Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Had a more than concerning talk today with one of my favorite gaming stores.

He said that alone this week GW made many items for him unavaible, because they will be Webstore Exclusive.
Examples are: Excorine set, Baneblade, Stompa
He said they "lost" around 15 products from their list.

Seito O wrote:
Had a more than concerning talk today with one of my favorite gaming stores.

He said that alone this week GW made many items for him unavaible, because they will be Webstore Exclusive.
Examples are: Excorine set, Baneblade, Stompa
He said they "lost" around 15 products from their list.

I'd expect marine units to start doing the same in a year or two as the primaris line is fleshed out but nothing in the near future.

 warboss wrote:

Seito O wrote:
Had a more than concerning talk today with one of my favorite gaming stores.

He said that alone this week GW made many items for him unavaible, because they will be Webstore Exclusive.
Examples are: Excorine set, Baneblade, Stompa
He said they "lost" around 15 products from their list.

I'd expect marine units to start doing the same in a year or two as the primaris line is fleshed out but nothing in the near future.

I seriously doubt that. This is just GW moving the slower selling product to 'Direct Only' to make room for the new releases.

 Ghaz wrote:

 warboss wrote:

Seito O wrote:
Had a more than concerning talk today with one of my favorite gaming stores.

He said that alone this week GW made many items for him unavaible, because they will be Webstore Exclusive.
Examples are: Excorine set, Baneblade, Stompa
He said they "lost" around 15 products from their list.

I'd expect marine units to start doing the same in a year or two as the primaris line is fleshed out but nothing in the near future.

I seriously doubt that. This is just GW moving the slower selling product to 'Direct Only' to make room for the new releases.

yeah thats my read too, space marines are still as far as we know selling very well, GW'll be happy to "double dip"

 Ghaz wrote:

I seriously doubt that. This is just GW moving the slower selling product to 'Direct Only' to make room for the new releases.

Do you think the use of primaris marines in art, stories, and on the new product spotlight will increase secundus marine sales or slow them down? I agree with you but am pointing out that I expect old marines to join that club in a few years. It'll likely start with the loosening restrictions on which old marines boxes stores *MUST* stock to stay at their retailer discount level to be replaced with mandatory primaris equivalents. YMMV.

I don't expect basic marines to go anywhere until their sales drop to nil and their molds are well and truly worn out.

looks like ghost ark / doomsday ark, and the necron destoyer squad got pulled, amongst others. I had a DDA backordered at thewarstore and got an apologetic email from them today explaining they couldn't get them anymore due to GWs change in policy. Looking at their online list -- I can't remember exactly what was and was not direct, but the list has definitely shrunk and I don't like it! Honestly, at least from a Necron perspective the list of stuff they're allowing the independent stockist to sell is not terribly impressive! I understand the need for GW to have exclusives, but I can't imagine this makes their independent stockists terribly happy.

-Propo

 warboss wrote:

 Ghaz wrote:

I seriously doubt that. This is just GW moving the slower selling product to 'Direct Only' to make room for the new releases.

Do you think the use of primaris marines in art, stories, and on the new product spotlight will increase secundus marine sales or slow them down? I agree with you but am pointing out that I expect old marines to join that club in a few years. It'll likely start with the loosening restrictions on which old marines boxes stores *MUST* stock to stay at their retailer discount level to be replaced with mandatory primaris equivalents. YMMV.

Considering the basic marine box outsold the entirety of WHFB at one point, I would guess that it will be a long long long long long long time before tactical marines are selling worse than Exorcines and Stompas.

Hmm just after GW-US allowed for internet sales.

GW givith and GW taketh away.

 Ghaz wrote:

 warboss wrote:

Seito O wrote:
Had a more than concerning talk today with one of my favorite gaming stores.

He said that alone this week GW made many items for him unavaible, because they will be Webstore Exclusive.
Examples are: Excorine set, Baneblade, Stompa
He said they "lost" around 15 products from their list.

I'd expect marine units to start doing the same in a year or two as the primaris line is fleshed out but nothing in the near future.

I seriously doubt that. This is just GW moving the slower selling product to 'Direct Only' to make room for the new releases.

Most of those have been out of GW shops proper for awhile.

Seito O wrote:
Had a more than concerning talk today with one of my favorite gaming stores.

He said that alone this week GW made many items for him unavaible, because they will be Webstore Exclusive.
Examples are: Excorine set, Baneblade, Stompa
He said they "lost" around 15 products from their list.

Was this a FLGS or a GW LGS?

That's definitely the wrong direction to go - even with slow sellers. They lose nothing by keeping them available to stores which wish to carry them (or special order them for customers, etc.)

There's no logistical benefit to GW by doing this. If they'll ship it to a customer, they'll ship it to a retailer (or should). Silly. I hope it's just for re-boxing or some of those are just getting new models, etc.

On the plus side, I lucked out and got a Falcon on eBay new in box for a steal (the Falcon being one of those non-retail kits for some reason...)

FLGS can order direct only. Well, mine can

Thebiggesthat wrote:
FLGS can order direct only. Well, mine can

But they can't order it with their usual level of retailer discount.

Wait so my FLGS wont get the 30-50% margin. That sucks. Friggin evil empire.

 doktor_g wrote:
Wait so my FLGS wont get the 30-50% margin. That sucks. Friggin evil empire.

I'm a non-GW retailer in AUS and our normal margin is 30-40% and we get free shipping from them. If I want to get direct range product now I have to order it from their website - I get a 20% discount but have to pay shipping. I just tell my customers to order it direct now...

Making something direct order only is essentially giving it a price rise, as I can no longer buy it for a 20% discount.

It also jumps GW's margin for that item.

 Elbows wrote:
That's definitely the wrong direction to go - even with slow sellers. They lose nothing by keeping them available to stores which wish to carry them (or special order them for customers, etc.)

There's no logistical benefit to GW by doing this. If they'll ship it to a customer, they'll ship it to a retailer (or should). Silly. I hope it's just for re-boxing or some of those are just getting new models, etc.

On the plus side, I lucked out and got a Falcon on eBay new in box for a steal (the Falcon being one of those non-retail kits for some reason...)

I agree entirely. GW's biggest mistake years ago was its all out war on FLGS. It absolutely DEVASTATED 40k in my area. We are still recovering from it. 40k is just now for the first time in nearly a decade, starting to get more visibility. If they go through with this, its a nail in the coffin as far as I am concerned. How do they plan on promoting their product if its not played anywhere? If I own a gaming store, and I am not selling 40K I am not going to allocate space for wargaming tables etc. Does GW expect players to flock to GW stores? Good luck, many states don't even have one or if they do its 1 in the entire state. No one is going to drive hours to play.

It was a bad marketing decision then, and its a worse marketing decision now. Really hoping this isn't happening.

This is neither a change in policy nor a new thing. GW always had kits in their portfolio that they stopped selling via shops. The Eldar Serpent, Skyshield landing pad and the SM Whirlwind for example have been direct-only since mid 6th edition, some Dark Eldar kits switched back and forth. Why these? Let's be honest, we dont know. So why dont you contact GW and ask them about the reson behind this change in availability?

Also if you try to buy Privateer Press products in europe you will release this is not a GW-only situation

Warhams-77 wrote:
This is neither a change in policy nor a new thing. GW always had in their portfolio that they had to stop selling via shops. The Eldar Serpent, Skyshield landing pad and the SM Whirlwind for example have been direct-only since mid 6th edition, basically. Why is that the case with kits like these? Let's be honest, we dont know. So why dont you contact GW and ask them about the reson behind this change in availability? Try to buy Privateer Press products in europe and you will suddenly release this is not a GW-only situation

Ah yes, whataboutery, breakfast of champions.

Lets be real here, no matter who does it, it's bad for the customer and so nobody who does it gets a pass. Further, there's no actual reason that FLGS shouldn't be able to order Direct products in exactly the same way and with exactly the same discount as for any other product other than GW wanting to drive traffic to their own stores & webstore, it would cost GW almost nothing in terms of costs to continue to allow FLGS to carry a range(in addition to "must stock" items, obviously) that they feel best suits the needs of their own customer base, regardless of what reason GW might think or pretend they have for choosing this or that kit to go Direct Only. They choose not to permit that, so they deserve every bit of flack they get for decisions like this.

If they hadn't pulled Baneblades from their own stores i would have bought one a few weeks back.

 Yodhrin wrote:
Further, there's no actual reason that FLGS shouldn't be able to order Direct products in exactly the same way and with exactly the same discount as for any other product

Direct only items can be stocked at much lower levels compared to general sale products. In order to keep them available for FLGS, GW would need to maintain much higher stock levels for little return (I assume Baneblades and Stompas don't move high numbers).

 Yodhrin wrote:

Warhams-77 wrote:
This is neither a change in policy nor a new thing. GW always had in their portfolio that they had to stop selling via shops. The Eldar Serpent, Skyshield landing pad and the SM Whirlwind for example have been direct-only since mid 6th edition, basically. Why is that the case with kits like these? Let's be honest, we dont know. So why dont you contact GW and ask them about the reson behind this change in availability? Try to buy Privateer Press products in europe and you will suddenly release this is not a GW-only situation

Ah yes, whataboutery, breakfast of champions.

Lets be real here, no matter who does it, it's bad for the customer and so nobody who does it gets a pass. Further, there's no actual reason that FLGS shouldn't be able to order Direct products in exactly the same way and with exactly the same discount as for any other product other than GW wanting to drive traffic to their own stores & webstore, it would cost GW almost nothing in terms of costs to continue to allow FLGS to carry a range(in addition to "must stock" items, obviously) that they feel best suits the needs of their own customer base, regardless of what reason GW might think or pretend they have for choosing this or that kit to go Direct Only. They choose not to permit that, so they deserve every bit of flack they get for decisions like this.

Let's assume the reason is they did not sell well enough. So they should keep selling them with a discount to retailers even though it is making them losses? Do you have to simplify every reason why things happen into claims like "GW screwing everyone" and "Not in the customers' best interest". If other companies' product does not sell well - look at Mantic's Battlezone scenery as an example, or their Ork vehicle kits - the range just gets cut and goes OOP. This is basic math, and not surprising at all

Also see the changes with all these currently OOP Start Collecting sets and the Land Raider Redeemer/Crusader kit. According to a few posts I read in the last days GW may be adding 8th Ed rules to some sets too.

Just be patient and dont jump to conclusions. There could be a good reason behind some of this

This is just old (stupid) GW.

Making a kit direct order only is to try to move sales of those lower volume kits through the channel were GW make the highest profit margin. It will however have the knock on effect of lower sales of those kits even more.

For example I've always planned to buy a second baneblade to make a shadowsword, but it has never made the top of my to buy list. The effective 20% price rise by making it direct only means the chances of that idea becoming a sale for GW have just dramatically lowered. If I ever do it will probably because I manage to pick one up cheap on ebay. Guess how much money GW make out of me buying one from ebay?

argonak wrote:

Seito O wrote:
Had a more than concerning talk today with one of my favorite gaming stores.

He said that alone this week GW made many items for him unavaible, because they will be Webstore Exclusive.
Examples are: Excorine set, Baneblade, Stompa
He said they "lost" around 15 products from their list.

Was this a FLGS or a GW LGS?

I think it is a FLGS not a GW LGS.

 His Master's Voice wrote:

 Yodhrin wrote:
Further, there's no actual reason that FLGS shouldn't be able to order Direct products in exactly the same way and with exactly the same discount as for any other product

Direct only items can be stocked at much lower levels compared to general sale products. In order to keep them available for FLGS, GW would need to maintain much higher stock levels for little return (I assume Baneblades and Stompas don't move high numbers).

This is exactly the reason. It's mainly kits that aren't big sellers or are older/about to be replaced. A lot of finecast characters seem to be as well.

It's sensible business decision really. My FLGS offers 10% off direct only, and 20% off normal. They get the same margin and I pay less than the sticker price. But that won't stop some people on here moaning because it's GW. I await the 'waaah waah white knight' comments....

Seito O wrote:

argonak wrote:

Seito O wrote:
Had a more than concerning talk today with one of my favorite gaming stores.

He said that alone this week GW made many items for him unavaible, because they will be Webstore Exclusive.
Examples are: Excorine set, Baneblade, Stompa
He said they "lost" around 15 products from their list.

Was this a FLGS or a GW LGS?

I think it is a FLGS not a GW LGS.

This is Kuta-- you are talking about? (I'm following the gw-fanworld discussion, too) Kuta-- has been black-listed several times by GW because of their high online discounts and they dont buy from GW directly from what was communicated online in the past years. As mentioned in the gw-fanworld thread other stores, with GW accounts, can buy and sell GW product with a discount (Edit: and by Thebiggestthat a post above mine). Even though it is a smaller one

https://www.gw-fanworld.net/showthread.php/233426-40-der-Modelle-nicht-zu-bekommen-was-ist-da-los?p=3727806&viewfull=1#post3727806

 warboss wrote:

 Ghaz wrote:

I seriously doubt that. This is just GW moving the slower selling product to 'Direct Only' to make room for the new releases.

Do you think the use of primaris marines in art, stories, and on the new product spotlight will increase secundus marine sales or slow them down? I agree with you but am pointing out that I expect old marines to join that club in a few years. It'll likely start with the loosening restrictions on which old marines boxes stores *MUST* stock to stay at their retailer discount level to be replaced with mandatory primaris equivalents. YMMV.

There is also the new codex out in a couple of weeks, if the new rules do not make it more attractive to take Primaris over Secundus in just about every role that Primaris are also available then I'll be a monkey's uncle. GW aren't just fighting saturation with Marines in the player base collection and battlefield roles, it is the second hand market as well that "steals" sales from GW. Primaris exist to enable GW to revamp the entire Marine line up (oft quoted as the most important range to GW full stop) over the coming years and get the existing player base to upgrade. With this in mind I'm expecting the Secundus Marine range to slowly disappear from stores as the sales drop off.

This is not really a new thing. Had a look in my trade pad and they have been doing this since at least 01/12/14 starting with the Goblin Shaman and The Pestilent Swarm.

There are roughly 700 items on my list, allot are direct only, others removed for repackaging or being superceded (<=Did GW misspell this?) by newer products.
I can order anything from GW direct but at a worse discount but I still get free shipping if I order for at least €50. I still offer direct only with a 20% discount, same as I offer regular products but profit margins for direct only are pretty much nil. I offer it more as a service than to make profits, then again my business is of such small scale with such low sales that I've only ordered direct only items for people 3 times this year (started my shop on the 1st of March).

Thanks for the info, MCC!