GW Stock / IT System Issues

[Lord_Ikka]

Just talked to one of my FLGS owners last night- they are being told that GW orders are a minimum delay of 2 weeks for any sort of restock, maybe longer depending on the boxes ordered. They also haven't received their paint ordered back in November, which is odd, but seems to stem from the fact that when GW reformatted a lot of their Shades (and released more Contrast paints), GW didn't inform independent local stores in a timely manner and that impacted paint supplies.

[Kastor Krieg]

Yeah, multiple FLGS in Poland have told me that they only got bits and pieces of entire orders. Like, a 200+ pcs order literally came in as a box with a codex, two Warcry units and a spray can - that's all there was. And it's a 2nd or 3rd weekly package like that.

[Dr. Clock]

Weird thing happened on my last order in Canada:

 

Ordered 2 Necromunda kits and a pot of paint. GW shipped each kit separately despite the shipping boxes definitely being big enough for both (they sent two kits in an identical box last month). Worse, they did not include paint in either...

 

The packing lists are accurate to the box contents, they just don't contain all the order items.

 

Maybe/likely unconnected to this broader story, but seemed somewhat more noteworthy than it would otherwise be. My best guess is that they don't actually have the paint in stock despite it not being updated to 'email me' for whatever reason on the webstore. Not impossible that they just won't ship some paints when forecast temps are low enough?

 

Hopefully the Necrons submit to the Trolls soon in the emergent war for James Warehouse.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Emperor Ming]

What was wrong with their old system

 

It seemed to have worked fine for the past millennium

 

[crimsondave]

On 2/11/2023 at 1:07 PM, sarabando said:

honestly i wouldnt be surprised if it all magically fixed itself on the 7th. 

Don’t bet on it.  Hanlon’s Razor seldom fails.

[MARK0SIAN]

4 hours ago, Emperor Ming said:

What was wrong with their old system

 

It cost them slightly more in profits? 
 

It’s clearly not more efficient so that only leaves cheaper as a reason they’d do it. 

[Arikel]

1 hour ago, MARK0SIAN said:

It cost them slightly more in profits? 
 

It’s clearly not more efficient so that only leaves cheaper as a reason they’d do it. 

I’d bet money they are upgrading a system that was running on 1990’s or older tech. The amount of error that could happen trying to recreate these systems in modern databases is huge, as pretty much any existing data has to be manually copied over. 
When the telecom company i work for transferred their  platform from a 1984 database to a newer platform that could deal more readily with upgrades going forward it took at least two years to complete and there was a period of time where people got late bills, incorrect billing or simply didn’t get billed at all for their service for 6 months or more. This was more than 15 years ago but just from the way GW manages to flub anything web based like the Machine-God has a personal vendetta against them leads me to think they are probably very behind the curve in the software they were using.

[RWJP]

14 hours ago, Arikel said:

I’d bet money they are upgrading a system that was running on 1990’s or older tech. The amount of error that could happen trying to recreate these systems in modern databases is huge, as pretty much any existing data has to be manually copied over. 
When the telecom company i work for transferred their  platform from a 1984 database to a newer platform that could deal more readily with upgrades going forward it took at least two years to complete and there was a period of time where people got late bills, incorrect billing or simply didn’t get billed at all for their service for 6 months or more. This was more than 15 years ago but just from the way GW manages to flub anything web based like the Machine-God has a personal vendetta against them leads me to think they are probably very behind the curve in the software they were using.

It's pretty much this. In previous investor reports GW have talked many times about how they've been trying to upgrade the back end software and databases they've been using from something much older to a much more modern (and industry standard) software package from Microsoft. If I remember correctly one report said that due to failings by the company they had hired to do it, they had actually had to hire a second firm. 

Add the introduction of a huge new modern warehouse into the mix, and then a massive increase in sales over the pandemic, and you have a perfect recipe for IT armageddon.

In a similar scenario to you, I work for a very large organisation and in the time I have worked there, I have never seen an IT upgrade/system rollout go smoothly. Our new sales system that we introduced 6 years ago still has bugs from launch day that haven't been resolved. And this is a company with FAR more budget and resources than GW!

[Nephaston]

Stock woes seem to continue with Agastus, since the retailer I ho to preemptively listed the 17th of March as the earliest delivery date. Though admittedly that is a comparatively benign delay.

 

Then again seeing as agastus is still not out of stock on the GW webstore chances are they will be able to avoid any shortage.

 

Now to wonder if they over produced the box or people really are just not buying it.

[MegaVolt87]

On 2/25/2023 at 12:34 AM, RWJP said:

It's pretty much this. In previous investor reports GW have talked many times about how they've been trying to upgrade the back end software and databases they've been using from something much older to a much more modern (and industry standard) software package from Microsoft. If I remember correctly one report said that due to failings by the company they had hired to do it, they had actually had to hire a second firm. 

Add the introduction of a huge new modern warehouse into the mix, and then a massive increase in sales over the pandemic, and you have a perfect recipe for IT armageddon.

In a similar scenario to you, I work for a very large organisation and in the time I have worked there, I have never seen an IT upgrade/system rollout go smoothly. Our new sales system that we introduced 6 years ago still has bugs from launch day that haven't been resolved. And this is a company with FAR more budget and resources than GW!

 

Microsoft product? I wonder if it's Microsoft Dynamics/ Navision. 

[FelipeFlops]

2 hours ago, MegaVolt87 said:

 

Microsoft product? I wonder if it's Microsoft Dynamics/ Navision. 

 

Likely the new Microsoft Supply Chain Platform, seems to be built on Dynamics and Azure. 

[Black Knight]

I received AoO: Angron and Boarding Patrol: SM this morning and also got a dispatched update for Soulshackle and the new bikes. I am still missing all the Black Library books. It seems that the UK sites are slowly being restocked.

 

Dam this month was a wallet destroyer. 

[Halandaar]

If it helps put it in perspective, I just had this email from not GW about a completely unrelated thing.

 

"We regret to advise that a delay has occurred to your order, which is due to a change of our warehouse. Please be assured that we are working to process your order as soon as possible and expect this to arrive in the next 2-5 days. Our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause."

 

Not making apologies for GW on this issue, just pointing out that warehousing and system cockups are by no means exclusive to them as a company.

[MegaVolt87]

13 hours ago, Halandaar said:

If it helps put it in perspective, I just had this email from not GW about a completely unrelated thing.

 

"We regret to advise that a delay has occurred to your order, which is due to a change of our warehouse. Please be assured that we are working to process your order as soon as possible and expect this to arrive in the next 2-5 days. Our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause."

 

Not making apologies for GW on this issue, just pointing out that warehousing and system cockups are by no means exclusive to them as a company.

 

Of course, but we should be seeing this info from GW directly, not second hand from retailers and wholesale businesses. GW likes to keep us in the dark like mushrooms everytime... 

[Halandaar]

4 hours ago, MegaVolt87 said:

Of course, but we should be seeing this info from GW directly, not second hand from retailers and wholesale businesses. GW likes to keep us in the dark like mushrooms everytime... 

 

No argument from me there; the fact they are allowing independent stockists to carry the can for their internal failings is crap to say the least. Not surprising though.

[Redcomet]

I worked in a supermarket chain that changed systems at their warehouse and went with robots. It took months for them to work out all the kinks and we where able to trust we would get what we ordered. Hugely frustrating for everyone involved 

8 hours ago, MegaVolt87 said:

 

Of course, but we should be seeing this info from GW directly, not second hand from retailers and wholesale businesses. GW likes to keep us in the dark like mushrooms everytime... 

 

The really stupid thing is that almost everyone would understand if they where just transparent about their problems. 

[Halandaar]

Seen a post from a UK FLGS today saying they received their full GW order (including this weekend new items) as expected today, so that's something.

 

Edit - Further, I had a shipping confirmation today from Goblin Gaming for my Strike Force Agastus box, so they seem to have got that out correctly too.

Edited March 3, 2023 by Halandaar

[Axineton]

Got my Agastus box today from hobby workshop but still waiting for the White Consuls Captain, the kill team shadowvaults upgrade and those HH bikes.

Edited March 3, 2023 by Axineton

[Noserenda]

If they publicly admit something might that affect share price?

[Mr. Oddity]

My FLGS (Central IL for reference) got their order in yesterday so I was able to pick up my Agastus box this afternoon. According to one of the shop guys, they were only allocated one of each recent new release except for Agastus, which was essentially limitless. Maybe a sign things are beginning to come back to normal for US distribution?

[MegaVolt87]

On 3/4/2023 at 11:37 AM, Noserenda said:

If they publicly admit something might that affect share price?

 

Its better to put a short, professional press release than have socials blow up and run rampant with the sky is falling. All it takes is one of these third party social posts from their b2b customers to start trending to effect the stock price. 

[Axineton]

I’m still waiting for an order from Hobby Workshop that I placed on the black library weekend. That’s coming up to nearly a month at now. Might cancel it and get the money back.

[Halandaar]

2 hours ago, Axineton said:

I’m still waiting for an order from Hobby Workshop that I placed on the black library weekend. That’s coming up to nearly a month at now. Might cancel it and get the money back.

 

I had an order from them delivered on Monday that I only placed the Friday before, so they don't seem to have a general issue. Have you contacted them to see if there's a specific problem with an item in your order?

[Axineton]

Yeah man. They’re still waiting on a shipment from GW but this was last Monday when I emailed. I’m actually also still waiting on the first founding art book to turn up from GW direct come to think of it.

[OpossumStrong]

2 minutes ago, Axineton said:

Yeah man. They’re still waiting on a shipment from GW but this was last Monday when I emailed. I’m actually also still waiting on the first founding art book to turn up from GW direct come to think of it.

My SoT and DoF books are still on the way, but i did receive my Agastus 4 days ago