As much as I love the Warhammer 40k hobby. It's miniatures and the people involved in it, today has left me with a very bad impression of Games Workshop.

In GW today, in Rotherham UK, me and a friend went to pick up some paints. The usual guy running the store was not there, instead was a staff member that usually comes to step in, in his place. We only called in to collect some paints and we got talking to two other 40k enthusiasts about their armies, how to improve their army lists, recent experiences against different opponents. (funnily enough, I spend alot of the time bigging up the new eldar codex and how much i suffered at the hands of it this weekend)

Our topic of conversation moved on however, (whilst still browsing the stock and inspecting painted miniatures and scenery), to the recent E3 advertisements regarding the latest consoles. PS4 and Xbox One. A few minutes into our discussion the store owner chimed up shouting "Is this a hobby related discussion?" - To which I was stunned. He asked us to take our conversation outside. I then told him I would, along with my money and not return to this store.

What irritates me the most is that all he has done here is alienate three of us from going to Games Workshop in Rotherham again. Because we weren't discussing a Games Workshop product in their store? Is it company wide policy to ban discussions based on anything other than their products in their store?

Don't get me wrong, the guy who regularly runs this store is ace. Honestly, one of the most decent guys you'll meet. I'll be calling up in future to make sure the regular manager is in that store. If he isn't, I won't be going there. Because I am quite frankly disgusted at being talked to like a child, by someone representing a company I have given quite a lot of my hard earned cash to recently.

Has anyone had similar experiences with GW recently?

Report your complaint to customer services, clearly stating it's nature.

Retailers should be fighting tooth and nail to get people into their shops and spending money, not kicking them out for talking about something 'not games related'. If you are otherwise a good customer, polite, friendly and not a freak of nature, then yes, raise hell about it.

Yeah, Im not saying you where wrong, but gw you got to be carefule what you say, they dont like people talking about anything that isnt sanctioned.

 MeanGreenStompa wrote:
Report your complaint to customer services, clearly stating it's nature.

Retailers should be fighting tooth and nail to get people into their shops and spending money, not kicking them out for talking about something 'not games related'. If you are otherwise a good customer, polite, friendly and not a freak of nature, then yes, raise hell about it.

The bearded one is correct. Call the regular manager and tell him what happened and how it cost his store $$.

Should have picked a Baneblade off the shelf, took it to the counter then said, "y'know, **** you." then leave it and walk out

I'm glad I have a good couple of GW stores near me.

I'd have just told him I was discussing GW related video games.

Well, either that or I would have told him to feth off obviously.

One of the two.

I wouldn't say you have to boycott the store though, basically some people are feth heads and some arent. I've met plenty of donkey-cave soldiers, policemen and sales clerks, it doesn't make me loathe the lot though.

Basically.. the world is full of chislers.. get used to it, but dont let it get you down!

Regardless how shortsighted a retailer is... "buy something or get out" is a universal right of establishments. (as long as they are not doing it because of protected class)

And invoking freedom of speech on private property doesn't get you far.

All you can do is vote with your wallet. If you know the regular manager and feel it would do any good, you could complain.

I would have done much the same - not made a purchase, left, and never returned. then complained publicly on a message board....

And, Hell yeah, made complaint against the store through the appropriate channels.

The Auld Grump

Ouch, that suck's dude... I have not set foot in a GW store for well over 2 years. If the regular Manager is a good guy, as you say, then let him know and just don't go back if that other Douche happens to be working there.

Other than that, I find myself in complete agreement with mattyrm... Don't let it taint your view on salespersons as a whole.

Yup, Liam is great. Lincoln's loss was Rotherham's gain. I came into this thread expecting someone to have a problem with him (as astounding as that would be).

Just take your business elsewhere. GW has some great staff, but it also has some major indoctrinated assclowns. Sadly the latter is becoming more prominent as the old guard fall away.

Fairly sure this is company policy on the matter?

I'm going to go out on a limb here, but I suspect the OP won't say anything to the manager or cusromer service, but instead insist that GW stores are staffed by jerks for the rest of his life.

Seriously, talk to the manager. That's why he is there.

 SoloFalcon1138 wrote:
I'm going to go out on a limb here, but I suspect the OP won't say anything to the manager or cusromer service, but instead insist that GW stores are staffed by jerks for the rest of his life.

Which is exactly why it is so important for store staff to give customers a good impression. The vast majority of customers who have a problem with a store's service won't complain about it to the store, because most people aren't comfortable making a fuss. They'll just leave, tell everyone who will listen, and likely spend their money elsewhere in future.

Guy is clearly a dick. Most gw staff will happily chat about anything nerdy, including video games.

Sounds like the guy was a jerk, do as others suggested and talk with the store manager or GW customer service.

If the guy had any ounce of sense then it would've been better if he joined in the conversation and perhaps talk a bit about GW based games on next gen consoles, build up a friendly report with the customers.

A few years back, the former manager of the Settle Bunker had this sort of policy in place. Don't talk about non-GW games or GTFO. Once he left and a new manager stepped in, the policy was quickly forgotten and the Bunker thrived as a store and gaming place. It still does today with the newest manager.

Still, "corporate" does seem to want strict policies on what can an cannot happen in their stores. :(

Hell my local GW thankfully is the only one in Colorado. The manager knows people come in to talk and have fun with the hobby and it will transition sometimes in conversation to other stuff non gw related. On two separate occasions, about a month or so apart, I go in looking for a kit the FLGS doesn't carry. I am looking for it and he comes over and gets it then asks how the Avs are doing and talked about going to a game with on of his regulars. I shocked! The second time we caught up on work. My GW Manager treats everyone like a regular regardless if they are or are not. The other thing too is he helps the non GW FLGS by telling people to go here or there for other hobby related stuff they dont carry, or if looking for gaming on the days he is closed.

I'd like to make a quick aside, which I think is warranted by the subject line used by the OP.

"Freedom of speech" in the US is a concept which appears to be greatly misunderstood in modern times, awareness of which struck me most recently when Juan Williams was fired by NPR (among other issues).

Freedom of speech protects you from the government retaliating against you for lawful speech.

It does not protect you from private entities doing so.

If you make a posting on Facebook saying "your job is dumb", and your boss sees it, you will get fired, and you had no freedom of speech protection there. If you're in Walmart and saying how you think the merchandise is ugly, and the manager kicks you out, you had no freedom of speech protection there.

If you post about how you think the political party in power sucks, and then the police arrest you for that, then your freedom of speech protections kick in.

TL;DR you have no freedom of speech when dealing with private entities. All of hat I said is US only.

 Ouze wrote:
TL;DR you have no freedom of speech when dealing with private entities.

I'm pretty sure the OP was talking in general about freedom of speech, not "freedom of speech protection", especially given the OP isn't in the US to begin with.

But on topic, yeah, my local GW managers have never had problems chatting about video games or music or whatever while in the store. There's been times where I've been painting stuff in store and chatting to the manager about what I do for work and so on.

Some of the ruder people feel they have a handle on what is expected of them in their job.

I have frequently found they had no clue to the reality.

Speak to the manager.
Describe the event and what that person said.
Describe how it made you feel.
Describe what you were thinking as "punishment" for being rudely treated.
Ask the manager what he can do to "fix" this problem.

Decide from there if you want to deal with that store again.

I have a particular dislike for suppliers acting like they are your customers. It always pays to set that viewpoint right.

Was it a discussion or was it turning into an argument? My bet is it was turning into a heated conversation about Xbox's new 'features' regarding content control which is utterly inappropriate in a store.

My local GW bans all talk about religion and politics and any discussions that start getting a little heated get ended, either by subject change or being asked to leave.

If your conversation was getting the least beat heated or negative or going in that direction I say good on the employee for intervening before it became a problem.

 Physh wrote:
Hell my local GW thankfully is the only one in Colorado. The manager knows people come in to talk and have fun with the hobby and it will transition sometimes in conversation to other stuff non gw related. On two separate occasions, about a month or so apart, I go in looking for a kit the FLGS doesn't carry. I am looking for it and he comes over and gets it then asks how the Avs are doing and talked about going to a game with on of his regulars. I shocked! The second time we caught up on work. My GW Manager treats everyone like a regular regardless if they are or are not. The other thing too is he helps the non GW FLGS by telling people to go here or there for other hobby related stuff they dont carry, or if looking for gaming on the days he is closed.

You talking about the one in Denver right? Yeah, the manager there's downright awesome every time I've been in when I lived in the Springs.

 SoloFalcon1138 wrote:
I'm going to go out on a limb here, but I suspect the OP won't say anything to the manager or cusromer service, but instead insist that GW stores are staffed by jerks for the rest of his life.

Seriously, talk to the manager. That's why he is there.

Wrong. I intend to speak to the manager as soon as possible.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
(Thanks for your responses everyone)

 Grimtuff wrote:
Yup, Liam is great. Lincoln's loss was Rotherham's gain. I came into this thread expecting someone to have a problem with him (as astounding as that would be).

Just take your business elsewhere. GW has some great staff, but it also has some major indoctrinated assclowns. Sadly the latter is becoming more prominent as the old guard fall away.

To true, i could have a chat with him. Lincoln GW seems like a hostile environment for now.

I was the guy buying the paint, the guy basically spent all hi s time with one customer(female) whilst I was trying to find the right colour for my dark elves, nd I ended up going thru it with another customer in the store nd I think I ended up buying the wrong one, I was stood by the paints for at leadt 5-10 mins, wandering from the boxes to the paints, nd then he reacts like that...

It wasnt getting heated at all, just discussing it, the chats we have had with Liam about random stuff is borderlining wierd nd just plain old wrong, if I spoke to customers like the way he did to us, id probably be having to look for another job...

The colour I did get says its the replacement for the old one"lich purple" but it looks too pale compared to the old one

Talk about what you want to.

He doesn't like it, tell him to mind his manners and feth off.

As to NOT talking about what you want, heck with that. You are free to do so, and exercise it whenever you want.

In case you missed it, this is the point of contention-


Our topic of conversation moved on however, (whilst still browsing the stock and inspecting painted miniatures and scenery), to the recent E3 advertisements regarding the latest consoles. PS4 and Xbox One. A few minutes into our discussion the store owner chimed up shouting "Is this a hobby related discussion?" - To which I was stunned. He asked us to take our conversation outside. I then told him I would, along with my money and not return to this store.
What irritates me the most is that all he has done here is alienate three of us from going to Games Workshop in Rotherham again. Because we weren't discussing a Games Workshop product in their store? Is it company wide policy to ban discussions based on anything other than their products in their store?

I mean, seriously? He "doesn't have a right?" Are you joking?

Assclownery at its best. Talk about what you want to, and that guy can shove it. That guy was a bonifide assclown TFG. Tell him so, as well. He needs to hear it from someone other then his parents.

OP, the guy was being a mutt and drunk on the power of Rule-aid delivered to him via tin-foil hat from the mighty GW. Ignore him, or taunt him a second time.

Or, you know, listen to the proprietor of the shop and complain upwards when you can.

Acting like a jerk to him does nothing but get you ordered out (and police called for a forcible ejection if you refuse that) which doesn't help your point at all.

rigeld2 wrote:
Or, you know, listen to the proprietor of the shop and complain upwards when you can.

Acting like a jerk to him does nothing but get you ordered out (and police called for a forcible ejection if you refuse that) which doesn't help your point at all.

Not going back there and telling a hundred other people why does even more. Especially when the tool in charge outright called the kid out on a baseless issue. kicked him out for talking about videogames? unless I missed where you insulted his mom.

Start no gak, if you want no gak.

How was this kid acting like a jerk? Talking about videogames, and looking an miniatures?


OOOHHHH, call the coppers!!!

What you really do is go down to your local chamber of commerce and file a complaint, but taunting him a second time is much more amusing... as well as squishing his head.

I would have shouted back " yeah! "
take out my sunglasses and

If I was browsing my local supermarket, computer games shop, or fast food restaurants with a friend, and happened to be engaged in discussion whilst doing so, I would be more than a little affronted if treated thusly. I would request their name, ask them why they felt the need to hassle customers in a rude and counterproductive fashion, and then write to their customer services division.

I don't believe I've ever heard of this sort of thing ever happening outside of a games workshop. Mainly because most businesses are aware that people will move on after twenty minutes, buy their things and leave. If someone settles in in a games workshop on a regular basis and never buys anything, that is different. But ejecting customers who stop to chat for ten minutes? Ludicrous.

 ascended_mike wrote:
As much as I love the Warhammer 40k hobby. It's miniatures and the people involved in it, today has left me with a very bad impression of Games Workshop.

In GW today, in Rotherham UK, me and a friend went to pick up some paints. The usual guy running the store was not there, instead was a staff member that usually comes to step in, in his place. We only called in to collect some paints and we got talking to two other 40k enthusiasts about their armies, how to improve their army lists, recent experiences against different opponents. (funnily enough, I spend alot of the time bigging up the new eldar codex and how much i suffered at the hands of it this weekend)

Our topic of conversation moved on however, (whilst still browsing the stock and inspecting painted miniatures and scenery), to the recent E3 advertisements regarding the latest consoles. PS4 and Xbox One. A few minutes into our discussion the store owner chimed up shouting "Is this a hobby related discussion?" - To which I was stunned. He asked us to take our conversation outside. I then told him I would, along with my money and not return to this store.

What irritates me the most is that all he has done here is alienate three of us from going to Games Workshop in Rotherham again. Because we weren't discussing a Games Workshop product in their store? Is it company wide policy to ban discussions based on anything other than their products in their store?

Don't get me wrong, the guy who regularly runs this store is ace. Honestly, one of the most decent guys you'll meet. I'll be calling up in future to make sure the regular manager is in that store. If he isn't, I won't be going there. Because I am quite frankly disgusted at being talked to like a child, by someone representing a company I have given quite a lot of my hard earned cash to recently.

Has anyone had similar experiences with GW recently?

This is normal company wide the world over.

Next time you're in try saying something sucks, and they will say "no it just has a different hobby challenge" seriously their employees are brutal soulless sell bots now more then ever.

 Ravenous D wrote:

 ascended_mike wrote:
As much as I love the Warhammer 40k hobby. It's miniatures and the people involved in it, today has left me with a very bad impression of Games Workshop.

In GW today, in Rotherham UK, me and a friend went to pick up some paints. The usual guy running the store was not there, instead was a staff member that usually comes to step in, in his place. We only called in to collect some paints and we got talking to two other 40k enthusiasts about their armies, how to improve their army lists, recent experiences against different opponents. (funnily enough, I spend alot of the time bigging up the new eldar codex and how much i suffered at the hands of it this weekend)

Our topic of conversation moved on however, (whilst still browsing the stock and inspecting painted miniatures and scenery), to the recent E3 advertisements regarding the latest consoles. PS4 and Xbox One. A few minutes into our discussion the store owner chimed up shouting "Is this a hobby related discussion?" - To which I was stunned. He asked us to take our conversation outside. I then told him I would, along with my money and not return to this store.

What irritates me the most is that all he has done here is alienate three of us from going to Games Workshop in Rotherham again. Because we weren't discussing a Games Workshop product in their store? Is it company wide policy to ban discussions based on anything other than their products in their store?

Don't get me wrong, the guy who regularly runs this store is ace. Honestly, one of the most decent guys you'll meet. I'll be calling up in future to make sure the regular manager is in that store. If he isn't, I won't be going there. Because I am quite frankly disgusted at being talked to like a child, by someone representing a company I have given quite a lot of my hard earned cash to recently.

Has anyone had similar experiences with GW recently?

This is normal company wide the world over.

Next time you're in try saying something sucks, and they will say "no it just has a different hobby challenge" seriously their employees are brutal soulless sell bots now more then ever.

no, it really isn't. A lot of people have totally opposite experiences with their local GWs. I have been going to multiple local GWs for almost 20 years including the USHQ and never had an experience even remotely similar to this.

No doubt it is a bad experience, but it is pretty trollish to just blatantly say it is like this everywhere is that is simply not true.

 Grot 6 wrote:

rigeld2 wrote:
Or, you know, listen to the proprietor of the shop and complain upwards when you can.

Acting like a jerk to him does nothing but get you ordered out (and police called for a forcible ejection if you refuse that) which doesn't help your point at all.

Not going back there and telling a hundred other people why does even more. Especially when the tool in charge outright called the kid out on a baseless issue. kicked him out for talking about videogames? unless I missed where you insulted his mom.

It doesn't matter why he kicked him out - as the property owners representative he had authority to tell the OP to gtfo.

Start no gak, if you want no gak.

How was this kid acting like a jerk? Talking about videogames, and looking an miniatures?

I didn't say he was. Your instructions, however, would have him being a jerk.

OOOHHHH, call the coppers!!!

Yes, the Employee is fully within his rights to get you escorted out - because if he's the only employee there he has the power.

What you really do is go down to your local chamber of commerce and file a complaint, but taunting him a second time is much more amusing... as well as squishing his head.

Meh, the chamber of commerce probably won't do anything - it's usually more effective to file a complaint with the employees boss.

Last time I was in a GW store, the staffer present talked about Game of Thrones for half an hour before I could even get a word in edgeways to ask for the location of the open copy of the new Eldar Codex. On the other hand, I've been told exactly the same thing by the other GW store in my area- don't be in the store if you aren't talking about warhammer. A bit sad, really.

AS others have said I would be sure to bring it up to the store manager, he seems like a good guy from the sounds of it, and give him a chance to respond. Assuming of course you have the conversation like an adult and not an upset fan boi (not saying you would, just a general statement) whether dealing with GW or any other company, if you a victim of what you believe to be poor service its always something that should be brought up politely to the right people which in turn gives them a chance to resolve the situation. If the guy in question is a dick and treats people like crap then nothing will ever change if no one says anything.

I have to say that I have always had a great experience in my GW. Our old manager was always great, and my experiences so far with the new guy have been positive.

First time I walked in when he worked he made the usual GW small talk (what are you working on, can I help you find anything, etc...). We talked for a bit about me trying to decide on expanding my true scale Raven Guard vs starting a new 40K army and then a bit of Fantasy stuff. After a few minutes of causual chat (not the awkward forced "I'm trying to sell you" chat) he told me that I looked like I knew what I was looking for and just to ask him if I needed any help. Then he went back to painting his store army.

I've had no problems playing with my Raven Guard and it's fill of third party pieces there either, including a certain company that is keeping them busy in Chicago.

rigeld2 wrote:

 Grot 6 wrote:

rigeld2 wrote:
Or, you know, listen to the proprietor of the shop and complain upwards when you can.

Acting like a jerk to him does nothing but get you ordered out (and police called for a forcible ejection if you refuse that) which doesn't help your point at all.

Not going back there and telling a hundred other people why does even more. Especially when the tool in charge outright called the kid out on a baseless issue. kicked him out for talking about videogames? unless I missed where you insulted his mom.

It doesn't matter why he kicked him out - as the property owners representative he had authority to tell the OP to gtfo.

Start no gak, if you want no gak.

How was this kid acting like a jerk? Talking about videogames, and looking an miniatures?

I didn't say he was. Your instructions, however, would have him being a jerk.

OOOHHHH, call the coppers!!!

Yes, the Employee is fully within his rights to get you escorted out - because if he's the only employee there he has the power.

What you really do is go down to your local chamber of commerce and file a complaint, but taunting him a second time is much more amusing... as well as squishing his head.

Meh, the chamber of commerce probably won't do anything - it's usually more effective to file a complaint with the employees boss.

Actually, depending on location, the GW staffer, in this case, may well have been the one breaking the law.

I know that is the case in Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and California - the store staff does not have sole discretion in regards to kicking somebody out, and, I know this may come as a surprise, but kicking people out for normal conversation would not be one of the viable reasons....

That said - I would never visit the store again, and counter recommend it to my friends, and folks on random websites... so even if the idiot behind the counter did have the authority, he is still an idiot.

The thing to do, aside from complaining, is still to tell both the store manager and GW that their policy has cost them sales.

The Auld Grump, for the record, there is no local GW store for me to avoid....

In this situation, I'd just think "what a bellend" and leave, never to return or give them money again. No point bothering with it in the long run.

 BryllCream wrote:
Guy is clearly a dick. Most gw staff will happily chat about anything nerdy, including video games.

This. GW employees tend to be really cool guys, one of them even joins our club's tournaments, asking us, with a smile, to not tell his superiors

I remember that time I was asked to leave Waterstones when a member of staff heard me talking about something that wasn't a book.

Oh wait, that never happened in any store I've ever been to. The person running this GW shop has some very odd ideas of customer relations.

 Howard A Treesong wrote:
I remember that time I was asked to leave Waterstones when a member of staff heard me talking about something that wasn't a book.

Oh wait, that never happened in any store I've ever been to. The person running this GW shop has some very odd ideas of customer relations.

Not really (in a way). I've seen this behavior from many of the more "indoctrinated" staff members at stores in which I've been a regular. "Hobby-related conversations only!" was heard all too commonly with certain managers. The best one I heard was from a guy at Warhammer world. My friend (who, incidentally now works for GW) was in a conversation with said staffer about how bad the Ultramarines movie was. His reply "It's our IP, therefore it's awesome".

Many of the personalities have been flushed out of GW. I remember having several wacky conversations with GW staff in the past that were very tenuously or not at all connected to wargaming. My aforementioned friend has a lot of leeway with what can be discussed instore, but even he reached his breaking point when covering GW Grimsby and a certain regular told him the fate of Robb Stark in great detail.

Makes me feel like I should count myself lucky that the staff at the Dudley branch are such an awesome bunch. Obviously they can't advocate swearing in the store (although ocassionally we all let one slip when our Warlord gets gibbed) but they're genuinely some of the nicest guys I know and I've spent many an hour sat discussing movies, video games, and other random world events with them without spending a penny in the store.

The man was clearly a tool.

I've experienced GW managers asking you to leave if you spend a long time in the store and you're not doing anything hobby related (i.e. Painting/Playing a game) but never anything like asking you to leave for talking about non-GW stuff. (To be honest, they usually join in)

nkelsch wrote:

 Ravenous D wrote:

 ascended_mike wrote:
As much as I love the Warhammer 40k hobby. It's miniatures and the people involved in it, today has left me with a very bad impression of Games Workshop.

In GW today, in Rotherham UK, me and a friend went to pick up some paints. The usual guy running the store was not there, instead was a staff member that usually comes to step in, in his place. We only called in to collect some paints and we got talking to two other 40k enthusiasts about their armies, how to improve their army lists, recent experiences against different opponents. (funnily enough, I spend alot of the time bigging up the new eldar codex and how much i suffered at the hands of it this weekend)

Our topic of conversation moved on however, (whilst still browsing the stock and inspecting painted miniatures and scenery), to the recent E3 advertisements regarding the latest consoles. PS4 and Xbox One. A few minutes into our discussion the store owner chimed up shouting "Is this a hobby related discussion?" - To which I was stunned. He asked us to take our conversation outside. I then told him I would, along with my money and not return to this store.

What irritates me the most is that all he has done here is alienate three of us from going to Games Workshop in Rotherham again. Because we weren't discussing a Games Workshop product in their store? Is it company wide policy to ban discussions based on anything other than their products in their store?

Don't get me wrong, the guy who regularly runs this store is ace. Honestly, one of the most decent guys you'll meet. I'll be calling up in future to make sure the regular manager is in that store. If he isn't, I won't be going there. Because I am quite frankly disgusted at being talked to like a child, by someone representing a company I have given quite a lot of my hard earned cash to recently.

Has anyone had similar experiences with GW recently?

This is normal company wide the world over.

Next time you're in try saying something sucks, and they will say "no it just has a different hobby challenge" seriously their employees are brutal soulless sell bots now more then ever.

no, it really isn't. A lot of people have totally opposite experiences with their local GWs. I have been going to multiple local GWs for almost 20 years including the USHQ and never had an experience even remotely similar to this.

No doubt it is a bad experience, but it is pretty trollish to just blatantly say it is like this everywhere is that is simply not true.

Not true? Have you been to a GW lately? All 4 in my area have posted rules and guidelines about what you can talk about in the store including "no non-GW discussion", so maybe before you jump on the defense bus maybe you should realise that the company has changed quite a bit in the last few years.

 Ravenous D wrote:

nkelsch wrote:

 Ravenous D wrote:

 ascended_mike wrote:
As much as I love the Warhammer 40k hobby. It's miniatures and the people involved in it, today has left me with a very bad impression of Games Workshop.

In GW today, in Rotherham UK, me and a friend went to pick up some paints. The usual guy running the store was not there, instead was a staff member that usually comes to step in, in his place. We only called in to collect some paints and we got talking to two other 40k enthusiasts about their armies, how to improve their army lists, recent experiences against different opponents. (funnily enough, I spend alot of the time bigging up the new eldar codex and how much i suffered at the hands of it this weekend)

Our topic of conversation moved on however, (whilst still browsing the stock and inspecting painted miniatures and scenery), to the recent E3 advertisements regarding the latest consoles. PS4 and Xbox One. A few minutes into our discussion the store owner chimed up shouting "Is this a hobby related discussion?" - To which I was stunned. He asked us to take our conversation outside. I then told him I would, along with my money and not return to this store.

What irritates me the most is that all he has done here is alienate three of us from going to Games Workshop in Rotherham again. Because we weren't discussing a Games Workshop product in their store? Is it company wide policy to ban discussions based on anything other than their products in their store?

Don't get me wrong, the guy who regularly runs this store is ace. Honestly, one of the most decent guys you'll meet. I'll be calling up in future to make sure the regular manager is in that store. If he isn't, I won't be going there. Because I am quite frankly disgusted at being talked to like a child, by someone representing a company I have given quite a lot of my hard earned cash to recently.

Has anyone had similar experiences with GW recently?

This is normal company wide the world over.

Next time you're in try saying something sucks, and they will say "no it just has a different hobby challenge" seriously their employees are brutal soulless sell bots now more then ever.

no, it really isn't. A lot of people have totally opposite experiences with their local GWs. I have been going to multiple local GWs for almost 20 years including the USHQ and never had an experience even remotely similar to this.

No doubt it is a bad experience, but it is pretty trollish to just blatantly say it is like this everywhere is that is simply not true.

Not true? Have you been to a GW lately? All 4 in my area have posted rules and guidelines about what you can talk about in the store including "no non-GW discussion", so maybe before you jump on the defense bus maybe you should realise that the company has changed quite a bit in the last few years.

I go to my local Gw and the Bowie bunker all the time as well as multiple other GWs in the area. I was in there this weekend. And my GWs all use Facebook to communicate about events and the goings on of the customers, like how a group of fantasy people from the local store went to a tourney together. The Facebook page is upbeat, useful, good information and active... But I thought GW was dumb and couldn't do Facebook? They all seem to do it here, and pretty damn good job at it.

You may claim to have bad experiences, but it is not at all universal and your claims it is universal is not true. I am not saying all GWs are the same, but you very clearly are trying to say all of them are the same and that are all terrible.

Have you been to a GW lately? You have claimed in many threads not to play GW games and your hardcore anti GW attitude makes me question if you actually go to GWs or just spout plausible deniability based upon other people's experience?

Its really awesome that your locals aren't like a lot of GWs in north America, I just find it difficult to believe that they act completely differently considering they all have the same boss and attend the same manager meetings. Im not saying you're lying, Im just jealous

Toronto area used to support more GW stores then any where in North America (one of which I worked at) , and that number has dwindled down to 5. 1 that I frequent often for paint and games (so the concept of GW getting rid of in store gaming is a serious piss off for me) 2 I wont step foot in because the managers are drones, the other 2 I haven't been to yet as they are new stores and out of the way but I know the manager of one and he is a cool guy and the other I think I know I just haven't gotten around to checking the store out.

Point is, all these stores have the same "no negative gw talk, no non-GW talk" policy, so you can imagine how my view can possible be bias to think that.

And I do actually play and enjoy the game, I just find ways so my hobby pays for itself, or finding a place with the best discount. My anti GW attitude comes from the fact GW is trying to screw with something that Ive been doing for 21 years.

It all comes down to this:

We are customers and to have a "supplier" feel they can dictate our behavior (never mind not even a posted policy) like we were some employee, really makes me want to respond in an uncivilized way.

I have a problem with something as simple as Starbucks requiring me to order a "Venti" rather than a large coffee.

This creating a corporate culture "environment" for the customer to condition them into the cult is annoying and makes me want to tell them to get over themselves.

I have enough people who want me to change for them I do not need some uppity company that wants my money to dictate how I behave.

<<<<rant ended>>>>

rigeld2 wrote:
????

So am I to understand you don't know about crunchy chocolate frogs, as well?

I'm familiar, but don't remember the sketch all that well.
Also, your tone didn't indicate anything like you were referring to a MP sketch.

Facepalm indeed.

Wel it boils down to the fact that some but not all people that work in GW stores are extremely strange and live in their own little GW universe.

A manager tried this once at one of the GWs I went to. Somehow the next week he was completely over it.

How about posting that it was the 3rd time you had been to the shop that day?
How about pointing out that you had already told the lad running the shop that ya wasnt purchasing anything til the following week as you were skint?
How about mentioning the fact that ya went into GW and was ranting on about console stuff to the point that it was another PAYING customer who had enough of listening to it so actually asked the lad running the store if he could deal with it.
How about manning up and not acting like a kid when asked politely if ya could stop.

Since i go into the shop regularly and have NEVER had any issues with the full time manager or and covering staff I think more than likely ya just easily butthurt.

What a sad state of affairs. @ the OP: I recommend you take your custom down the road to The Outpost in Sheffield, I'm pretty sure you won't suffer anything like that there.

Lutharr101 wrote:
How about posting that it was the 3rd time you had been to the shop that day?
How about pointing out that you had already told the lad running the shop that ya wasnt purchasing anything til the following week as you were skint?
How about mentioning the fact that ya went into GW and was ranting on about console stuff to the point that it was another PAYING customer who had enough of listening to it so actually asked the lad running the store if he could deal with it.
How about manning up and not acting like a kid when asked politely if ya could stop.

Since i go into the shop regularly and have NEVER had any issues with the full time manager or and covering staff I think more than likely ya just easily butthurt.

The amount of sheer presumption in this post is ridiculous.
You have no evidence he was ranting; You weren't there. You have no proof another customer asked them to leave. He isn't "Being childish" By making a formal complaint. The fact you used to term "Butthurt" Towards the end completely removed your credibility altogether.

blood lance wrote:

Lutharr101 wrote:
How about posting that it was the 3rd time you had been to the shop that day?
How about pointing out that you had already told the lad running the shop that ya wasnt purchasing anything til the following week as you were skint?
How about mentioning the fact that ya went into GW and was ranting on about console stuff to the point that it was another PAYING customer who had enough of listening to it so actually asked the lad running the store if he could deal with it.
How about manning up and not acting like a kid when asked politely if ya could stop.

Since i go into the shop regularly and have NEVER had any issues with the full time manager or and covering staff I think more than likely ya just easily butthurt.

The amount of sheer presumption in this post is ridiculous.
You have no evidence he was ranting; You weren't there. You have no proof another customer asked them to leave. He isn't "Being childish" By making a formal complaint. The fact you used to term "Butthurt" Towards the end completely removed your credibility altogether.

not really since i was talking to the chap who complained. I know as a FACT not a guess

And i never said or even suggested another customer asked for them to leave. Re-read if that helps

Lutharr101 wrote:
How about posting that it was the 3rd time you had been to the shop that day?
How about pointing out that you had already told the lad running the shop that ya wasnt purchasing anything til the following week as you were skint?
How about mentioning the fact that ya went into GW and was ranting on about console stuff to the point that it was another PAYING customer who had enough of listening to it so actually asked the lad running the store if he could deal with it.
How about manning up and not acting like a kid when asked politely if ya could stop.

Since i go into the shop regularly and have NEVER had any issues with the full time manager or and covering staff I think more than likely ya just easily butthurt.

Did you make that account just so you come in and post about it?

Seems strange a thread crops up stating that the GW staff that where covering that day where incredibly rude. And suddenly you decide to make an account on dakka and the only posts you make are about this subject. not even going to the introductions first.

Are you actually the GW staff member? Or someone wanting to be a white knight for that GW staff member?

Lutharr101 wrote:
How about posting that it was the 3rd time you had been to the shop that day?
How about pointing out that you had already told the lad running the shop that ya wasnt purchasing anything til the following week as you were skint?
How about mentioning the fact that ya went into GW and was ranting on about console stuff to the point that it was another PAYING customer who had enough of listening to it so actually asked the lad running the store if he could deal with it.
How about manning up and not acting like a kid when asked politely if ya could stop.

Since i go into the shop regularly and have NEVER had any issues with the full time manager or and covering staff I think more than likely ya just easily butthurt.

I like this guy. I'd buy from him and play in his store.

Edit: And if he's a customer, I'd totally play with him. Seems we're getting the other side of the story now. And knowing is half the battle!

 cerbrus2 wrote:

Lutharr101 wrote:
How about posting that it was the 3rd time you had been to the shop that day?
How about pointing out that you had already told the lad running the shop that ya wasnt purchasing anything til the following week as you were skint?
How about mentioning the fact that ya went into GW and was ranting on about console stuff to the point that it was another PAYING customer who had enough of listening to it so actually asked the lad running the store if he could deal with it.
How about manning up and not acting like a kid when asked politely if ya could stop.

Since i go into the shop regularly and have NEVER had any issues with the full time manager or and covering staff I think more than likely ya just easily butthurt.

Did you make that account just so you come in and post about it?

Seems strange a thread crops up stating that the GW staff that where covering that day where incredibly rude. And suddenly you decide to make an account on dakka and the only posts you make are about this subject. not even going to the introductions first.

Are you actually the GW staff member? Or someone wanting to be a white knight for that GW staff member?

The truth is the truth and thats it. Im no GW staff member or ass kisser thats for sure. I just prefer to see the whole truth not fragments of on side.

Id been on this site many many times but yes I did end up actually making the account to be able to post up the facts rather than one persons account. Is that a crime? Should the courts use this system to cos it seems flawless now ya put it that way.

 kronk wrote:

Lutharr101 wrote:
How about posting that it was the 3rd time you had been to the shop that day?
How about pointing out that you had already told the lad running the shop that ya wasnt purchasing anything til the following week as you were skint?
How about mentioning the fact that ya went into GW and was ranting on about console stuff to the point that it was another PAYING customer who had enough of listening to it so actually asked the lad running the store if he could deal with it.
How about manning up and not acting like a kid when asked politely if ya could stop.

Since i go into the shop regularly and have NEVER had any issues with the full time manager or and covering staff I think more than likely ya just easily butthurt.

I like this guy. I'd buy from him and play in his store.

Edit: And if he's a customer, I'd totally play with him. Seems we're getting the other side of the story now. And knowing is half the battle!

These one-sided internet complaints always seem to have one person totally innocent being besieged by a demonic a-hole out of the blue.

It does sound like if what Luthar says is somewhat true, it mirrors how I have seen multiple bad 'non-customers' thrown out of FLGS (not just GWs) for generally using the place as a clubhouse and bothering people.

In a vast majority of situations, it always seems to be the person having problems with a store the issue is usually with the person and they don't "get" it.

 kronk wrote:

Lutharr101 wrote:
How about posting that it was the 3rd time you had been to the shop that day?
How about pointing out that you had already told the lad running the shop that ya wasnt purchasing anything til the following week as you were skint?
How about mentioning the fact that ya went into GW and was ranting on about console stuff to the point that it was another PAYING customer who had enough of listening to it so actually asked the lad running the store if he could deal with it.
How about manning up and not acting like a kid when asked politely if ya could stop.

Since i go into the shop regularly and have NEVER had any issues with the full time manager or and covering staff I think more than likely ya just easily butthurt.

I like this guy. I'd buy from him and play in his store.

Edit: And if he's a customer, I'd totally play with him. Seems we're getting the other side of the story now. And knowing is half the battle!

lol ditto there fella.

truth be told Id have left it be but rotherham is a good store (while being very new) and I cant stand to see them pulled apart by everyone who dont even have the whole story. If people have the full facts and want to make up their minds that they hate GW or the rotherham store then thats down to them. Their lives not mine. The thread was kinda reading like a court case where only the prosecution were allowed to address the jury.

Yeah this seems more like the story I was expecting.

If you're in there making a lot of noise and annoying other customers by doing so, even unintentionally, the store manager has a right to ask you to leave. Obviously it's been a case of being excitable, but loud teenagers are hardly conducive for a pleasant shopping experience.

The sad thing about this experience by the OP is that it reinforces experiences that people have had in GWs in the past ( i remember similar crap happening in the 1990s).

GW do not understand how to make sales. The easiest way to make sales is to drop most sales techniques, establish a relationship with someone, then hit them with all the sales BS. You can't establish a true relationship with someone if you only talk about the product , that is the antithesis of establishing a relationship , and most people find being bombarded with product annoying.

Just my 2 cents having been a door to door salesman and a phone salesman.

Bullockist wrote:
The sad thing about this experience by the OP is that it reinforces experiences that people have had in GWs in the past ( i remember similar crap happening in the 1990s).

GW do not understand how to make sales. The easiest way to make sales is to drop most sales techniques, establish a relationship with someone, then hit them with all the sales BS. You can't establish a true relationship with someone if you only talk about the product , that is the antithesis of establishing a relationship , and most people find being bombarded with product annoying.

Just my 2 cents having been a door to door salesman and a phone salesman.

I started the hobby like 22 years ago. I stopped for close on 15 years (rough guess) cos I had kids etc. Everytime I went into a GW shop they would get giddy and Id walk out. Im to old n long in the tooth for that. Rotherham store was different. Still did the job of showing me around and explaining the changes etc, and for once I felt like starting up again. Since then Ive spent a fortune and all cos the manager was a cool kid and not a shark. Ill give it to liam he knows how to approach a customer weather its some clueless kid (or clueless big kid) or some rough necked vetran

It's because the Emperor doesn't like Xbox or PlayStation. He's Nintendo all the way.

Still the situation was handled poorly by the GW employee. If you are going to have a store that is very much dedicated to teenagers then guess what, teenagers will come in and behave like teenagers. So the kid was passionate about some gaming console, big fething deal isnt this what you would expect?

There are 100 better ways of handling something like that. Many of the policies that are implemented in GW stores are draconian, which is a really stupid way to run a business, especially in the retail sector.

I disagree 100% with JWhex.

If a customer is not acting in a civil manner and is disrupting the other customers, you show him the door.

If he returns and behaves himself, reward him with a game of 40k.

JWhex wrote:
Still the situation was handled poorly by the GW employee. If you are going to have a store that is very much dedicated to teenagers then guess what, teenagers will come in and behave like teenagers. So the kid was passionate about some gaming console, big fething deal isnt this what you would expect?

There are 100 better ways of handling something like that. Many of the policies that are implemented in GW stores are draconian, which is a really stupid way to run a business, especially in the retail sector.

But since it seems a good portion of the OP's post is exaggerated one-sided BS, we have no way of knowing if the GW person handled it poorly.

Asking loud non-customers disrupting paying customers to 'please quiet down or take it outside' to which the person freaks out and potentially makes a scene doesn't seem like it is the store's fault. I have seen many loud non-customers thrown out of retail establishments and I am the first to give the manager feedback that I was appreciative that they got rid of that person to make my experience better.

It still seems like people actually thrown out of GW and FLGS stores always seem to be people who deserved to be via their own actions... And they come to the Internet to whine and then get busted. Same goes when people throw temper tantrums at Tourneys and then dog on the TO or the event, the truth always comes out.

I am skeptical about the OP's situation being as he described and it sounds like he may have been asked to stop being disruptive or leave in an appropriate manner and the problem is with him.

 kronk wrote:
I disagree 100% with JWhex.

If a customer is not acting in a civil manner and is disrupting the other customers, you show him the door.

If he returns and behaves himself, reward him with a game of 40k.

If he was talking too loud or in an animated manner you politely ask him to lower his voice you dont drop the "GRR GW ONLY IN HERE, GTFO" bomb on him. If he persists or is swearing that is a different situation. Also, it is not if the person was directly bothering the other customer or even realized he was bothering him.

So I guess I 100% disagree with your approach as an over reaction instead of just trying to smooth the situation over which takes an equal or less amount of energy and produces less drama and hard feelings.

Bullockist wrote:
The sad thing about this experience by the OP is that it reinforces experiences that people have had in GWs in the past ( i remember similar crap happening in the 1990s).

GW do not understand how to make sales. The easiest way to make sales is to drop most sales techniques, establish a relationship with someone, then hit them with all the sales BS. You can't establish a true relationship with someone if you only talk about the product , that is the antithesis of establishing a relationship , and most people find being bombarded with product annoying.

Just my 2 cents having been a door to door salesman and a phone salesman.

When the manager of Rotherham was at Lincoln i would go in have a chat buy some stuff and leave happy. Last time i went i got a lot of pressure sales talk got pissed off and bought nothing. not been in since and buy my stuff online now

We don't know that he didn't ask the guy to calm down once or 10 times.

We also don't know that he's been asked several times in the past to keep it down. He is a regular customer.

They may have a no F-Bombs policy and have to enforce it with an iron fist.

Lots of unknowns, and we certainly don't have to agree on it, either way.

I can only imagine what that twerp would have done had I been talking about my ChapterHouse rhino doors! Hehehe

I talked about my Chapterhouse true scale SM in my GW, and I even have the okay to play with them there.

Of course I also went out of my way to have my models cleared by the manager before even bringing them up there. I talked to them about all my other models to make sure they followed the % rule about third party bits, and then I specifically told him about the PA marines and told him "only the legs are third party, but they are a company currently being sued by GW so I understand if you don't want me to bring them in here." He was okay with me playing them in the store and our official story (should anybody ask) is that they are an out-of-production Forge World thing. Like I said, my GW has had two cool managers. Of course that might also come down to two things:

1) as a customer I respect that it is a GW branded store, and I know that while I am there to enjoy the space to play I am also a de-facto advertisement for the game.
2) I clear things before to make sure that there is no problem, and I leave my third-party counts as models at home and make sure that what I do bring follows the rules. Their house, their rules.

Lutharr101 wrote:

blood lance wrote:

Lutharr101 wrote:
How about posting that it was the 3rd time you had been to the shop that day?
How about pointing out that you had already told the lad running the shop that ya wasnt purchasing anything til the following week as you were skint?
How about mentioning the fact that ya went into GW and was ranting on about console stuff to the point that it was another PAYING customer who had enough of listening to it so actually asked the lad running the store if he could deal with it.
How about manning up and not acting like a kid when asked politely if ya could stop.

Since i go into the shop regularly and have NEVER had any issues with the full time manager or and covering staff I think more than likely ya just easily butthurt.

The amount of sheer presumption in this post is ridiculous.
You have no evidence he was ranting; You weren't there. You have no proof another customer asked them to leave. He isn't "Being childish" By making a formal complaint. The fact you used to term "Butthurt" Towards the end completely removed your credibility altogether.

not really since i was talking to the chap who complained. I know as a FACT not a guess

And i never said or even suggested another customer asked for them to leave. Re-read if that helps

Well considering your facts wrong... (or aimed at the wrong person) I feel inclined to reply.

Firstly:
a) "How about posting that it was the 3rd time you had been to the shop that day?"

It was the first time I'd been into GW in weeks. I don't get chance to go in much because of work. I'd only got off work at half 2 and we got there around 3. I'd also like to point out the fact that I was never ONCE asked to be quiet. I had not been into that store multiple times in that day. I had been in once during that day. Perhaps one of the other fellows that were there had been in multiple times, but you are wrong in your assumptions. or you have been informed incorrectly.

b) "How about pointing out that you had already told the lad running the shop that ya wasnt purchasing anything til the following week as you were skint?"

Yes, I personally had told the GW staff member I wasn't buying anything today because I was skint. I say that EVERY SINGLE TIME I go into GW. Because firstly, I don't want them pushing sales on me. It irritates me. But every single time, I come out having bought something. Even if it is just one pot of paint.. I actually have some Tau fire warriors on order from Wayland games. They have taken 3 weeks to still not deliver the items I am awaiting. I was going to call them and cancel had they still not dispatched them, and pick up the items while I was in Rotherham as the £3 saving was certainly not worth waiting a month for items.

c) "How about mentioning the fact that ya went into GW and was ranting on about console stuff to the point that it was another PAYING customer who had enough of listening to it so actually asked the lad running the store if he could deal with it.
How about manning up and not acting like a kid when asked politely if ya could stop."

I, for one, was never asked once to quieten down. Politely or otherwise. That I was making too much noise or that I was disturbing other customers. I was advised, loudly, by an arrogant member of staff, that I was not allowed to discuss "non GW related hobbys" in a GW store. There was nothing polite about it. The guy running the shop was more interested in sitting with a female customer who was painting than addressing the fact my friend had come here to buy some paints. Even when prompted, my friend ended up asking another customer in the store to compare paints with him.

d) "Since i go into the shop regularly and have NEVER had any issues with the full time manager or and covering staff I think more than likely ya just easily butthurt"

Let me underline something. I am not for one minute saying anything bad about the Rotherham store itself, or the guy who usually runs it. I am not trying to tarnish it's reputation or smear anything negative around it. But that guy was out of line in my opinion. I came here with my experience, wondering if anyone had seen anything in common.


The whole thing has left a sour taste in my mouth.

(I'll add more later when I get chance. It's a bit ridiculous that it's been responded to in this manner I'll be honest.)

Edit:

I just wanted to point out I certainly wasn't swearing. There was a customer with a young baby in the store. I have a daughter. I'm not entirely unaware of the effects of swearing around children.
And we didn't come into the store and start ranting about consoles.. Someone was telling me about the PS4 advert during E3 when we were talked to like children.

I spent a good 45 minutes talking strategy and counter strategy with an eldar player before that!

Well ive gone over the top in some jokes etc while being in the shop and have been politelty asked to calm it down or flat out refrain from speaking such and Ive never had the urge to post up a thread slating them. Maybe cos at 37 Im mature enough to realise when Ive over stepped a mark.

Lets face it, contray to what alot of people try to project. GW stores are buinsesses not glorified drop in centres. Their life blood is the pound and pence. Without those stores being open these managers and staff memeber are on the dole queue.

Lutharr101 wrote:
Well ive gone over the top in some jokes etc while being in the shop and have been politelty asked to calm it down or flat out refrain from speaking such and Ive never had the urge to post up a thread slating them. Maybe cos at 37 Im mature enough to realise when Ive over stepped a mark.

Lets face it, contray to what alot of people try to project. GW stores are buinsesses not glorified drop in centres. Their life blood is the pound and pence. Without those stores being open these managers and staff memeber are on the dole queue.

We'd just come from work to pick up some paints.
Got talking about eldar.
Someone commented on E3, it was discussed for 2 minutes and we were told off.

Edit: Maybe it was even longer. Maybe it was 5 minutes. But it wasn't long enough for me to be told anything about that advert.

Lutharr101 wrote:
Well ive gone over the top in some jokes etc while being in the shop and have been politelty asked to calm it down or flat out refrain from speaking such and Ive never had the urge to post up a thread slating them. Maybe cos at 37 Im mature enough to realise when Ive over stepped a mark.

Lets face it, contray to what alot of people try to project. GW stores are buinsesses not glorified drop in centres. Their life blood is the pound and pence. Without those stores being open these managers and staff memeber are on the dole queue.

That's not what GW themselves say. They refer to their stores as "hobby centres" where you can come in and have natter. If they stop this, then what is their purpose? Everything else they provide can be bought online from their own website or cheaper elsewhere.

@Pitboy. Lincoln's glory days are long behind it. The old guard of Ollie, Tim, Stu, Morty etc. have all moved on. I was in today to *attempt* to look at the new Eldar stuff IRL all there was in there were the manager and 2 other staff I'd never seen before. I was immediately given the "He's just here to mooch" look (esp. after I was somewhat coy as to what my parcel contained which was the parts for an Extremoth. I was simply showing a little tact and not mentioning PP products instore. Go figure ) by all 3. I got my paints then got out.

I'm not sure GW realise how intimidating a store that has nothing but staff in it can be. You want to promote this as a social hobby then don't let people come in your stores except to buy stuff. That plan is about as nutty as squirrel gak to me....

I don't get how customers are being scared away by enthusiatic kids talking loudy about video games.

I am not talking about this case specifically but in general. Customers aren't wild deer spooked by movement or loud noises for goodness sake.

I must say I've spent quite a lot of time loitering in GW Glasgow and have never experienced anything like this.

 d-usa wrote:


1) as a customer I respect that it is a GW branded store, and I know that while I am there to enjoy the space to play I am also a de-facto advertisement for the game.
2) I clear things before to make sure that there is no problem, and I leave my third-party counts as models at home and make sure that what I do bring follows the rules. Their house, their rules.

I have a lot of ork 3rd party stuff too, and I took basically the same approach. They are generally OK with some head swaps here and there and all my old Epicast stuff, but it is not appropriate (and I agree) to show up in GW with straight up 100% non GW models. And if they ask me to put away models because they are non-GW, I do it and don't get upset about it.

It has never really been a big deal unless someone *makes* it a big deal, usually by making a scene in response to a reasonable request like "no Cursing, Don't loiter, don't loudly walk around the tiny store talking at full volume while on the phone, don't use or heavily promote 3rd party models, or don't be a generally disruptive pain in the ass."

 Holy~Heretic wrote:
I don't get how customers are being scared away by enthusiatic kids talking loudy about video games.

If it is a small store (I've never been there), or if they are being particularly loud as to impede other people's discussions, or otherwise be disruptive, then I think that the staff have every right to ask them to quieten down, or ask them to vacate the premises.

nkelsch wrote:

 d-usa wrote:


1) as a customer I respect that it is a GW branded store, and I know that while I am there to enjoy the space to play I am also a de-facto advertisement for the game.
2) I clear things before to make sure that there is no problem, and I leave my third-party counts as models at home and make sure that what I do bring follows the rules. Their house, their rules.

I have a lot of ork 3rd party stuff too, and I took basically the same approach. They are generally OK with some head swaps here and there and all my old Epicast stuff, but it is not appropriate (and I agree) to show up in GW with straight up 100% non GW models. And if they ask me to put away models because they are non-GW, I do it and don't get upset about it.

It has never really been a big deal unless someone *makes* it a big deal, usually by making a scene in response to a reasonable request like "no Cursing, Don't loiter, don't loudly walk around the tiny store talking at full volume while on the phone, don't use or heavily promote 3rd party models, or don't be a generally disruptive pain in the ass."

The old epic cast stuff was licensed by GW so they should be cool with that.

JWhex wrote:

nkelsch wrote:

 d-usa wrote:


1) as a customer I respect that it is a GW branded store, and I know that while I am there to enjoy the space to play I am also a de-facto advertisement for the game.
2) I clear things before to make sure that there is no problem, and I leave my third-party counts as models at home and make sure that what I do bring follows the rules. Their house, their rules.

I have a lot of ork 3rd party stuff too, and I took basically the same approach. They are generally OK with some head swaps here and there and all my old Epicast stuff, but it is not appropriate (and I agree) to show up in GW with straight up 100% non GW models. And if they ask me to put away models because they are non-GW, I do it and don't get upset about it.

It has never really been a big deal unless someone *makes* it a big deal, usually by making a scene in response to a reasonable request like "no Cursing, Don't loiter, don't loudly walk around the tiny store talking at full volume while on the phone, don't use or heavily promote 3rd party models, or don't be a generally disruptive pain in the ass."

The old epic cast stuff was licensed by GW so they should be cool with that.

You'd think so, but when it's older than many of GW's current staff; who will simply not even try to have a discussion with you about it under threat of you getting kicked out.

So, yeah...

I've never even seen an actual GW store.

After years of hearing about how terrible they are, I hope I never do.

 DeffDred wrote:
I've never even seen an actual GW store.

After years of hearing about how terrible they are, I hope I never do.

Because people will only report bad news...

The store in the OP I can imagine is great, simply due to Liam (the normal manager) being an all round top bloke, GW, like a lot of retail outlets has it's fair share of douchnozzles, it's just they can thrive, and even rule, in GW's toxic corporate culture.

things that did not happen: this story. Honestly, who believes this? I know you all think GW is the devil incarnate, but I really have a hard time believing any shop keeper would be this pedantic and juvenile. OP invented this story to smear GW, probably an associate of Chapterhouse or some such nonsense.

775B53 wrote:
things that did not happen: this story. Honestly, who believes this? I know you all think GW is the devil incarnate, but I really have a hard time believing any shop keeper would be this pedantic and juvenile. OP invented this story to smear GW, probably an associate of Chapterhouse or some such nonsense.

DEFEND THE KEEP!

Similar incidents have been reported in many other threads over the years. This is not an isolated incident.

Edited by AgeOfEgos

 DeffDred wrote:
I've never even seen an actual GW store.

After years of hearing about how terrible they are, I hope I never do.

Its not that big of an issue for those of us that live in the USA since GW stores are rare. There is a GW store about 60 miles from where I live and that is as close as I have ever been near one. Based on their facebook postings and responses it does sound like they have their fans, so they cant be that bad if people are going to their events and posting they had a good time.

With all the flgs in the area they would go out of business pretty quick if they behaved like some of the UK stores.

A lot of the stuff that GW apologists defend as store practices seriously would not fly in the US. I am as astonished at what some GW defenders say as I am at many of the practices in place at SOME GW stores.

Disruptive or not, I'm not really seeing how asking if it was a "hobby related discussion" was an appropriate question to ask, if he was moving the OP along for being disruptive, then he was being disruptive regardless of the subject matter of the conversation. Either they are being disruptive and should be asked to leave, or they are not.

Still, not like there's anything you can do about it. just another anecdote about how bad someone's experience in a GW was. At least this particular thread didn't make the common mistake of assuming it was some blanket dictat from Nottingham to all stores.

(oh and incidentally it was a hobby-related discussion, video games are a hobby)

775B53 wrote:
things that did not happen: this story. Honestly, who believes this? I know you all think GW is the devil incarnate, but I really have a hard time believing any shop keeper would be this pedantic and juvenile. OP invented this story to smear GW, probably an associate of Chapterhouse or some such nonsense.

I had the same disbelief.
I actually love GW and its products.

But, it happened. It's sad, but true.

ascended_mike wrote:
I, for one, was never asked once to quieten down. Politely or otherwise. That I was making too much noise or that I was disturbing other customers. I was advised, loudly, by an arrogant member of staff, that I was not allowed to discuss "non GW related hobbys" in a GW store. There was nothing polite about it. The guy running the shop was more interested in sitting with a female customer who was painting than addressing the fact my friend had come here to buy some paints. Even when prompted, my friend ended up asking another customer in the store to compare paints with him.

6
This, he was basically not paying attention to the store. He was that interested in the female customer that was there, that I could have put the paint in my pocket, and left and he wouldn't have been the wiser.

We had only just got to the store, and if it makes you happy, ill take a picture of the ticket I paid for, for parking. Will that be proof enough that I got there after 2:30 and not been before there multiple times. I could take a picture of my schedule for work that day if it pleases you Lutharr.

Honestly mate, if you are going to comment on a matter, please get your facts straight. I would have bought more from the store but they weren't carrying the models I am looking for(Ork Meganobz). So I just bought paints, my biggest gripe is the fact that not once did he offer to help me or even ASK if i was ok. That is poor customer service. The fact that he went all dictator on us and basically told us to leave because he didn't like it(or some other customer), was wrong, never talk down to your customers, talk to them like an adult, and you get respect back. He did not show ANY respect to the 4 of us that were talking there. It wasn't a loud conversation and if he had said, "can you keep it down lads" then we could have, we probably would have moved the top of conversation on. Considering there is a WHFB game coming out in the future(based around Rome Total War) we could have talked about that.

Liam never would have had an issue with the coversation that we were having. He would have joined in, considering the conversations we have had with him before, I honestly think this guy is a douche.

Which one of the 4-5 people at the back of the store were you then? Did you even notice me looking at the paints for at least 10 minutes? I bet ya didn't and neither did the guy running the store. If he is such a shining example of not doing anything wrong, please give me his name so I can send in a letter of reccomendation for promotion for this guy because clearly I am wrong about him!

Charax wrote:
Disruptive or not, I'm not really seeing how asking if it was a "hobby related discussion" was an appropriate question to ask, if he was moving the OP along for being disruptive, then he was being disruptive regardless of the subject matter of the conversation. Either they are being disruptive and should be asked to leave, or they are not.

Still, not like there's anything you can do about it. just another anecdote about how bad someone's experience in a GW was. At least this particular thread didn't make the common mistake of assuming it was some blanket dictat from Nottingham to all stores.

(oh and incidentally it was a hobby-related discussion, video games are a hobby)

That is exactly what my friend said to the GW guy as we were leaving.

 DeffDred wrote:
I've never even seen an actual GW store.

After years of hearing about how terrible they are, I hope I never do.

Visit one just for the experience of being stalked and harassed during your entire visit.

Charax wrote:
Disruptive or not, I'm not really seeing how asking if it was a "hobby related discussion" was an appropriate question to ask, if he was moving the OP along for being disruptive, then he was being disruptive regardless of the subject matter of the conversation. Either they are being disruptive and should be asked to leave, or they are not.

Still, not like there's anything you can do about it. just another anecdote about how bad someone's experience in a GW was. At least this particular thread didn't make the common mistake of assuming it was some blanket dictat from Nottingham to all stores.

(oh and incidentally it was a hobby-related discussion, video games are a hobby)

And this, he said that, and I responded with "yes" because they are a hobby to me also, just like cycling and snowboarding(one of the rarer ones I wish I could go more often).

775B53 wrote:
things that did not happen: this story. Honestly, who believes this? I know you all think GW is the devil incarnate, but I really have a hard time believing any shop keeper would be this pedantic and juvenile. OP invented this story to smear GW, probably an associate of Chapterhouse or some such nonsense.

Okay...

Let me tell you tale from Manchester NH.

Empire Games (Closed)

I go there with my friend (the one I refer to all the time here on Dakka) to play with my brandnew SoB army. He plays Necrons. We both also sign up (and pay) to join a RT later that month.

After my first game, which I was crushed (fitting for a Necron vs Sob game) I didn't feel like using the army and was sad I didn't bring my Marines or Deathguard.

Luckily, a fellow named Jamie (perhaps one of the coolest gamers I've met) was there and was more than willing to show my friend the finer points of the game.

Another friend of mine had called me during the first game and asked if I could pick him up from a party that evening. I desided to just head out early and join the party.

Leaving my friend to continue gaming I made a few stops to get some errends done and drop my army off at home. I get to the party when it's winding down and pick my friend up.

So now friend #1 is at the store and friend #2 (and his GF) are drunk in my van. I get a call from #1, he's done gaming and needs a ride home.

So I go back to Empire Games and tell my friends "Just wait here, I'll be out in a sec". So I walk in and see #1 and Jamie picking up their armies.

We talk for a few minutes and then I hear the bell ring as someone walks in. It's friend #2... With a beer in his hand... (drunk people ).

The owner of the store sees the drink and begins SCREAMING "GTFO of here!" Then he grabs a baseball bat and runs at my frined, he then pushes him out the door.

Now this is where things get strange. He pushes my friend off his property and then strikes him in the head with the bat.

For those of you who don't know US/NH law he just assaulted my friend with a deadly weapon (because he aimed at the head, not the collar bone).

All this happened in front of me, Jamie and a child. The owner then runs backinside, locks all the door and starts ranting about how drunks are ruining the town and he's dropping F-bombs left and right.

He calms down slightly and then looks at me... "Is that a**hole with you?" "I'm his ride" I answer. "Then you can GTFO! Too!" Then pointing to friend #1, "You can GTFO too!!!!"

So calmly I look at friend #1 and say "Let's go man... Before (#2) kills this guy." So we leave. In the span of a few moments #2 has destroyed every potted plant in the parking lot.

We jump in the van and leave. I tell #2 he's an idiot. And my #1 and I spend the rest of the night gaming at my place.

So me and #1 come up with a reasonable plan. His friend is visiting from mass on the weekend and plans on blowing $500 at this "new gaming place".

#1 and I think if we walk in and each spend about $200 each and explain that the other friend (#2) isn't a model gamer (he had Tyranids but was not really into the hobby).

So we walk in the next day (the store extremely packed with kids playing magic and adults rockin' out to 40k) money in hand and apologies on our tounges.

We take about 3 steps and the bat comes out. The owner gets in my face (literally, violating my person space which resulted on him spitting on me, also assault) SCREAMING "GTFO".

He says I'm not the type of gamer needed and that I'm a disgrace to the game (every single adult in the store new me personally from Dakka Dakka FLGS, and most would disagree).

I say "Alright, let's go (#1) and spend our money elsewhere, to which he shouts "FU you never spent any money here anyway!" To which we laugh and say "Could we have our fees for the RT back then?"

Making him have to walk back around the counter, put his bat down and spend a moment giving us ourr money back. During this time I was looking at al the other people in the store (many are friends) shrugging.

I don't think the owner even recognised me as the guy who had been buying Confrontation models over the past few weeks.

Supposedly his store was closed a short while later...

Though I don't know the reason why I could imagine it had something to do with him swearing at kids for not tucking in their chairs and just basically being foulmouthed and angry all the time.

Interestingly enough I spoke to several police officers and state troopers about the bat issue. They all agreed that I should have gone to my friends rescue and beaten the owner to a pulp.

Once he pushed my friend off the property he had doen his job and should have walked back inside. (I should point out he had pinned him to a steel gate w/ nowhere to run).

When he struck my friend with a bat to the face he threw all reason out the window and my friend had the right to stab him to death in self defence (#2 often carries more than one blade on him).


TLDR: Dumb stuff happens in the nerd community. I don't doubt any of the stories I hear.

One time at band camp.....

 Ravenous D wrote:

 DeffDred wrote:
I've never even seen an actual GW store.

After years of hearing about how terrible they are, I hope I never do.

Visit one just for the experience of being stalked and harassed during your entire visit.

For someone who reputedly worked for GW, you should know that the reason isn't simply the playbook but rather the fact that they use secret shoppers to report back on the employees and whether they're following that playbook.

775B53 wrote:
things that did not happen: this story. Honestly, who believes this? I know you all think GW is the devil incarnate, but I really have a hard time believing any shop keeper would be this pedantic and juvenile. OP invented this story to smear GW, probably an associate of Chapterhouse or some such nonsense.

Lay off the green. It is making you a tad bit paranoid.

 cerbrus2 wrote:

775B53 wrote:
things that did not happen: this story. Honestly, who believes this? I know you all think GW is the devil incarnate, but I really have a hard time believing any shop keeper would be this pedantic and juvenile. OP invented this story to smear GW, probably an associate of Chapterhouse or some such nonsense.

Lay off the green. It is making you a tad bit paranoid.

Disreguard him. His few posts are just attacks on Chapter House.

 Kanluwen wrote:

 Ravenous D wrote:

 DeffDred wrote:
I've never even seen an actual GW store.

After years of hearing about how terrible they are, I hope I never do.

Visit one just for the experience of being stalked and harassed during your entire visit.

For someone who reputedly worked for GW, you should know that the reason isn't simply the playbook but rather the fact that they use secret shoppers to report back on the employees and whether they're following that playbook.

Yeah and if you scored 100% you get a free trip to warhammer world. Which is nearly impossible, and after you sell them the box, the paint set, and white dwarf subscription it was pretty obvious.

How it used to be was "hey guys how are you doing?" "Is this your first time here?" then the follow up questions, most of the time they say "nah man just looking" which then you leave them be and just say "well if you need anything let me know".

Compare that to now:

"Hi welcome to games workshop my name is" "Do you know what we do here?" "what are you working on right now?" "what do you need to finish that?" "what paints do you need to finish that?" "what hobby tools do you need to finish that" "Do you need glue?" and this happens regardless of the customer saying "just looking". They either chase you out of the store or get your buy something, all well and good as they are sales men, but it makes anyone that gets chased out tell other people "Jesus Christ I just got hounded to death".

I'm just glad that I have the most atypical GW in the world that somehow manages to violate every rule in this playbook and make it pleasurable to visit.

If you go in there and always make a point of only buying a pot of paint or a brush then you can't really complain if you're just standing around chatting about random stuff with your friend. GWs are tiny, and if you are simply taking up space and time by chatting about games consoles then you're taking up wall space and cluttering up the store.

Most ridiculous part is, when the regular guy is there, I could (and HAVE) spent hours in there. We've talked about everything
From pokemon to horror movies. To more adult and down to earth conversations.

He asked me to bring my friends along to do some painting. We did. And between us spent over £200 in the process.

He made me want to go back because he created an atmosphere where i felt comfortable.

That business plan worked.

This one guys has backfired.

Please the few customers at the back of the store by expressing your authoritah!? Come on. Its an expensive hobby as it is. You dont have to tell me twice to leave your store.

To be fair, he didnt kick us out. But i wasn't for one minute going to stay in that particular store with that member of staff acting like he did.

No need.

4 Pages and still no word on a official complaint to the manager?

 BryllCream wrote:
If you go in there and always make a point of only buying a pot of paint or a brush then you can't really complain if you're just standing around chatting about random stuff with your friend. GWs are tiny, and if you are simply taking up space and time by chatting about games consoles then you're taking up wall space and cluttering up the store.

See above.
Ive spent there many a time.
Actually last time i bought a zoanthrope and the paints for him.
But you're right. FLGs from now on I guess.
Vallejo paints too?
And buy all my armies n codices off eBay?

Lets get one thing straight.
If they don't want my custom, I can still fulfil my hobby needs
At a better price.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 pities2004 wrote:
4 Pages and still no word on a official complaint to the manager?

I've said I will, next time he is in store.

 ascended_mike wrote:

 BryllCream wrote:
If you go in there and always make a point of only buying a pot of paint or a brush then you can't really complain if you're just standing around chatting about random stuff with your friend. GWs are tiny, and if you are simply taking up space and time by chatting about games consoles then you're taking up wall space and cluttering up the store.

See above.
Ive spent there many a time.
Actually last time i bought a zoanthrope and the paints for him.
But you're right. FLGs from now on I guess.
Vallejo paints too?
And buy all my armies n codices off eBay?

Lets get one thing straight.
If they don't want my custom, I can still fulfil my hobby needs
At a better price.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 pities2004 wrote:
4 Pages and still no word on a official complaint to the manager?

I've said I will, next time he is in store.

Yet I'll spend more in a GW if the place isn't cluttered up with people acting like it's a social club. If anything I think the GWs I frequent are too reluctant to kick out loiterers.

 BryllCream wrote:

 ascended_mike wrote:

 BryllCream wrote:
If you go in there and always make a point of only buying a pot of paint or a brush then you can't really complain if you're just standing around chatting about random stuff with your friend. GWs are tiny, and if you are simply taking up space and time by chatting about games consoles then you're taking up wall space and cluttering up the store.

See above.
Ive spent there many a time.
Actually last time i bought a zoanthrope and the paints for him.
But you're right. FLGs from now on I guess.
Vallejo paints too?
And buy all my armies n codices off eBay?

Lets get one thing straight.
If they don't want my custom, I can still fulfil my hobby needs
At a better price.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 pities2004 wrote:
4 Pages and still no word on a official complaint to the manager?

I've said I will, next time he is in store.

Yet I'll spend more in a GW if the place isn't cluttered up with people acting like it's a social club. If anything I think the GWs I frequent are too reluctant to kick out loiterers.

I imagine if I worked in a store on my own all day I would get lonely.
The regular store manager usually gets deep into random conversations about all sorts. Probably because he's bored. But it keeps us coming back. And keeps us spending our cash in that store.

This time, we were stood around discussing 40k. Explaining our army lists.. conversions etc... someone brought up a non GW topic and the guy shut it down. What difference does it make, honestly?
Because they want monopoly on everything? Including conversations. I just don't even...

i find it quite amusing that instead of doing the grown up thing and speaking to the manager (or above) about this alleged outrageous behaviour you decided to instead go to the internet and bitch about them instead. Hmmmmm

Im also wondering what the massive fixation is that you had about some "customer" being female. So if the guy is talking to another guy thats a customer then thats ok, but if said customer is female its an issue?

Dude - give it a rest.

At this point I am a heck of a lot more likely to believe someone had a bad experience in a GW store than pretty much anything that you have to say.

Up to and including if you claimed that rain is wet.

If anything, you are confirming my nascent opinion that the store deserves to fail.

The Auld Grump

Wow, we have the internet tough guy story about how he could have legally murdered someone and been in the right. All is right with the internet, this thread is going places.

"Hi welcome to games workshop my name is" "Do you know what we do here?" "what are you working on right now?" "what do you need to finish that?" "what paints do you need to finish that?" "what hobby tools do you need to finish that" "Do you need glue?" and this happens regardless of the customer saying "just looking". They either chase you out of the store or get your buy something, all well and good as they are sales men, but it makes anyone that gets chased out tell other people "Jesus Christ I just got hounded to death".

Well for non-anti-social people, these are relevant questions which adults who interact with others might have.

Introducing yourself is good manners, Asking if I know what the store is about is totally reasonable. If I know what the store is about and say I play, it is reasonable to ask what I am working on, which I usually say "40k Orks" and what I am working on. (or they know what I am working on and ask me how it is coming alone")

I am constantly needing help with paints because I have old colors, I just ran out of bestial brown and wanted to get a exact match as well as another brown for a project and wanted to see what covered well. So he demoed some of the house browns for me to see as well as pulling out his conversion list. Super helpful to me.

Last time I was in, I got a helpful quick rust effect technique which actually worked well for me.

So that whole conversation takes maybe like 10 minutes, is actually useful to me as a consumer, is polite manners and I actually enjoy talking to people.

"just lookin'" is a very antisocial, rude response. What you call an unreasonable hard sell, I call good customer service. Even if it is 'their job' to be over the top in your opinion, the dude is doing his job, why heap scorn on the guy and get all bitter and bent out of shape over it? If talking about 40k or your modeling projects for 10 minutes makes you mad, you must practically flip tables if mcDonalds asks "do you want fries with that". I hear they have meds which can help out with that.

What you call 'good customer service' I call 'taking my business elsewhere'.

I despise the hard sell. A fair number of people do.

When I tell someone 'just looking' I am saying it because 'bugger off, I know what I'm looking for, you skunner' would be rude.

Whether I am browsing or getting something specific I know what I am doing, and do not want some prat nattering at me.

When I am looking for Tinny Tin then I am looking for Tinny Tin, not a box of foundation colors.

The Auld Grump

And if you are the secret shopper they get fired for not doing their job if they leave you alone. They get paid to bug you, just ignore them. Works for every place that I walk into that has sales people that can get overbearing.

But apperantly every GW except mine sucks...

 TheAuldGrump wrote:
Dude - give it a rest.

At this point I am a heck of a lot more likely to believe someone had a bad experience in a GW store than pretty much anything that you have to say.

Up to and including if you claimed that rain is wet.

If anything, you are confirming my nascent opinion that the store deserves to fail.

The Auld Grump

you want a store to fail because someone on the tinterwebs said a stand-in staff memeber hurted his ickle feelings?

If anything you just confirmed your a hater for the sake of hating, thus anything you have to say on the matter is dedundant.

 d-usa wrote:
And if you are the secret shopper they get fired for not doing their job if they leave you alone. They get paid to bug you, just ignore them. Works for every place that I walk into that has sales people that can get overbearing.

But apperantly every GW except mine sucks...

No. If they continue then I will tell them off, and leave a complaint.

It may be corporate policy, but that is a reason not to do business with them, not a reason to put up with sales-yammer.

Honestly... I do not know how widespread that nonsense is in GW stores - I read plenty of reports of decent, friendly, and helpful GW stores, and some reports of the sales folks pulling out the sale speak....

And then I read some post by a white knight that convinces me that only the reports by the second group can possibly be correct....

More likely... there are a large percentage of friendly helpful clerks - but that when they face a new potential customer they have a script that they must follow, even if it costs them the sale.

This won't affect familiar faces (as much), but for a first time buyer?

Ah, well... as far as GW sales are concerned I am already a lost cause.

The Auld Grump, may the gods above and below forfend GW opening a store within mine locale.

*EDIT* To be clear - you are not the 'white knight' that I am referring to. I just wanted to mention that before accidentally insulting you.

I have no problem with insulting folks, but doing so accidentally lacks polish....

Yeah, I just have the one GW in our state and it is 5 minutes from my house. So I peek in there every now and then. So that is my own experience with GW.

The first manager was great, and the second one is great as well. But maybe that is just because he was trained by the previous good guy.

I don't claim that every GW is great. Just putting my own experience out there that not every GW sucks.

 d-usa wrote:
And if you are the secret shopper they get fired for not doing their job if they leave you alone. They get paid to bug you, just ignore them. Works for every place that I walk into that has sales people that can get overbearing.

But apparently every GW except mine sucks...

I can add three more to the list, so there are four GW stores total that don't suck, but I'm not going to say where they are to keep the TFG's from converging on them.

Anyway, I have nothing to say about the veracity or lack thereof of the OP's complaint, but the one time that I ever knew someone to get booted from a GW store, it was a guy who got into a heated rule dispute during a tournament and took a swing at his opponent, and got banned from the store. There were several other stores around, GW and otherwise, so I'd run into him from time to time at 40k themed things, and his favorite topic of conversation was bitching about what an donkey-cave the GW manager was, all the complaints he'd filed with GW corporate, and how the manager had singled him out for no reason at all.

He seemed completely oblivious to the fact that while he was doing this he was talking to people who'd actually been there and knew he was full of gak. It was a little weird.

Again, I want to make it very clear:

GW Rotherham is usually a very excellent. The guy running it is excellent.
This was one occasion. I wanted to see if anyone had experienced anything similar, and bring up the fact that I was outraged.

And I have *am* calling the manager of that store today to discuss it. I will be explaining the situation to him in it's entirety and it will be swept under the carpet.

I haven't come here to bitch and moan, I've come here to express my concern and seek advice from a community of people that may have shared similar experiences.

Please don't assume anything negative about GW: Rotherham, because it is the best GW I have had the pleasure of going to.

This was one occasion, with one GW staff member, who was very rude.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Lutharr101 wrote:

 TheAuldGrump wrote:
Dude - give it a rest.

At this point I am a heck of a lot more likely to believe someone had a bad experience in a GW store than pretty much anything that you have to say.

Up to and including if you claimed that rain is wet.

If anything, you are confirming my nascent opinion that the store deserves to fail.

The Auld Grump

you want a store to fail because someone on the tinterwebs said a stand-in staff memeber hurted his ickle feelings?

If anything you just confirmed your a hater for the sake of hating, thus anything you have to say on the matter is dedundant.

As much as your posts are constantly driving digs at me on a personal level.
I most certainly do not want the GW rotherham store to fail in any way, shape or form.

Still, drop the attitude and discuss this as the grown up you keep claiming to be.

I was more shocked that he told me I wasn't allowed to discuss a non GW hobby related topic. That was the key thing for me.
Him telling me to leave if we were being too loud, that I could understand.
If I had been in 3 times like you (or someone else) had claimed, and still not bought anything, and was being too loud and annoying people.. I could understand.

But the underlining fact was that I was told I wasn't allowed to discuss a topic that was not "hobby related". And by "hobby related" he meant Games Workshop hobby related.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 d-usa wrote:
Yeah, I just have the one GW in our state and it is 5 minutes from my house. So I peek in there every now and then. So that is my own experience with GW.

The first manager was great, and the second one is great as well. But maybe that is just because he was trained by the previous good guy.

I don't claim that every GW is great. Just putting my own experience out there that not every GW sucks.

The GW rotherham store certainly does not suck people. I'd suggest going there over any other (provided you live within range of it).

The sheffield one is actually closer to me, but I still go to the Rotherham one because the guy usually in that store is ace.

it would seem that the only grown up response would have been to jump on the bandwagon at the threads conception and join in on the witch hunt.

 ascended_mike wrote:
Most ridiculous part is, when the regular guy is there, I could (and HAVE) spent hours in there. We've talked about everything
From pokemon to horror movies. To more adult and down to earth conversations.

He asked me to bring my friends along to do some painting. We did. And between us spent over £200 in the process.

He made me want to go back because he created an atmosphere where i felt comfortable.

That business plan worked.

This one guys has backfired.

Please the few customers at the back of the store by expressing your authoritah!? Come on. Its an expensive hobby as it is. You dont have to tell me twice to leave your store.

To be fair, he didnt kick us out. But i wasn't for one minute going to stay in that particular store with that member of staff acting like he did.

No need.

Reminds me of the Great Southern Heresy scandal from my days. I was one of the Heretics btw. We lost a lot of good Managers/Full and Key Timers in those dark days I tell you.

 ascended_mike wrote:

I imagine if I worked in a store on my own all day I would get lonely.
The regular store manager usually gets deep into random conversations about all sorts. Probably because he's bored. But it keeps us coming back. And keeps us spending our cash in that store.

This time, we were stood around discussing 40k. Explaining our army lists.. conversions etc... someone brought up a non GW topic and the guy shut it down. What difference does it make, honestly?
Because they want monopoly on everything? Including conversations. I just don't even...

No but since you practically brag about buying bugger all in the store, then insist on standing there having a conversation about something that has nothing to do with the hobby, you can't whinge when he asks you to take it outside.

Lutharr101 wrote:
it would seem that the only grown up response would have been to jump on the bandwagon at the threads conception and join in on the witch hunt.

It's not like that at all. There is no witch hunt.
I am all for you defending the guy and explaining the situation. But if you re-read your posts, you've made more than one personal dig in my direction. Your attitude casts a shadow over the statements you make. I am all up for having a healthy debate but there is no need to get personal.

If me and the other 3 guys were far too loud, then I can understand. I would have apologised and quite simply shut up and moved on.
If he wasn't happy with me being in the store having not purchased anything. If he didn't like my attitude, my dress sense, my hair. If I smelled funny. If I looked aggressive and violent. If I was stepping mud through his store. If I had picked up too many models and he thought I might be out to steal something. If he thought I was a daemon from the eye of terror sent to drag him off and eat his face.

All of the above would be more viable than what he actually said.

But it wasn't about that, it was about being told we couldn't discuss this particular "non hobby related topic". That is the underlining fact of this entire experience for me. My friend says he neglected to help him find paints that he wanted too. All in all, it was a disappointing end to an otherwise "okay" visit.

If the regular store manager was there, (I try not to use his name but it has been mentioned) then it would have been an entirely different 45 minutes. Honestly, probably ending in me buying some Tau Fire Warriors...


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 BryllCream wrote:

 ascended_mike wrote:

I imagine if I worked in a store on my own all day I would get lonely.
The regular store manager usually gets deep into random conversations about all sorts. Probably because he's bored. But it keeps us coming back. And keeps us spending our cash in that store.

This time, we were stood around discussing 40k. Explaining our army lists.. conversions etc... someone brought up a non GW topic and the guy shut it down. What difference does it make, honestly?
Because they want monopoly on everything? Including conversations. I just don't even...

No but since you practically brag about buying bugger all in the store, then insist on standing there having a conversation about something that has nothing to do with the hobby, you can't whinge when he asks you to take it outside.

I think you need to re-read my posts.

 ascended_mike wrote:

I think you need to re-read my posts.

Okay.

ascended_mike wrote:Yes, I personally had told the GW staff member I wasn't buying anything today because I was skint. I say that EVERY SINGLE TIME I go into GW. Because firstly, I don't want them pushing sales on me. It irritates me. But every single time, I come out having bought something. Even if it is just one pot of paint..

GW don't survive on paint sales. If you're rude to the guys who work there (persistantly lying to someone), loitering around the store having personal conversations, then spending £2.30 on a pot of paint...GW probably don't need your custom. But they do need the custom of people who're put off by people like you.

If me and the other 3 guys were far too loud, then I can understand. I would have apologised and quite simply shut up and moved on.
If he wasn't happy with me being in the store having not purchased anything. If he didn't like my attitude, my dress sense, my hair. If I smelled funny. If I looked aggressive and violent. If I was stepping mud through his store. If I had picked up too many models and he thought I might be out to steal something. If he thought I was a daemon from the eye of terror sent to drag him off and eat his face.

see comments like this make me believe that maybe ya not a complete donut afterall
The issue was weather it was your intention or not a witch hunt was in effect (re read the thread if you im just making that up). I dont consider the store manager a dude who runs the local store but a mate. And to be frank he was a tad stressed about the whole thing (even if he wasnt there), which in turn makes me a tad narked. And this ties into what Im actually the most annoyed about. Since you knew the store manager, knew he was a cool kid yet still came on here to voice what happened before even speaking to the guy. What was wrong with just accepting the stand in guys stance and then speaking with the real manager once the chance arose?

But anyways Im done with this now its getting boring to be honest. It just ends up with the same stuff being said over an over, ive a missus for that

anyways peace out
ive a store to help out make some orky tingymajig

 BryllCream wrote:

GW don't survive on paint sales. If you're rude to the guys who work there (persistantly lying to someone), loitering around the store having personal conversations, then spending £2.30 on a pot of paint...GW probably don't need your custom. But they do need the custom of people who're put off by people like you.

Lying to someone to cut off a sales pitch in a polite way is hardly being rude, and yes GW can't survive if people just buy single pots of paint BUT... If he wasn't taking up the staffs time or using their facilities the profit on the paint gained GW far more than his presence cost them, therefore profit to GW.

People coming in and being put off from buying paint is more detrimental to GW's bottom line than customers buying paint.

The markup on the paint must be huge, as in a pricing discussion elsewhere it's been pointed out to be about 60% more expensive than other companies paints.

In summary, as far as GW are concerned: single pot of paint = not great, no pots of paint = bad.

I have spoken to the regular manager of this particular store and he has addressed my concerns. The stand-in member of staff had been told by another customer that we were distracting them from painting.

Had that member of staff addressed the situation differently, possibly asking us to be quiet, or move to the other side of the store, or even telling us to go outside in a polite fashion, the situation could have been avoided... But, we were discussing a topic that was non-relevant to being in that store.

Still, there are no hard feelings from my stand point. And the manager expressed the same. And I hope anyone reading this understand that I am certainly not trying to cause any trouble within GW for any of the managers or stores.

My friend is going in to GW rotherham today to purchase some items that he would have otherwise purchased on that day, and I will be going in on Wednesday next week similarly to purchase things too.

It was unfair of the manager to speak to me in that fashion and it was unfair of me to post here without speaking to GW first. I don't want anyone to think negative of the guy running the GW rotherham store. I don't know the other staff member well enough to comment any further except that I simply had a bad experience with him.

It's all water under the bridge now. I'm sure hands will be shaken and we'll all move on from it. I do not want it to escalate beyond where it has already gone.

I wanted to know what GW's policy on "non hobby related topics" being discussed in their store was. And in truth, now I know. And I'm sure the rest of you do as well.

Let's leave it be. Thanks for the responses everyone. I appreciate your replys. I would like this topic locked in order to prevent further escalation of this situation.