Shocker...

[robpro]

Whelp, this looks like the beginning of the end, to me.  Desperate moves to cut costs and remain profitable. 

http://natfka.blogspot.com/2014/01/gw-changes-stores-closing-and-armies-no.html?showComment=1390032335640#c2697280296727667868

If you read the financial statement, they pretty much said they were doing this as part of their reorganization. I don't see GW stores closing necessarily as a bad thing. It likely means there's enough other gaming in the area to get their product out. If there are no LGSs in an area, they need some kind of presence to get the word out about their products. Exactly how much of a presence is something they haven't quite figured out 100% yet.

I didn't see anything about cutting armies in there, but their strategy could certainly be to stop changing up the factor to make more models for some armies until they get through the new stuff they want to do. So, for example, if they run out of Monoliths, anybody who wants one will just be SoL until they feel like making more.

[Sir_Prometheus]

If you read the financial statement, they pretty much said they were doing this as part of their reorganization.

Yes, of course they said that.  The NSA also says it's not spying on you.  So?

[Cryptognomicon]

I don't see GW stores closing necessarily as a bad thing.

They aren't actually talking about closing any stores. They are merging their sales organizations.  Right now GW has a separate district sales offices for each major country in Europe(UK, France, Germany, etc).  They are now merging UK/Europe to report directly to Nottingham. For the local customers who go to GW stores in Europe this will have no effect at all. 

[Cryptognomicon]

If you read the financial statement, they pretty much said they were doing this as part of their reorganization.

Yes, of course they said that.  The NSA also says it's not spying on you.  So?

What is this supposed to mean?  Or are you just trolling?

[Sir_Prometheus]

If you read the financial statement, they pretty much said they were doing this as part of their reorganization.

Yes, of course they said that.  The NSA also says it's not spying on you.  So?

What is this supposed to mean?  Or are you just trolling?

I mean that they are lying, and taking their PR-spin at face value is silly?  And no, I was not trolling, though I was being sarcastic. 

[Cryptognomicon]

If you read the financial statement, they pretty much said they were doing this as part of their reorganization.

Yes, of course they said that.  The NSA also says it's not spying on you.  So?

What is this supposed to mean?  Or are you just trolling?

I don't believe it is a lie at all. Lots of companies do reorgs. The company I work for currently is in the middle of a major reorganization.  These are usually really good things because in many cases is simplifies reporting structures and saves the company a ton of money.  From a stock holder standpoint its a very good thing because it means the company is working to cut costs.  GW has had a splintered sales system for years(GW/Forgeworld/Citadel /BlackLibray) and I'm actually surprised its taken as long as it has for them to simplify it.   

I mean that they are lying, and taking their PR-spin at face value is silly?  And no, I was not trolling, though I was being sarcastic.

[Sir_Prometheus]

Well, if it wasn't plausible, it wouldn't be a very good lie, would it?

Yes, I believe companies can reorg and that can be good thing, there can be painful transitions.  I do not think that's what happened in this case (though retail store changes certainly account for a little of it).  I'm sure GW sales have never principally been through their direct owned stores, and certainly not outside Europe for the last few years. 

The stock went down because the report was bad.  The report was bad because they've been screwing up lately....not because of whatever they want to use as an excuse. 

[keithb]

The biggest issue I see, is that it looks like GW is looking to reduce its storefronts(except possibly in UK), and rely on independent stores to support the hobby, at the same time, make more items direct order only, reducing the incentive for independent stores to support the hobby.

[Cryptognomicon]

I'm sure GW sales have never principally been through their direct owned stores, and certainly not outside Europe for the last few years. 

You might be surprised. They started out as a retail shop before becoming a major game maker. It's is in their blood. It's part of the reason they are EXPANDING their stores. If they weren't profitable they wouldn't be doing that.

[Cryptognomicon]

The biggest issue I see, is that it looks like GW is looking to reduce its storefronts(except possibly in UK), and rely on independent stores to support the hobby, at the same time, make more items direct order only, reducing the incentive for independent stores to support the hobby.

I haven't seen anywhere that they were reducing store fronts.  The big news was that they are merging sales offices which is different as that is at the regional management level. Heck - I just got a notification on Twitter today that they are opening a store on Feb 1st. If I'm wrong let me know because I just haven't seen anything about store closings.

[Sir_Prometheus]

Yeah, they've been closing stores for a long while now, and moving big battle bunkers to 1 man stores.  They may be planning to open a few new, 1 man stores, but they are not "expanding".

[Cryptognomicon]

They have been opening A LOT of new stores for the last year and a half. They closed a bunch down a while back(10 years ago?) but are moving to new markets. Here are 3 stores that are opening in Jan/Feb alone.

January 11th
Eastgate Shopping Center (near Cleveland)
6721 Eastgate Boulevard
Mayfield Heights, OH 44124
Eastgate Facebook Page

January 11th
West Edmonton Mall
8882 107th Street
Edmonton, AB T5T 4J2
West Edmonton Facebook Page

February 1st
Brodie Oaks Shopping Center
4032 South Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78704
Brodie Oaks Facebook Page