If you spend any time on a Warhammer 40,000 message board you will inevitably stumble upon a discussion regarding Games Workshop's pricing. Usually these discussions focus on the high price of GW's products or a recent price increase.
My personal view on pricing (for any product) is quite simple: a business is going to set their prices at a level that maximizes their profits. If prices are too high, people by less product. If prices are too low, the company cannot cover it's overhead expenses. The trick is to find that magical price. Economics come into play as a company looks at supply and demand curves and studies historical financial data.
Ultimately, Games Workshop is in this business to make money. They may love the game, but when all is said and done they have to answer to their stock holders. This means that prices may go up (or down!!) as the economy fluctuates and GW attempts to achieve the optimum price.
Whenever I read messages that demand GW to lower their prices or see a petition to boycott their products, I shudder at the thought. Such actions are seeking to undermine the company that brings us this great hobby. If GW lowers its prices it is cutting into the bottomline, which puts the company into financial difficulty. If the consumers manage to organize a boycott (a very difficult task) prices won't necessarily decrease and they may even increase further due to reduced sales.
Ultimately, 40k is a LUXURY. You don't need it to live like food, water, shelter, etc. If you think the prices are too high, find a different hobby. It's that simple.
If you are strapped for cash but still want to play 40k, then start small. Budget your money and make intelligent choices when you buy miniatures. You can assemble a small 500 point army for less than $100 (depending on your army). Use proxy pieces until you can afford to buy the actual model. Buy miniatures online from discount chains, or on Ebay (an excellent source for cheap minis). The bottomline is that you can find a way to enjoy this hobby without complaining about the prices.
- Logan
