Do American GW stores do Black Friday?

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

Just curious.

i called to see if mine was open early, but went to voicemail. It being Black Friday and all i figure it’s possible theyre just too busy to pick up the phone.

[m_r_parker]

I'm 99% sure GW don't do any level of instore discounts, not even for Black Friday.

Best you're going to get is that New Releases for tomorrow will be available today (i.e. the new Guard army box)

[Brother Tyler]

GW stores aren't small businesses or individual franchises with the flexibility to determine their own marketing deals. They follow GW corporate guidelines. I have never seen a Games Workshop (now Warhammer) store holding sales or special deals, especially over the last decade or so. My experiences may not be universal, though, so other hobbyists might be able to describe different experiences.

[WrathOfTheLion]

They don't do Black Friday sales. Since they don't, it's even one of the worst selling days, so I know mine is even closed for that very reason.

[Halandaar]

There was a single effort at Black Friday deals/bundles by GW back in 2015, which I can only presume was a failure as they never did it again. 

 

There have been a few instances where major releases were brought forward a day to be on the Friday rather than the Saturday, presumably in an effort to boost sales when they're one of few retailers not offering discounts. Blackstone Fortress released on Black Friday, for example, and obviously we have Cadia Stands out today rather than tomorrow.

Edited November 25, 2022 by Halandaar

[Doghouse]

Think the last time they ran GW in store sales was about twenty five years or so ago. Most stuff was in blisters and discount stuff had the corner cut off. Last one I can remember was when they sold off all the metal sisters of battle models.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

Not asking about deals asking about if they open early 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

That would be up to the individual store, I would think, as store hours are one thing the various stores do have control over (which they pretty much have to, as any store in a mall is obviously subject to the mall's operating hours).

 

That said, given that they don't do any sales and therefore have little reason to expect any additional traffic (and may, as experienced by WrathoftheLion, have reduced sales) it is unlikely that they would open any earlier.

 

But really, I don't see how the generalized hobbyist's experience is any help to you - presumably you would want to visit a particular (or one of a small group of particular) store close to you - so really, you should give them a call or visit their facebook page, or whatever to determine that particular store's hours.

[Bryan Blaire]

My local-ish GW does not hold any kind of Black Friday event or sale.  Not sure if/why your store wouldn’t be open, unless it’s as WrathOfTheLion says, if it’s normal business hours for them.

[Brother Dallo]

I’ve seen the odd instore promotion for paints, where they had a custom made box. Something along the lines of ten paints for the price of nine.

 

I think the Belfast store ran this when Contrast paints came out. You got X classic paints, Y contrasts and Z Technical paints and one was free.

 

Dallo

[Sky Potato]

Definitely not Black Friday related - I remember going to a Games Workshop store opening back in the late 90s where it was either a flat 50% discount, or a Buy one - get a second half price kind of deal.

 

And the only reason I remember that is because I went with my dad to get the very recently released Gorkamorka, and getting a load of extra models on top of the box set for the same price as the RRP of the box on its own - which I’d never have got if there wasn’t a sale on.

 

So GW have done sales in the past. But that was in the good old days, when men were men and a Caesar was sat on the iron throne etc. Now, not so much.

[Halandaar]

5 hours ago, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

Not asking about deals asking about if they open early 

 

You might have got an answer to that question if you'd actually asked it.

[jarms48]

No GW store I've ever been to has ever done a sale, unless it was a closing down sale.

 

3rd party retailers do. I've seen plenty of buy 1 get 1 free deals. Which is the perfect time to get a start collecting or combat patrol box.

Edited November 25, 2022 by jarms48

[Emperor Ming]

The only sails GW has is on eldar star ships