RE: [Epic] GW BOYCOTT (MUST READ IMEADIATELY) (fwd)

From: Kelvin <kx.henderson_at_...>
Date: Thu, 05 Jun 1997 09:23:20 +1000 (EST)

Sorry, but as a GW player for several years, I just have to bite here.

<WHINGE MODE ON>

>1. Yes they are expensive, but compared to some other hobbies, they
>aren't that bad. Don't take it personally that they are trying to make
>money and grow like any other business out there.

I agree. There are plenty of other hobbies that GW is cheap when compared
to. But I'd like to make a few points. For me its not the actual flat
expense (which here in the land of Oz is obscene) its the attitude of GW.
Sure they want to make money, but at the absolute disregard for the
customer? Over the last 10 years I have watched GW go from as highly
respected Games and Miniatures company to a pack of money-gubbing capitalist
pigs in the same vein as Microsoft. There has been a greater increase in
their prices in the last two years than in the previous eight!

Also their marketting tactics are appauling! Many is the time I have heard
of shops being threatened with having their GW stockist status revoked by GW
if they refused to stock their products at the exclusion of others. Hell,
they took a friend of mine's stockist status as they learned he was selling
for cost +5% to all his friends (which is alot)! Trust me on this and ask
the Colonel! And from the fingertips of Doddsy (for those of you who
remember him) he told me that the GW store in Newcastle in Oz was spreading
bad press about the other gaming store in the area so as to try and push
people away from there and into the GW store. That was shocking to hear.

Plus the latest Epic97 thing where in the U.S. stores had to carry the
ENTIRE range of Epic97 or they got nothing at all. They are also at "war"
with U.S. distributors as they are trying to cut them out of the market as
they cut down on GW's profit margin and can give retailers the opportnity to
sell GW stuff at a discount. In the U.K. and here in Oz, they stock
directly to the stores and have thus increased their profit margins
drastically. I hope the U.S. holds out. Apparently things aren't looking
too rosy over there for GW at the moment.

>2. Their stuff, for the most part, has a high appeal factor, and their
>quality is good to great compared to some other game companies. I called
>customer support regarding a miscast sprue of Space Marines, the staff
>of the Librarian was stubbed. They sent me all whole new sprue. No
>charge.

I can't argue here as they are very good when it comes to customer SERVICE.
Yet so many people don't realise, due to GW marketing tactics, that there
are other products out there of similar or better quality! Especially when
it comes to the game systems.

>If the minis get too expensive, what does it ultimately mean? Smaller
>armies? Smaller point games? Shucks, you mean I have to paint fewer
>miniatures? Oh well.

But GW has actually admitted that they are a MINIATURES company and not a
games company and that to play their games, you need to buy hoardes of
little metal or plastic minis.

And the other thing I hate is the "use our and no other or you shall never
play again" attitude to the actual miniatures you use. Sod that! If I can
get cheaper minis that fit, I use them. Period. And if anyone is
interested I will be willing to post (privately or otherwise) an article
from a magazine that the Colonel and I were sent from Michael Liu. I'm sure
you'll find it most intriguing. I did.

<WHINGE MODE OFF>

Sorry about that, but it just had to be done.

-Kelvin.....

===================================================
      "Boy, Elizabethan pronouns still send a
             tingle up the old spine!"
                  -The Tick
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Received on Thu Jan 01 1970 - 00:00:00 UTC