How to improve aus prices?

[Myu]

I haven't bought anything from GW since the trade embargo hit and looking at the online store just now the prices are even more insane then before - $62 for a tacticle squad, $110 for a landraider, $37 for a space marine commander, $41 for a Crisis suit etc...

I mean, come on, there can't possibly be a justification for that.I know people love to talk about molds costs, inflation, taxes and high aussie wages, but you know what? We had those factors before as well, but I don't see how in a few years ago the prices could be jacked up $12-25 dollars for plastic models. If (and I don't believe it is) GW genuinely needs to charge these prices, then they need to find a way to reduce costs.

Otherwise slash the prices. I tried not to think to hard about paying $85 for a land raider before, but this...

[TheBitzBarn]

You have forgot the cost of Oil went up over the period of 2006-2011 form 20-30 dollars a barrel to 80-90 dollars a barrel that to me seems like a bigger factor for the price increase. The embargo only effects stores in the EU not the US or Canada.

Us here at the Bitz Barn send packages and boxes down under 3 to 4 times a week. Check us out at [url]www.bitzbarn.com[/url]

[Myu]

I didn't know about the oil, but I tried getting stuff from the us store before and it wouldn't let me which is part of why I'm so grumpy.

Had a look again just now, It's quiet amazing the us price differences - between 1/3 and 2/3 of the aus price. I might try placing an order again, see what happens.

Also, I would use online stores to buy cheap online store stuff, but my friend lost hundreds of dollars that way to phonies so I'm not inclined to try myself.

Edit:
Although it looks like I can buy from US, but not at the US prices, look at this:

1 Tactical Squad:
Merchandise Total: $40.98
Standard Shipping: $44.00
Value Added Tax(Included in)Merchandise: $3.73 Shipping: $4.00
Order Total:
$84.98

2 Tactical Squad:
Merchandise Total: $81.96
Standard Shipping: $132.00
Value Added Tax(Included in) Merchandise: $7.45 Shipping: $12.00
Order Total:
$213.96

[TheBitzBarn]

Well if you attempt to order form them they will shut you down but there are lots of good online stores hell we have been in business for 3 years.

The reason things are cheap in US is also because we have the manufacturing plant here in the US.

You have to Factor in Transportation cost

[Myu]

Maybe the solution then is to have a plant in Australia? Would be a massive investment I imagine, but sales would sure pick up if they could cut product prices by saving on everything that goes into international transportation.

[chromedog]

Can't really see them doing that.
Pretty much no-one else manufactures stuff here anymore.

It's not cost-effective to make Aus the production centre for APac. Not when they can do it in Asia for less.

IF they want to lower their Aus overheads, then GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WESTFIELD MALLS (something they have started doing - but many stores are tied into a 5 year lease). Those rents are crippling, and the extra charges Westfield levy against the non-big4 stores aren't helping either. They can't pay staff any less (retail awards specify pay rates) than they do.

Their store business model has turned around and bit them on the arse, here. It is not sustainable.

[pauljc]

Simply put, having been in a relationship with someone who worked for a cargo shipping company, I can tell you that the largest factor for why AUS and NZ prices are so ludicrously high, is transportation costs. When I moved from Holland to Finland, it cost over €1000 to send a palette with my meagre personal effects. Now imagine how much it must cost to send a few ship containers full of GW products over seas to Australia.

I've worked at GW myself, and for sure they are one of the weirdest companies on the planet, and yes, we do pay a premium for those fabulous models (Nike, Reebok, Ferrari, etc), but they're not intionally trying to rip you off. It's not like the board sits down once a week and goes, "mm.. I know how to make more money! Let's fleece the crap out of Australia, because we hate them!".
That's just bad business. GW probably doesn't want to charge you folks 3 or 4 times the price us Europeans pay. They are well aware of the pain. They probably just don't have any choice.

If they ever open a manufacturing plant in AUS or NZ, expect things to change dramatically.

I feel for you guys, though. I just think GW gets an unnecessary amount of stick for something they probably can't quite control.

[Mauglum.]

Hi folks.
Lets look at events in the order they happened...

GW plc did NOT adjust for currency exchange rates to lower prices for Australia and Canada.

Internet retailers offered GW products at UK price + realistic shipping charge to Austraila and Canada.

Therfore ALOT of GW customers bought from these retailers for massive savings on GW store prices in Australia and Canada.

Sales in expencive B&M stores in Canada and Australia plummeted.

EVERY OTHER BUISNESS would simply realise thier mistake and adjust local prices to compete with internet re-selleres.

NOT GW plc.
They threw the teddy bear out of the pram ....

Called thier major business customers ,( internet resellers like Wayland Games, The Warstore etc,) 'freeloaders'.
Banned them from selling to Austraila and Canada. and uppped the shipping costs from GW UK and GW America to make it more expencive than buying in country in Australia and Canada.

If other companies can offer FREE shipping around the world , or reasonable shipping costs .

GW plc IS just sticking it to Australians and Canadians.

Look at the shipping costs from other companies like, AoW, Mantic, PP, etc.
And compare them to GW plc shipping costs....

[Lane]

So shipping a plastic kit from the US to the UK, or a finecast model from UK to the US, keeps the prices average. However shipping a plastic kit from US to Canada doubles the price and to AU triples it?

[TheBitzBarn]

Called thier major business customers ,( internet resellers like Wayland Games, The Warstore etc,) 'freeloaders'.
Banned them from selling to Austraila and Canada. and uppped the shipping costs from GW UK and GW America to make it more expencive than buying in country in Australia and Canada.

You actually have that all wrong. They only banned EU webstores form selling South of the Equator. They did not up the shipping cost they just will not ship to you.

Australia's issue is shipping and transportation cost how many times do people have to say that an people in the logistic business will tell you shipping to OZ is incredible expensive. To ship a 4 lbs box to OZ is 36.00 dollars and UP 4lbs is not a lot of GW so you can see why shipping a ton is expensive how do you recover your cost spread the cost across your product line.

This is simple business 101