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View Full Version : A "GW Manager" Asks for Questions



Bigred
02-04-2014, 07:50 PM
This is quite the interesting thread (http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?389018-Im-a-gw-manager-ask-me-anything)over on Warseer.

The thread opens so innocently:


Im a gw manager ask me anything
I run one of the one man stores, ask me anything. Unfortunately I cant post proof because itll get traced back to me and we cant participate on forums

Then the first round of questions gets answered and its off to the races...


I've got a question to start you off. With all the recent talk of profits being down and the backlash against GW pricing and general doom mongering (on this and other forums), has their been any acknowledgment/acceptance that things are taking a turn for the worst from your superiors? Or is it just business as usual; "go sell those Dwarves".

Profits are down because we closed all the bunkers and big 4 man mall stores, however our costs are also down which in corporates eyes is better because it allows us to expand our brick and mortar stores which can saturate more and more communities. Honestly from my personal experience the only grumblings about prices come from the older players, newer players seem to have no problem with it. I did however ask when I was hired what the deal was with the price increases and apparently they had done a bad job of matching prices with inflation. So the box that mad them $30 dollars in 5 years ago money was only making them $25 dollars now. Which seems small but when you consider that is a 15% drop in profit per box it really hurts the bottom line and it is a business that answers to share holders they had to do the price increases. HOWEVER the new policy appears to be "hide the price increases in the releases" as opposed to "that 30$ box is now $40" which IMO works way better for me because its easier to justify a brand new plastic kit being $40 then the same old sculpts.

So what ate sales like? What systems/armies are outselling others and I'd you've been doing this a while, how much stock ate you shifting compared to a few years back?

For my store, and this is REALLY community specific and in NO WAY indicative of overall sales. Fantasy outsells 40k, but only slightly, nobody buys the hobbit. The least popular armies in my store for fantasy are vamp counts (1 player) high elves (1 player) dark elves (1 player) and brettonia (1 player) every other army has multiple players that come in often. For 40k its blood angels (1 player) grey knights (1 player) imperial guard (1 player) orks (1 player) and dark eldar (1 player). The biggest shift I'd say is that everyone really likes to jump on the new releases, (except dark elves and high elves XD) so when nids came out 5 people started nids armies, when triumph and treachery came out, thats all anyone played for a few weeks. But overall I'd say buying patterns are the same.

Is warhammer really selling as bad as some people say? Or is a lot of people talking rubbish?

My above kind of answered this but warhammer sells really well for me. The community tends to take on whatever their manager does. So if your local gw manager doesn't play fantasy, doesn't like fantasy then fantasy wont sell well. I'm in love with fantasy so that really helps boost my sales. Myy goal before I leave the company is to have 3k of every fantasy army painted so my stores display shelves are filled with a good mix of fantasy and 40k which really inspires people. PLUS triumph and treachery, idk if you guys have tried it, but it's hands down the best 3+ player experience you can have with either 40k and fantasy. So that's fantastic for community building.

What makes you think you're the only GW store manager (past or present) on the board? Or that you'd be better informed than anyone else? Don't you get most of your information about upcoming releases from Warseer anyway?

Didn't say I was. Well I do have an insight to the way corporate works and how our customers react to product decisions that the layman wouldn't have. I get most of my information from 40k radio because 90% of the rumors are wrong and wishlisting

To the OP: I have been into a few of the GW stores in my local area and had a chat about other (non-GW) games systems to the managers there. The response I get is always one of disgust and distain. Is this negeative attitude about other games something that is handed down from HQ. I was actually asked to leave one of the stores for talking about warmachine!

Full disclosure I have a cryx army, I play pathfinder on my days off, as well as a plethora of non gw board games. You gotta understand that our paychecks are directly linked to our sales, so if our sales do poorly we get paid less. So talking about non gw system can be a big no no because it drives people away. I personally have a policy of, "talk to me about it if you like, because I realize the world doesn't exist in a vacuum and other things are out there, however do not be going up to my customers and extolling the virtues of warmachine or other systems." Personally I'm not a fan of warmachine, because the FLGS that I go to play has a horrible community that reminds me everytime I play how much warmachine is better then 40k or fantasy, but yea to each their own. To directly answer your question, yes it's handed down from HQ but its like going to a toyata dealership to talk about ford cars.

I'd be interested to hear about sales numbers (both in general and specific ranges). If there is anything about future releases you can share, I'd be happy to hear that as well.

Sales are down from last year (starter sets sell like hot cakes as well as new edition books), but the dip isn't anything the company wasn't expecting. There is also the dip from big box stores being gone, but again nothing that wasn't expected. And unfortunately, I know NOTHING that you guys don't know save for like 2 days ahead. I get my release information the thursday before the release happens so that's about all the advance notice I get. And its only because thats when my shipment for saturday arrives

Any feedback on the new magazines would also be great.

In store feedback for both zines has been great so far (remember they've only been out for a day so I'm sure someone will come in and be upset soon) Most people ADORE the weekly, seriously that magizine is awesome with all the designer input, but are lukewarm towards visions, which is to be expected. It seems to be: get the weekly, grab visions if it has my army.

It's a sunday - you should be at work

Sorry can't disclose where in the world I could be by dropping hints on time

What's the pay like for running a one-man? Do you find your store often ends up closed due to unforeseen circumstances?

33,000 a year with full benefits and on salary. The only time my store has been closed due to unforseen circumstances is when my grandfather died and I had to fly out the same day. Usually If I'm sick or planning something I have an on-call manager that will fill in. I'm also good about letting people know exactly when it will happen.

What are the rough sales figures of your store? Rough profit?

My store is on the lower end but 125,000 a year which nets about 50 after tax and rent my pay etc, though this can fluctuate and Im not privy to this information thats just my guesswork

What are the most popular lines/products? What kind of official warning do you get for new product lines?

Our paints sell like hotcakes as do horus heresy books, however just general fantasy/40k sells well, batallion boxes and such

How often do you recruit an entirely new customer ? What do you sell them? Do you ever get partway through a new sale and have someone balk at the price?

My goal is once per week, but it honestly depends on who walks in the door, I usually go for the starter set because its got a rule book in it, and I've never had any price balk because most people either know the price coming in or I'm very upfront about it.

is GW doomed lol.

Nope, if anything its making its' business more resilient by reducing costs

id like to know if anyone has asked for a refund on the latest Warhammer Visions mag?

Not yet, but again its only been out for a day! Although idk if i can give them a refund, because its a print magazine. So unless it was unopened whats to stop everyone from buying it, reading it, then returning it for full price.

No clue if it's the same at your store, but why are your opening hours so idiotic? Our local store is closed M/T and only open Noon-6 on Sun/Wed/Thurs. It's literally impossible to get to if you're employed unless you go on Friday night or Saturday... I'd love to play games there but open gaming hours are in the middle of the afternoon.

They're set by the individual manager and they usually fit their schedule. I can't give hints about my store but let just say my store avoids that issue because I realize that and think it's silly.

Question to the OP: Why do you want us to ask you anything?

Because you guys deserve some insight

Okay, that's a little mean... Though I do wonder why you want us to ask you stuff...
But okay... As a manager, you obviously love the Warhammer game, like most of us here, even if most of us are extremely disgruntled. I can't imagine you, as a person and gamer and hobbyist, agree with the direction GW has gone in some of their ventures, specifically the White Dwarf. You have to agree that it went from bad to worse to absolutely terrible now. How vocal are managers in telling GW or WD how terrible some things are? I mean, I would probably hassle GW or WD every time I received a copy.

Unfortunately there isn't a channel except during our quarterely managers meetings, however, the reason I wanted to be here is because I feel like all too often places like this become a sounding chamber and there is really hardly anyone to argue the other side. Not saying I'm being combative, not saying gw is paying me to be here (trust me i wouldn't be scared to death of them finding me if they were) but the doom and gloom can really blow out of proportion sometimes and really doesn't match what I encounter in real life in store. I don't know if you guys just run into bad managers or if im just endlessly cheery but yea. One thing I will say though is money talks, if something doesn't sell well or has issues it changes. Our glue had issues for awhile, it changed. People had issues with WD, it changed, they still had issues, it changed again. as I said earlier I'm a fan of the weekly WD and I think visions is great for people whose army it has. Also alot of the visions backlash is "oh we've seen this pictures" but you gotta remember its just got that lag between old release and new release so yea. I would say though that GW's online policy went from "lets try to interact" to "oh god avoid at all costs" and that has just let it get worse and worse and worse which is unfortunate because all you guys are is customers airing your grievances. Not trolls to be shunned.

How do other shops manage to pay their overheads while selling cheaper minis?

Is this a stab at prices? I'd need more clarification for this question

Is Mat Ward just trying to be wargaming's Andy Kaufman?

I have a Ward rant, lets just say that you shouldn't buy into the common narrative

While on training programs, do GW managers cavort and dance horridly beneath cyclopean statues of unthinkable outer gods, when the moon is gibbous?

No training programs anymore

Why is the sky blue?

Blue light is scattered in all directions by the tiny molecules of air in Earth's atmosphere. Blue is scattered more than other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves. This is why we see a blue sky most of the time.


Does Tom Kirby have a fake moustache that he likes to wear occasionally to twirl while cackling?

Nah he's actually a pretty chill mild mannered dude


What's brown and sticky?

Agrax earthshade


How long 'til the mods delete this post?

a day?

Rest of the questions from you have the answer of No

Because they don' have the infrastructure of GW that they have to pay for, nor do they make and manufacture models on a fairly large scale, etc , etc, etc...

Oh yea thanks for the clarification, yea the smaller miniature companies really ride off of GW coat tails, in my experience its rare to see someone play one of the other systems without having played a gw game. GW makes paying hundreds of dollars for miniatures ok, the other companies base their business models off of that. Being able to say cheaper then gw is a huge selling point, or more competitive then gw etc etc

Some choice passages:

Didn't say that. Meanwhile i'll ask again: if you're legit, what purpose are you serving here?
I believe I already put it in earlier posts.
But to reiterate.

GWs policy towards online interaction is that it's a waste of time, we can't stop the community from being venomous so we'll just ignore it and keep making models.

I disagree with that and I wanted to show that some goodwill and interaction with the community can go a long way towards dispelling rumors and conspiracy theories. Especially because I spend half my day at my store shooting down or not having a proper answer for whatever zany rumor bols or faeit has decided to run with. (Like finecast disappearing tommarow or gw stealing metal models in the night)


Do you get the impression from the communications you get from those further up the corporate management ladder that there is a disconnect between management and gamers? I.e. from some of the decisions and rumours we see, we get the impression that those making the decisions don't know anything about the hobby itself.

There is about a year and a half production time from what I've been told, and the thing that takes the longest is the models, so the production process goes Models>Rules>Balance. So if they make a box and it has knights, and super knights in it for brettonia there is no way around including those super knights in the book. Now that's not to say the sculpting team throws new sculpts at the design team and says here have fun, but there is no way to "Scrap" or remove a unit from a book whats the sculpt has been made, especially if it's attached to another unit in a dual kit. You also have to remember that by the time these armies come out, the meta has completely shifted,which explains the feeling of disconnect. Can they do more to alleviate this issue? Of course. Have the decided it's worth the monetary cost to do so? Apparently not

And following on from that, do you get any feeling of contempt from upper management towards the customers, as we occasionally see rumours of?

I don't see outright contempt but I do see frustration. It's difficult to see your hard work ripped apart by anonymous people on forums when they don't have the whole story of why things are. To me this problem can be solved by having an active online presence and being more transparent. It's also difficult for me personally when I have people come in with ebay armies or "kitbashed" (read: made from spare sprue bits from other kits) centerpiece models and have them rub them in my face. But to more directly answer your question nobody at GW hates the customers, there are just some bad eggs that can really ruin your day.


Serious question: Are GW staff unionized?

Nope, there isn't a need too, we are paid well above what could be considered fair.

There is much more... go read it and come back to discus.

Arkhan Land
02-04-2014, 10:41 PM
the emperor protect this man's job! great read

Bigred
02-04-2014, 11:34 PM
I spend half my day at my store shooting down or not having a proper answer for whatever zany rumor bols or faeit has decided to run with.

WOOT - we got mentioned!

I would like to thank, my mother, my agent, the Academy and most of all the fans... :)



P.S. We got mentioned on the stand at the GW vs CHS trial too...

eldargal
02-05-2014, 12:18 AM
Very nice, good to get some feedback from someone who seems to know what he is talking about rather than the usual petulant speculation from consumers.

Wolfshade
02-05-2014, 02:50 AM
What's that some from GW says that their prices are going up behind the line of their costs! Never, inflation isn't real. Or rather, I am sure I have been saying this for a while now.

Psychosplodge
02-05-2014, 03:05 AM
WOOT - we got mentioned!

I would like to thank, my mother, my agent, the Academy and most of all the fans... :)



P.S. We got mentioned on the stand at the GW vs CHS trial too...

Woohoo! :D


He hasn't thought it through. There can't be many north american stores that warhammer outsells 40k and doesn't open sunday...

Mr Mystery
02-05-2014, 06:27 AM
Really not sure about this.....but then....

1). I think he pretty much just kissed his job goodbye. GW really don't like this sort of thing. Massive no-no

2). Nothing he's saying is exactly ground breaking.

3). GW are actively seeking customer feedback with that new role thing.....this could be another tack....

Erik Setzer
02-05-2014, 11:56 AM
*Sigh.* I have to touch on a couple points here.

"How do other shops manage to pay their overheads while selling cheaper minis?"
This question should be obvious. The other stores can move a LOT more merchandise because they have a wider selection. GW stores only sell GW merchandise. The goal, IIRC, is about $600/day in sales. You have to actually get people to want to buy GW only and want to come to your store. This is even worse in a city like Jacksonville where, in addition to the GW store itself, I can think of Borderlands, Phoenix, FLGS, and Gamer Utopia that carry GW products. So you're competing for sales of your own products, with stores that often have more gaming space (three of the four I listed have much more space than the local GW store; I'm not sure about GU yet). So that's a bigger draw to support those stores. And when people are in there, they see other games, they see comics in a lot of cases (BL, Ph, and FLGS), they see other types of games, other hobby products (like the superior and cheaper Army Painter line of primers)... they have so much variety, it pulls in a lot more people and helps make more sales. And comics are a big part of it for some stores. And then you also have the stores that maybe think outside the box, selling not only used games but also secondhand models and entire armies. Compare that to a store with one employee, two tables, and a single company's products.

"Nope, there isn't a need too, we are paid well above what could be considered fair."

Um... excuse me? I feel like laughing so hard here. He cited $33K. Maybe if that's England money, 33K pounds would be okay. That'd be roughly $53.8K. Okay, yeah, I could dig that. If it's $33K, though? Well, a friend just asked if I knew any entry-level web designers who would take a job that paid about that much. And he's a manager? I know web dev/design gets paid decently, but still, when an entry-level position can make what you do as a manager, you can't be saying you're "paid well." If it's pounds, that's respectable, but I'm not sure he meant pounds.

Johnnycache
02-05-2014, 11:57 AM
he thinks 33k a year is "fair" for being a manager of 125k in volume at probably 300-400% markup? The place is making ninety grand a year off his sole proprietorship of the place (remember, they don't charge themselves 64% of MSRP like they do a FLGS)

Gingerpanda
02-05-2014, 12:12 PM
Anyone else read through this picking out all the bits that could potentially reveal who this guy is (if genuine ofc) for example
"The only time my store has been closed due to unforseen circumstances is when my grandfather died and I had to fly out the same day." BIG clue there I think if any one from GW is reading or this is one hell of an incredible double bluff!

ctuttle
02-05-2014, 12:12 PM
Well that escalated rather quickly. What is wrong with people? Here you have someone willing to answer some questions and then he starts getting a bunch of personal attacks about the pay he is happy to make? Guess that's why the original thread was shut down? A shame. It was really interesting to hear what Amabot was talking about.

Psychosplodge
02-05-2014, 12:13 PM
$33k though would be closer to what an English small retail manager would get though generally about £17-18k iirc

Michael Bradbury
02-05-2014, 12:39 PM
Um... excuse me? I feel like laughing so hard here. He cited $33K. Maybe if that's England money, 33K pounds would be okay.

Well, a friend just asked if I knew any entry-level web designers who would take a job that paid about that much. And he's a manager?

That's about £20K a year. Slightly low, but not too bad. Not to belittle the guy, but his job is sitting in a shop selling plastic toys. How much do you think retail staff are paid in the UK?

You comparison is useless, in what way is working in a shop like designing web sites? Different job, different industries and different organisations have totally different wage structures. An entry level brain surgeon is paid way more than an entry level cleaner.

Furthermore I understand staff get a discount on GW products (I'd heard 50% but don't know if that is accurate) - so if he was going to spend money on GW stuff even if he worked elsewhere , then the net money in his pocket is higher.

Muninwing
02-05-2014, 01:09 PM
The lowest 20 states' average pay is $46k or less, with two being less than $38k. If he works in WV or AL, he's actually earning a lucrative salary.

Most redshirts are younger -- they aren't 20 year veterans with kids to put through college. When I was 25, I made a little over that, and I live in one of the more expensive states.

The only issue is that there aren't too many routes to expansion or advancement, whereas I make twice that today.

Ghostofman
02-05-2014, 01:13 PM
I hope this dude doesn't get canned for this, from a PR perspective he's actually doing pretty good so far (explaining basic facts, keeping his personal opinions his, dispelling rumors, explaining to the customers and shareholders what exactly is being done with their money...)

While the customer base will always have a certain venom (redo X codex/unit, Matt Ward smells like hobos) I do think GW could benefit from a little two way communication...

olberon
02-05-2014, 01:23 PM
Really not sure about this.....but then....

3). GW are actively seeking customer feedback with that new role thing.....this could be another tack....

with the new position open on the website...... i smell a skaven :D

Asymmetrical Xeno
02-05-2014, 01:57 PM
Shame the thread got closed, was rather enjoying his posts so hopefully itll get reopened.

Cactus
02-05-2014, 02:14 PM
I thought the guy or gal sounded well informed and candid.

I can't imagine all of the flack he or she must get at his store for any grievances gamers have with GW.

gcsmith
02-05-2014, 03:54 PM
Did he really say at one point that the cost of gw products had increased by less than inflation? Also, i seriously don't get what he's trying to achieve, not as if we can't go down to stores and answer questions, and not as if he's actually saying anything different to the managers I've talked to who were only salesman.

Michael Bradbury
02-05-2014, 05:11 PM
Here you have someone willing to answer some questions and then he starts getting a bunch of personal attacks about the pay he is happy to make?

Carl, because the internet!

Most people were belittling his salary - yet if he'd said he was on $50,000 a year they'd have been up-in-arms blaming high prices on his wages!

lattd
02-05-2014, 05:40 PM
I know it's hard to believe but a lot of the staff do visit forums, the GW area manager here where I live visited this forum from time to time. So I could imagine some one going maybe we should try talking to them.

Psychosplodge
02-06-2014, 02:42 AM
Carl, because the internet!

Most people were belittling his salary - yet if he'd said he was on $50,000 a year they'd have been up-in-arms blaming high prices on his wages!


Do you? or do you mean on the original thread? As all I see here is three people giving some geographical perspective, and one belittling it.
IDK about you. But I personally haven't got a clue what wages are like in the US.

Wolfshade
02-06-2014, 02:54 AM
Do you? or do you mean on the original thread? As all I see here is three people giving some geographical perspective, and one belittling it.
IDK about you. But I personally haven't got a clue what wages are like in the US.

No and you can't do a straight currency conversion as you need to figure out the "cost of living"[crisis]

Psychosplodge
02-06-2014, 02:59 AM
True. But I was trying to place his location based on a none united number.
Suppose the +benefits probably gave it away anyway as you don't really generally get any in retail here do you?

Grey Mage
02-06-2014, 03:04 AM
Im sorry he has a problem with 'ebay armies'.

Not all of us have cash for regular purchases of full priced plastic crack. Thats the kind of attitude I honestly hate- sure, youre a business... but a larger player base is still better than a smaller one, ye d-bags.

Psychosplodge
02-06-2014, 03:08 AM
As long as its all GW parts they've had their money for it somewhere along the supply chain haven't they?

Wolfshade
02-06-2014, 03:22 AM
Unless they want to be like some platform developers that want a cut after each re-sell and prevent you giving stuff to your mates..

Psychosplodge
02-06-2014, 03:28 AM
I'm not sure the GW second hand market has your FLGS store offering you some second hand orks for a couple of quid cheaper than the new box when you get to the checkout...

Grey Mage
02-06-2014, 04:33 AM
Atleast hes absolutely right about the transparency.

If they just showed us why they actually do things, instead of only having armchair economists to listen to I might be more understanding. Im not sure I could actually buy more- only have so much money either way- but it would make me like them more, feel like they gave a damn.

SaveModifier
02-06-2014, 05:09 AM
Ok, so the guys pay, bonus and even his job (which he might lose if he doesn't hit sales targets) are linked to selling minautures, he has to sell models to make a living, and people coming in to his shop and demanding to play on his tables for free using his time when they haven't spent a penny in his shop and so taking up space and time he could dedicate to people who will actually spend money in the shop.

This is why he doesn't like eBay armies.

Mr Mystery
02-06-2014, 07:10 AM
Ok, so the guys pay, bonus and even his job (which he might lose if he doesn't hit sales targets) are linked to selling minautures, he has to sell models to make a living, and people coming in to his shop and demanding to play on his tables for free using his time when they haven't spent a penny in his shop and so taking up space and time he could dedicate to people who will actually spend money in the shop.

This is why he doesn't like eBay armies.

Bingo.

Worst bit is, and in my experience this does happen, regular Ebayers coming in and bragging how much cheaper they got their stuff second hand, and trying to actively dissuade people from buying whilst in your store. They then get the right arse when you have a quiet word, explain the purpose of the shop, and request that they either keep their purchasing habits to themselves, or be banned.

After all, you wouldn't waltz into a nice restaurant and sit down with sombody else's leftovers, nor would you buy some cans of beer from the supermarket and drink them in a pub in full view of the landlord.

Same thing here.

Psychosplodge
02-06-2014, 07:22 AM
No thats fair enough, buying yourself, and loudly encouraging others to purchase are two different things.
I'm not sure why'd you'd be playing in the GW store if you don't shop there? *shrugs*

Mr Mystery
02-06-2014, 07:30 AM
Because some people are just arses with inflated sense of entitlement. They feel that a GW store is there for them to do as they wish, and the selling side is just some inconvenience.

SaveModifier
02-06-2014, 11:23 AM
A lot of people don't have anywhere else to play, or don't know anyone outside of the GW who will play with them, this hobby tends to attract certain folk who are, lets say, less than comfortable making friends, and so don't have a group of mates to play with, they want to play in the GW but don't have the grasp of social etiquette to keep quiet about their cheaper online purchases, every time I've played in a GW, i've always bought something, same as in a local place, I think GW should have tables open for games, but you have to pay spend a few quid each time you want to use them, every £5 of purchases gets you 2 hours on a table for that day, something like that, get people playing in the shop so it looks good and then get people buying stuff in the shop