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'lo to all.
I was just on the GW workshop website, browsing the new apocalypse formation and scrolled down to the bottom of the page. There i saw a button that allowed you to change the website to those in other countries. I was REALLY pissed off to find out that in the UK it is costs 23 pounds to buy a SM tactical squad, but in Australia it costs $62. The exchange rate is about 1.6 dollars to the pound, meaning that in the UK it is $38 aud but in AUS it's 37 pounds. And the all it takes is the click of a button to see how much cheaper it is there. And I'm pretty sure if I try and order off the UK version of the website it either won't go through or it will charge me the AUS rates.
Does anyone know if GW plans to do something about the pricing differences or do i have to fly across the planet if i want to try and get a better price on models that are quite frankly overpriced wherever you go?

This isn't new... GW set their exchange rate back when the Oz dollar was worth around 60 cents in US currency, and have just never updated.

The 'good' news is that with the last couple of codex releases, they do seem to be finally moving to equalise prices somewhat... But they are doing so by pushing US and UK prices up to the ridiculous Oz levels, rather than dropping ours to match everyone else.

And codexes are still far more expensive here. That's unlikely to change.

Thankfully, a tiny bit of forethought will fix this. If you buy kits from the UK (not direct from GW) and have them mailed to you, you'll pay the same inflated prices that the US pays, rather than the ultrainflated AUD prices.

If you want to support your FLGS, then buy things at a discount from eBay in USDs, and then make a voluntary donation to your FLGS in the amount that you would have paid between what you actually paid and what you "should" have paid with proper exchange rates in place.

Well, I tried this with the NZ version, and the wave serpent on the UK site is 28 pounds, which equates to 54.25 NZD. On the NZ site, it's 87 dollars.

*insert directed swearing*

Remember that taxes will differ from country to country - this changes the point-of-sale price. In addition if the models are cast in the UK or US and shipped elsewhere this will also increase the cost at the destination.

Cost of living is much higher in Australia. Do you want the same minimum wage as UK and US? I didn't think so. It does suck as the consumer to be paying more, but we are paying the same relative to wages. Look at it this way, forgeworld is actually not too badly priced for us Aussies. DKoK armies aren't too bad to collect. So, next time you receive your pay check, and you realize you can not only afford your rent, bills, groceries AND 40k, that is the reason for it.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
While on this topic, why is it that people hate on GW, when many companies do this? Coca cola, McDonald's, all electronics, yet people complain about this a whole lot less. Infact, I have never seen a forum post whining about those companies/products, let alone one almost weekly.

 Rippy wrote:
While on this topic, why is it that people hate on GW, when many companies do this? Coca cola, McDonald's, all electronics, yet people complain about this a whole lot less. Infact, I have never seen a forum post whining about those companies/products, let alone one almost weekly.

We hate on GW here because this is a tabletop gaming forum. Hating on coca cola here would be silly because this place has nothing to do with coca cola, how is that not obvious? Did you miss the part where our government called some corporations to explain their pricing disparities? We *do* complain about such things - where it's relevant. I've posted on the forums of game publishers that do the same. They charge Australians $US80 on steam for something that costs Americans $US50. Note: They charge Australians in US dollars still - just more of them. I doubt a cent of that goes to the Aus govt in tax.

 Ailaros wrote:
If you want to support your FLGS, then buy things at a discount from eBay in USDs, and then make a voluntary donation to your FLGS in the amount that you would have paid between what you actually paid and what you "should" have paid with proper exchange rates in place.

"Voluntary donation?" Just buy your non-GW materials from your store (paints, brushes, tools, etc.).

 Yonan wrote:

 Rippy wrote:
While on this topic, why is it that people hate on GW, when many companies do this? Coca cola, McDonald's, all electronics, yet people complain about this a whole lot less. Infact, I have never seen a forum post whining about those companies/products, let alone one almost weekly.

We hate on GW here because this is a tabletop gaming forum. Hating on coca cola here would be silly because this place has nothing to do with coca cola, how is that not obvious? Did you miss the part where our government called some corporations to explain their pricing disparities? We *do* complain about such things - where it's relevant. I've posted on the forums of game publishers that do the same. They charge Australians $US80 on steam for something that costs Americans $US50. Note: They charge Australians in US dollars still - just more of them. I doubt a cent of that goes to the Aus govt in tax.

I didn't mean coca cola complaints on Dakka, I meant in general. Can you please point me in the direction of where the government called out some corporations? Because unless if the context was different, the government needs even more overhauling then I thought. Do you really think a gaming company would make us pay the same, if we earn a lot more money? That is just naive. We can whine and complain all we want, money is money.

 Rippy wrote:
Do you really think a gaming company would make us pay the same, if we earn a lot more money? That is just naive. We can whine and complain all we want, money is money.

It has nothing whatsoever to do with our higher minimum wage. In Australias case, regional pricing is due to the low value of the Aus$ historically. When it appreciated from ~0.6 $US to ~ $1.05 US, the price points remained the same with companies pocketing the difference. It is solely due to Joe Blow being willing to pay it because he's used to it and doesn't know any better. Prices being sticky downwards etc.

Enquiry into high IT priciong. "On 24 May 2012 the Committee resolved to inquire into IT price discrimination, following a request from the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy."

Accusations of naivete given your lack of knowledge on such topics is amusing.

Reiterating my point about discussing it where it's relevant - an old post of mine on the ubisoft forums discussing their regional pricing on steam.

 Rippy wrote:
Do you really think a gaming company would make us pay the same, if we earn a lot more money?

Yes, that's exactly what a lot of Australian consumers expect.

When the Oz dollar was low, importers charged what they needed to in order to function. When the dollar went up, many of them apparently decided to profit off that instead of adjusting their prices to match... And are now complaining that customers are buying the cheaper product online instead.

There's a very simple solution to that problem.



The fact that our minimum wage is higher than some other countries is completely irrelevant. Even ignoring for a moment the question of how many of GWs customers are on minimum wage, of you walk into a store, do you expect to be charged a different amount to the guy in front of you because he earns a different amount to you? Our because he lives in a different street?

 Yonan wrote:

 Rippy wrote:
Do you really think a gaming company would make us pay the same, if we earn a lot more money? That is just naive. We can whine and complain all we want, money is money.

It has nothing whatsoever to do with our higher minimum wage. In Australias case, regional pricing is due to the low value of the Aus$ historically. When it appreciated from ~0.6 $US to ~ $1.05 US, the price points remained the same with companies pocketing the difference. It is solely due to Joe Blow being willing to pay it because he's used to it and doesn't know any better. Prices being sticky downwards etc.

Enquiry into high IT priciong. "On 24 May 2012 the Committee resolved to inquire iFnto IT price discrimination, following a request from the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy."

Accusations of naivete given your lack of knowledge on such topics is amusing.

Reiterating my point about discussing it where it's relevant - an old post of mine on the ubisoft forums discussing their regional pricing on steam.

Your want of cheaper computer games has blinded you, actually. Playststion 2 games used to cost $100, as a standard price. Same with Xbox 360 games when it first came out. Notice the price of games today? Pretty much no inflation. This is due to the strengthening dollar, catching up over time. Companies are not go to lower their prices, rather let them catch up. Welcome to globalization, with different currencies.
You know that Stephen Conroy is the person who wanted the Internet filter right? There is nothing illegal about these companies are charging, and we need to get over it.
Again I iterate to you that the minimum wage in USA is $7.80 US dollars.
Also note that GW has left Aus out of their last few major price hikes.
So yes, why I do think some of your points have merit, you are naive.

And again, minimum wage is a red herring. Disposable income its the relevant factor when you're looking at the price of luxury goods, not minimum wage.

Minimum wage just tells you the bare minimum that people can be earning (and with the US, where so much revolves around the practice of tipping, is more or less meaningless as an accurate guide). It doesn't tell you how much available spending money the people who are actually buying the product have.

Is that why goods and services are a lot cheaper in the USA? No, it is relative to wages and cost of living as a whole.

Indeed... 'as a whole'. Not just minimum wage.

Our minimum wage its higher than in the US. But middle range and executive wages are far more even... Although that's artificially skewed higher in Australia thanks to the mining industry. You don't get an accurate picture just by comparing wages on paper.

You're missing the point where luxury goods get factored in to the 'as a whole'. Companies want maximum exposure (though arguable with GW with the amount they shoot themselves in the foot) so if the minimum wage is higher, they can raise their prices, under the assumption that more people can afford it.

Pricing has absolutely nothing to do with wages in capitalist type economies. Pricing is entirely dependent on what pricing point will get the company the best profits (sometimes profit margins instead). Therefore it is much more dependent on the what the customer is willing to pay and how many they are willing to buy at that price point.

BTW GW has been making some very questionable business decisions with their pricing as they seem to be neglecting the concept of increasing volume movement (I think they may be trying to maximize profit margin rather than profit).

However the reason Aus pay more is you (apparently) are willing to pay more, not your minimum wage.

Hypothetical for you:
Let's say Americans earn $1 a week. Aussies earn $2
All their bills rent groceries etc costs them 75c a week. Aussies comes to $1.50 a week. That leaves 25c for US to save and spend and Aussies 50c to spend and save Which do you think companies will make people spend more on luxury goods? 5c for warhammer in US, 10c in Aus. It sucks, but it's the way of things.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
You are getting caught up of the minimum whe thing, over the cost of living thing, which minimum wage factors in too.

 Rippy wrote:
You're missing the point where luxury goods get factored in to the 'as a whole'. Companies want maximum exposure (though arguable with GW with the amount they shoot themselves in the foot) so if the minimum wage is higher, they can raise their prices, under the assumption that more people can afford it.

Prices are targeted at specific demographics. In a county where minimum wage generally doesn't even cover rent, you don't target luxury goods at minimum wage earners if you expect your company to still be in business next week.

GW isn't targeting minimum wage earners. They're targeting people with large disposable incomes. The minimum wage has absolutely zero to do with their pricing model, which has remained largely unchanged since the 90s, before internet shopping was really a thing. And now they're suffering for that, which is the reason for the new policies restricting sales geographically. They think they can stuff the genie back inn the bottle.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Rippy wrote:

You are getting caught up of the minimum whe thing, ...

You're the one who brought it up.

And making up random figures won't prove your point. A higher cost of living generally means less disposable income, not more...

A mate of mine on minimum wage plays 40k as well as goes out socially and affords all of his cost of living. Do you think that if they targeted only large disposable incomes, that he could afford it?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Minimum wage is a factor in cost of living, not a statistic by itself. I thought we were on the same page, sorry.

 Rippy wrote:
A mate of mine on minimum wage plays 40k as well as goes out socially and affords all of his cost of living. Do you think that if they targeted only large disposable incomes, that he could afford it?

Sorry, are you seriously asking if someone clearly having a large disposable income proves that GW aren't targeting people with large disposable incomes?

Yes, there are people on minimum wage who manage to still have spending money, either by sharing houses, or living at home, or whatever. That doesn't change the fact that minimum wage earners aren't generally the primary target fit luxury goods, because in general they can't afford them.

All that is besides the point. Do you think that a person in the US is poorer than a person living in the Congo? Because electronics are sold cheaper in the US than in the Congo.

Prices are not set on what the people earn but rather on what they are willing to spend. A persons wage is only a portion of what determines what they are willing to spend. It should be noted however that this is only true once you reach a decent profit margin (usually 20% or better) as if you don't make money off it then the price needs to go up until you do.

 ansacs wrote:
All that is besides the point. Do you think that a person in the US is poorer than a person living in the Congo? Because electronics are sold cheaper in the US than in the Congo.

Prices are not set on what the people earn but rather on what they are willing to spend. A persons wage is only a portion of what determines what they are willing to spend. It should be noted however that this is only true once you reach a decent profit margin (usually 20% or better) as if you don't make money off it then the price needs to go up until you do.

You just contradicted yourself. You said that people in the USA are richer, therefore by your following logic, shouldn't it be more expensive in the US? You have brought up a whole different point, as third and first world counties will always be different. The trade barriers as well as the currency difference come in to play there. Also people are willing to spend what they can afford out of their wage, so it is all relative.

 Rippy wrote:
Your want of cheaper computer games has blinded you

Yeah, I completely just want cheaper games - I don't care at all about the inequity of people being shafted. /facepalm. Regional prices for software have *never* effected me in a negative way - I will use Russian, Brazilian, Indian sites etc. for regionally priced games which results in me paying less than people in the US pay, let alone the Aus prices. Just because it doesn't effect me, doesn't mean I don't have empathy for others whom it *does* effect. There is a solid argument for India, Russia etc. getting cheaper games - substantially lower standards of living and wages. The difference between the US, UK, Canada, NZ and Australia are negligible so there should be no price difference.

Example: Russian Civ 5 Brave new world - $25. US Civ 5 Brave New World - $30. Aus Civ 5 Brave New World - $50. Steam links with country codes so prices should work for everyone. That sufficiently prove to you I'm not just in this for myself?

Companies are not go to lower their prices, rather let them catch up. Welcome to globalization, with different currencies.

This is exactly what I said! The companies are pocketing the substantial difference. Why do you disagree and then say the same thing? We know they do this. We shouldn't let them do this - that's the point.

You know that Stephen Conroy is the person who wanted the Internet filter right?

The reason that it was canned was due to activism against it. The same activism can get the government to mandate price equality for goods.

There is nothing illegal about these companies are charging, and we need to get over it.

There was nothing illegal about slavery at one point too. Should the slaves have just gotten over it? You say some ridiculous things...

So yes, why I do think some of your points have merit, you are naive.

Acknowledging the points is something at least, however no, I am fully aware of the current reality of the situation - I just don't accept that it has to stay this way.

dude, it's not just models.. take this example. same product...


http://www.amazon.com/Badger-Air-Brush-RK-1-Additional-Regulator/dp/B0078MEXX8

http://www.mightyape.co.nz/product/Badger-Renegade-Krome-Ultra-Fine-Aibrush/21468425/

Amazon $120.55 & FREE Shipping thats.. NZ$154.679 NZD
and mightyape NZ$ 329.99 Plus shipping from:NZD$3.90......................... difference of................$179.21.....

Go figure.. The world is open now with Internet shopping..

In new Zealand the government is trying to Tax (13%) all internet shopping... So that would mean... they need access to our banking accounts to check what we are buying?

They wouldn't be checking your bank account, just charging you the tax on incoming parcels. The value of the item is listed on the customs documentation on the parcel.

I was being sarcastic , I know they (the government) wont bee checking our bank statements " hope it doesn't come to that. , but if you've been following the news here, with the Dotcom issue. Our government want more powers with the GCSB bill before Parliament. The Government Communications Security Bureau amendment Bill” .
The government has now moved to beef up the GCSB's power to allow them to undertake surveillance of New Zealanders on behalf of other agencies, such as the police or Security Intelligence Service.

A way around this "trying to charge for internet shopping" is to send it as a gift. are they going to charge people who receive a gift with a tax bill? " i hope not".

back on topic , . Anybody want to buy models for me oversea's? and send them here to little old New Zealand undercutting the GW stores here and still making a profit...
" i wounder how much postage would be if we just took everything out of the boxes....

 Ironklawmadgutsmek wrote:
Anybody want to buy models for me oversea's? and send them here to little old New Zealand undercutting the GW stores here and still making a profit...
" i wounder how much postage would be if we just took everything out of the boxes....

You know I was thinking about that. It would be nice to support local venues and screw with the greed heads.
One problem is the US post has gone cray of late (speaking of money gouging dirtbags) and are charging outrageous prices for overseas shipping.

 Rippy wrote:
While on this topic, why is it that people hate on GW, when many companies do this? Coca cola, McDonald's, all electronics, yet people complain about this a whole lot less. Infact, I have never seen a forum post whining about those companies/products, let alone one almost weekly.

Because Coca-cola doesn't sue other companies when they make Cola that's three times as cheap.
When McDonalds sell a menu, it's actually cheaper than buying all those things separately.
When I buy a Coca-cola 4pack, it's also cheaper than 4 normal bottles.
And electronics-manufacturers have competition: I pick the product that gives me the most value for its price; most parts in my computer are from different companies. I also own an LG-screen, a Samsung-TV, an Acer-monitor, some Logitech products, etc etc.

But when I dislike a product or if I am not satisfied any more, I will start buying a different brand of Cola or I will start going to Burger King.
GW knows that we cannot do this because they try to shut down anything that is compatible with 40k and they know that we have invested too much money in this.
All those companies don't keep increasing their prices every couple of months.
Those companies know how important customer-satisfaction is!

To me, my company-loyalty is extremely low: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loyalty_business_model and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loyalty_marketing (links for some info!)
Customer-loyalty is one of the most important things in this business.
I've had many other hobbies and I would buy them at the official stores, because I loved the hobby, I liked the company and I would pay them 10% extra compared to some webshop.
GW has driven me to a point where I am actively Googling for recasts because I prefer saving a dollar over supporting the company.

Every time I buy something from GW, I feel like I'm being ripped off.
1-click deals that are more expensive than buying the single products combined with squads and Battleforces? Great!
Fixing this problem by removing the squadrons from their website? Are you gakking kidding me?
Advertising that new a fortification has its rules inside the box and it turns out it has no real rules? Super!
Adding 5 Euro of plastic to a kit and increasing the price by 25? Why not..
Even the 'Siege of the Angel's Redoubt' doesn't give a discount whatsoever..

Can you name anything that Games Workshop has done as a thank you to their customers in the last year?

Speaking of prices...

I just went to the GW store here in the Brisbane CBD for a gander about..

$39 for a Failcast Marine Captain. $39. Not large, not bulky. Well molded (I checked - amazing!!) - but really? $39? GW - kiss my scratch-built Emperor Titans ASS!!

I must be getting too old to see any value in something so overpriced.....