "splurge" and buy $20 of boosters on the spot, in addition to committing to the $20 later for the product.
I was also strongly considering asking if they were taking pre-orders on booster boxes for M19, the next main set.
And of course, a positive experience would be a good prompt toward going back in randomly for other stuff, as well as maybe spurring me into taking the plunge into Friday Night Magic.
Instead, given the $40 price, I simply thanked them for their time, and walked out.
For that extra $20 on the price of one item that successfully drew me into a local game store:
- I did NOT buy $20 in boosters (a $20 sale)
- I am NOT buying the Jace set from them (ought to have been a $20 sale)
- I am NOT buying a booster box from them
- It’s put me off from their Friday Night Magic and any subsequent impulse buys and "support the FLGS" sales that would result simply from being in the store for FNM.
And it basically means that rather than transitioning to purchasing through this local game store, I’ll be purchasing stuff (that I can) online or through "the Big Box stores" assuming further purchasing.
Filed under: 2018 Non-Review Posts, 2018 posts, NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: #ShopLocal, FLGS, Game Store, Jace, Jace Beleren, Jace's Spellbook, Magic, magic: the gathering, Signatue Spellbook Jace, Signature Spellbook, Wizards, wizards of the coast, WotC |
Comic Reviews by Walt 
Completely rational and understandable. Hard to fathom why a game publisher would shoot themselves in the face this way. They stand to lose by creating this artificial scarcity in the games market where future purchases in boosters and new sets are the price of making an item expensive to obtain.
I could have SWORN I responded to this back in May!
I refuse to set foot in the main game shop in question (now in October, it’s going on 4 1/2 months, and they’ve easily missed out on several hundred dollars in purchasing that I’ve spent online/at Walmart instead).
[…] old thing that works out to "For want of a nail, the kingdom was lost." For want of $20 (Jace’s Spellbook) I want little/nothing to do with "the local game store" and have near-zero use/need for […]
[…] I’m also starting to re-consider my outright "boycott" of local gaming store(s). (Been refusing to do business with WPN gaming stores over their pricing of the Jace’s Spellbook…). However, even if I "give in" and seek out being able to play Force of Will at a game […]