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GW preamble up, New CEO incoming, Annual report included now
#11
Short piece from The Telegraph today: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsb...-good.html
Figures painted in 2016: 4 Blush
"What this game needs is a panda with a chaingun."
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#12
(29-07-2014, 05:48 PM)Stuart Wrote: The opening gambit that Vince posted did sound like the pre-cursor to a poor financial report, with early emphasis on restructuring to keep investors happy.

It's good to hear them finally pay at least lip-service to 3D printing, even though Tom has largely dismissed it. It was something that was notably absent from last years statement when discussing possible risks to the business. I don't agree with his sentiments on it though, as the technology is very much a growth area at the moment with major improvements to processes and materials happening all the time, while costs are being driven down. The risk is also in no way pre-supposed on the availability of 3D scanning - it only takes one individual with access to quality equipment to produce a model scan that could be widely shared. There are also computer modellers out there with the ability to recreate a model purely in software.

£4M does sound excessive for the website - it's certainly nothing special and in all likelihood based on a pre-existing content management system, so most of the work is in styling and migrating the data from the old site. As Paul rightly says though (and from my experience of project budgeting) it's all too easy to inflate a cost, especially where that could be used to hide a loss elsewhere.

Sadly it's sounding like there isn't a long term future for The Hobbit range Sad

So, a question for the assembled...

If you took up the mantle of CEO, what would be your business plan for GW?

While i wouldn't know the best way to move the company forward, a few things i would like to see changed would be-

Relax the trade terms for independent stockists. Seriously, the current trade terms are shocking, designed to try to force people into a GW to get the kits/books etc.

Make White dwarf weekly available as a subscription. I quite enjoy the new weekly white dwarf, but it is a pain in the ass to get and quite expensive for what it is.

Bundle deals that save cash. The one click deals are a joke.

More boxed game releases like Space Hulk, Necromunda, Blood bowl etc. These could be done as self contained releases.

I also think the cost of some of the kits is ridiculous compared to what is available on the market, compare a Riptide to this-
http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN948083/Gun
[Image: ban948083_2.jpg?v=0000000001]
[Image: ban948083_1.jpg?v=0000000001]
[Image: ban948083_3.jpg?v=0000000001]
Fully articulated, comes on pre coloured plastic, bigger than a Riptide and £25.
40k- Space marines(5000 pts) Imperial guard (3000 pts) Tau (3000 pts)
Epic 40k-Space marines/Imperial Guard(2000 pts)
Infinity Yu jing (Aprox 1000 pts)
Necromunda Escher Mad capsules Avalanche
Blood bowl Skaven
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#13
I agree with WDW sub, and a discount on 1 click. Quite often you look at a 1 click, and avoid because you don't want everything, not even factoring in independents discounts. Throw in a 10% discount an I would imagine folks would end up buying stock try wouldn't normally get.

However trade terms for independents are so you use them, after all 100% of profits is better than splitting with another retailer, particuarly as the market they are in is largely free from external influences. How many of us have seen wages squeezed cost of living rise, an still buy and paint miniatures?

As for your alternate toy example Vince, the mild to make that is peanuts, because frankly it's garbage. Level of detail isn't there and it's the machine tooling that's the driving force behind prices. So to cut a nice flat panel into a plate, costs a heck of a lot less than it would for a space marine backpack, despite the component size. Ok your Riptide is largely flat, but just adding in the indented lines will add a few thousand to the kits cost. But again they get away with prices because as above. Would you have bought your Gund at £50. I doubt anyone would. Do they buy a Riptidr at that? Yes because it's their hobby.
Star Wars Legion - Rebels
Guildball - Alchemists
Blood Bowl - Lizardmen
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#14
Have you ever seen a master grade kit Gaz?

The detail is much better than a GW kit, it has a full internal mechanical skeleton frame (so you can remove the plating), and yes i would pay more for a Gundam model. Hence the reason i have never bought a Riptide for more than £25 but have spent upwards of £50 on some of my MG kits.

There is a reason why a lot of people buy MG gundam kits just for display purposes. Would i buy a Riptide at £50 just for display purposes? No Chance.

I would suggest why the a lot of people are getting disenfranchised with GW is the high cost of the Kits.

For an alternative example compare the perry's men at arms to GW's.
40k- Space marines(5000 pts) Imperial guard (3000 pts) Tau (3000 pts)
Epic 40k-Space marines/Imperial Guard(2000 pts)
Infinity Yu jing (Aprox 1000 pts)
Necromunda Escher Mad capsules Avalanche
Blood bowl Skaven
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#15
Looking at the Gundam, I would say its probably a similar level of detail.

The tools to cut these moulds are all CNC driven and the cost is more from cutting time then anything else really.

What would drive up the cost more is the addition of extra bits more then the actual fine details, but as I can't see the sprues of both models I would not start to compare that!

The Scale of the models would also really only change the cost in the size of the moulds and cutting time. The final plastic cost is pretty negligible. Since the Gundam is bigger I would actually guess this kit would cost more then the Riptide, but again that is educated guesses then any real guess. Still a 1" taller model might need a much bigger mould which would cost alot more.

Given that GWS models are beginning to broach the same price brackets that ultra premium collectors memorabilia rests in, I think its easily time for GWS to admit they got carried away with their price hikes and call a freeze for the next 7 years to allow interest rates to catch back up...
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#16
Sorry Vince was on my mobile, I thought it was one of the cheapo Jap toys off the market, your fond of using as a proxy. But I would still pay more for something I could enjoy painting, than something pre-painted. If it's self assembly but not not for painting, it could cost £5 and I would avoid it like the plague. There is just no fun in assembling it.
Star Wars Legion - Rebels
Guildball - Alchemists
Blood Bowl - Lizardmen
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#17
LOl, fair enough, the ones i use as Proxies are the 1/144 High grade ones that cost about £7-£10. Great for the Lad and Nephew to play robot fights at that price and to be fair they do still have a fair amount of detail on. Tongue

I agree on the painting and paint up my MG's (i have more of those painted than GW stuff.... lol), i just think that if GW were more competitive in the pricing they would get more new customers and maybe attract back old ones.

Just out of interest, how much do people think Riptides should be(as an example)?

Personally i think between £30-£35, but am curious on other peoples opinions?
40k- Space marines(5000 pts) Imperial guard (3000 pts) Tau (3000 pts)
Epic 40k-Space marines/Imperial Guard(2000 pts)
Infinity Yu jing (Aprox 1000 pts)
Necromunda Escher Mad capsules Avalanche
Blood bowl Skaven
Reply
#18
GW prices are extortionate... £70 for a Wraithknight... Crazy money. It's all relative though, all prices should come down, it wasn't long ago battle forces were £40-50...




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#19
I think a cut to about 70% of the current price would be sane, which I believe a £35 Riptide would agree with.

I get that moulds are expensive and GWS needs to regain their expenditure, but it seems like they are trying to turn their profit in the weekend launch rather then over the coming year.

While I have no figures to back up anything, I am quite confident that if there was a 70% price slash, GWS would see their current customer base double over night and people would have a feeding frenzy of buying as they jump at the chance to get those purchases they have been put off from for so long.

I for one would probably drop about £300 in one go I think. As it is now, the money is about to go on Warmachine since that seems a saner price point.
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#20
This is all good stuff guys. Please keep it coming...

I can't share my thoughts with you because I am saving them for my application letter Big Grin LOL...
History is written by the victors - Sir Winston Churchill
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