Ask a GW manager

Hello, I am bored at work and these have been fun before: ask a GW retail employee (basically) anything.

Do you enjoy your job

If you were to change anything about the company's general retail practice from experience or just personal opinion, what would it be, if anything at all?

Does corporate ever actually play the game? Between insanely sized formations and overpowered codexes I feel like they've never played their own game.

How do we dissolve GW? I want to punish them for their hubris.

Where do you see yourself in five years?
What are your weak point and how are you overcoming them?
Where would you draw the line for having particularly problematic customer banned from the store?

How often do your customers bathe?

Where in the world /is/ carmen sandiego?

Do you play or model or anything?

Why do you offer boxes "on the house" and why do you share your 50% employee discount with a LOT of people ?
What is the purpose ? Is it a GW strategy so that some people feel "special" and come back instead of buying online ?

Yes. I'm not a particularly talkative person, so sometimes the constant need to converse grinds on me, but it is a fun job.
Hmmm... Our new CEO is taking us in what feels like a very good direction now, so the list is much shorter than it would have been a couple of years ago. I guess more thought and care put into game design and rules but event at seems to be getting better.
For the most part, no. Most of the corporate employees are the same pencil pushers you'll find in any Corp office. Lots of the retail guys play or have played in the past.
Just like any other publicly traded company, get rich and buy 51% of the shares.
In five years I most likely won't be working for GW anymore, but who knows. My weakest point is probably little I like to run demos. I've only kicked a couple of people out in the years I've worked for the company. You have to be pretty damn disrespectful to earn that. Or crazy.
Most of our people are upstanding citizens. We have a couple of stinkers, but they are a very special breed. One guy literally has his belly hang out the bottom of his shirt. But he is the exception, not the rule.
Cadia.

I have a few armies. At least one thing for most of our games (Hobbit and Specialist Games included). I paint some, but I wouldn't call myself a great painter. I know enough to teach people and get models on the table.
I don't. That's grounds for immediate termination.

Thanks for all the questions guys. Keep 'em rolling.

How do you live with yourself?

I think that Manager was just awkwardly hitting on you, user.

how many people come in to buy one pot of paint?

What's your stance on ForgeWorld models being played in your store?

In a decent house with no debt and full heath/vision/dental coverage.
Most of the time people who are just buying one pot of paint are in one of 3 situations: a regular who is hanging out working g on a project and has run out of a particular color; a regular who came in on a previous day and forgot to pickup on particular color; a non-hobbiest who is fixing a piece of jewelry or something like that.

>tfw I'm normally that guy

Would you like to purchase my nicely-painted ork bike army? Because it's fucking worthless and impossible to run, since it wasn't spess muhreens or elfdara.

who would hit on a fat neckbeard like me tho?
Even I wouldn't be so desperate

When I browse FLGS I usually find the prices on big ticket items way too damn high, but I also like to support them if I can, so I always walk away with a couple of paints each visit.

Some people like their guys with a bit of extra bulk and "stale cheetos" musk user, there's no accounting for taste.

Does AoS really sells ?
will it impact my dear 40k settings ?

>In a decent house with no debt and full heath/vision/dental coverage.
Well I mean so do I, but all I have to do is participate in the wholesale murder of terrorists.

Not...working for Games Workshop.

As long as they have their rulebook with them, and not some shit printed off the internet, I'm cool with it. FW models are dope to look at.
Fuck Orks. :^)

Are all GW workers grown in a secret lab or just the store staff?

ever had people trying to steal stuff in elaberate ways?

Do you allow forgeworld/ horus heresy in your store?

What qualifications did you have for the job?

I'd like to add an future campaigns planned for 2017 in the AoS universe? I'm enjoying events like Cadia, Fenris etc etc

Ha! My Nids will fight you for the bottom of the barrel. (And promptly lose at that too...)

"And here we have Nigel 'Incubator' Jones clubbing himself into third place."

Yes it does sell. Way more than WFB did at the end and more now that the General's Handbook is out. I don't think you'll see 40k get a massive rules overhaul like Fantasy, it still sells so why invest the time into "fixing" it. On the other hand I can see setting of 40k changing. We have already seen the groundwork laid with the return of Magnus.
Plenty of our managers spent time removing kebab before they started with the company.

>Plenty of our managers spent time removing kebab before they started with the company.
I like kebab. It's terrorists I dislike.

I don't know if I can give up the mercenary lifestyle. Especially for a game store. Full of evil.

>Plenty of our managers spent time removing kebab before they started with the company.

1. If this is true, why aren't there more dead neckbeards / annoying twits in the dumpster behind the your typical GW store? ;)

2. Who do I have to bribe, drug, or murder in upper management to convince that having a balanced rules set and many different codex where one can create multiple **viable army lists** that are fun to play with and against drives sales? I collected 40K from the RT era until 5th Edition, and between the 'Meh' rules changes combined with the poor balance of many codex (Orks, Nids, etc) I've had zero interest in playing the new editions. I'd love to get back in the game, but in it's current state I can't in good conscience encourage others to invest in it when I'm not willing to do so myself.

Plastic Sisters ever?

The lab I was grown in isn't very secret.
Eh, nothing elaborate. Shop lifting happens, but usually it's very simple.
On FW, yes. See my previous reply. On qualifications: for my manager job I was promoted internally, so I had on the job experience. I can express myself well in person and have (in general) a likable, relaxed additude. GW mostly hires for personality. We believe that anyone can learn the skills to do the job.
I dunno. We will just have to wait and see.

I once shoved some paint up my ass to shoplift. If you saw me would you have grabbed it out?

I have never heard of this happening. I've never even seen a sale in a GW.

Saying that, in the 90's if you spent alot of dosh in the store they would give you loads of free shit. By alot of dosh i mean £100+, i remmember asking if i could get some free glue when i bought over £100 of stuff acouple years back and they just looked at me like i was joking. I decided my pleb money wasnt good enough for their store since then.

Also recall when new shops would open they would do buy two get the cheapest free on all products. I was only a poor kid at the time unfortunately.

Managers usually save their killing for hookers. Neckbeards make you money. Dead hookers are free...
Only if you have unshakable faith in the Emperor.
You would be able to keep the paint (who the fuck cares about a single pot?) but you would probably "fall down" a few times on your way out of the store.

This has been fun. I'm out for a bit, but I'll check back in awhile and try to answer more.

>On qualifications: for my manager job I was promoted internally, so I had on the job experience. I can express myself well in person and have (in general) a likable, relaxed additude. GW mostly hires for personality. We believe that anyone can learn the skills to do the job.

This is pretty much how every company hires these days. Even for the higher positions. It's an employers market and the employees are at the mercy.

t. Autist who will never get a job because not normie enough.

How did you feel personally about the ending of WFB and what was your initial impression of AOS? Did gw just tell staff that didnt like it to put up and shut up kind of thing? I'm curious how that all went down, there must have been some die hard staff that loved the previous setting?

I'm personally indifferent, i didnt much play wfb but i do miss the setting. I actually did start collecting ironjawz though to paint which is the first models i bought in 8+years. I was abit dissapointed at the lack of multipose that i was used to in older gw products, is it intentional AOS stuff isnt as customisable?

Any idea how the "made to order" stuff is going to work for Bretts/tomb kings if at all?

As someone who buys exclusively online, never games or even visits the local store, is there any reason whatsoever for buying at a gw shop?

How quickly do they go through managers?

Do you confront thieves? One manager I spoke to back to the day says they let them go instead of confronting them

Any advice for getting a job with GW?

Did you get fired?

How do you resist the urge to end your fucking life haha just asking for a friend haha like seriously give me pointers but just for that friend of mine haha

just lift for a year and youll become a manager wherever you want

I tried that but apparently getting huge muscles doesn't cure Autism.

How's business in general? What are the hottest selling products? What products haven't you been able to shift?

>Any advice for getting a job with GW?
just send them an email on their job offer part of the website, if you speak japanese you are taken 1000%

I worked for them for a year and yes you just let them go, unless its a kid.
if anything happen its much cheaper to just loose the manufacturing cost of a few boxes than paying someone to stay at home if wounded after a heated exchange.

Is your name Adam?

Can I have a job?

Any chance of Dungeon Quest expansions?!

Thank you

Just went into a GW with a female friend of mine, and got myself a Dark Vengeance box set. The person in the shop was a girl, but that made me wonder. Just what kind of female/male ratio do you guys have? I've always assumed it was heavily male dominated, but the more I interact with groups in Pathfinder, LARP and now 40K, I'm beginning to wonder.

Or am I just somehow finding the few groups with high saturation of normies?

Do you ever feel bad about pushing overpriced hobby supplies on people?

Oh hello friends! I am back. More answers.
WFB had to end from a business standpoint. I like AoS, it's lots of fun and has decent tactical depth. Plus a lot easier to sell people on getting started when they only have to build and paint like 40 models vs. 100. There were some die hards, but as I tell them Everytime they come in to cry to me, the 8th edition books didn't disappear when we switched the game. Keep playing it if you want to, I'll still sell you the models and paint you need.

GW store is great if you need hobby help, a community to be part of and a place to game. Or if you like helping some poor GW manager keep their job and feed their kids. Haha. But if none of that tickels your fancy the stay the fuck home.
Not as much turn over as a few years ago, much less firings. You still get people that move on to other jobs or whatever but I can count the fired managers from the last couple years on my hands.
Never really had to deal with it that much. Once I saw a kid had some brushes in his pocket while he was still walking around the store. Just told him to take them out of his pocket and that I would hold them at the counter for him until his was ready.
Don't suck. Don't get hung up on your l33t speace marine list or how awesome your paint jobs are. Be personable. Be on board with the company philosophy. Don't suck again. Good luck!
No.
It's easy. I believe in you. Good luck!
Business is good. North American retinal is doing better than it ever has historically. Everything that is new and has good models sells. Terrain probably sells the least.
No, but I'll tell Adam that one of his shitlord customers is browsing Veeky Forums when he should be working on his models. ;)
I'm not in charge of that outside of my store. Come to my shop and show me this thread and I'll hire you. Good luck.
Not my department, but probably no.

Out of the ~110 North American stores we have I'd say we have 7'ish female managers. Plenty of women in the corporate office. In fact one of the two corporate in all of NA is a woman.
Every once in awhile with some items that are particularly poorly priced. (Cough cough, super glue, cough) Mostly I'm cool with it though.

>No, but I'll tell Adam that one of his shitlord customers is browsing Veeky Forums when he should be working on his models. ;)
Rude! I'm gonna tell Adam that I was bullied online by one of -you- people.

Please do. Tell him I bullied the shit out of you. Also tell him it's funny how him and Tyler are totally gay for each other. Can't wait to hear about this at the next meeting...

Perfect. I'm relatively new to the store, so I don't know all the names, but I know there was another employee that was nice and they both chatted a lot while I sat and listened and joined in here and there. Could be Tyler? I'll make sure to mention that to him next time I go.

You sound real chill OP. As chill as my fav GW manager Paul over all the years, but I doubt you're him he wouldn't post on 4chinz.

Would you suggest buying stocks in GW?

its not a sale tho, i know what he is talking about. by working in a GW you get a 50% employee discount.

Many customer use that discount even if they are not employee, its pretty common.

Well shit if you're new to the store probably leave out the gay comment...
I try to be chill. It's easy when everything is going well. Thanks for that.
Well their stated goal is to provide steady, regular, 7-9% growth per year and they have basically done that, even though the recession. With how well the company is doing now I'd say that would continue in the future. So if that's your thing, go for it.

>I'm not in charge of that outside of my store. Come to my shop and show me this thread and I'll hire you. Good luck.

Where you at bro ?

>Well shit if you're new to the store probably leave out the gay comment...
Okay. I won't mention anything more than I was bullied by a fellow employee on the internet.

In regards to non-GW miniatures on their own and as parts mixed into a conversion, what is allowed in store?
Are fancy resin bases allowed?

The point is you have to find me. Jeez, it can't be that easy...

Non-GW models are not allowed. As for converted models every manager is going to have their own rules. Mine is at least 50% GW bits. If the resin base you're using falls within the 50% you're OK in my store. Some of the other stores do more like80% GW, but is varies.

I go to sleep now. I will answer more if this is up in the morning. Later, nerds.

what exactly did they tell you at the meeting for the switch to AoS?

Why is the Games Workshop in Southampton re-branded to just be called "Warhammer" but the one in Portsmouth is still "Games Workshop" ?

Southampton one is still identical inside to how it's been for 15+ years.

How has chinaman affected you?

A GW employee told me they all got a little bonus recently because the sales has been so good. Did you get one as well?

Not OP but they're all being rebranded whenever the signage needs work.

Go ahead and tell Ryan I'm not painting my new models.

Whats the rule about 3Rd party stuff. Would I be shunned for bringing Vallejo paints into the store?

Bump for when he comes back.

That's actually really nice to hear. I never pictured GW as being equal opportunity, but it makes sense.

There used to be a GW store around here, but it up and vanished about five years ago.

The nearest GW store is some 50 miles away. It's weird - this city has nearly a million people it it and is next to other large cities, but Veeky Forums stores tend to go under or have to be in weird spots to be able to afford their rent. The stores that survive do so on 99% MtG

I actually wish a GW store would come in. I buy everything online currently, because the nearest retailer that sells GW products takes a long time to get to with traffic.

They did seem to open quite the amount of stores in the past months. Hell, they even opened some in Asia IIRC.

Yours seem to have gotten sacked when GW was cuttng costs everywhere, maybe they'll come back if you're lucky.

Back again. Let's keep this rolling!
They told us the basics about how the look was going to change, let us look at the starter set did a quick Q+A about what we were going to see with the rollout. Pretty basic buisness stuff.
What said. We are going through a rebranding process for all of our retail stores. It is a slow process but in the next few years every store should be a Warhammer store.
Not in any noticable way. Except I can get my FW models for much cheaper...
Yes the entire company got a profit share over the holidays.
Well fuck Ryan, he sucks anyway.
Every manger is different. In general I'm more chill about it than most. I'm sure there are some managers that wouldn't allow you to use non-GW paints in store. Best to ask ahead.
That's too bad, but yeah, we were closing a lot of stores back in that timeframe (the resession hit hard). Which city are you in? The biggest issues is often rent and finding a location that is both small enough to be affordable and large enough to actually have a store in.
This is correct. We are massively expanding now. The goal is 200 stores in North America in the next couple of years.

>What said. We are going through a rebranding process for all of our retail stores. It is a slow process but in the next few years every store should be a Warhammer store.
Do you oftn have peopl coming into your store askin for videogames/pokemon/MtG or similar? Because thats what happens to my GW ALL THE TIME. I think that is also the reason for the renaming. I doubt it will work, btw

The stores that have the 'Warhammer' name receive a LOT less calls like that. It is a good change.

How do you feel about squats being used in store? Or old style rhinos and things of that ilk?

Could I bring my rogue trader marine army in and play?

As long as you have your rulebooks and all your stuff is GW and fully assembled you're good to go in my store. My favorite trick when I'm fucking around in a friendly game is to put my 3rd Ed. Predator in from of my current edition one. The new Pred is big enough for all its weapons to see around the small one and it still gets a cover save. :^)

>As long as you have your rulebooks
Do you have any way / do you care if the electronic rulesbooks are bought or pirated?

after store manager what are the possible promotions you could get?

What happens if someone shows up with, say, a chinaman supplied superheavy tank? Painted up, with the rules and all that.

Asking for a friend.

How's Blood Bowl doing?

Arndale Paul?

If you come in with an officially purchase epub that's fine. If you have a PDF you downloading from the internet, that's not OK. That being said if you just prefer to use your tablet to play, I'd let someone buy a physical book and just keep it in their bag while they used their PDF. All that in important is that I know you own your own copy of the rules.
To any of the positions in the corporate office, but technically very few jobs would actually be a promotion (that is, moving up the chain of command). Only the corporate officers are "above" the mangers in the chain (there are only two of those in North America). That being said, basically any trainer, recruiter, or consultant has more clout than a store manager.
If I could tell it was China they wouldn't get to use it.
Pretty good!

Following up the Blood Bowl question, is it mostly new players or existing fans buying it?

Is it true that you're not informed about the new kits and/or books until two weeks at most before the release?

And where is my Necromantic Blood Bowl team? I know you have it and you're not releasing it only to spite me


:^)

Necromunda relaunch/boxed game when?

>If you come in with an officially purchase epub that's fine. If you have a PDF you downloading from the internet, that's not OK. That being said if you just prefer to use your tablet to play, I'd let someone buy a physical book and just keep it in their bag while they used their PDF. All that in important is that I know you own your own copy of the rules.
so you check the tablets? and what difference is there between an offical bought epub and a pirated one?
(honestly just curious, I mostly use IA13 of which there sadly is neither an epub nor a 40k-codex sized version, just the big book of terror)

Hmmm... Here I'd say it's about 50/50. Some people picking it up because they liked it back in the day. Some people picking it up because they like board games and they get a demo of a cool "football" board game.

It depends. Recently they have been giving us a little more info, but we aren't going to get anything like a 6-month release schedule.
I would expect we would see started kits for all the Season 1 teams before we get other ones.
Who knows? Next 3'ish years? Kidnap a guy from the design studio and ask him. Then let me know.
I might check. Think of it like a "random screening". More likely if you fit the profile... ;)

If a city has more then one GW store does it have any effect on sales/community?

how are you treated inside?
do they give you company bonuses if your store goes well?
what's the requirement for your store to be kept alive?
what are the budget limitations from the company?


sorry for the questions storm but I am starting to work on a management thesis over this particular sector.

I mean, any time you have multiple stores that sell similar product in the same area you are going to impact each other's sales, especially in a niche market. These days it's not so bad because we haven't clumped our new stores like we did back in the day, so you get more "friendly rivalrys" but back in the day you'd get managers hating each other. Also helps that we are much better with not hiring shitheads these days.