Announcment re GW and Pricing/Events Options

[Trip]

Hey all,

As most of your have probably heard by now GW are making some changes to how they deal with Trade Accounts (Independent Stockists, like GGC). Up until now GW have given me a slightly better price on their products if I meet certain criteria (holding certain items, using their order form, turning over X $ worth of product, etc). From Today that will no longer be the case, instead they have given me another set of criteria, set out in Modules or Tiers all of which basically require me to hold an increasing amount of stock. In exchange for carrying these stock requirements they give me what they call "stock support" which is basically free product that can be used for certain things like prizes for events, terrain for the store and that kind of thing.

Now obviously free product (with restricted uses) is not money, I can't use it to pay the stores rent or staff wages or anything like that. It also means I have less money to put stock on shelves. This puts me financially in a worse position, however since I do run events and I do have terrain on tables to maintain I can make it work and save some money in those areas by making use of this free product.

The real kicker unfortunately is that even if I hit all the GW boxes the "stock support" actually caps out at a much lower $ figure then the amount I was saving under the old arrangement. This forces me to make some changes.

• GW MInutures & Rule Book/Codex's will move from the Current 8% of RRP to only 5% of RRP - From April 1st
• GW Hobby Products (Paints, Glues, Brushes Etc) will move to RRP - From April 1st
• Loyalty Card Holders will not receive points on GW Items - Effective Now
• GW Game system events will use GW Product & Store Credit Vouchers as prizes instead of just using vouchers. At this point I'm unsure if you will be able to swap tournament prizes for other products. - From April 1st
• GW Game system events will require payment in advance or a surcharge will apply to entry fees - From April 1st.
• GW Game system events will start including a lucky door prize for players whose armies are made up primarily of non-GW Models, there are plenty of alternate options out there these days. - From April 1st.

Hopefully these changes will not impact on GW Gamers too much and still allow the store to exist.




Cheers

Brad

[AdamG]

interesting the only thing i find a little weird is the pre payment for the tournys?
i also dont understand GW at all why dont they want there product sold but thats another discussion

This post has been edited by AdamG: Mar 19 2012, 03:03 PM

[ÆON]

Finally some incentive to start my Retribution of Eldar army

Im fine with Prizes for GW tournaments being restricted to GW Products (with there expensive prices it feels the only way you can get them without the feeling you are literally burning money...)

Re: Prepayment; in the event you cant make the GW tournament; can you then turn it into store credit usable on GW stock? I often get called into work at the last minute (yes including weekends) and dont want to feel as if Im loosing money if my plans change at the last minute.

[slayerofmen]

so 1 day events will have to be prepaid? ###### me sideways thats going to be a problem

[Reunion-Round]

So how would this affect Black Cultist?

[ÆON]

So how would this affect Black Cultist?

Did you think to check the website?

[Trip]

interesting the only thing i find a little weird is the pre payment for the tournys?

Honestly It will probably start to happen for all the other game systems anyway. Basically it allows me to get a little extra money if people are lazy and don't pay in advance so the prize pool gets a little extra boost. This change will mean that the prize pool at events doesn't shrink too much (assuming not everyone pays in advance). It also allows me to gauge numbers in advance a little better which means if I need to I can add an extra event in store on the same day to cover the costs of running the store for the day. It also means we have a better idea of numbers in advance which usually means more players because people know more people are coming and it makes the event more appealing.

Hopefully it will help boost numbers at events as a bye product,

I also dont understand GW at all why dont they want there product sold but thats another discussion

Yep that's it in a nutshell I had the conversation with my sales Rep and the Head of sales, they actually make me not want to sell their products. There is zero incentive to sell GW products at all. There is incentive to stock their stuff and too run events and get people playing the games but I'm better off having it sit on the shelves then actually selling it. They have taken my lowest margin game and lowered the margin. Sadly for 40k and WFB players it means I won't be steering new players towards those games but instead towards other systems.

[Trip]

Finally some incentive to start my Retribution of Eldar army

Like

also means I might start playing 40k again, using my 28mm Bolt Action WWII British Paratroopers

Im fine with Prizes for GW tournaments being restricted to GW Products (with there expensive prices it feels the only way you can get them without the feeling you are literally burning money...)

Thats how I am going to feel every time I re-order products to the Minimum level

Re: Prepayment; in the event you cant make the GW tournament; can you then turn it into store credit usable on GW stock? I often get called into work at the last minute (yes including weekends) and dont want to feel as if Im loosing money if my plans change at the last minute.

Yes John that will be fine, assuming a good reason is offered I will happily turn pre-paid entry into store credit, on the other hand if you just decide to not turn up becasue you don't feel like it I'll just add your entry fee to the prize pool for those that do turn up.

so 1 day events will have to be prepaid? ###### me sideways thats going to be a problem

Won't have to be pre-paid, it will just cost you a few extra bucks if you pay on the day. As I said it will probably end up the case for other events anyway and it might help increase player numbers anyway.

[Eldar_Storm]

its a love hate relationship

we all love to hate GW and their price rort!

[Dr Zoidberg]

Thanks for letting us know Brad. I'm pretty sure if you keep running events, we'll keep rocking up to them.

Can I ask what the reason for GW products not earning loyalty points is though?

[Dru]

Trip, I'm all for prepayment of events getting a discount vs paying on the day. I'm often a culprit of not turning up and I have no issue in forfeiting my fee if I chose to prepay for the discounted entry. I think it's a good move. You'll likely need to be prepared to take payment over the phone via cc or have an online payment method (DD or PayPal??)

[Krefey]

Trip, I'm all for prepayment of events getting a discount vs paying on the day. I'm often a culprit of not turning up and I have no issue in forfeiting my fee if I chose to prepay for the discounted entry. I think it's a good move. You'll likely need to be prepared to take payment over the phone via cc or have an online payment method (DD or PayPal??)

He's already got details up allowing DD. Has since they opened if memory serves.

[Trip]

Thanks for letting us know Brad. I'm pretty sure if you keep running events, we'll keep rocking up to them.

Can I ask what the reason for GW products not earning loyalty points is though?

The reason behind the loyalty points is it lets me raise my price little bit more for the long term gamers but keep it a little lower for the mums, dads, sisters, brothers, uncles, grandmothers etc that come in to buy toys for someone else. ie more of the money the store loses to GW is made up buy the regulars who have a choice in what they buy then by the people who are just buying it for someone else.

Hope that makes sense.

Trip, I'm all for prepayment of events getting a discount vs paying on the day. I'm often a culprit of not turning up and I have no issue in forfeiting my fee if I chose to prepay for the discounted entry. I think it's a good move. You'll likely need to be prepared to take payment over the phone via cc or have an online payment method (DD or PayPal??)

Yep our Direct Deposit details are pinned at the top of this Sub-Forum, I can also take credit cards over the phone and I will try and make sure that for the events that happen monthly the date and details of the next event are available at the previous one so you could theoretically pay for the June event at the May event.