I also have no problem directing people to other stores. After all, I even write for one of them (Wizards Asylum in Norman), and have a lot of friends there. We’re like 30 minutes apart, so even though we’re technically competitors it’s been friendly.

First of all, it seems you’re being the reasonable one here. I agree with many of the things you’ve chosen to do, you probably went a little farther than I would have taken it in regard to trying to work together with the other shop.

I would ask, how long has the other shop been in business? Perhaps the owner has had a monopoly in this area for a long time and feels very threatened by competition, particularly competition that is undercutting his prices? Not saying that attitude is right, but it could explain some of the things you describe.

When others are bad mouthing the other shop in yours I would still always ask them to please don’t do that. Explain to them why not: you’re not sticking up for that other shop specifically, you just don’t think it’s right to do that to others when they can’t even defend themselves. Maybe also ask the more vocal people doing this if they have any comments on your shop to share. Who knows, maybe they have some thoughts on your shop too that they might be vocalizing elsewhere and I think you’d prefer to know what is being said. Possibly it could be a good play to encourage people to make suggestions on how to improve the other shop to the employee/owner of the other shop, though I can also see scenarios where that might bite you in the ass.

Sounds like people like your shop the best. I say screw the other shops and just put them out of business, especially since you already tried to extend an olive branch to them and were rebuffed.

I’m going to break one of the rules stated here, in hopes of a reasonable solution. I just started up a small b&m. I have heard from many players that the other shop in town was run by an owner with poor social skills. The owner has repeatedly insulted myself and others whom I brought in. The trades and buy prices are horrible. Now that I’m open, I have tried my best to communicate with the owner of my competition.

So far, the customer base has received my store well. Very well. I have a SMALL square footage and packed it with as much product as I can. I have gone into the competition’s store many times and have offered to carry their business cards, flyers and other advertisements. I openly refer my customers to the competition when I don’t have what they are looking for. The owner is rarely in the other shop, so communication has been difficult. The player base doesn’t like the employee either. They say the employee is rude and snide. I leave messages, call and stop in when I can. I honestly want to help the community and our small village can support both shops. But I hear the remarks made by the shop owner when a customer refers another to my shop, within hers. I have heard of the other shop calling customers “drug dealers” and refusing “dirty money.”

I just don’t know what to do. It would be nice to have a good relationship with both the owner and the community, but I don’t know how to go about it. On the one hand, the community keeps trash talking the other shop in mine. I do my best to tell them to stop, but it then comes off as if I am on her side (which I would like to be)…

I am not directly competing with their events. I offer drafts on Sunday. They offer drafts on Fnm. I do Standard for Fnm. I have tried to make sure that the other shop is well known and that I offer different options for the players. My player base likes all the Legacy and Edh staples I have. The other shop has a thriving Standard player base. It would seem to me that we both could be happy. There is another shop in a town ~5 miles away. I have seen my competition’s owner in that shop yelling at the owner of 5m for “not selling at top dollar, matching Scg’s pricing.” It is almost ridiculous how terrible this person is at the market. Do I continue being nice? Or do I ignore the other shop and continue with my own business model? I just don’t know what to do…

Back to your article, I do like the idea of a uniform. I could get behind that. Thanks for that tip. Another tip I would give to store owners is to bring somebody aside if you have a problem with them. Don’t out the person for poor hygiene, etc in front of a group. Also use the compliment sandwich. I know most people understand this, but many people who have shops don’t have previous management training. A compliment sandwich is where you start with a compliment, then the critisizm, then immediately follow with another compliment. This way the person doesn’t feel like you are attacking them.

This post is great, and a must read for any shop owner, current past or prospective.

yes, may i have permission to do so?