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This is an expensive hobby. Most of us admit that, and try to find ways of doing it on the cheap. ebay, second-hands, scratchbuilds, etc.
Being in Australia adds an extra expense element, due to some ridiculous taxes we have on the importation of 'luxury' goods. For example, whilst the Aussie dollar is worth about ninety-something US cents at the moment, and a standard infantry kit costs $35 US, we pay $50 for it down under (rather than the ~$40 strict conversion rates would imply).
Maelstrom games means I can buy a box set for around $30 AUS; a 40% saving on the retail price.

So when someone at my games club is considering opening up a new games store; there is one non-GW games store within a thousand kilometers of me, and its still a one hour drive. The area needs his store, and I would hate to see it flounder, but I'm a uni student trying to minimise my spendings on everything...

Aside from petitioning GW/the government to lower prices, what would you do?

It can be an expensive hobby, no doubt about that. One of the great pleasures of it can be spending time at a FLGS. I would have to ask myself if the pleasure for me of having a store nearby was worth the extra cost. I am sure that's exactly the choice facing your fellow local gamers. If enough of them think it is worth it then the store will do well. If not it will fail. I don't think you have a duty to financially support it just because the guy is a friend. You should only spend on it if the benefit to you is worth it. It's never good to do business with friends because it skews the logic of the relationship. That's not to say you can't help him with spreading the good word etc. Just don't give him your money unless you are getting enough for it. If he isn't offering enough then as a friend I would be telling him so. His other potential customers are unlikely to be so helpful.

Move to the US?

When I played CCGs, it was always in a store, so I always ordered from that store. I was paying 15-25% more than my friends, but I was supporting the guy that stayed open late on Thursday nights for us to play and hosted tournaments. I always bought at least a handful of packs when I went there.

Now, I play 40k at my home or my friends home. Twice a year, I play at a FLGS (because one friend lives on the other side of Houston). I buy ~85% online. When I play at the game store, I always buy something. The rest I get at a local store that I never play at, mainly because I needs some paints or something fast and I see something else I want (Box of nobs, drop pod, whatever).

You have to be your own morale compass.

1. Where do you play now?
2. Are you going to be playing at his store often?
3. How well do you know this person?

Pay where you play.

FLGS, Maelstrom takes too long and their moneyback system is odd at times. Though the FLGS is annoyingly desperate to get across that you should dip your minis and not do a lot of effort on them.

Even though it costs a little more Every weekend when i got to my FLGS I order a unit for the new army im working on (currently skaven). I do hunt on e-bay and all that other stuff, but normally only bid if i can get it at less than 2/3 cost with shipping.

I dont mind shelling out the extra money because its helping him stay in buisiness, and he lets us play for free!

I'm a big proponent of buying locally to support your FLGS. Book's comment amuses me because one of the few things I advocate Not buying is the Army Painter Dip because of how ungodly expensive it is compared to Minwax.

If you play there, buy there. That would be my advice matey.

If it's not your regular gaming haunt (I'll let you quantify what regular is in your own case) then I say get it where you want. But if you game there pretty often, it's polite to support them.

Hell, why not ask for some kind of student discount from your FLGS? Does no harm to just ask.

Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:If you play there, buy there. That would be my advice matey.

If it's not your regular gaming haunt (I'll let you quantify what regular is in your own case) then I say get it where you want. But if you game there pretty often, it's polite to support them.

Hell, why not ask for some kind of student discount from your FLGS? Does no harm to just ask.

the student discount isnt a bad idea. Im a registered nurse and my wife is a teacher, between the two of use we get discounts just about anywhere.

My FLGS is about 45 min away, so Im there maybe once or twice a month, and usually only 1 or 2 games (his hours dont match my drive very well). He used to give a discout on everything, but hes been cutting it back. It also isn't his actually business, just a side thing. He is really using the sales to pay for his stuff more then profit. That being said he is the one that got me into the hobby and I do try to support him when I can. I get about 50% of my models and 100% of my supplies from him. It is very hard because he is a friend and I'd love to give him all the money I spend on the hobby, but when I can get some of the same things for almost half the price elsewhere, I can't justify it. I'd say the shipping would offset, but it doesn't. Often I can order something and get it for the same cost as gas and not have an hour and a half of driving to get it.

Actually, the $50 box is about $26.65AUS, So it's closer to 51%-53% of the GW price.

I try to split it in a 25-75 split, 25 being GW. There are somethings you can get from GW that you can't from Maelstrom(Play a fringe army? You'll know what I mean). It depends on how much you have to spend on it, and how fast you want to have your army up and running for a game.

I used to pay in my FLGS, buy they closed. Now in my city there is only an official GW store, wich is not very friendly. So now, Maelstrom, if they have stock.

Maelstrom.

Australian prices are absurd, and a 'touchy feeling' feeling from ordering from a LGS won't change that.

Current exchange rate + Maelstrom's inherent discounts give us, currently, prices akin to GW staff discount.

If you intend to play at your buddy's store, then in order to be a decent human being and good friend, you should buy your stuff from him too. Ya never know he might appreciate it and hook you up with some discounts or free stuff.

yeah you can get some things off ebay here and there, but you gotta spend money at your favorite store if you want the place to stick around.

The shop i order from gives a 15% discount on your order, since he doesnt carry GW stuff because its just to much of a money sink.. He also gives a 10% discount if you work in public service (which he defines as teachers, military, cops, firefighters, and medical personel.) So i get 25% off my order!

I buy almost everything from him. He is also really cool about people selling armies in his store, not one of those stuck up take it outside owners. He actually encourages us trading armies or buying armies from each other to keep us interested in the hobby.

If I game at the store or hang out there for an extended period of time; I feel almost obligated to buy however that pressure comes from myself than the employees. For me it doesn't seem right otherwise

For large orders though; internet all the way. Maybe your FLGS can work out a deal that can get you a similar discount to places like Maelstrom.

Another option is to offer a barter of services for your friends store in exchange for a discount.

Offer to run a league, tournament or even the regular 40k game night. Offer to work friday night or sunday for him (owners of small retail stores tend to put in a LOT of hours, getting some prime time with the family will likely be worth something to them).


Later,
WR

I buy almost everything from my FLGS. The only exceptions right now are a bit from Warstore as I have some store credit, and whatever I swap on the Dakka Swap Shop. I'm a big proponent of the "pay where you play" mentality, and I get a discount for running the 40k group there.

The Warstore!

Hey, I play at home so.....

I used Maelstrom for the first time about 2 weeks ago. I think I placed the order on Good Friday and the stuff was here in the mailbox within 10 days. Also, for what I bought, once I factor in the cost of gas, parking, lunch and road tolls, the price is 40%, yes 40% of what I'd have to pay at the local GW.

Maelstrom for the win.

Depends. I'd like to buy more stuff at my FLGS because it's where I play and the staff are cool guys, but I simply can't afford to blow my money there when I can get around 40% off everything from Maelstrom.

I know how you feel I get 20% off all the stuff I buy just from buying retail price from USA or UK. I paid 75 CAD for a Cadian Battleforce from Wayland Games as opposed to 115 (+13% taxes) retail at my local Games Workshop, I buy my paints there and that occasional pack of cadians because I don't want GW shutting down the last GW store in my province, but I really couldn't afford this hobby without online purchase (What got me in the game is Apoc).

i normally supported the FLGS, however i am stationed in germany, and with the USD not doing so well against the Euro, buying from the local GW or other LGS is just unreasonable most of the time.

the things i do still buy from the local shops are things that are exclusive to GW, or paints and that sort of thing.