By all accounts Games Workshop apparently responds best to written letters sent by regular post sent with a return address. A written letter cannot be ignored in quite the same way an e-mail can.

Please people, use your common sense.

To be honest - I think the only thing GW would respond to is falling profits. No matter how many 'internet nutballs' protest or moan or whine, most of them will still buy stuff from GW and this would never change.

If their profits dropped dramatically, then they might rethink - however I simply dont think that will happen.

No to mention I think most of these price increases were out of their hands this time (not all of it, but much of it).

 

He has a point, the only time GW has ever show noticeable changes in its practices is when their has been significant losses in sales. Look at the turn around for the rules for GK, and DE don't tell me the fact that two fringe armies now have more, and better rules then core armies like eldar/SM was not driven by the huge drop in DE/GK sales over the last few years.

 

I like your point OP. I agree completely. Companies don't want to deal with people getting themselves worked up into a frenzy. Sure the price hike is going to suck. But then again everything is going up in price. GW has to do the same if they want to keep making the same money they alasy have. Sure it hurts our pocket books a little more but really $5 more for some things isn't the end of the world. Sure I know it adds up but then just slow down how fast you are going to buy the models. Thank you and that is my two cents.

 

Well said.

Couldnt really agree more.

have some rep.

 

The problem is, as Games Workshop makes more and more drastic changes, the responses become more and more drastic.

Equal and opposite reaction so to speak.

 

Heres a good thought why doesn't the community band together and propose a boycott on their products. If you get them a letter and give them a valid date and not be rude about and show just how many people are willing stop buying their products then maybe they might listen. It would definatle show how angry the community is.

 

Will it? I don't know how things work in the States, but here in blighty there are a lot of one man stores, where the punters and the manager become pally. I count both of the managers we've had in Wigan as mates, which makes me more inclined to buy from them. Additionally a lot of us here in Britain don't feel we're being screwed over by GW's prices, simply because price increases are happening across the board, regardless of the market the company's angling for.

Now if GW did the one man store in every country they operate in, it would increase sales. Why? Because you're more inclined to help a friend than an acquaintance and it's much easier to befriend someone when they're the only staffmember.

 

Sorry for double posting but I had one more statement to make.

It is time for us as consumers to take a stand against GW and express ourselves as one.

GW can't trully ignore the whole community.

 

GW can't trully ignore the whole community.

They can, and they do.

 

@sacrean--Well for SM it is between 8-12 dollars USD. a kit increase. In the grand scheme of daily expenses it doesn't seem like a lot but when everything else in th world is going up something has to give. Lets see take my kids to the movies or buy plastic crack...lol...Kids first!!

@Maidel- My gut feeling is that you are correct and falling profits is the only thing that would work. I wish it was possible to stage a world wide one month boycott. This would wake them up and demonstrate our combined power as the consumer. They need us not the other way around.

Doc

 

It can easily be done you just have to get organized with it. If your message gets out to enuff people then they will join the only reason it hasn't happened is no one has had the balls to do it. Another note is instead of just staging a boycott alos do the research and crunch the numbers present them with a valid solution where the consumers can meet in the middle.

Ya see corporations will push their consumers around all day until suddenly those consumers stop being ignorant and start working together.

Think of WWII. I fear that we awoken a sleeping giant...

We as consimers control how much profit they make and we alone can bury them or force them to make changes.

It can start out for a month if nothing is done then it moves to two months eventually they will either give in or just be morons that wind up goin out of business..

 

theres a facebook group been set up
http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_109577025797447
join the group and add your voice, no matter where on the planet you live

 

For the Koalas and Kengu... Ouh, wait. I meant, for the lower prices to you guys!

 

I don't even buy their products from their stores anymore, is alwasys buy from the independent retailers and the internet rather than the sales hungry shop staff. So if you want to sale money and give GW a message then do like i do and stop buying from their stortes.

 

But your missing something here. you still buy their products and therfore they still make a profit from you. Rmember the independent retailers have to purchase the products as well.

 

Everyone seems to think that the head guys at GW don't care. They do. I am not advocating what they are doing but you must understand that the CEO's and others have to placate the stockholders. The stockholders want to see nothing but profit and an increase in share prices. If the current CEO's do not provide what the stockholders deem as enough profit, they can and will replace them. The demons we have now are more than likely better than the demons we will have to deal with if they do get replaced.

 

Tell me if anyone can say what percentage of the consumers is youngins whose parents buy the stuff.

 

When I worked for GW (12 years ago now) we were always told that we should spend 90% of our time with new(ish) customers and 10% of our time with vets, that was because vets contributed 10% of the income and new players 90%.

So - I would say 90% in answer to your question.

 

Perhaps this is off tangent some what, but I've been wondering to myself what would make GW sit up and think....huh perhaps this is too far this time and I personally think that a boycott would work, but not in the way most people seem to be suggesting.

A complete boycott won't work because to be honest the majority of people don't want to just stop buying/playing etc, but a temporary boycott of all gw stores, and all gw products for a small period of time, for example 2 weeks, I think would work.

It would have to be announced in a letter to them, and properly prepared over a period of a month or so, but if we could manage to dent their sales and event attendance over a 2 week period, that could shock them into realising exactly how many of their customers are unhappy and exactly how important they are.

I mean, it would have to be a massive push on behalf of the community, uniting as many other online communities as possible to work, someone with respect/pull on one website that could unite them together and then communicate the idea with others.

 

it can be done! if we want to try this then we need to put the word to every forum site and we need all unite and sign an online petition aas well as agree to terms that what we want done. Start a facebook page you want to write an official letter to the company and you want use our real names. No offense I dont think the take names like stickmonkey, mad cow crazy, and thespore very seriously.

Two weeks isnt long enuff to dent the either it has to be a month.

 

It wouldnt work. It wouldnt work for SO many reasons - ill list a few.


1) Members of forums make up a TINY proportion of GWs sales.

2) Members of forums in fact buy very few models. Some of them do buy huge amounts, dont get me wrong - but many people here openly say that they dont buy anything from GW, its all off ebay or a few units a year.

3) Many members of these and other forums actually understand why the price goes up, and its not related to greed or any of those other negative suggestions.

4) Many people whine and whine and whine about these things, and then will go straight into GW and buy something.


Just look at fuel prices - back in 2000 there were massive fuel protests, refineries were blockaded and that was when fuel was 70p a litre. Now its just hit £1.40 a litre and where are all the protests? It wont happen in this 'age of austerity' because people know it wont make a blind bit of difference.

 

It wouldnt work. It wouldnt work for SO many reasons - ill list a few.

1) Members of forums make up a TINY proportion of GWs sales.

2) Members of forums in fact buy very few models. Some of them do buy huge amounts, dont get me wrong - but many people here openly say that they dont buy anything from GW, its all off ebay or a few units a year.

3) Many members of these and other forums actually understand why the price goes up, and its not related to greed or any of those other negative suggestions.

4) Many people whine and whine and whine about these things, and then will go straight into GW and buy something.


Just look at fuel prices - back in 2000 there were massive fuel protests, refineries were blockaded and that was when fuel was 70p a litre. Now its just hit £1.40 a litre and where are all the protests? It wont happen in this 'age of austerity' because people know it wont make a blind bit of difference.

Okay, firstly I just want to make this clear, that I totally respect your opinion and I can even understand it, but to me I feel like, we as a community need to either a)Try to do something without it being piss poor and half arsed or b) shut up and stop complaining.

I personally believe that a large reason why people don't bother to protest is because after a while the dissenting voices suck the momentum from things.

You are correct that the members on one forum or even 3 or 4 make up a rather limited consumer base, but imagine if we could convince triple that number of websites. Hell if every person who took part sent in a letter informing GW of their intention to boycott for a period of time that in itself should at least shock them into perhaps re thinking things.

I actually do understand why we have price rises and why static priced items such as GW stock seem to excite so much response when the price of milk consistently goes up and few say anything about that. In fact I remember, something close to 10 years ago when £1 could buy you three chocolate bars and now falls short of buying 2. But, even understanding all that, one can not look at the actions of GW and not at the very least question the intent and honesty behind these actions. (I can if you would like jme to expand this paragraph considerably)

What I'm suggesting is basically a properly organised response to the actions taken over the years and especially recent stances made by the company.

The fact is that, I love 40k and WHF, those games in particular, those backgrounds, they have meaning and importance the likes of warmachine, mantic etc do not and do not wish to see GW slide slowly into the slag heap because at no point have they really had anything that has caused them to actually sit and think about whether or not their business model and attitude is in keeping with the economy and indeed the world today. (again I can expand of this some more if you would like)

Personally I think this would really work, but most likely only from an already established figurehead such as Jezlad (although I could imagine that might be difficult as his job is fairly linked to GW and of course his leadership could perhaps influence GW to send a C&D to Heresy online). I could try myself, but realistically I can't imagine it having anywhere near the same momentum as I can imagine people being like 'Who the fuck is that Uncle Nurgle guy? I mean he's posted all of 34 times, pfft forget this'.

Anyway that's my opinion anyway, maybe it might inspire someone (if this does, I'd very much be up for helping a considerable bit)

 

I'm looking on the GW Facebook and I gotta give Kudos to Denis Sater. Posted this on every comment:

Games Workshop, please be aware you are not the only miniature company out there. Your price hike and independent retail trade embargo will not stand. I look forward to supporting Mantic and Privateer Press.

I would agree, but I'm afraid of new things. And I'm a GW Addict.

Midnight

 

Has anyone stopped to consider the reasons behind the increases in prices? There are a few factors that affect the cost of product. The first cost to consider is the basic cost of raw material. The price of plastic and metal has increased at a rate that is much greater than the rate of inflations. Secondly, the price of fuel is sky rocketing. If it costs more to buy the raw materials and ship the product to the customers, then the price must increase to keep profits at a consistent precentage.

Another thing to keep in mind is the overall quality of today's new miniatures. When I started collecting over 10 years ago a box of space marines cost $35CAD. Now for that $35CAD, I may only get 10 GKs, but they look AMAZING!! GW is increasing the quality of their products and that cost money for new capital for new equipment and technologies as well as R&D costs.

Every year GW raises their prices. Every year forums explode in outrage. Every year people continue to play, paint, and buy Warhammer.

Finally, remember which customer group you fall into. Most businesses operate on the standing that 20% of their customer make up 80% of their sales. That means that the majority of hobbyist in forums make up a good portion of the 80% of the customers giving GW 20% of their sales.

 

This is the news and rumours section, this thread is neither.
While I understand everyones rage as I personally think GW can go fuck themselves with bullshit like this it is a bit tiring to see every other thread about the same thing.
Off to General discussion.

If you want to voice your concern with GW just fill out this form and have it shipped to GW HQ and I'm sure they will take your arguments into consideration...

My point of view is biased but I dont think GW cares about it's community any more, it's only about the money now and they seems to be doing everything they can to discourage people from picking up their games.
Let the company crash and burn I say, once they fire the retarded people behind all their policy bullshit someone with a clue might actually be given the job.

 

Fuck you GW! You fucken bastards.

 

You know I feel like the majority of posters here can logically understand the need for price raises. The problem here is that it appears out of proportion. I think if they were able to post an example...like say here is the cost of a box of "fill in the name" from begining to end it might help us understand.

Doc

 

Wow MCC, that is hilarious.

Sad to say this is the same crap that happens every price increase. Never helped before, probably won't this time.

If you look at the price increases they are making all similar sized kits the same price.

 

well Im gonna just say this

Lets say GW falls tomorrow and they go out of business.
It wouldnt be the end of warhammer some other company would buy the property (since its is a hell of a cash cow) and just continue to produce it thats all. Hey its quite possible that some one like PP might pick it up.

 

I'm all for a boycot, but if you want it to mean anything you also have to be prepared to make the hard desisions.

First, 1 year no GW purchases PERIOD!, no GW direct, no Brick and mortar, no Independent Retailer, NOTHING!. Most importantly this includes GAMESDAY. You want the bastards to notice. Show them you mean it by having no one show up to gamesday, anywhere!

Second, Help GW's competition. I like PP.

Third, when the year is over, if they haven't lowered their prices. Leave.

If you really want to slap them in the face make it hit their wallets. People have compared this to the pathetic boycots of gassoline (petrol?) from early 2000. Those were misguided. It's not a boycott if you only do it for a day/week and everyone fills their tank the day before hand. No one lost any money. You have to show that you are serious.

I'm in I will officially boycott all things GW starting 28 May 2011.

 

You guys don't really have much to complain about compared to us Aussies/New Zealanders.

Stormraven in the UK: ₤41
Stormraven in the US: $66
Stormraven in Australia: $110

Yeah. Both of your prices convert to $62 AUD. Why the fuck does everything in Australia (and moreso in New Zealand) cost practically double of what it does everywhere else?

 

Is that actually a serious question, or just rhetorical? The answer is because you live on the other side of the world it costs a he'll of a lot more to ship it to you.
That's not the only reason I'll admit. But you said it yourself, EVERYTHING costs more, therefore GW are just staying online with that.

 

I seriously doubt the additional shipping cost justifies doubling the price of some plastic. Is the price of the shipping dependant on weight or volume?

 

Ok I hoped I wasn't going to have to go into a long economic explanation on my iPhone, but here goes.

It's not just the shipping, it's also the 'value' of money in those respective countries. Australians on average earn $65,000 which at today's exchange rate is £45,000. (from here - http://www.emigratetoaustralia.org/average-wages-australia.html). The average wage in the UK is between £18,000 and £23,000. Even in London the average wage is only £35,000.

Therefore in Australia the average wage on the world Market is worth TWICE what you earn in the uk. Thus has two effects. Firstly staffing costs in the uk are cheaper than in Australia. This means that it 'costs less' in real terms to run a shop in the uk than in Australia. Therefore the relative cost of products that are sold will be higher. Secondly it means that the cost of products can be artificially made higher (in general, it's not just a GW thing) and the population will pay it because they have that disposable income.

 

Utterly ignoring the fact that there are many who don`t have as much disposeable income as they(GW) seem to believe.

 

Because everything costs more here, not just Warhammer. So we end up having as much disposable income as you and can only buy half as many models with it.

 

Sigh. Everything costs more IN PROPORTION.

Therefore you have twice as much money (on AVERAGE) and everything costs twice as much, therefore in real terms you have exactly the same amount to spend.

Im sorry - Im not going to be giving out economics lessions - but this is how it works.

Utterly ignoring the fact that there are many who don`t have as much disposeable income as they(GW) seem to believe.

So? I dont have enough disposable income to buy a Ferrari - is that Ferraris fault? Many people dont have enough income to properly feed their families, yet alone disposable income to spend on little plastic figures. Its NOT GWs fault.