GW to order retailers to stop shipping to southern hemisphere...

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**ArbeitsSchu**

@HBMC.. bankruptcy suggests sale of assests.. including the IP. The Grimdark will live on.

**Evilgnome**

Hey GW! Will you now ban Forgeworld from selling their kits to the Southern Hemisphere?

It's now cheaper for me to buy the FW Warp Hunter, with the Fire Prism plastic kit included, than it is to buy a Fire Prism in Australia.
This is by a margin of $30AU. (about $31USD)

*seriously*

And you wonder why people were going to UK online retailers?

Thanks for treating your customers like cattle.

**Seriphis**

Typical move from a monopolistic company... very very anti-competitive...

Unless all the pre-teens and teens suddenly stop going to games workshop stores in Australia, then there will be no real negative change, their profit margins will increase.

I would bet that GW OZ have been complaining to GW UK for the last couple of years that they've been losing their profit margins, and instead of recommending and allowing GW OZ to lower their wholesale buy price, they've decided to muscle out the competition in OZ.

GG GW, i've got family in the UK who can post out items to me at the same price as the shipping from the UK wholesalers... and i'm sure that some OZ and UK dakkites would be more than happy to get together and set up a procurement rink.

On another side,

For Maelstrom, will there be a prioritisation of orders to OZ for the time being?

**ArbeitsSchu**

Cattle are treated quite humanely going to the slaughter. Research found that they are more calm and controllable if they can't see what is going to happen to them. GW are telling everyone quite clearly that they are all doomed.

**warboss**

Evilgnome wrote:Hey GW! Will you now ban Forgeworld from selling their kits to the Southern Hemisphere?

It's now cheaper for me to buy the FW Warp Hunter, with the Fire Prism plastic kit included, than it is to buy a Fire Prism in Australia.
This is by a margin of $30AU. (about $31USD)

*seriously*

I think that right there shows best how absoletely boneheaded this particular move is.

**loki old fart**

kanelom wrote:This goes out to all those who don't understand how STUPIDLY overpriced Oz GW is, our dollar is higher than the USD now.

10man SM Tac Squad AUD $62 USD $37.25
5 Man Termi Squad AUD $74 USD $50

1.00 AUD = 1.05624 USD

As someone originally from Oz, its gut wrenching trying to draw up a playable list and then actually buy it locally to support your LGS or resident GW. Especially when you know Maelstrom prices. There's no way anyone who has lurked the interwebs even a little would pay Oz prices. Whether on Maelstrom, Ebay or otherwise, the prices that others pay are just ridiculously lower.
Now as someone living in China, and not in one of the major coastal cities, buying from online independent retailers here is a nightmare. Language isn't an issue, terrible customer service is.
Our local gaming group just recently turned to Maelstrom, and what a breath of fresh air that was. Now though...

Now as a young father looking to head back this hobby, all joking aside, I may have to drop the hobby in order to support my family because i'm getting the feeling there won't be room for both in the budget.

If I lived in china. I'd cast my own

**Kanluwen**

warboss wrote:
Evilgnome wrote:Hey GW! Will you now ban Forgeworld from selling their kits to the Southern Hemisphere?

It's now cheaper for me to buy the FW Warp Hunter, with the Fire Prism plastic kit included, than it is to buy a Fire Prism in Australia.
This is by a margin of $30AU. (about $31USD)

*seriously*

I think that right there shows best how absolutely boneheaded this particular move is.

No, it shows how absurdly stupid the pricing structure is.

It also shows that people don't read before they post. GW is banning Maelstrom and other "independents" from selling outside of their respective 'regions'.
Forge World doesn't have production plants outside of the UK. They would effectively be selling to just the UK if GW were to apply this 'rule' to their own subcorporation.

I was wondering how long an accusation of "monopoly" would come. Good to know it wasn't that long.

But yeah. No matter what this one's going to bite them in the ass.

**Surtur**

I cannot believe that they have the audacity to forbid online retailers to sell outside of Europe. Hell, they can't even sell to the US, a massive market no matter how you cut it. It's outrageous, it's greedy, it's vindictive, it's restrictive trade.

**loki old fart**

Surtur wrote:I cannot believe that they have the audacity to forbid online retailers to sell outside of Europe. Hell, they can't even sell to the US, a massive market no matter how you cut it.
It's outrageous,
it's greedy,
it's vindictive,
it's restrictive trade.

It's GW

**Kroothawk**

Kanluwen wrote:It also shows that people don't read before they post. GW is banning Maelstrom and other "independents" from selling outside of their respective 'regions'.
Forge World doesn't have production plants outside of the UK. They would effectively be selling to just the UK if GW were to apply this 'rule' to their own subcorporation.

Talking about reading properly: Maelstrom is allowed to sell to most of Europe, not just UK.

loki old fart wrote:
Surtur wrote:I cannot believe that they have the audacity to forbid online retailers to sell outside of Europe. Hell, they can't even sell to the US, a massive market no matter how you cut it.
It's outrageous,
it's greedy,
it's vindictive,
it's restrictive trade.

It's GW

**ShatteredBlade**

I really think this is going to come back and bite them on the rump.

**Seriphis**

I was wondering how long an accusation of "monopoly" would come. Good to know it wasn't that long.

If its not a Monopoly its an Oligopoly... but their market practise suggests that internally they see themselves as a monopoly.

**Kanluwen**

Kroothawk wrote:
Kanluwen wrote:It also shows that people don't read before they post. GW is banning Maelstrom and other "independents" from selling outside of their respective 'regions'.
Forge World doesn't have production plants outside of the UK. They would effectively be selling to just the UK if GW were to apply this 'rule' to their own subcorporation.

Talking about reading properly: Maelstrom is allowed to sell to most of Europe, not just UK.

Talking about reading properly:
I never said they "weren't allowed to sell to most of Europe". You'll notice I said "region", not "the UK".
I was referring to Forge World in the second part, since y'know FW effectively is a just UK entity.

**Lycaeus Wrex**

*Sigh* What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall in one of their business meetings...Poor show GW. Really, really, REALLY poor show.

L. Wrex

**Inquisitor Earl**

Does anyone know anything about pre orders? Maelstrom says their 18% voucher works on them but the new DE stuff doesn't arrive till after the cutoff date, does that mean I wont get them?

**The Plastic Surgeon**

Run by monkeys.

See this money I planned on spending on 2 armies in the next 6 months? KISS IT BYE BYE

**carmachu**

H.B.M.C. wrote:

If they do it'll show just how much of a farce this all is.

We've already seen the farce in GW. Kill on online carts in the US, but left them elsewhere around the world. How is it any different?

**H.B.M.C.**

From this point forward, this is 40K to me. So is this. And this. And soon this as well.

I wash my hands of the reprehensible and unsustainable nightmare that is GW and fully embrace all that is Fantasy Flight Games.

**Kanluwen**

Lycaeus Wrex wrote:*Sigh* What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall in one of their business meetings...Poor show GW. Really, really, REALLY poor show.

L. Wrex

"The operations in Australia are proceeding slower than normal, Lord Kirby."
"What? Why? Who DARES oppose us?"
"M'lord...it's...it's our own people."
"What?!"
"It's a company here in our own country! Maelstrom, sire. They're opposing us by letting the Australians counter us with discounts!"

"Those damnable wretches! Forbid them from selling to the Australians! We can't let them win! Damn the engines, full speed ahead!"

And that was the meeting where Tom Kirby decided Maelstrom is a traitor to the Imperium and absconded with plans for the Secret GW Kangaroo Bears.

True story.

**Morathi's Darkest Sin**

Aye, FFG is where its at.. let us hope they bring us Warhammer Quest sooner rather than later.

**Vanq**

Inquisitor Earl wrote:Does anyone know anything about pre orders? Maelstrom says their 18% voucher works on them but the new DE stuff doesn't arrive till after the cutoff date, does that mean I wont get them?

I just sent this question to them as well, I'm interested in the response. I only got back into 40k because of the new DE models...I'm more than willing to just buy out the rest of what I want in my army (Pre-orders included) and call it a day.

I'm an Australian, and I'm not paying AUS prices

**Kroothawk**

Kanluwen wrote:Talking about reading properly:
I never said they "weren't allowed to sell to most of Europe". You'll notice I said "region", not "the UK".
I was referring to Forge World in the second part, since y'know FW effectively is a just UK entity.

"The rule" allows the UK company Maelstrom to sell to most of Europe, so it would allow the UK company FW to sell to most of Europe, not just UK. Right?

**warboss**

H.B.M.C. wrote:
I wash my hands of the reprehensible and unsustainable nightmare that is GW and fully embrace all that is Fantasy Flight Games.

You realize the next logical step is to require their licensees to enforce the same restrictions...

**ph34r**

Kanluwen wrote:
Lycaeus Wrex wrote:*Sigh* What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall in one of their business meetings...Poor show GW. Really, really, REALLY poor show.

L. Wrex

"The operations in Australia are proceeding slower than normal, Lord Kirby."
"What? Why? Who DARES oppose us?"
"M'lord...it's...it's our own people."
"What?!"
"It's a company here in our own country! Maelstrom, sire. They're opposing us by letting the Australians counter us with discounts!"

"Those damnable wretches! Forbid them from selling to the Australians! We can't let them win! Damn the engines, full speed ahead!"

And that was the meeting where Tom Kirby decided Maelstrom is a traitor to the Imperium and absconded with plans for the Secret GW Kangaroo Bears.

True story.

GW's business meetings start with a hooded figure giving out cryptic orders, and ends with a great trade embargo:

**Cruentus**

Wow. I was already leaning toward historicals, as the Perrys, Victrix, Warlord, and others produce nice stuff, in plastic, at a much better value.

Then this, from Maelstrom's e-mail announcement:

Finecast

Onto other Games Workshop news. We'll shortly be stocking their superb Finecast range, which - if you didn't know already - is most of their deleted metal models, re-released in resin but somewhat more expensive than the original. Those will be on general sale on the 28th of May, for Games Workshop do not wish us to put them up for sale until then so they can keep up with demand.

So they're confirming that the now oop metals will be released as resin (well, most of them), and be "somewhat more expensive than the original." Considering some of the GK characters were around $22-24, how much can they be? Wait, don't answer that.

**H.B.M.C.**

warboss wrote:You realize the next logical step is to require their licensees to enforce the same restrictions...

Good luck with that.

Maelstrom et al. are all forms of distribution, buying stock from the publisher (GW, in this instance). FFG are their own publishing house, with their own store selling their own products. They buy nothing outside of the licence from GW. When and where FFG products get sold will be entirely up to FFG. Woe betide GW if they attempt to get Maelstrom and other from selling FFG books outside of the UK ‘region’.

And may the Emperor have nothing but fury for their blackened souls if their next step is to go after 3rd Party bitz services and make them region specific.

**derek**

H.B.M.C. wrote:

And may the Emperor have nothing but fury for their blackened souls if their next step is to go after 3rd Party bitz services and make them region specific.

This is my greatest fear to come out of this. I almost exclusively buy bits from UK based retailers and I'm suddenly worried they will be given the same mandate.

**candy.man**

Forget straw breaking the camel’s back, this looks like a case of GW breaking the camel’s back with a sledgehammer. This is pretty much a permanent deal breaker for me.

I’ll probably still keep track on 40k on forums like Dakka but I’ll also start looking at other game companies. Black Crusade from FFG is coming out soon and looks pretty good so I might start looking into FFG products as well.

**Kroothawk**

H.B.M.C. wrote:And may the Emperor have nothing but fury for their blackened souls if their next step is to go after 3rd Party bitz services and make them region specific.

GW is currently hiring IP lawyers to concentrate on their core business, which is sueing their fan-base

Otherwise they would be hiring casters, sculptors and game developers

Just assume that the GW management wants to purge the earth of all GW IP, then all makes sense suddenly

**insaniak**

Surtur wrote:Hell, they can't even sell to the US, a massive market no matter how you cut it.

That's kind of the point, though... they want that 'massive market', along with the 'not as massive but still pretty darn big market' in Oz to be buying in their own regions.

For what it's worth, so far as accounting and supporting local business goes, this policy does make a certain amount of sense. But that doesn't make it any less aggravating when their worldwide pricing structure is so ridiculous.