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I'm sure GW has realized that everyone uses magnets these days, so why don't they try to profit off of it? If they made modelling kits to use on their stuff, I'm sure people would buy them! For example, a special kit for the land raider that's a magnet that fits inside the inside door and another piece that fits inside the sponson. This could be done with a variety of kits, for relatively cheap on GWs part. So yeah, I'll make this a poll to see what you guys think.

Would you buy Magnets if GW sold them?

i think "No, other companies sell them for cheaper than GW would" should be an option.

there are currently plenty of places to get magnets from, and quite frankly, I don't think games workshop can produce and sell them for cheaper (with better quality) than the other companies. just what i think anyway.

ding 4th post

GW sells basic materials such as superglue and green stuff for more than three times the normal price. If they sold magnets, the price alone would be a deterrent even if they came in packs specific to Land Raiders etc...

I think GW would rather sell two Land Raiders than give people the option for multiple variants in one kit.

Magnets encourage people to use modelling skills to convert figures and get more mileage out of less money spent on kits.

For example, magnetising your Tyranid Warriors to swap the weapons around instead of just buying more kits.

Voted maybe - the second maybe option since GW do not sell generic modelling supplies cheap and I don't believe that GW will change their position any time soon.

I would buy them if I really couldn't wait for a shipped order to come through.

If I used magnets (I play Daemonhunters. I'd like to have enough options to warrant magnetising), unless they were priced competetivly (the words "Games Workshop" and "competition" are not things that should be heard in the same sentance), I wouldn't buy them, simply because I could get them for cheaper, and without having to walk into one of those damned GW stores, where the people in there are enough to make my skin crawl.

GW wouldn't sell magnets. It might prevent them from making a profit. After all, I would only need 1 kit for 9 options as opposed to 9 kits for 9 options.

Kiddies would eat them.

They would give kiddies bowel obstructions.

Kiddies need surgery, or they die.

GW looks bad.

This is why my rare earth magnets are on the top shelf of the cupboard, so my 18month old son (and our dog) is kept well away for them.

GW would never do it as they would then sell less models.

OFF TOPIC: With magnets what do you do? First paint each piece then assemble the miniature?

I agree with Kilkrazy, they don't do it because a lot of people do just buy 5 of the same kit to make lots of models with different weapons.

If they did it I am sure people would buy them though. Their glues sell very well, and they are very easy to get cheaper, so I am sure magents (which can be a pain to find) would sell just as well.

Pockets wrote:i think "No, other companies sell them for cheaper than GW would" should be an option.

there are currently plenty of places to get magnets from, and quite frankly, I don't think games workshop can produce and sell them for cheaper (with better quality) than the other companies. just what i think anyway.

ding 4th post

QFT

Xca|iber wrote:

Pockets wrote:i think "No, other companies sell them for cheaper than GW would" should be an option.

there are currently plenty of places to get magnets from, and quite frankly, I don't think games workshop can produce and sell them for cheaper (with better quality) than the other companies. just what i think anyway.

ding 4th post

QFT

By that reasoning they wouldn't sell overly expensive PVA glue.

Rare earth magnets are a relatively new hoby development, GW might get there yet!

4M2A wrote:I agree with Kilkrazy, they don't do it because a lot of people do just buy 5 of the same kit to make lots of models with different weapons.

If they did it I am sure people would buy them though. Their glues sell very well, and they are very easy to get cheaper, so I am sure magnets (which can be a pain to find) would sell just as well.

GW's glues sell very well for the same reason that candy, gum, tabloid magazines, etc do at the grocery stores.

They're a convenience item. You go to the checkout, you get rang up and decide "Oh, yeah I'll take this too. I could use some".

Magnets don't have that same idea, nor are they something you'll see "amateur" modelers do. And let's face it: most people who shop at a GW for hobby supplies?

They're not going to generally be aware of magnetizing, etc.

Plus, as Waagh said: they're a choking hazard for children. And some adults, since some are stupid enough to put things in their mouth as jokes.

As above, its much more profitable for them to sell extra minis...

Think about it, as GW would you rather sell 1 Pred and a bunch of magnets, or 2 Preds? (Feel free to substitute Pred with anything else here)

First of all, your poll options are bogus. I love how the only "No"option has "I hate GW!" tagged onto the end of it. Clearly non-biased.

Second, I would vote no, but not because "I hate GW!". It's because if GW did make magnets, they would be too expensive and not really worth buying. That and in an effort to make even more money, they would probably just sell one set of them with random sizes, so if all you wanted were 1/8" or another size, you'd have to buy multiples of the same overpriced set in order to get enough of what you want. Much easier to just go to eBay and buy what I want at a reasonable price from there.

Third, as it's been pointed out already, GW has been trying harder and harder to market their product to stupid little kids who would probably eat the damn things. I'm still surprised they sold laser pointers.

To the OP:
For the same reason that they don't make modelling tools, glues or paintbrushes.

It's cheaper to buy someone else's in bulk at wholesale and add your own name and markup.

For the prices magnets go for these days, they can't afford to compete with the few companies that DO make them and the prices they sell for.

I would only buy one type of magnet from GW, and that was a giant one that I could use to pick up all my metal models at the end of the game just by sweeping it over the battlefield!

I know GW is working on something like this, but instead of picking up models, it will be a big pole shaped magnet set into the doorway of any GW store so that when you walk in it just sucks all the cash out of your pockets!

People buy more expensive glue and such from GW because it's there, they don't have to go shop somewhere else. But magnets are something you only use if you're a bit savvy, so most people who use them would go on buying online for competitive prices. And, as pointed out above by some people, GW doesn't want to make magnets a standard part of building gaming models, because that would mean people have to buy fewer kits to use all the options.