GW Sales and profits |
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CyberShadow
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Post subject: GW Sales and profits  Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 1:49 pm |
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Always a strong topic, this thread came up on Portent:
GW Profits
Any comments?
Also, I personally think that GW are set to have their most difficult year for a long time, very soon. 40K 4th Edition will be out soon, and this represents really just the errata and a few rules tweeks, and GW have said that any future edition probably wont change the rules vastly.
Warhammer 6th is in the same situation, and so we most likely wont see any huge changes to that either.
Lord of the Rings has just run out of books/films, and so we wont see another game release for that system.
On top of this, GW cant do more than one huge campaign system each year (which is where I would invest for the next few years if I was GW), and still the customers and buyers expect a decent number of new releases, a monthly magazine with new stuff and a new army for one game system or another every two months.
With such a high demand, and a very limited pool of resources for new material, where can GW take any of their games to generate extra interest?
_________________ https://www.cybershadow.ninja - A brief look into my twisted world, including wargames and beyond. https://www.net-armageddon.org - The official NetEA (Epic Armageddon) site and resource.
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Warmaster Nice
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Post subject: GW Sales and profits Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:03 pm |
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*whispering: "Make epic a core game aagain"  *
One can only hope that they don't sell out even more than they have allready and continue to create ?ber?berarmies... It can all to easily turn into beating a dead horse...
What concerns me the most though is if GW prices continue to skyrocket. I'd hate to see what effect this willl have on Fanatic's products.
Cheers! 
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primarch
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Post subject: GW Sales and profits Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:12 pm |
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Hi!
The topic is pretty hot on several forums, especially regarding GWUS which seems to be either lagging or losing money as compared to the otehr divisions. It will be interesting to see whether its a fluke or a trend.
Primarch
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Justiniel
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Post subject: GW Sales and profits Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:20 pm |
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| Quote (CyberShadow @ 28 2004 July,13:49) | | Lord of the Rings has just run out of books/films, and so we wont see another game release for that system. |
What about the 5 armies/warmaster game, surely that is to be released.
Also several more expansion packs based on 'minor' characters from the hobbit and LOTR could be forwarded, admittedly smaller fan base but probably worthwhile._________________ I'm involved in Nunnery Practice  My latest Blog http://www.players.tacticalwargames.net ... p?blogId=8
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Jimbo
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Post subject: GW Sales and profits Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:21 pm |
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From what I read the problems lie with GWUS and all other parts of GW (ie GWUK, GW Europe, GW Asia) are doing fine.
From http://investor.games-workshop.com/resu ... lights.htm
Turnover up 18%
Profits up 14%
US sales account for less that 25% of the turnover.
In see this year differently. Regardless of what is actually happening to the rules, people will still buy them, however this time they will buy them as they want them rather than feeling they are forced to (which is what happened with previous editions).
GW US does have problems, but from reading the financial side of things, I feel GW PLC want the market in the US to reflect their market in the UK. In the UK we pay full price in the main at GW stores. In the US most stuff is sold through independent retailers (at a discount). GW PLC want the US market to be dominated by full price GW stores not cut-price independents. Whether this works or not is a different question.
Just my thoughts.
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primarch
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Post subject: GW Sales and profits Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:42 pm |
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Hi!
The main problem with GW in the US, and this is not a new problem, is the focring of the model that owrked well in the UK in the US. They have tried for over a decade and have failed. In the US no one will pay full retail if they can avoid it and if the company imposed strategies to force it such as the internet ban and other retailer restrictions the customers will find ways around it.
Internet retailers STILL sell at discounts and are doing so readily, they just cant post GW pictures and take orders through mail order. Ebay trade is fast and furious a problem for which GW has no solution or method to pressure change. Retailers in the US (brick and mortar ones) are slowly but surely dedicating more shelf space to other competing lines where a more retailer friendly stance is given. All these things together make for a sales drop in the US.
In my view GW needs to develop a strategy that takes into account the particularities of the US market. To continue to think they can force a model from abroad and force customers and retailers to adapt to it is folly.
Primarch
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Legion 4
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Post subject: GW Sales and profits Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:47 pm |
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Regardless, as long as I or anyone in the US can pick up the phone and dial a toll free number to buy G/W stuff, I think G/W US will survive. And since I only buy Epic, it's too easy to make a phone call. And if I can't get S/G Epic in the US, I'll order it online like I do F/W. Which reminds me ... F/W still owes me 12 Epic Tau Sentry Drones ... off to write another e-mail ...
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Legion 4
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Post subject: GW Sales and profits Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:51 pm |
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Will do !
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CyberShadow
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Post subject: GW Sales and profits Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 3:14 pm |
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| Quote (Jimbo @ 28 2004 July,14:21) | | From what I read the problems lie with GWUS and all other parts of GW (ie GWUK, GW Europe, GW Asia) are doing fine. |
This is very true. Remember also that GW started to agressively hunt down online retailers of GW products only in the US (and anecodotally, this does not seemed to have helped bricks and mortar stores at all).
Also, I hear that GW will write off Warhammer Online next year, so they start the next financial with a serious disadvantage._________________ https://www.cybershadow.ninja - A brief look into my twisted world, including wargames and beyond. https://www.net-armageddon.org - The official NetEA (Epic Armageddon) site and resource.
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primarch
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Post subject: GW Sales and profits Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 4:24 pm |
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Hi!
Correct CS, they are already at a loss for next quarter due to the fact you state regarding warhammer online.
Banning direct internet sales has not benefited brick and mortar stroes because:
1. people moved to ebay for even more deals
2. the "ban" isnt real, internet stores STILL sell at a discount (actually as high as they can afford), they only cant do it directly via showing images, you still can call or e-mail them and buy stuff at 20% or more.
Primarch
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dafrca
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Post subject: GW Sales and profits Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 7:39 pm |
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I found the whole "Not Internet sales" so we can help the Brick and Morter stores to be funny. If they cared so much for their retailers then they would not undermine them so much. In my area there were four stores that carried GW product in a 40 mile radius. So where did GW place two of their new stores? Next to two of those B&M stores they were worried about. Yes, they opened two stores each less then four miles from a store that sold their product.
The truth is, GW US desided to target only the 14 to 16 year old boys and went after that market and ignored the other supporters. They claimed that 14 to 16 year olds had more discresionary money to spend. What they did not take into account was that the older fans woud spend and spend well, but the little kids would be fickle.
Combined with some of the other issues already outlined here and you have a downward trend in their market. One that could have been avoided.
I do not feel sorry for them. They made their bed now they have to lie in it.
dafrca
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netepic
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Post subject: GW Sales and profits Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 10:52 pm |
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Easy guys.... we aren't seeing the death of GW here , just wonder what big sale there will be this year?
Remember all the marine plastics are being redone (again) - I imagine the other races will have the same treatment.
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primarch
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Post subject: GW Sales and profits Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 12:33 am |
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Hi!
GW may try to corner the market on 14-16, but thats not the greatest idea since CCG's and Clickies have a much better appeal, since in one case the game is portable can be played anywhere and in the other no painting or buying series of rulebooks. Thats only to mention things that you can remotely attribute to be within the confines of the "hobby". Throw in video games and other such things competing for thier attention this target audience is difficult to "control".
In this particular case its more a problem for GWUS, they are trying to hammer a marketing style that does not suit the american gamer.
I bet that there will be a shake up in the GWUS hierachy......
Primarch
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iblisdrax
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Post subject: GW Sales and profits Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 1:59 am |
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Well, in my experience, having no stores within any reasonable distance(and I mean like 100 miles!), I order most of my stuff online, or via ebay. The restriction placed on online retailers only means that there is less competition, meaning that ebay , not GW, will get more of peoples money. I personally think that GWUS is going to get some heads rolled in the near future, as Primarch said, in a shakeup. And they deserve what they get. Attempting to appeal to younger and younger gamers, without any kind of study or thought behind it, is just crazy. As the results have bourne out.
my 2cents,
iblisdrax
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