Dark Vengeance - Farce or Working as Intended?

Well there is a lot of controversy surrounding last weekend's release of the Warhammer 40,000 Dark Vengeance box set. Bell of lost souls reported yesterday a delay of the general edition boxset, and the status of the Limited Edition is now - unavailable both via the GW website and most independent retailers. This news prompted me to check the status of my order with an independent retailer, I was under the impression that I made the 'cut' for the Limited Edition box set as I ordered over the weekend...

My fears were confirmed for me this morning, that despite placing my order over the weekend for the Limited Edition Dark Vengeance boxset, I will not be eligible for one as GW have sold out completely. Instead I will probably be offered the regular release or a full refund...Here's the start of the problem, the regular edition has already been stipulated as delayed and in the case of Independent distributors, will only be shipped out once the Limited Edition allocations are fulfilled.

So what does this mean?

Well the Limited Edition has truly sold out and a lot of people who pre-ordered during/after the weekend are going to be VERY disappointed - a news letter will be sent out in the next two days or so confirming what I have written (from my independent retailer of choice). Most independent retailers are on a strict 90 copies per week ration and I have been informed that around 500 people (for this store) will have their Limited Edition order fulfilled. For the rest of us, it means an average waiting time of 5.5 weeks before ANY regular editions will start shipping out, because independents will not be sent any regular box sets until the Limited Edition quotas are completed. 

So basically if you ordered a Limited Edition (like I did) but didn't make the product cut off, you will basically have to wait around two months before getting a regular copy or go on eBay - OR WILL YOU?

GW's imposed order limit is for independent retailers only and by putting this in place they are pretty guaranteeing themselves as the only place to get the regular edition in stock (UK) within a decent time frame, those desperate (panic buyers/impulse buyers)  will  ultimately be pushed to buying direct from GW at the full RRP. It would seem (at least in my eyes) a trend of Limited Edition actually being limited, which while the majority will cry 'unfair' puts a certain collector/resell value on special sets/additions that they are increasingly starting to offer. Now of course take this last paragraph with a grain of salt, I haven't worked for the company in a looooong time, this is me just trying to 'guess' the supposed strategy, and of course depending on the backlash received, GW may rectify how they supply the independents. 

What is for sure though is I will be taking the full refund offer from my retailer and be spending the cash on something else.

Strange times indeed, Profit for the Profit God!

Thanks for reading,

DiStudios

The 14th Legion