My faith is already weak in the Emperor, faith in GW seems weaker. Guess by now, everyone might have heard of the new trade policy announcement by GW recently last week or so. Seems like GW now is trying to restrict and control the sales in the US and Canada region. Although it does not really affect me, or rather it had already affected me during the GW embargo in the EU region few years back. Since then I lost my faith in the Emperor, and slowly with GW. On the good side, it brought me to the other world of other amazing miniatures since then.
The US trade new ruling, though does not affect me like I mentioned earlier, but as a wargamer and painter, I felt that it’s another very sad news for fans in those affected area. I can’t seem to understand what is the take of the business strategy they are trying to adopt. As a company, I am sure every company would want a strong brand dominion in their own market. So, even if there are many online stores selling your products, you are still earning sales and spreading your products, right?
One of the issues, I understand there is the currencies differences which caused some pricing difference in stores in certain countries. By limiting and control your sales region does not really seem like a good solution, right? I am sure there are better solutions to solving that not just by simply embargoing sales in regions. There are products and brand of a global scale maintaining the same pricing globally in different currencies that are doing so well.
With this ruling and its side effects, I am sad to see another online store, Mini Wargaming Store, packing up. You can check out the video where Matthew discussed about the new ruling and the store closure reasons.
Then now they are picking on the small retailers selling bitz and parts. I am guessing that maybe GW decided they want a share on the bitz market and to hold dominion as well, so they decided to wipe out the small retailers with the new ruling.
At the end of the day, I thought company selling products should be pleasing their customers, listen to the customers, sell what the customers desires, right? And not forget, without customers the company would never cease to exist….
Come on, GW, what are you doing?…