Card Shop Insider

By Card Shop Insider

News and industry insight from a local game store (LGS). Long-time store owner, John, teams up with a life-long gamer to discuss the operation of card stores as a business and to provide updates on yo... more

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FAQs about Card Shop Insider:

How many episodes does Card Shop Insider have?

The podcast currently has 50 episodes available.

Card Shop Insider episodes:

August 19, 2024E20: Managing Costs/Expenses as a New Shop
In this episode, Noah and John discuss the concepts of fixed costs and variable costs in running a card shop. Fixed costs are expenses that remain constant regardless of the volume of sales, such as rent, insurance, and salaries. Variable costs, on the other hand, fluctuate based on the volume of sales, such as product costs and shipping fees. They also touch on the importance of managing costs and making strategic decisions to optimize profitability. In this part of the conversation, Noah discusses the importance of protecting collectibles, including storing them properly, keeping them clean, and planning for their future. He also shares some interesting Snapple facts and warns about scammers impersonating popular companies. The hosts express gratitude to their listeners and Patreon supporters.
https://linktr.ee/cardshopinsider
takeaways
Fixed costs are expenses that remain constant regardless of sales volume, while variable costs fluctuate based on sales volume.

Managing costs is crucial for optimizing profitability in a card shop.

Strategic decisions, such as ordering enough to qualify for free shipping, can help reduce variable costs.

Understanding the difference between fixed costs and variable costs is essential for effective financial management in a card shop. Organize and keep a detailed inventory of your collection for insurance purposes.

Accurately value your collectibles and consider getting them graded for added protection.

Store your collectibles properly to avoid damage from heat and light.

Keep your collectibles clean and dust-free.

Plan for the future of your collection, including who will inherit it or if you want to donate it.

Beware of scammers impersonating popular companies.

Express gratitude to listeners and Patreon supporters.
fixed costs, variable costs, card shop, expenses, rent, insurance, salaries, product costs, shipping fees, profitability, collectibles, protection, storing, cleaning, planning, Snapple facts, scammers, gratitude, Patreon
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45min
August 12, 2024 E19: Ranting and Raging - Distribution Problems
Experienced and long-time store owner, John, teams up with a long-time gamer to share their experience and perspective on the topic including discussion of your favorite games including Magic, Yu-gi-oh, Pokemon, Lorcana, and Star Wars Unlimited. Come inside the card shop industry and learn more about the process of opening and running a local card gaming store. In this episode we discuss distribution woes, comparative accounts, and buying practices.

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49min
July 31, 2024 E18: Takin' Money (Cards and Fees)
Come inside the card shop industry and learn more about the process of opening and running a local card gaming store. In this episode we discuss point of sale systems, credit cards, and fees.
They also touch on the future of digital gaming and the challenges faced by local game stores. John expresses frustration with the constant changes and contradictions in organized play and the impact it has on store owners and players. They also discuss the importance of balancing competitive tournaments with casual play.
Experienced and long-time store owner, John, teams up with a long-time gamer to share their experience and perspective on the topic including discussion of your favorite games including Magic, Yu-gi-oh, Pokemon, Lorcana, and Star Wars Unlimited.
https://linktr.ee/cardshopinsider
00:00Show Intro
00:48News: Magic: The Gathering
11:58News: Pokemon TCG
13:33News: Star Wars: Unlimited
18:12News: Lorcana
27:20Main Topic: Credit Card Processing
32:43Understanding Interchange Rates
37:07Considerations for Credit Card Processing
42:49"Three E's": Snapple and Aspirin
55:02Show Conclusion
55:18Patreon Shout Out
gaming industry, news, updates, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokemon, Star Wars, Lorcana, digital gaming, local game stores, organized play, competitive play, casual play, credit card processing, fees, rates, small business, cost, negotiation, interchange rate, Amex, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, shop around, compare options
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57min
July 22, 2024 E17: Product Releases
Come inside the card shop industry and learn more about the process of opening and running a local card gaming store. In this episode we discuss market conditions and trends over the past several years. Experienced and long-time store owner, John, teams up with a long-time gamer to share their experience and perspective on the topic including discussion of your favorite games including Magic, Yu-gi-oh, Pokemon, Lorcana, and Star Wars Unlimited.
In this conversation, John discusses various topics related to running a card shop, including managing tournaments, handling product releases, setting pricing, and more. He emphasizes the importance of keeping events running smoothly and efficiently, as well as the need to communicate effectively with customers about upcoming products and events. John also shares his thoughts on pre-sales and purchase limits, highlighting the need to balance customer demand with the availability of products.

https://linktr.ee/cardshopinsider
00:00 Intro and Welcome
00:45 Disclaimer and Perspective
28:02 Lorcana Set Championship Recap
40:42 The Importance of Communication and Transparency in the Gaming Community
44:24 Lorcana Errata Announcement
48:22 Upcoming Magic: The Gathering Set - Bloomburrow
51:34 Introduction of Value Booster to Magic: The Gathering
57:33 Main Topic: Managing Product Releases
01:00:36 Pros and Cons of Pre-Sales and Purchase Limits
01:08:11 Setting Pricing for New Products
01:14:49 Importance of Community Engagement
01:15:20 Three E's

card shop, gaming industry, challenges, customer feedback, TCG market, government assistance, box mapping, fraud, Star Wars set championship, rules and guidelines, card shop, tournaments, product releases, pricing, pre-sales, purchase limits, communication, customer demand, shout-out
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1h 23min
July 16, 2024 E16: Market Conditions and Trends
Come inside the card shop industry and learn more about the process of opening and running a local card gaming store. In this episode we discuss market conditions and trends over the past several years. Experienced and long-time store owner, John, teams up with a long-time gamer to share their experience and perspective on the topic including discussion of your favorite games including Magic, Yu-gi-oh, Pokemon, Lorcana, and Star Wars Unlimited.
The conversation begins with a discussion about the challenges faced by a local game store in receiving pre-release kits for a Star Wars tournament due to distribution issues. The hosts express frustration with the lack of timely delivery and the impact it has on their business and customers. They also discuss the importance of balancing competitive and casual play in organizing events. The conversation then shifts to Magic: The Gathering news, including the release of the Assassin's Creed set and the announcement of the Arena Direct event series. The hosts express concerns about the direct competition between Wizards of the Coast and local game stores. They also touch on the Yu-Gi-Oh! market and the need for companies to learn from successful distribution models. Hobby game sales were flat to down in spring of 2024 as the market adjusted to post-COVID trends. Some retailers were struggling with inventory buildup and declining sales. It was advised for small stores to be cautious about entering a declining market with competition from existing stores. Diversification was suggested as a way for stores to maintain sales, such as branching into sports cards, comic books, or role-playing games. The popularity of podcasts has exploded since 2004, with many Costco members using podcasts to discuss various topics. Building a connection with listeners and providing unique content were highlighted as important aspects of podcasting.
00:00 Challenges with Product Shipments
11:29 Cost of Side Events
25:40 Wizards of the Coast's Arena Direct
26:53 Challenges in the Hobby Game Industry
29:09 Diversifying Income Streams
39:08 The Popularity of Podcasts
49:35 Fun Facts from Snapple Caps and Taylor Swift's Potential in Magic: The Gathering

local game store, distribution issues, pre-release kits, Star Wars tournament, competitive play, casual play, Magic: The Gathering, Assassin's Creed set, Arena Direct event series, direct competition, Yu-Gi-Oh!, successful distribution models, hobby game sales, post-COVID trends, declining market, inventory buildup, diversification, sports cards, comic books, role-playing games, popularity of podcasts, connection with listeners, unique content
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1h
July 08, 2024 E15: Competition in the Industry
Come inside the card shop industry and learn more about the process of opening and running a local card gaming store. In this episode we discuss competition - both local and online - and how to handle and prepare for the pressure it creates. Experienced and long-time store owner, John, teams up with a long-time gamer to share their experience and perspective on the topic including discussion of your favorite games including Magic, Yu-gi-oh, Pokemon, Lorcana, and Star Wars Unlimited.

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35min
July 01, 2024 E14: Store Culture and Community
Come inside the card shop industry and learn more about the process of opening and running a local card gaming store. In this episode we discuss culture and community inside a gaming store and the hobby. Experienced and long-time store owner, John, teams up with a long-time gamer to share their experience and perspective on the topic including discussion of your favorite games including Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokemon, Lorcana, and Star Wars Unlimited.
https://linktr.ee/cardshopinsider
Summary

The conversation revolves around the importance of store culture in a card shop. The hosts discuss the need for a positive and welcoming environment for customers and the value of treating everyone equally. They also mention the benefits of having a clean and organized store. John and Noah share their experiences with different types of players and the importance of catering to both casual and competitive players.

00:00 Introduction
00:38 Weekend Recap
02:02 News: MTG
07:10 News: Lorcana
20:19 Main Topic: Defining Store Culture
22:44 Creating a Welcoming Environment
26:39 Treating Customers and Employees with Respect
28:33 Balancing Competitive and Casual Players
31:37 Three E's with John's Snapple Caps
41:41 Call to Action and Sign Off
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44min
June 28, 2024 E13: What happens while the store is closed
Come inside the card shop industry and learn more about the process of opening and running a local card gaming store. In this episode we discuss what goes on with the game shop behind the closed sign... how much time and energy goes into the store when no one is here. Experienced and long-time store owner, John, teams up with a long-time gamer to share their experience and perspective on the topic including discussion of your favorite games including Magic, Yu-gi-oh, Pokemon, Lorcana, and Star Wars Unlimited.
https://linktr.ee/cardshopinsider
In this conversation, John and Noah discuss recent events and updates in the gaming industry, focusing on the Star Wars: Unlimited, Lorcana, and Magic: The Gathering. They talk about a recent store showdown event and the winners. They also discuss the challenges faced by game distributors and manufacturers, such as Asmodee, and the impact on local game stores. They touch on the popularity of Magic: The Gathering and the upcoming releases in the gaming industry. John discusses the durability of different trading card games and the challenges of running a game store. He also talks about Disney's actions against a game developer and the importance of staying informed about the gaming community. John shares his daily tasks when the store is closed and emphasizes the value of his time.

Chapters

00:00 Show Intro
00:37 News and Updates
00:59 Store Showdown and Star Wars Unlimited
04:30 FFG/Asmodee Cancel SWU Preorders
11:11 The Cancellation of X-Wing and Armada
12:32 Games Workshop's Successful Expansion
13:00 Challenges in Managing a Game Store
17:11 The Success of Magic: The Gathering
22:15 Lorcana Set Five Announcement
28:48 Disney's Actions Against Pixelborn
35:09 Managing Newsletters and Online Events
40:45 The Difficulty of Finding Reliable Staff
48:53 John's Three E's

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55min
June 24, 2024 E12: Metrics - What to Track and Why
Come inside the card shop industry and learn more about the process of opening and running a local card gaming store. In this episode we discuss professional services (lawyers, real estate brokers, insurance, accountants, etc.) that provide various services necessary for the LGS space. Experienced and long-time store owner, John, teams up with a long-time gamer to share their experience and perspective on the topic including discussion of your favorite games including Magic, Yu-gi-oh, Pokemon, Lorcana, and Star Wars Unlimited.
https://linktr.ee/cardshopinsider
In this conversation, John and Noah discuss various topics related to their podcast and the gaming industry. They talk about their podcast setup, their dislike for the impromptu introduction, and their plans for future episodes. They also discuss Target's new policy to crack down on TCG scalpers and the impact it may have on local game stores. They touch on the recent Lurkana tournaments and the changing rules for top cut. They also talk about the release of the new Magic set and the upcoming Star Wars showdown. Overall, they express their concerns about the state of the gaming industry and the challenges faced by local game stores. In this conversation, John and Aaron discuss the importance of metrics in the gaming industry, specifically in relation to Wizards Play Network (WPN) and the Magic the Gathering companion app. They explain how metrics are used to track the growth of in-store play and determine allocations of promos and products. They also touch on the challenges of managing metrics for different games and the benefits of data-driven decision making. The conversation concludes with the three E's segment, where John shares interesting facts about the dot above the letter 'i' and the sports figure YA Tittle.
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58min
June 10, 2024 E11: Professional Services
Come inside the card shop industry and learn more about the process of opening and running a local card gaming store. In this episode we discuss professional services (lawyers, real estate brokers, insurance, accountants, etc.) that provide various services necessary for the LGS space. Experienced and long-time store owner, John, teams up with a long-time gamer to share their experience and perspective on the topic including discussion of your favorite games including Magic, Yu-gi-oh, Pokemon, Lorcana, and Star Wars Unlimited.
https://linktr.ee/cardshopinsider
...more
1h 15min

FAQs about Card Shop Insider:

How many episodes does Card Shop Insider have?

The podcast currently has 50 episodes available.