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HBMC - are you a hired wing of maelstrom


or a super super happy customer =)

I've used Wayland in the past, and I'm currently trying Gifts for Geeks.

I like Maelstrom and what they are doing for their community, but they can't match the prices Wayland or Geeks offer, even when I have to add some P&P.

Although I can certainly see why Internationals would favour them.

Only downer to Maelstrom for me is that it takes a while to reach me, other than that they are darlings and ideal. I especially appreciate that they split orders. My latest order is split in three and one of them was just a lousy novel.

Fishboy wrote:The Indy stores have a signed agreement with GW that they cant sell stuff on line below retail cost I believe. Actaully I am pretty sure as a bud of mine had a store and got the kybash from GW. This is how GW puts the squeeze on em. They can always but from Alied or other venders at a discount but its not as good as they get from GW. Yes GW will only supply to an actual store (except in the case of mass retailers like alied).

Personally I like the rule. It forces people to buy from their FLGS to help those stores stay in buisness. I have never been a big fan of the EBAY and online discount stores but I love the bitz stores.

Nope. I'm a current GW retailer, and have had an account for nearly 2 decades. Never had to sign anything remotely like that. Note that the Warstore has sold online at 20% off for years, and is a direct account of GW. What you can't do: Use GW's images in your ads, run an online shopping cart, have an account with GW without a Brick and mortar location.

(except in the case of mass retailers like alied). Alliance Distribution is the actual name. They are a game distributor, not a mass retailer. They sell to stores not the public. You can get GW through several game distributors in the US, but at 5% to 10% less than what you get from GW direct.

You cannot legaly prevent onward sales, GW might stop supplying people who they Identify as selling online. ( for what ever reason ... )

Who said sellers had to identify themselfs as the same people online as they buy from GW.

dont worry the sky will not fall down.

Nightwatch wrote:Prob not, us North Americans rarely get special treatment.

Well, you're the only ones banned from having online shopping carts.

Because, you know, US web surfers only ever see the US part of the internet. Or something.

After having a serious delay with an order online, I have decided to only by used items.

I am not going to buy my stuff directly from GW until they charge a fair price. I pretty much demand at least 20% off all of their products. I want my shopping to be smooth, easy, affordable, and friendly.

The only place I can usually do this seems to be with other players on the second-hand level. No longer in the mood to wait for companies to satisfy my needs, I scratch-build terrain, and at some point I hope to meet enough people to work on changing the rules... scratch that, playing a new game.

My interpretation of recent events:

GW can't afford to keep lawyers. They reserve two to three months out of the year to
contract a team of ip-aggressors and then cut them loose the rest of the year.

I've been very good at buying what I can paint. The problem is I paint faster.

After this year is done I'll probably slow down both.

RogueMarket wrote:HBMC - are you a hired wing of maelstrom or a super super happy customer =)

Just a super-happy customer. I am not a plant (how could I be? I'm in Oz and they're in the UK).

Could be a world-wide seeding operation, I know I'd be a willing candidate for the right bribes.

Its been going on for a long time just the man trying to hold us down lol

I like Gifts for Geeks, a lot. I've ordered from them online a couple of times, and happened to be in Leicester (where their bricks-and-mortar store is) last weekend. I popped in, and chatted to them a bit, and bought some stuff, and they're a lovely bunch -- seriously friendly, seriously into their gaming, and with great prices. I heard them talking to a mum & her 2 kids about their next gaming open day, & I was really impressed with their attitude -- they just wanted to get the kids more involved, having fun & playing 40K, rather than trying to sell the mum loads of stuff. So I will happily buy there again (though I will likely use Maelstrom for one-off purchases, since they're cheaper for that).

Hahaha, GW fails the Intarweb.

Again.

Rumor has it GW is going Bankrupt and will still be expecting your compliance!

GW will only go bankrupt if there are no more 12-year-olds to buy more Ultramarines.

JohnHwangDD wrote:GW fails.

Fixed it for you.

My general theory on this is that GW plans on limiting their customer base specifically to younger people (25- yrs. old) so that they can pretty much guarantee a reliable (and controllable) flow of customers. The older gamers tend to be more experienced in the game itself, on top of having more invested personally in the history of the game. Take these guys out and there will be no serious analysis of GW and their business practices.

Not a conspiracy theory, just common sense shut up the complainers. In a while you may notice they have begun to tone the fluff and background down so parents won't have anything to complain about either.

Thing is, long-time gamers don't need as much new stuff, so I feel that GW is right in targeting young adults more nowadays.

Wrexasaur wrote:My general theory on this is that GW plans on limiting their customer base specifically to younger people (25- yrs. old) so that they can pretty much guarantee a reliable (and controllable) flow of customers. The older gamers tend to be more experienced in the game itself, on top of having more invested personally in the history of the game. Take these guys out and there will be no serious analysis of GW and their business practices.

Not a conspiracy theory, just common sense shut up the complainers. In a while you may notice they have begun to tone the fluff and background down so parents won't have anything to complain about either.

So you actually believe that GW is actually trying to lose sales by discouraging vets from being in the hobby so it can sell to younger people who won't be influenced by the opinions of vets who have been in the hobby for a long time?

Did you know that Obama isn't actually American and isn't legally president.
The moon landing was faked and filmed in a studio
Ann Coulter is a man
The government allowed 9/11 to happen
Microsoft purposefully releases buggy s/w to get you to pay for an upgrade (ok, that one might be true).

uh huh, time to up the dosage on your medication and put that jacket back on - you know the one - one size fits all but is a little tight around the shoulders.

Funny...I never brought my stuff from the GW site. I always go on ebay or an indepentent retailer. Since there is no GW stores in san antonio I have to buy my models online, make my own bits for my models (I cast some of my own peices), buy my painting supplies from Hobby lobby. GW is money hungry!


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Funny...I never brought my stuff from the GW site. I always go on ebay or an indepentent retailer. Since there is no GW stores in san antonio I have to buy my models online, make my own bits for my models (I cast some of my own peices), buy my painting supplies from Hobby lobby. GW is money hungry!


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Funny...I never brought my stuff from the GW site. I always go on ebay or an indepentent retailer. Since there is no GW stores in san antonio I have to buy my models online, make my own bits for my models (I cast some of my own peices), buy my painting supplies from Hobby lobby. GW is money hungry!

Cheese Elemental wrote:Thing is, long-time gamers don't need as much new stuff, so I feel that GW is right in targeting young adults more nowadays.

Add these two quotes together minus the second quotes dramatization.

fullheadofhair wrote:

Wrexasaur wrote:My general theory on this is that GW plans on limiting their customer base specifically to younger people (25- yrs. old) so that they can pretty much guarantee a reliable (and controllable) flow of customers. The older gamers tend to be more experienced in the game itself, on top of having more invested personally in the history of the game. Take these guys out and there will be no serious analysis of GW and their business practices.

Not a conspiracy theory, just common sense shut up the complainers. In a while you may notice they have begun to tone the fluff and background down so parents won't have anything to complain about either.

So you actually believe that GW is actually trying to lose sales by discouraging vets from being in the hobby so it can sell to younger people who won't be influenced by the opinions of vets who have been in the hobby for a long time?

Did you know that Obama isn't actually American and isn't legally president.
The moon landing was faked and filmed in a studio
Ann Coulter is a man
The government allowed 9/11 to happen
Microsoft purposefully releases buggy s/w to get you to pay for an upgrade (ok, that one might be true).

uh huh, time to up the dosage on your medication and put that jacket back on - you know the one - one size fits all but is a little tight around the shoulders.

In the future just P.M. me so no one else has to hear you scream ok? I will make sure to pay attention to your notes...

Wrexasaur wrote:In a while you may notice they have begun to tone the fluff and background down so parents won't have anything to complain about either.

Codex: Daemons.

I win.

Wrexasaur wrote:My general theory on this is that GW plans on limiting their customer base specifically to younger people (25- yrs. old) so that they can pretty much guarantee a reliable (and controllable) flow of customers. The older gamers tend to be more experienced in the game itself, on top of having more invested personally in the history of the game. Take these guys out and there will be no serious analysis of GW and their business practices.

Not a conspiracy theory, just common sense shut up the complainers. In a while you may notice they have begun to tone the fluff and background down so parents won't have anything to complain about either.

This is said time and time again, its based on flawed understanding of sales, Your OLDER market has more income to spend, you need new markets to replace those who move away. GW is not stupid to remove a sector of its market in times like this.

Wrexasaur wrote:My general theory on this is that GW plans on limiting their customer base specifically to younger people (25- yrs. old) so that they can pretty much guarantee a reliable (and controllable) flow of customers. The older gamers tend to be more experienced in the game itself, on top of having more invested personally in the history of the game. Take these guys out and there will be no serious analysis of GW and their business practices.

Not a conspiracy theory, just common sense shut up the complainers. In a while you may notice they have begun to tone the fluff and background down so parents won't have anything to complain about either.

I do agree that GW has tried to shut up their customers by doing things such as shutting down their official forums a few years back but I think they still want and do target vets. Releases like Apocalypse and Planetstrike offer kits that are more likely aimed at guys who already have an established army (Baneblades, Strongholds, etc). IIRC they also opened up a temporary forum to get ideas for Gamesdays a couple of months back so thats a recent example of GW trying to enhance a largely veteran experience of going to GW events...of course GW did end up cancelling such events this year so take from that what you will hehe.

Common Forgeworld is hardly aimed at the younger crowd.

Especially when their bags and instructions say "NOT A TOY" and "Not for under 15"

With the number of people who buy second, third or even more armies in the same system, let alone switching between 40k/WFB/Specialist Games (*pretends LotR does not exist*), the sale of Apocalypse kits, RoB and scenery kits, not to mention how the redshirts charge at me (31 ears old) every time I set foot in a GW, it is wilfully blind or foolish to suggest GW do not actively target rich folk with high incomes. To suggest they are trying to drive them away smacks of idiocy.

Come on, you all know full well, this is incredibly easy to spin, as a responsible company GW wants to support brick and mortar stores, they are the heart and soul of the hobby and online ebay stores are sucking the life out because only vets know what to buy, new players haven't got a clue and there is no helpful store owner to guide them along. And I have to say, I support that, I really to think it's fantastic.

Fifty wrote:With the number of people who buy second, third or even more armies in the same system, let alone switching between 40k/WFB/Specialist Games (*pretends LotR does not exist*), the sale of Apocalypse kits, RoB and scenery kits, not to mention how the redshirts charge at me (31 ears old) every time I set foot in a GW, it is wilfully blind or foolish to suggest GW do not actively target rich folk with high incomes. To suggest they are trying to drive them away smacks of idiocy.

Italics!

Sorry, couldn't help it.

CT GAMER wrote:

Fishboy wrote:s retailers like alied).

Personally I like the rule. It forces people to buy from their FLGS to help those stores stay in buisness. I have never been a big fan of the EBAY and online discount stores but I love the bitz stores.

That is BS.

My LGS is crap, I have no FLGS aand I should not be forced to support any certain business, especially one that is sub par. Not everyone lives in the fantasy land that you do in which the LGS is a thing of greatness...

Take a few deep breaths and calm down....
I drive 45 mins in my fantasy land to support a store, and actually try to visit several stores to spread the love. I can understand not everyone has a FLGS but I would have though CT would have something close to you to support.

My best friend is in the process of opening a store in the midwest. He specifically asked about their pricing based on in store services (painting area, classes, tables,etc.). He was told that is only in Europe. When he asked if they controlled discounting, he was told he could sell their product for any price he wanted. when he asked about online sales he was told the U.S.A. policy is you are not allowed to sell online AT ALL.

Here is a big problem with GW. If you call their sales staff and get a different rep they will all have different answers, kinda like the old rules lawyers thing. I have a few freinds that have started different stores and 2 years ago when they started the teir system was still there. Your level of retailer depended on how much you had in stock more than anything else. Problem was you had to have a starter section which included LOTR which does not do well in this area hehe.