So I went into a Games Workshop (or I guess 'Warhammer' as they're now called) for the first time in years today and it...

So I went into a Games Workshop (or I guess 'Warhammer' as they're now called) for the first time in years today and it was honestly a really shitty experience.

A couple months ago I decided to get back into 40K for the first time since I was about 13 so bought the Dark Imperium starter set. When I went into GW to pick up some paints the guy working there said I should come down for a painting lesson today, so I thought "hey why not. I wasn't good at painting even before taking 8+ years off". However the whole "lesson" just felt like a sales pitch of him trying to sell me shit that I didn't need with bullshit justification. No I don't need to buy 2 different pots of white paint to cover up that tiny spot I missed with the primer. No I wouldn't like to buy Mortarion as the first addition to my starter set when he costs the same as the whole fuckin starter box or a week's rent. I knew this hobby was damn expensive and since I'm poor I gradually bought what I need over the course of 2 months from other hobby stores and to be bombarded with hundreds of £s worth of shit that I apparently 'need' to even get started the first time I go to a GW really got on my tits.

I didn't like buying hobby gear from GW directly from day 1 because their stuff is stupidly overpriced and doesn't even have the quality to back it up, but this has made me not even want to buy models from them. I know it's a meme that GW is awful and the employees are neckbeards but I seriously feel like this kind of shit is going to drive away what few people can get over the £100+ entry point and perceived stigma of getting into 40K and makes it damn hard to just do it as a casual thing in your free time with the few quid you have spare at the end of the month. /rant

nice blog post

Fucking hell. How dare that salesperson try to sell you something?

If only you had the willpower of a regular person or even a toddler you could have resisted. Alas, you were no doubt forced to leave the store with an armful of mortarions, magnuses and guillimans.

But seriously, explain the point of this fucking thread. We all know GW likes to push product, because they're in the business of making money. This is only a surprise to you my friend. And this thread is completely fucking pointless. If you don't like it don't go. Just play on your kitchen table with chinese recasts.

>I am too poor for this hobby and don't understand that the job of a store manager is to sell products

It takes a good sales person to see which customer is receptive to an upsale and which ones never going to return because of your sales pitch.

It's not like you could get GW stuff from anywhere else, and for up to 20% cheaper. Right? Right.

>I'm poor

He saw an adult walk into his store and assumed that you either had some disposable income, or you'd be adult enough to tell him you have a limited toy soldier budget and don't want to spend too much so please stop the hard sell.

why would they name a store after a game they stopped supporting?

> a blog post of a made up story to start a discussion we’ve already had 509 times

Great thread faggot

To maintain the trademark with no effort. They can make the letters larger because their are fewer (14/9, 55% larger letters or even larger with oversize leading letters)

Because 40k was too short for a sign.

The GW employee was staring at me in angry way for discussing fantasy warhammer with my friends in their shop

GW shops are shit. They've been shit for years. They will likely always be shit. This should not be surprising for anyone who has ever stepped foot in one even once.

Didn't know they stopped doing either Warhammer 40000, Warhammer: Age of Sigmar or Warhammer: Underworlds.

I've been in a lot of GW shops and they have always been great. Employees literally jump to help you with whatever you ask and are generally very helpful. Only part that sucks are certain regulars but even those are really easy to deal.
Try to stop being a stuttering beta cuck for a change and it will help immensely.

I've been to a GW store exactly once, back then when i started, before i knew about cheaper alternatives. I had ordered the starter set i wanted online and had it sent to the store (because i like my stuff in english, but german stores don't stock english stuff). I walked in, told the chick behind the counter what my package is, and she handed it to me. Her colleague asked me if i needed anything else. I said no, i'm good. He then asked me if i wanted a free calendar poster thingie. I said yes, took it, wished both of them a good evening, and left. And that was that. Aside from us 3, the store was completely empty.

>It's not like you could get GW stuff from anywhere else, and for up to 20% cheaper. Right? Right.


This actually makes me wonder something about the price. I like in cuckistan and GW sells stuff at a higher price then just about anyone who has it. A squad of guardsman costs 35$ while literally everywhere else sells them for 30$. Then there's a place I know that sells Dark Imperium for 50$ less then GW does, they sell Blood Bowl for 30$ less, and a second place sells Blood Bowl for 40$ less.

And it's not like GW doesn't know, they have these places take part in official events.

But this thread isn't pointless, it's not a quest.

>I decided to get back into 40K
lol dumbass

I almost think gw should have a used mini section so they can compete with this.

GW employees tend to bother people they've not seen before as they can score a big sale. If you end up buying every so often they remember you and how much you spend so tend to not go for the hard sell. Its a pretty ba business practice but its down to very high pressure sales quotas to keep their job and the very stern corporate training/company environment.
After a while you get used to it in the same way you get used to people trying to sell you extra chocolate bars at the petrol station.
Honestly only had two staff encounters in 20 years that made me almost walk out without getting what I wanted or losing my temper with them because they were so pushy about selling me shit I didn't want. I heard they got better since the new CEO

That’s a pic of my local gw on the Royal mile in Edinburgh.

That would be a good idea, one of the stores in my area has most of its GW stuff that moves being the second hand stuff. I know I got quite a few tanks second hand for cheaper then buying them new. Better painted then I could have done too.

If that's in Edinburgh, why is there no bars on the windows?

Because it’s old town Edinburgh. Just fucking stupid tourists walking around there.

They didn't. The game is called 'Warhammer 40k", or "Warhammer Age of Sigmar". There was never a game called "Warhammer" if you're wondering. The one you're referring to was called "Warhammer FANTASY BATTLES"

And correcting myself before someone does, Warhammer 40,000 instead of Warhammer 40k. Still has Warhammer in the name, though

EDINBURGH

>Because 40k was too short for a sign.

No no user. They just don't want to clue in the customer base to the fact that 40K is the cost.

>So I went into a Games Workshop (or I guess 'Warhammer' as they're now called)
I'm out. Why even read further in this troll thread.

You know Veeky Forums is 18+ right?

GW rebranded their stores in Australia (at least; they might have also done so elsewhere). OP has a picture of one in his post.

I hear Edinburgh is a really nice city for some holidays or even to study there. Your thoughts? I might apply for a Masters there.

This.

people kept confusing them for shit like electronics boutique.

not that guy but yeah it's a very nice city

A guy I know doing a Masters there says it's pretty nice, but you don't get to enjoy the city much (he also had to travel a lot for interviews and shit, before he'd gotten a job offer)

The GW sales tactics is the reason I solely visit independent stockists. The shit holes deserve to dry up and die away.

Is that the Edinburgh GW? I visited the place like a year ago. Lovely GW, friendly staff

Nicest British place I ever visited.

I would go into a GW and the manager there barley was a manager. He was such a cool dude. He hooked up his own speaker system so he could put on some music whilst people painted/played. Gave advise and ASKED what your budget was. He also gave his opinion on everything. “The Baal predator is over priced in my opinion”. I say he was barley a manager because he was always on the store floor doing all these good things and painted at the register. It’s a real shame he left. Hope to see you again Craig

Thats kinda what a person working in a wargaming store should be.

>"Can I interest you in X?"
>"No, thanks."
Repeat as necessary.

This times 2

Still gutted that the really nice shop next door that used to sell interesting statues and things got replaced with yet another tartan tat store though.

Moved away from the burg a long time ago and was sad to see that place gone on one of my returns.

I'm lucky my local GW manager isn't a cockbag. Was sitting there painting when some soccer mum walked in some day and asked about getting a starter set for her kid. The manager outright asked how old he was and when she said eight he told her that it was a pretty full on hobby that required a lot of patience and practice.

Dude gave up a sale because he didn't want to be that asshole that would sell this woman $150 of models that she would spend the next few months vacuuming out from behind her child's bed.

And surprise surprise, his store is the most popular in the damn state.

>cuckistan
...England?

That's my local warhammer shop and honestly the guys in there are really nice and helpful once you get to know them a little. Their job is literally to sell warhammer so why get assblasted about it when they try to sell you warhammer? I get solid painting advice and conversion tips from them whenever I ask about things.

Get out while you still can, OP, before you "invest" too much into your grand return to the hobby and won't gracefully leave it again due to stubbornness in attempting to derive enjoyment from your sunk cost.

You clearly need more time and money on your hands to enjoy the hobby and you seem to at least have the sense to identify when you are wasting your time/money and being taken advantage of.

>Hah, yeah, I would buy mortarion if I could, but I do have to eat this month too y'know? *Chuckle* Anything a bit more affordable that would make a good addition?
this is how you normie human interaction

That's because you're telling the truth and this is how they are told to act and advise sales. OP is a larping faggot as that behaviour is now a disciplinary offence.

Oh hey, I'm just starting out...
>BUY MORTARION

boring ass lying cunt

It honestly sounds like this guy was really just terrible at his job. Beginner hobby activities are just about teaching the basics and they're accompanied by basic sales pitches. I'm not sure why Mortarion even came up since he should've been focused on paints and brushes.

What I mean is, painting lessons are supposed to be structured as, "today we're going to talk about a technique called drybrushing." Drybrushing requires two things; a highlight color and a drybrush. Those are your upsells. You don't need to sell more miniatures at a paint lesson, the hobbyist already has those because that's what he's painting.

And that's the entire schtick. "Today we're going to talk about a technique called line highlighting." "Today we're going to talk about a technique called glazing." "Today we're going to talk about a technique called wet blending." You sell a brush and a pot of paint, and that's only assuming the customer doesn't already have what he needs to do the lesson.

And by improving the customer's hobby, you're helping him or her to finish models and create the need to buy more models.

Congratulations, I guess.

Its not an expensive hobby, you just chose an expensive shop

Only been to the place for the Fringe but it was super nice. It almost as expensive as London though (sometimes more so) so watch out for that alot of not technically Edinburgh but basically still Edinburgh is nice too particularly on the north side

Aren't there better ways to make money? Do gamers even have that much money anymore?

So the question becomes: why is isn't there a product to sell to poor people that a store manager could sell to this person?

The chaps right, why would you want to hang out at a shop that only sells one game? Hobby stores are much more enjoyable to shop at.

Is that Winchester?

There is a difference between trying to sell someone something and the super aggressive spiel GW is infamous for as soon as you walk in the door.

I'm not white and this never happens to me when I enter GW shops. Usually they just stare at me like i am some oddity. Since I like to dress like im from the streets when Im out and get rid of my office get up.

>I'm not white
>enter GW shops
>like i am some oddity
You kind of are.

>In order to be wealthy enough to play this game, you must make every purchase that a GW employee tries to push in an incompetent manner
1/10, replied.

Fucking THIS:
>It takes a good sales person to see which customer is receptive to an upsale and which ones never going to return because of your sales pitch.
GW's problem ain't that they're trying to make money, their problem is that they'll shove any desperate and autistic neckbeard into their embroidered polo shirt to make hard sales that should honestly and legitimately left to professionals if that style of business is so centric to their business model.

OP my local GW is like you but I've had much better experiences in other stores, both Edinburgh and Warhammer World in Notts. Might just be the manager. I think they've changed the direction of their sales pitch recently for some of them.

i imagine you get the same treatment anywhere people sell on commission, don't you?

Even the smaller GW in Notts is good, popped in to get some paints the other day and they were quite relaxed, just a pity that you can walk literally 50 meters and catch a tram to Warhammer World.

poor fags stay home

>tourists
>going on tour to edinburgh
Fucking stupid is an understatement.

13+8=21

We gave you a containment board, shut up about quests already

I also started again recently and used the central London store to peruse. First two times I had a whole bunch of shit pushed at me by the staff. Today I went in and told the guy exactly what I wanted and he didn't try and shill me anything.

You just gotta be a man op and not get pressured by fucking neckbeards of all people.

>t. Shilling
Fuck off.

That is a reason I play at a FLGS rather than a GW store , but your mileage may vary. I like mine because it is clean, the owner is a bro, and he lets us order GW stuff from him at a 20% discount. Look around, you may be surprised.

IIT: so many shills and muppets that feel the need to white knight for one of the most infamously greedy companies in the hobby. Bonus points for getting defensive and angry at op for basically pointing out what fucking mugs they were for uncritically buying into the same shit OP is mocking.

imagine being this much of a salty bitch about the consequences of participating in a voluntary activity at an enclosed location that you can easily choose not to enter

a voluntary activity that can be pursued without those consequences in a billion places both on and offline

consequences that you will face at any similar place, including car dealerships, furniture stores, appliance and electronics, etc. etc. etc.

imagine being fucking retarded

It's really not that expensive. £100+ to get into a hobby is standard. Cars, airsoft, drones, even Sylvanian Families are all equally if not more expensive. Halving the model number and retaining the same if price of a box is bullshit however.

Just play Orks than you can build your models out of random junk and pieces of scap metal and it will be both canon and playable

This one was mad from a mr potato head

are £ still 1.5 to $ ? because 200$ to start to play is a lot, comparing to other table top games.

>go to GW
>get told I should buy the Icewind Assault box and a bunch of paints for my Ogre army
>say I'd rather not, begin discussing lore, future plans for GW and painting tips
You're just autistic, lads.

>I'm mad the shop tried to sell me things

>somebody comes in with 0 experience or prior modeling knowledge
>clerk tries to push huge centerpiece model that cost as much as an entire army on the guy
>this makes sense

Right...Obviously the shop tried to sell something. Obviously the guy was there to buy something.
But there is a time and place for everything and a fucking Primarch is not a model for a beginner.

Whatever else you may think the guys trying to sell product wasn't very clever about it.

>a fucking Primarch is not a model for a beginner
I know two people who bought their respective factions' big guys within 6 months of playing AoS. Don't forget that this is about the models as much as it is about the game for a lot of people.

>within 6 months
>So I went into a Games Workshop for the first time in yeard

The salesman was completely tonedeaf. And you are kind of missing the point too.
If you jump in with both feet and have been building an army for 6 month, yeah sure, buy that centerpiece. If you are walking into a store the first time that is just idiotic.
The guy just should have tried to sell some troops and paint or maybe a rulebook.

Sometimes it's just the store. I went to a couple back during the shit CEO days and you had two stores.
Those who had people who loved the hobby and didn't care which GW game you played and were reasonably stocked with both FB and 40k.
And those likely on a one year lease for space that only wanted to push 40k, had some token FB stuff, and were pushy as fuck.
First one almost brought me back to FB, second made me want to travel to pip pip cheerio and burn their offices to the ground with everyone inside.

heavy handed sales is annoying and reeks of desperation.

>not a model for a beginner
Why not? Why is a primarch any more special than the contents of a start collecting box? Is it made from sacred plastic harvested by the monks of sone esoteric old world religion deep in the jungles of cambodia?
It's all plastic shit.

...

My city has never had a hobby shop. But recently some guy opened his up and it is pretty popular. now GW recently opened up a hobby shop soon after that guy opened his up.

Found it pretty suspicious.

>guy opens hobby shop, is popular, probably sells a lot of GW stuff
>"Hey we should open a store in this area where our thing is popular"
Sounds quite reasonable, actually.

50+ years without a hobby shop/comic book store etc

Now they opened up in an area pretty close.

I don't know.

I just buy my shit from a FLGS, and play mostly at a FLGS.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck buying and playing at a GW. I wanna have fun getting into a hobby, not buyan shit.

The guy who opened the hobby shop showed it could be successful.

its kinda of a dick move though since that guy will lose business.

Personally I have been to a legit GW store only twice in my life and, for a person that was interested in the hobby and didn't have any serious warhammer place near it's home town, it was a cool experience

Sorry to hear that, OP. I've got a great manager- He asks what the customer already knows if he doesn't recognize them, makes it clear that the hobby involves building and painting, and always tries to recommend the mid-level starter set rather than a big one to newer people, or a Start Collecting if they don't like either faction. Gives out general hobby tips rather than pushing Citadel stuff exclusively, and he loves sitting and working with people to decide on their paint schemes and the like. Hell, he pushed me away from Mortarion because I was new and he outright said I wouldn't be happy with how I did him at my current skill level. (I'm pretty new.)

You're the best, Tony.

Competition is better for the consumer. There is nothing even slightly shifty or morally reprehensible about GW opening a shop and breaking his monopoly.

>Go into store
>First time in store, manager tries to help me
>These seem cool
>Pick up box of Thousand Sons
>"If you want to start them, you need rubric, scarab terminators, 2 boxes of Tzangaars, the sorcerers, and Magnus to get started pal, oh don't forget over 50 pots of paint and 4 different types of brushes. Here buy the Index too, the codex is out later this month so you can pick that up too!"


FUCKING GAMES WORKSHOP

do you actually need all those exotic paints??

holy fuck this made me laugh

This is true if (and only if) the market is big enough to pay the base operating costs of multiple stores. That means enough sales that the profits, after restocking, are enough to pay the wages of the minimum number of employee (usually just one) and the rent and utilities for the shop itself and any other necessary fees. For a niche hobby shop, that's definitely not a given.

If a GW moving in is enough to drive the guy out of business, how is it morally wrong for GW to move in?