At 01:37 PM 8/5/97 -0500, you wrote:
>>I'm curious about American wargaming stores selling GW stuff at discounted
>>prices. How can they? My local independant store tried the discounted
>>stuff and was forced by GW to raise the prices to the normal selling price
>>or face being struck off GW's retailers list!
>
>I have a friend who used to own a Hobby store (then he decided to sell
>it and go finish his Masters Degree) and this is the story he tells.
>People in the UK can correct me if the details about that side of the
>big puddle are wrong.
>
>In the UK, GW distributes its own goods. Thus, they can decide who
>gets to sell their stuff and who doesn't. In America, GW sells its
>goods to distributors who then in turn sell to retailors. Distributors
>will sell to *any* retailor, as this means more money for them.
>
>A while back, GW decided that they had grown big enough in America that
>they could bypass the distributors and distribute their goods directly.
>However, in America we have this group of laws known as Anti-Monopoly
>(or Anti-Trust) law. GW workshop quickly found themselves assailed
>with legal action as the distributors claimed that GW was unfairly
>excluding them from the Marketplace. From what I understand, this
>is a legal battle that GW is currently losing.
>
>Until the court cases are all settled, and unless GW wins them, then
>the American distibutorships can continue to move GW product and, in
>turn, American retailors can discount all they want. (GW can still
>distribute their own goods as well, but who's going to buy from them
>when they can get the same goods at a discount?).
That might explain all the price hikes, legal fees?
I digress, I've been harping on GW since I joined this list, but I do enjoy
their games, I just don't like their prices. Squeeky wheel gets the grease.
Tyler
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>Allen (The Q&A guy)
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>Check out the EPIC and EPIC 40K Q&A Pages at:
> http://work1.utsi.edu:8000/~amccarle/default.html
>If you have questions about EPIC 40K and can't find the answers
>in the rule books, send them to:
> allen_at_...
>They will be passed on to Jervis Johnson and Andy Chambers.
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
Received on Wed Aug 06 1997 - 00:02:05 UTC