Games Workshop Pricing Feedback Thread

[Skaven13]

The only odd thing about this is that The Hobbit isn't out for another 10 1/2 months - during which there is another guarenteed price rise. I would be very suprised if those $22.50 sets don't go up to a round $25 before then. It is particularly odd when releasing a game that there is absolutely no external advertising. Every one who may be interested in a re-vamp of lotR is either a) already playing it and probably doesn't need any more models, or b) thinking of starting, but then seeing the 31% price hikes and probably not bothering. It's just bizzare.

What the Shelf Unit said. We saw a rumor earlier that they were thinking of doing this, which ticked me off just reading it. But the timing is so odd. Sure, The Hobbit is coming out....in nearly a year. I understand some kind of logic behind "Hey! New customers won't know they were this price before!" And maybe that is the reason behind the timing, in that by the time The Hobbit does come out, these prices will seem "normal". What I don't understand is how, no matter WHEN you raise prices, a company will expect to draw new customers in by having products priced at seriously laughable levels.

I was chatting with a buddy today, and told him "I really feel bad for any new people that want to get into this hobby". His response? "Do you? They don't know the slow misery of watching blisters go from 8.99 up to 20, and box sets go from 19.99 up to 35-40....us oldsters do...and it hurts...."

Which, we come full circle as to the reason for the timing of this ridiculous price hike...er...repackaging. I am pretty sure they are hoping the time between now and the movie will either give enough time for initial angry reactions to subside, and give enough time for new players to think it has always been this way.

[Torga_DW]

Okay, if Aussies earning more is a genuine and acceptable reason for GW's prices, how do you explain this army set from Mantic, for the cost of 5 Space Marines from GW?

The idea of australians earning more is very situational. We have a higher minimum wage than some countries (although not so high that it is comparable to being on unemployment benefits, and therefore not necessarily worth the effort to earn it). To me, this largely affects necessity goods, such as food, electricity, gas, etc. These things on their own is reasonable enough. What i do see however, is that most 'luxury' goods tend to get an automatic 100% increase when imported here, which has nothing to do with the cost of living. GW does it, but so does everyone else, the example i'll use is computer games. From what i see, most games cost around $50 american. Which with rate of exchange should work out to 45-50 australian. But no, straight 100%+ profit margin, here they cost 90-100. There was a similar embargo case in new zealand (i saw it on the news), where like nike or adidas did the same thing gw did, only for people buying official sport team clothing. The real problem isn't gw, its just the symptom. The problem is the australian government (either side, they're both pretty shonky), who are quite happy to let situations like these happen.

The average wage isn't an accurate figure, because it takes into account the earnings of the mega wealthy, who are largely unaffected by the cost of conventional things. But the majority of people, who incidently earn less than the national average, find price increases of any sort to be very significant and impact their spending.

Anyhoo, i just got started on another thread, so i felt the need to rant further. Not having a go at you, or trying to imply anything about what you wrote. Just had the urge to type angrily. Sorry.

NEW Corporation army set includes ;
- Warpath Rules Set
- 20 x Marines with Energy Fist and Special Weapon options
- 3 x two-man Heavy Weapon Squad with Heavy Laser and Autocannon Variants
- 10 x Veterans – 8 Veterans with Special Weapons and 1 two-man Heavy Weapons Team.
- 10 x Corporation Rangers with drop-packs and 9 Special Weapons.
- 40 x 25mm Round Mantic Bases
Regardless of personal aesthetics, these are comparable troops to GW's Cadians (or more accurately, FW's Elysians) in size and detail, for AU$55 from Wayland. 46 minis (WITH rules), compared to 5 from GW for the same price.

You're right, but to keep it in perspective, i'm compare it to the imperial guard line. A 10 man box of cadians cost $48 from GW. What you just listed would go a long way to filling an entire platoon of IG. Despicable, but in GW's defence (for what its worth as a defence), they're far from the only ones to engage in this sort of practice here.

The logic just doesn't hold up, I'm afraid.

Usually doesn't.

[Morkash]

@Darnok: http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/co...y&aId=11700001

"We regret to announce that some of the prices in February's issue of White Dwarf (WD386) were incorrectly printed in the magazine.

Although we endeavour to ensure all prices and details are correct at the time of going to print, occasionally some values do change before the magazine's release.

We sincerely apologise for any confusion or inconvenience this may cause." (in case the link doesn't work)

[Tymell]

The average wage isn't an accurate figure, because it takes into account the earnings of the mega wealthy

Surely that would depend on how the proportion of mega-wealthy in Australia matches up to other countries? We're talking about a comparison between the UK and Australia, but the UK has it's own mega-wealthy swaying the averages too.

[Torga_DW]

Well I can only speak from personal experience, but I can't think of anyone I know or associate with that earns the 'average'yearly wage or above. Yet we're all subject to costs based on earning that much money.

[infinite_array]

Which, we come full circle as to the reason for the timing of this ridiculous price hike...er...repackaging. I am pretty sure they are hoping the time between now and the movie will either give enough time for initial angry reactions to subside, and give enough time for new players to think it has always been this way.

I think you've got it here.

Over on Dakka, for example, there was a firestorm of rage over the 'Summer of Discontent'. Now, some of those people have left GW for good, and have moved on to other games. But I see other people who just as vehemently denounced GW's practices over the summer now ooh-ing and ah-ing over the new army releases. In a year, the angry reactions to the LotR stealth price increase will be gone. The people who leave will have left, and the rest will have stayed.

[New Cult King]

I understand your point Torga, but earlier in the thread I said something along the lines of "compare like to like". Privateer Press, Spartan, Infinity, Mantic and other wargaming companies don't rort Aussies. GW doing it just makes them look like moronic bullies.

[Tymell]

Well I can only speak from personal experience, but I can't think of anyone I know or associate with that earns the 'average'yearly wage or above. Yet we're all subject to costs based on earning that much money.

Nor do I here in the UK, so I think we're even on that

I understand your point Torga, but earlier in the thread I said something along the lines of "compare like to like". Privateer Press, Spartan, Infinity, Mantic and other wargaming companies don't rort Aussies. GW doing it just makes them look like moronic bullies.

This would seem a much better point to go on, especially including their embargo.

[strewart]

Many resins react chemically with the mould material, thus the moulds hold up for fewer pulls than for metal.

And if they used a mould release agent, that wouldn't happen anywhere near as much. Apparently they don't use one at all. Of course a release agent is another cost, its toxic, and repels paint so there are advantages and disadvantages to using one or not.

The idea of australians earning more is very situational. We have a higher minimum wage than some countries (although not so high that it is comparable to being on unemployment benefits, and therefore not necessarily worth the effort to earn it). To me, this largely affects necessity goods, such as food, electricity, gas, etc. These things on their own is reasonable enough. What i do see however, is that most 'luxury' goods tend to get an automatic 100% increase when imported here, which has nothing to do with the cost of living. GW does it, but so does everyone else, the example i'll use is computer games. From what i see, most games cost around $50 american. Which with rate of exchange should work out to 45-50 australian. But no, straight 100%+ profit margin, here they cost 90-100.

Here we go again... This comes up a lot. The big problem with GW is that prices keep increasing at a massive rate. 10-15 years ago, you still bought new video games for $80-100. 10-15 years ago, you bought GW stuff in some cases half the price it is now, but for almost everything at least 35% increase. Hell the LOTR stuff just effectively got a 35% increase overnight. NOTHING else in the economy is doing that.

[Jerry]

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/ca...d=prod1460054a
$41 for a 48 page Source book? Army books used to cost $22 only a few years ago. Is this a joke? I'm beginning to think GW is purposely pricing themselves out of the market just like their paint pots purposely dry your paint, not to mention they are only something like 1/3 of the way filled P3 fills their 15ml (gw paints are only 12ml) to the brim! Vallejo paints can be left for years in a cool place without drying, do the same with a GW paint pot and expect to see the Sahara desert next time you open it.

[Tuttivillus]

quality my a.. don't get that, won't buy it, not recommending it.

[Torga_DW]

I understand your point Torga, but earlier in the thread I said something along the lines of "compare like to like". Privateer Press, Spartan, Infinity, Mantic and other wargaming companies don't rort Aussies. GW doing it just makes them look like moronic bullies.

Well i'm not going to argue, you are correct. I'm merely pointing out that GW is far from the only company rorting aussies in this manner. Which sort of makes us (the aussies) look like the moronic ones for allowing it to happen.

[Torga_DW]

Nor do I here in the UK, so I think we're even on that

Just in case anyone is interested, the current average wage here for last year was about $68k before any overtime bonuses and stuff kicks in.

Where i work, we have about 15ish people. The CEO doesn't earn close to that, and the pay scale goes down from there. And we get paid pretty well for our field, compared to similar services.

A large ultimate double whopper meal from burger king costs about $11.

[Lord Dan]

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/ca...d=prod1460054a
like their paint pots purposely dry your paint

I'm not normally one to defend GW's practices, but I haven't had this problem at all. In fact on the contrary, I've had some paints for 3+ years that aren't even close to drying.

[Caiphas Cain]

I think he's talking about the new ****** paint pots.

[Sunyavadin]

I've definitely noticed diminishing paint quality from GW over the years.
I have one of the old tall round pots - still 25% full of usable paint. I have several of the old tall hexagonal pots, all with the paint still in perfect condition. Next to them are a lot of the short hexagonal ones, they are all half full of solid, dried paint. Meanwhile I look at my new style round pots and worry about how long I can expect them to hold out.

[lbecks]

I've definitely noticed diminishing paint quality from GW over the years.
I have one of the old tall round pots - still 25% full of usable paint. I have several of the old tall hexagonal pots, all with the paint still in perfect condition. Next to them are a lot of the short hexagonal ones, they are all half full of solid, dried paint. Meanwhile I look at my new style round pots and worry about how long I can expect them to hold out.

The thing with the current dome pots is they could've achieved the same level of seal as the HMG pots but they didn't, the seal is weaker. I'm not completely on the side of "GW wants your paint to dry so you buy more," but I do think GW makes rash decisions with only short term testing.

[strewart]

Why does anyone even buy GW paints anymore? Its as mad as buying their overpriced tools. You can get exactly the same quality paint with better bottles, and more volume of paint CHEAPER than the GW ones anywhere. There are even paint name conversion tables around between some of the more popular brands like P3 and vallejo so you can still follow GW painting guides if you want to.

[therisnosaurus]

You are very wrong. GW have stated Finecast models cost more to manufacture than metal ones.

Ah, but the problem with metal models is the commodity cost. The cost of finecast is not the material, but the labour, while the cost of metal is primarily in the actual model. That might not be much for, say, an eldar aspect warrior, but for the beast of gorgoroth, there's probably 20-30 dollars of metal in there, as opposed to about $1-3 of finecast resin. The whole moulding process however is not that much slower than a wheel of aspect warriors or what have you. In metal, therefore, a lot more of the base cost of production was simply the material, and if the beast had been made in metal it would probably have been the most bulky metal kit ever produced by GW in its modern incarnation.

[Autumn Leaves]

I think you've got it here.

Over on Dakka, for example, there was a firestorm of rage over the 'Summer of Discontent'. Now, some of those people have left GW for good, and have moved on to other games. But I see other people who just as vehemently denounced GW's practices over the summer now ooh-ing and ah-ing over the new army releases. In a year, the angry reactions to the LotR stealth price increase will be gone. The people who leave will have left, and the rest will have stayed.

That has been a problem for GW for a long time now.
Because their products are so very expensive, and because they continue to hike the price of everything, they lose the older players in dribs and drabs, who head off to other systems and other manufacturers and never come back.
I dont think there is any residual bitterness toward the company. The truth for the greater part is that it does become a price issue and when working men are looking in their pay packets and looking at their obligations they find a decreasing amount of disposable income and they can and do get more bang for their buck at other manufacturers and in other systems.
They might still pick up GW products but never from GW. Instead they will hunt them out on eBay or pick up new stuff they cannot resist from internet wholesalers like Wayland and Maelstrom.
They don't go back to the GW systems at all and that is why you find so many players investing in companies like Privateer press, Mantic, Spartan Games etc.

GW made their decision to chase the kiddie market for parental disposable income, a long time ago and they have not changed course since. More older gamers will continue to ebb away from GW and find other companies with better systems and more appealing pricing structures for models of a similar quality.
This will, over time, hurts the chances of Dad bringing little Timmy into a GW store and creating a second generation of GW players in the same family... because the prices are enough to make them baulk at shelling out for the kids toys.