For Game Stores
I run tournaments. I know what release day looks like from both sides of the counter.
I'm Dustin. I build software for a living and I organize local TCG events on the weekend. Burnett Tech Solutions builds custom tools for card shops, and every one of them started with a problem I watched a store owner deal with in person.
Your POS handles inventory and your marketplace handles singles. Neither one handles the hard part of a hot release: deciding who gets it, fairly, without you refereeing arguments at the counter.
These are four ways to solve that. They're modular. Every store runs its playerbase differently, so most stores want one or two of these, not all four. Tell me how your store works and I'll build the version that fits.
Purchase limits that enforce themselves
The problem
A hot set drops. One buyer clears your shelf in the first hour, your regulars get nothing, and somehow it's your fault. Or you do have limits, but they live in your head, so enforcing them means arguments at the register.
What it does
Set a limit per product. The register checks it against the customer's actual purchase history, so “two per customer” means two this week, not two per visit. Members who show up more can earn a higher allowance automatically. A manager can still approve an exception, but it gets logged with a name and a reason.
Fit it to your store
- Mostly walk-in retail? Run simple hard caps with a smaller guest limit, no membership required.
- Singles-heavy shop? Put limits on chase cards and serialized product, not just sealed.
- Event-heavy store? Tie allowances to attendance, so the players at your Friday events get first consideration.
- Already on BinderPOS, Shopify, or Lightspeed? This runs alongside what you have. It's a fairness layer, not a POS migration.
Preorders your regulars can actually get
The problem
Allocations keep getting cut. When preorders open to everyone at once, the people who buy fastest win, and those usually aren't the people who play at your store every week.
What it does
Players earn standing by checking in at your events. When a new set goes up for preorder, your most loyal locals get the first window, then regulars, then the public. Per-player caps stop anyone from draining the allocation. The queue is public, so nobody can claim you saved boxes for friends.
Fit it to your store
- Run weekly events? Attendance check-ins are the natural way to earn standing.
- More retail than events? Base standing on purchase history instead. Loyalty is loyalty.
- You pick the thresholds, the window timing, and the caps per tier. Distributor cut your allocation? Adjust the caps once and the system handles the rest.
Waitlists that run themselves
The problem
A restock lands. You post it on Facebook, and now you're spending two days DMing people in order, waiting on replies, and fielding “I commented first” complaints. The product is exciting. The admin work is not.
What it does
You post the drop once. Members who subscribed to that kind of product get added and notified instantly. The line is ranked by join time. Offers go out automatically with a claim deadline, and if someone doesn't claim in time, their unit rolls to the next person without you touching anything. Your admin view is mostly a log of what already happened.
Fit it to your store
- Short on staff time? This is the one to start with. Posting the drop is the only manual step.
- Categories match what you actually restock: sealed, slabs, serialized promos, accessories, whatever moves at your shop.
- Claim windows are yours to set. 24 hours for regulars, shorter for hot items.
- The demo notifies by email. A production build can add SMS and Discord, which is where most players actually live.
Raffles nobody can call rigged
The problem
You've got four serialized promos and two hundred people who want them. However you pick winners, somebody's going to say it was rigged, and that accusation sticks around in your community longer than the product did.
What it does
Players enter, one entry each, same odds for everyone. Before entries open, the system locks in the random seed and publishes its fingerprint. After the draw, the seed is revealed and the results page recomputes the winners right in front of the player. Anyone can check the math. The “rigged raffle” thread never gets written.
Fit it to your store
- Best for serialized cards, collector boxes, and anything where demand is 10x supply.
- You set the entry window and winner count per drawing.
- Want your regulars to have better odds? Weighted entries are possible. Most stores keep it equal and let the transparency do the talking.
Start with one.
Most stores don't need all four. They need the one that stops their biggest headache. Tell me which of these sounds like your Saturday and we'll start there. Real builds connect to your existing systems, send real notifications, and get tuned to how your community actually behaves.