GW to ban all online sales

[Denzark]

So, it's US only? 1776 not looking so smart now is it.

13 rebel colonies my tea tax...

[Gotthammer]

So, it's US only? 1776 not looking so smart now is it.

Poor Canada, it seems the motherland has forgotten you're part of the Commonwealth too, lol

Still, a rather drastic move and not one that will work out well in the long run I don't think.

See how I did that - I'm the nice cop

It's that winning smile that does it

[Bigred]

If you all read the GW policy addendum, you will see that they devote almost an entire page to all the evils of online sales.

According to GW, online sales damage their brand, hurt the IP, promote "freeloading" and myriad other greivous social issues.

And it is ONLY for these SERIOUS, SERIOUS reasons that GW must reluctantly prohibit all online sales of their product and ensure that customers may only purchase online from their own corporate GW website (they after all only have the best interests of their customers in mind).

BUT...

You will note that European Union merchants can happily have webstores, with shopping carts, and not only that, but happily ship GW products overseas (say for example to the United States).

Apparently the great evils of online sales stop at the shores of North America. A quick analysis of various webstores around the world will show that this new GW policy would have the effect of giving the entire global online marketplace to EU merchants all wrapped up with a bow on top.

If I were a betting man, I would guess that there is ZERO CHANCE major American merchants will take this without a serious fight, once that business reality sinks in.

This is going to be interesting...

[LordGrise]

I'm betting that there is something in either British or EU corporate law that prohibits this sort of power play. Anyone know the relevant laws well enough to know if an anti-discrimination suit would fly?

[DragonPup]

I am curious if some of the merchants will start trying to push non-GW games harder in response. It certainly sounds like GW is not fun to work with.

[Deadlift]

GW does still ship from inside North America ? From its warehouses based there. So basically this is aimed squarely at the discount and bitz sellers then. You guys on the other side of the pond can still get GW products, your just expected to pay full price and direct to GW. I can understand why they would do this, but can also understand why it would upset you guys too. I'm looking forward to
Miniwargamings response. Personally I am not effected but I don't want to see GW lose hobbyists wherever they live on the globe.

[Gotthammer]

I think part of it is also aimed at the distributors & ebay. The wording is significantly tightened up from just "a web cart" or whatever the old version was to any online service to resell (like some stores who have their regular e-store + ebay for full GW kits).
The part about removing supply to distributors is also cleared up as it explicitly states that distributors can be cut off if they supply someone violating terms, while the original 2003 wasn't so clear, sounding more like they could only be cut off it they themselves were online selling. Of course that would be a grey area and we know how either side would interpret it, so good to see they cleared it up (GW love their RAW vs RAI, even in their legal documents ).

[Kirsten]

I do not agree with everything GW do, they make their share of mistakes, but it is important to consider that trying to push their own sales is not just some randomly thought up villainous policy, nor is it unique to GW. Plenty of products are restricted in sales in some fashion, like approved stockists/dealerships. We are in an incredibly serious world wide recession, retailers are dropping like flies, and they are trying to protect their business. There might be better ways of doing it, who knows. Certainly most people complaining about it don't know, but they have to do something.

[morninson]

I do not agree with everything GW do, they make their share of mistakes, but it is important to consider that trying to push their own sales is not just some randomly thought up villainous policy, nor is it unique to GW. Plenty of products are restricted in sales in some fashion, like approved stockists/dealerships. We are in an incredibly serious world wide recession, retailers are dropping like flies, and they are trying to protect their business. There might be better ways of doing it, who knows. Certainly most people complaining about it don't know, but they have to do something.

Spot on. The business end of this sucks, but GW are just trying to survive as a business. It looks as though their ability to protect their IP is going to take a huge hit if this Chapterhouse lawsuit goes south for them. All that effort to build a brand, create universes, stories and characters that we've grown to love (plenty of it ripped from history but also plenty original). Half the time the haters I read on here sound like they expect GW to be doing this **** for free!

I don't agree with everything they do. But let's be grown up about this - it's a luxury product, it's not bread, gas or milk, it is still cheaper to build an army than it is to buy a PS4, and half a dozen games.

[Mr Mystery]

Online discounts hurt your Indie. Not GW.

So who is being protected here?