Games Workshop pricing in both Australia and New Zealnd have been a tough topic for a long time now. I am personally not down there, but feel for the pain they feel. I am also not an expert on why or how these prices end up the way they do, so when Alistar of War Incorporated wanted to do a breakdown of pricing in Australia and New Zealand, I said go for it. So here is Alistair's take and analysis on the subject.
Alistair, War Incorporated, NZ
The
Antipodean Tax
Games Workshop customers in Australia and
New Zealand have been suffering a huge price difference for Games Workshop
products when compared to their UK and US counterparts. It’s really hurting the
Games Workshop hobby over here, and there has been no explanation for it from Games
Workshop headquarters.
The current pricing structure seems to have
been set back in around 2006, sadly at that time the AUS and particularly NZ
dollar was at its weakest trading levels in recent history, it was almost NZ$3
against the British pound. This is where the price point for recent releases
remain, despite 5 years of a steadily strong NZ$ and AUS$, compared to the
British Pound. Current exchange levels are around NZ$2.3 against the British
pound, and look set to stay that way for some time.
But words aside, the numbers alone really
do all the talking. The table below shows an international price comparison of
recent releases from Games Workshop. What jumps out straight away is that the
US and UK prices are almost the same, and certainly within a range that nobody
would quibble about, the NZ prices however are in some instances cost is
creeping towards an additional 50%;
|
Exchange rate 09/10/15
|
Pounds =
|
2.3
|
US$ =
|
1.4
|
|
|
|
|
|
Product
|
Pounds
|
NZ Equiv
|
US$
|
NZ Equiv
|
NZ$ Retail
|
Extra Cost NZ$
|
% extra cost c.f. £
|
|
|
Skarbrand
|
£80.00
|
$184.00
|
$130.00
|
$182.00
|
$235.00
|
$51.00
|
28%
|
|
|
Wrathmongers
|
£34.50
|
$79.35
|
$57.00
|
$79.80
|
$113.00
|
$33.65
|
42%
|
|
|
Skarr Bloodwrath
|
£18.00
|
$41.40
|
$30.00
|
$42.00
|
$59.00
|
$17.60
|
43%
|
|
|
Slaughterpriest
|
£18.00
|
$41.40
|
$30.00
|
$42.00
|
$60.00
|
$18.60
|
45%
|
|
|
Knight Vexillor
|
£18.00
|
$41.40
|
$30.00
|
$42.00
|
$59.00
|
$17.60
|
43%
|
|
|
Celestant Prime
|
£48.00
|
$110.40
|
$80.00
|
$112.00
|
$158.00
|
$47.60
|
43%
|
|
|
Prosecutors
|
£35.00
|
$80.50
|
$60.00
|
$84.00
|
$116.00
|
$35.50
|
44%
|
|
|
Liberators
|
£30.00
|
$69.00
|
$50.00
|
$70.00
|
$100.00
|
$31.00
|
45%
|
|
|
Knight Venator
|
£25.00
|
$57.50
|
$40.00
|
$56.00
|
$83.00
|
$25.50
|
44%
|
|
|
Lord Celestant
|
£20.00
|
$46.00
|
$33.00
|
$46.20
|
$65.00
|
$19.00
|
41%
|
|
|
KV128 Stormsurge
|
£90.00
|
$207.00
|
$150.00
|
$210.00
|
$295.00
|
$88.00
|
43%
|
|
Skarbrand
is an unusual case, you may be aware that we had a mystery price drop in AUS/NZ
on it, after pre-orders had been made, this created a mess in the retail shops
who had issues processing refunds, but it certainly was seen as a positive step
forwards in the community. However it still sits at around 28% more expensive
down under.
What is even more frustrating is that Games
Workshop has limited the ability for people in this part of the world to order
from overseas, they keep trying to close ‘loopholes’, but there are still ways.
Our NZ Post service offer a mail redirect service from the UK and US
(https://www.nzpost.co.nz/tools/youshop).
Shipping for parcels and consolidated parcels starts at NZ$17.25. The purchases
I have made have meant I have made a saving of around 30% against the retail
price in NZ.
I would suggest that others should consider
these mail redirect services when purchasing new products from Games Workshop,
and shopping around you can find discounted retailers in the UK and US that can
make you further savings. It is unacceptable to me to subscribe to the
‘Antipodean Tax’, and you may decide to choose that position too.
It is sad to see a growth in community
buying from re-casters, but this is the community responding in a negative way
to Games Workshops’s business practices. Supporting re-casters will hurt Games Workshop,
but it will also hurt the hobby because the money you spend there doesn’t find
its way back into product development, and Games Workshop still do make the
best toy soldiers in the world.
I am a huge fan of Games Workshop product
and the Games Workshop hobby, and I am sad to see them hurt their own business,
and resentment build within the community that has supported them in NZ and AUS.
Vote with your wallet and your purchasing
decisions, don’t prop up the ‘Antipodean Tax’, but find a way to keep enjoying
your hobby!
