Maelstrom Games in the UK

[Arkangel]

Gents, Ladies and any random Xenos.

First I want to confirm I am still alive, I just have had no internet!! Thanks to Her majesty and a night shift I am able to contact you through errrr......OTHER MEANS

Ok the crux...IF you happen to be thinking of ordering anything from Maelstrom Games with all their amazing vouchers and sale deals...
Bottom line DONT!!!!

Now I am no legal expert (insert a 'Loken' here) or a financial advisor, however it is becoming increasingly clear here in the UK that the company has pretty much had it.

Which as an advocate for independents is a massive blow. I'm also aware that before GW changed it's business policy. these were the go-to-guys for my 'Southern Hemisphere' brethren out there

Please follow either of these Links:

http://natfka.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/so ... .html#more

http://px40k.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/ma ... mment-form

For a better explanation.

I must also state for the record the comments made on the sites I have linked are NOT my own and are not affiliated to Resin Addict in ANY way shape or form.

The links above is for reference only.

Sorry to be the bearer of Bad news but it's out there. A quick google will give you more info too.

Hasta

[Deadmeat30]

Maelstrom is only a few miles from me, and I've seen what they've been upto. I've not brought anything from them in month due to the problems they have. The physical store is called eye of the storm, and they have a webstore running already for it. All the profitable parts of the business have been stripped away. And everyone who has orders in is now screwed.

Shame, they've lost my consumer confidence, and I know most the staff....

[mangozac]

It's sad to hear that Games Workshop's policy changes destroyed these Maelstrom's business. Indeed they were the go-to source for GW products for many Australian hobbyists and I'm sure turned over some massive business in their heyday. It's unfortunate to hear that they are in a lot of debt too - chances are that it will not be fully recovered and thus the liquidation of the business will have a trickle down effect to some of the other companies who supplied to them. Likely including GW, ironically enough!

[SSB]

Paypal dispute engaged...
For an amount of 63€...

[Fleafa]

We've been discussing this on our club forums for a week or so. Anyone paying through PayPal probably has the best chance of a refund. I haven't used Maelstrom for a while as their customer service has rarely reached what I consider to be a minimum standard. Still, sad news.

[Deadmeat30]

Paypal pulled there account a few weeks back. Shall be interesting to see what happens.

[Arkangel]

Wryd miniatures the guys that produce Malifaux pulled their line of credit a while back and then refused to suplly them with further products, so I'm led to believe.

I would suggest anyone in the UK looking for a decent level of customer service and great discou t take a look at these guys. I get my GS fom them as it about £5 for 18 inches!

http://giftsforgeeks.org.uk/

As for Maelstrom any one who sets up a mirror company with the exact same address and webstore layout etc should be avoided like the plague!

[Deadmeat30]

And Maelstrom games is no more.... Wayland Games brought the debt from simple Miniatures (a UK suppiler) and didn't give terms for the repayment, they demanded the full debt be paid in 7 days. More can be read from there statements.





Sad days that Wayland has shut down its biggest rival.. but thats business i guess!!

[Arkangel]

HOLY#%€$

Wow I did not see THAT coming. Well whilst it is a shame that another independent has gone under its NOT a shame about how Maelstrom was trading at the end.

The main guy should be stood to answer for his actions. Unfortunately that wont happen.
I'm also gutted for all those ex-customers out there who will now suffer the consequences

I like Wayland's open and frank statement. Business or not it does genuinely seem to me that they have done whats best for the community.
Whether it has all gone how both sides claim I doubt we will ever know.

Wayland states that it bought them for their bad business practice affecting the community, Maelstrom states they tried to pay it off....

My guess, Wayland has done everything it said for those reasons AND took out a competitor as part of it, but NOT as the sole or main reason.

[Deadmeat30]

Its more complex than that

Wayland has a wanted the Eye of the storm venue for some time now (realising they cant have it, they made there gaming centre). They also wanted the Bane legions range. Maelstrom started to split the company earlier in the year. GW created there bad debt, with changing the terms. This then caused problems with Simple miniatures, but they set up a payment plan to pay that off. Wayland went to Simple miniatures and offered to buy the debt which they did (what company wouldnt sell it??!?!). Wayland then gave maelstrom 7 days to pay the full amount..... Maelstrom offered to carry on the payment plan, but Wayland refused. Bye Bye Maelstrom....

Oh and maelstrom couldnt say anythings, as they had legal advice not too.

Its all business i guess. Im sad to see them go, but least the physical store is still open and the gaming hall.

[Arkangel]

So have Wayland really acting in a manner befitting the community as they stated or has this been an out and out removal of a competitor in an underhand manner?

I havent really ever heard of good things about Maelstrom unfortunately, however until the last 6-8 months I hadnt heard anything particular bad either with the exception of poor customer service and issues with shipping times. But other companies have been as bad in the past.

It just seems the business 'strategy' of those behind Maelstrom is what has ruined its reputation and its business. Everyone has been affected by GW's new direction when it comes to independants. I think continually blaming that or atributing it as a deciding factor is a really giving it more importannce that its real impact.

But again I dont have Maelstroms financials infront of me to scrutinise and I don't know what their contracts with suppliers looked like either.

Shame really that its all come to this

[Deadmeat30]

[Arkangel]

WOW that really is interesting.

Also very worrying that he's able to continue trading under so many companies AND that Maelstrom was so horrendously in debt

[mangozac]

I would guess that Wayland has taken advantage of an opportunity that presented itself. I'm sure most other companies would do the same.

For the record I have placed a few orders with Maelstrom over the years and never had an issue with them. They all went smoothly so I never had to deal with customer service...

Ark; while companies trading while insolvent is illegal and terrible business practise, it is unfortunately a very common thing these days and simply too difficult to enforce. Indeed ASIC (the controlling body here in Australia who is supposed to police such things) is one of the most apathetic and powerless departments in existence. We've at work now fallen afoul of two clients who have gone into liquidation, leaving us with practically no remuneration - fortunately the amounts were not enough to do irreparable damage to our business.

[mangozac]

Since Maelstrom has gone into liquidation I took the liberty of moving this thread from Announcements into the Waiting Room