Wacky Wednesdays - What is GW doing?

Ok, brace yourselves for a mini-rant.   What is GW doing?  There is a trend I have noticed about GW for a while, and while I agree with some of their decisions. (Grey Knights being an exception)  I feel that they indeed had become a big, greedy, bottom dollar monster.  Now, before any of you start throwing things at me for using the word “had”, let me explain.  I have worked for GW retail twice, once in 2000-2003 and once in 2006-2008, both were far different experiences.  In the latter employment the focus went from getting new hobbyists, to getting sales.  And in 2000-2003, the store was a place for veteran hobbyists, and newbs alike.  It was a place to learn the game systems, and find everything you needed for your hobby.  Recently, an inside source told me that GW retail has switched gears again to revolve around the initial concept.  “Gain new hobbyists, that’s all”  Not so focused on sales.  OK, good, now that we have that cleared up…<plug ears for shouting>  WILL SOMEONE TELL ME WHY GW FEELS THE NEED TO PROMOTE AN ARMY THAT IS NOT YET RELEASED, AND SAY “We have a slew of all new models for this army releasing in <insert time frame here>!”  THEN FEEL THE NEED TO POST AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE THE “CURRENT” MODELS FROM THE RANGE, THAT WILL EITHER BE OBSOLETE, OR “OLD”!  The funny thing is the marketing of it all.  Do they honestly think we have all “Drunk the GW kool-aid” that much?  They even say, if you are looking to start  or reinforce a (in this case) Tomb Kings army, then click on the links below. 

<insert dumb cartoon voice here>  Duh, gee, um…ok GW, I’m gonna buy a bunch of Tomb King stuff before their book comes out next month, that way I don’t have to “fight the crowds”.   Seriously.  What were they thinking?  A better approach would be, (since they know what is coming out)  would be do what they did back in the day, that way they still make some money on the “old” stuff. 

Now as it stands, an army’s models are replaced, the old ones go into the box in the backroom for conversions/ terrain pieces/ prize fodder.  In the “old days” of 2000 or previous, “old models” were sold at 40% -50% off, to make room for the new models.  What a great way to make money!  Think about it.  If I saw a bunch of “old” Tomb King models on sale for that price, I would buy them, hold off on buying the book, and when the book came out, I would add to my Tomb King force that I had bought on sale.  Even if I found out the models I bought on sale can not be used in the game anymore, I would still want Tomb Kings.  The way things are now, I wouldn’t buy the current models at full price, and I am sure the new models are cool, but, I am not going to start a new army, unless I can do so cheaply. 

End Rant.

What do you think of the here’s what’s coming out, you can’t buy it/ it’s going to replace the models you can buy now.  If you want to start the “new” army, buy the current models (even though they may be obsolete come next month) here… marketing ploy?