"What is this about bits?" Topic

I noticed the Warstore has to stop selling bits?

Did I miss something evil?

Yep.

Apparently (and this is me paraphrasing what was already paraphrased) if you're a GW Direct customer, you can't break up packages and sell parts online. If they catch you, you won't be a GW direct customer anymore.

New policy by GW. Please continue shovelling piles of money into their incinerator, the hobby won't survive without them.

Really.

/sarcasm

GW modified it's vendor agreement saying that it's vendors cannot open or break-down product for resale. Thus, no bits.

Except on Ebay of course…

Damon.

Yet another reason I said "Screw GW" they are no longer a part of the Hobby IMO.

They do not care about the genre that made them possible in the first place, only about Churning and Burning the kids. (Which is their right. As is my right to say "Screw Em")

GW are definately a bunch of heads.

I was with them until they stopped selling "bits" directly years ago, or even individual figures/vehicles.

No dust on my GW stuff, but only because it is all stored in plastic containers way in the back of my game room.

Dan

Same thing happened to miniwargaming.com, so they decided to close up shop instead.

I don't believe this applies to UK retailers (may be wrong)?

you can't break up packages and sell parts online. If they catch you, you won't be a GW direct customer anymore.

OK, what about running a consignment service?

For example, "Joe Customer" buys an assault squad and I ship him 5 Jump Packs and I take the rest on consignment.

Sometime later, "Bob Customer" orders 5 chainswords and I sell him Joe's chainswords (from my FIFO inventory system) and give Joe store credit for his sale.

Seems like a money maker

Damn no more Black Friday bitz bag deal.

Ive pretty much written off GW in favor of historical and pulp games. I still buy the occaisional kit bit not in the numbers that I used to.

I miss the days of ordering individual bits from GW to do conversion, or because I wanted to have a uniform unit, or a unit all with the same type of backpack or weapon, etc. GW is a company not interested in maintaining my custom which is their right. It is short sighted but I doubt the folks making the decision care.

The up side it there appear to be a number of clever small operations that are attempting to fill the bits niche while avoiding copyright issues. I have seen some very cool alternative heads, bodies and equipment posted on threads here on TMP. One door closes another one opens.

I have heard that they well begin selling bits (sorry, "bitz") again.

Gone 15mm and never looked back.

I heard a store manager at a GW shop say that GW DISCOUNTED some prices. If you buy "a squadron" of three vehicles (etc), then you can get a discount- if you order the squadron box set from the store computer (or home computer?). The shops don't carry the discount boxes, and only mail order has them, apparently. It is unusual, because it is the first "price discount" I have heard of from GW in the past twenty years. Well, except back in 1995, I could have bought 3 Landraiders in a GW box set for 25.00 dollars (total). Wow, pity I didn't play 40K then.

Yes, if you go on GW's website now, and go into the Eldar section, you'll find multi-packs for jetbikes, warwalkers, etc. FREX, the Windrider Jetbike Squadron (3 Eldar jetbikes), is going for $40. USD To buy them seperately it would cost $45 USD ($15 per). So you save $5. USD The Warwalker Squadron is 3 for $75 USD, seperately it would be $90. USD And Vail's Wrath Support Battery is $65 USD for 3, or $74.25 USD separately. Seems the discounts run between 12% and 17% depending on what it is.

Damon.

Hey, Elmo. I told you about this months ago. And incidentally, the consignment thing is iffy at best, since you'd have to somehow make it known for it to be effective, and once known you'd be blacklisted. GW has, according to many, started using secret shoppers to police the indies.

Not unlike food and drink manufacturers preventing the breakdown of multi packs.

since you'd have to somehow make it known for it to be effective, and once known you'd be blacklisted

The consignment store would be a wholly owned subsidiary of the game shop. To start my business tho, I would need to see the GW trade agreement, just to be sure.

More business for 3rd party parts makers. That's all I see. All of them are typically cheaper than going to bits shops… people on ebay want $10 USD for a Space Marine missile launcher. $10 USD…. Or you can go to Anvil Industries and get 10 missile launchers for $34 USD…. if you don't mind a very different, but interesting style.

I know it is sad to do this to gamers especially considering how they have promoted the idea of converting figures more than everyone else in the hobby.
But when I mentioned this to a friend who used to play he pointed out that several manufacturers have done this or started doing this to protect themselves .
Coffee machines ,white goods and more devices being built within sealed units. Seems to be a trend to get maximum profit out of customers and forcing them to rebuy more often.
At least the auction sites are useful (I will shift my space wolves battleforce bits and drop pod once they are assembled)

Coming soon: Finecast(TM) Bitz, from GW Inc.

Finecast is crap. I really like GW stuff but damn that stuff is bad. Finecast bits is like a slap in the face of decency.