I really am not wanting to hurt any of the FLGS, so lets try a different approach to GWs price increases. What about a petition or massive email complaints to GW. The main thing is to have GW listen to what we have to say about the price change. Maybe if we flooded there office with the Waaagh the fucking price change they might get the message. We have some smart people that play this game of ours, certainly a lot smarter than me. Can some of you guys come up with a solution better than just get over it, maybe one that gives us a voice without hurting our beloved FLGS? I do really enjoy this game and It's already hard enough to get someone new to play the game, but pretty soon it will almost be impossible with the new prices. The FLGS may not even have chance to survive if everyone starts to buy online due to cheaper prices. Every time I go into the FLGS I see the past 6 months of white dwarf on the the stands because nobody wants to pay that kind of prices for a magazine of advertisements. The last issue I bought was when ASOBR was coming out. I know I'm not the only one to have looked at that price change and said fuck that. How is that going to be any different when a new gamer picks up a box of 5 plastic men that costs over 50.00? It's to late for most of us older gamers to get unhooked off of this plastic crack, but GW is going to shoot it's self in the foot down the road with these price changes I promise you that.
Off the topic train here GW has started letting our store order the exclusive online miniatures now, so Vulcan is mine and hopefully were done with that online only crap. GW can get something right when they want to.
If you don't want to hurt your FLGS just buy models from a different game and/or manufacturer. Become the King of Proxy modeling.
ReplyDeleteCompetitive tournament players won't do that. But they CAN go to their FLGS and buy LOTS of products that are part of the hobby: dice, tape measures, glue, paints, etc. JUST MAKE SURE THAT GW ACTUALLY OFFERS THE PRODUCT, AND THEN BUY FROM A COMPETITOR. Good for the FLGS, bad for GW. (If this becomes a nationally organized protests, smart retailers will even take special orders for the day.) And if you really want your message to be heard loud and clear, send the invoice via email or a receipt by mail and a note explaining WHY you participated in National Stick-It-(Back)-to-GW Day.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the all-American thing to do would be to throw the product into the ocean, blame it on the Indians, and call it a Party.
Seriously why are price increases a problem here? No one makes you buy, no one makes you play, GW is a business with profit in mind. Bottom line you choose to buy, you can choose to not buy. Either way, GW doesn't particularly care. You going to boycott gas because it keeps going up? Buy a bike and ride to work?
ReplyDeleteIn all seriousness, I can't see any amount of bitching, whining, moaning, or complaining about prices, letter writing, or anything else we do affecting GW's behavior.
Hell they can't listen to simple requests for FAQ updates, what makes anyone think they give a shit about what we think about prices?
This is a niche, luxury hobby. They don't care if you buy second hand because they already got their money. They don't care if you buy at a discount because they are still meeting their margins.
Back in the 19th century one of the rail barons basically said to charge as much as the market could care. Welcome to capitalism.
That's funny! I was going to use the same quote, but for an opposing view. In an attempt to maximize profits, businesses charge what "the market will bear." Can you blame them? This is capitalism. However, it is a valid point that WE are the market. In capitalism it is the greed of the seller versus the greed of the buyers.
ReplyDeleteI suspect Evil Homer is right that GW won't respond to us. Typically changes in the market (like us being fed up with price hikes?)cause different companies to become successful. However, it may be that GW proves itself dynamic and will respond to changes in the market.
Or it may be that EH and The Master Man' are right about the market being able to bear even more. If they are, you can expect even higher prices from GW next year. Again, why wouldn't they make more money if they could?
EH makes a good point that GW sells a luxury product. Usually when the economy makes an upswing, luxury items enjoy an increase in sales. Most indicators say things are looking up, and GW is just poising themselves to cash in on all you plastic-crack-addicts who were forced onto the wagon for a while by economic factors.
Those Capitalist Swine!
Feel free to take my economic commentaries with plenty of salt: I HAVE biked or walked to almost every job I've ever had, partly because I think the whole automobile racket is a ripoff.
ReplyDeleteBetter to just throw our hands in the air and say to hell with it. I'll stop bitching when I stop caring about the hobby.
ReplyDeleteThat was directed more towards EH. But suddenly I could care less, so I'll stop bitching.
ReplyDeleteThis must be my storm raven moment where people across the Internet like the idea, but my friends think it's crap. Brent, I now know how you feel, and not in a gay way.
ReplyDeleteYou dream crushing bastards!
ReplyDeletePut simply I care too. If GW goes out of business we have the Rackham situation all over again. See GW has to make money to make models. No one begrudges me making my money and I don't begrudge them theirs. If the margins are to small new models aren't made.
ReplyDeleteI see both points of view, though the first thought that came to mind is, "I thought the plastics were so supposed to cheaper?"
ReplyDeleteBut they are... if you step back and look, they pack a ton of bitz in those boxes.
Still, I budgeted for the Vendettas, and now the Fire Prisms are going to be the same price?
*sigh*
Is cocaine cheaper?
Whit: no worries, mate. Blogging can be a bit soul destroying sometimes, but you have to laugh it off and move on to the next post.
Hey you leave him alone. I can't push him off the bridge if you keep talking him off the railing!
ReplyDeleteOk, I have your solution.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy!
http://www.combatstorm.com/
1) Combatstorm is too funny
ReplyDeleteand
2) Um...I kinda wanna see the rules.
You're making fun of me, aren't you, Louis?
Dude! I just looked at the combatstorm. Maybe I'm dense but I'm tempted to order it? Has anyone tried it?
ReplyDeleteI mean "Lewis." Funny what pops into your head as you're going to work...
ReplyDeleteNot making fun of anyone...well maybe I was but not anyone directly.
ReplyDeleteMainly I just figured you can't get much cheaper than $9 bags of plastic army men.
"Everything is worth what it's purchaser will pay for it" - Thanks Civ IV.
ReplyDeleteI don't like it, and am going to likely restrict myself to online purchases now...but, I accept that I can't change it.