I find it hilarious that you expect all the physical game stores to be able to sell at the same margins and at the required same volume as the big online dealers.

It's almost like new technologies and changing cultures results in some businesses becoming unable to compete.

Should all Netflix subscribers also pay a surcharge to keep video rental stores open?

Demanding stores operate at a lower gross margin and with a higher sales volume is very much different than a shifting of the product landscape.

No one is demanding anything of anyone. The advent of the internet has moved the FLGS from a necessity for a healthy gaming scene, to a luxury. I can liaise with my fellow gamers, meet with them and play games, buy my gaming products and generally enjoy my hobby without ever setting foot in a games store. The landscape has changed and if the old FLGS model can't compete then it will just die out.

And that's fine. I mean sure, it sucks if you happen to be the store owner, but the gaming community will be just fine.

I find it hilarious that you expect all the physical game stores to be able to sell at the same margins and at the required same volume as the big online dealers.

It's almost like new technologies and changing cultures results in some businesses becoming unable to compete.

Should all Netflix subscribers also pay a surcharge to keep video rental stores open?

I completely agree with this, why are people so precious about brick and mortar stores? If they can provide a service people want they will survive, if they can't then they won't. Pretty simple.

And that service doesn't necessarily have to be the same prices as the online dealers. Which is what someone was advocating. I have been working on an Accounting degree, so I have had to look a lot at financial statements. You learn an appreciation of just where the markups go.

I still don't know if i understand this correctly. Seems unreal to me

1. They will just not sell any products online anymore?

2. Exceptions?

3. Will they run their proper online store like GW to have exclusive rights?

4. What about the European market? I hope they will still have some online retailer here too, even if we have to buy directly from whomever has the license...

I mean i have a local GS and i buy X-Wing products there, but not exclusively. I also buy online, and i really like to have X-Wing stuff delivered at my doorstep from time to time. Hell it is just a modern commodity.

And what about people that don't frequent LGS? I mean absolutely nothing against supporting Brick stores, but there are really a lot of white spots on the map where you couldn't find any LGS even if you wanted.

If this really comes, they will lose A LOT of customers, just like GW did. Again i have absolutely nothing against Game Stores because we have a semi-decent one around, but to make them pretty much the only option for people that love to play your game, good customers, then this is an utterly wrong decision.

I can also fully understand the people that just don't care for brick stores. They just want to shop your product online to make it a cristmas present or they just play at home. And especially for X-Wing, there is quite a big casual community (and also a part of the competitive scene) that just don't frequent Game stores because they play at home or gaming clubs, and wee perfectly happy with that! And now you want to force this group of people into stores that are sometimes good, but sometimes also, excuse my words, stinking holes that are badly managed and where sometimes really dubious guys hang out on top of that? Well good luck with that, FFG!

When GW did it, everybody just shook their head and said: Well its GW, they are just nuts anyway. But FFG/Asmodee? I really thought better of them. It's like a step back from the online age. It somewhat cuts the freedom of their customers and for very dubious reasons, i might add! This can not go well!

I still don't know if i understand this correctly.

1. They will just not sell any products online anymore?

2. Exceptions?

3. Will they run their proper online store like GW to have exclusive rights?

4. What about the European market? I hope they will still have an online retailer here too.

I mean i have a local GS and i buy X-Wing products there, but not exclusively. I also buy online, and i really like to have X-Wing stuff delivered at my doorstep from time to time.

And what about people that don't frequent LGS? I mean absolutely nothing against supporting Brick stores, but there are really a lot of white spots on the map where you couldn't find any LGS even if you wanted.

If this really comes, they will lose A LOT of customers, just like GW did. Again i have absolutely nothing against Game Stores, but to make them pretty much the only option for people that love to play your game, good customers, then this is an utterly wrong decision.

When GW did it, everybody just shook their head and said: Well its GW, they are just nuts anyway. But FFG/Asmodee? I really thought better of them.

1. That's nonsense hyperbole by chicken-little types. All they have said is they're changing their terms to both online and retail stores to enable the retail store to compete better with online stores

2. They've mentioned there could be exceptions

3. I don't think that's been mentioned

4. So far this is Asmodee North America only

I still don't know if i understand this correctly.

1. They will just not sell any products online anymore?

2. Exceptions?

3. Will they run their proper online store like GW to have exclusive rights?

4. What about the European market? I hope they will still have an online retailer here too.

I mean i have a local GS and i buy X-Wing products there, but not exclusively. I also buy online, and i really like to have X-Wing stuff delivered at my doorstep from time to time.

And what about people that don't frequent LGS? I mean absolutely nothing against supporting Brick stores, but there are really a lot of white spots on the map where you couldn't find any LGS even if you wanted.

If this really comes, they will lose A LOT of customers, just like GW did. Again i have absolutely nothing against Game Stores, but to make them pretty much the only option for people that love to play your game, good customers, then this is an utterly wrong decision.

When GW did it, everybody just shook their head and said: Well its GW, they are just nuts anyway. But FFG/Asmodee? I really thought better of them.

1. That's nonsense hyperbole by chicken-little types. All they have said is they're changing their terms to both online and retail stores to enable the retail store to compete better with online stores

2. They've mentioned there could be exceptions

3. I don't think that's been mentioned

4. So far this is Asmodee North America only

It's actually point 3 that bothers me most. I really tried hard to understand their business slang there, but seems i didn't succeed.

Also the first points are questions, and i celarly say that before. So saying it's nonsense seems a little harsh. I don't want to hyperbole anything here.

How I understood it was that they were on the way to just cut online sales except for one exclusive retailer, kinda like GW did. And all i say afterwards just builds on that premise. If i got it wrong, excuse me i am proficient in english, but it is not my native language, and their business talk really got the best of me it seems!

"All this has happened before, and all this will happen again."

I'm all for supporting stores that take the time to promote, demo and host events for the game. Retail space can be pricey in high traffic areas. But when FFG itself is the one that halts distribution to an entire region of the world, players are drawn to grey-market imports shops who don't even provide a space with to play or go online.

I still don't know if i understand this correctly.

1. They will just not sell any products online anymore?

2. Exceptions?

3. Will they run their proper online store like GW to have exclusive rights?

4. What about the European market? I hope they will still have an online retailer here too.

I mean i have a local GS and i buy X-Wing products there, but not exclusively. I also buy online, and i really like to have X-Wing stuff delivered at my doorstep from time to time.

And what about people that don't frequent LGS? I mean absolutely nothing against supporting Brick stores, but there are really a lot of white spots on the map where you couldn't find any LGS even if you wanted.

If this really comes, they will lose A LOT of customers, just like GW did. Again i have absolutely nothing against Game Stores, but to make them pretty much the only option for people that love to play your game, good customers, then this is an utterly wrong decision.

When GW did it, everybody just shook their head and said: Well its GW, they are just nuts anyway. But FFG/Asmodee? I really thought better of them.

1. That's nonsense hyperbole by chicken-little types. All they have said is they're changing their terms to both online and retail stores to enable the retail store to compete better with online stores

2. They've mentioned there could be exceptions

3. I don't think that's been mentioned

4. So far this is Asmodee North America only

It's actually point 3 that bothers me most. I really tried hard to understand their business slang there, but seems i didn't succeed.

Also the first points are questions, and i celarly say that before. So saying it's nonsense seems a little harsh. I don't want to hyperbole anything here.

How I understood it was that they were on the way to just cut online sales except for one exclusive retailer, kinda like GW did. And all i say afterwards just builds on that premise. If i got it wrong, excuse me i am proficient in english, but it is not my native language, and their business talk really got the best of me it seems!

You're fine. The second you do anything on these boards besides praise any and all FFG decisions, you are a chicken little creating another sky is falling thread. The way I'm reading this press release, FFG/ANA is not looking to get out of the online sales business, nor are they necessarily looking to get into the business of online sales themselves. What ANA wants is a bigger cut on online sales which is undoubtedly a higher volume of units.They are doing this under the guise of "Helping the poor downtrodden FLGS".

I may be interpreting this wrong, but what it looks like is they are firming up distribution by going to a much more manageable (controllable) 5 distributors. So if you own a FLGS you will purchase from one of these distributors. Let's say for the sake of argument, we are talking about the $14.95 MSRP T70 expansion pack. An FLGS will get this from the distributor for $10, with the express agreement that the FLGS will not sell it online.

If you are an online seller, you need to reach out to FFG. They are going sell you that T70 XP for $11.00. See? SEE?! These warm caring gentlemen are putting the FLGS on a level playing field, and look, there they go to help an old lady cross the street!

But that's not really the point. Because of volume that online retailer is going to be able to sell that expansion for $12.00 because their costs are much lower. Our resident accountant in training, Sithborg, will confirm for you that the FLGS will still need to sell at closer to the MSRP. The point isn't to direct customers to the FLGS, the point is to pick up an extra dollar on all those tasty delicious online sales.

I, for the record, don't have a problem with FFG/ANA doing this. If they think a higher price point is sustainable more power to them. My only problem with this is when a for profit company pretends they have altruistic motivations for what amounts to a price hike.

I don't think that the whole story will affect FFG at all. The stuff sells out so fast, if some customers take a step back because of the "new" online pricing that might give other customers the chance to actually lay their eyes on the stuff before it's sold out. FFG is currently unable or unwilling to meet the demand, if prices go up and stuff sells slower, then we might actually have a time coming where the new releases are in the shops longer than just 2 days. I did not get all the raiders that I ordered (running a online business myself), much more demand than supply from the distributor. Wave 7 was sold out within a week.

As mentioned before by others, FFG/Asmodee is not really making any extra money by that move. If they limit the ridiculous discounts that some online store offer they will not earn extra money ! While it's bad (for the customers) that a company takes influence like that I don't see an extra income on the company's side - and the evil empire stigma is close at hand already, so it's a risky move.

The kids that purchase school lunches with vouchers should be bullied because they aren't supporting their local cafeterias by paying full price.

This is the message I'm getting, but my mind is slippery like an eel.

I can see the issues that the local gaming stores have, trying to compete with MM and CSI.

...

It's simply not a sustainable model.

You're right.

Many or most local stores provide zero value for the physical product. Buying product from a local store takes longer, is less convenient, and is more expensive. Local stores don't offer any value whatsoever in the product that they sell.

What they do offer is a convenient place to play. I think the future of the local gaming store is going to need to shift to a subscription based model. You pay to go to the gym, why not pay to use table space at your local game store? Unfortunately most game stores are run by gamers that are NOT business smart.

The reality is that the world is changing. You have to innovate or die. The stronger FFG tries to hold onto the old entrenched models, the worse of they will be for it in the long run. Rather than helping to lead the industry in innovating, FFG uses monopolistic practices to try and keep us in the dark ages. Good luck with that.

This is exactly my point of view about the subject of "We must support local shops".

I honestly don't see this having much impact on the game. Storm in a tea cup.

I pay for my table time. £3 for the whole night, that works out to about a £1 a game most nights. I like doing this. It makes me feel like I helping my local store.

I don't buy everything from them but if the impulse takes me I will so paying to use their space make me feel a little better.

They charge normal price (about £12 for a standard ship) and seem to do OK by that.

You guys are winning me over, going over to play magic cards at a friend's house is damaging to the local economy.

I'm basically a terrorist.

*great, now I'm on the govt watch list.

I find it hilarious that you expect all the physical game stores to be able to sell at the same margins and at the required same volume as the big online dealers.

It's almost like new technologies and changing cultures results in some businesses becoming unable to compete.

Should all Netflix subscribers also pay a surcharge to keep video rental stores open?

THAT is the biggie. Nobody feels like they need to pay for stupid cable either now. These older styled companies need to get on the future or go away. Most LGS I have been in or worked with are decent, but almost all of them had that weirdos element to them. Even the one I assistant manged had theses people try to get in and ruin stuff.

Many people who purchase FFG space ships could not care less about going to a game store. They are in for STAR WARS Miniatures.

Chris wants everyone to be like Team Covenant... and dat ain't F'n real-is-ttic Brah!

The 80's are over... been overs. It is not a good idea to try and turn FFG STAR WARS into a specialist boutique product.

Da-Hecks wrong wit'cha?!

I still don't know if i understand this correctly.

1. They will just not sell any products online anymore?

2. Exceptions?

3. Will they run their proper online store like GW to have exclusive rights?

4. What about the European market? I hope they will still have an online retailer here too.

I mean i have a local GS and i buy X-Wing products there, but not exclusively. I also buy online, and i really like to have X-Wing stuff delivered at my doorstep from time to time.

And what about people that don't frequent LGS? I mean absolutely nothing against supporting Brick stores, but there are really a lot of white spots on the map where you couldn't find any LGS even if you wanted.

If this really comes, they will lose A LOT of customers, just like GW did. Again i have absolutely nothing against Game Stores, but to make them pretty much the only option for people that love to play your game, good customers, then this is an utterly wrong decision.

When GW did it, everybody just shook their head and said: Well its GW, they are just nuts anyway. But FFG/Asmodee? I really thought better of them.

1. That's nonsense hyperbole by chicken-little types. All they have said is they're changing their terms to both online and retail stores to enable the retail store to compete better with online stores

2. They've mentioned there could be exceptions

3. I don't think that's been mentioned

4. So far this is Asmodee North America only

It's actually point 3 that bothers me most. I really tried hard to understand their business slang there, but seems i didn't succeed.

Also the first points are questions, and i celarly say that before. So saying it's nonsense seems a little harsh. I don't want to hyperbole anything here.

How I understood it was that they were on the way to just cut online sales except for one exclusive retailer, kinda like GW did. And all i say afterwards just builds on that premise. If i got it wrong, excuse me i am proficient in english, but it is not my native language, and their business talk really got the best of me it seems!

You're fine. The second you do anything on these boards besides praise any and all FFG decisions, you are a chicken little creating another sky is falling thread. The way I'm reading this press release, FFG/ANA is not looking to get out of the online sales business, nor are they necessarily looking to get into the business of online sales themselves. What ANA wants is a bigger cut on online sales which is undoubtedly a higher volume of units.They are doing this under the guise of "Helping the poor downtrodden FLGS".

I may be interpreting this wrong, but what it looks like is they are firming up distribution by going to a much more manageable (controllable) 5 distributors. So if you own a FLGS you will purchase from one of these distributors. Let's say for the sake of argument, we are talking about the $14.95 MSRP T70 expansion pack. An FLGS will get this from the distributor for $10, with the express agreement that the FLGS will not sell it online.

If you are an online seller, you need to reach out to FFG. They are going sell you that T70 XP for $11.00. See? SEE?! These warm caring gentlemen are putting the FLGS on a level playing field, and look, there they go to help an old lady cross the street!

But that's not really the point. Because of volume that online retailer is going to be able to sell that expansion for $12.00 because their costs are much lower. Our resident accountant in training, Sithborg, will confirm for you that the FLGS will still need to sell at closer to the MSRP. The point isn't to direct customers to the FLGS, the point is to pick up an extra dollar on all those tasty delicious online sales.

I, for the record, don't have a problem with FFG/ANA doing this. If they think a higher price point is sustainable more power to them. My only problem with this is when a for profit company pretends they have altruistic motivations for what amounts to a price hike.

The only problem i see around my area (western continental Europe) is that i can get a normal fighter sized ship for 13,90€ in most stores. That is a german or french copy however. If i want an english one (and i do since nearly all my collection is in english) i have to pay 15,90! Now that really bothers me since in the beginning you could hardly get any french or german copies, and now they are much cheaper all of a sudden.

So that's why i buy online in a UK shop, for not much less than my 13,90 (and that's when they are at a discount) to get my english versions.

I don't understand why everyone's so upset about this. I might not be speaking for you here, but what makes this game interesting to me is the community of players I get to see on game night and the vast difference of ideas each brings into every game, rather than the $45 of shaped plastic that I'm pushing around the table. I don't know about you, but my basement can't fit 20 people, and I think it unrealistic to try and co-ordinate that kind of get together outside of an LGS. And that's not even bringing the tournament scene into the mix. Do you think a gaming cafe will have the space, manpower, or will to run an event like an X-Wing tourney?

I guess what I'm trying to say is everyone posting on here seems so anti-LGS, and I don't understand why. Sure, you pay more for your ship. But its not just the ship you're buying. You're buying into a community of infinitely different people who's interests happen to align in this one specific hobby, and that's amazing. I've met people who work on jet liners, law enforcement, other types of retail, fast food. Old people, young people, parents looking to pass on the wonder they experienced when they first saw Star Wars to their children. You just don't get that if its just you and a buddy or two playing at home (not to devalue your experience there), and it really is a shame if your LGS isn't up to par or is nonexistent. I really feel like you're missing out, so don't be so quick to dismiss the value that comes with paying the extra few dollars at the LGS.

I find it hilarious that you expect all the physical game stores to be able to sell at the same margins and at the required same volume as the big online dealers.

It's almost like new technologies and changing cultures results in some businesses becoming unable to compete.

Should all Netflix subscribers also pay a surcharge to keep video rental stores open?

THAT is the biggie. Nobody feels like they need to pay for stupid cable either now. These older styled companies need to get on the future or go away. Most LGS I have been in or worked with are decent, but almost all of them had that weirdos element to them. Even the one I assistant manged had theses people try to get in and ruin stuff.

Many people who purchase FFG space ships could not care less about going to a game store. They are in for STAR WARS Miniatures.

Chris wants everyone to be like Team Covenant... and dat ain't F'n real-is-ttic Brah!

The 80's are over... been overs. It is not a good idea to try and turn FFG STAR WARS into a specialist boutique product.

Da-Hecks wrong wit'cha?!

There is another group of player that pretty much exclusively plays this game in a game store. Whether we are talking game nights or tournaments, most of this players X-winging will be done at a shop. And they get that in order for shops to run events and allow players to have weekly X-wing nights that the shops have to be making money to validate offering the added service, so they purchase thier product with the store even if it means slightly higher prices.

But then there is a third group of gamer. They want to play in a game shop, and expect stores to hold events and run tournaments. But they buy everything online because it's cheaper and balk at the idea of paying event fees unless that fee goes right back into event prizing. They expect stores to support the game, but do nothing to support the store. A store charges a fee for an event that would actually make the event profitable for the store and they are immediately online complaining about the fee, oh but they still expect the store to keep running events. They want the service provided by a game shop, but they refuse to pay for that service.

I have no idea what this merger will really entail, and I'm sure it will take a few months for us to see whether it really is about helping game shops or just charging more for product. Still I absolutely agree there is an untenable situation going on in which a not insignificant portion of players want stores to support this game and run events, but refuse in anyway to allows stores to profit from doing so. I see it locally in the prices stores are expected to charge for tournament entry, prices that don't make the store any money for thier trouble.

I don't pay for cable anymore, because I don't watch anything on cable. I don't somehow expect to watch things on cable, and not also pay for it.

I don't understand why everyone's so upset about this. I might not be speaking for you here, but what makes this game interesting to me is the community of players I get to see on game night and the vast difference of ideas each brings into every game, rather than the $45 of shaped plastic that I'm pushing around the table. I don't know about you, but my basement can't fit 20 people, and I think it unrealistic to try and co-ordinate that kind of get together outside of an LGS. And that's not even bringing the tournament scene into the mix. Do you think a gaming cafe will have the space, manpower, or will to run an event like an X-Wing tourney?

I guess what I'm trying to say is everyone posting on here seems so anti-LGS, and I don't understand why. Sure, you pay more for your ship. But its not just the ship you're buying. You're buying into a community of infinitely different people who's interests happen to align in this one specific hobby, and that's amazing. I've met people who work on jet liners, law enforcement, other types of retail, fast food. Old people, young people, parents looking to pass on the wonder they experienced when they first saw Star Wars to their children. You just don't get that if its just you and a buddy or two playing at home (not to devalue your experience there), and it really is a shame if your LGS isn't up to par or is nonexistent. I really feel like you're missing out, so don't be so quick to dismiss the value that comes with paying the extra few dollars at the LGS.

If it was just a move to cut out distributors to put more money in ANA's pocket, fine, that's just market efficiency. But to raise the wholesale price under the auspice of supporting the community is just greedy. Yes they have a product that is in demand and can by all rights ask for more money for it. The next step will be to to increase msrp. Will you protest then?

I read comments on here all the time about "I don't have so and so ship, because I'm on a tight budget." You don't broaden the community by increasing prices or try to drive them to the stores. You do it by putting more ships in people's hands.

I'm glad you've had a great experience at your LGS and have gotten to meet interesting people, but that's not for everyone. I also don't frequent my local sports team venues. Maybe if I went there more often and paid $9 for Bud Light on top of the $60 ticket for the privilege of sitting so high I can almost touch the roof they could afford a better offensive line. But I don't. I don't find the experience valuable.

Some buddies and I got into hobby game some 15 years ago and we didn't care for the LGS experience. So we made our own group. We recruited our friends who recruited other friends. Now we regularly have game nights where 15-20 people show up and play. But I must be a parasite because I buy mostly online yet have introduced hobby gaming to probably close to 100 people unfamiliar with the industry some of whom now have extensive collections of their own. All without the magic of the LGS.

I don't have a problem with people paying 30%-50% more to support their LGS. Good on them. It's their money. But for those that say, "this doesn't impact me so I don't care" show a lack of empathy at best and a severe gullibility to accept whatever FFG says at worst.

I can see the issues that the local gaming stores have, trying to compete with MM and CSI.

...

It's simply not a sustainable model.

You're right.

Many or most local stores provide zero value for the physical product. Buying product from a local store takes longer, is less convenient, and is more expensive. Local stores don't offer any value whatsoever in the product that they sell.

What they do offer is a convenient place to play. I think the future of the local gaming store is going to need to shift to a subscription based model. You pay to go to the gym, why not pay to use table space at your local game store? Unfortunately most game stores are run by gamers that are NOT business smart.

The reality is that the world is changing. You have to innovate or die. The stronger FFG tries to hold onto the old entrenched models, the worse of they will be for it in the long run. Rather than helping to lead the industry in innovating, FFG uses monopolistic practices to try and keep us in the dark ages. Good luck with that.

My store actually does something similar to that. If you want to play a game of X-Wing, Armada, Attack Wing, basically anything that uses a significant amount of table space, you pay 50p and that covers you for the whole day. May not sound like much but we have a big X-Wing community here and they probably earn a little.

As for the announcement, I am conflicted. It doesn't effect me as far as I know since I buy from said LFGS and not from online. However I can see the issue for those who either don't have an LFGS or don't care for their LFGS. I am of the opinion that we won't know exactly how this will effect us until it starts. I have no problem with paying the same price in either online or at local stores so long as everyone can get access to the stuff.

I have no empathy for people who say "I can't afford the ships at the normal price! I need those discounts." this is a hobby for a reason and if you can't afford it you need to readjust your budgeting, maybe you'll be able to buy less over a period of time, but to be fair the discounts I've seen are negligible at best, about £2 or £3. The only massive discounts I have seen have been on special occasions like black Friday. This is just my opinion however and I cannot put myself in your shoes.

Like.. what the hell did y'all do before 30% discounts for no reason were a thing? Pay full price or just cry a lot?

Why do you deserve Imp Aces for $10?

It's like fast fashion all over again. Next it'll be kids in Bangladesh getting fingers cut off in the x-wing stamp so we can have disposable $5 minis.

Give your heads a shake.

Oh, the neverending shame of the internet today. Everyone wants to jump in and press the easy-mode entitlement button any time someone they disagree with complains on the internet. Learn to compose some independent thoughts and put together an actual case in favor of your argument.

I don't deserve Imperial Aces for bargain prices. Never said I did. But if the market has successfully supported providing us ships with discount pricing, why should the price of the end product suddenly go up when the cost to manufacture and distribute (presumably) remains unchanged?

I think also, that what you might call "bargain prices" in your other post, I call "the real price". If FFG sells to Coolstuff and makes a profit, and Coolstuff sells it to me for profit - then that is the price the market can successfully support - the real price as far as I am concerned. There is a model that provides the ships to me, at lower prices, with companies making a profit. MSRP and whatever model Asmodee is fixing up is just creating a fictitious value. And if you can't compete in with that logistics/scale - sorry, you can't compete and you'd better find something people are willing to pay for.

As for the Chinese children assembling these toys, well Asmodee hasn't said they would do anything for them with all this extra money, have they? But if they did plan to increase wages or improve working conditions, well that would represent an actual increase in the cost to manufacture and distribute the product, and you wouldn't hear me complaining. The real actual cost of the product would have changed. They didn't just decide a $5 product should cost $8, it actually costs $8. They are entitled to just raise prices if they wish, of course, just as I am entitled to not like it if I wish.

I don't understand how people do not feel insulted when a company takes the exact same product, artificially makes it cost more to the consumer, and then tells them "Look at this great thing we did!".

Well actually I have composed my thoughts on this matter in this thread and several others like it. I'm sorry you chose my flippant remarks of exacerbation to respond to, though I still question the validity of your argument.

So Asmodee says, no more discounts, and you say, well as long as production costs don't go up. So where does the extra cash go? Where do you think let's not be barbie dolls here. You know, clothing designers argued that their business model of selling high volumes at low prices seemed very good on paper. Even better when all those t-shirts could just sit in a warehouse until you bought them with your mouse clicker! Why pay another poor brown person to drive a truck around when you can just sell them online? Oh, and look at all the jobs we created for those poor hapless minorities too hey? I'm sure being a pesticide sprayer in a third world country is a great job. Maybe even good enough that you could afford an X-Wing for 30% off. Fast Fashion proved that the market can sustain a $5 disposable T-Shirt. How well did that turn out?

Like.. what the hell did y'all do before 30% discounts for no reason were a thing? Pay full price or just cry a lot?

Why do you deserve Imp Aces for $10?

It's like fast fashion all over again. Next it'll be kids in Bangladesh getting fingers cut off in the x-wing stamp so we can have disposable $5 minis.

Give your heads a shake.

Oh, the neverending shame of the internet today. Everyone wants to jump in and press the easy-mode entitlement button any time someone they disagree with complains on the internet. Learn to compose some independent thoughts and put together an actual case in favor of your argument.

I don't deserve Imperial Aces for bargain prices. Never said I did. But if the market has successfully supported providing us ships with discount pricing, why should the price of the end product suddenly go up when the cost to manufacture and distribute (presumably) remains unchanged?

I think also, that what you might call "bargain prices" in your other post, I call "the real price". If FFG sells to Coolstuff and makes a profit, and Coolstuff sells it to me for profit - then that is the price the market can successfully support - the real price as far as I am concerned. There is a model that provides the ships to me, at lower prices, with companies making a profit. MSRP and whatever model Asmodee is fixing up is just creating a fictitious value. And if you can't compete in with that logistics/scale - sorry, you can't compete and you'd better find something people are willing to pay for.

As for the Chinese children assembling these toys, well Asmodee hasn't said they would do anything for them with all this extra money, have they? But if they did plan to increase wages or improve working conditions, well that would represent an actual increase in the cost to manufacture and distribute the product, and you wouldn't hear me complaining. The real actual cost of the product would have changed. They didn't just decide a $5 product should cost $8, it actually costs $8. They are entitled to just raise prices if they wish, of course, just as I am entitled to not like it if I wish.

I don't understand how people do not feel insulted when a company takes the exact same product, artificially makes it cost more to the consumer, and then tells them "Look at this great thing we did!".

Well actually I have composed my thoughts on this matter in this thread and several others like it. I'm sorry you chose my flippant remarks of exacerbation to respond to, though I still question the validity of your argument.

So Asmodee says, no more discounts, and you say, well as long as production costs don't go up. So where does the extra cash go? Where do you think let's not be barbie dolls here. You know, clothing designers argued that their business model of selling high volumes at low prices seemed very good on paper. Even better when all those t-shirts could just sit in a warehouse until you bought them with your mouse clicker! Why pay another poor brown person to drive a truck around when you can just sell them online? Oh, and look at all the jobs we created for those poor hapless minorities too hey? I'm sure being a pesticide sprayer in a third world country is a great job. Maybe even good enough that you could afford an X-Wing for 30% off. Fast Fashion proved that the market can sustain a $5 disposable T-Shirt. How well did that turn out?

Your comparison is hardly cogent. This is not a price increase because manufacturing costs increased. The money is going into ANA's pocket not to any hapless poor people that are making these models.

And they are not discount prices. The online guys are able to sell at a lower price because they're cutting out middle men that take a cut. In fact, if the LGS keeps using that distributor instead of going straight to ANA, the store will be getting the short end of the stick. Will no one think of the distributor!

I don't post very often. I was debating whether to do so now. Here is what I believe... and I had this belief even before GW did the same thing (but in a more draconian way).

I am tired of this "protect the brick-and-mortar stores" strategy in a free market. If people value their local gaming stores, they will support them by buying there. If not, they won't. Free market. If people buy everything online but use their LGS as a play area, they have no room to complain if the LGS goes under. It sucks for everyone, but that's the way it is.

I buy from both because I want to support some of my local gaming stores (not all... some aren't very friendly), but since I mostly play at home I want to support the roof over my head too.

I also buy from gaming stores who come to gaming conventions and offer discounts on products as a convention special. Will Asmodee prohibit that as well?

My final thought...

Since Asmodee NA will be taking these steps to control the market to stop deep discounting, I am curious to see their plan to stop price-gouging between print runs. If they insist prices be no lower (or not much lower) than MSRP by manipulating the market, then they should also insist no one can sell higher than MSRP as well... including Amazon and eBay, where expansions are sometimes 200-300%+ of MSRP when scarce. If the free market cannot dictate price in relation to supply and demand, it must go both ways. Otherwise it is hypocritical.

I am not surprised by this. X-wing is probably the most popular miniature game in the world over the last few years. LGS have to be able to protect themselves from online discounts in order to stay in business. I know many people do not want to pay to keep someone else in business. I get that. Being told you are having to provide a de facto subsidy for someone else is not good news. I have a great local store where I live and I buy from them sometimes and other times I buy online. I do the vast majority of playing in my own house. This negatively effects me as a customer but positively effects me as a gamer who wants to play with other people at a mutually agreed location with room for everyone.

So Asmodee says, no more discounts, and you say, well as long as production costs don't go up. So where does the extra cash go? Where do you think let's not be barbie dolls here. You know, clothing designers argued that their business model of selling high volumes at low prices seemed very good on paper. Even better when all those t-shirts could just sit in a warehouse until you bought them with your mouse clicker! Why pay another poor brown person to drive a truck around when you can just sell them online? Oh, and look at all the jobs we created for those poor hapless minorities too hey? I'm sure being a pesticide sprayer in a third world country is a great job. Maybe even good enough that you could afford an X-Wing for 30% off. Fast Fashion proved that the market can sustain a $5 disposable T-Shirt. How well did that turn out?

It actually turned out really well. NPR did an entire story on the subject where they ordered multiple T-Shirts and then followed the entire chain of manufacture.

'Cheap' clothing labour has improved the economy of multiple developing countries. Most of these develop to the point where their wages rise and the business moves to another country. This has happened so many times that dozens of countries have had a permanent boost to their economy that doesn't disappear once the t-shirt company moves on.

It's a great example of how consumerism in the developed world is seriously assisting economic improvement in the '3rd world'.

Link: http://www.npr.org/series/248799434/planet-moneys-t-shirt-project

Why is there so much confusion about this?

Asmodee is trying to make FFG prices the same across the board. Since they can't enforce a fixed price (its illegal) they can 'tweak' the supply chain costs to various types of sellers. Basically they'll give a little bump in cost to online sellers who in turn will either raise their price or lessen their current discount. Presto! online and retail prices suddenly are very close. probably within about 10-15%. (instead of the current 30-35%)

The side effect of this is that for some people, buying online no longer has the biggest advantage and perhaps those people just buy locally rather than save a few bucks and wait for shipping. THUS, they can claim they're helping the FLGSs. Of course, for others buying online will remain the only or best way to continue doing it and everything is fine.

tldr: we like star wars toys too much, now some of us will have to pay more for them.

I find it hilarious that you expect all the physical game stores to be able to sell at the same margins and at the required same volume as the big online dealers.

It's almost like new technologies and changing cultures results in some businesses becoming unable to compete.

Should all Netflix subscribers also pay a surcharge to keep video rental stores open?

THAT is the biggie. Nobody feels like they need to pay for stupid cable either now. These older styled companies need to get on the future or go away. Most LGS I have been in or worked with are decent, but almost all of them had that weirdos element to them. Even the one I assistant manged had theses people try to get in and ruin stuff.

Many people who purchase FFG space ships could not care less about going to a game store. They are in for STAR WARS Miniatures.

Chris wants everyone to be like Team Covenant... and dat ain't F'n real-is-ttic Brah!

The 80's are over... been overs. It is not a good idea to try and turn FFG STAR WARS into a specialist boutique product.

Da-Hecks wrong wit'cha?!

You're correct there are people that play this game that never have any intention of doing so in a game store. They have no intention of playing in tournaments just, at home with friends. It makes no sense for them to not purchase thier product in the cheapest most convenient manner for them.

There is another group of player that pretty much exclusively plays this game in a game store. Whether we are talking game nights or tournaments, most of this players X-winging will be done at a shop. And they get that in order for shops to run events and allow players to have weekly X-wing nights that the shops have to be making money to validate offering the added service, so they purchase thier product with the store even if it means slightly higher prices.

But then there is a third group of gamer. They want to play in a game shop, and expect stores to hold events and run tournaments. But they buy everything online because it's cheaper and balk at the idea of paying event fees unless that fee goes right back into event prizing. They expect stores to support the game, but do nothing to support the store. A store charges a fee for an event that would actually make the event profitable for the store and they are immediately online complaining about the fee, oh but they still expect the store to keep running events. They want the service provided by a game shop, but they refuse to pay for that service.

I have no idea what this merger will really entail, and I'm sure it will take a few months for us to see whether it really is about helping game shops or just charging more for product. Still I absolutely agree there is an untenable situation going on in which a not insignificant portion of players want stores to support this game and run events, but refuse in anyway to allows stores to profit from doing so. I see it locally in the prices stores are expected to charge for tournament entry, prices that don't make the store any money for thier trouble.

I don't pay for cable anymore, because I don't watch anything on cable. I don't somehow expect to watch things on cable, and not also pay for it.

That third group my Brah... I had so much fun battling these schmucks back in the 90's when the cyber cafe thing was trying to be better than it actually is. They are not missed....

FFG needs to just keep the products great and stop trying to tell people how to play with them. Once I buy these toys they are mines, and I do not need you kids to come hold my hand and annoy me with a million erratas.