How to make the ultimate collectors gaming store?

[goatdan]

As almost everyone on here should know, I run the GOAT Store, LLC Web site (at http://www.goatstore.com/ ) and sell "Games Of All Types" there ranging from the 2600 to the Dreamcast. We also do Dreamcast production, as you'll see another thread about.

Basically, Gary and I are always looking for new ideas for our Web site to make it appeal to everyone more. Today, a pretty significant thing with our business occurred -- I have put in an offer on a house that was accepted, and both the GOAT Store stock (which my parents had been nice enough to let me store at their house) as well as me (who was living with my wife at an apartment) will be moving into a new space. This means that there are a ton of different directions we can go in the future, and since we try to cater toward collectors, I thought this would be one of the best places to get some input.

Some of the things that we are considering doing are as follows:

- Getting more items in stock for the systems we already carry. We currently have approximately 2000 unique items in stock, but would focus on getting more items for everything we currently carry.

- Starting to carry new systems. We have kicked around the Action Max, Vectrex, Game.Com, GameBoy, Neo Geo Pocket and original Playstation within the last six months.

- Adding label variations further than what we have to items. Specifically, Atari 2600 games. (we have started this a little with gray / Tengen carts for NES, Lunar CD variations for Sega CD and Atari vs. Sears variations for 2600.)

- Adding screenshots of each game to show what it looks like.

- Improving wish list features so that you can have the system email you when we add something that was out of stock.

So what do you think? What would you want to see in the "ultimate collectors online gaming store"? With the moving of everything, we have quite the opportunity to decide which way we want to move forward... especially since we'll be building some specialized storage and moving things all around. What do you think we should look at doing first? What do you think isn't that important? What would you like to see in a gaming store?

And, just as a reminder... there are only two of us and we do this for a hobby. We don't make money at it. Try to keep that in mind when you reply -- if you say that you want to see us carry hundreds more titles for each system, that just wouldn't be feasible. Doing the screenshots for each title would probably take years upon years to do too. Basically, I want to know what you think, but please do keep it realistic.

Thanks!

[Richter Belmount]

have turbo duo games and game action figures >.> that is all.

[vincewy]

Also

-don't rule out current generation games that are sought after and rare, such as 2D Capcom fighters,

-increase % of new games, that's why my fav online store is GDG

http://www.gooddealgames.com/

[atomicthumbs]

Carry everything under the sun DIRT CHEAP. Also, don't advertise. Hell, use a beauty salon as a front.


... And only accept me and my friends as customers. Sure, they'd be out of business in under a month, but I'd be set!!!

[Duncan]

You've got Lynx and Game Gear - why no Game Boy?

I currently have very few GB games, mainly because most places I go don't make much of an effort to stock them. A good outlet for GB/GBC games would be desirable for me.

And don't go with PS1 stuff quite yet - people can still get that anywhere.

[boatofcar]

I'd be more likely to buy if a store has an overtock-like flat rate on shipping. They can get away with $2.95 on everything, but if that's not economically feasable, maybe a flat rate of $5?

[WanganRunner]

I think that PS1 is a good idea, serious PS1 collecting has only started to pick up recently. if you could carry a few copies of rare titles, people would go to you to complete their collections instead of screwing around with ebay.

[it290]

I've bought quite a few items from the GOAT store in the past, and here are a few things I would like to see:

1. Imports. I don't know how feasible this is for you guys, but I would definitely be more interested in (for example) your Saturn and Genesis/Megadrive sections if you stocked imports. The same holds true for other systems such as the Turbo. In addition to this, it would be nice to see a wider selection of acessories for all systems -- perhaps you could import things like cables, controllers etc. in bulk and then resell them.

2. Modded consoles. If you guys could offer pre-modded consoles (region mods, video mods, etc), that would be sweet. I'm sure there are quite a few people that would be interested in buying region modded systems.

3. Database improvements, such as viewing games by genre or sorting by complete/cart only.

More systems would also be a plus. I personally would be very interested in seeing a NGPC section.

[goatdan]

Thanks for all the replies so far! If I don't quote you here, know that your idea was noted and we will seriously consider :)


-don't rule out current generation games that are sought after and rare, such as 2D Capcom fighters

The problem is that with new games, if it is rare and worth money and the company suddenly reprints them, we could be out a TON of money. Gary and I haven't made any money from this, and we don't want to risk a ton of money getting a good inventory of super-rare titles only for the companies to make a bunch more of them.


-increase % of new games, that's why my fav online store is GDG

New games for old systems, or new games for current systems?


You've got Lynx and Game Gear - why no Game Boy?

The short 'n' dirty answer...

Because anything that is still being made in some form is hard for us to keep a handle on the market value. We've talked about Game Boy games as recently as last week, but we keep arriving on "I can buy them at GameStop for as cheap as we could possibly carry them." And since they are backwards compatible, the prices have remained really steady for a long time now.

This is the same reason we are leery to carry Playstation titles. If enough people want GameBoy though, I would definitely be willing to again consider going that route.


I'd be more likely to buy if a store has an overtock-like flat rate on shipping. They can get away with $2.95 on everything, but if that's not economically feasable, maybe a flat rate of $5?

What we do is calculate based on weight the order with USPS.com at check out, so the price should be the exact price plus a quarter for handling / packing materials. We have thought about doing flat rate "sales" but we haven't yet because we would have to change things up with the checkout process quite a bit. I don't think it would be feasible for all times, but at least for some perhaps.


1. Imports.

The problem and the reason it isn't really feasible is that it seems you have to hit a certain amount of stuff for it to sell. If we had 5 import Saturn games, they probably wouldn't sell until we got 50. Getting 50 games is a lot harder to do.

Along with that, most import games we can't get special deals on from people. With domestic releases, I have outlets that help find me stuff. I don't have that with imports :(


2. Modded consoles.

The problem is I don't have a source for these, and I most definitely don't have the time (or, for the most part, skilll) to do these myself... :( If you know of someone interested though, contact me :)


3. Database improvements, such as viewing games by genre

Personally, I love this idea, but I can't figure out any easy way I could implement it. Our games aren't associated with genres, and doing so would take me hours upon hours upon hours to do... It is a good idea though, and has been in my mind for a while. Thanks for bringing it back :) We'll see where it goes from here ;)


or sorting by complete/cart only.

The Advanced Search ( http://www.goatstore.com/search.php?adv=1 ) does this already... but it kinda sucks. For one, I know it doesn't exactly work right...

There is a beta in for a better advanced search that we're working on... right now it isn't tied to our database, but we will get it up as soon as possible. I'm hoping for the next two to three weeks :)

Thanks again! I really appreciate this everyone!

[Crush Crawfish]

I don't know if this is within the realm of possiblility, but I'd love to see custom game posters. You know, like taking the game's box art and blowing it up to poster size? That's probably infringing on some copyrights somewhere though...but It would certainly give your store something extra unique, and that never hurts, does it? :D