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For what it is worth, I got some Steel Legion as they were going OOP last year. One of the boxes was missing the missile launcher loader, because I was picking through about 100 troopers it took me ~2 weeks to find it. By this point, the unit had gone OOP about 6 weeks prior and my kits must've been made-to-order.

Emailed GW as soon as I noticed, had an entire replacement squad shipped out in a week, for an OOP product.

This was in the UK. The posters dissatisfied with GWs customer service in this thread are mainly in the US so it may be a regional issue.

 Haighus wrote:

This was in the UK. The posters dissatisfied with GWs customer service in this thread are mainly in the US so it may be a regional issue.

Yeah, this is a fair point. I'd be curious if they run customer service for mainland Europe out of the UK also (I'd guess yes).

I buy from my local GW when it's convenient of something I can't justify spending the money on shipping.

Otherwise I get it from third party retailers where it's discounted or eBay/Bits sites if I'm after bits or singles minis from a box.

Tales of service woe, are they US specific or recent? Last time I bought from a GW store was because I had some vouchers, so went to the one in central London, got the DeathWatch vs Eldar box. Was missing the SM captain. Called up mail order, told them, they asked was I sure, I sent a picture of all the sprues in the box, they said no probs and sent me the missing captain.

I have encountered the other store issue. Got 2 boxes of AI when it was first released, one was missing its bases and had a miscast on one of the sprues (well actually each box had one error, but I just made it one complete and one incomplete box). Called them up, they told me I had to talk to Dark Sphere, but then Dark Sphere were straightforward in replacing the box for a new one.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
Unless it literally cannot be purchased elsewhere, never. It amazes me that people still do.

On the VERY rare occasion extremely limited runs (collector's edition codexes) I buy direct. Otherwise, agreed.

I'm a big belvier in "pay where you play" and one of those locations is a GW store in town, so I do shop at GW and order from them.

I buy the odd token item at RRP when i pop into GW to have a chat, but to be honest the prices are so high I mainly order from third parties.
To me i don't understand anyone ordering anything from the webstore that could be bought elsewhere at 20% discount just as easily.

I'd say GW customer service in the UK was fine but its been a while.

In terms of sales though, I think its just based on people not knowing the alternatives exist. It took a while for me to discover say Dark Sphere - and then later Wayland and Element games were all out there, offering products at a substantial discount. Once you realise you can get stuff for 20-25% off the RRP its hard to look back.

I had one annoyance with Dark Sphere sending me some stuff - but it was during the first lockdown, when GW stock was in incredibly short supply seemingly all across the UK and everyone's logistics was a mess. Apart from that its usually been very quick and I've not had anything go missing.

I generally only buy from GW when there's no alternative or I'm passing the shop and need something like paint or brushes right there and then. I can't remember the last time I bought a model kit from GW.

GW really wants its customers to think they are the only place to get all your hobby supplies. It wasn't always this way. Back when I started they didn't sell craft knives and files and all the various other tools, or any terrain. They actively encouraged you to get those elsewhere. Now they want gamers to be able to get whatever they need at GW, but at a steep price. I think that's a losing battle. The internet makes it really easy to get what you need at a big discount. When I started gaming in the 90s it was difficult to find other hobby shops even in big cities.

Slipspace wrote:
I generally only buy from GW when there's no alternative or I'm passing the shop and need something like paint or brushes right there and then. I can't remember the last time I bought a model kit from GW.

GW really wants its customers to think they are the only place to get all your hobby supplies. It wasn't always this way. Back when I started they didn't sell craft knives and files and all the various other tools, or any terrain. They actively encouraged you to get those elsewhere. Now they want gamers to be able to get whatever they need at GW, but at a steep price. I think that's a losing battle. The internet makes it really easy to get what you need at a big discount. When I started gaming in the 90s it was difficult to find other hobby shops even in big cities.

I mean that's what pretty much any retailer does. If they don't sell X but you need X they encourage you to get it wherever you want. If they turn around and do start selling X then, yeah, they kind of want you to get X from them.

I can't blame them for that, that's just business. Any firm on the market will do the very same thing and any firm that is earning good profit to invest will look to expand their product range to give you more of what you need under their system.

 Overread wrote:

Slipspace wrote:
I generally only buy from GW when there's no alternative or I'm passing the shop and need something like paint or brushes right there and then. I can't remember the last time I bought a model kit from GW.

GW really wants its customers to think they are the only place to get all your hobby supplies. It wasn't always this way. Back when I started they didn't sell craft knives and files and all the various other tools, or any terrain. They actively encouraged you to get those elsewhere. Now they want gamers to be able to get whatever they need at GW, but at a steep price. I think that's a losing battle. The internet makes it really easy to get what you need at a big discount. When I started gaming in the 90s it was difficult to find other hobby shops even in big cities.

I mean that's what pretty much any retailer does. If they don't sell X but you need X they encourage you to get it wherever you want. If they turn around and do start selling X then, yeah, they kind of want you to get X from them.

I can't blame them for that, that's just business. Any firm on the market will do the very same thing and any firm that is earning good profit to invest will look to expand their product range to give you more of what you need under their system.

Sure, but most companies don't start selling a product identical to one you can get elsewhere at a 500% mark-up.

I order direct for fragile models for the customer service.

I once bought a miscast from 3rd party that was unnecessarily difficult to get a replacement for from GW (as seller indicated this is a manufacturing warranty issue, not seller's).

Another instance I had broken pieces in one of the warhammer underworlds boxed games (terrible packaging, btw) that I bought off amazon that I needed to process the exchange through the original seller as GW denied manufacturer's warranty (claimed it was seller's handling issue, not a manufacturing defect) as it does not extend to 3rd party sellers.

Slipspace wrote:

 Overread wrote:

Slipspace wrote:
I generally only buy from GW when there's no alternative or I'm passing the shop and need something like paint or brushes right there and then. I can't remember the last time I bought a model kit from GW.

GW really wants its customers to think they are the only place to get all your hobby supplies. It wasn't always this way. Back when I started they didn't sell craft knives and files and all the various other tools, or any terrain. They actively encouraged you to get those elsewhere. Now they want gamers to be able to get whatever they need at GW, but at a steep price. I think that's a losing battle. The internet makes it really easy to get what you need at a big discount. When I started gaming in the 90s it was difficult to find other hobby shops even in big cities.

I mean that's what pretty much any retailer does. If they don't sell X but you need X they encourage you to get it wherever you want. If they turn around and do start selling X then, yeah, they kind of want you to get X from them.

I can't blame them for that, that's just business. Any firm on the market will do the very same thing and any firm that is earning good profit to invest will look to expand their product range to give you more of what you need under their system.

Sure, but most companies don't start selling a product identical to one you can get elsewhere at a 500% mark-up.

I mean they do - just look at Apple and their £1000 screen stand.
Or how about a large percentage of the "paint pot holders" which you can often get as "nail polish holders" for vastly less.

There's always firms that mark up more and those that mark up less. I agree if you are buying tools GW is not the best place and their prices on things like clippers are darn cheeky at £20 or something last I checked. It's not where I'd advise something to go. However I don't blame GW for not advertising in their stores that you can get the same product cheaper elsewhere; and at the very least GW's tools are generally good to very good in quality (with a few random oddities here and there).

It's a bit like how GW used to do a lot of "how to make terrain" articles here and there and even "how to make a tank out of a can of deodorant"; however today they will more likely do an article on how to use hteir latest terrain kit or just buy a tank directly from them. I don't blame them for that either, their whole thing has to be to drive money toward themselves. That's just to be expected. Plus its not like the rest of the internet and market haven't picked up the slack. Within 5 mins you can find loads of articles and there's at least 2-3 other hobby magazines (excluding the model train ones) on the highstreet shelves for wargamers. So there's info out there pretty easily once someone has stepped passed the threshold.

Plus this all assumes that they only get advice from the GW store manager when they get into the hobby. There's loads of tips on forums, facebook and in clubs for those getting started.


So yeah I don't blame GW for advertising their stuff, there's plenty of counter marketing out there from the community itself and loads of good info.
Though I can blame them for overpricing on clippers

The thing with any game is, that if you start looking for channels, forums etc you are already in a minority. A ton of people don't even know that there are other companies paints for plastic or resin models, or that a hardware hand drill costs 1/10th of what people at a hobby store ask for etc.

Yes but now we are blaming the retailer for the slack jawed customer being unable to shop around. They are under no requirement to tell said individual they can shop elsewhere. Why would they?

I personally prefer to buy from my FLGS, usually its the same price or a slight discount and it allows them to keep their doors open so folks can play on the weekends without worrying about the store closing. I've seen plenty of stores close down over the years and its always a shame when its a good store with a good owner.

The_Real_Chris wrote:
Yes but now we are blaming the retailer for the slack jawed customer being unable to shop around. They are under no requirement to tell said individual they can shop elsewhere. Why would they?

Nobody's blamed the customer. It's simply been pointed out that GW's business plan is to sell stuff at stupid mark-ups. I even noted in my response to a previous comment that this retail model is probably not as successful as it once was specifically due to customers becoming more savvy.

Slipspace wrote:

The_Real_Chris wrote:
Yes but now we are blaming the retailer for the slack jawed customer being unable to shop around. They are under no requirement to tell said individual they can shop elsewhere. Why would they?

Nobody's blamed the customer. It's simply been pointed out that GW's business plan is to sell stuff at stupid mark-ups. I even noted in my response to a previous comment that this retail model is probably not as successful as it once was specifically due to customers becoming more savvy.

GW sell branded tools on their shops so each shop is a one stop, erm….shop, for every new customer.

From basic tutorials to boxed sets to the tools, paints and glues via rules and terrain, anyone can walk into a GW store, and walk out with a grasp on the basics, and pretty much everything you need to get your hobby on. And all those bits and pieces are up to the task.

That’s….that’s it. That’s the entire theory. And it works. Yes you can absolutely get comparable tools and better tools, for cheaper, elsewhere. But you can also get tools which aren’t quite right (less sharp and fine pointed clippers for example). But why would GW actively point someone too those, or want to send someone somewhere else, when that cash could be going k their till?

It’s not some bizarre conspiracy. It’s pretty basic marketing. And, despite the higher price, it’s pretty good customer service, as they don’t have to run around town finding different bits and pieces necessary here and there.

Not sure if it is customer service I need to rant at, or just their webstore in general, but I am a bit annoyed with GW's service at present.

I placed an order online during the Black Library celebration to pick up Fafnir Rann, as nowhere local had any left when I went into town. I also added some Direct Only items I'd had my eye on, but didn't need immediately, including a Skyshield Landing Pad, and one of the M2O Eldar Warlocks.

Because Rann was also out of stock online - but had the "We'll get one to you eventually" promise in play - the order was listed as to be delivered within 180 days.

No big deal, I thought - aside from Rann, nothing was showing as out of stock, so it'll all come through in one box.

Fast forward from February to a couple of weeks back, and I get three automatically-generated emails from GW informing me I'm going to be refunded for two of the items from the order (the Landing Pad, and the Warlock) as they can't/won't supply them due to a "technical error". Oh, and when they've shipped the order, they're not even including the Black Library novella from the celebration, despite it qualifying for it when placed.

Now, I'll hold my hand up and say that, with hindsight, I should've split the order and had it delivered to store, rather than going for one box to my home to avoid paying or shipping, but I'm really not amused at them deciding that this approach is acceptable.

I do if someone gifts me an online voucher to use with GW.

mrFickle wrote:
once I realised you could get it all from other hobby web stores for about 20% cheaper I stopped using GW but as far as I am aware they still do quite a lot of business.

Who pay GW prices when you can get it cheaper?

Anyone who is starting the hobby and doesn't know they can get it cheaper yet. Bought many boxes from the GW shop when I was starting out.

Once I discovered the discounts it's only been for limited editions that are only sold through GW.

Not since we chose bits from printed catalogs and GW had real trolls digging those bits from bins.

Oops, tho i did try to spend a bit at the local GW when in Holland... i liked the guy (JayPee!!!) and contrast and sisters came out... dropped a few bills. But i was thinking only mail order, in the above post. So, ok... in such a situation, only.

Ugh. Trying to buy locally isn't working for crap. The local store has nothing (and is reluctant to place orders), and the store 45 minutes down the road (that discounts) has decided that after spending a couple thousand dollars and lots of time/effort to renovate a game room and put their GW stock in it (back in May), that they'd close it down and sublet the space. Moving their stock to their downtown location (a mess of traffic, snarls, no parking and one way roads). Which was also closed.

So after tearing down their game stock shelving, renovating a space, putting up more comics shelving, they're going to rebuild their old game stock shelving and move everything back where it was 9 months ago. But for the time being they're not going to have any of their game stuff in the more functional store. Genius!

I want to support local stores, but they always seem to have the business sense of a bunch of brainless ninnies.

Voss wrote:
I want to support local stores, but they always seem to have the business sense of a bunch of brainless ninnies.

That's because most game stores start because someone comes up with the clever idea to run a store to subsidize the costs of their hobby. They have no business skill or experience, they focus more on trying to be the cool friend to all the people they play with instead of how to make money, and once the initial loan money and their savings run out the store goes out of business. The rare few stores that succeed are the ones run by people who ruthlessly treat it as a business that just happens to sell games. And when those people look at stuff like GW's markup on tools the only thing they're thinking is if they can get away with adding another 25% markup on what GW charges.

 Shas'O Ky'husa wrote:

Voss wrote:
I want to support local stores, but they always seem to have the business sense of a bunch of brainless ninnies.

That's because most game stores start because someone comes up with the clever idea to run a store to subsidize the costs of their hobby. They have no business skill or experience, they focus more on trying to be the cool friend to all the people they play with instead of how to make money, and once the initial loan money and their savings run out the store goes out of business. The rare few stores that succeed are the ones run by people who ruthlessly treat it as a business that just happens to sell games. And when those people look at stuff like GW's markup on tools the only thing they're thinking is if they can get away with adding another 25% markup on what GW charges.

Nah, the stores that succeed are the ones that diversify, you can't survive selling only 40k/mtg/boardgames/comics, you gotta sell all of them

 VladimirHerzog wrote:
Nah, the stores that succeed are the ones that diversify, you can't survive selling only 40k/mtg/boardgames/comics, you gotta sell all of them

And offer gaming space, and food & drink, and...

beast_gts wrote:

 VladimirHerzog wrote:
Nah, the stores that succeed are the ones that diversify, you can't survive selling only 40k/mtg/boardgames/comics, you gotta sell all of them

And offer gaming space, and food & drink, and...

food and drinks help but i have a few LGS that don't offer them and have been going for 20+ years
(they do have snacks and some canned drinks tho)

I think today food and drink is almost a must. Not only is it letting you diversify your income, but it also helps keep people IN the club. They come, they eat, drink, socialise, play games etc....

Food and drink are one of the few retail outlets on the highstreet that appear to survive. Even if its a 3rd party doing all the catering and thus perhaps only sharing site rent and such; its at least increasing the chances of you getting people to play and part with cash and building a loyal community up.

 Overread wrote:
I think today food and drink is almost a must. Not only is it letting you diversify your income, but it also helps keep people IN the club. They come, they eat, drink, socialise, play games etc....

Food and drink are one of the few retail outlets on the highstreet that appear to survive. Even if its a 3rd party doing all the catering and thus perhaps only sharing site rent and such; its at least increasing the chances of you getting people to play and part with cash and building a loyal community up.

Especially if you're a new store, you need a way to build up the community

Long-term stores usually already built that community or became a known name in the city theyre in so they can kinda deal with not offering food and drinks (talking about a café style)