This is a lot of words … phew! … is it really necessary? Unfortunately, yes. This text/information dump is required due to the fact that others would try to steer this ship their own way, despite having no insight into the finances and planning that are behind the organisation. What was a fun, casual operation, has now become something that needs to be overseen and directed to avoid it being derailed by the misperceptions of others. Follow the guidance, and all will be well. Don’t, and you risk sinking the ship.
I hope that this is a useful little guide. If you’re in any doubt about making payments please see our string of regular posts which will give you a sense of the volume of transactions and trades which we are involved with.
WHEN ARE YOU OPEN? The physical store is open from 10am to 5pm on Wednesday and Thursday, 10am to 8pm on Friday and 12pm to 5pm on Saturday. On Monday I will be putting out regular facebook posts to the community and responding to purchase requests/sending payment links etc: so whilst not physically ‘open’ all of the time, the shop is in operation for most of the week.
HOW CAN I BUY MODELS FROM YOU? If you’re new to us, you might be wondering how to obtain minis at the great prices that we offer here? It’s very simple and straightforward: the easiest way to buy is directly, in the store. If you live further afield, please request models from our Facebook posts rather than sending wish-lists through to me.
I DON’T LIVE CLOSE BY – CAN I STILL BUY FROM YOU? Yes, I offer a selection of models up to Facebook on most Mondays. Like the fb page (facebook.com/mirfieldminiatures), and you should get notifications when these selling posts come up – typically on Monday at 11am (Saturday Survivors)/ 12pm & 1pm (fantasy) /2pm & 3pm (40k/sci-fi) / 4pm (Bunker exclusives). If you see something you like, comment on the picture. I’ll usually respond with a simple confirmation message (‘yep’ or ).
HOW DO YOU TAKE PAYMENTS? If you’re a regular customer I’ll send a Sumup payment link through. If not, please PM the Facebook page to request the payment link to bag those minis. Currently, the majority of links are sent on Monday night or Tuesday after the fb posts have been completed (after 4pm).
HOW MUCH WILL POSTAGE COST? Standard postage cost is £3.50 and parcels are generally sent via Royal Mail 2nd class. Sometimes heavier or larger parcels will incur a postage cost of £6, for example if they are over 2kg. I will try to be clear about this if it is likely to be more expensive to post something. Please request an alternative carrier if you prefer another company, though we will no longer send via My Hermes/Evri. We do not post models internationally.
I ONLY WANT ONE MODEL THIS WEEK, CAN I GET MORE NEXT WEEK AND POST THEM AT THE SAME TIME? You may intend to purchase more items and have them bundled together to save on postage. I’m happy to hold models, but if they are on the reserve shelf for much over a fortnight without signs of payment I will need to return them to the store.
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND A VISIT TO THE SHOP FROM AFAR? In short, no! People have done it, from great distance, but it’s always a huge pressure. If you plan to make a trip, give me some forewarning: we might be able to put something together that makes the trip worthwhile. In context, a very lovely gentleman once drove from the Netherlands to the shop to find it closed and me on holiday in Malta. We worked something out .. but heck, please check in first, send me a PM, I can’t have it happening again!!
HOW DO I TRADE IN MODELS WITH YOU? This is the single trickiest part of the business here. We do purchase models and take them as trade-in against purchases, though price is very much based on condition. As a general rule we’d look to sell items at 50% retail price and buy in at 40%. Please book a slot via our evenbrite link to request a price on any trade-in bundles. Sometimes you will have to be prepared to leave your models with me in order to get a price, and sometimes I will not be able to provide instant cash for you.
BUT I CAN’T GET IN ON ANY OF THOSE DAYS/TIMES … It’s important to note, just because the dates and times don’t fit your work schedule doesn’t mean they aren’t for you. Those dates and times relate to when I will assess the trade. Models can be brought, or lists sent, at any time provided that you have a booking. I feel that needs clarifying here and perhaps elsewhere too as it is commonly misunderstood. Also, the trade booking system is really for me to manage incoming stock because otherwise I have zero control over what lands here and how much cash I need to spend. I’d say the booking system is a business essential and the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT thing to recognise and accept if you want to be part of this trading/selling community.
WHY HAVEN’T YOU ANSWERED MY MESSAGE? To be fair to myself, there are a lot of messages coming in. Please message via FB Messenger to the shop page – this will ideally be the only place where I am receiving shop/business messages from customers. If, for example, you message on a Monday, you may well be thrown to the bottom of a long list of payment link messages within a very short space of time. I am then unlikely to return to your message. Please feel free to follow up, eventually I’ll get to you. If your message continues to languish beneath another 50 to 100 messenger messages, it’s unlikely that I’ll spot it again without being prompted. Sorry!
ARE YOU OK, MARK? Most days, yes, I am. Occasionally things get on top of me, but I’ve a super supportive and vocal community behind me who often help me over the hurdles that are presented to me. Sometimes things happen from out of nowhere … but so far we’ve overcome these issues, largely by being open about what’s bothering me, talking through it and finding solutions. Hopefully it’ll continue to be the case.
DO YOU SELL BRAND NEW HOBBY PRODUCT? We don’t sell brand new GW product, but our parent organisation Creative Arts Hub does (the building that we’re located in). We also sell Two Thin Coats, Army Painter and Warlord Games product. We have removed the website that these were sold through, primarily due to chargeback issues: so generally these are for in-store purchase only, though you are welcome to request items via Messenger. These are all offered at 80% rrp
I’M LOOKING FOR CERTAIN MODELS, CAN I SEND A LIST? Please try not to send me ‘wants’ lists or requests for specific models. If I chase all of these I’ll have no time in the rest of the week for the routine; the same applies in the shop itself – if it isn’t on the shelves, it’s not up for sale yet. Chances are, if you want a model so do at least another two dozen people! The only fair way is to put things out on a first-come first-served basis, either in the shop or via fb. I will ignore any post-Saturday ‘Did it survive?’ messages.
DO I HAVE TO QUEUE ON SATURDAYS TO GET IN? Saturday is re-stock day for the shop. I’ll show you on Thursday eve what to expect, but none of these models can be reserved – they are available on Saturday at 12pm, first-come, first-served. So yes, there is often a queue, and a very busy first hour. When necessary I am limiting purchases in the first hour in the hope of spreading the goodness out amongst more of you, and encouraging more considered purchasing.
I’VE HEARD ABOUT THE BUNKER – WHAT IS IT? Join the Bunker to gain access to Forgeworld models, painted armies and rarer metal minis. This has been set up to avoid these models falling into the hands of scalpers and re-sellers. Bunker membership also grants access to our monthly prize draw, and costs £1 per month. More info at Patreon.com/mirfieldminiatures
I WANT TO USE YOUR GAMING TABLES – HOW DO I DO THIS? Links to book a table are below for Friday eve & Saturday aft. During the week you can also use gaming tables, but booking not essential and availability on a first-come, first-served basis. Booking through these links is per table, not per person (two people to a table) and is currently free of charge. There should be up-to-date links on the Facebook page.
Mirfield Miniatures 