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This is news to me...It is very interesting to me that this store is also 15 minutes from my residence.

According to the post, GW will no longer allow its in-store customers to use ANY other companies products in the store. This means, bases, non-wargaming toys, bits and pieces, etc. So we are talking anything besides GW, Greenstuff or Plasticard and you cannot use it and will be asked to leave.

Only greenstuff sculpts and plastic card will be allowed in store, besides the official GW products. (also applies to non-existant models that GW does not make, you are stuck greenstuffing and plasticarding that Mycetic Spore).

I find it very weird since many GW employees not only use third-party models and components for their personal armies but embrace them as part of the modeling hobby, but now they are forced to tell customers if its not our product you cant use it in store.

http://secondsphere.org/index.php/topic,127939.0.html

Nick

I'm not really all that surprised as it's a form of free advertisement for them normally anyway.

This is sad (especially given their success in many areas of driving FLGSes out of business, making themselves the only public places to play), but well within their privilege, and given the company it's hardly surprising.

This isn't really news, and to be fair, it makes perfect sense. GW Stores are first and foremost, retail outlets. They understand that pushing the "hobby", as it were, means they have a vehicle to make more sales....but other than that, its just a shop!

That you can't proxy items from other companies that they don't make is just stupid, why write these characters or units into your army lists if people can't use them.....not everyone can "green stuff" like a pro, and it's not always in keeping with the feel of the game if you simply proxy in a miniature that has, at best, a slight similarity to the actual unit or character....

I have a feeling that some people will just look the other way for small things like heads or bases...

I misread this at first and thought GW wouldn't let stores sell non-GW product if they were selling GW stuff; glad I was wrong!

This doesn't surprise me at all, really. Even so, if I have a shoulderpad on a Space Marine from Scibor or whatever I doubt anybody's going to notice.

I'm often told that the main reason this was implemented was so that GW can take photographs of your models in tournaments for promotional purposes without advertising or paying royalties to other companies.

Would you be peeved if a local McDonalds posted a sign reading that you couldn't take Whoppers into their stores? They are in retail, and they want to make money. They don;t want to here people whining about the cost of an expensive hobby and finding alternate models to fill the gaps.

I thought this might happen after all that Chapterhouse business started up.

Not surprised. I see nothing wrong with it.

I don't take my Burger King Burger and eat it in McDonalds simply because both are restaurants.

It is terrible for customers to come into a store to watch games and then say 'WOW those models are cool... where can I buy them?' only to get the answer, GW doesn't sell or make those models.

It has happened more than once on my orks with the multiple types of heads out there. People always want to know where they can buy them. And I totally understand and accept GW's issue with it. So I use my stock GW komamndos when gaming at GW instead of my Microart or MaxMini Ork products.

People thing they have a right or some sort of freedom to game and use whatever they want... you do just not in GW stores which their only function is to sell and promote ONLY GW products.

SoloFalcon1138 wrote:Would you be peeved if a local McDonalds posted a sign reading that you couldn't take Whoppers into their stores? They are in retail, and they want to make money. They don;t want to here people whining about the cost of an expensive hobby and finding alternate models to fill the gaps.

When they actually make a model for every unit in their army books, I will agree whole heartedly with this sentiment. But until I get TWC, Tervigons, TyranoFexes (still hate that stupid name) or what have you, it just makes no sense. And you can say "Just convert / green stuff it!" but that doesn't fly either. Not everyone has the time, skill, money, desire and/or physical ability to do so. Some of us would rather just play.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

nkelsch wrote:It is terrible for customers to come into a store to watch games and then say 'WOW those models are cool... where can I buy them?' only to get the answer, GW doesn't sell or make those models.

So you don't want people using scratch built models then? After all, "GW doesn't sell or make those models" either.

This isnt akin to restaurants so much as it akin to saying you cant wear cloths of one brand into another brands store, IMO. Which is rather ridiculous - but there's no real reason to ever go into a GW store if you have FLGS that sells the stuff at a 20% discount anyway

Carlovonsexron wrote:This isnt akin to restaurants so much as it akin to saying you cant wear cloths of one brand into another brands store, IMO. Which is rather ridiculous - but there's no real reason to ever go into a GW store if you have FLGS that sells the stuff at a 20% discount anyway

+1. Support your FLGSes if you still have them.

I actually find that GW retail stores provide a service, though: they draw off the 12 year olds.

I can see both sides of this. On one hand, it is advertising for what ever company you used in that model. On the other hand, what are people supposed to do when the model doesn't reflect the optional rules?

Yes it does reflect badly on GW to say "Well, GW doesn't make these models, you have to get them somewhere else". Although that seems to be a position GW is going to face no matter what if they keep doing what they are doing.

If you don't provide the model, or a way to make the model, people will find a way to get what they want.

But like someone suggested, I don't see this being a rule strictly followed.

nkelsch wrote:I don't take my Burger King Burger and eat it in McDonalds simply because both are restaurants.

I've taken BK fries into a McD's before, and then ordered food from McD's. They don't seem to have a problem with it.

(do not open if easily offended)


Since I don't play at a GW, this won't affect me much. But it does seem like a heavy handed position for GW to take. Third party bits sellers that suppliment GW's products don't take away from the hobby, they add to it, making people more likely to buy GW products.

Absolutionis wrote:I'm often told that the main reason this was implemented was so that GW can take photographs of your models in tournaments for promotional purposes without advertising or paying royalties to other companies.

I wonder if Right Guard ever got their consideration.

Can I still use these?

They've had this policy in the past. It seems to come and go with the seasons, like the changing of the leaves.

In many cases alternate bits can easily go unnoticed or be claimed to be parts from old models (there's close to 30 years of them now, of course, including WHFB), scratchbuilds or personal re-sculpts. Are they going to scratch the paint off to check? They had better not try.

The degree to which it's actually enforced, as always, will come down to the local store staff. I'm not sure how they're going to have the time to monitor games and look out for this stuff given the general move to reduced manpower at stores, including many stores only having one staffer on at a time.

Bottom line, as it has been for years for GW, it is no longer a hobby it is business - despite the honorific Hobby Manager rather than salesman.

Remember, when you used to be positively encouraged to convert, kitbash and sculpt your own - ask any Ork player in that long wait after third edition - and WD often included plans for you. Ahhhh.......

Fair enough it is their store, but its a shame some of the great modelling talent will no longer be on show, as to my mind that was one of the great free adverts for the product.

ProtoClone wrote:I can see both sides of this. On one hand, it is advertising for what ever company you used in that model. On the other hand, what are people supposed to do when the original sculpt sucks or the model doesn't reflect the optional rules?

I think it also comes from the whole debacle a few months back where 'What's New Today' apparently identified a generic resin base(which the owner/submitter had said was a GW base with work done using the Citadel Basing Kit) as a 'great custom job using the Citadel Basing Kit' when in reality it was a Micro Arts Studio base.
That kind of thing makes GW look bad, even if there's no malice/ignorance going on and you're just taking someone at face value.

If you don't provide the model, or a way to make the model, people will find a way to get what they want.

And what if the model exists but people think it's "too expensive"?

Because more often than not, let's face it, that's what the proxy brigade are trying to get around.

But like someone suggested, I don't see this being a rule strictly followed.

I don't see it being followed most of the time. But when they know a tournament that will be photographed is coming, you can bet it'll start being enforced.

I dont find any issue with GW doing this; however, with this I think its time for GW to officially stop claiming its a hobby.

It is pure bussiness now. People walking in are no longer 'hobbyists or players' we are now walking recepticles for our wallets. :(

biccat wrote:

nkelsch wrote:I don't take my Burger King Burger and eat it in McDonalds simply because both are restaurants.

I've taken BK fries into a McD's before, and then ordered food from McD's. They don't seem to have a problem with it.

(do not open if easily offended)

Spoiler:

because McDonald's fries SUCK

Since I don't play at a GW, this won't affect me much. But it does seem like a heavy handed position for GW to take. Third party bits sellers that suppliment GW's products don't take away from the hobby, they add to it, making people more likely to buy GW products.

They probably did not notice. I once did so and was banned from the restaurant.

If you don't provide the model, or a way to make the model, people will find a way to get what they want.

And what if the model exists but people think it's "too expensive"?

Because more often than not, let's face it, that's what the proxy brigade are trying to get around.

I am not suprised, but I do not think, that GW stores will not let you use other companie`s heads or bases. Strangely, you are aloud to use other dice and glue, but not other colours.

Necanor wrote:

biccat wrote:

nkelsch wrote:I don't take my Burger King Burger and eat it in McDonalds simply because both are restaurants.

I've taken BK fries into a McD's before, and then ordered food from McD's. They don't seem to have a problem with it.

(do not open if easily offended)

Spoiler:

because McDonald's fries SUCK

Since I don't play at a GW, this won't affect me much. But it does seem like a heavy handed position for GW to take. Third party bits sellers that suppliment GW's products don't take away from the hobby, they add to it, making people more likely to buy GW products.

They probably did not notice. I once did so and was banned from the restaurant.

Once when I worked at McDonald's I wore a Wendy's work shirt, friend gave it to me, in to pick up my paycheck. They asked me what I was doing and I told them I was picking up my paycheck...they tried to tell me I couldn't wear the shirt and I told them to as long as I wasn't coming to work, there isn't a problem. I don't know if that is true but they backed off of it and never bothered me about it again.

I have GW models that are in excess of 25 years old. I'd love to see them try and work out what is and is not GW amongst what I own!

On the other hand, I do not disagree with the policy anyway.

I'm continually surprised GW lets me play with GW models from the 80s and 90s. If they had an ounce of sense in their thick heads, they'd ban THOSE.

Someone want to tell me why we all seem to be accepting this as the gospel truth? At this point it's

One person, recounting
One unamed manager at
One unnamed store, and has been reported from GW on
Zero miniatures news websites.

Not saying it might not be the truth, but forgive me for waiting for more confirmation before I comment on this as new policy. I could be wrong, but it sounds like one manager saying something that may or may not be entirely true.

I don't see a problem here. It's their store - and usually table space is very limited. So I can't blame them for only wanting GW in the GW store. What if someone comes in and notices me playing with some cool models - and they're from Reaper - and then that person is impressed with them, leaves, and goes to buy them online?

I went into a little gamestore with my friends and I couldn't believe that, right in front of the staff, they were going through the books, finding the ones they liked, and then bragging about how they'd just go online later and buy them at a fraction of the cost. To me, that is absolutely rude.

Anyway, I certainly have non-GW in my collection. But unless your collection is only 10% GW I think it isn't a big deal for you to leave your non-GW at home when you go to play in their store. I mean, we all have fun playing their games. It's the highpoint of my week, usually. I don't mind making a gesture like this in return.

I feel like the big mac in burgerking metaphor is just irrelevant. Why? Eating a sandwich at a restaurant (lol... if you can call it that) is not the same as pulling out armies of a hobby that took alot of money, time and blood to make to have fun with. I probably won't ever go to any GW store that actually reinforces this rule.