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View Full Version : GW Direct/ATO: What does it mean?



lobster-overlord
05-22-2012, 09:21 PM
OK, so I've read a few things about the new FineCast and in general, complaints about people only able to buy certain GW stuff "direct only," which they take to mean from their site alone.

Simply put, that's not the case (this is for the USA only, not sure how it works in the rest of the world).

Direct Only (Now called ATO, and what that stands for escapes me at moment) is a way, as I see it, for GW to maximize profits on non-core, semi-specialty items that many gamers may not use. Most items that are Direct only will be those that GW may not wish to stock heavily on, so as to not squander resources (metal/resin/space) but will be strong enough movers to keep in production.

By not having to have a ton of these items around for your FLGS to need to stock up on, it saves all around. Excess inventory also means excess in taxes since it's physical property/inventory on hand at tax time.

How does this affect you, if you are someone who likes to buy at your FLGS over purchasing via the internet? In no way at all. You FLGS can still stock them, however the discount isn't as good. They have to be a certain level of GW independent retailer to order them however. A store without a GW account can't get them without paying full retail (this type of store might be getting their GW items through a distributor like Alliance, Georgia Music, E-Figures and the like). A FLGS that can order them has access to the entire range of GW items, but the turn around is a little slower (not that GW is all that fast with how they ship weekly order to all arrive on Friday no matter what part of the country you're in). The Direct items usually take 4 to 7 days in my experience but is well worth the time if you are able to support your local store rather than GW Direct directly.

You don't have to order all the new space marines from GW's site. You don't have to pay huge amounts on shipping if you want a bunch of Strongpoints and Imperial sectors. You can get it shipped directly to your FLGS if you just go in and ask them to talk to their GW Rep about ordering an ATO item. (the discount the store gets and the shipping charges vary based on the level the indy retailer is in GW ordering scheme)

The last item I ordered was a Space Marine Land Raider Crusader sprue (the one with all the cool dodads like Assault Cannon and Melta Gun). Had it within a week, for less than the price of the GW list price (as my FLGS gives a cool 10% discount on EVERYTHING just to thwart those guys who like to say "I can get it cheaper on the internet..." all the time).

Learn to use/abuse the ATO system and keep buying the models you want from the store(s) you like.

Just thought I'd put this out there for those people who keep getting bad info (and as a way to help drum up sales for all those FLGSes out there that need a little shout out now and again).

John M>
Store Manager of his FLGS.