Why Games Workshop is not a good business

[Leviatham]

Breaking News: UK Trading Standards have threatened to shut down Games Workshop for false advertising.

And official source advised "The name Games Workshop implies craftmanship, pride, and innovation - traits which we were unable to find in anywhere their dreadful range of puerile, cynical, crap. They have 45 days to rename their business to something less misleading. We suggest Metal BumNut Hut or Gitprong's Hand Shandy Respite"

Ah! You've gone too far there.

You see, most of their models have some assembly to be done, and there is the painting. There is certainly an element of craftsmanship and workshop space to their goods...

Try again! I am loving your posts!

 

[Mark CMG]

I'm not a fan of the more "cartoonish" minis they make but some of their stuff is very nice indeed. Even some of the over the top stuff is nice, like this bit of scenery -

Witchfate Tor. Tower of Sorcery | Games Workshop

 

[Leviatham]

[MENTION=10479]Mark CMG[/MENTION]

I am with you there. I don't send money in them because I am not into their games and would rather give my money to smaller companies that sell at similar prices, but it can't be argued that they have some very talented artists working in that company.

Makes me ever more annoyed they are not doing all they can to have an even greater presence!

 

[Mark CMG]

[MENTION=10479]Mark CMG[/MENTION]

I am with you there. I don't send money in them because I am not into their games and would rather give my money to smaller companies that sell at similar prices, but it can't be argued that they have some very talented artists working in that company.

Makes me ever more annoyed they are not doing all they can to have an even greater presence!

When Gamers Paradise (multi-store gamestore chain in Chicagoland) was going out of business, I picked up a bunch of boxes of GW minis (Riders of Rohan, some Dwarves, Goblin starter sets, lots of Bretonian Archers, and others) for very cheap but I've never purchased from an actual GW store. In the last weeks of Gamers Paradise, they kept increasing their sale percentage by ten percent each week, 10%, 20%, etc. until it was at 90% the final week and there was still some GW stuff on their shelves though much of what I got was at 70% or 80% off.

 

[frankthedm]

The vast variety of Medieval Fantasy minis available on the secondary market for cheap that are orignally GW minis and wind up being sold off due to their business practice of planned obsolescence has actually been fine for me and my gaming. Picked up a ton of Empire figures at a recent auction for maybe $0.25 a figure.

I trust you know that it was a game store or other purchaser who took it on the chin to provide you that deal.

While I've benefited from similar deals, they are usually NOT good for the health of the market. Planned obsolescence in gaming materials will often leave the game store who invested in the line in good faith holding the bag when the company pulls out the rug. Besides GW, another example was Wotc's sudden switch from 3.0 to 3.5, which dropped the floor out of the d20 market. These kind of shenanigans are a kick to the junk of brick and mortar stores.

[MENTION=662]thalmin[/MENTION] if I am off the mark with this rant, please correct me.

 

[Mark CMG]

I trust you know that it was a game store or other purchaser who took it on the chin to provide you that deal.

It was GW stuff, they took it on the chin regardless of the deal I got. But people know what they are getting and if they want it enough seem plenty willing to pay the price. I, on the other hand, don't play their systems and don't feel compelled to purchase at the full prices but like the models enough to pick them up when others get rid of them. What follows is me buying them for what the secondary market will bear. It's not like I'm giving them less than someone else will pay because bidding works as it happens to work and I am the high bidder in those cases. If we take me out of the mix, they get even less.

While I've benefited from similar deals, they are usually NOT good for the health of the market. Planned obsolescence in gaming materials will often leave the game store who invested in the line in good faith holding the bag when the company pulls out the rug. Besides GW, another example was Wotc's sudden switch from 3.0 to 3.5, which dropped the floor out of the d20 market. These kind of shenanigans are a kick to the junk of brick and mortar stores.

The d20 market (relatively) boomed for CMG after the switch to 3.5 but I sell electronic products online.

 

[Leviatham]

May I just say (and I say this because, alas, I must go to bed) that I truly appreciate your input and participation.

I have posted this article in two websites, this one and the BGG.

The input from this thread has been tremendously more constructive and civilised than some of the responses I have got in the BGG.

You have confirmed what I suspected, and for that, I truly thank you.

Good night!

 

[S'mon]

As you say, presumably they make a profit from their customers.

I've not had anything to do with them since they moved to their current model, 20 years ago. In that time, and especially in the last five years, I've spent thousands of £ on RPG product. Games Workshop could have had a good slice of that; instead it goes to WoTC, Paizo, Reaper, and smaller companies like em4-minis, Goodman Games etc.

 

[El Mahdi]

My Review of the OP.

I honestly don't know a thing about Games Workshop. Despite playing RPG's for 18 years, I've never perused nor bought any Games Workshop products. Wierd, but just one of those things.

So, after reading the OP with a completely unbiased eye, these were the observations I had.

The OP's article seems incredibly biased by a dislike of Games Workshop. The OP seemed to be trying to make a point of arguing from a business persepective, but then makes such biased comments as: "They have a loyal (brainwashingly so) following of people who are prepared to pay huge amounts of money for what is perceived to be quality product."; and: "They also make money because their margins are astronomical. Last I heard it was 2000%, but I have no real way to prove that, so take it as a guideline and not as a rule."

Also: "the shop is small, dingy, uncomfortable and smelly. It is attended by people who don’t seem interested in anything else than to sell you as much as they can, which would be fine if they just pretended they care about the people and weren’t so jolly obvious about the intentions. But, of course, they are indoctrinated when they start employment to behave like selling drones and not like people who have an common interest with the clients. I know all this because the owner of my Friendly Local GAme Store is a former employee of Games Workshop and he can vouch for all this."

Indoctrination...?!?

Were they founded by Jim Jones or something...?!?


Again, I don't know a single thing about Games Workshop. But I can tell when someone has a biased perspective and an axe to grind.

The OP definitely is chock full of both, and that tends to make me doubt the veracity of the argument.

 

[korjik]

One thing to remember when talking about Games Workshop. It is a miniatures game company not a roleplaying game company. Especially since they farmed out WFRP to Fantasy Flight.