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Guys, on the net, I thought, wouldn't it be great to do a 'Louis Theroux' in a GW store, y'know, ask very controversial/heated questions to a staff member in an innocent way!
So what I wanna know is "Has anyone said anything to a GW staff member about their high prices?"

I haven't and I don't know anyone who has; I doubt it would go down all that well with the staff.

I don't think it'd be as much of a "social experiment" or as ironic as you think. I think it would garner you an eye rolling at worst, and a joke about it at best. I have a feeling they hear about how expensive it is every day from parents.

I'm sure people do. But why go in and do it on purpose? You're not annoying GW, just the one guy who works there.

My point of veiw is a bit biased, as I own a game store. Know how fun it is to have a gamer come in and yammer on about high prices to you for 10 minutes? It gets old quick. Especially since I don't set the prices. I'd rather talk about gaming, painting, drinking beer, or combinations of the three.)

One of the staff in WHW the other day had a moan at me about how expensive his metal GK army was to collect.

I don't think they're ignorant about the expense, but at the same time there's nothing they can do about it.

I have, we used to have a store and I was asked why I never placed large orders like I used to. I flat out told him that I could get up to 25% off MSRP if I ordered through a different FLGS.
He was a little angry but I told him in a calm & definitive way that 25% off a $100-$300 order was too much money to not take the discount. Combined with the fact I still bought the occasional box he wasn't willing to ban me.

Once... though it wasn't at a GW store.. there was a fellow from GW at Chiller Convention (a horror and garage kit show) who I had a breif "discussion with" over why their stuff was a pricy as the GKs...

GazzyG wrote:One of the staff in WHW the other day had a moan at me about how expensive his metal GK army was to collect.

I don't think they're ignorant about the expense, but at the same time there's nothing they can do about it.

GW staff get a 50% discount, so his army isn't going to be as expensive to collect as a non-gw employee.

GW staff are trained in sales, and part of that is having confindence and knowledge of your product. I used to sell high end above ground pools, and people would express shock at the price all the time. I responded by explaining how my product was superior, what the extra money went towards, etc.

I'm imagining GW staff know how to respond to genuine shock at the prices (by new gamers and/or parents) and also know that vets whining is just something they do.

The FLGS is a little different, especially if you game there. For big orders, my local gets my a better price, especialy when I pay cash (over 20% off once sales tax is factored in).

A local store that won't at least meet you part way for large orders is just asking for trouble.

As mentioned, I don't think it's a question of bravery to hassle store staff about the prices. It's petty and misguided.

I'm not saying it would be fun to wind GW up with it, just as an experiment for interest. Plus, I am more after it being asked in an innocent way, so you get a rational, detailed answer out of them - to ask a manager would be the most interesting. To link to the point, has anyone also contacted GW about their high prices, such as via email, as well as in person?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Loosen up guys and have some fun, this isn't about hassling, this is about simply asking the question, as if out of pure interest.

I'm finding this topic a bit silly, because I know for a fact that a lot of people complain about prices, in both subvert and direct manners, to GW staff. If you really have a problem with the prices and feel a need to talk about it with a staff member, go ahead. I guarantee you they will not be caught off guard and will have a response to the majority of your concerns.

Personally people who complain about how expensive it is to be in the hobby bother me a bit. This is not to say that this game isn't expensive, but consider what you are saying. At the end of the day, this game is a hobby and a luxury. By nature, it is more expensive than it ought to be, because it is a waste of money, practically speaking. If having fun isn't worth what GW charges, there are always other things you could do to occupy your time.

if you don't ask, you don't get, no point hushing it up, and just accepting it.

Tormented wrote:

GazzyG wrote:One of the staff in WHW the other day had a moan at me about how expensive his metal GK army was to collect.

I don't think they're ignorant about the expense, but at the same time there's nothing they can do about it.

GW staff get a 50% discount, so his army isn't going to be as expensive to collect as a non-gw employee.

He may well have collected it prior to being employed.

They're not thralls born into service under their GW masters, haha!

Been asked it a couple of times when I worked there. Was easy enough to answer. They simply are, now would you like more plastic crack or not (yes, this is paraphrase).

Seriously, when you explain the number of stores, staff and general overheads, and of course question 'compared to what other product'. Get them off the actual price, and onto the value.

Tormented wrote:

GazzyG wrote:One of the staff in WHW the other day had a moan at me about how expensive his metal GK army was to collect.

I don't think they're ignorant about the expense, but at the same time there's nothing they can do about it.

GW staff get a 50% discount, so his army isn't going to be as expensive to collect as a non-gw employee.

GW staff are also paid pretty low wages and don't get many benefits.

So 50% is in addition to having to pay for healthcare.

Shas'O Dorian wrote:I have, we used to have a store and I was asked why I never placed large orders like I used to. I flat out told him that I could get up to 25% off MSRP if I ordered through a different FLGS.
He was a little angry but I told him in a calm & definitive way that 25% off a $100-$300 order was too much money to not take the discount. Combined with the fact I still bought the occasional box he wasn't willing to ban me.

I were in same situation, but I told that I make my orders online at Maelstrom Games for -30% and the staff member was stunned. "Sadly" we have only one GW in Finland and other stores are independent retailers.

Mr. Mystery, what do you mean by you last sentance

Peatreed wrote:Mr. Mystery, what do you mean by you last sentance

He means don't be a tool and go in "Waah, prices are too high!".

He means that if you want to ask them about the prices, ask them do they feel the products are worth the price.

And as a sidenote: What's the point of this? I mean, honestly. This is a stupid thing to do. The guy working in a GW shop can't affect the price of their items any more than you or I could.

If you really want them to get the point of "your products are too expensive", then stop buying from GW shops directly.

You're missing the point, I'm not asking the staff to change it, I just wanted to see the response.

And you're missing the point.

Your suggestion is, effectively, baiting.
You're going in knowing that you're either going to get a reaction that will be unfavorable or a canned response that the company has fed them.

I mean really. Do you expect them to break down sobbing because they're overcharging Little Davey for his Space Marines?

This isn't meant to do anything, it's just a passive look at responses, as sort of a 'survey'.

I think you're trying to pass off a bizarre urge to irritate some guy trying to pay his bills as something legitimate and not slowed.

Survey says!: 'It's being annoying on purpose, no matter how 'passive' you want to phrase it.'

Visited a GW in Penn last year, had the clerk try to push a White Dwarf sub on me and then get quite pissy at me when I said "No, I'm not going to pay that much for a Squat and advertisements."

Peatreed wrote:This isn't meant to do anything, it's just a passive look at responses, as sort of a 'survey'.

If by 'survey' you mean 'obnoxious question-asking individual pretending to have some kind of valid reason to be obnoxious', then yes.

Again:
There's no reason, whatsoever, to do this other than to try to bait someone into saying something you can start arguing against them with.

Peatreed wrote:Mr. Mystery, what do you mean by you last sentance

Well, in my online GW cart right now, is a complete Blood Angels army awaiting purchase. Well over £1,000. Some might say that's too high. Me, I'm buying it for the conversion opportunities, painting satisfaction, and for games of 40k, no matter the mission.

That to me is good value. I will get my monies worth out of it, and it is something I enjoy. At that point, the price becomes less of an issue. Some might think me mad, but hey. My money (when I gets it in the next couple of months). You get people to look at how much/often they'll use it, and the prices themselves become more 'meh'.

I don't know. That's like complaining to the IRS about high taxes.

A real social experiment would be to have an exclusive interview with GW designers
and the CEO and using it to complain about/question high prices.

Now that would be interesting!

Peatreed wrote:This isn't meant to do anything, it's just a passive look at responses, as sort of a 'survey'.

It's interesting how much effort you're putting into avoiding calling a spade a spade. It's called 'trolling.'

If you don't like the thread, or what goes on there, then don't comment.