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nkelsch wrote:
This is a common and valid tactic to prevent theft.

If you are there to buy something, then you should be able to say that and be taken to it by the salesperson where they will then help you check out.

If you are not, you need to leave the store.. and following you around especially if others are not in the section is the best way to prevent things from being stolen. ( I know you are not going to steal a couch but still)

If you really are not sure, then you should welcome the help...

... People shoplifting is a huge issue and I support salespeople being on the floor and in customers business. If that drives a non-customer or a their out of the store, then mission accomplished. If you don't want to be 'sold' things, don't go to a retail store.

This is flatly rediculous. Preventing shoplifting is a huge priority, however, driving out anyone from the store who isn't sure, is doing research, or is just looking is counter-productive. It is very possible, thorugh placement of employees and effective merchanidisng to cut down on shoplifting without shooing out anyone who might not be ready to buy. If you make your store inhospitable to the looker, then they will likely never become a buyer.

There is a fine line between ejecting loiterers and creating a hostile or invasive shopping environment. Your procedure is clearly the later and you'd be hard pressed to find alot of successfull retalers who desire to treat their customers that way.

That said, upselling is a huge part of retail work. I've done it to great effect myself in the past. Clearly the salesperson in the OP's thread was not as skilled at it as he might have been, but it seems that the OP is being a bit oversensitive.

nkelsch wrote:um... it is a retail store and he is a salesperson... trying to make a profit?

Lots of people need that type of help and are not exposed to all the new models like us nerds on the internet.

I am not sure what you expect... If you walked in and the salesperson sat behind the register and ignored you and said nothing as you checked out, it would be 'customer service sucks!'

This behavior is exactly what I see at every single retail store everywhere. Seems pretty reasonable to me.

..

Working in retail, there ARE other methods then latching onto a customer as soon as they walk into the door like a rabid zombie would a newborn baby. Just saying, there are better ways then the hard sell which is all GW' knows.

SOME people expect, when they watch into the door, acknowelegment without picth, especially being on pitched on something they dont want when they tell you what they DO want(manitcore as opposed to the salesman pulling a zombie dragon off the shelf). Best to tailor your approach to your client....rather then just one method.

These threads crack me up. GW has been like this, or at least people have been complaining about this sort of thing, since I started the hobby a decade or so ago.

The consensus has been, in every thread, "aggressive selling doesn't work, GW is stupid."

For ten years.

So, either GW has ten years of sales data (including secret shoppers, no doubt), and chooses to continue their practices which don't work. Or they actually do work, they just don't work on some people. (or they do work on those people, they just don't like to admit it.)

Polonius wrote:So, either GW has ten years of sales data (including secret shoppers, no doubt), and chooses to continue their practices which don't work. Or they actually do work, they just don't work on some people. (or they do work on those people, they just don't like to admit it.)

or there might be other techniques that do work exclusive of being pushy, or GW stores where the staff aren't pushy, or GW getting sales from their online stores, or people going to non-GW retailers for product out of spite towards the pushiness in stores. all of these things can amount to sales, and that fact isn't necessarily an indicator that pushy sales tactics work--if any of those are true, it's an indicator that pushy sales can potentially decrease revenue.

these threads crack me up too, because even though i rarely go to the nearest GW store (it's 140km away), i never get pushy salespeople; the concept seems so alien to me. most of the time it's just geeks chatting, gaming, and having fun. if i want help, i have to actually look for it, and that's fine with me.

hemingway wrote:

Polonius wrote:So, either GW has ten years of sales data (including secret shoppers, no doubt), and chooses to continue their practices which don't work. Or they actually do work, they just don't work on some people. (or they do work on those people, they just don't like to admit it.)

or there might be other techniques that do work exclusive of being pushy, or GW stores where the staff aren't pushy, or GW getting sales from their online stores, or people going to non-GW retailers for product out of spite towards the pushiness in stores. all of these things can amount to sales, and that fact isn't necessarily an indicator that pushy sales tactics work--if any of those are true, it's an indicator that pushy sales can potentially decrease revenue.

You don't think they have sales data broken down by stores? To correspond to evaluations on how closly each store sticks to procedure?

Upselling works. For every person that leaves and never returns, it sells a bunch of product to at least a few others.

GW isn't stupid. It knows that most people, if they stay in the hobby long enough, switch to discount sources for their product. Upselling people that already aren't regulars is low risk behavior. When I worked retail, in swimming pool supplies, I wouldn't hard sell the regulars, because they came to my store for a reason. When a new pool owner came in, you are helpful and can upsell through kindness. But when a new customer claimed to only need one thing, I worked him hard. He's gonna buy what he needs, and odds are he won't return anyway. The OP is the classic example: guy hadn't been in a GW in years, still bought what he wanted, and then left. What was the net loss for GW in that example?

"I hope the OP is still keeping up with this thread because you really need to think about what Im going to say here.

You are doing the exact. same. thing.
You are making money off of an item. You are buying large lots of mini's in bulk, then breaking them down and selling them piece by piece, trying to milk every last cent out of them.

GW is doing the same thing.

Did you tell the guy you were only interested in the manticore or did you just kinda wander around and pick it up with a vague sense of what you wanted? Sales people HAVE to push stuff, its how they keep their jobs and how the companies stay in business. Dont begrudge them for that, its the same as asking you if you have enough glue, paint, primer, brushes when they make the sell, its just part of the business.

nkelsch wrote:
This is a common and valid tactic to prevent theft.

If you are there to buy something, then you should be able to say that and be taken to it by the salesperson where they will then help you check out.

If you are not, you need to leave the store.. and following you around especially if others are not in the section is the best way to prevent things from being stolen. ( I know you are not going to steal a couch but still)

If you really are not sure, then you should welcome the help...

Customer service is customer SERVICE, which means to me that if the service I require while I'm giving a shop my custom is to be left alone, then I should be obliged that with no questions asked. Your position that anyone in the store who isn't ready to buy or is informing themselves of what the store has is loitering is preposterous. Almost every highly successful retail business model involves putting the customer's interests first. Anybody in your store is a potential customer. If you want to prevent shrinkage, hire loss prevention and chalk it up as a cost of doing business. Most businesses fail, so drive customers out at your own peril.



Automatically Appended Next Post:

Polonius wrote:
You don't think they have sales data broken down by stores? To correspond to evaluations on how closly each store sticks to procedure?

Upselling works. For every person that leaves and never returns, it sells a bunch of product to at least a few others.

honestly, i genuinely wonder how much time they invest in their business model and their store, market, and client assessments. i wonder if they have a mousy CMA on staff, waving data at them which is patently ignored. they seem to produce a lot of very unhappy customers and don't seem too interested in improving conditions for their employees or customers.

and i'm not debating that they may meet certain goals through pushy sales, but if pushy sales are GSOP, there are known unknowns and unknown unknowns that might influence sales in a store or region not accounted for by their sales model.

Wow touchy subject this. I love how there's this love hate thing going on between Dakka and GWCorp/GWMinis. I never thought I'd hear so much rage about a simple trip to the store.

Bottom line, Sellers gotta sell. Sales are lean at GW Retail. Everybody and their moms Ebays, or shops online out state for 25% off and no tax. That's gotta hurt the pouches, so you try your best to upsell to the people who do actually come into your store. Not surprising really, all the retail places do it. Is it really surprising that if you're a new face in his shop that he (the salesguy) might actually try to interact with you and show you the new, cool model of the month? Heaven forbid.

gak, I mean really, does really piss you guys off so much that the salesguy would ask you if you needed glues, paints or files when you bought a model - how's he supposed to know that you've been doing this for 20 years and has set files "older than he is?" Getting asked for glues is like going through the fast food chain and getting asked if you want fries with that. One time I went to the FLGS (15 miles away) with the intent to buy glue, bought about $150 worth of models, Dvds, toys....and forgot the glue. Had to make a whole other trip, 60 miles round instead of 30...I wish the clerk would have mentioned the glue.

I know gamers can be shy or antisocial because they feel the constant scrutinization. Maybe you're reading more into this than that's really there. It's one thing iff you're in the store 3 times a week and get the "riot act", but if you're a new face it's not really that big of a deal, certainly more than what I've seen being made here.

If the guy still bugs tell him "Hey bro, I got this. I'll let you know if I need anything."

Since moving to Maryland I have been to a few GW's, and have been exposed to the GW sales approach. To be honest with you it doesn't bother me as much as I have seen some of the other people complain on dakka. I just treat them politely because I know they are under pressure to sell.

GG

I have a question for all those who are arguing that GW is a retail business and their tactics are basically the same as any other retailer. Local game stores are also retail businesses, selling many of the same products as GW storefronts but these type of complaints seem non-existent*. Why should GW corporate stores be held to a different standard then their competition?


In the interest of full disclosure you do occasionally hear complaints about disinterested and rude LGSs but that seems to be the exception and not the rule.

Oakenshield wrote:I have a question for all those who are arguing that GW is a retail business and their tactics are basically the same as any other retailer. Local game stores are also retail businesses, selling many of the same products as GW storefronts but these type of complaints seem non-existent*. Why should GW corporate stores be held to a different standard then their competition?


In the interest of full disclosure you do occasionally hear complaints about disinterested and rude LGSs but that seems to be the exception and not the rule.

GW's a Corperation Monkey store, with the same "Hard Sell- Move Product!!" of a car salesman.

They are not the same as they were 10 years ago, or even 5 years ago.

Ask how many GW employees stay even 3 years....


They are NOT the "Hobby Center" that they started out as, for the simple fact that they are now fighting Aber Cromby and Fitch, and Shirt store 666, and each and every one of those simpleton stores in the strip malls and closed malls that don't actually sell anything you really want that they were stupid enough to locate themselves into.

Your LGS more or less knows you. If not they know your crowd and what you all want. You come in, each and every time on tuesdays or saturdays or whenever like clockwork and buy your stuff. Joe or Jane takes note, asks a couple of questions and keeps a note about your sale, and gets some more of the same in. If not, THEY are gamers and know whats going on as well.
Basic sales says that I want money, what do I need to sell you to keep you coming back and spending.

GW sell stuff, sure, but not to the extent that they wish they could, so they have to exploit you in the small chance that you never ever come back.

So if you drop 500.00 on one visit, who cares if you come back. I made quota, and I have 500.00. Why would I want you to keep coming back and spending 50.00 every week, like your LGS does?

You go back to the GW store, they actually have to try thinking of how to make 500.00 more on you. LOL.

You're saying that people don't want to make a career out of working in a minimum wage retail store?

My God, Grot 6. Your revelation is astounding!

Maybe he was trying to help? 7 bucks isn't really worth the up sell.

Depends how arbitrary the weeks, days, hours target is.

Todays target, sell 50 Zombie Dragons.

Tomorrows target, 1 million Baneblades.

Wednesdays target, survive in the thunderdome or sell 1 pot of over priced PVA.

Actually 7 dollars is 14% more. Not a bad upsell. Fast food is usually less than 10% upsell.

candy.man wrote:I can’t help but feel that the salesman in the OP had a flawed strategy, even if he was trying the up selling technique. He tried to get the person to buy a more expensive model when he should have tried is to get the person to buy more peripherals (like paints, blisters etc) to supplement the purchase. An extra $3 purchase here and there can go a long way. Fastfood places ask people if they want fries with that for a reason

This... Addons are what make you the most profit when I worked as a salesmen we all quickly worked out that our commisions were based of the profit margin not the total sale so getting the customer to upgrade to say a larger TV didnt really make that much more money as the margin is still the same (ie awfull) However get that poor bastard to buy an over priced surge board and an extended warranty and you and the store both make more money.

I often think about how I would go about the same job as a red shirt and I think convincing the customer to pick some up extra piants (you dont really wanna mix up that custom cool color do you?) and hobby supples would be the way I would go about it.

Glue is one of those things that has a crazy profit margin for GW, several dollars for something they probably get for a few cents.

inquisitorlewis wrote:So anyways my GF and I walk in and I start browsing around. Within a minute or 2 the employee approaches me and we begin chatting. I tell him that I am browsing atm but was pretty much decided on the Manticore. I told him I spent hours online looking at all the different models available. The next thing I know he's pulling a Zombie Dragon off the shelf and starts telling me how cool it is. I myself do not care much for the model as it looks like its squatting to take a big old dump (which is probably made from "finecast" resin). I just sort of shrug it off and get my Manticore plus some paints. Once everything was all said and done I paid .68 cents out of pocket.

The zombie dragon is not only plastic, but a far superior model to the manticore. The employee was trying to do you a favor.

I don't go to my local GW store very much, I think twice in 3 years....The last time I went in I was treated like a noob, and that upset me a little. I've been gaming since 1991 and to be pushed to buy AoBR by someone 10 years younger than me was a bit much.

The overall ambience of the store was oppressive and the staff, once they found out I didn't want what they were trying to sell, couldn't have been less interested. I understand that the red shirts are paid a pretty poor basic wage and they need to top up thier income with sales, but that's the same for almost every retail store. The big difference here is that GW stores are supposed to be 'hobby centres', not like an HMV or a Dorothy Perkins.

When I started gaming I could go onto my local store and quite happily spend 2-3 hours shooting the breeze with staff and other customers, playing a game of WHFB or 40K, painting, converting etc. Basically it was all the stuff I'd do at home, just in a gamer friendly atmosphere. I can't quite put my finger on when this all changed, but I'm sad it's turned out like this....

As someone who currently works in retail, in a tuxedo shop, I have to say that upselling is the name of the game. If a guy comes in to rent a tux, try and sell him socks. Better yet, try and get him to buy the tux instead of renting it. And I have to. I get graded on how much I sell, and how much my average order costs. That's just how I have to do business.

However, GW stores seem to be a horse of a different color. I know I would be turned off to the whole experience, especially since I'm used to my local game store. They can tell if a new customer is a gamer or not, and understand that veteran gamers already know what they want.

ph34r wrote:

inquisitorlewis wrote:So anyways my GF and I walk in and I start browsing around. Within a minute or 2 the employee approaches me and we begin chatting. I tell him that I am browsing atm but was pretty much decided on the Manticore. I told him I spent hours online looking at all the different models available. The next thing I know he's pulling a Zombie Dragon off the shelf and starts telling me how cool it is. I myself do not care much for the model as it looks like its squatting to take a big old dump (which is probably made from "finecast" resin). I just sort of shrug it off and get my Manticore plus some paints. Once everything was all said and done I paid .68 cents out of pocket.

The zombie dragon is not only plastic, but a far superior model to the manticore. The employee was trying to do you a favor.

That's not the point though, is it? The OP already stated that he didn't like the Zombie Dragon and prefered the Manticore. He wasn't buying the Manticore to use in a game, he was buying it because he liked it and wanted to paint it.
But I can understand the red shirt's reasons for trying to sell him the Dragon. $7 maybe $7 but it might well impact on the member of staff's takehome pay at the end of the month. As far as the Dragon being a superior mini, that's down to personal choice, and the OP had already made up his mind on that....

I don't have a problem with the sales person per say. You said you were looking for a cool model and had pretty much decided on what you wanted. So you left an opening for him to look for other cool models. Being that everyones definition of cool is different he was banking on the fact that yours was similar to his.

Now me when i go into a store i just like to look around. my wife calls it window shopping and maybe its. Im married and have kids so when I'm lucky enough to have some time to myself i like to just enjoy myself and look at all the other things before i buy what i want so i dont have to lug it around the store. plus i might be interested in seeing some games that might be happening in the store.

In your situation this is what i do when i go to a store were i know there are sales people that are somewhat pushy (not being negative on them i know they have to do it for work)

1 enter the store, salesman comes up trying to get a feel for me. I say good morning. i know what i'm after today, just want to look around, thanks.
2 if salesman continues No thank you I'm just looking around I dont need help at this moment.
3 In the unlikely event you have a brain dead sales person that can't read the blatant signals Sir, I appreciate your assistants but it is not needed and your ruining my shopping experience in your store. If i have a question i will wave you over thank you.

I dislike being pushed and to be honest ive only ever had to use option 3 maybe3 or 4 times and it was usually on an overzealous teenager in dire need of more training or an attitude adjustment. That being said i wouldnt mind said salesman above mainly becuase ive just started this hobby and wouldn't mind being walked around and shown a few things. Being and adult and knowing what i have to spend i can make an educated choice based on what i want/ what was shown to me. You never know the sales guy might have scored if your version of cool matched hes and you might have walked out with both modules.

I don't disagree that GW store employees are aggressive with their sales tactics, but by the sound of the OP's description it also sounds like the employee may have simply just really liked the other model. Up-selling is also possible and I don't deny that.

I went to a GW store a couple of weeks ago (my first time in this store) and the sales guy was very friendly and spent a lot of time talking to me and my friend who went with me. He asked us what armies we play and what we had in mind for our armies and he tried to make sales suggestions in those directions. He was actually really good at it, and if it weren't for me knowing that I could get most of what he was pushing elsewhere for much cheaper, he probably would have gotten more out of me. We did talk a bit about things that he was interested in and enthusiastic about, but that was more friendly conversation than hard selling I believe unless I was being totally naive about the situation.

I ended up getting a couple finecasts and a metal blister. Many people on Dakka often say never buy GW direct because they can get it cheaper elsewhere but I haven't been able to find a source for finecast and metal that beats GW yet. My FLGS sells at GW prices and hopes that you buy from them to "support the local store." Online sources like thewarstore usually just sell the plastic boxes. Anyway, while completing my transaction at GW, the sales guy tried to sell me everything they have in the store. Rulebook, Codex, Paint, Glue, Tools, Novels, Audio books and all. Not exaggerating one bit. It was a bit frustrating because I am not an impulse buyer and I hate saying "no thank you" over and over again, but I was not upset with the guy for doing his job. I'm sure he tried everything on me because I was a brand new customer to his store, but hopefully he will relax his technique with me in the future.

inquisitorlewis wrote: A little about me first. I have been a member for a couple of years now. I was an avid 40k player, collector, and modeler for the last decade. Recently I have began to stray away from the game. I stopped buying GW at retail. Instead I chose to buy on ebay and forums like this one. Recently due to hard economic times I began selling off a very, very vast collection. Since beginning to sell off all my stuff I have become quite hooked on selling on ebay. I have began buying up large lots of WHFB, and 40k breaking them down and selling them on ebay. This has been a nice little source of income for me and my GF and I have recently started our own LLC so we can start buying items wholesale and sell on ebay.

I bought a rather large lot of Tyranids a few weeks ago and included in the lot was a GW giftcard for 88 dollars. Since selling off the rest of the lot paid for the lot and made me a bit of profit I decided that I would spend the giftcard on myself. It was either that or pay retail to resell at less than retail. Since I am no longer playing either 40k or WHFB I decided to just find something that would be fun to assemble and paint. So I hit up the GW website and spent a few hours browsing all the models they currently offer. They of course have a ton of pretty cool models but I kept coming back to the Chaos Lord on Manticore. Imo it is a great looking kit, plus it comes with both a Chaos Lord and a Chaos Sorcerer, leaving the door open for another cool model and conversion after finishing the Manticore. So the next day I was off to my local GW. I have been their one other time and don't care for it to much. It is dinky and not a lot of room for gaming.

So anyways my GF and I walk in and I start browsing around. Within a minute or 2 the employee approaches me and we begin chatting. I tell him that I am browsing atm but was pretty much decided on the Manticore. I told him I spent hours online looking at all the different models available. The next thing I know he's pulling a Zombie Dragon off the shelf and starts telling me how cool it is. I myself do not care much for the model as it looks like its squatting to take a big old dump (which is probably made from "finecast" resin). I just sort of shrug it off and get my Manticore plus some paints. Once everything was all said and done I paid .68 cents out of pocket.

On the way home it hit me. He was upselling. The Crapping Zombie Dragon was 7 dollars more than the manticore. Why must GW do this? I am all for helpful staff and promoting the hobby, but imo he was doing neither. He was just trying to get more money from me. Thank goodness it will be a long long time before I set foot in another GW.

In short, he's done his job slightly wrong.

Upselling is of course part of it, any sales job is, and make no mistake, they are not your friend, they are salesman.

However, what he should have done, and the training (in the UK at least) is focussed on ensuring any upselling is relevant to that particular customer. Undead for instance, cannot have Manticores, so the immediate link is unclear. What he could (and arguably should) have done is to see whether the Manticore is for an army, or just a painting/modelling project, and take it from there. This done, and assuming it's for the latter, the Zombie Dragon kit is a highly satisifying kit to build. If it's for an army, mention Storm of Magic, as it allows you to field multiple monsters, and not just those from your book. And ultimately, though it seems irritating, this is their main job. Not interested in anything BUT the Manticore, start chatting about what sort of colour scheme. Hobby chat with a product link. Whilst it results in the same as overtly upselling, it's a damned sight friendlier, and less likely to get on peoples tits in my experience.

I spend a fair amount of time in my (several) local GW stores. I know the staff and I'm in to game or to paint/model on a regular basis. I've never been pressured into buying anything and I've never seen anyone else be pressured.
Staff have offered me miniatures that they know I want: "would you like to get that Ork Nob squad today?" which is fair enough I think. They've taken the time to find out what I'm doing currently and what I want and then they ask me if I want to get it. Seems ok!

I'll give a couple of examples of what I've seen in stores too:

Guy came in, staffer said "hey there, how's it going today?" Guy replied with "I'm just looking, not buying" and stomped off to the end of the shop.
So the staffer carried on the cleaning he was doing and as they both move roud the store they both end up next to eachother in the fantasy section. The guy is picking up Beastmen boxes and looking them over.
Staffer: "beastmen eh? Do you collect or game with them?"
Guy: "yeah"
Staffer: "which models are you looking for there?"
Guy: "any just looking"
Staffer: "no problem. So, what is it you like most about the Beastmen then?"
The guy then opens up and starts talking about his army and what he likes. The staff member carries on with the conversation and they arrive at a point where the guy says he feels his army is too slow and he's losing quite a bit. Staff member asks if he can suggest something and then puts a box of centigors in his hands- he explains their strengths & weaknesses and what they'd offer on the battlefield.
The guy is convinced and decides he wants them.
The staffer then asks him if he does much converting/sculpting to which the guy replies yes. Staff dude then suggests converting 2 boxes of marauder horsemen and 1 box of gors into 10 centigors and offers to help if the guy needs it. Explains it's more money and effort but you get more out of it at the end. The guy seems on board and the staff asks if he wants to get the boxes today and if he needs more greenstuff and glue to get the job done.
The guys says yes, spends £50+ and leaves happy with a promise to return to show off the conversions and play a game or 2 in store.

Another time a 50-ish year old couple head into the store with a list in hand. The staff dude says hi and "i see you have a list there, can I help you find anything?"
The couple are stand-offish and say no, they're just looking.
Staff leaves them too it and after they've spent 5 minutes walking around the store he overhears the name of some LotR they're looking for in the fantasy section.
He tells them that he overheard and that the models they want are elsewhere- he takes them too the section, asks them what else was on the list and finds it all for them. Once they've got it all in their hands he asked them if they wanted to take the whole list (they put 1 back I think) and if they needed any modeling supplies before taking everything to the till for them.


Both of these situations involved people walking in and automatically saying "no" and being quite offish about it. It's a conditioned response to retail staff to just say "no, i'm just looking".
Without being pushy the staff member perservered, found out what the customers wanted and sold it to them. It was great customer service and everyone was happy.

This is what I see in whichever GW I go to- staff being enthusiastic about painting and gaming and offering people what they want. Really isn't anything wrong with that surely?

Eternalhero1983 wrote:I have two friends; one was a Gw employee and one who was recently release because of Management issues.

Both of them told me what GW marketing strategies are. GW is only interested in the newer gamer. They want the staff to sell starter set to bring these first timers into the hobby. The Second part of the strategy is to push large monster, tanks, and finecast models before all else. They do this to raise interest in the newer models that are release.

Take Storm of Magic for instance, high point value games, large monsters, new scenery and a new book. Their goals are to sell you the newer things on the list first if you been in the hobby for a while. Now every army has to purchase monsters or models from other armies to play a single game.

It all comes down to this. Newer players + New army + new expansion + big and expensive models= Profit

I hate to break it to you, but that's not how things are done. I also have two friends. One is a GW employee, and the other is his fiancee, who was the store manager for the one of the busiest stores this side of the pond. GW is not interested in just the new gamer. They're interested in both kinds of player. Yes, the starter bundles are big ticket items, but so is a battleforce, a couple more tanks and a couple boxes of specialist units. In fact, that's more revenue than the AoBR set. The AoBR set is about $100. A battleforce, two tanks and two specialist units come out to about three times more. So if I were GW execs, I'd want to push for more repeat business than new business. Because yes, you may have some people come in and drop $600 at once for their kids, but what happens if/when said kid decides he's outgrown plastic soldiers? No more revenue.

Now look at return customers. They may only spend $30 per visit, but over the course of their gaming, that adds up. 10 visits again equals three times as much as the AoBR set. If I had been a smart aspirant when I got started, I would have gotten the old Macragge set (which also came with terrain/scenery). But because I didn't want two armies and had no one to go halves with, I instead got the old Necron battleforce (also, I just loved the box cover, hehe, but that's another discussion). Anyways, its is usually more in a company's best interests to look out for its return customers than it is to focus on new ones. Now, new customers are important as well, and each set of gamer has its own good and bad points. But it takes both to keep any good company afloat.

Whoa...sounds like you guys have been getting it rough. I never get bothered by the staff at my store, and when they adress a customer they aren't annoying about it.
Must be a regional thing.

My local store is a tiny place, 2 tables, one for show, one for gaming. Minimal stock. One guy (his name is Neil) runs it. That's right, one guy. He's in his early twenties. He holds Beginners classes all day Sunday (Fantasy, 40k and LotR) and Veterans night every Thursday. I take my little brother to 40k Beginners every Sunday (he's 11 years old) with his badly painted IG (I of course never tell him, just sneakly touch up the dwarf flesh dribbling down the odd tunic) and he along with 8 or 9 other kids the oldest about 13 have a mass game.

This obviously becomes difficult to control but he doesn't rage, he just taps on the table and calls out for quiet. He even knows all their names.

The store is closed Mondays and Tuesdays so he can work a 5 day week.

The guy is a hero, he's been running that store 2 years. He helped me build a tournament list and even lent me some models for a game outside the store. Rather than me Proxy.

So they're not all bad! lol

DivineSausage wrote:My local store is a tiny place, 2 tables, one for show, one for gaming. Minimal stock. One guy (his name is Neil) runs it. That's right, one guy. He's in his early twenties. He holds Beginners classes all day Sunday (Fantasy, 40k and LotR) and Veterans night every Thursday. I take my little brother to 40k Beginners every Sunday (he's 11 years old) with his badly painted IG (I of course never tell him, just sneakly touch up the dwarf flesh dribbling down the odd tunic) and he along with 8 or 9 other kids the oldest about 13 have a mass game.

This obviously becomes difficult to control but he doesn't rage, he just taps on the table and calls out for quiet. He even knows all their names.

The store is closed Mondays and Tuesdays so he can work a 5 day week.

The guy is a hero, he's been running that store 2 years. He helped me build a tournament list and even lent me some models for a game outside the store. Rather than me Proxy.

So they're not all bad! lol

You got yourself a keeper. Keep him happy with some sales and he'll make that local area grow.

Poor red shirts GW needs to invest in some training for its sales folk.