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 Orlanth wrote:

GW has many many faults, but this policy is not one of them.

That seems like a fair enough comment in this case, but that doesn't change their general modus operandi seems to involve them declaring war on the independents at every opportunity. It some years now since I worked in an independent store selling their stuff, but it seems the predatory attitude (we were all great until a GW store opened a few miles away) doesn’t seem to have changed.. if anything it is a strategy that is being supported by their internet selling (an increasing number of high profile ‘direct sales’ that cut out the independents entirely), and the way the company does business with them. This policy change might benefit the gaming stores marginally, but it’s kind of a +1 when they already stand at about -8, and won’t benefit the local store a damn when they still keep getting new releases weeks late, or can’t get hold of core stock, which seems to be a continuous problem with only GW and serves to force customers to buy direct.

In general terms I question how many customers (especially amongst GW’s target demographic) actually just buy bits anyway. Can you imagine a parent who wants to buy some space marines looking on bitsandkits and trying to work out what to buy to get some stuff for his son if they didn’t know anything about it? Not a chance in hell..

As such, I think this will probably only really hurt the more veteran collectors who, let's face it.. well, if you're still hanging around now, you must have pretty thick skin anyway, or at least a penchant for self-abuse.

Interestingly, since GW altered their trade terms - Wayland Games Discount is now only 15% !! - and with the shipping of £4.80 - its only 2.3% cheaper !

 Orlanth wrote:
This policy makes sense frankly, and it ought to be supported, but as its a GW policy it wont be by many.

This is coming from someone who repeatedly harshly critiques GW, rather than a fanboi.

We need to look at the isue not who is making it.

GW forks out for brick and mortar and lose out to third party retailers who only sell online. Online only sellers do not support the hobby, only those with a physical sales location do.

If GW tries to ban online sales they will break EU laws, however the current rerstrictions are no more than 'do as we do' and reamin fair so long as GW itself has a retail division.

GW has many many faults, but this policy is not one of them.

That would be all fine and dandy if all those "noble motives" weren't undermined by a simple fact: GW also sells stuff online, in fact GW sells some of their products exclusively through their online store which kind of gives a big oll feth you to all other retailers!

This move as NOTHING to do with protecting the hobby or the FLGS, its just GW trying to "conquer the world" once again and I just hope that someone has the capital to drag them to court the first time that they try to enforce this...


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 brassangel wrote:

PhantomViper wrote:Me thinks that GW's lawyers are writing checks that they can't pay once again.

AFAIK, under EU trade laws as long as GW has an online presence themselves they can under no circumstance forbid others from selling their product online. This type of policy seems to be a direct breach of Chapter I, Article 101 of the EU Anti-competitive agreements, and if GW tries to enforce it and they called to the courts for it, they'll pay a very heavy fine for it!

They aren't forbidding people from selling their product online. They are just regulating in which form(s) it can be sold.

They can't do that in the EU.

As long as they have an online presence themselves, they can't forbid or enforce any kind of restrictions on resalers.

Article 101 states:

Whether an arrangement is anti-competitive is assessed on the basis of its objective, or its effect on competition, rather than its wording or form. This means that verbal and informal 'gentlemen's agreements' are equally capable of being found to be anti-competitive as formal, written agreements.
Examples of the types of arrangement which are generally prohibited under Chapter I and Article 101 include:

agreements which directly or indirectly fix purchase or selling prices, or any other trading condition (for example, discounts or rebates, etc);

For a practical example of this law application you can follow this link:
http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2011-10/cp110110en.pdf

It talks about a case where a French Cosmetics company tried to restrict internet sales of their product by stating that they could only be sold in the presence of a qualified pharmacist. Guess what? They were found guilty of anti-competitive practices.