Why does the company website charge $5 more than stores?

Because my jet fuel doesn't pay for itself.

Seriously though, the reason is that we don't want the retailers to be angry. Some people prefer the convenience of just pressing a button and having it even if it means a slight premium.

 

Ok., where's my box, My DA CD came in a crappy wrapper
But I only paid $10 extra for the airmail sticker,

there was a post earlier today, somone complaining that wallmart were 10 bucks dearer than website.

Stardock have to charge a ballanced rate to keep from undercutting wholesale buyers.

Tried to edit,

why didn't anyone tell me (when i was ordering) that I could get the gold edition for $10 less if i had DL
almost the same price to me.

I guess once the rabbit has already been lured into the trab, why offer it a better carrot?

Good answer. like I'm pissed blah, just asking
Edit, did I say wow, what an amazing response, fantastic, Can i kiss your wife?

  

Isn't it cheaper though to sell it electronically though since you get pretty much all of the profit, where as opposed to retail, the retailer gets some a portion of the money?

Thats just how retailers do business. Any producer who sells wholesale to retailers obviously won't wan't to undercut them with it's own retail outlet.

Just think about it. We all got ripped off. Got no box(which i like collecting)they save money. No game guide,(they saved more money). Charged 5 bucks for shipping, wich cost $4.05. Also u paided more 4 the game too. What a racket. Should go public so i can buy some stock.

Perhaps a little shopping around before you bought would have been wise.

If you are so upset that you paid more from the website than you would have through a retail outlet, perhaps you should only be upset at yourself for a failure to research your options.

This has been discussed in many threads, and the answer is always:
Stardock sells for the full retail price and won't undercut their retail outlets, and the stores are free to discount it.
Choose your own preference in your buying method based on the facts.

If Stardock were to sell the same game cheaper on its website, no one would want to do business with them in the future. As a company, you can't sell to wholesalers and then turn around and sell the same game cheaper.

how would you feel if you had a really great tech to trade, expecting to get a lot from each Civilization for it but the first one you trade it to practically GIVES it away to everyone. You'd wanna kick their butts (if that particular race has a butt that is).

Some stores may lower their prices, even to the point of having a very small profit if it means attracting a new buyer-for-life and if it means getting you to their store to buy other things while you're there. Pehaps you'll want to upgrade your graphics card, get better speakers or buy a second game. So you can't always look at what the stores are doing. Super markets do it all the time with life's staples, milk, eggs etc just to get you into the store so you'll buy their overpriced Oreos.

The only reason i would imagine Stardock bothers selling through retailers is because having your game on the shelves in stores is good advertising!

However if you buy directly from Stardock then the retailer is not taking his cut and more money is going to Stardock which can be used to develop better games and updates.... buy from stardock!