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I've used Darksphere on and off for a few years. Popped in today to make a purchase, and was minded to pick up quite a lot of stuff - holiday weekend, wanted to ensure my lead pile never shrank etc. In my head I was on verge of dropping £100 plus in store on 'stuff'.I'd checked their new (to me) website for stock levels for my product and saw there were 44 in stock - turns out when I got there that this was their mail order sites stock levels (I didnt know they had an off site mail order business), and that they had none in stock. I said that I'd found their website a bit confusing as to my mind I read it as 44 items in stock.

Although one guy was friendly and helpful, as I wandered off to continue browsing, I could then hear the staff loudly discussing my comments and what sounded like being quite rude about my points (very sarcastic language about my reading the website). Bottom line was that I walked out without spending £100 in their store and won't be using them again, as I don't shop with businesses that think its okay to loudly take the piss out of a customer while he's still in the store.

Sadly they don't have an email address to send feedback to, so instead I'm posting feedback here publicly - namely, their staffs lack of understanding to not be rude about a customer while he's still in earshot cost you a sale today, and long term too.

Darksphere, like Wayland, has now joined my list of stores to avoid at all costs.

Sounds like a pretty lame store, and more inept staff, sorry to hear it.

I've had some mixed things about that place. On one hand the prices are pretty decent, and it's not far from where I work so it's handy to get a few things when I finish. On the other hand some of the staff are a bit rude at times, and there's a bit too much going on at times.

Stock: I needed a few things for a Leviathan I was building, checked online and they had everything in stock, I think it was green stuff, 2x drillbits, and a few other things. None of it was actually in stock besides 1 of the drillbit. The guy didn't really seem to care after a half-arsed look behind the counter.

- "Yeah I don't think we have it, must have got sent back to the warehouse"
- "It says online you do, you sure you're all out?"
- "Yeah..."

Also there's just too much going on sometimes, they've crammed as many tables as humanly possible into this space, granted it's not a small place but when it's packed out (usually for MTG), you can barely move around to browse, god help you if you're looking for conversion bits, as for some reason they're right on the other side of the rest of the stock, meaning if you've popped in to get some conversion bits, you'd have to come back another day unless you want to disturb about 2-dozen MTG players and squeeze between a number of players to get there.

This is a shame as I really like DarkSphere and know the owner fairly well - he's a great bloke and works very, very hard so he'd be upset to hear this.

Having said that they do seem to be turning over staff pretty rapidly at the moment - or at least there seems to be different people working there every time I go in.

The store also can be a bit haphazard, especially on delivery day and gets very busy if there are games going on.

I do agree the website can be confusing though, I recently ordered stuff to be delivered and saw there were lots in stick if I wanted to collect but they would have to order stock in for the item I wanted as there were none set aside for mail order. I couldn't understand why they just didn't take one from the shelves.... Having said that I got my stuff the following day so guess that's what happened.

I would maybe send a message to their FB page? I am sure the owner would want to know if you aren't happy and you are right this is bad form on the part of the staff.

But DarkSphere is a great store as far as London's concerned - very good prices and normally good service so this is disappointing.

I just started ordering from their online store again after they made their delivery prices more reasonable. They have the best prices, a tenner cheaper than even Element Games for all the things I wanted and have super quick dispatch and delivery.

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience, I was going to visit the B&M store when I was over in England next year, but I might give it a miss after reading this.

Something which also bugs me about the place is there really isn't much of a 40k community there. There's a seperate group on Facebook but it's rather haphazard and DS themselves can't guarantee they'll have enough tables for everyone. DS themselves don't have any dedicated 40k nights, it's almost entirely MTG, and any 40k they do host is on a few tables on a first-come first-served basis. Not saying you should be promised a game, but a dedicated 40k night where there's a good few more tables laid out would be much better, saves having to rush down there from work hoping there's a free slot.

You go down at certain times of the week and it's pretty empty. They could use this time for a dedicated 40k session, but the fact that they don't seems a bit of a half-arsed management to me.

Sorry to hear that the OP had an unpleasant experience. I've always found the staff to be helpful when I've needed to ask for something (which is quite often, as it can be difficult to find exactly what you're looking for on the shelves sometimes).

I've also had a couple of times when the displayed stock levels on the website didn't seem to match actual stock on the shelves but usually *shrug* pretty decent.

I've been using them for years, and I've played there a couple of times. Not been in recently but its always MtG in there.

I've always found the website to be clear. It states despatch stock and in store stock clearly under every item on their website but I can understand that this may be confusing when you make the mistake the first time.

Handy tip: You can purchase from webstock and have it available to collect from the store and then when you get there you can buy separately from store stock. For London I think this store is amazing

Can't speak to the store, but I've never once had an issue ordering from their website and they've been very accommodating when I derped out and forgot to add something to an order.

Have been in the store a few times and staff have always been friendly, but I understand it only takes one bad egg to stink out a place. And obviously the owner has made a mistake with recruitment this time if they have someone that goes on like this, treating a customer disparagingly and now creating this negative PR for them.

Hopefully someone that knows the owner will read this thread and let the manager know. An alternative might be to give the store a call? Just ask to speak to the manager (put on your best authoritative voice ) and let him know politely what happened. It will at least give him a chance to deal with the problem he has in store, and I'm sure if he has any business nous (which he must have to have survived as a small, independent business in such a toxic retail environment) then he'll deal with it appropriately.

Sounds like the brick and mortar shop will be out of business soon. I try to do most of my shopping online.

Think jumping to conclusions a bit there.

The store did move from it's central London location some time ago, and presumably the £million a month rates, to a location further east in the city. It's now underneath a railway track (some noise, although no falling masonry), and within walking distance to the Imperial War Museum. That itself has recently been renovated, great day trip to go to both of those places if you get the chance.

 Valkyrie wrote:
Something which also bugs me about the place is there really isn't much of a 40k community there. There's a seperate group on Facebook but it's rather haphazard and DS themselves can't guarantee they'll have enough tables for everyone. DS themselves don't have any dedicated 40k nights, it's almost entirely MTG, and any 40k they do host is on a few tables on a first-come first-served basis. Not saying you should be promised a game, but a dedicated 40k night where there's a good few more tables laid out would be much better, saves having to rush down there from work hoping there's a free slot.

You go down at certain times of the week and it's pretty empty. They could use this time for a dedicated 40k session, but the fact that they don't seems a bit of a half-arsed management to me.

MtG is usually what keeps the lights on for just about every LFGS, thus why when you browse any LFGS website it's 90% MtG promos, events, etc.

 Pacific wrote:
Think jumping to conclusions a bit there.

The store did move from it's central London location some time ago, and presumably the £million a month rates, to a location further east in the city. It's now underneath a railway track (some noise, although no falling masonry), and within walking distance to the Imperial War Museum. That itself has recently been renovated, great day trip to go to both of those places if you get the chance.

It only moved about 500m! I'd still call it Central London...

I work in London and tried the place about 4-5 times now. Staff always seemed pretty disinterested to be honest and never felt like a place to linger - generally buy online or local to where I live nowadays.

Only ever had good experiences with them.

Dropped in on a shopping binge, and clocked they were booking in two of those Plasma Cannon Scenery pieces. Unfortunately, I couldn't buy them there and then, due to how their stocking records work.

But they did take my email, and gave me first refusal.

jim30 wrote:
I've used Darksphere on and off for a few years. Popped in today to make a purchase, and was minded to pick up quite a lot of stuff - holiday weekend, wanted to ensure my lead pile never shrank etc. In my head I was on verge of dropping £100 plus in store on 'stuff'.I'd checked their new (to me) website for stock levels for my product and saw there were 44 in stock - turns out when I got there that this was their mail order sites stock levels (I didnt know they had an off site mail order business), and that they had none in stock. I said that I'd found their website a bit confusing as to my mind I read it as 44 items in stock.

Although one guy was friendly and helpful, as I wandered off to continue browsing, I could then hear the staff loudly discussing my comments and what sounded like being quite rude about my points (very sarcastic language about my reading the website). Bottom line was that I walked out without spending £100 in their store and won't be using them again, as I don't shop with businesses that think its okay to loudly take the piss out of a customer while he's still in the store.

Sadly they don't have an email address to send feedback to, so instead I'm posting feedback here publicly - namely, their staffs lack of understanding to not be rude about a customer while he's still in earshot cost you a sale today, and long term too.

Darksphere, like Wayland, has now joined my list of stores to avoid at all costs.

I think you are bad at reading a website as it explicitly states Dispatch Stock and Shop Pick Up Stock, also there is the ability to open a support ticket (basically a email) to raise concerns if you feel then need or you could have asked to see the owner with regards to the comments you overheard and sorted the problem there and then. The way I use Darksphere is to check if it in Shop Stock or just to order Online to pick up in store and wait for a confirmation email and then drop in, I've never had a problem with them.

 womprat49 wrote:
Sounds like the brick and mortar shop will be out of business soon. I try to do most of my shopping online.

I highly doubt that. Most people’s experiences with them are very good. I mostly play MtG there and buy paints and supplies.

Crispy78 wrote:

 Pacific wrote:
Think jumping to conclusions a bit there.

The store did move from it's central London location some time ago, and presumably the £million a month rates, to a location further east in the city. It's now underneath a railway track (some noise, although no falling masonry), and within walking distance to the Imperial War Museum. That itself has recently been renovated, great day trip to go to both of those places if you get the chance.

It only moved about 500m! I'd still call it Central London...

Really is that all?

It felt like a much further move to me. Place near the Thames in view of the London Eye, to underneath a railway track in a less well-off area of town, next to some car body shop and closed up garages (although areas can change just around one corner, so wouldn't surprise me actually!)

It’s about a 10 minute walk between locations, you’re making it sound like it moved to Croydon. The previous shop just didn’t have the space for events.

 Howard A Treesong wrote:

 womprat49 wrote:
Sounds like the brick and mortar shop will be out of business soon. I try to do most of my shopping online.

I highly doubt that. Most people’s experiences with them are very good. I mostly play MtG there and buy paints and supplies.

Yep, they had to split the store into the gaming part and the Online part because they ran out of space for all the stock and the massive MtG events they hold. I've been there some weekend and you cannot even get in the door, the venue is too small but I'm not sure they could afford to get a bigger place in Waterloo for reasonable money, the arches are owned by the railways so don't charge ridiculous rents.

Thanks for comments!

I think to some of points above that I personally misread the website, and I'm not saying that this is their fault, but I do take exception to having the piss taken out of me by staff behind my back for an honest mistake!

Apparently they are moving to a 9000ft store in West London according to some FB pages. Will be interesting to see how that goes.

jim30 wrote:
Thanks for comments!

I think to some of points above that I personally misread the website, and I'm not saying that this is their fault, but I do take exception to having the piss taken out of me by staff behind my back for an honest mistake!

Apparently they are moving to a 9000ft store in West London according to some FB pages. Will be interesting to see how that goes.

Its a second store, as I mentioned their MtG comps are so big now they need the space if only to obey the fire laws, lol.

Seriqolm wrote:

jim30 wrote:
I've used Darksphere on and off for a few years. Popped in today to make a purchase, and was minded to pick up quite a lot of stuff - holiday weekend, wanted to ensure my lead pile never shrank etc. In my head I was on verge of dropping £100 plus in store on 'stuff'.I'd checked their new (to me) website for stock levels for my product and saw there were 44 in stock - turns out when I got there that this was their mail order sites stock levels (I didnt know they had an off site mail order business), and that they had none in stock. I said that I'd found their website a bit confusing as to my mind I read it as 44 items in stock.

Although one guy was friendly and helpful, as I wandered off to continue browsing, I could then hear the staff loudly discussing my comments and what sounded like being quite rude about my points (very sarcastic language about my reading the website). Bottom line was that I walked out without spending £100 in their store and won't be using them again, as I don't shop with businesses that think its okay to loudly take the piss out of a customer while he's still in the store.

Sadly they don't have an email address to send feedback to, so instead I'm posting feedback here publicly - namely, their staffs lack of understanding to not be rude about a customer while he's still in earshot cost you a sale today, and long term too.

Darksphere, like Wayland, has now joined my list of stores to avoid at all costs.

I think you are bad at reading a website as it explicitly states Dispatch Stock and Shop Pick Up Stock, also there is the ability to open a support ticket (basically a email) to raise concerns if you feel then need or you could have asked to see the owner with regards to the comments you overheard and sorted the problem there and then. The way I use Darksphere is to check if it in Shop Stock or just to order Online to pick up in store and wait for a confirmation email and then drop in, I've never had a problem with them.

This. Check before making the trip. Check properly

I play at Dark Sphere regularly, and my experiences have been mixed. Usually they're great, but I've certainly had some bad experiences trying to book tables, and the sheer amount of stuff they have just lying around getting in the way. Their webstore also isn't always completely up to date, I've had instances where they said it was in stock in store, turned up and been unable to find things. That said, the good definitely outweighs the bad, and I'm looking forward to the new store opening which will be considerably nearer to where I live.

 grrrfranky wrote:
I'm looking forward to the new store opening which will be considerably nearer to where I live.

Whereabouts is the new store going to be?

 Necroagogo wrote:

 grrrfranky wrote:
I'm looking forward to the new store opening which will be considerably nearer to where I live.

Whereabouts is the new store going to be?

Shepherds Bush

^^ Thanks for the prompt response!

 Fenrir Kitsune wrote:

Seriqolm wrote:

jim30 wrote:
I've used Darksphere on and off for a few years. Popped in today to make a purchase, and was minded to pick up quite a lot of stuff - holiday weekend, wanted to ensure my lead pile never shrank etc. In my head I was on verge of dropping £100 plus in store on 'stuff'.I'd checked their new (to me) website for stock levels for my product and saw there were 44 in stock - turns out when I got there that this was their mail order sites stock levels (I didnt know they had an off site mail order business), and that they had none in stock. I said that I'd found their website a bit confusing as to my mind I read it as 44 items in stock.

Although one guy was friendly and helpful, as I wandered off to continue browsing, I could then hear the staff loudly discussing my comments and what sounded like being quite rude about my points (very sarcastic language about my reading the website). Bottom line was that I walked out without spending £100 in their store and won't be using them again, as I don't shop with businesses that think its okay to loudly take the piss out of a customer while he's still in the store.

Sadly they don't have an email address to send feedback to, so instead I'm posting feedback here publicly - namely, their staffs lack of understanding to not be rude about a customer while he's still in earshot cost you a sale today, and long term too.

Darksphere, like Wayland, has now joined my list of stores to avoid at all costs.

I think you are bad at reading a website as it explicitly states Dispatch Stock and Shop Pick Up Stock, also there is the ability to open a support ticket (basically a email) to raise concerns if you feel then need or you could have asked to see the owner with regards to the comments you overheard and sorted the problem there and then. The way I use Darksphere is to check if it in Shop Stock or just to order Online to pick up in store and wait for a confirmation email and then drop in, I've never had a problem with them.

This. Check before making the trip. Check properly

That was not the substance of the OP's complaint.
Read the post before writing a reply. Read properly.

Dark Sphere is my webstore of choice. Even with there crafty pricing you still get it cheaper than elsewhere. They have a good stock indicator and deliver promptly.
I've visited a couple of times and enjoyed it both times. And like many flgs it's either manic or dead, not much they can do about this.
Staff wise I didn't have any problems but if they're having a high turnover, perhaps give them a bit of leeway, you could have been served by someone new, someone on the way out, or someone who just doesn't care. This can happen in almost any environment.