Godbob and his jolly rogers:
i know GW dosen’t listen to any one but why? thay are a buissness that want’s to make money so they need to listen to there fan base 'cos we buy the thing’s so we need to like it if they just made mini that they liked but other’s didn’t they wont make money so there digging there self’s a hole can any one tell me why they don’t listen to us because we are the heart of the buissness thanks 
Baggronor:
How do you mean they don’t listen? About CDs, or just in general?
Theres likely to be a big difference between what we, the seasoned gamers, want, and what makes them the most money. Kids and their parents are what make them the most money, not veteran hobbyists. So, the days when gamer’s concerns were at the fore are over, as far as sales are concerned. The recent, awful models are the most obvious sign of this, although I feel their rules writing gets better and better.
Matthias:
i know GW dosen't listen to any one but why? thay are a buissness that want's to make money so they need to listen to there fan base 'cos we buy the thing's so we need to like it if they just made mini that they liked but other's didn't they wont make money so there digging there self's a hole can any one tell me why they don't listen to us because we are the heart of the buissness thanks :)They absolutely do listen to the fan base, the problem is the fanbase is primarily comprised of nine year olds who play Ultramarines.
Godbob and his jolly rogers
Lord Darkash:
GW set up a store and then actively encourage any independents as long as they sell GW products in the area to the apparent detriment of their own store. Thats what has seemed to happen locally where the GW store staff have resorted to dirty tricks to keep their jobs and customer base alive. I beleive they aim everything at the youngsters and encourage the independents for the sake of the vets, this is why most independents actually sell GW products cheaper than GW stores (10% cheaper round my way)
So their thoughts are with us but they are seen as toy makers by the majority kids and their parents and thats where the money comes from for them so they have to pay attention to what is called their “core gamers” for the profit to flow.
Just my 2 pennies worth.
By the way hello again everyone, been a LONG time since i was last here!
Hashut’s Blessing:
Welcome back Darkash. If people keep saying that they DO listen to the collecters or Warhammer and/or the main collecters are young children, I may just turn sane. They don’t listen, otherwise they may have noticed that increasing prices is reducing sales and effectively reducing total revenue. Also, a 9 year old can’t afford to collect enough models for them GW to think it’s worthwhile and their parents are unlikely to want to keep forking out large sums of money for such a thing that they will likely forget in a short while.
AGPO:
But 9 year olds have mummies and daddies with wallets who a vulnerable to pester power, whereas veterans have student debt, mortgages and pestering stunties of their own. Also a veteran gamer has a large collection which means they do not need to buy asmany core units. Its much more easy to say “and before you can play any games you need to buy this, this and this.”
Hashut’s Blessing:
AGPO, you seem to have ignored my second point about repeat buys. They may get a single box regiment, but the parents are unlikely to buy them more, apart from possibly at a birthday or Christmas and by that time, they are likely to want something else instead…
Lord Darkash:
Welcome back Darkash. If people keep saying that they DO listen to the collecters or Warhammer and/or the main collecters are young children, I may just turn sane. They don't listen, otherwise they may have noticed that increasing prices is reducing sales and effectively reducing total revenue. Also, a 9 year old can't afford to collect enough models for them GW to think it's worthwhile and their parents are unlikely to want to keep forking out large sums of money for such a thing that they will likely forget in a short while.I think as well as toys its being seen by parents to provoke a creative side to their kids with the painting etc. parents like to encourage that kind of thing.
Hashut's Blessing
Hashut’s Blessing:
Well, AGPO, after that first sentence, I whole-heartedly agree. They are ignoring those of us that DO buy consistently for those that are bought the odd thing here or there. The kids aren’t likely to want/get the books and there’s also the fact that there are cheaper alternatives to creation and art. Like plasticine or paint by numbers (the first two examples that come to mind)…
AGPO:
AGPO, you seem to have ignored my second point about repeat buys. They may get a single box regiment, but the parents are unlikely to buy them more, apart from possibly at a birthday or Christmas and by that time, they are likely to want something else instead...Not ignored, but the pattern with kids tends to be that they get into Warhammer for a few months, then move on to the next thing. Its odds on that period contains Christmas or a birsthday when all the relative's cash goes on little plastic soldiers. For those of you who discovered GW in your school days, think back to how many of your peers liked it when you first discovered it compared to those that are stilll painting and gaming. There are far more kids with cash then there are veterans about to start a new army
Hashut's Blessing
wallacer:
On the bright side, when little Timmy gets bored with his new toys he sells them on eBay and then veterans get to pick up stuff cheaper.
Not good from GW’s point of view of course, but oh well.
Khaosbeardling:
I agree, I have three friends that used to play Warhammer with me. One used to be really into Warhammer he and his Dad had two armies of around 4000pts each! Then right around the time White Dwarf glaringly became a glorified catalogue, they both started playing other things like Warmachine, Flames of War, ect. They just don’t have any confidence in GW anymore, prices keep rising, and they (GW) don’t listen to anyone.
The second friend of mine plays Dwarfs, but he just doesn’t have the money to spend on GW products, $45 per box is ridiculous, and maybe now that he has a better job he may buy some again, but since we’re all going to different Colleges this Fall, I don’t know if he would want to go down to our Hobby store just to play. Another thing is he just hates to paint, but that’s a whole other story. . .
The third and final friend was into it at first, he bought the Wood Elves army book, the battalion box, and a couple regiment boxes. He liked it a lot, since he already liked modeling anyway. Soon he just lost interest because of price, and the fact that only a few of us still played.
So the main problems come down to:
1. Price, the price is ridiculous compared to other games right now, not even Warmachine costs as much per box/model.
2. Not catering at all to the Hobbyists/Gamers, just catering to the little kids.
Btw, hi everyone, been gone for a long while now, busy with wrapping up my senior year of High School, but I’m ready to hit the deck running again.
zorn sabretooth:
but you can be young and be a veretran collector i’m 12 and started collecting when i was six and frankly i think games workshop just looks after the quick sale and not the long term buyer for example instead of new miniatures for specialist games which is for exprienced gamers or a new skaven book they are gonna released new space marines because they are popular with young uns but overlooking expierced cd or skaven players space marines didn’t need an update anyway
Hashut’s Blessing:
AGPO, how are we agreeing on every point and sounding like we’re politely debating on opposite sides? 
He he he. zorn, you’re quite correct, as is KB. The price is stupid (KB) and they are aiming at the wrong people (zs). Yes, it’s good to get new customers, but it’s bad business to forsake your steady base. You’re meant to use them to rely on, not to laugh at.
Godbob and his jolly rogers:
i remember when i first started collecting at the age of 6 and all i was intrested in were the new modals oh look that one has a bigger gun i must buy it and GW now know that and think thay can make the childs perents buy it with there huge banks of money but do the young one know how to play do they know the history of WH the answer no 'cos all they like is the fact that little mini fight each other GW said we want every one to have fun playing WH but how can we have fun if all they are thinking about is there ass’es they think a child can make his/her perent buy them stuff 'cos it’s the new one all i can say is i’m a shamed with them :mad
zorn sabretooth:
but this fan base of nine years are constanly leaving because of the price and geeky image
Kera foehunter:
well gw stuff is higher than cypress hill. Its rare that i buy much gw anymore and second if you have a nice army they will change the rules in a year to favor the elves
wallacer:
They figure they can make money off young people with loads of disposal income quicker than they can off oldies.
It’s the same reason the music industry promotes boy/girl bands so much. Same philosophy, just applied to toy soldiers rather than music.
Razzick_Khan:
Now if only I could start bootlegging free models from the internet like I do my music.
Hammerhand:
I’m always surprised at the outpouring of hatred for GW when this sort of thing comes up.
let me throw in a little food for thought:
1. How many other stores will let you sit in the shop, pore over all the books and play with their goods, paint stuff you’ve brought in etc. when you aren’t buying anything?
2. GW makes the same profit per miniature from independant stockists than they do from their stores. the 10-15% price difference that you get from web-based independant stockists is due to the fact they don’t have 200+ world wide stores to maintain, an army of staff to pay (and benefit) training schemes to run, exhibitions to organise, games to develop etc etc. Where stores stock GW stuff (hobbycraft, maynes, waterstones etc…), it’s just another product on the shelves and I find on the most part that they are not any cheaper anyway. Independant stockists have to sell at the cheapest possible price otherwise you’ll just go to a different stockist.
3. Everybody talks of declining sales and this confuses me the most. Having looked at the figures and charts, GWs sales have declined since LotR has passed into memory, which was to be expected. However, sales are still higher than pre-LotR sales and are steadily evening out, projecting future growth. Profits are massively down and this is where the doomsayers are pinning all their proof. GW has just massively invested in new 3d CAD and CADCAM equipment. This is why they are now able to produce the massive plastic kits (e.g. baneblade, bfsp, bfm) that previously was not possible. This stuff costs $$$$$$$ and profit is a simple equation: profit = income - outgoings.
4. White dwarf, whilst degenerating into a glorified catalogue, is still GWs way of letting us know what’s going on in their world. Looking at the circulating figures, and printing costs mentioned in a thread similar to this, GW does not make money from WD and most probably runs it at a loss. Is that a faceless, uncaring mercinary company?
The trouble is, it’s easy to lash out at GW when the miniatures/rules they release aren’t to your liking but just remember, you were that ‘first time’ buyer once, and all of this was aimed at you.