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It's available from a John Menzies account, thank goodness really. We are a convience store, but anyone with a Menzies account could get one.

When we first opened the store I bemoaned the fact we wheren't covered by a WHSmith wholesaler, glad we're in a Menzies area now.

So yeah we stock WD, mainly as I have one each month and they send extras.

reds8n wrote:

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

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

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

I assume the delay is at least partially BH related.

I picked mine up at WHsmiths on 07/01...

I guess this is one area were we are lucky in Australia, as I can always find a copy of WD in just about any newsagent at the same time it comes onto the shelves if my local GW store. Who wouda thunk it that we have better availabilty than UK or US.

Meh. Got a sub meself.

Worth noting though I picked up a copy of Prospero Burns from Smiths the other day, and got it a pound cheaper than it's price.

Just sayin'...quids a quid these days!

End of an era I guess. Whilst I get mine from a FLGS nowadays my interest in 40k was first piqued when I saw a White Dwarf in WHSmiths and picked it up. Had a great cover with a picture of a group of Ultramarines. Got me into the hobby then so kind of nostalgic to see it all come to an end now.

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

Wouldn't surprise me if Smiths aren't selling enough copies, there always seems to be a wad of them left sitting on the shelves for weeks. WHSmiths are the biggest newsagent retailer in the UK so don't want things wasting their shelf space. The GW page says they will 'no longer be selling White Dwarf through WHSmith stores' which on the face of it sounds like it was their choice but assuming a little spin being put on it then it could equally be the case that Smiths don't want to buy their magazine any more.

I'd be surprised if GW would willingly stop selling WD through Smiths and only distribute it through smaller newsagents and hobby stores. I've never seen a copy of WD in a Tescos or Asda, surely Smiths was one of the places where they could get some public exposure.

Having said all that WHSmiths have obviously been struggling in recent years. They always have huge sales come the end of the financial year to recoup losses and their attempts to branch out into CDs and DVDs are pretty weak. Few people go buying music and film in Smiths unless it's in one of those sales I mentioned.

Apart from smiths selling CDs and DVDs (VHS videos back then) for at least the last twenty five years, what you say sounds about right.

I can't see GW deliberately cutting back on one of their most widespread revenue streams.

I wonder what White Dwarfs UK circulation verses say Wargames Illustrated. I know my local FLGS sells more No Quarters than White Dwarfs but I'd be foolish to assume much based upon that information.

You know, I reckon it's because GW realised nobody buys magazines from Smiths. People just go in on our lunch breaks and read them. Smiths kind of is like a library for magazines... without the borrowing part obviously.

This is true Flashman, its the main reason why I have never bought a copy of WI before last month. Just read the odd article, scan the rest then go a buy a choccy bar. Thanks WHS

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

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

Oh drats, yeah I used to get mine early from smiths.
Then walk into store and talk to the store manager, actually the store manager was at smiths also looking through the new WD at the same time. To be honest i'd let WH Smiths off, they are a good retailer and it isn't the WH Smith's managers fault that the store staff put everything out when they recieve it.

I think this is probably another ploy to get people to go to GW stores and have a brows rather than go to WH Smiths and have a sneeky early read.

Ah well, I will continue to read it it tesco while the mrs does the shopping.

Only bought the spearhead issue for the spearhead rules. First issue I've actually bought in years.

ceorron wrote:To be honest i'd let WH Smiths off, they are a good retailer and it isn't the WH Smith's managers fault that the store staff put everything out when they recieve it.

It's policy to put magazines out as they are delivered.

notprop wrote:This is true Flashman, its the main reason why I have never bought a copy of WI before last month. Just read the odd article, scan the rest then go a buy a choccy bar. Thanks WHS

You and me too, notprop. [Sigh]

Used to be available at Barnes & Noble in the states. Back when I worked there, loved to grab it the day we got them in.

I used to get my copy from WH Smith, as it was the closest retailer.
The fact that WD's no-longer on sale at WH Smith, is no skin off my nose, stopped purchasing this useless magazine some months ago, I get more relevant information off the net and its free.