An Online Game Store: The Enchanted Deck
While there is no brick-and-mortar store in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, there is an online game store operating out of that town. That store is The Enchanted Deck. Store owner, Jon, along with his business partner, Josh, run the business. As a kid, Pokemon was Jon’s thing. However, as he got older, he switched to figurines and retro video games. It wasn’t until after playing his first Magic: The Gathering draft with friends that Jon became hooked. Doing so had a big impact on his view on the tradeable card game business. This was the spark that would eventually lead to The Enchanted Deck.
Before the store’s online presence came to exist, Jon would stream on Twitch with a “rip and ship” concept. At the time, he was selling packs of Pokemon cards. This method of selling cards started in July of 2023. However, in January of 2024 with only $200 to start the business, The Enchanted Deck was officially born. Instead of exclusively selling Pokemon, he was now selling various tradeable card games (TCGs). Furthermore, Jon grew up with Pokemon and worked as a salesman for Best Buy for 10 years. He feels those experiences have afforded him the insight to acquire customers and learn what they want. He did as much when helping a mother whose son was looking to get into Pokemon:
The Challenges & Positives In Running An Online Game Store
While Jon doesn’t face the overhead a brick-and-mortar store would, he does face the difficulty of acquiring products from distributors. Product limitations are a real difficulty. Initially, he was only able to buy Pokemon products. Additionally, he has no warehouse for storing his inventory. Currently, Jon says his house is the warehouse. Distributors have asked when he will open a store and Jon said they he wants to do it the right way. One of those things he wants is to make sure his store is WPN-ready from the get-go. He aspires for this to become a reality within the next couple of years. Jon says that he’s been able to get to know game stores in the area to gauge what games are popular with the player base.
Being a new dad and having a full-time job, in addition to running The Enchanted Deck makes it difficult to consider opening a brick-and-mortar store at the current time. If feasible, Jon does participate in conventions to get the store’s name out there. Additionally, online “buy, sell, and trade” Facebook groups are a great way to attract new customers and build relationships, Jon says.
Jon tells us that he takes the initiative and reaches out to customers via direct message if he sees a potential customer looking for a product. The goal is to get the product out of inventory upon release, he shares. Jon prides himself on quick turnaround time for his customers. There has been a return on investment from this practice, John says. Moreover, the reviews Jon receives about his store on Trust Pilot after each product sold have helped establish brand trustworthiness.
Growing The Business Without In-Store Foot Traffic
Jon notes that he would love to attend bigger conventions, but the cost is not in the cards, at the moment. However, he has sponsored the Great Media Comic Con to build brand recognition. Whenever he is at a convention, Jon will hand out his business card to any potential customer who visits his table. He says he’s always looking to ask his customers the right questions so he can get to know them. By doing so, he can offer them the right solutions. For example, Jon offers his customers the option to send their cards for PSA grading. He’ll send our cards as a collective which helps save money.
Additionally, Jon utilizes online ads to grow the business and is constantly updating his website to make it as easy to use as possible for his customers. He notes that managing online ads is crucial in running an online business. He reviews his ads on Facebook multiple times a day. However, he says he doesn’t run Google Ads as the return on investment is not there. Another key piece for managing his buying power is site traffic. Jon shares that this information provides insight into products sold. Furthermore, some products can be difficult to acquire for a small store. For example, Jon shares that not having Lorcana readily available means he misses out on pre-order bonuses. One Piece is another game that’s been difficult to acquire.
Balancing A Business With Other Responsibilities
While running a business and having a full-time job can seem problematic, Jon says it does not feel like work for him. Moreover, working on The Enchanted Deck is fun for him. Jon is usually updating the store’s website or he’s asking his friends for feedback. The luxury of working from home for his full-time job allows flexibility. In the past, he would stream on Twitch 1-2 times a week to grow his brand and sell cards. However, that’s a challenge since becoming a dad. At this point, he’s looking to start selling singles due to its profitability and he wants to grow his sealed product business.
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