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GWs will no longer have their own set of paints/paintbrushes on their painting tables for general use.

Anyone other than first-timers in for their introductory paint lesson (restricted to the hobby starter paint set) must use their own paint and paintbrushes.

This is apparently an international initiative starting from the beginning of next week or the week after (beginning Monday).

I understand that some stores already have this policy but this is becomming company-wide. As far as I understand this will include even if you buy directly from that store on the day - them's the rules.

Well that's a first. I've never known GW stores to do that.

First time I've ever heard about GW stores offering clients to use their brushes.

Seems a little stupid anyway, what with all the slack-jawed idiots dipping the entire brush + ferrule into the pot of foundation.

Yeh, I don't blame them from taking it away. Though it'd be stupid to also remove it for the academy things they do.

Whether this is true or not, I can see why. I'll go back a few years at one of the Local GW Stores I used to go to. Before 2006. All paints were kept in a standard GW case. You had to ask permission to use the paint (as well as other hobby tools) and were responsible for it's return. This kept theft, cross contamination of paints and damage to the hobby tools to a minimum.

Then the company went to the paint carousels concept, which lead to the increase of problems. Then again their target audience in age started to go lower, which lead to the lack of responsibility by their target audience, which lead to an increase of overhead per store. And so on. I've stopped going to that GW store because of the cross contamination of paints and the screaming 8+ years old kids that the parents would leave at the store so they can go shopping somewhere else at the strip mall.

If what the OP has stated to be true then this (IMHO) is another cost cutting measure being implemented.

n0t_u wrote:Yeh, I don't blame them from taking it away. Though it'd be stupid to also remove it for the academy things they do.

In my region of the US they renamed this as Boot Camp. Absolutely nothing like what it was before and I really miss it.

Never heard of a store doing this before, and I don't blame them. I bet they get a ton of stuff lost to people just pocketing it, or kids breaking it, or hell just the general waste of paintbrushes.

Most UK stores I've been to had this policy.
It's nothing new.

It'll be weird. My local GW still had a communal paint station supplied by the store. Every time I dropped in, there were a dozen models in progress on the table from customers.

I wouldn't be surprised if I don't see any anymore. I really don't see the point of carting hobby supplies in there when you can just do it at home.

But there had to be people out there abusing it to the level it didn't really keep working out as advertising. I've seen the odd Necron army empty out entire pots of wash before.

Then again issues like that could have been solved on a case to case basis rather than a blanket policy.

I didn't even know they were letting people paint for free. Everyone I know began by purchasing their own paints.

But you know GW is scraping the bottom of the barrel for precious dimes when they begin to forbid promotional investments.

Next comes the "Give us all the spare change you find between your couch cushions and we'll mention your name on our website for a nominal fee!" campaign.

A certain GW store in the suburbs of Adelaide once refused to let me paint my GW miniatures, with my (own) GW paints, because I wasn't using a GW brush.
This does not surprise me in the least.

Yay, my first post!

Actually you've got to have some sympathy with GW here. Its pretty common that people don't respect things that dont nelong to them. Paints and brushes do cost money so you don't want to be continually replacing them because stupid kids stir paint with them and scrub them about.

Neblin wrote:A certain GW store in the suburbs of Adelaide once refused to let me paint my GW miniatures, with my (own) GW paints, because I wasn't using a GW brush.
This does not surprise me in the least.

Yay, my first post!

WOW.

I would hate to have to have that job, if they are instructed to act that way - I don't care what anyone says, the game is a hobby, and people need to be allowed to engage in the hobby the way they want, or else they won't play the hobby, or buy from said stores that prohibit stuff like that.

As long as you spend money in the store, it should be ok.

No skin off my nose, last time I painted in a GW I asked if it'd be ok to use my own brushes, water pot etc, simply on hygiene reasons. Ofcourse since none of my brushes were GW and clearly so (W&N and Army Painter mainly) and my water a simple small glass jar the "Yes" answer was mildly surprising and appreciated.
The manager appreciated the fact many of us have a habit of putting brushes in our mouth, indeed he did it himself and apparently it has been a health hazard before in some stores.

I'm not supprised at all. Infact I thought that was already the case. Every time I go in to the two stores near me each one seems to have the same group of kids hanging around. It dosen't get people in, quite the oposite. It always puts me off going in the smaller store as you can't get to half the stuff as the paint station is in the way, filled up with the same kids week in week out. All it seems to do is give them some free paint and brushes.

Neblin wrote:A certain GW store in the suburbs of Adelaide once refused to let me paint my GW miniatures, with my (own) GW paints, because I wasn't using a GW brush.
This does not surprise me in the least.

Yay, my first post!

One of those just raffled off their old painting table for the 25th anniversary celebrations. I don't think it'd be a change for them, though.

Its actually a bizarrre policy to allow customers to use paints and brushes for free, and then try to sell them paints and brushes.

Luckily my local GW lets me use any brand of paint in the store, any brushes, and even lets us use after market parts like non GW shoulder pads or weapons as long as the majority of the model is GW.

It's a love hate relationship for me. I love the store manager out here and I love the games, but I still hate the company from a customer perspective.

So basically this is a GW whine thread about a rarely enjoyed privilege st worm few-and-far-between GW stores? C'mon, try and be a little less creative and a little more realistic before starting another hate-fest...

My local GWs been doing this for years

This was the way it used to be at my local GW a few years back (Don't know about the current situation as I rarely go now days since I wont pay 200% for things....) but it was only something you saw before 3pm on weekdays......

lol that is they would let some folks use their stuff.

marv335 wrote:Most UK stores I've been to had this policy.
It's nothing new.

This.

Howard A Treesong wrote:Actually you've got to have some sympathy with GW here. Its pretty common that people don't respect things that dont nelong to them. Paints and brushes do cost money so you don't want to be continually replacing them because stupid kids stir paint with them and scrub them about.

and this.

My local GW for years had the infamous pots of "baby blue" and "soft pink" after a kid batch painted a load of Horrors of Tzeentch and contaminated two pots of white paint in the process. Said same kid also spilled a supersize coke from McDonald's on the store's board too. I figure they only let him keep coming in was cause his parent's were dead rich.

Not a problem. Does this mean I can use my special brushes now?

Bah! they're not doing this because they want you to leave their paints alone, its because they want you to buy their precious brushes and tools.

That said, I do have all their paintbrushes from when I bought a mega-paint set, but I still think its wrong.

Then again, I respect the stated reason that kids contaminate the paints. I remember once I left a chaos black out, a kid took some [without permission, but I'm not all that worried about people borrowing paint.] He tips the pot over - doesn't tell anyone and just used the spilt paint. he doesn't try and clean up or even close the pot, just ignores the problem.

The mother was fairly good about buying me a replacement, but that alone makes me feel they're justified in their decision. I suppose maybe they should lessen it to 'you can use a paint or brush if you don't have it yourself or you left it at home.' but that may just apply to the regulars.

SoloFalcon1138 wrote:So basically this is a GW whine thread about a rarely enjoyed privilege st worm few-and-far-between GW stores? C'mon, try and be a little less creative and a little more realistic before starting another hate-fest...

Why are you white knighting against an imagined slight? The OP isn't whining, he stating a point, rather objectively.

It's completely reasonable to not supply free copies of products that the company sells to customers who have already decided to take the plunge into the games. Having some paints on hand to use on new customers to gain their business is understandable. Hell GW only has a few paints worth using currently, washes and foundations being most of them(and perhaps silvers). Everything else is offered by Reaper or Vallejo for less money per bottle and more paint per bottle.

Scipio Africanus wrote:I suppose maybe they should lessen it to 'you can use a paint or brush if you don't have it yourself or you left it at home.' but that may just apply to the regulars.

Appart from everyone whould then "forget" everything. Regulars, for me, are part of the problem.

It always amuses me how the staff want to chat to me for ages about my force, not trying to sell me anything, but just to have an adult to talk to.

Why would you want to paint in a GW store anyway?

Ehsteve wrote:GWs will no longer have their own set of paints/paintbrushes on their painting tables for general use.

Anyone other than first-timers in for their introductory paint lesson (restricted to the hobby starter paint set) must use their own paint and paintbrushes.

This is apparently an international initiative starting from the beginning of next week or the week after (beginning Monday).

I understand that some stores already have this policy but this is becomming company-wide. As far as I understand this will include even if you buy directly from that store on the day - them's the rules.

That was the standard when GW was still on Metrotown here. Bring your own paints and brushes unless it was a intro paint lesson.

Metro didn't even want you to paint in their store after a while. I don't know if it's still in effect but it was SOP for a while here.

Lepuke wrote:Why would you want to paint in a GW store anyway?

For me? At one point it was crap lighting at home and the social aspect. There are a myriad reasons why, not all GW stores are full of kiddies, esp. on weekdays when you can have a few of people the same age have a painting sesh.

Now, I paint PP stuff, so painting at a GW is not an option for me.

our store is very good with this kind of thing, is you ask (due to forgetting the paint for example) they are ok with it, just dont make a habit of it lol.

as for painting in store, when its not too busy and my gaming group o mates is there, its a very good enviroment to get stuff done, when its busy, forget it lol

Vermillion wrote:
The manager appreciated the fact many of us have a habit of putting brushes in our mouth, indeed he did it himself and apparently it has been a health hazard before in some stores.

Yes to me personally that is the main reason to not let people use public brushes etc in a store. Good call on that GW.