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

[KenM]

This is the worst busness decsion made since WOTC made the move to put out RANDOM figs. I stoped playing 40K because GW started to put out all new book, I'm NOT paying for them again.

 

[chatdemon]

This is the worst busness decsion made since WOTC made the move to put out RANDOM figs. I stoped playing 40K because GW started to put out all new book, I'm NOT paying for them again.

So you won't be buying 3.5e D&D either?
Same thing.

 

[Ace]

deleted out of context, sorry

 

[EdwardForrester]

Question to those with more legal knowledge than I

Not that this is going to catch the supreme courts eye but the last time I looked wasn't a monopoly illegal. I mean obvisouly GW must have thought this through but is this really legal or if it is how close are they to crossing that line into legal troubles. Thoughts? Comments?

 

[Gizzard]

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.

Lol, GW looking out for the FLGS's? No, no, never. GW's business practices are very hard on FLGS - take a look at Talon's comments above. (I believe he is brick & mortar as well as online?) Anyway, the key practice I hear people complaining about is that you must buy certain amounts of figures each time you restock - it essentially this amounts to the most desirable figures being sold in lots with some of the less desirable stock. (Perhaps someone more connected with the business can give exact details?)

If anyone instigates these ploys to control prices, its the home office which is protecting the GW brand stores. The fallout of this latest move might happen to be good for the FLGS's who can afford to keep stocking GW stuff, but the primary beneficiary is intended to be the GW brand stores around the country.

 

[chatdemon]

Re: Question to those with more legal knowledge than I

Not that this is going to catch the supreme courts eye but the last time I looked wasn't a monopoly illegal. I mean obvisouly GW must have thought this through but is this really legal or if it is how close are they to crossing that line into legal troubles. Thoughts? Comments?

This is not a monopoly

Repeat that to yourself 3 times.
Many other companies produce miniatures and wargames. A company has every right to decide how their product is sold. Unless you could somehow prove that this move hurts other miniatures and wargames producers...

This is not a monopoly

 

[D'karr]

You are right this is not a monopoly. However, it is also unenforceable.

If I have a brick and mortar store which receives product from GW, what is there to stop me from setting up an online store that sells them on the internet? Nothing.

How is GW going to know how my e-business store gets its supplies. The answer is they don't. So they can't stop distributing to my brick and mortar store that supplies my internet store.

In the end it is the consumer and the brick and mortar guys who suffer.

The brick and mortar guys already have to buy in ridiculous patterns just to satisfy GW. GW can already do whatever it wants with its brick and mortar stores and get a huge profit since they sell retail only.

Several years ago GW promised FLGS that it would not put any of their stores near the FLGS. Then they went ahead and put several in a highly marketable area right in the neighborhood of those FLGS's. So the idea that GW is looking out for the interest of the little guy is simply ridiculous.

 

[Tiefling]

Well if you're on the list of the stores that sell their stuff, they'd probably stop shipping product to you.

Don't most stores get their stuff from middleman distributors, though?

 

[KenM]

Great business sense on GW part, make the product they make HARDER to get ahold of.

 

[D'karr]

Don't most stores get their stuff from middleman distributors, though?

I believe GW cut out the middleman a long time ago. If I'm not mistaken they have their own distribution channels. So a store is in essence buying directly from GW. However, I'm not sure if that is the case.