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I've been desperately searching for a few bits I need on Ebay, and with no listings available, I thought I'd try independent bits sites. However, it seems thatalmost all of them are perpetually out of stock, even of the most basic bits. Does anybody know if these sites ever update their stock - I fail to see how they're still running as businesses! If there are some obscure sites that have a decent range, could anybody be so kind as to point me to them...

I use http://www.bitsandkits.co.uk/ - but they often sell out of certain parts pretty quickly. It's worth signing up for their newsletter though.

It's difficult for any independent company to be able to provide a decent range of bits at all times sadly. What parts were you looking for? Maybe someone here could help you out

Thanks for the link, unfortunately I'd already checked them, but with no luck. TBH, I usually go with eBay sellers as they tend to keep up to date with stock. The only reason I haven't is because most of them do a major re-stock around about now, having wound down after Christmas. In this case though, I still don't think they'll have what I'm looking for - Black Ark Corsair cloaks. the damned things are like gold dust unless you buy the full kit.

I've had a quick rummage; from what I can see the asking price is usually around GBP£1.50 per cloak- so you might actually be better off buying the full kit! Here's a couple of links that *might* be useful (not 100% sure though)

http://www.bitzarium.com/en/249-black-ark-corsairs-warhammer-bits

http://elementgames.co.uk/games-workshop/warhammer-fantasy/dark-elves/dark-elf-black-ark-corsairs?d=10103

You'll find that most bits websites run out of the same pieces, the odds and ends that most people use for conversions and be left with the basic stuff.

Unfortunately, GW's trade agreements have been detrimental to web stores in the bits department. Your surviving bit sellers are going to be individuals who either buy kits and break them out or something similar. That's why you're probably seeing so many "out of stock" - they aren't allowed to sell the bits any more.

Yeah, I think most of the bits sellers are part-time and don't use it as their sole income.

Still, they do restock and I can usually get what I need if I wait and flit between a number of different bits sellers (my usual round is Bitzbox, Bitsandkits, Forbidden Gaming and Let the Dice Decide).

Some things though, as you've noticed, are highly sought after and tend to go before you've even noticed they've restocked (although surely that means there's an untapped market so they should stock more, but hey ho).

In those cases, I often find it's better to just save up and buy the kit itself. Corsair Cloaks are one of those. I've found the blank Reaver helmets are another...

 Stormonu wrote:
Unfortunately, GW's trade agreements have been detrimental to web stores in the bits department. Your surviving bit sellers are going to be individuals who either buy kits and break them out or something similar. That's why you're probably seeing so many "out of stock" - they aren't allowed to sell the bits any more.

It's also a rather difficult business to be in the first place - because generally speaking, you have certain bits that are very popular, but in general are only a very small segment of the overall kit. Which leaves you with a lot of money invested in model parts that don't have much demand. There's a reason why Battlewagon bits had those huge bag of random bits clear outs every year, because otherwise that stock would never move.