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Hello all. Im a big GW fan, have been for years, worked for the company for nearly a decade and love the lore and 40k, originally doing WFB and LOTR as well but now just focus on 40k.
Ive noticed, particularly in more recent years, and especially in big box sets with lots of sprues, that a lot of detail gets damaged. Destroyed rivets, crushed faces, knights antennae, bent/broken spikes and so on. I believe it has been on the increase in recent years as the detail has increased with fewer flat smooth surfaces, greater complexity and finer parts etc.
Has anyone else found this? I feel i'm having to constantly check and return things. Is it wrong to want things to reach me undamaged? I feel GW could do a much better job with packaging, especially having seen some companies and their stackable sprues. It seems a lot of damage is caused by more raised areas rubbing/grinding against other raised parts. A few things are fixable, but some require some solid GS work or are simply too tricky (some of the smaller rivets, faces and smaller details) to fix. I find it particularly annoying that I have to keep contacting the store I buy from and in a number of ways it brings my feelings about the hobby down after i've had that 'high' of purchasing something that I really wanted.

Does anyone feel that GW could do a better job with their packing?

Not really news and rumors? Maybe general discussion? And yeah, I’ve had occasional detail “mushed” a bit. A spike here, a rivet there.

Can't say I've ever had an issue and I buy regularly. Never had any specifically damaged parts in boxes. Do you buy direct or 3rd party? GW's customer service is usually the only thing of theirs that gets near universal praise, contact them and see if they'll send out replacements. Usually letting you keep the originals.

 Inquisitor Kallus wrote:

Hello all. Im a big GW fan, have been for years, worked for the company for nearly a decade and love the lore and 40k, originally doing WFB and LOTR as well but now just focus on 40k.
Ive noticed, particularly in more recent years, and especially in big box sets with lots of sprues, that a lot of detail gets damaged. Destroyed rivets, crushed faces, knights antennae, bent/broken spikes and so on. I believe it has been on the increase in recent years as the detail has increased with fewer flat smooth surfaces, greater complexity and finer parts etc.
Has anyone else found this? I feel i'm having to constantly check and return things. Is it wrong to want things to reach me undamaged? I feel GW could do a much better job with packaging, especially having seen some companies and their stackable sprues. It seems a lot of damage is caused by more raised areas rubbing/grinding against other raised parts. A few things are fixable, but some require some solid GS work or are simply too tricky (some of the smaller rivets, faces and smaller details) to fix. I find it particularly annoying that I have to keep contacting the store I buy from and in a number of ways it brings my feelings about the hobby down after i've had that 'high' of purchasing something that I really wanted.

Does anyone feel that GW could do a better job with their packing?

GW could absolutely do a better job. I've had this happen many times, and when I contact customer service they have been a bit reluctant to replace the damaged sprues. It isn't my fault you crammed a bunch of spikey sprues into a box with the structural integrity of a cereal box! Other companies have much much better packaging that makes you feel like you are buying a premium product. GW just makes you wince at the price.

 Gallahad wrote:

 Inquisitor Kallus wrote:

Hello all. Im a big GW fan, have been for years, worked for the company for nearly a decade and love the lore and 40k, originally doing WFB and LOTR as well but now just focus on 40k.
Ive noticed, particularly in more recent years, and especially in big box sets with lots of sprues, that a lot of detail gets damaged. Destroyed rivets, crushed faces, knights antennae, bent/broken spikes and so on. I believe it has been on the increase in recent years as the detail has increased with fewer flat smooth surfaces, greater complexity and finer parts etc.
Has anyone else found this? I feel i'm having to constantly check and return things. Is it wrong to want things to reach me undamaged? I feel GW could do a much better job with packaging, especially having seen some companies and their stackable sprues. It seems a lot of damage is caused by more raised areas rubbing/grinding against other raised parts. A few things are fixable, but some require some solid GS work or are simply too tricky (some of the smaller rivets, faces and smaller details) to fix. I find it particularly annoying that I have to keep contacting the store I buy from and in a number of ways it brings my feelings about the hobby down after i've had that 'high' of purchasing something that I really wanted.

Does anyone feel that GW could do a better job with their packing?

GW could absolutely do a better job. I've had this happen many times, and when I contact customer service they have been a bit reluctant to replace the damaged sprues. It isn't my fault you crammed a bunch of spikey sprues into a box with the structural integrity of a cereal box! Other companies have much much better packaging that makes you feel like you are buying a premium product. GW just makes you wince at the price.

Indeed, it's extremely apparent in boxes like Forgebane, BaC, the getting started boxes and the like. I find it very rare in single unit smaller boxes. It seems to be in boxes where they just cram lots of mixed sprues in. Im glad i'm not the only one who feels that, when paying for a premium product it should be better packaged. I have, as you, contacted customer services who seem.......reluctant. Ive even offered to send and sent stuff back. This makes me feel hesitant to contact them, particularly as it happens fairly regularly. Goblin Gaming, the online store I buy from, are fantastic, but I feel that they shouldnt have to be replacing the stuff when GW should be looking at ways to reduce damage.

Never had this as a significant problem in … 22 years (and counting).

Yes they should package properly, and in my experience, they do.

I think I've had 2 bent metal spears (bent them back again - took a minute - 45 seconds of that time was finding the right pliers).

HAVE seen poor finecast, but never bought any.

I have to say I had also never encountered this until recently.

I got a copy of Knights Renegade and there was a fair amount of superficial damage to both Knights.

It was only minor damage but I am missing a lot of rivets and a couple of the shoulder pads has damage to the trims.

It's nothing major but considering the value of the kits I was a bit miffed but to be honest once painted I doubt it will notice it and the pads were easily fixed with greenstuff.

Plus the set was such a good deal I didn't want to tell GW (although if the damage had been more significant I would have done).

But I agree - this was a cheap deal (which was amazing so I'm not complaining) but the sprues were pretty tightly packed.

This is the only time I can think of this has happened though (not including FW products but they are never any problem to sort out either by fixing yourself or getting replacements).

StraightSilver wrote:
I have to say I had also never encountered this until recently.

I got a copy of Knights Renegade and there was a fair amount of superficial damage to both Knights.

It was only minor damage but I am missing a lot of rivets and a couple of the shoulder pads has damage to the trims.

It's nothing major but considering the value of the kits I was a bit miffed but to be honest once painted I doubt it will notice it and the pads were easily fixed with greenstuff.

Plus the set was such a good deal I didn't want to tell GW (although if the damage had been more significant I would have done).

But I agree - this was a cheap deal (which was amazing so I'm not complaining) but the sprues were pretty tightly packed.

This is the only time I can think of this has happened though (not including FW products but they are never any problem to sort out either by fixing yourself or getting replacements).

Exactly. I found that in Forgebane the Necron stuff had no damage whereas the Armigers have crushed rivets all over the place and the aerials are just gone. For many many years I never had problems and only twice when at GW in 10 years of my own personal stuff.

I have seen this quite a bit recently. I believe the problem is two fold... 1. Increasing detail of the kit(s) and 2. Pressure to use smaller boxes.

The worst issue I've had to deal with over the last couple of years has been books with smashed corners.

The only issues I've had have been with Space Hulk 4th edition and Silver Tower - one broken genestealer claw and one pink horror missing a fingertip.

I must admit I've never noticed any damage with the previous Imperial Knight Renegade box or any others.

I wonder if demand is just so high that stuff that QC would bin might be let through just to increase the amount of stock produced

as they have a good replacement policy its not going to hurt GW customers (and may even benefit them as they'll often send a full sprue/box for a single damaged part)

and as for 3rd party suppliers, well all the more reason for customers to choose gw direct. Not the aim but a welcome bonus

EDIT the other reasonable alternative may be that as shipping costs have spiralled very few places other than Amazon still pack as heavily as they used to, more tightly packed boxes from GW (especially the good value ones like box games and SC boxes) plus less external packing from shippers means more crush damage on the parts which are often thiner and more delicate than in the day of the Catachan and Cadian

I've had so many quality issues that at one point I wouldn't be surprised if the customer service department hadn't thought I was trying to scam them. Missing sprues, incorrect product information online, incorrect product information in magazines, damaged parts, pages falling out of books, miscasts, and a few other complaints have all been (very genuinely) made over the last couple of years. I have completely given up on forgeworld, and not far off with citadel to be honest.

 OrlandotheTechnicoloured wrote:
I wonder if demand is just so high that stuff that QC would bin might be let through just to increase the amount of stock produced

as they have a good replacement policy its not going to hurt GW customers (and may even benefit them as they'll often send a full sprue/box for a single damaged part)

and as for 3rd party suppliers, well all the more reason for customers to choose gw direct. Not the aim but a welcome bonus

EDIT the other reasonable alternative may be that as shipping costs have spiralled very few places other than Amazon still pack as heavily as they used to, more tightly packed boxes from GW (especially the good value ones like box games and SC boxes) plus less external packing from shippers means more crush damage on the parts which are often thiner and more delicate than in the day of the Catachan and Cadian

Ive purchased direct from GW and had more problems/reticence from them than my third party supplier so this certainly isn't true from my experience.

Haven’t had a problem since the days of finecast, either ordering direct or from third party. Last problem we with a Finecast box of Dark Eldar Incubi; after sending in some pictures they sent me a replacement. I’ve bought lots and lots of spikey Eldar, and I’ve never even had a bit come off the sprue.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
As far as box sets go, I’ve bought Deathstorm and Overkill to no problems either.

Haven’t had any problems with GW Item packaging other than with a couple fine cast items.

I've had to call them a number of times, and every time they seem reluctant or I start to feel like I don't want to be a nuisance, I have to gird myself with the knowledge that I paid ridiculous prices for these miniatures, so if there is damage to even one bit I want to use I deserve to have it replaced. I don't have the same attitude towards other companies, except maybe for Privateer Press.

Just call them and they will fix it. GW has good customer service.

What if...Just what if the issue is with your mail handler and not GW?

mhelm01 wrote:
What if...Just what if the issue is with your mail handler and not GW?

Items need to be packaged in a manner that protects them from harm; irrespective of handlers. GW just tosses stuff into a box without consideration and sends it out the door. They literally have the worst product packaging practices I have ever witnessed.

The starweaver kit has a wing tip pressed against the passenger compartment panel. The last three starweavers I've assembled have had light damage to the wingtip and panel caused by the two rubbing together. It's something I can fairly easily fix, but it is annoying.

GW CS is outstanding in this regard. Contact them, send proof of purchase and photos, and they’ll send replacements.

Probably spend about £3k a year on gw product, had one mispack last year in a start collecting box, one miscast from forgeworld, one bad sprue in Overkill, one damaged cover on a heresy book. That's in the last five years.

 oni wrote:
They literally have the worst product packaging practices I have ever witnessed.

You mustn't have dealt with Mantic then :-) Parts off sprue, all together in a bag, in a box 10x too large with no padding. I'm on my third replacement Mule and have yet to get an complete, intact one.

Back on-topic: this is one of the reasons to use your FLGS (where possible), as you can take the stuff back and physically show them the damage- or even open & check in-store.

I don't think I've ever bought from GW online. I always buy from somewhere like Marionville or Element online to get 20% off. I've only ever bought painting and modelling stuff direct from GW (where the postage would negate any savings), and that's been in-store.

It's been a long time since I've bought anything from GW proper, but I've never had any major problems with the packaging and things breaking. However, today I got my part of a Forge World order, some Skaven for Blood Bowl, and I found I was missing parts for it. Of the 6 models I bought, 2 were missing parts (out of the same blister) although I can excuse something like that from such a large company. I've had just as major issues from way smaller companies, and had to wait weeks before my parts arrived. From GW/FW, I know I can expect to have my parts within a week or 2, which is no issue to me (I have models to use anyway, I'll just use Hakflem as a Gutter Runner in the meantime, and I already had 2 Blitzers from the regular team)

I've had very few problems with GW stuff.
Worst issue I had was way back in 4th. Necron Monolith came with a ...floor?/undercarriage? That was only half poured. And 2 of the walls were warped and had round unfinished corners. It seemed like I had gotten the last sprue made with that particular batch of plastic.
Had a Battle wagon with an exhaust pipe so miscast I used it as a barrel of a scratch built Grotzooka.
Predator cannon without most of its barrel.
IG tanks where all the little hand hold/step ladder things were broken. Tank tracks miscast.
But its been a long time since I've bought anything that bad.
I'm just curious about the top of the cauldron on my Blood Cauldron. One side has 3 bubbles to mount the medusa while the other side has what looks like dremmel scarring all over it. Is it supposed to look like that? Are they ment to be ripples in the surface?

My only problem over the years, and its more with their older games, was everything bouncing around inside the set and damaging the rulebook or paper products. In recent years they have been binding these up in plastic and thats great, but everytime I buy an OOP set off ebay, I cross my fingers about the rulebook.

 oni wrote:

mhelm01 wrote:
What if...Just what if the issue is with your mail handler and not GW?

Items need to be packaged in a manner that protects them from harm; irrespective of handlers. GW just tosses stuff into a box without consideration and sends it out the door. They literally have the worst product packaging practices I have ever witnessed.

This is untrue.

mhelm01 wrote:

 oni wrote:

mhelm01 wrote:
What if...Just what if the issue is with your mail handler and not GW?

Items need to be packaged in a manner that protects them from harm; irrespective of handlers. GW just tosses stuff into a box without consideration and sends it out the door. They literally have the worst product packaging practices I have ever witnessed.

This is untrue.

Agreed.

Source: I bought something from Mantic.

I've replaced 4 kits.