Games Workshop are changing their trade terms

[Mastodon]

I havent had the phone call yet but I expect it next week, everyone else I've spoken too has.

Makes sense to me, this will crack down on certain online stores selling the new releases before they're even announced.

[ForgottenLore]

Stopping stores from selling stuff before the release date is one thing, but the quote in the OP is saying that store employees can't TALK about products before the release date. In other words, once GW puts stuff up on the advanced order page, you still can't talk about them for a week and the can actually be sold. That is what people are complaining about.

[Inquisitor Engel]

Stopping stores from selling stuff before the release date is one thing, but the quote in the OP is saying that store employees can't TALK about products before the release date. In other words, once GW puts stuff up on the advanced order page, you still can't talk about them for a week and the can actually be sold. That is what people are complaining about.

It's possible the term d'arte "release date" is an announcement date, (I routinely have videos and media with 'release dates' that don't coincide with the actual release date of a game) as stores can being taking advanced orders when GW puts those SKU's out on their site. This may be getting lost in the legalese, or the person making the phone calls might be a freaking idiot. What they're trying to stop is when a store gets its advanced order list for, say, June in May and posting that on the web.

[Stormtrooper Clark]

Loose lips sink Games Workships...

...Or something.

[williamsond]

It's possible the term d'arte "release date" is an announcement date, (I routinely have videos and media with 'release dates' that don't coincide with the actual release date of a game) as stores can being taking advanced orders when GW puts those SKU's out on their site. This may be getting lost in the legalese, or the person making the phone calls might be a freaking idiot. What they're trying to stop is when a store gets its advanced order list for, say, June in May and posting that on the web.

your probably right but GW have decided to nuke the lb421 because its the only way to be sure

[dala_karn]

I hope my indie store doesn't listen, they only stock for me... or at least i've never seen anyone else buy any warhammer there.

[Avian]

Stick limited edition on it, produce exactly the same number as if they were non limited and your entire production run sells within days. Big cash flow, no stock held on the balance sheet. Thanks very much, goodbye.

[rhetorical question]And that worked wonderfully for Dreadfleet, did it not? [/rhetorical question]

[Mastodon]

Stopping stores from selling stuff before the release date is one thing, but the quote in the OP is saying that store employees can't TALK about products before the release date. In other words, once GW puts stuff up on the advanced order page, you still can't talk about them for a week and the can actually be sold. That is what people are complaining about.

From my conversations with other stores you're not allowed to talk about releases until the white dwarf is out, then you can speak about them as much as you like/do pre orders whatever the hell you want. You just cant give the stuff out before the actual release day.

[Avian]

That doesn't sound at all unreasonable. The silly thing is throwing stuff out with a one-week warning.

[t-tauri]

[rhetorical question]And that worked wonderfully for Dreadfleet, did it not? [/rhetorical question]

I think many within GW knew it would tank but it was pushed out anyway. Limited edition has worked for everything from magic cards, through dice to collector's editions. Clearly GW consumers do have a minimum standard.

[xxRavenxx]

I think many within GW knew it would tank but it was pushed out anyway. Limited edition has worked for everything from magic cards, through dice to collector's editions. Clearly GW consumers do have a minimum standard.

In fairness, it is a good game. It tanked because of other factors (bad choice on the boat theme, reluctant audience, pricetag....)

[EmperorNorton]

I think many within GW knew it would tank but it was pushed out anyway. Limited edition has worked for everything from magic cards, through dice to collector's editions. Clearly GW consumers do have a minimum standard.

I know it's the exception, but the German magic cards for Ogre Kingdoms are still available from GW's online store.

Joke's on me, because when they released them I wanted a pack and seeing how quickly these usually sold out I ordered directly from GW. And instead of ordering just the one pack I ordered four, because it was the easiest way to pass the free shipping threshold and I thought I could just sell them on for a little profit a bit later.

[logan054]

After August 17th, any shop selling White Dwarf or any New release item before the release date, discussing New Release information or posting images on Facebook, forums etc before release date will be punished by not being allowed to stock New Releases for 6 months !

The bit in bold is what really got me, so you want to punish people for getting really excited about your new releases and then getting other people really excited...... you would think your talking about matters of national security of something...

[Mastodon]

The bit in bold is what really got me, so you want to punish people for getting really excited about your new releases and then getting other people really excited...... you would think your talking about matters of national security of something...

This is purely designed to stop certain webstores, and we all know which ones, from selling things before the white dwarf is out and undercutting everyone else that plays by the rules.

[Elfaen]

You know that really annoying 6 year old that comes into your local Independent to play magic cars, be annoying and winds everyone else up? He just got given a pistol to execute stores with. Because they are the only people I know who would rat out their local shops.

But yeah, Mastodon is right. Its purely for beasts...

[paddyalexander]

This is purely designed to stop certain webstores, and we all know which ones, from selling things before the white dwarf is out and undercutting everyone else that plays by the rules.

I used to order from a lot of different websites back when I still bought gwPLC stuff, including gwPLCs' own webstore (back then you had to pay in pound sterling so it worked out to about a 30% discount before delivery charges to buy direct) & the only one that used to ship me stuff I pre-ordered before the release date was gwPLC. I had the Cities of Death starter box (book and two buildings) 6 weeks before release, Black Templars upgrade boxes about 3 weeks ahead and the 4th ed Chaos Space Marine Mega Force 4 weeks ahead. Of course this was back when gwPLC announced new stuff & took pre-orders much earlier.

I've never gotten anything from any other online store more than a day or two early and that is the exception rather than a rule. Don't go blaming online stores for gwPLCs crazy pricing structures that mean that by simply ordering from a UK site I'm getting a 25-30% discount just from the currency conversion, before any discounts are applied by the store.

[Liber]

It also stops websites forming consensus opinions: "New X is awful" and harming initial sales (e.g. Pumbagor).

I feel that this phenomenon is too often (read: always) overlooked. IMO that Space Marine flyer would work as a better example than the Pumbagor but the point is the same: oftentimes peoples first 'glimpse' of a new GW product is in fact page after page of negativity possibly before they have even seen actual pictures...I don't think anyone can argue this wouldn't have a negative impact on sales, certainly GW knows this...I'm not defending or condemning their strategy in combating this problem, merely saying that there in fact is a problem.

[ehlijen]

I feel that this phenomenon is too often (read: always) overlooked. IMO that Space Marine flyer would work as a better example than the Pumbagor but the point is the same: oftentimes peoples first 'glimpse' of a new GW product is in fact page after page of negativity possibly before they have even seen actual pictures...I don't think anyone can argue this wouldn't have a negative impact on sales, certainly GW knows this...I'm not defending or condemning their strategy in combating this problem, merely saying that there in fact is a problem.

But what kind of countermeasure is hiding the products in question until it's out? I get that GW doesn't want negative responses to impact their sales, but if hiding the item in question is preferable to showing it and enduring the fanhate, that just means that that either the audience is impossible to please or the product really is bad. In either case, expecting a profit is probably unwise.

[ForgottenLore]

Yeah, I have to agree. Don't produce god-awful ugly models and that won't be an issue.

Hiding your product because if people have a chance to see it and think about they will think it is ugly s a bad business plan.

[Mastodon]

I used to order from a lot of different websites back when I still bought gwPLC stuff, including gwPLCs' own webstore (back then you had to pay in pound sterling so it worked out to about a 30% discount before delivery charges to buy direct) & the only one that used to ship me stuff I pre-ordered before the release date was gwPLC. I had the Cities of Death starter box (book and two buildings) 6 weeks before release, Black Templars upgrade boxes about 3 weeks ahead and the 4th ed Chaos Space Marine Mega Force 4 weeks ahead. Of course this was back when gwPLC announced new stuff & took pre-orders much earlier.

I've never gotten anything from any other online store more than a day or two early and that is the exception rather than a rule. Don't go blaming online stores for gwPLCs crazy pricing structures that mean that by simply ordering from a UK site I'm getting a 25-30% discount just from the currency conversion, before any discounts are applied by the store.

This isnt about items being shipped before they're released, this is about Beasts of War having all 3 of the flyers available to purchase 2 weeks before the white dwarf had even came out on their webstore. If they do this again they wont get any new release products for 6 months.

I also have no idea what your points about the pricing structures are for. This isnt about price, its about stores breaking their trade terms and announcing products earlier than GW want them to, but then again since you're the type of poster that puts gwPLC I'm not surprised you dont understand whats going on here.