mertaal wrote:
Creaky: Indeed it does.
I have tried to make the below measured and reasonable discussion of GW's failings, rather than a bashing session.
It's quite simple really- if you increase prices but takings are down, you are haemorrhaging customers.
It's a complicated business. Many self appointed pundits on the net love to point out that the reason GW is loosing business is because of the continuous price hikes. I'm not so sure. i think, in fact, the price hikes are a coping mechanism to maintain the same profit levels from a smaller customer base.
The price hikes are /because/ of the lowering customer base.
In all honesty it's a vicious circle. GW 10 years ago got a massive influx to the hobby with LoTR. However after the films ended, for whatever reason they cut back on the LoTR releases probably to get people into 40k/WHFB as that's their own IPs.
Meanwhile the 10-11 year olds who had started the game were growing up, using their money on other things and getting less money to spend from their parents due to the economy issues. That was pretty much the reason I stopped.
In response GW raise their prices to compensate for the loss of customers (for whatever reason, not just my personal reason as above). In response to GW, more people quit as it's becoming more expensive. In response to that, GW hike prices more. etc. etc.
It's a vicious cycle that GW can't get out of because they have shareholders to appease, and the fanbase just moves elsewhere. So really GW have to take the initiative and do something before they become a thing of the past.
mertaal wrote:
Interesting to hear about the Tyranids "deal". That's the first time in a LONG time that they've offered any sort of discount. When I was a kid they used to run in-shop promotions, sales, 3/2 on blisters, etc.
The fact is, every big company has an adversarial attitude towards their customers. That's just a fact of life. Businesses want your money, and they don't really care what they have to do to get it.
However, most other businesses know that it's sensible to hide it a little better than GW manage. I don't mind getting shafted as long as they whisper the odd "sweet nothing"
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Yeah this is true. Look at Steam. They have great deals on games they sell but it's because of cutting the prices. I own loads of games I may never play because the prices were just so low I couldn't say no.
Similarly, GW could do a 3 for 2 or boxed sets or blisters or whatever. So someone coming into the store to buy a blister might end up buying 2 because they get the third one free, and that's 1 sale and they've made that they might no have so it's money in their pocket.