[hippypancake]

Well since I've been on here I have only see hate for GW some (ok most) I'll agree with such as being dicks and only updating the best selling armies. But people also say that GW are the worst places to game ever. Now I do have a flgs that I chill at here in Lynnwood WA but I also go to the GW as well and must say at the moment with only the Manager there everything you guys say ("It's always crowded" "They keep asking me to buy or pre-order something) doesn't happen when I walk in there is usually a groupd of 7 to 8 people that are talking around the modelling/painting table with the manager with them, and when he sees you the only thing he says is "Hey, how's it going?" not "Hey we just got a new tank do you want to pre-order it" In fact the GW works a lot like the flgs I go to the regulars are practically staff when a new kid comes in I'll hear the manager ask them a few questions about what they are interested in (Fantasy, LotR/WotR, or 40k) and after he gets the info he'll call over a regular introduce the two to each other and the regular plays a game with the newbie on the intro table. So I have to say does ANYONE have a store like that or am I just lucky?

 

[rokar4life]

I love GW, without them I would have inferior plastic spacemen and no where to play with them. Also I've only been around 2 GW's on a regular basis and I haven't felt like they're trying to sell me anything, just provide a fun place to play.

 

[Stella Cadente]

why would I play somewhere where mentioning the word "soap" is worse than dressing up as Himmler and punching a child in the face and selling there little sister to Gary Glitter?

plus I can't play WWII, napoleonics, BFG, inquisitor, Mordheim or anything fun in a GW, so why even bother?

 

[Bodhi]

I am lucky enough to have a few different GW stores near me. Once I went into one that's a rather small shop located inside a mall. I went in and started talking with the guy and he starts to put items on the counter for me telling me what I need. I walked out. That's it. That's the only bad experience I've had at a GW.

I am also lucky enough to have a battle bunker right across the street from my work. Those guys have been awesome. They are salespeople, but they have never been the least bit pushy. They are fun to talk to, we have some good games with each other and the battle bunker has some nice tables set up. They don't even get too pushy about the state of your models. They won't let you play with un-primed models missing arms, but they don't get crazy. They just seem like good people to me, sometimes I go there and just paint at the large table they have set up. Just to have some people to shoot the shit with while I paint.

Maybe I'm the exception to the rule. I've certainly heard some people get very upset with the "redshirts" but I've rarely (read once) experienced it myself.

 

[Col. Schafer]

Obviously there are exeptions to every rule, but by and large GW just isnt as well run as most (again exeptions) smaller stores. People are prone to exagerate (heres looking at you stella) but at the heart of every exageration is a legitimate complaint.

Basicaly, the average game store is just more laid back. (again, exeptions) so hard core gamers might like it more. enforced painting rules means games are "prettyer", and they are more likely to enforce the "real" rules witch a torny focused player is more interested in.

My FLGS (for example) in stark contrast has no rules whatsoever about modeling quality (one guy uses a cardboard box for a manticore) and the owner is prone to make up random and epic scenarios durring leauges. For example, the last time I played there for a leauge, there was an objective on each corner, and one uin the center, the one in the center gave you 50 points every turn you held it (including your oponents) and the corners were worth 150 at games end, VPs were enforced. Oh, and everything had to deep strike.

Me, I prefer my FLGS. :biggrin:

 

[Captain Galus]

I don't hate GW because they make a great product IMO. Saying you hate GW but still using its product is like saying you hate your girlfriend but still screwing her.

It's just plain silly.

 

[Blue Liger]

Heck Yes I like GW I work for them good pay and little extra too!

Before I worked for them however I still did liek them too our store as like most in AUS are fairly laid back, the reason they ask questions about your hobby when you enter is to guage whether you want to buy something or if you are happy doing your own thing, if your a regular at your GW store they still tell you about things but they will never push sales even with new comers to the hobby

 

[Amoeba Bait]

GW Woden! That store IS my flgs. Occasionaly the staff will ask you whether you are goning to buy something (eg: Hey, are you getting in on the new Fantasy Rulebook), but they're not the pushy used-car salespeople that others make them out to be.

Recently we had Mathew Farrer (ie: Author of Enforcer) in for a book signing at GW Woden. Just thought I'd put it out there

 

[Shaun]

I don't have a flgs and until 2 weeks ago not even a local retail source to order from, I have been into 4 or 5 GW shops in Maryland USA, Auckland NZ, and Singapore.


The most enjoyable store was in Baltimore, this is my observation. Of the countless hours in those stores I kept a watch on the counter. some nights 4-5 hrs with 8-20 people moving (gaming) through the store there was less than $50 going into the till.
After a few nights seeing the same pattern Its obvious GW don't keep the store open purely for retail is it ?
Those that hang in the store get the benefit of the stores boards and paints, GW's profit is generated by those that get in, buy stuff and get out.
I am guessing that a lot of the posters here are also the gang that hang in the store.

It was also hilarious painting away in one store and listening to the parrot pitch "hey kid you ever played warhammer" ?
The most successful retailers were more laid back, I guess it comes down to the personality of the store and the veterans it attracts rather than a GW marketing matrix.
I enjoy the GW atmosphere just some stores more than others

 

[yanlou]

i really like GW.
The stores iv been to the staff are great; very talkative, funny, easy to get on with and happily give advice.
Iv never experienced staff members trying to shove stuff down my throat, they usually just ask what I'm doing at the moment army wise and ask how its going and maybe suggest what i could buy next, so overall they're good

 

[Cato Sicarius]

why would I play somewhere where mentioning the word "soap" is worse than dressing up as Himmler and punching a child in the face and selling there little sister to Gary Glitter?

plus I can't play WWII, napoleonics, BFG, inquisitor, Mordheim or anything fun in a GW, so why even bother?

Riiight... T-Two things there.

One, people at GW's DO in fact bathe, if they don't where you live then sorry for your misfortune.

And, two, um, if you don't find 40K fun, then why are you hanging around the 40K section of the site? Surely you should hang around the Hobby section, as of playing and "hobby-ing" you apparently prefer the latter ("plus I can't play WWII, napoleonics, BFG, inquisitor, Mordheim or anything fun in a GW").

In answer to the OP, yes, of course I like GW. The mine is apparently just like yours.

 

[Sarge1447]

The most enjoyable store was in Baltimore, this is my observation. Of the countless hours in those stores I kept a watch on the counter. some nights 4-5 hrs with 8-20 people moving (gaming) through the store there was less than $50 going into the till.
After a few nights seeing the same pattern Its obvious GW don't keep the store open purely for retail is it ?

You must've walked into my store, the lowest grossing GW store in the USA :biggrin: Not joking, our manager told us one day that the GW monthly sales report had come out, and our store had made the least money in the entire US. But I love my FLGS, (almost) everyone there is great to be around and the manager never really pressures us to buy anything. I really hate GWs pricing though, as it seems nothing has gone down in years, and most things have increased in price.
EDIT
Also, is it really true that we aren't allowed to play specialist games in store? We've been playing Mordheim here for quite a while, and the manager even set up a Mordheim campaign...

 

[KingOfCheese]

I really hate GWs pricing though, as it seems nothing has gone down in years, and most things have increased in price.

Ummm... Its called inflation dude. :crazy:



Only ever been to a GW store a couple of times.
Bunch of kids playing wardollies while others come in and laugh at them.

Everytime i looked at a box of models or a codex, id have the GW employee jumping up behind me saying "buy this buy that".
Hmmm... How about get the hell out of my face and go back to jerking off over the 10 year olds. If i want to buy models then ill buy them off the net at 40% off.

Yes, GW stores annoy the hell out of me.
Hiring a venue and playing there weekly/fortnightly is much better.

 

[slugsung88]

I went to my second GW stores in 10 years, and I was pleasantly surprise by how they treat their customers. I was afraid that they would hassle me and not leave me alone but this store was much different. I came in yesterday and the lady at the counter said "can't I help you with anything" and I reply "I'm just look around". 5 minute later another staff (who didn't know I was already ask) ask me the same thing and I said the same thing. There were 3 kids at the painting table, 2 boy playing a game, and around 5 people (including 2 staff) at another table playing a game. They left me alone for the whole duration of 30 minute and I felt so relieves that I could just look up the miniature painted in the glass case and not have to worry about another red shirt bothering me.

My store was a small store, so I'm very happy it was a suprisingly pleasent experience.

The Staff were not really super nice but they were not pushy. They were just so laid back and somewhat seem annoy by some of my questions. The other big GW store was very helpful but also pushy, so I guess that the tradeoff.

I'm lucky too?

 

[kharn-the-betrayer]

why would I play somewhere where mentioning the word "soap" is worse than dressing up as Himmler and punching a child in the face and selling there little sister to Gary Glitter?

plus I can't play WWII, napoleonics, BFG, inquisitor, Mordheim or anything fun in a GW, so why even bother?

Then Why Are you on this forum?

 

[search116]

It's a love hate relationship, I love there models and games, but I hate there pricing and the fact the nearest GW is 25 miles away

 

[Putch.]

I love GW for one reason, sure their prices are high and the staff is pushy. But what I would I be wasting hundreds of dollars and what has probably added up to weeks of my life doing then? I love the hobby, I love the games.

 

[OpTi]

i guess i'm lucky as i have 2 GW's in the city i live in and the staff are fine and aren't the stupid pushy sales type and at least in the store i goto actualy know the rules and don't say stupid shit like "Possesed are great in rhino's!".

We also have thursdays as vets night for all the players to just come down and play some games and chat. I'm lucky in that there's some decent players to play against and thursdays is usualy devoid of the tools that have loads of armies yet don't even know the basic rules let alone the rules for their armies (like the ones from today GRRRRR).

So ye our stores here are fine i guess, don't know what it's like on other days as i only go in on vets night, if saturdays are anything like when i was younger i'd dread to go in then.

 

[Unforgiven302]

Hate GW? No. I do not hate them. The store near me has only been around for 10-12 months now and the guy who runs it is very friendly and never harassing or annoying. He is quite knowledgeable about the products and the rules and is a nice guy in general. As for the company side of things, their customer support has taken care of me on a few occasions were parts were missing or damaged. Never a rude comment or issue with getting me the parts I need to make me satisfied. If I hated them I would not be buying or supporting their products.

My only complaints are that the prices are hard to swallow and the lack of regularity in which they update their systems is just annoying, and honestly, a failure on their part. If they could release a new edition rulebook AND all the codices at the same time, it would be worth the wait for it all. Let the new models trickle in here and there, but lump the books together in one big release every 4-5 years. None of this, wait 10 years for an updated codex only to have it ruined by a new edition of the main rules only a year or two later. Poor planning.

 

[KingOfCheese]

Saying you hate GW but still using its product is like saying you hate your girlfriend but still screwing her.

It's just plain silly.

Actually, you just described the typical married couple. :laugh: