[OT] Internet Stores no longer able to sell Games Workshop Products

[Olgar Shiverstone]

That's a bizarre decision.

I can see it if they're trying to protect brick-and-mortar retail outlets from the competition, maybe -- but that sort of artificial life support usually backfires.

Otherwise, GW as a manufacturer gets the same price for their product whether they sell it to a retailer or internet discount shopper. Why they want to cut down on opportunities to sell their product is a strange decision.

Of course, this is also the company that tells its retailers that they must abide buy the established retail price -- no discounting. I'm not a retailer, so I don't follow that logic -- if a retailer discounts, he's cutting into his own profits. Why would the manufacturer/distributer, whose cut remains the same, even care? They may actually move more units that way.

But then, I'm an engineer, not a publisher, so maybe there's some real sense to it. Anyone care to explain?

 

[WayneLigon]

Another voice in this....

The Miniatures Page - posting

 

[Ghostwind]

There is no way that GW can prevent Ebay auction sales. Unless they have far more clout that I know of, Ebay isn't likely to give them the time of day, let alone police countless auctions for Games Workshop products. This whole announcement makes zero sense from a consumer relations standpoint. It will only serve to burn more bridges among their customer base.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I've been looking for an excuse to shut down my fansite... I will wait for an official release from GW, and then that's it...

Wulf

 

[Gizzard]

As Olgar points out, GW launched a high-profile attack on online discounters a few years back. They threatened to refuse service to any distributor who wouldn't agree to never discount more than a fixed amount.

I thought this turned out to be legal in the UK where GW is based, but not legal here in the US. I think it fell foul of some price-fixing laws? Anyway, I notice that some big US internet retailers seem to be selling GW product at sizable discounts. I assumed GW lost the initial round of the fight, but it looks like they're up and ready for round 2. ;-)

-edit-

so as long as this isn't a precursor to massive markups pricewise...

And what isn't a precursor to massive markups in GW's world? ;-) "Hey, look, it's $30 for 8 plastic Orks with metal bitz." Or how about $75 for 5 metal Ogres? Gag.

 

[Darkness]

There is no way that GW can prevent Ebay auction sales. Unless they have far more clout that I know of, Ebay isn't likely to give them the time of day, let alone police countless auctions for Games Workshop products.

Right... Ebay is "a little" too big for GW to boss around.

 

[TalonComics]

That's pretty lame. It seems that GW is just trying to cover their own stores with this move. This is also the same company that had instituted a discount cap for retailers as well.

I personally don't sell GW as I think their business practices suck. This is just another capper to my original decision.

~D

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Here's the link to the /. discussion. .

I've always disliked GW's miniatures style, so this won't affect my buying habits at all, but it sets a bad precedent.

I wonder how much of this was at the instigation of FLGS's that don't have an internet presence and feel they are losing sales. If it is, I can sympathize a little bit. I used to see the same thing years ago selling computers: some guy would walk in, take up a half hour of your time asking questions, and walk out saying he'd go buy it mail-order because it was cheaper. At least then I had the satisfaction of knowing he'd have to bring it to me to fix....

OTOH, I know of nothing that would stop a game store from setting up a sibling company that only does online sales, and selling to them at cost.

 

[Harlock]

GW can always refuse to sell directly to someone who sells online. That's their perogative. What this really does is hurt the kid out in smalltown, Middle America or those folks in other countries that dig Warhammer or Bloodbowl or what have you, and can no longer get their stuff. It's a bonehead move, and while I appreciate them trying to help the FLGSs around, I don;t think this is the right way to do it.

 

[Henry]

I don't think it CAN include e-bay. After-market sales have very few regulations on them, do they not? After all, it's not like it's hazardous materials transport, or something that would be federally regulated in the U.S., so the after-market can do whatever they wish.

As for a brick-and-mortar standpoint, I'm sure the store merchants might like this, but in the long run the ones to suffer most are fans of GW. I would be interested to see just how many customers they may lose in this way, because if the price is maintained at MSRP, some current players may simply get out of the hobby, due to expense. Some people say that D&D is an expensive hobby, but I've also see what GW mini's properly painted and prepared cost, so I laugh heartily at the comparison.