I think the ones complaining are the people who still live in their parents basement with little or no income. Get a job and wake up to the real world. Do you complain this much when bread and milk prices inflate?

And for all of those people saying that their stores closed down due to people buying online. Then tell me why is mine still open? All of their product not just X-Wing is marked up unreasonably because they are the only game store in the area. If your stores are closing its not because people buy their miniatures online it's because they do not have a great business sense and adapt with the times. I know most of you don't want to hear that but it's the truth.

What does "adapt with the times" mean in this context? You have a local game store that has certain fixed expenses, and a reach that is generally limited to whoever can drive in from ~30 minutes away. Every expense- electricity, labor, rent, etc- has to be folded into that one price you see on the box. In the US (not the UK, and I don't know about CAN), taxes are added after the box price.

Online shops have a much broader reach they can sell product into. Effectively, their customers can be anyone who lives in the country the online shop is allowed into. Their overhead is fixed- labor costs do not go up when shifts change as their are no "shifts" online. And the biggest factor limiting where an online shop can do business (shipping) is something customers have proven willing to tack onto the the backend of a deal instead of counting it against the store proper.

One way that local stores have tried to compete with online stores is by taking advantage of their tactile nature. They will break open a game and show customers how it works. That increases sales for both the LGS and the publisher. Boardgames are an inherently social- face to face- activity, and often require knowledgeable people onhand to teach players the systems. LGSs can do that. Online stores can't.

Online stores have their place. They serve people who are under served (for whatever reason!) by a physical store. But it is much healthier for boardgamimg generally for physical stores to exist. So online stores have to be a compliment to physical stores, not a parasite.

It sounds like the one place left in your area was the one place that was charging enough to keep the lights on- by not getting into a losing price competition with online stores. Before you call their prices unreasonable, find out what kind of car the owner drives.

So once again I ask: how does a physical store "adapt with the times" in a way that lets them continue to exist as physical locations?

I am not surprised, but I am disappointed. This will slow my purchases (which, to date, had all been from the LGS--where I do not hang out, play, etc. and pay an additional 4¢ above MSRP on many items).

i want to understand your rant... Why are you complaining about 4cents? You buy at the LGS which appears to be the entity they are supporting, so you are no longer going to buy from them?

Sorry I have no idea why you complained.

Realistically this is the change.

Before: online 40% off, FLGS 10% off

After: online 20% off, FLGS 10% off

Does it suck personally for you if you only ever buy online? Yes. Is it a good change for the long term heath of the game? Yes.

That's the dumbest thing I have ever read on this forum.

Why is that a good change for the long term health of the game? What real evidence are you basing that on?

Then you can't have been around for very long.

I'm not certain why you think it is dumb.

I think Peterson is absolutely correct, and Asmodee NA is making a very sound decision. Yes, it will suck for those people buying only online (and not playing at FLGSs) - but it can help the FLGSs, because it can help them compete against the online retailers, who have had to suffer what is essentially an unfair disadvantage while did more to grow the hobby as a whole.

What follows is all hypothetical (like most opinions in here). But,

This change seems poised to affect an extremely small -- potentially insignificant - subset of purchasers.

Most who currently buy their XWM at an LGS (out of loyalty, convenience, or any other reason) will continue to do so.

Most for whom price is the chief concern, but buy XWM online because of the savings will cease to do so.

All that leaves are people who are concerned about price but so attached to XWM that they will transfer their online purchasing to an LGS.

Anecdotally, this move will actually cost at least one LGS some sales. Ever since a local retail space opened up here a year ago I've made all my purchases there (even though they regularly price ships at 1 or 2 dollars above MSRP). It's convenient, and it saves me the guilt of being of a freeloader when I play a game there every month or two. Now that I know online discounts won't be a possibility in the future, regardless of my interest in taking advantage of them, it seems pretty wise to get my Wave 8 from an online place before the discount era ends. Smoke 'em while you got 'em. If this announcement wasn't made my purchasing habits would have remained unchanged, and that LGS would have obtained my Wave 8 spending.

Wait, I totally do not get your point. Are you saying you are going to punish you LGS because the manufacturer wants to support them more and reduce the cheap sales to online retailers?

If so this makes no sense as your LGS price is not likely to change and you admitted its more convenient to buy there.

So, if I always just bought stuff off Amazon for full price, is anything going to change for me?

I think alot of you people need to calm down and understand what is going to happen. I doubt there will be a huge drop in sales when the online retailers can only offer 20% off rather than 40%.

If money is that tight you need to focus elsewhere. But I doubt it.

There is nothing like FFG forum people that add to the hysteria and overexadurate.

I am cool with you people l, you need to relax and see how the market adapts.

I bet business will continue as before.

I for one will continue to buy at my LGS, not for loyalty, not for sales, but because it gives me the escape from the office. Lol

I think the ones complaining are the people who still live in their parents basement with little or no income. Get a job and wake up to the real world. Do you complain this much when bread and milk prices inflate?

Me and my wife complain that when we go to the grocery store and we spend 100 bucks on food and it does not even fill up half a shopping cart. Yeah I complain when those prices go up and when the gas prices goes up because we know food goes up with it. So what happens spending of other things like games, movies and other luxury items does not get purchased. If I have to decide between food and gas to go to work I need those things more first then the plastic ships, figures (for Imperial Assault), and card games (for Star Wars the card game). Those will get cut first then others so yes we do complain and no we rent a house.

maybe the company isn't run by idiots

That is the part that I'm having the most trouble with.We can't actually say for sure what effect this will have in the long run, it may be bad, it may be good. But it's quite frankly foolish to assume that someone who has marketing numbers and other data available to them didn't look at it and made an educated decision.Sure it may backfire completely, like new Coke did, but I'll at least assume that the people who made the decision think it was the right one, and see what happens next.

Ahhhh....the 80's....

Realistically this is the change.

Before: online 40% off, FLGS 10% off

After: online 20% off, FLGS 10% off

Does it suck personally for you if you only ever buy online? Yes. Is it a good change for the long term heath of the game? Yes.

That's the dumbest thing I have ever read on this forum.

Why is that a good change for the long term health of the game? What real evidence are you basing that on?

Then you can't have been around for very long.

I'm not certain why you think it is dumb.

I think Peterson is absolutely correct, and Asmodee NA is making a very sound decision. Yes, it will suck for those people buying only online (and not playing at FLGSs) - but it can help the FLGSs, because it can help them compete against the online retailers, who have had to suffer what is essentially an unfair disadvantage while did more to grow the hobby as a whole.

I see this baseless assertion all the time. That LGSs grow the market in any kind of significant manner. There is no proof of this. It seems more to me that the internet, more than anything, has pushed the hobby gaming market into incredible growth in the last 10-15 years and that rising tide has lifted the FLGS boat - not the other way around. There are orders of magnitude more game companies and more games released now than there were even 10 years ago. Do we seriously believe that FLGSs that have existed for decades just suddenly kicked it into gear in the last decade? Of course not. Exposure on the Facebook, on Boardgamegeek, on YouTube, in movies and on TV - there is where the growth comes from. The ability to find these games for sale online, to learn the rules from videos, to see others having fun experiencing them without leaving your couch - there is where the growth comes from. Your LGS isn't even a blip. And for every LGS that actually creates customers, there are 5 with poor lighting, unfriendly employees, a Magic-centric vibe, and dirty play space to scare them away.

I have set in several sessions at GAMA and listened to companies, such as FFG, explain how important hobby stores are in their overall sales numbers. Hobby stores make up the lion's share of their sales, not online retailers. These companies, after viewing their sales data and doing customer surveys tell store owners how vital they are to the growth of their brands. You can call that baseless if you want. It is possible that you are right, and all of those companies armed with sales data and market research are wrong. I am going to go with the guys with data. ANA cannot afford to have hobby stores reject their lines due to devaluation of the product.

Now, I don't think this in either or proposition. Certainly the internet (youtube, blogs, etc.), online shopping, and social media have been boons for board gaming. That does not mean that hobby shops are not. In fact, the two are often interconnected, with Team Covenant being one of the more visible examples. Hobby stores, online retailers, and the board game industry and community are interconnected. ANA is looking at data and making decisions for the long term health of their brand. Again, they may be wrong, but I don't believe they are nor do I think the continued devaluation of their product is good for X-Wing, or for that matter, for their game portfolio in general.

I think the ones complaining are the people who still live in their parents basement with little or no income. Get a job and wake up to the real world. Do you complain this much when bread and milk prices inflate?

Me and my wife complain that when we go to the grocery store and we spend 100 bucks on food and it does not even fill up half a shopping cart. Yeah I complain when those prices go up and when the gas prices goes up because we know food goes up with it. So what happens spending of other things like games, movies and other luxury items does not get purchased. If I have to decide between food and gas to go to work I need those things more first then the plastic ships, figures (for Imperial Assault), and card games (for Star Wars the card game). Those will get cut first then others so yes we do complain and no we rent a house.

We are after all, talking about at $14 toy.

Realistically this is the change.

Before: online 40% off, FLGS 10% off

After: online 20% off, FLGS 10% off

Does it suck personally for you if you only ever buy online? Yes. Is it a good change for the long term heath of the game? Yes.

And only for those in the USA.

We Brits never got the absurd cheap prices you chaps over the pond got.

If a few dollars really makes a difference then perhaps there are more issues you should be worried about rather than entirely voluntarily purchased space toys.

On the bottom of every X-wing pack "this product is not a toy."

Also a 30 dollar difference is not a few dollars. and a 90 dollar difference on a large order including RPG books and models is not a few dollars.

I won't pay 4 bucks for a cup of coffee from starbucks if I can get the same crap for 70 cents at a gas station. And if I do that every work day for a month, that's over a 70 bucks.

There are so many different hobbies available nowadays, consumers can afford to be particular.

Where do you guys live that you can play in bars? me and a friend tried to play magic in a bar and they asked us to leave. We were told its illegal to play cards or roll dice where you drink. something to do with gambling laws. I live in Michigan. if it wasn't for B&M stores we would only be able to play in our house, witch would end all tournements., of course casinos are diffent.

California. And the bar we play in is huge and has a whole side with tables and while you can drink there, it's not like we're mixing with the paying patrons. And as this is gaming and not gambling, there isn't an issue with it.

@straw hat.

Ffg has no means to stop scalpers other than ensuring everything stays in stock. scalpers only have a market when stock gets low. Witch they try very hard to keep everything in stock but its still a very tricky problem to manage.

I think the ones complaining are the people who still live in their parents basement with little or no income. Get a job and wake up to the real world. Do you complain this much when bread and milk prices inflate?

Me and my wife complain when we go to the grocery store....... Yeah I complain...... luxury items d not get purchased.....I need those things more first then the plastic ships....... yes we do complain.......

So what I got from that was, you complain, a lot. And the fact that you are buying luxury items. Simple. Don't, go to work and put food on the table for your family.

It's a business. Bottom line. ffg are doing to obviously help their company which is good news for me becuase it means they will still create quality games and products for years to come!

I think the ones complaining are the people who still live in their parents basement with little or no income. Get a job and wake up to the real world. Do you complain this much when bread and milk prices inflate?

Me and my wife complain that when we go to the grocery store and we spend 100 bucks on food and it does not even fill up half a shopping cart. Yeah I complain when those prices go up and when the gas prices goes up because we know food goes up with it. So what happens spending of other things like games, movies and other luxury items does not get purchased. If I have to decide between food and gas to go to work I need those things more first then the plastic ships, figures (for Imperial Assault), and card games (for Star Wars the card game). Those will get cut first then others so yes we do complain and no we rent a house.

Your post is respectful and reflective of a lot of people BUT your gaming hobbie is not that big of a drain on your budget, or, I hope it's not.

We are after all, talking about at $14 toy.

No its not. I'm sure when people remember when gas was around 4 to 5 dollars a gallon in some areas. What did people do. They cut back on spending. Which could happen again just by a oil refinery having a problem like that time when one exploded. Gas jumped up and for some reason it took a long time to drop back down. The point is if ANA cuts online prices and other manufactures do the same things to other items, Meaning dvd's, music, and other types of consumer goods follow that will hurt everybody as a whole. As I have stated that if I feel after april 1 that this will affect my gaming hobby in some way. There are many other gaming companies outside of ANA that have interested me but It is the ones from FFG that have really interested me. I have three games currently in the star wars category. Was looking at rebellion and possibly fury of Dracula. I also was exposed to Doom the board game from a friend which because it was out of print. I had to look for it on ebay to get it and found it at a decent price for an unopened copy of it and the expansion for it. I am not saying that I have not purchased ascension and other games but FFG's games are top priority when purchasing games or expansions. If the online prices go the way I am fearing it will FFG's games will start to drop in rank and the others will move up the list. As my former cellular carrier learned when they screwed me I left them. I'm sure that my leaving did not break the bank. I have seen them try to win me and the others that have left in there commercials. Same applies to ANA that my and others like me. Their money spends on other board games not just theirs. I wish them luck and hope that this move does not back fire on them.

I think the ones complaining are the people who still live in their parents basement with little or no income. Get a job and wake up to the real world. Do you complain this much when bread and milk prices inflate?

Me and my wife complain when we go to the grocery store....... Yeah I complain...... luxury items d not get purchased.....I need those things more first then the plastic ships....... yes we do complain.......

So what I got from that was, you complain, a lot. And the fact that you are buying luxury items. Simple. Don't, go to work and put food on the table for your family.

It's a business. Bottom line. ffg are doing to obviously help their company which is good news for me becuase it means they will still create quality games and products for years to come!

You sure you don't live in your mothers basement??? You act like you do.

No, I work a job, I live in a house I pay rent I own a car, and still have enough money to buy "luxury" toys and gaming equipment

I could even take a photo of me with today's date if you don't believe me?

Bottom line is, you were getting a massive discount, you still we be getting a decently large "discount" count your lucky stars you are even getting a discount while not even leaving the comfort of you own home

i want to understand your rant... Why are you complaining about 4cents? You buy at the LGS which appears to be the entity they are supporting, so you are no longer going to buy from them?

Sorry I have no idea why you complained.

Another way to look at it is this: I depend on (for example) Amazon for far more things than I depend on the LGS to provide. If I have to choose where to put my money because FFG/ANA is messing about with retailers' profit margins, then I logically have to choose Amazon because their performance impacts me far more.

Not to mention that the selection is much better and Amazon doesn't moan about having to make special orders.

Right now, I can justify paying the extra expense (and trivial premium) because it's a choice. I can choose the discount, or I can support local businesses. Each gives me certain rewards (feeling good about myself, having more money, product selection, purchase timing, etc.). But when those rewards are altered, I (as a rational consumer) have to adjust my purchasing habits. Remove the discount, and I have to re-evaluate my reasons for purchasing from each entity knowing that the company that I depend on more is now less profitable and the company that provides me minimal (or no) benefit is now better rewarded for no additional value provided.

@straw hat.

Ffg has no means to stop scalpers other than ensuring everything stays in stock. scalpers only have a market when stock gets low. Witch they try very hard to keep everything in stock but its still a very tricky problem to manage.

But where is the moral outrage?

Surely those scalpers are also damaging the hobby/industry as well, no?

If FFG can alter the price of product because a retailer charges too little, then they should be able to alter the price (or even availability of product) if a company charges too much. If they can't, then FFG should probably not make charging too little an issue.

I think the ones complaining are the people who still live in their parents basement with little or no income. Get a job and wake up to the real world. Do you complain this much when bread and milk prices inflate?

Me and my wife complain that when we go to the grocery store and we spend 100 bucks on food and it does not even fill up half a shopping cart. Yeah I complain when those prices go up and when the gas prices goes up because we know food goes up with it. So what happens spending of other things like games, movies and other luxury items does not get purchased. If I have to decide between food and gas to go to work I need those things more first then the plastic ships, figures (for Imperial Assault), and card games (for Star Wars the card game). Those will get cut first then others so yes we do complain and no we rent a house.

Your post is respectful and reflective of a lot of people BUT your gaming hobbie is not that big of a drain on your budget, or, I hope it's not.

We are after all, talking about at $14 toy.

No its not. I'm sure when people remember when gas was around 4 to 5 dollars a gallon in some areas. What did people do. They cut back on spending. Which could happen again just by a oil refinery having a problem like that time when one exploded. Gas jumped up and for some reason it took a long time to drop back down. The point is if ANA cuts online prices and other manufactures do the same things to other items, Meaning dvd's, music, and other types of consumer goods follow that will hurt everybody as a whole. As I have stated that if I feel after april 1 that this will affect my gaming hobby in some way. There are many other gaming companies outside of ANA that have interested me but It is the ones from FFG that have really interested me. I have three games currently in the star wars category. Was looking at rebellion and possibly fury of Dracula. I also was exposed to Doom the board game from a friend which because it was out of print. I had to look for it on ebay to get it and found it at a decent price for an unopened copy of it and the expansion for it. I am not saying that I have not purchased ascension and other games but FFG's games are top priority when purchasing games or expansions. If the online prices go the way I am fearing it will FFG's games will start to drop in rank and the others will move up the list. As my former cellular carrier learned when they screwed me I left them. I'm sure that my leaving did not break the bank. I have seen them try to win me and the others that have left in there commercials. Same applies to ANA that my and others like me. Their money spends on other board games not just theirs. I wish them luck and hope that this move does not back fire on them.

This reminds of when world of Warcraft was released... Everyone was saying "who the f*ck is gonna pay to play online per month"

And then.....

Same as Netflix, so many people torrent and stream online through various free sites, I was one... And people said, "who the f*ck is gonna pay per month to stream online when I do it for free"

And then.....

So you already know by this interview roughly where the prices will end up after April 1st or whatever, the question remains is; are you then still going to buy x-wing expansions?

Could you imagine if you have to pay full price from the start instead of you massive 40% off or whatever ridiculous joke you have been getting? You have already saved heaps. Give back to the company that gives you joy. Otherwise go play some other worthless crap.

Ffg make fantastic quality games you said so yourself. "Screwing" them by leaving isn't going to matter to them. And the next games company you decide to back will end up doing the same.

Please excuse my typos. Typing whole paragraphs with predictive txt on a phone is horrible!

Ok how can walmart do it then? A lot of times they are cheaper than most other stores.

I can answer this, I got my MBA at the grad school that most of Wal-Mart's middle and lower level execs, that worked their way up rather than being hired in, attend. Wal-Mart represents such a huge market that potential vendors have to agree to let teams from Wal-Mart go in and audit all aspects of their business at which point Wal-Mart makes them a take it or leave it offer with both a price point that Wal-Mart is willing to pay per unit and a operations plan that will allow the vendor to make a profit selling to Wal-Mart at that price.

-Maxgravity

I think the ones complaining are the people who still live in their parents basement with little or no income. Get a job and wake up to the real world. Do you complain this much when bread and milk prices inflate?

Just seems even stranger that people feel compelled to complain about the complainers.

if you haven been buying from Amazon it hasn't been full price.

It was generally the same price as on FFG's own website. i.e. $15-16 for a small ship.

Forget mild concern

Now is the time to panic

Unfortunately it's not just online prices that will be going up. I have connections to multiple distributors and some will no longer be carrying FFG products, such as Golden, as they are reducing down to just 4 distributors. Others, such as ACD, will have increased prices from ANA as ANA tries to squeeze the distribution channel. What do you think will happen with those increased prices when retail (brick & mortar) stores have to start paying them, especially since there will be fewer distributors? That's right, they will pass the cost on to the customer. Retailers will have less power since the distribution channel will be consolidated and they will be forced to raise prices.

Good luck seeing prices stay the same even at brick and mortar stores. This is straight up a move to raise revenue on popular product lines like Warhammer and Star Wars. To the naysayers that say this is different than GW, it's only different in that GW refuses to accept internet shopping as a reality, but their tightening grip on distribution channels is the same thing that is happening here.

I guess ANA feels they are a bigger company than they are and these games are not luxury items or players will just suck it up and keep paying (as if they are not a niche market and have that power). It will surely make for an interesting In Flight Report next year...