US distribution question

[starbreaker]

Question for Mongoose: The big US game distributors are finally getting new minis for ACTA:NA into retail stores, but it's only the newer stuff - dreads, cruisers, stealthships, etc. None of the blisters of ships that were in the starter boxes show up on their sites or order forms, they appear to have skipped them altogether. Looking at the Mongoose web store some products (eg Hazat bombers) lack a stock code (MGPXXXX) altogether, which implies they're not going out to destribution at all. Is there some sort of problem getting this stuff to retail in the US, or has it just been overlooked that companies like Alliance aren't stocking the game's core ships in blister? They aren't direct-only through Mongoose, are they?

There are some really important figs in the first wave blisters that you'd want more of - destroyers, galliots, fighters & bombers in particular. The starter boxes are a great buy, but I'd rather not wind up with a bunch of unwanted frigates or raiders just to get the other hulls I need - and currently, that seems to be the only way for US customers to buy this stuff while supporting our local stores.

Is there a US distributor that I should be pointing the store owner at who has stocked the "starter fleet" blister packs? Neither he nor I have found one to date.

 

[MongooseMatt]

Yes, the War Store (http://www.thewarstore.com/) are specialist miniatures distributors who stock the entire range.

The more mainstream distributors stock the rulebook and box sets, but are very reluctant to stock blisters of _any_ miniatures game (this is not restricted to the US, it is common every where), as they much prefer to deal with books and boxes - hence us doing much of the range in boxes.

It isn't brilliant, but it does mean that any retailer can get into the game and support it and, if they find demand, at least get hold of the blisters.

Don't forget, however, we can also supply the blisters to you, and have a lightning quick delivery service!

 

[starbreaker]

The War Store is also a distributor under the name E-Figs, and the neighborhood store already orders from him. If he's got the "missing" blisters he's being pretty quiet about it - they aren't on his E-Figs order forms according to the local store owner, and they don't appear on the War Store listings here:

http://www.thewarstore.com/MGPACalltoArms.html

You might want to check with him about this, it sounds like he's either failed to list a bunch of your product or not ordered what you think he has. I'll prod him from my end as well - maybe a "civilian" asking about it will help. Hopefully just a website glitch.

Don't forget, however, we can also supply the blisters to you, and have a lightning quick delivery service!

While certainly true, I prefer to vote with my wallet on what the neighborhood store continues to stock, and that means buying locally whenever possible. Spend where you game is my motto - and Mongoose is on the wrong side of the pond to help me there.

 

[lastbesthope]

Sorry to thread hijack, but does anyone know any distributor other than Mongoose selling the blisters in the UK???

LBH

 

[kaltorak18]

starbreaker, try here.

 

[starbreaker]

starbreaker, try here.

Much better. The local store already uses the distribution end of frp so that should fix the stocking problem now that I've pointed it out to him.

I'm amazed at the number of small distributors stores have to use these days to get any real variety of stock. Twelve years back, Alliance and Wargames West covered almost everything between them, and even after WW folded you still only needed one or two secondary sources to get virtually anything. Distribution chain's working worse and worse these days - our FLGS uses something like six different sources now, and that's not counting one-company jobs like WotC.

 

[MongooseMatt]

Sorry, sorry, I meant War_path_, not War Store!

 

[MongooseMatt]

Also, to quickly update you, E-Figs is now also stocking Noble Armada.

 

[LimeyDragon]

Also, to quickly update you, E-Figs is now also stocking Noble Armada.

Please tell they plan on stocking the rest of the Mongoose miniatures line..

 

[MongooseMatt]

Please tell they plan on stocking the rest of the Mongoose miniatures line..

I would hope so!

We are not expecting the new Judge Dredd box sets (out next month) to sell in massive numbers in the US, but the next miniatures game from us is A Call to Arms: Star Fleet, and I would be fairly surprised if any distributor does not stock it.