A new GW Embargo dawns on the USA.

 

Hello there Reader.

 

Back in 2011 we published an article sharing with our readers our info about the imminent enforcement back then of new trade policies concerning independent retailers. In what was to be known as the “GW Embargo” Games Workshop prohibited trade account holders based in the European Community of reselling their products to consumers outside the EU.

 

It should come as no surprise that the hobby community down here in Brazil was severely affected by those new policies given that most of us here purchased from the two giant retailing stores in the UK back them.

 

One of the ways people found of circumventing the embargo was purchasing from US based stores. Their shipping charges were not as reasonable as the ones from European stores but we could still purchase our models at discounted prices.

 

It seems that window has now been closed by yet another of GW’s trade policies. In a document dated March 15^th 2013 addressing North American Trade Account holders GW’s disclosed its new blow against consumer base and independent retailers alike.

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“Games Workshop’s Embargo – part 5” or “Hearing straight from the horse’s mouth!”

Hello there.

It appears that Games Workshop has indeed taken notice of the turmoil raging over the internet about its announced embargo to countries outside the E.U.

Mark Wells, chief executive for Games Workshop, publicly answered an email of a concerned hobbyist explaining why GW would enforce such a policy:

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Dear Anthony,

  

Thanks for contacting Games Workshop about the change in our trading terms for European accounts. I know this has frustrated you and for that I am truly sorry. As a long standing customer, you deserve to know why we made this decision.

  

As you know, we introduce people to the Games Workshop hobby of collecting, painting and gaming with Citadel miniatures through our Hobby Centres and local independent trade accounts. Games Workshop Hobby Centres run introductory games and painting sessions, beginner lessons, hobby activities and events. We provide all these services free of charge. We only recover this investment if customers then buy products from us.

  

Where we don’t have a Games Workshop Hobby Centre, we support local independent trade accounts. These businesses provide a convenient place for customers to buy our products close to where they live. We support these businesses with local customer service teams and warehouses to ensure customers have immediate access to our best selling products and new releases. Many customers discover the hobby this way.

  

In addition we invest millions of pounds every year in our design studio and factory to ensure that each month we release more new products. This makes the Games Workshop Hobby more exciting for existing customers, helping them stay in the hobby longer. We can only afford to do this because of the volume of customers we have recruited and developed through our local Hobby Centres and trade accounts.

 

 It is for this reason that we have changed our European Trade terms. Over recent years, a number of currencies have moved a long way from their historical relative values, and this has opened the door for some traders to try to take advantage of these currency movements and offer deep discounts to overseas hobbyists. This has been the case with European internet traders selling to some of our customers overseas.

  

While this may seem great in the short term, the simple fact is that European internet traders will not invest any money in growing the hobby in your country. Their model is to minimise their costs and free-ride on the investment of Games Workshop and local independent shops in creating a customer base.

  

We on the other hand have to keep paying our Australian staff, rents and utilities in Australian dollars. While some customers have suggested we halve our prices, the only way we could do that is if we halve our Australian staff’s salaries, default on our rents and not pay our suppliers until exchange rates move back into alignment. That’s the reality of what a price reduction of this scale means. And we both know that customers who are motivated by price are not going to change their behaviour if it was any less than that.

  

The inevitable consequence if this was allowed to continue is that Games Workshop would not be able to operate Hobby Centres, nor to support local trade accounts. And if this happened in more territories outside Europe, the loss of volume would leave Games Workshop no choice but to scale back our investment in new product development, further eroding our customer base. Not something that we or our customers would want us to do.

  

That is why we took the decision to take legitimate action to restrict European trade accounts from selling the goods they purchase from Games Workshop outside Europe. None of the other alternatives were viable.

  

While I understand that you may still be unhappy with our decision, it was taken to ensure we can continue to support the Games Workshop hobby communities around the world through our Games Workshop Hobby Centres and local trade accounts. And to ensure we continue to invest in developing the best possible new product releases every month. I hope therefore that over time you will see the benefits of this decision for you and your hobby.

 

 Yours sincerely,

  

Mark Wells

 Chief Executive

 18 May 2011

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Well that answer confirms what we had said here the other day: GW is trying to solve a problem by addressing the wrong cause. What should be understood by their chief executives is that people aren’t buying from indie stores in Europe because of the discounts said costumers offer. They do so because prices were they live are OUTRAGEOUS.

I would buy from a Local Gaming Store given two things:

1 – If it existed  here in Brazil and supported the gaming community like GW’s representative implies. I’ll say this once more for the sake of argument: There are no gaming stores carrying GW’s products in Brazil. The ones that did carry such products a while ago only sold them but did absolutely nothing akin to supporting the gaming community. I’ve visited quite a few of them and NEVER came across a single one which had a table you could play the game in or staff to explain the nuances of the hobby like they do in GW stores in the UK. Their sole interest was bleeding us dry of our money a lot like the colonialist model I’m mentioning a lot these days.

2 – Prices were at least similar to the ones of GW UK. People have been pointing that prices here are not fair. Let me add that prices here are OUTRAGEOUSLY UNFAIR. Think “Space Hulk” for instance. It was a limited release which goes on ebay today for about 200 dollars on average. That’s already expensive, and it translates in320 reais (Brazilian currency). I’ll add to the price the 60% import tax charged down here and find a grand total of R$ 512,00 (again five hundred and twelve reais). Well the same box goes for R$ 990,00 (yep… NINE HUNDRED AND NINETY REAIS!!!!) on a LGS which carries GW products. I should add that said exists solely on the internet.

I can hear people saying “AH! But that’s a limited release… prices are bound to be more reasonable in a brick and mortar store down there”. Well there’s another store which has some GW products for sale. It is a brick and mortar store which also sells on the internet. So let’s compare prices of… a dire avenger set. I need more of those for my elder. It costs £ 20,50 at GW’s website, which would translate into R$ 53,00 (fifty three reais), again adding taxes I get a grand total of R$ 84,00 (Eighty four reais). The same box on the afore mentioned LGS costs … R$ 210,00 (two hundred and ten reais!!!). Seriouslly! You can check it here (scroll down on the product list).

And before people say I’m contradicting myself because I’d said there were no LGS carrying GW products I should mention these are leftover stock from GW’s last attempt in establishing a foothold in Brazil through indie stores and a local distributor. Check the link and you’ll see lots of stock missing and there’s no inboud restocks. If you feel inclined to do some more calculations the  exchange rate today for the pound/real is £1,00 pound for R$ 2,60 reais.

Back to GW’s open letter, the more I read it the more it sounds like: “We’re doing it because we want more money … Indie stores are ruining are local businesses thus decreasing the amount of money we’re able to take from you. If you’re compelled to buy from a LGS at double prices we’ll make double the money… simple as that!!”.

It kinda makes sense from a company’s point of view right? GW only wants to protect its consumer base as clearly stated: “… the loss of volume would leave Games Workshop no choice but to scale back our investment in new product development, further eroding our customer base. Not something that we or our customers would want us to do”.

So why not make prices fair to the same consumer bases? The current prices were set back when the british pound was strong (I remember going to the UK with a 5:1 Real:Pound  exchange rate) and should be reviewed now that other currencies are stronger. I believe that in the long term the sales embargo will achieve the exact opposite and people WILL drop out of the hobby. I’m not saying I’ll do so but I’ll definitely buy a lot less. There’s a veritable host of other nice games out there and it’s high time Games Workshop noticed it only came to a position of prominence because of the very same consumers it’s trying to alienate now with embargoes and unreasonable price rises (resin was supposed to make models cheaper and prices went up!!!!).

Exchange rates will not “move back into alignment” as countries like Brazil and Australia are growing in the world scenario. Our money is getting stronger as a consequence of our economical growth and not because of some warp spawned abnormality. It’s Games Workshop who should try and adhere its way of doing business to something we call nowadays “Global Economy” instead of going so low as to have to enforce an effective embargo on sales to the afore mentioned countries. Seriously GET REAL!

I should also add that Wayland and Maelstrom did A LOT more in supporting the hobby in Brazil than Games Workshop, its local distributor or any local trade account as it was Wayland and Maelstrom which made the hobby largely available to people in the first place.

Instead of beating around the bush trying to justify an unreasonable and disrespectful policy, not only towards its costumers but to long time trade partners which are being openly accused of taking advantage of GW’s investments by “free riding” them, Mr. Mark Wells should state clearly that Games Workshop is a business hence it’s trying to maximize profit at the expense of alienating some consumers around the globe.

And don’t blame the amount of money invested on us hobbyists. We’re not kids! (Ok some of us are) GW does that amount of investment because it knows that money will be recouped in sales latter. GW invests money to produce top notch products not for the sake of its costumers but because said products sell, and sell for expensive prices, and well. Please do NOT take me for a fool.

In the end situation remains the same. I have been prohibited from exercising my basic consumer rights. Games Workshop is violating them. I have not been buying from Maelstrom Games or Wayland Games or even GW stores, when I have the opportunity to go abroad, because they offer discounts. If they sold me at full GW products I’d still buy from them because it would still be cheaper and because they’re much more convenient that any LGS in Brazil which would be at least 1.300 Km (one thousand and three hundred kilometers) from where I live (it’s a BIG country).

I have to add that the way Games Workshop has chosen to treat it’s Brazilian costumer is nothing short of regrettable. Time will tell the long term consequences of alienating costumers in a country where all the hobby had to keep going strong were the costumers themselves. Shame on you Games Workshop.

Over and out.

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Salve Leitor.

Acredito que muitos estejam acompanhando os posts sobre o embargo levado a efeito pela GW contra a comunidade brasileira devotada a seus jogos.

Ainda não leu nada sobre isso? Bom nós já tínhamos anunciado por aqui que a GW implantou uma nova política de vendas aplicável às lojas independentes baseadas na Europa efetivamente proibindo-as de vender para países fora da União Européia.

Essa noticia caiu como uma bomba sobre a comunidade brasileira uma vez que a absurda maioria de nós compra seus produtos das lojas independentes vitimadas pela proibição da GW.

“E qual seria o porquê dessa proibição?” Você pode se perguntar. Bem, como especulei com alguns amigos o cenário mais possível era que lojas locais, não só no Brasil mas também na Austrália, Nova Zelândia, Japão, Estados Unidos e no Canadá, pra nomear alguns países, tenham reclamado para a matriz da GW acerca da “injusta” competição com lojas como a Wayland Games e Maesltron Games (que segundo rumores responderiam juntas por um terço ou até mesmo metade das vendas de produtos GW na Europa).

Bom minha especulação foi confirmada hoje por uma carta aberta postada na internet onde Mark Wells, Principal executivo da GW, fala sobre os motivos que levaram ao embargo (traduzida livremente aqui):

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Caro Anthony,

 

Obrigado por contatar a Games Workshop acerca das mudanças em nossos termos comerciais para contas Européias. Eu sei que isso lhe frustrou e sinto muito por isso. Como um consumidor antigo você merece saber por que tomamos essa decisão.

 

Como você sabe, nós introduzimos as pessoas ao hobby da GW de colecionar, jogar e pintar miniaturas Citadel através de nossos Hobby Centres (Centros de Hobby) e revendedores locais. Os Centros de Hobby da GW conduzem jogos e sessões de pintura introdutórios, lições para iniciantes, atividades de hobby e eventos. Nós oferecemos tudo isso de graça e só conseguimos recuperar esse investimento se os consumidores comprarem produtos de nós.

 

Nos locais onde não temos um Centro de Hobby GW, nós oferecemos suporte aos revendedores independentes locais. Essas lojas fornecem um local conveniente para que os consumidores comprem nossos produtos próximo do local onde vivem. Nós oferecemos a essas lojas times de serviço ao consumidor local e depósitos para nos assegurarmos que os consumidores tenham pronto acesso aos nossos produtos mais vendidos e novos lançamentos. Muitos consumidores descobrem o hobby dessa maneira.

 

Além disso, nós investimos milhões de libras a cada ano em nosso estúdio de design e fábrica para nos assegurarmos de lançar mensalmente novos produtos. Isso torna o hobby Games Workshop mais excitante para os consumidores existentes ajudando-os a permanecer mais tempo no hobby. Nós só conseguimos cobrir os custos de fazer isso por causa do volume de consumidores que recrutamos e desenvolvemos através de nossos Centros de Hobby locais e revendedores.

 

É por essa razão que alteramos nossos termos de comércio Europeus. Ao longo dos últimos anos diversas moedas distanciaram-se de seus valores relativos históricos e assim abriu-se uma porta para que alguns revendedores explorassem essas variações cambiais e oferecessem grandes descontos para hobbistas em outros países. Foi esse o caso com revendedores europeus na internet vendendo para alguns de nossos clientes em outros países.

 

Enquanto isso pode parecer ótimo a curto prazo, o simples fato é que os revendedores Europeus na internet não investem nenhum dinheiro no crescimento do hobby em seu país. O modelo de negócio deles consiste em minimizar seus custos e aproveitar-se dos investimentos da GW em lojas locais e em criar uma base de consumidores.

 

Nós por outro lado continuamos a ter de pagar nossos empregados australianos, aluguéis e encargos em dólares australianos. Enquanto alguns clientes sugeriram que diminuíssemos nossos preços pela metade, a única forma com que poderíamos fazer isso seria diminuirmos pela metade os salários de nossos empregados australianos, o mesmo com nossos aluguéis e não pagássemos fornecedores até que o cambio se normalize. Essa é a realidade de reduzir preços nessa escala. E nós dois sabemos que consumidores motivados somente pelos preços não mudariam seu comportamento se as mudanças fossem menores que isso.

 

A consequencia inevitável é que se permitíssemos que isso continuasse GW não seria mais capaz de operar Centros de Hobby ou dar suporte aos revendedores locais. E se isso acontecesse em mais territórios fora da Europa a perda de volume não nos deixaria outra escolha senão diminuir nosso investinemto no desenvolvimento de novos produtos, erodinfo ainda mais nossa base de consumidores. Isso não é algo que nós ou nossos consumidores gostariam que fizéssemos.

 

É por isso que tomamos a decisão de tomar ações legítimas no sentido de restringir os revendedores Europeus de vender os produtos comprados da GW fora da Europa. Nenhuma outra alternativa era viável.

 

Enquanto eu entendo que você possa não estar satisfeito com nossa decisão, ela foi tomada para garantir que nós possamos continuar a oferecer suporte às comunidades do hobby GW em todo o mundo através de nossos Centros de Hobby GW e revendedores locais. E para garantir que continuemos a investir no desenvolvimento dos melhores produtos a serem lançados mensalmente. Espero que com o tempo você verá que os benefícios desta decisão serão para você e seu hobby.

 

Sinceramente,

Mark Wells.

Executivo chefe.

18 de maio de 2011

 

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Eu não sei vocês, mas para mim essa carta é uma tentativa pífia de justificar o óbvio. A Games Workshop é uma empresa e como tal está tentando maximizar seus ganhos obrigando os jogadores a comprarem de suas lojas e revendedores locais. Se um revendedor para de comprar da GW alegando decréscimo nas vendas é claro que ela vai tentar tomar medidas para evitar essa evasão de clientes.

Só que a meu ver essa medida é burra. É burra porquê a maioria de nós não se sentou lamentando e aceitando essa decisão, mas sim ficou chateada com tamanho desrespeito à pessoa mais importante nessa equação que é o consumidor.

Essa carta é uma tentativa rasteira de colocar a culpa nos próprios consumidores alegando, em suma, que a Games Workshop investe milhões em prol de seus consumidores e assim nós deveríamos simplesmente pagar os absurdos preços implementados aqui sem reclamar. Ora nenhum de nós é um imbecil acéfalo. Graças ao bom Deus o hobbista que se dedica aos jogos GW por aqui tem um pouco de erudição e entende que toda essa balela é fruto única e tão somente da vontade de aumentar os lucros da empresa ainda que a revelia de clientes como os brasileiros que com o embargo ficam impedidos de adquirir produtos da companhia.

Enfim… É lamentável a situação em que a Games Workshop nos coloca e a forma como trata o consumidor brasileiro nesse momento. Somente o tempo vai mostrar as conseqüências do embargo para o hobby principalmente neste país onde os maiores defensores e progadadores do hobby são os próprios hobbistas.

Até a próxima.

“Games Workshop’s Embargo – Part 4” or “Someone stop the time machine… I want out!”

Hello there.

It’s been a day and now pretty much everyone already knows about the latest blow dealt by Games Workshop against its own costumer base outside Europe.

If you haven’t heard it yet I’ll summarize it for you: GW has enacted new terms and conditions to independent retailers located in Europe thus preventing said stores from selling to costumers outside the European Union.

Therefore, like the true empires of yore, Games Workshop is dictating who can buy its products and which prices each costumer should pay. I might be getting something wrong here but isn’t that plainly illegal? Shouldn’t prices be determined by the market itself? Shouldn’t the costumer buy from those who offer better prices and service? In the end, shouldn’t the choices pertaining my hobby be entrusted to the sole interested person, and by that I mean me!

I have to admit being in a mild state of shock since yesterday. I can’t seem to wrap my mind around the fact that I have been alienated from the hobby which has occupied a great deal of my time and thoughts over the course of the last 13 years.

I should point out I live in Brazil. The gaming community here is pretty spread apart and even if there were stores carrying GW products at reasonable prices here, which there aren’t,  ’d still have to travel an average 1.500 Kilometers to get to them, so it should come as no surprise that buying online has been my main source of models over the years.

Before going any further I should profess that, even though I don’t condone GW’s way of doing business I am a hardcore fan of the games the company produces and of the fictional universes such games are in. I understand GW holds the IP rights over all its creations but one thing should be clear to them, these games and fictional universes are as much ours as they are theirs. We, as gamers, and readers and fans, have invested as much commitment to the game as GW itself, but, without being paid a single penny for it.

Plain and simple I believe this new policy being enforced by GW is wrong in the sense that it alienates its costumers and goes against our consumer rights as it prevents me, as a costumer, to buy choosing the best price offered. Not only that but it also goes against the established market economy and perverts basic economy tenets like free trade, supply and demand and competitive markets. I wouldn’t be surprised if people found out these new terms enacted by GW are in breach of international antitrust and competition laws.

There’s been some criticism about my choice of words for when we first broke out the rumours about the incoming “surprise” GW had for us. Some claimed “Embargo” was too strong a word to describe the situation. I have to answer such criticism by pointing out “Embargo” is indeed the word best suited to describe what’s going on right now.

According to Wikipedia, and other dictionaries, an “Embargo” constitutes a “… partial or complete prohibition of commerce and trade with a particular country, in order to isolate it”. Well, pardon my french, but that’s exactly what Games Workshop is doing when it enforces a policy prohibiting independent stores from selling to costumers located in countries outside the E.U..

It is my firm belief that Games Workshop could learn a lot by studying the errors of its countrymen from the past, namely those involved in the episodes which went down in history books as “The Stamp Act of 1765” and “The Boston Tea Party”. As for me and the hobby I’ve dedicated myself to in over 13 years. Well I have to admit being hurt and still having not clearly decided which way to go. More on that soon.

Over and out.

Games Workshop’s Embargo – IT’S TRUE!

Hello there.

I’m sad to inform that the rumours have been true. From now on Independent Stockists in Europe will no longer be able to sell Games Workshop’s products to countries outside the European Community. This is even bigger than first announced as it means Canada, and the United States of America will also be effectively embargoed from buying from European independent Stockists.

Maelstrom Games has issued a public statement on the matter from where I extracted the following:

Games Workshop’s new Terms and Conditions
Firstly, Games Workshop’s new Terms and Conditions, which come into force on the 31st of May 2011. These, among other things, restrict the sale of language products – i.e., rulebooks and codices that are not in English – and, most crucially of all, restrict the sale of all of their products to the European Union, although there are a couple of countries (such as Norway and Switzerland) that are geographically within Europe but not in the EU that we can still sell to.

The full list of countries that we can sell GW products to is as follows:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

Obviously this means that all of our faithful Games Workshop customers from the Anglosphere – Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States – as well as those from Brazil, Chile, Peru, Russia, Japan and South Korea (apologies for those countries I have missed out) will now miss out on our superb service and cheap prices, but I’m afraid the terms and conditions of our contract with Games Workshop mean that we have to say goodbye.

It’s indeed a sad day for us all in the affected countries as this new policy could very well affect the future of the hobby for us all.

More over the course of the day.

Over and out.

Transmutation – Metal to Resin!

Hello there.

Word is slowly getting out about Games Workshop’s purported big announcement for today.

Despite not having heard anything officially debunking the whole prohibition on sales to some countries, apparently the rumoured change from metal to resin as the raw material for some miniatures is indeed a fact. Blogs all over the internet are reporting that from the 28^th of may onwards metal miniatures which had been “direct only” items (meaning you could only order them directly from Games Workshop’s online store of through an in store ordering station) will once more will available on the shelves as resin, or resin-metal hybrid kits. These models will be available in limited numbers at first so stores are already arranging pre-orders of them.

The final confirmation for many has appeared on the facebook page of Games Workshop: Stuttgart where a post reported:” Am 28. Mai beginnt die Revolution: Wir bringen “Citadel Finecast” raus. Achtet morgenauf den Newsletter. Wir sehen uns”

With the help of google we now know that reads:

“On the 28 of may the revolution begins: We will be starting citadel finecast. watch out for the tomorrow newsletter”.

 

That post has been pulled out of the air but when prompted by another facebook who questioned about the whereabouts of the prior announcement Games Workshop: Stuttgart replied asking the user to “Come in your hobby center, or wait for the blog today;)”.

Apparently we’ll hear more about it as the day progresses.

I’ll update as soon as we hear anything new, for now, here’s the list of miniatures being re-issued in resin with their full retail prices (there’s been a noticeable price increase on these models):

41-60 COMMANDER DANTE £10.50
53-60 LOGAN GRIMNAR £14.50
55-61 THE EMPERORS CHAMPION £9.50
48-63 SPACE MARINE CHAPLAIN WITH JUMP PACK £10.50
44-60 DARK ANGELS COMPANY MASTER £10.50
48-61 SM LIBRARIAN IN TERMINATOR ARMOUR £14.50
53-61 NJAL STORMCALLER £14.50
41-61 ASTORATH THE GRIM £12.50
43-60 ABADDON THE DESPOILER £14.50
43-61 HURON BLACKHEART £10.50
50-61 ORK WARBOSS WITH ATTACK SQUIG £14.50
50-63 ORK BIG MEK £14.50
50-65 ORK PAINBOY WITH GROT ORDERLY £10.50
46-61 ELDAR AUTARCH WITH POWER WEAPON £10.50
46-62 THE AVATAR OF KHAINE £22.50
46-63 HARLEQUIN DEATH JESTER £10.50
46-64 HARLEQUIN SHADOWSEER £10.50
47-61 COMMISSAR YARRICK £10.50
47-63 IMPERIAL GUARD LORD COMMISSAR £9.50
51-61 TYRANID ZOANTHROPE £15.50
51-63 TYRANID TYRANT GUARD £15.50
51-64 TYRANID HIVE GUARD £15.50
51-65 TYRANID BROODLORD £15.50
57-61 BROTHER CAPTAIN STERN £14.50
57-60 LORD KALDOR DRAIGO £14.50
57-62 CASTELLAN CROWE £10.50
57-63 INQUISITOR COTEAZ £10.50
45-60 DARK ELDAR ARCHON £9.50
45-64 LELITH HESPERAX £10.50
45-63 URIEN RAKARTH £10.50
45-61 DARK ELDAR SUCCUBUS £9.50
56-60 TAU ETHEREAL WITH HONOUR BLADE £9.50
83-62 CHAOS EXALTED HERO £9.50
83-63 CHAOS KHORNE EXALTED HERO £10.50
86-60 EMPIRE CAPTAIN WITH HAMMER & PISTOL £9.50
92-60 WOOD ELF HIGHBORN WITH GREAT WEAPON £9.50
84-60 DWARF LORD WITH HAMMER & SHIELD £9.50
84-61 DWARF RUNELORD WITH GREAT WEAPON £9.50
90-60 SKAVEN WARLORD £9.50
90-61 QUEEK HEADTAKER £10.50
90-62 DEATHMASTER SNIKCH £10.50
91-61 VAMPIRE LORD £9.50
89-60 GRIMGOR IRONHIDE £10.50
89-62 BLACK ORC BIG BOSS £10.50
87-60 CARADRYAN £10.50
85-61 DARK ELF ASSASSIN WITH TWO HAND WEAPONS £9.50
81-60 MALAGOR THE DARK OMEN £12.50
10-61 URUK-HAI WITH CROSSBOWS £14.00
10-62 URUK-HAI BERSERKERS £14.00
08-61 GOTHMOG (PELENNOR) £20.50
05-60 ELROND AND GIL-GALAD £15.00
10-60 SARUMAN AND GRIMA £15.00
02-60 GANDALF THE WHITE £20.50
04-60 ARAGORN (THE BLACK GATE) £20.50
04-62 THEODEN (HELM’S DEEP) £20.50
04-61 BOROMIR (ITHILIEN) £20.50
09-60 SULADAN THE SERPENT LORD £20.50
08-62 THE DARK MARSHAL (RINGWRAITH) £20.50
05-61 DAIN AND BALIN £15.00
97-60 SKULLTAKER £14.50
48-40 MARNEUS CALGAR AND HONOUR GUARD £36.00
48-41 SPACE MARINE TECHMARINE WITH SERVITORS £25.50
55-40 BLACK TEMPLARS SWORD BRETHREN SQUAD £25.50
48-42 SPACE MARINE STERNGUARD VETERAN SQUAD £25.50
48-43 SPACE MARINE VANGUARD VETERAN SQUAD £25.50
53-40 CANIS WOLFBORN £30.00
43-40 NURGLE DAEMON PRINCE £21.50
43-41 CHAOS SPACE MARINE RAPTORS £25.50
43-42 DEATH GUARD PLAGUE MARINES £25.50
50-43 BOSS ZAGSTRUK £14.50
50-40 GHAZGHKULL THRAKA £22.50
50-41 ORK TANKBUSTAS £25.50
50-42 ORK BIG MEK WITH SHOKK ATTACK GUN £23.00
46-41 ELDAR RANGERS £20.50
46-42 ELDAR DARK REAPERS £23.00
46-44 ELDAR STRIKING SCORPIONS £23.00
46-40 ELDAR FARSEER AND WARLOCKS £20.50
51-42 TYRANID LICTOR £15.50
51-40 TYRANID HIVE TYRANT £36.00
51-41 TYRANID PYROVORE £21.50
45-40 DARK ELDAR INCUBI £23.00
45-41 DARK ELDAR MANDRAKES £20.50
56-40 TAU SNIPER DRONE TEAM £23.00
83-42 ARCHAON THE EVERCHOSEN £30.00
83-43 CHAOS LORD ON DAEMONIC MOUNT £22.50
83-41 CHAOS DRAGON OGRE SHAGGOTH £36.00
86-41 LUDWIG SCHWARZHELM £22.50
86-40 KURT HELBORG £22.50
82-41 THE GREEN KNIGHT £22.50
82-40 KING LOUEN LEONCOEUR £30.00
92-42 WOOD ELVES TREE KIN £30.00
92-40 ORION KING IN THE WOODS £22.50
92-41 WOOD ELVES TREEMAN £36.00
84-40 THOREK IRONBROW £36.00
84-41 DWARF GYROCOPTER £23.00
84-42 DWARF BOLT THROWER £23.00
90-40 SKAVEN WARPLOCK JEZZAILS £30.00
91-40 VAMPIRE COUNTS VARGHULF £21.50
91-42 COUNT MANNFRED £22.50
91-41 VAMPIRE COUNTS BLOOD KNIGHTS £61.50
88-41 KROQ GAR £40.00
89-44 GOBLIN SPEAR CHUKKA £18.50
89-43 SAVAGE ORC GREAT SHAMAN ON WAR BOAR £15.50
89-41 ORC WARBOSS ON WYVERN £40.00
89-42 GOBLIN ROCK LOBBER £23.00
89-45 GORBAD IRONCLAW £30.00
89-40 AZHAG THE SLAUGHTERER £55.00
85-41 DARK ELVES REAPER BOLT THROWER £18.50
08-40 THE DARK LORD SAURON £25.50
08-42 GULAHVAR THE TERROR OF ARNOR £30.00
08-43 MORDOR TROLL CHIEFTAIN £25.50
02-40 THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING £37.00
97-42 FLAMERS OF TZEENTCH £15.50

“Games Workshop’s Embargo – part 2”

Hello there.

We’ve just received a bit of reassuring news from another store which, like Maelstrom, highly regards its customers wherever they might be.

We’ve contacted Wayland Games earlier in the week in order to check whether or not there was any substance to the rumour circulating that GW would indeed forbid indie stores based in the UK from selling to customers in the southern hemisphere who prefer to buy directly from said stores in order to purchase models at just prices.

Here’s the answer we received:

Hi

 

The European Union lays down strict laws regarding the restriction of trade by a particular sector of the market and Games Workshop as a UK company is obviously bound by those laws. If such a policy were to exist it would be in breach of that so we can quite categorically state that this is not the case.

 

With this in mind, we can assure you, your fellow countrymen and indeed everyone within the Southern Hemisphere which we have been proud to serve over the years that we will unquestionably continue to do so with great prices and better service.

 

If however you could provide a source of these rumours, be it a discussion forum or somewhere else publically accessible we’d be glad to make a similar statement publically if we feel it is necessary.

 

Keep on Wargaming

 

Wayland Games.

This information was followed by public posts made by Rich, from Wayland Games, on Dakka Dakka and Warseer which I replicate here for the sake of simplicity:

Just to clarify, we have not been informed of any changes. When we have them on Monday we will analyse them and if there are any significant changes will ensure that we communicate that 14 days is insufficient notice of major changes to established trading terms, which is an area of contract and not competition law we have advice on. And if any of the changes are we feel unreasonable will pass that feedback to GW. At the moment my guys have been asked not to take part in speculation and wait until we cascade to them after the weekend. One additional point I will make publicly is despite ourselves and Maelstrom working incredibly hard in selling GW products globally and having them not once offering any praise to us. Nor visiting us except to “police” their terms. We would be disturbed to discover if this was an action targeted at UK internet stores.

I only see one inconsistency between what Rich says and what has been said by Rob, from Maelstrom Games before. Rich says he still hasn’t been informed of any changes whereas Rob has mentioned already knowing what the new terms and conditions regarding trade accounts are but he has been asked to hold onto that information until Monday when it’ll all be disclosed by Games –Workshop.

In the end Wayland’s comments on the subject don’t do much to quell the community’s fears, given that he only says that such policy would be in breach of law and reaffirms his commitment to his costumers but it surely feels nice to know there’s people in the trenches with us gamers and who are willing to fight for us and our consumer rights.

I’d like to add that in spite of everything which has been said on the subject thus far I , for one, feel reassured by Rich’s words and renewed vows of commitment to his customers around the world and to the quality of the services Wayland Games provides. As someone said on one of the forums where the issue is being discussed, let’s wait ‘till Monday before we bring our pitchforks out.

 

Over and out.

++++

Salve pessoal.

Acabo de receber novas noticias sobre o rumor levantado de que a Games-Workshop proibiria lojas independentes baseadas no Reino Unido de vender para clientes no Brasil e outros países do hemisfério Sul.

Assim que recebemos a noticia sobre o rumor entramos em contato com diversas lojas independentes para tentar compreender o que acontecia.

A primeira resposta que recebemos partiu de um funcionário da Maelstrom Games que dizia “… Tivemos algumas noticias sobre esse assunto. Faremos um post sobre isso quando tivermos conversado com a GW e soubermos o que podemos e não podemos fazer”.

 

Essa noticia inicial foi seguida por um post do proprietário da Maelstrom, Rob, no fórum Warseer onde o assunto da proibição era discutido. No tópico ele respondeu:

Pessoal,

 

Achei melhor dizer alguma coisa aqui antes que sejamos mal-entendidos ou mal-representados. Eu não estou confirmando neste tópico que isso (a proibição) vai acontecer. Eu quero me assegurar que isso não aconteça.

 

(A empresa) Games Workshop me passou seus novos termos e condições concernentes aos revendedores na quarta-feira, mas, foi-me solicitado não revelar o que me foi passado até segunda-feira, dia 16 de maio, que é quando eles irão revelar Ester termos para o público em geral. Somente nesse momento nós iremos informar todos nossos clientes o que vai acontecer.

 

Abraço,

 

Rob,

Maelstrom Games Ltd.

Para muitos essa foi a confirmação que bastava já que, implicitamente, o proprietário da Maelstrom games aponta que haverão mudanças na forma como eles trabalham e atendem seus clientes.

Hoje recebemos nova informação sobre o assunto que, embora conflitante com o pouco que sabemos até agora, pode apaziguar um pouco os ânimos. Uma das lojas contatadas no começo da semana, Wayland Games, nos enviou sua posição formal sobre o assunto, já replicada acima no texto em inglês e que traduzo livremente aqui:

Olá,

 

A União Européia aplica leis rigorosas no que diz respeito à restrição de comércio por um setor particular do mercado e a Games Workshop, como uma empresa britânica deve, obviamente, seguir tais leis. Se tal política realmente existisse ela iria de encontro à norma legal de forma que podemos afirmar categoricamente não ser esse o caso.

 

Com isso em mente nós garantimos à você, aos seus conterrâneos e a todos no hemisfério sul, a quem nos orgulhamos de servir ao longo dos anos, de que iremos, inquestionavelmente, continuar a fazê-lo com excelentes preços e serviços ainda melhores.

 

Se no entando você pudesse nos fornecer a fonte desses rumores, seja ele uma discussão em um fórum ou outro local publicamente acessível ficaríamos felizes de fornecer uma resposta publica semelhante a esta, se acharmos necessário.

 

Continue jogando.

 

Wayland Games.

Essa resposta foi seguida de um comunicado público postado pelo proprietário da empresa nos fóruns Warseer e Dakka Dakka, também já replicado acima e uma vez mais traduzido livremente aqui:

Apenas para clarificar nós não fomos informados de mudança alguma. Quando as tivermos em mãos na segunda-feira iremos analisá-las e, se houverem mudanças significativas, nos asseguraremos em comunicar que 14 dias não constituem tempo suficiente para notificar grandes mudanças aos termos de comércio estabelecidos, que é uma área contratual e não lei de comércio conforme fomos informados. E se entendermos que quaisquer das mudanças implementadas não são razoáveis iremos relatar isso à GW. No momento meus funcionários foram instruídos a não participar da especulação e esperar até que os informemos sobre a situação após o fim de semana. Um ponto adicional que gostaria de mencionar publicamente é que, apesar de nós (Wayland Games) e Maelstrom trabalharmos incrivelmente duro para vender produtos GW globalmente eles nunca nos ofereceram qualquer elogio ou nos visitaram exceto para policiar seus termos. Nós ficaríamos estarrecidos em descobrir que esta foi uma ação almejando as lojas da internet no Reino Unido.

Embora as mensagens de Rich nos mostrem que tal proibição por parte da Games-Workshop se daria ao revés da lei e não seria vista com bons olhos por ele, elas pouco fazem no sentido de desacreditar o rumor.

Se algo nos serve de consolo é o fato de que é bom saber que a Wayland Games, não só encampa os interesses dos jogadores e está disposta a enfrentar a GW em defesa destes mas também renova seus votos de continuar servindo bem à comunidade localizada no hemisfério sul.

Abraço e até a próxima.

“Games-Workshop’s Embargo!” or “How I came to feel back in colonial times!”.

I’ve just heard through the grapevine a piece of news which makes me feel like I’m back to Colonialism times. Back then the great empires of the time ruled the world determining trade routes and the flow of commerce itself. Back then, if you were a colony, the empire to which you belonged determined who could buy the goods you, as a colony, produced. Sounds weird today in a world where we often talk about global economy and where the internet has made the world a much smaller place right?

Well it seems the giant in the wargaming business has decided otherwise and thus is trying to bar independent retailers, those in Europe and in the USA, from selling to costumers in the southern hemisphere.

Communities in Brazil, Argentina and other affected countries have been ablaze as word has reached us that GW will soon enforce new terms and conditions regarding trade accounts which will, plainly speaking, be an embargo on the sales of GW products from independent retailers to costumers located in the southern hemisphere of the globe.

This rumour which was originated on at least 3 different sources in the UK and the US has been given some credence by Maelstrom Games owner, and pretty nice guy to boot, Rob who has replied to a topic in Warseer addressing the topic:

Guys,
I thought I’d better just add something here before we are misquoted or misrepresented – I’m not saying that’s happening in this thread, I just want to make sure that doesn’t happen!

Games Workshop told me their new terms and conditions regarding trade accounts on Wednesday, but they have asked me to not reveal what was said until Monday the 16th of May, which is when they will reveal them to the general public. At that point we will inform all our customers what is happening.

Cheers

Rob
Maelstrom Games Ltd

 

Even though Rob’s reply doesn’t specifically confirm or deny the rumours his answer does show that some sort of change will be put in effect and that is enough to make hairs rise around here.

Previouslly this week, when we first heard about this rumour we contacted Rob’s store to check the information and and employee did respond saying he har heard something along the lines of this rumour.

There’s no reason to justify such an action other than compelling local hobbyists to buy from local distributors which, in all honesty, sounds like a phony attempt to solve a problem by circumventing the true cause.

You might have read on this very blog a while ago about GW finally touching down in Brazil through a local distributor (we reported it here). Well I’m sad to report that initiative has failed. Miserably. Due in no small part to the prices set by the local distributor people simply opted to keep on buying from abroad. Buying directly from GW and paying not only for shipping but also the absurd import taxes in effect in Brazil was still A LOT cheaper than buying from the sparse local gaming stores which carried GW products. Suffice to say that once the local distributor decided to cut his losses and lowered his prices to reasonable levels, the sales soared. Pretty much all they had in stock is gone. Te few kits still available through their online store are the ones still unreasonably priced.

I have no news of how the GW business fares in Australia and in Argentina but here in Brazil such policy of not letting independent retailers abroad selling to costumers here, if really put in effect and enforced by GW, will effectively cut us out of the hobby as, at least for now, we have no seller or distributor of the GW business down here.

To add insult to injury it has transpired that GW is indeed looking for a new business partner in Brazil and the company who’s been negotiating to be the distributor down here, “Legends do Brasil”, is a terrible trader with a well known, and well documented, history of selling products and not delivering them nor giving the proper refunds effectively conning people out of their money. A simple search on google shows, literally, hundreds of complaints against the store and its owner, Sandro Viviani (more complaints can be found here and here and here and here … phew! – IN case you do not speak portuguese use the Google Translator, as that should give you an idea of the sort of company GW is negotiating with). You can’t believe GW would be so careless in choosing a business partner right? Well “Legends do Brasil” clearly states they’re doing so in their blog and on a post on “Warhammer Brasil” earlier this week. Suffice to say brazilian hobbyists, aware of “Legends do Brasil”‘s infamy are dreading such partnership.

In the end, I do believe I am the person more qualified to judge to whom I should entrust my hard earned coin and my trust. If I have been buying from Rob at Maelstrom or Neal at The Warstore for so long there’s a reason I have chosen to do so. Hence I shouldn’t be forbidden to go on doing so, or worse, see myself obliged to buy from a disreputable seller because GW can’t seem to find a business partner who understands that paying 300 dollars for a starter box is extremely unreasonable.

Guess we’ll all have to wait until Monday to see how this turns out but communities in affected countries already have their worrying hats on. This might well be the end of the hobby in Brazil. Guess we could always go play Infinity or Warmachine in the end.

Cheers!