"Games Workshop Retailer Rules? How harsh are they?" Topic

Just curious,
My wife and I were at a local independent
hobby store earlier today and I overheard the employees discussing the GamesWorkshop layout. I got the impression that GW can give you a lot of grief over not displaying their stuff "correctly".
So is this true?
If so how much grief can they give you?

They can not supply you, which is plenty of grief if you want to stock their products. It's a pain, actually, there are three gaming stores local to me and none of them stock GW stuff - since I get a 20% discount at two of them that really bites.

I heard that GW requires you to devote at least 30% of your store space over to their stuff, and you have to buy minis in 'job lots' where the new stuff can only be obtained by picking up a bunch of older crap too.

Don't know how much of that is true but I've heard it from more than one source.

Funny, I've never heard that (either of those points). we order what we need, when we need it. It may be different between countries.

Yeah same here Ratboyjnr, pretty much order what ever you need along as it meets the min order.

Seem to get the pre orders about 3 months before release so plenty of notice about upcoming products.

My FLGS hates GW. They stock it to keep the kiddies happy, but the owners (who've been in business 27 years and counting) says that they are seeing such a slowdown in GW business that they've stopped stocking ahead and order items only to replace actual purchases. And this store has a near-monopoly in the local market!

Last I heard, your first order had to be at least £500.00 GBP and thereafter you ordered what you like, remembering most items are ordered in two's(How do you hyphenate that? It looks stragne as twos).

There's always a lot of "I've heard..." in these sort of threads - thanks for telling it from an actual dealer's viewpoint, guys!

And strange looks even stranger as stragne(should that be 'more strange', rather than stranger?). Argh! English sucks as a native tongue, way too complicated.

That was the latest 'Trader Account' information.

And aren't I displaying such great subject-verb agreement these days?

Fujiking,

You hyphenate it as "pairs." =)

GW salesmen are very pushy and there is a high turnover rate. In the three years we were in business we had 9 different sales reps.

We never heard about a % of devotion, but if you didn't order they were calling and wondering. As far as sales dropping off there is no doubt that is the case.

Earlier this year they called for all invoices in the USA region to be paid up, regardless of amount, or they would not ship. Since most distributors don't do this it was a sure sign of cash flow problems.

They also do not offer the same terms to everyone. We have a GW store here, so they have cut off a chain in town as well as another store because they are here already. I have also heard of them offering terms right off the bat to a brand new store with no credit or references if they are in an area where they do not have a store of their. On the other hand if you open up near their stores they make you pay COD or in advance and such.

We never had a serious problem with them except for sales rep turnover and them being pushy if you didn't order how they thought you should.

TGD - Total Global Domination

That's their motto...

Gunslinger has said pretty much what we experienced here in our town- I can still remember when we preordered 20 box's of the newest 40K edition... we got shorted to 5 boxes but the local GW store got EXTRA boxes to sell- who can guess where all our customers went? The list goes on and on and it would turn into an anti-GW rant on my part. Personally any store that stocks GW is crazy in my books :D

Hey Guys,
Thanks for the feedback,
Perhaps I should have mentioned that
the store was in Georgia, USA.
Keep forgetting how widespread this
community is.

Mike even though I do not order GW products , I could get them from at least two distributors other than the offical GW pipeline.

When you buy from distributors you are not restricted by the GW policies on quanity or amounts.

Time Portal in Alabama.

Clarification = quanity per item or total invoice amounts.

"I heard that GW requires you to devote at least 30% of your store space over to their stuff, and you have to buy minis in 'job lots' where the new stuff can only be obtained by picking up a bunch of older crap too."

************ Not true. A GW Urban Legend.

I will say that my local store has seen a near stop in sales since last years two announced price hike, the one unannounced and now the ongoing unannounced hike. It is really grim.

Starship Troopers is not doing well, Warmachine is all but dead, FOW is at a stand still and now GW. I am afraid he is going to give up on miniatures gaming altogether. The only things that keep selling are clicky games and cards.

Justin initially in 1985 you had to buy by the sleve (sp) and had to have $500 USD per month or quarter minimum order which is when I stopped stocking them.

Since that time the $500 USD minimum would not anot to much stock based on the price and assortment of stock. I wonder if the amount per quater has changed?

I guess it depends on where you are. At my store clickies are very slow, GW has slowed down, but Warmachine is on it's way up, increasing in sales every week. Starship Troopers just got in with some interest but no sales yet. As for the GW reps, the one's I've had have always worked with me, no pressure. My main beef with them is the need to order their stuff in multiples. 6 cans of spray paint, 6 bottles of paint, cases of glue, etc.. You don't always have to order the minimum but you'll pay shipping if you don't.

"************ Not true. A GW Urban Legend."

I stand corrected - guess my FLGSs just like to bitch and moan rather than actually trying to work with GW. Either that or the reps down here in Florida are dicks to work with.

Guys,

A lot of it depends on who your sales reps are. Years ago a local shop carried GW and was getting screwed over by the reps making them buy more than they wanted, goofing up orders, etc. Finally they dropped GW as it started to peter out. I think it might be a case of an overzealous sales rep. Try e-mailing GW direct.

Ok Justin, in my opinion a horror story.

A store that I am familiar with (I was at a convention with them in another State)wanted to conduct a LOTR event in their store/town a year or two ago.. A small Mom & Pop place. In order for them to be able to conduct the 'official' event they had to buy an additional $1,000 USD wholesale for the event AND increase their monthly GW purchase level by between 100% and 200%.

I am not sure if it was a deal breaker or not but I was stunned when I was informed the conditions. Now remember, this is what I was TOLD and should be regarded as third party/hersay data (for all of you GW supporters out there).

Something to consider, You are the store owner not the sales Representatives themselves. If you feel presure than just hang up the phone and call them back next week. Its amazing how well it works to tell the Salesrep from any company call me in two or three weeks will be fine. Than you call Alliance and order from them. Yeah you take a cut but If you order what you need and not inventory you will be fine. When the rep calls you back and is like hmm we are due for a big order you will than just order what you need.. When they ask you just say you didnt want to buy his attitude.

REMEMBER you are the owner no them.