WiT Stories: The Human Shelf: Why Connections Still Wins at Retail

by JENNIFER GRAHAM-MACHT, Tabletop Games Co-Chair, Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment Board Member

I spend a lot of time thinking about the way people discover, learn, and connect with each other and the products they bring into their lives. After experiencing the scale of digital reach and the impact of in-person connections in the tabletop gaming industry, I believe, more than ever, that the human element is what makes all the difference. 

This belief was top of mind when shopping for a friend’s daughter’s birthday gift. To be efficient with time, my friends and I hopped online, finding fun in clicking through the infinite search results for “best gifts for a three-year-old.” But an hour and 20 items in the cart later, this method had lost its efficiency. We played roulette to decide which item got our money and said, “We’ll see.” 

This is how billions of purchases are made every day, with urgently made decisions and time sold to the highest bidder. Online brands spend hours refining the perfect catchphrases to convince someone their games are right for them, layering in images that place those titles directly into their carts. Millions of impressions and thousands of likes later, the games get into people’s hands, but at what cost?

When I’m not a board game publisher, I turn to my other role as co-owner of The Player Agency, a hobby game store in New Jersey. My work there is grounded in something different: reviewing sales data, understanding what resonates with our customers, refining our assortment, and dreaming up meaningful in-store experiences. There’s no algorithm to guide those decisions — it’s built on experience, instinct, and real human interaction.

With more than a decade in the tabletop industry, I’ve owned two specialty game stores. In our digital age, running a brick-and-mortar business is not for the faint of heart. Margins are razor-thin, rent keeps climbing, and every week is a puzzle of making payroll and stocking new releases. But it’s in this environment that the real value of retail becomes clear.

When the doors open, shoppers trickle in, and so do their stories. I give my time to each person who walks through our door, and in return, I learn who they are and how games spark joy in their lives. Within minutes, I understand where gaming fits into their world and what themes interest them. I narrow the selection to guide their decision, and ten minutes later, they leave with the right game. They feel seen.

Walking into a specialty store dedicated to something you care about is incredibly validating. Having an expert guide your purchase is deeply human. There is no real replacement for that experience online.

Jennifer Graham-Macht

Human connection is not quantifiable, but here’s what I know: If foot traffic were impressions, like an Instagram ad where a strong campaign converts around 3%, my store converts over 70%. If online return rates range from 20% to 25%, ours exceeds 35%.

What can’t be measured is the value customers feel when their time is respected. I will never grow tired of seeing the excitement in someone’s eyes as they imagine the experiences a game will bring. In return, I get to keep the lights on and do it all again tomorrow.

We’re all shoppers. Walking into a specialty store dedicated to something you care about is incredibly validating. Having an expert guide your purchase is deeply human. There is no real replacement for that experience online.

This is also why I’ve found such a strong home within Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WiT), where I’m proud to be a member and help lead its tabletop learning community. And at its core, WiT operates on the same principle as a great specialty store: connection, knowledge-sharing, and elevating people through genuine human interaction.

I can’t imagine life without the convenience of having everything at my fingertips. But I am equally grateful for the moments when I can unplug, walk into a store, and leave with exactly what I need or something I didn’t know I was looking for. 

Stay on the Pulse of Play!

A version of this feature first appeared in The Toy Book‘s 2026 Specialty Toys & Gifts Issue. Read the full issue here!

Want The Toy Book delivered straight to your desk? Subscribe today and get seven big issues a year — packed with the stories, trends, and insights that keep you on the #pulseofplay.