Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Whilst I wait for my delayed sub copy of WD to arrive -- hooray ! , thought I'd bring to people's attention that in the UK WD will no longer be available from WHSmiths.

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?aId=14800008a

I assume this is at least partly due to the result s of their recent "where do you buy WD ? " survey.

Not earth shattering news but I figured it might help some poor sod.

So where all do you lot in the UK and Commonwealth find WD? Stateside, it's only in hobby shops/FLGSs and not always then.

Ordereed online, in GW store, other bookstores, some newsagents, other independant stockists, ect.

A WD with release date 8th January is not delayed when not available 7th January
Unusual late release date is an an artefact of GW's anti-marketing to have no advertising of January releases before Xmas.
BTW, got my WD today

Thats a shame. Thanks for informing us

Think smiths is the only shop that still stocks it my area (out side of gw stores). Not seen it in news agents for a long time.

Interesting news none the less.

I assume other wargames magazines will still be stocked but I have to wonder whether GW considered Smiths worthwhile as a point of distribution, It has been in decline for sometime and isn't first port of call on the high street for anything anymore.

Will any other mags up stumps?

Is WD ABC registered?

Kroothawk wrote:A WD with release date 8th January is not delayed when not being available 7th January

It is when one of the advertised perks of the Uk subscription is that you get your copy prior to the sale on the street date.

Normally for a Saturday release like this I'd get it on Tuesday.

I assume the delay is at least partially BH related.

I think this might be more WH Smith playing hardball, they stopped selling the economist last year (or the year before) for a month or so as they battled out a deal with them.

As for Manchu's question, pretty much any major news store. Any newsagent, magazine shop (now excluding the largest chain, whsmith), borders before they closed down in the UK, most large supermarkets, official GW stores which you can find in pretty much any large town and I think hobbycraft sell it as well which is another large hobby chain store.

Interesting, WHSmith are (or were) the largest magazine chain in the country. What's the story behind this?

I usually get my copy from the store I work at, but the January issue is really late for some reason.

@LB: Wow, that would be nice. Or would have been, before subscription became my default Christmas present from the missus.

I was chatting with the manager of my local GW about this he says the official line is that Smiths kept putting them on sale early and as a result were getting the lions share of sales. Something which has for the past few years really been annoying independent newsagents, other stores which sell WD and of course GW themselves.

Not that it affects me I've got a sub (although it always arrives about a week after the damn thing goes on sale).

legoburner wrote:I think this might be more WH Smith playing hardball, they stopped selling the economist last year (or the year before) for a month or so as they battled out a deal with them.

As for Manchu's question, pretty much any major news store. Any newsagent, magazine shop (now excluding the largest chain, whsmith), borders before they closed down in the UK, most large supermarkets, official GW stores which you can find in pretty much any large town and I think hobbycraft sell it as well which is another large hobby chain store.

wow... that's one heck of a penetration of the market for toy soldiers in print. we really don't have anything comparable here.. it's pretty much subscription or a games store in the US. the big box book stores used to carry dragon magazine until WOTC decided to go online only with it but that was the extent of mainstream tabletop gaming.

Our local Barnes and Nobels recieves it, They have a bunch of BL stuff too. They won't put it out until the offical release day. However the FLGS will put it out asap. Being as though they got their weekly order in about 2 hours ago, I imagine it's on the shelf now, or more likely sitting in the box unopened behind the counter waiting on a motivating reason to stock the shelves.

WHSmiths is usually my first port of call for wargaming magazines as they sell at least 3-4 different ones including wargames illustrated, miniature wargames, some toy soldier one I've yet to pick up, etc. WI is usually on sale a day or two early but I cant find that in as many other places so that does not really matter.

warboss wrote: the big box book stores used to carry dragon magazine until WOTC decided to go online only with it but that was the extent of mainstream tabletop gaming.

I've seen Books'A'Million stock Kobold.

I know that HobbyTowns in Richmond have stopped carrying WD. Pretty recently, I think -- maybe end of 09?

legoburner wrote:WI is usually on sale a day or two early but I cant find that in as many other places so that does not really matter.

That's because WHSmith (and their distributor Menzies) are so big and powerful they decide the release date not the publisher. It's the same with White Dwarf (or was).

If it's still available from supermarkets and independent newsagents then there's a good chance Menzies are still stocking it.

Bugger. I used to buy it from WHSmiths (when I felt the urge every now and then. Now hardly every but still.)

When was the last WD worth reading? Back in the 90's it was awesome! I read each issue over and over again. Now I skim them and mostly don't much of interest. I'll buy one once in a while to help out the LGS.

George Spiggott wrote:Interesting, WHSmith are (or were) the largest magazine chain in the country. What's the story behind this?

Smiths may be playing hardball, as Lego stated.

But Smiths are a fading force on the British high street and will probably end up the same way as Woolworths.

Smiths always sell early and maybe GW have decided that they no longer need Smiths as an outlet.

Nick Ellingworth wrote:I was chatting with the manager of my local GW about this he says the official line is that Smiths kept putting them on sale early and as a result were getting the lions share of sales. Something which has for the past few years really been annoying independent newsagents, other stores which sell WD and of course GW themselves.

Not that it affects me I've got a sub (although it always arrives about a week after the damn thing goes on sale).

I've noticed a few times that WD has been available early in Smiths. Having purchased them there rather than at a GW store I guess that would lend a bit of credence to the idea that Smiths were jumping the gun and grabbing sales. Though legoburner's comments regarding Smiths playing hardball seem likely as well. I guess GW just decided it wasn't worth it anymore.

My local newsagent (a Very smal cornershop) stocks WD.
Maybe Smith's aren't wanting to stock mags that their customers don't buy?

The Barnsley Smiths never seem to shift any copies, except to change the issues.

Our local Smiths had it on sale yesterday, which was a little bit annoying as my subscription copy has yet to turn up...

I'm not actually sure how many copies they sell though as there always seems to be a couple of slightly tattered copies left at the end of each month

You can get Wd in most Supermarkets and all newsagents it would seem in Essex. Tescos always has a shelf full and I have even seen Waitrose selling it (and I thought they only did quality produce ).

I used to work for a specialist magazine distributor covering central london back in the ate 90's and we had WD (and Dragon and WI) and would send it our to WH Smiths depots. There was no direct connection between Menzies/WH Smiths/newsagents and GW. Shops simply ordered them and off they went, so I am having a bit of trouble seeing how GW could force this issue.

From my own current experience of this in the construction indiustry (not really related I know bur bare with me), I would suggest that WH Smiths are trying to force the hand of GW (and other publishers) with a bit of direct sourcing, a bit like the way Supermarket chains will with farmers for example. With the bulk order [or loss of] being waved under GWs noses they are doing a bit f negotiating. GW are just getting their dig in first I imagine.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also nearly all mags are sold on a sale or return basis so not selling all of your copies is not an issue for most sellers.

Not sure if they would sell enough copies to bother overmuch Notprop.
According to Wiki they have 560 branches, that would possibly about 4 to 6 copies stocked at each branch? (Only guessing by what I see on the shelves. Whether they sell and get topped up I know not)
How many do they actually shift?

Would guess that most sales are by subscription or from GW stores?
Wouldn't be surprised if Smiths are simply pulling the plug.

legoburner wrote:WHSmiths is usually my first port of call for wargaming magazines as they sell at least 3-4 different ones including wargames illustrated, miniature wargames, some toy soldier one I've yet to pick up, etc. WI is usually on sale a day or two early but I cant find that in as many other places so that does not really matter.

But, but, but... GW is "The Hobby", there can be no others!

That's interesting. Normally i get mine from GW, my local newsagents, or borrow it off my uncle, but it's a shame nonetheless.

Anything in the lastest wd?

Most bizzare, I feel like a period of my life has come to an abrupt close. Oh well...