Welcome to my strange alternative world of wargaming with toy soldiers: a game for boys from twelve years of age to one hundred and fifty and for that more intelligent sort of girl who likes boys' games and books (HG Wells, Little wars)
Tuesday, 19 March 2013
April Fool Early?
There is a rumour doing the rounds that GW have informed independent traders that they will not permit them to continue online sales of GW products from June.
Couple of important things to note here. First is that this is GW USA. Second, that online sales have been prohibited in the US since 2003, the major change this time around is that it now includes Canada. Third, the real hammer-blow in this deal is the requirement that all products be sold in their original packaging, i.e. no bits!
Hi John I hope to run a Napoleonic naval game on Sunday at the club. A rules learning exercise for the Club as a Pre Broadside game so that on the day a few people other than myself know the rules.
As for GW. I honestly cant say I care either way. GW have been making increasingly bad decisions ever since they stopped making Necromunda.
I only have a GW miniatures and a couple of rulebooks that will get flogged off soon anyway. If this is the UK I'd say its another nail in the coffin for them. I think its more a sign of the economy as well everybody is trying to save cash/bring things in house.
I've never been a fan, and this doesn't come a surprise, but suppose 40,000 owners of GW stuff all listed something on the internet on the same day without mentioning GW or a GW trademark anywhere in the listing...
"Unknown skeletal warriors for sale, some bits, might be good for role play games, D&D maybe? See photo's"
If this is true then this will be the final death knell of my GW buying... no matter how much I might want the new Hobbit stuff... I am simply NOT paying local prices...
Interestingly... what would happen if these independant dealers listed these products under a pseudonym via ebay...?
My first thought is "First-Sale Doctrine." Once a distributor sells the merchandise to another party, that party can do as they please. I suppose GW has the right to terminate distributor accounts as they see fit for selling bits, but that will only lead to a multi-tier sales model.
Couple of important things to note here. First is that this is GW USA. Second, that online sales have been prohibited in the US since 2003, the major change this time around is that it now includes Canada. Third, the real hammer-blow in this deal is the requirement that all products be sold in their original packaging, i.e. no bits!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how it would go down in the UK...
It does seem to be N. America so far.
DeleteI spoke to a retailer a couple of weeks ago and he said this was likely to happen.
ReplyDeleteGW is becoming the Soviet Union of wargaming.
I have nothing to do with them - thank God.
You can still be sent to the Gulag, just saying.
DeleteHi John I hope to run a Napoleonic naval game on Sunday at the club. A rules learning exercise for the Club as a Pre Broadside game so that on the day a few people other than myself know the rules.
ReplyDeleteAs for GW. I honestly cant say I care either way. GW have been making increasingly bad decisions ever since they stopped making Necromunda.
See you Sunday. I'm apparently invading Normandy.
DeleteI am slowly wanting to Ebay all my GW stuff and tell them to F'off!
ReplyDeleteAn understandable response
DeleteBloody Hell that is amazing and is that to happen in the UK too. Have they lost the plot
ReplyDeleteNot sure it will happen in the UK. It may not be legal here under European Law.
DeleteI only have a GW miniatures and a couple of rulebooks that will get flogged off soon anyway. If this is the UK I'd say its another nail in the coffin for them. I think its more a sign of the economy as well everybody is trying to save cash/bring things in house.
ReplyDeleteWe shall see.
DeleteMaybe not?
ReplyDeleteI've never been a fan, and this doesn't come a surprise, but suppose 40,000 owners of GW stuff all listed something on the internet on the same day without mentioning GW or a GW trademark anywhere in the listing...
ReplyDelete"Unknown skeletal warriors for sale, some bits, might be good for role play games, D&D maybe? See photo's"
...I feel a protest group is needed!
Hugh
They can't stop a private seller doing whatever he/she wishes. It's your property.
DeleteIf this is true then this will be the final death knell of my GW buying... no matter how much I might want the new Hobbit stuff... I am simply NOT paying local prices...
ReplyDeleteInterestingly... what would happen if these independant dealers listed these products under a pseudonym via ebay...?
That thought had occurred to me. How will they police this?
DeleteMy first thought is "First-Sale Doctrine." Once a distributor sells the merchandise to another party, that party can do as they please. I suppose GW has the right to terminate distributor accounts as they see fit for selling bits, but that will only lead to a multi-tier sales model.
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult to see how this will be policed.
Delete