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When my brother first had his Super Nintendo Entertainment System back in 1996, there was really only one place you would think of for buying new games. The internet was relatively new and certainly wasn’t the standard household communications tool it is now. Amazon and Play were still in diapers, and most game-specific stores were by catalogue and advertised through gaming magazines, like the Special Reserve Gaming Network. GAME, better known as Electronics Boutique, had the biggest collection of games for all systems on the high street, and offered great deals as well as the chance to swap some played games for discount against new. But alas, as the credit crunch is moving on into yet another year, headlines are appearing suggesting that Game can’t afford to stock new releases due to their creditors not being able to lend. So is this the end to the troubles for GAME? Is the biggest high street gaming chain seeing the start of things to come?
I’ve always been fond of GAME. Building themselves up by using the Electronics Boutique name until they became big enough to stop paying for the American firm’s name and start running on their own steam. Back in the day if there was ever a game you wanted for PC, Playstation, N64 or the Game Boy Color, Game would always be your first choice. Their well laid out stores had the best selection beating competitors like WH Smith, Currys, Dixons, Comet, Woolworths and everyone else in choice, and pricing. They even had an enjoyment guarantee that would allow you to bring the games back for a full refund or swap for another title if you didn’t like the game, on the condition that the game was returned in a new-sellable condition. If the title you wanted wasn’t in stock they would be able to tell you when it would be coming into store, and even reserve it for you if you wanted to be sure you would get it on returning to them.
However, since around half way through the Xbox/PS2 gaming era, GAME have been showing little signs that uncertainties have been effecting the business. GAME have dropped their price-matching, and their enjoyment guarantee meaning the only way you can return a game (unless clearly faulty) is to trade it in for discount on other games. They started charging for their loyalty reward card, which, when they started doing so, meant you would have to spend £100 on games just to get your money back. Their Debenhams concession stores (of which I used to be a member) have closed. Prices have shot up on games, whether new or pre-owned. And to ensure (though seemingly not guarantee) that you will get a new release on release day, you now have to pay a deposit with your preorder. After the acquisition of their biggest competitor, Gamestation, they have also closed a number of stores and, despite claiming they would treat Gamestation as a seperate business for the customers that liked Gamestation’s way of operating, matched the prices to their GAME stores and introduced a similar loyalty reward scheme.
In my experience as a customer, and a part time staff member in the early noughties, GAME have been weakening through their way of conveyor-belt operating and their price-hikes. Obviously it is GAME’s intention to make money out of their customers. Unless they make a profit they wouldn’t be able to operate. However, they make their staff almost reek of desperation in a bid to secure sales. If you step into a GAME store, you’ll be targetted by atleast one employee almost imediately, or will hear a manager tell a staff member to approach you with what is seemingly a polite, “Are you looking for anything in particular?” As a customer, I immediately feel harassed and often made to feel stupid as either it is a case of ”Yes, I am looking for a particular game, but mainly to see if it is of similar price to gaming websites before I make a decision as to whether I want to buy it. And funnily enough, I know the 3DS section is where all the 3DS games are located…” or “No, I am just browsing”. Rarely when I walk into a GAME store am I going in with the sole intention of buying a product regardless of the price.
Would you like fries with that?
Every purchase is followed by, “Is there anything you want to pre-order?”. To be fair, if there is I would have probably done it via the GAME website, or another competitor’s, for convienience. Quite often if you explain you’re just after what you’ve gone into the store for, or money’s a bit tight, they’ll use what seems to me to be a desperate attempt to get more money into the till: “Well if money is tight, we’re accepting preorder deposits of £10 towards the PS Vita which will only cost you a further £220 at launch in less that a month’s time…” I said money is tight, not that I will suddenly have 5 numbers on the lottery this weekend and will suddenly be able to afford it…
“and if you change your mind you can reclaim your deposit!” Or I could keep my £10, use it to fuel my car, buy some food, pay towards some bills, etc, and then if, when I’m ready, there is a good deal on the PS Vita, I may consider purchasing one from you.
The trouble is, GAME staff are made to feel that they’re not providing a good customer service unless they read the laminated script that they must memorise and read back word for word to each customer. I would consider it more of a customer service is a common sense approach was given by staff to customers. If you see someone browsing the console offers, speak to them like humans. Ask them what their thoughts are and advise them if you can accomodate their needs through an offer. If they’re looking at the chart games, then ask them what they’re after and offer to check if in stock. If you speak to them like humans at the tillpoint, they will often have a chat back which will let you know if they’re after any new releases which you can then advise about preorders and the benefits. The management to staff approach on sales is like ringing through to a foreign call centre. The staff seemingly have to go through a detailed script in a specific order regardless of the responses by the customer before they move on, which proves more frustrating as a customer than helpful.
“Oh, by the way, did you know you can trade games in for discount?”
Whilst trading in games helps you to ‘save’ some money against newer titles, what you’ve got to realise is that for the average console game, you’ll have spent £40 on it if you bought it on release. If, like me, you value your purchases, you’ll have kept them until you’re absolutely sure you’re not going to play them again. By then, the original selling price of the game has gone down so you may get, if you’re lucky, about £8 for the game. So so far you’re down £32. You get your £8 discount off of a new £40 game which means you have to hand over £32 cash to GAME. Therefore your new game has cost you £64. Meanwhile, Game sell your game for atleast 40% more to someone who doesn’t realise, or even care, that the game was sold to GAME for less, and GAME make a nice profit – on both the tradein and the new game.
Whilst the morals of pre-owned gaming are another story, they’re a large part of GAME’s success, especially for the average gamer who plays through a game, gets bored and wants a new experience. Unfortunately, replayability, or lack of, whilst being another subject for discussion, is a reason for gamers to trade in their used games for titles they haven’t yet played, it just goes to show that gaming has evolved from the arcade style addiction gaming to the once-played never again style of gaming the we see in all but a few select titles these days. But it is the pre-owned business that seems to be keeping GAME alive at the moment.
This has been seen by other retailers who have also had to cope with the recent struggles. HMV have been trying to expand on their gaming business through trade-ins as have massive supermarket chain Tesco. However, it is GAME’s biggest competitors that seem to have recently changed their strategies to target GAME’s customers. Online retail is quickly becomming the best choice for customers who can merely google the item they want and be told where they can get it cheapest out of a wide selection of online retailers. Amazon, Play, and even GAME’s online store offer products at a much more reasonable price in comparison to the high street. With fewer staff to pay, the profits, to some degree, can be passed on to the customer. Due to loopholes in tax laws, most online retailers operate from places like Jersey which allow them to make even larger profits. And with online shopping becomming more and more accessible in the broadband age, you would be daft not to consider purchasing or preordering that latest game online. Some online retailers even offer trade-in incentives that make it even more beneficial to shop online.
The Legend of Stock Shortages…
What you should bare in mind is that back in the old days of gaming, stock shortages on new titles were not unusual. Nintendo 64′s The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was hard to get hold of when it first came out. As were the original Pokémon titles. The importance of pre-ordering big releases seemed more prominent back then. And if you were lucky enough to get a preorder from an online retailer or a catalogue firm like Special Reserve, chances are you would get the game delivered to your door on release, or if you were even luckier, could brag to your mates that you had your copy a day or two before they did. However, these days preorders are normally to allow stores the chance to ensure they have enough stock to order from the suppliers which also ensured over-stocking a potential flop didn’t become an issue for the retailier.
Times have inevitably changed and at the moment I don’t feel that GAME are keeping up with them. They need to start thinking more of the customer, make the high street shop more of a pleasant, rather than an offputting experience. Reduce prices to be a little more competative and even consider re-introducing price-matching (against local retailers) – a policy that forms part of John Lewis’s ever growing success in their field of retail. Offer more value for trade-in, and try selling some stock they already have rather than just focussing on stock they haven’t even got yet.
Are GAME old fashioned? As a high street retailer yes. by reducing their retail incentives and almost forcing their regular customers online, they’re potentially hurting their own trade.
A glimpse through the time vortex…
The future of GAME is inevitably their online business. They already offer better deals through the GAME, Gamestation and Gameplay websites and tghis is obviously through then cost savings of not having to pay for premises, haulage, staff and the obvious bills surrounding them. They’re already making decisions regarding their european expansion and I wouldn’t be suprised if we see more store closures in the UK in the near future. I can’t see them going bust, but unless they consider defeat on the high street, they may be calling in the administrators to attempt to save them in the short term.
I know the subject has caused much controversy on here lately but felt this an appropriate formate to voice my own opinion in an objective manner
This may appear on a google search, but it is 100% my own work and will have originated from my own personal blog-site
*Edit: Title updated 21/3/2012 following recent events
I’ve always been fond of GAME. Building themselves up by using the Electronics Boutique name until they became big enough to stop paying for the American firm’s name and start running on their own steam. Back in the day if there was ever a game you wanted for PC, Playstation, N64 or the Game Boy Color, Game would always be your first choice. Their well laid out stores had the best selection beating competitors like WH Smith, Currys, Dixons, Comet, Woolworths and everyone else in choice, and pricing. They even had an enjoyment guarantee that would allow you to bring the games back for a full refund or swap for another title if you didn’t like the game, on the condition that the game was returned in a new-sellable condition. If the title you wanted wasn’t in stock they would be able to tell you when it would be coming into store, and even reserve it for you if you wanted to be sure you would get it on returning to them.
However, since around half way through the Xbox/PS2 gaming era, GAME have been showing little signs that uncertainties have been effecting the business. GAME have dropped their price-matching, and their enjoyment guarantee meaning the only way you can return a game (unless clearly faulty) is to trade it in for discount on other games. They started charging for their loyalty reward card, which, when they started doing so, meant you would have to spend £100 on games just to get your money back. Their Debenhams concession stores (of which I used to be a member) have closed. Prices have shot up on games, whether new or pre-owned. And to ensure (though seemingly not guarantee) that you will get a new release on release day, you now have to pay a deposit with your preorder. After the acquisition of their biggest competitor, Gamestation, they have also closed a number of stores and, despite claiming they would treat Gamestation as a seperate business for the customers that liked Gamestation’s way of operating, matched the prices to their GAME stores and introduced a similar loyalty reward scheme.
In my experience as a customer, and a part time staff member in the early noughties, GAME have been weakening through their way of conveyor-belt operating and their price-hikes. Obviously it is GAME’s intention to make money out of their customers. Unless they make a profit they wouldn’t be able to operate. However, they make their staff almost reek of desperation in a bid to secure sales. If you step into a GAME store, you’ll be targetted by atleast one employee almost imediately, or will hear a manager tell a staff member to approach you with what is seemingly a polite, “Are you looking for anything in particular?” As a customer, I immediately feel harassed and often made to feel stupid as either it is a case of ”Yes, I am looking for a particular game, but mainly to see if it is of similar price to gaming websites before I make a decision as to whether I want to buy it. And funnily enough, I know the 3DS section is where all the 3DS games are located…” or “No, I am just browsing”. Rarely when I walk into a GAME store am I going in with the sole intention of buying a product regardless of the price.
Would you like fries with that?
Every purchase is followed by, “Is there anything you want to pre-order?”. To be fair, if there is I would have probably done it via the GAME website, or another competitor’s, for convienience. Quite often if you explain you’re just after what you’ve gone into the store for, or money’s a bit tight, they’ll use what seems to me to be a desperate attempt to get more money into the till: “Well if money is tight, we’re accepting preorder deposits of £10 towards the PS Vita which will only cost you a further £220 at launch in less that a month’s time…” I said money is tight, not that I will suddenly have 5 numbers on the lottery this weekend and will suddenly be able to afford it…
“and if you change your mind you can reclaim your deposit!” Or I could keep my £10, use it to fuel my car, buy some food, pay towards some bills, etc, and then if, when I’m ready, there is a good deal on the PS Vita, I may consider purchasing one from you.
The trouble is, GAME staff are made to feel that they’re not providing a good customer service unless they read the laminated script that they must memorise and read back word for word to each customer. I would consider it more of a customer service is a common sense approach was given by staff to customers. If you see someone browsing the console offers, speak to them like humans. Ask them what their thoughts are and advise them if you can accomodate their needs through an offer. If they’re looking at the chart games, then ask them what they’re after and offer to check if in stock. If you speak to them like humans at the tillpoint, they will often have a chat back which will let you know if they’re after any new releases which you can then advise about preorders and the benefits. The management to staff approach on sales is like ringing through to a foreign call centre. The staff seemingly have to go through a detailed script in a specific order regardless of the responses by the customer before they move on, which proves more frustrating as a customer than helpful.
“Oh, by the way, did you know you can trade games in for discount?”
Whilst trading in games helps you to ‘save’ some money against newer titles, what you’ve got to realise is that for the average console game, you’ll have spent £40 on it if you bought it on release. If, like me, you value your purchases, you’ll have kept them until you’re absolutely sure you’re not going to play them again. By then, the original selling price of the game has gone down so you may get, if you’re lucky, about £8 for the game. So so far you’re down £32. You get your £8 discount off of a new £40 game which means you have to hand over £32 cash to GAME. Therefore your new game has cost you £64. Meanwhile, Game sell your game for atleast 40% more to someone who doesn’t realise, or even care, that the game was sold to GAME for less, and GAME make a nice profit – on both the tradein and the new game.
Whilst the morals of pre-owned gaming are another story, they’re a large part of GAME’s success, especially for the average gamer who plays through a game, gets bored and wants a new experience. Unfortunately, replayability, or lack of, whilst being another subject for discussion, is a reason for gamers to trade in their used games for titles they haven’t yet played, it just goes to show that gaming has evolved from the arcade style addiction gaming to the once-played never again style of gaming the we see in all but a few select titles these days. But it is the pre-owned business that seems to be keeping GAME alive at the moment.
This has been seen by other retailers who have also had to cope with the recent struggles. HMV have been trying to expand on their gaming business through trade-ins as have massive supermarket chain Tesco. However, it is GAME’s biggest competitors that seem to have recently changed their strategies to target GAME’s customers. Online retail is quickly becomming the best choice for customers who can merely google the item they want and be told where they can get it cheapest out of a wide selection of online retailers. Amazon, Play, and even GAME’s online store offer products at a much more reasonable price in comparison to the high street. With fewer staff to pay, the profits, to some degree, can be passed on to the customer. Due to loopholes in tax laws, most online retailers operate from places like Jersey which allow them to make even larger profits. And with online shopping becomming more and more accessible in the broadband age, you would be daft not to consider purchasing or preordering that latest game online. Some online retailers even offer trade-in incentives that make it even more beneficial to shop online.
The Legend of Stock Shortages…
What you should bare in mind is that back in the old days of gaming, stock shortages on new titles were not unusual. Nintendo 64′s The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was hard to get hold of when it first came out. As were the original Pokémon titles. The importance of pre-ordering big releases seemed more prominent back then. And if you were lucky enough to get a preorder from an online retailer or a catalogue firm like Special Reserve, chances are you would get the game delivered to your door on release, or if you were even luckier, could brag to your mates that you had your copy a day or two before they did. However, these days preorders are normally to allow stores the chance to ensure they have enough stock to order from the suppliers which also ensured over-stocking a potential flop didn’t become an issue for the retailier.
Times have inevitably changed and at the moment I don’t feel that GAME are keeping up with them. They need to start thinking more of the customer, make the high street shop more of a pleasant, rather than an offputting experience. Reduce prices to be a little more competative and even consider re-introducing price-matching (against local retailers) – a policy that forms part of John Lewis’s ever growing success in their field of retail. Offer more value for trade-in, and try selling some stock they already have rather than just focussing on stock they haven’t even got yet.
Are GAME old fashioned? As a high street retailer yes. by reducing their retail incentives and almost forcing their regular customers online, they’re potentially hurting their own trade.
A glimpse through the time vortex…
The future of GAME is inevitably their online business. They already offer better deals through the GAME, Gamestation and Gameplay websites and tghis is obviously through then cost savings of not having to pay for premises, haulage, staff and the obvious bills surrounding them. They’re already making decisions regarding their european expansion and I wouldn’t be suprised if we see more store closures in the UK in the near future. I can’t see them going bust, but unless they consider defeat on the high street, they may be calling in the administrators to attempt to save them in the short term.
I know the subject has caused much controversy on here lately but felt this an appropriate formate to voice my own opinion in an objective manner
This may appear on a google search, but it is 100% my own work and will have originated from my own personal blog-site
*Edit: Title updated 21/3/2012 following recent events
Page:
Excellent comparison pete...
This is precisely the problem, not just with games and the motor trade, but in general with all leisure goods. The accessibility increases, the PERCEIVED value drops. Cost to traders, however, remains high...
Not a good position for any business, but if you're a specialist retailer, you have no other line of income.
This is precisely the problem, not just with games and the motor trade, but in general with all leisure goods. The accessibility increases, the PERCEIVED value drops. Cost to traders, however, remains high...
Not a good position for any business, but if you're a specialist retailer, you have no other line of income.
chasfh wrote:
I remember a number of occasions as manager of a Gamestation store when I would take two members of staff and a very large sum of petty cash to the local Sainsburys or Tescos to BUY CONSOLES BECAUSE THEY WERE CHEAPER THAN OUR WHOLESALE PRICE!!!
The harsh truth is, we, the public, quite rightly go for the best deal.
In this case, the best deal just happens to be the one thing that has caused the specialist retailers the most heartache.
Just thought y'all might be interested...:-)
After reading this something sprung to my mind and that is how much the woes of the 'bricks & mortar' gaming retailers are mirroring those of another struggling industry, the motor trade.
No hear me out I haven't been on the Domestos again, my sister worked for a fairly large main dealer car sales group for a few years (they had 3 different makes of vehicles across the dealership) and she would often tell me that they made very little money on new car sales (some salesmen actually used to hide from new car customers!). In theory their profit would come from future servicing, repairs and the sale of the part-exchanged car they had taken in against the new one. For years this seemed to work until the likes of Virgin Cars, JamJar etc. and car supermarkets like Motorpoint turned up, potential customers would get quotes from these people and bring them into the dealership hoping to get them matched. Very often these prices would be cheaper than the dealership could buy the same vehicles direct from the manufacturer (this was the same on all 3 makes). Then the customer would check out the retail price of their car and want that for part-ex allowance. She said that they simply couldn't offer customers what they wanted and the end result was that new car sales fell off a cliff.
Now here is the next part of the puzzle, new car sales have been very poor which has then lead to a shortage of second hand vehicles in the marketplace. Cars in supposedly trade only auctions started fetching damn near retail prices, meaning there was little profit to be made from the sales of cars acquired in this manner either. Customers would come in inquiring about certain models (used) and look bemused when informed by a main dealer that they were struggling to find them one.
My sister said that the motor trade industry is in a total mess and it's one she can't see it getting out of anytime soon. She said it became a very stressful environment to work in and she is glad to be out of it.
So to recap, the dealers can't supply new stock, be competitive and make a profit and they can't get the required used stock in the numbers they need at the prices they need in order to make a profit. Perhaps not all that dissimilar to the points being made in this thread?
PS. Apparently my local GAME still hasn't got any 360 Soul Calibur V's in so my mate has given up and said is going to buy one off eBay. Once this becomes 'the norm' customers will simply stop going into the stores altogether.
I remember a number of occasions as manager of a Gamestation store when I would take two members of staff and a very large sum of petty cash to the local Sainsburys or Tescos to BUY CONSOLES BECAUSE THEY WERE CHEAPER THAN OUR WHOLESALE PRICE!!!
The harsh truth is, we, the public, quite rightly go for the best deal.
In this case, the best deal just happens to be the one thing that has caused the specialist retailers the most heartache.
Just thought y'all might be interested...:-)
After reading this something sprung to my mind and that is how much the woes of the 'bricks & mortar' gaming retailers are mirroring those of another struggling industry, the motor trade.
No hear me out I haven't been on the Domestos again, my sister worked for a fairly large main dealer car sales group for a few years (they had 3 different makes of vehicles across the dealership) and she would often tell me that they made very little money on new car sales (some salesmen actually used to hide from new car customers!). In theory their profit would come from future servicing, repairs and the sale of the part-exchanged car they had taken in against the new one. For years this seemed to work until the likes of Virgin Cars, JamJar etc. and car supermarkets like Motorpoint turned up, potential customers would get quotes from these people and bring them into the dealership hoping to get them matched. Very often these prices would be cheaper than the dealership could buy the same vehicles direct from the manufacturer (this was the same on all 3 makes). Then the customer would check out the retail price of their car and want that for part-ex allowance. She said that they simply couldn't offer customers what they wanted and the end result was that new car sales fell off a cliff.
Now here is the next part of the puzzle, new car sales have been very poor which has then lead to a shortage of second hand vehicles in the marketplace. Cars in supposedly trade only auctions started fetching damn near retail prices, meaning there was little profit to be made from the sales of cars acquired in this manner either. Customers would come in inquiring about certain models (used) and look bemused when informed by a main dealer that they were struggling to find them one.
My sister said that the motor trade industry is in a total mess and it's one she can't see it getting out of anytime soon. She said it became a very stressful environment to work in and she is glad to be out of it.
So to recap, the dealers can't supply new stock, be competitive and make a profit and they can't get the required used stock in the numbers they need at the prices they need in order to make a profit. Perhaps not all that dissimilar to the points being made in this thread?
PS. Apparently my local GAME still hasn't got any 360 Soul Calibur V's in so my mate has given up and said is going to buy one off eBay. Once this becomes 'the norm' customers will simply stop going into the stores altogether.
This year was predicted to be the worst yet for the 'recession' and so far it has been ... many companies have 'thrown in the towel' ... and GAME are one of many edging towards oblivion. EA don't seem to be helping as a new update to Origin reveals the astounding offer of ME3 (PC) for £34.99, SWTOR £59.99 ... no chance but SIMS fans seem to be being wooed with new releases and options, as ever ;¬)
If present trends continue then I'll be joining the crew of the 'Black Pearl' ;¬)
If present trends continue then I'll be joining the crew of the 'Black Pearl' ;¬)
spoonbeast wrote:
Considering that a large portion of the cost of a game go directly into the store itself....
.
Just like to point out that, as previously stated, games DO NOT make large profits for game stores....
The margin on new games in general is minimal to almost non- existent, for consoles and hardware it's worse.
It is an impossible- to- break but totally inaccurate misconception that game stores make large profit margins on everything. They actually have only survived this long because of second hand sales and third party peripherals.
Sorry to dispel the myth and all, but that, I am afraid, is FACT.
Bottom line;- supermarkets use games as loss leaders, encouraging the belief that a game can be bought wholesale for peanuts. Specialist retailers frequently end up selling a new title for cost, or little more than cost.
For the benefit of those who missed my previous posts;;
I remember a number of occasions as manager of a Gamestation store when I would take two members of staff and a very large sum of petty cash to the local Sainsburys or Tescos to BUY CONSOLES BECAUSE THEY WERE CHEAPER THAN OUR WHOLESALE PRICE!!!
The harsh truth is, we, the public, quite rightly go for the best deal.
In this case, the best deal just happens to be the one thing that has caused the specialist retailers the most heartache.
Just thought y'all might be interested...:-)
Considering that a large portion of the cost of a game go directly into the store itself....
.
Just like to point out that, as previously stated, games DO NOT make large profits for game stores....
The margin on new games in general is minimal to almost non- existent, for consoles and hardware it's worse.
It is an impossible- to- break but totally inaccurate misconception that game stores make large profit margins on everything. They actually have only survived this long because of second hand sales and third party peripherals.
Sorry to dispel the myth and all, but that, I am afraid, is FACT.
Bottom line;- supermarkets use games as loss leaders, encouraging the belief that a game can be bought wholesale for peanuts. Specialist retailers frequently end up selling a new title for cost, or little more than cost.
For the benefit of those who missed my previous posts;;
I remember a number of occasions as manager of a Gamestation store when I would take two members of staff and a very large sum of petty cash to the local Sainsburys or Tescos to BUY CONSOLES BECAUSE THEY WERE CHEAPER THAN OUR WHOLESALE PRICE!!!
The harsh truth is, we, the public, quite rightly go for the best deal.
In this case, the best deal just happens to be the one thing that has caused the specialist retailers the most heartache.
Just thought y'all might be interested...:-)
Considering that a large portion of the cost of a game go directly into the store itself it would be.
The question would be, what would happen if game disappeared? Eurogamer's article is quite an interesting one to say the least. Will supermarkets take hold of stock and then we'll see less variety in games as they stock only the top selling titles and not the indie stuff? Will supply be severed and what will happen to the unemployed workers.
The question would be, what would happen if game disappeared? Eurogamer's article is quite an interesting one to say the least. Will supermarkets take hold of stock and then we'll see less variety in games as they stock only the top selling titles and not the indie stuff? Will supply be severed and what will happen to the unemployed workers.
What with Blockbuster and HMV scaling down their established emphasis on games sales recently (as far as I understand things) I don't think games are doing that well in retail anyway. They may be selling in quantity but are the profits really still there for the retailers at the moment?
With ME3 just round the corner they decide that they won't be stocking a whole load of games.
Thats a bad sign right there. Not able to afford stock or even obtain stock makes things look very, very bad.
"I'm commander Shepard and this is the worst store to buy games"
Thats a bad sign right there. Not able to afford stock or even obtain stock makes things look very, very bad.
"I'm commander Shepard and this is the worst store to buy games"
Edgy wrote:
Digital Spy reporting 15% share price drop today and that GameStop are considering making GAME an offer.
I can't see that happening. The industry isn't in bad shape and GAME took in huge reciepts last year, it's purely GAME's mismanagement that's put them in this position. What I expect will happen is GAME selling off foriegn operations in order to free up some cash and reorganise with a smaller operation. They knew this 2 years ago but they've been far too slow in actually getting it done. It shouldn't take you 3 years to close your non-profitable stores down.
Digital Spy reporting 15% share price drop today and that GameStop are considering making GAME an offer.
I can't see that happening. The industry isn't in bad shape and GAME took in huge reciepts last year, it's purely GAME's mismanagement that's put them in this position. What I expect will happen is GAME selling off foriegn operations in order to free up some cash and reorganise with a smaller operation. They knew this 2 years ago but they've been far too slow in actually getting it done. It shouldn't take you 3 years to close your non-profitable stores down.
Digital Spy reporting 15% share price drop today and that GameStop are considering making GAME an offer.
So Game may be forced to sell if investors and consumers continue to lose confidence. On the plus side it may save the high street chain...but in a similar way to when GAME saved Gamestation when Blockbusters were in trouble
So Game may be forced to sell if investors and consumers continue to lose confidence. On the plus side it may save the high street chain...but in a similar way to when GAME saved Gamestation when Blockbusters were in trouble
Dr. Garin wrote:
I didnt know pb had a new job working in Game's PR department. :-)
I suppose what is quite interesting about all this is that publishers clearly feel that the balance of power has swung and not being in a major highstreet retailer is now acceptable.
The balance of power HAS shifted, regardless of what the consumer might think...
From mobile phones to blu- rays to downloadable games, whatever it is we'll buy into it in great enough numbers in the end.
Why?
'Cos they'll sell it to the kids...
Twenty years ago, how many kids had mobile phones?
Now, how many over the age of eight DON'T?
Marketing is all about creating acceptability. Games companies are experts at it. Let's be honest, EA's BIGGEST title is the Sims. How much do they make on downloadable content alone?
So, if EA suddenly said "all future Sims games will be Download Only", who'd bat an eyelid? How many would just cough up the money and download?
I'd say the majority would. And if it's good for one title, why wouldn't it work for the rest?
And to clarify, just because i believe it doesn't mean I think it's right!
I didnt know pb had a new job working in Game's PR department. :-)
I suppose what is quite interesting about all this is that publishers clearly feel that the balance of power has swung and not being in a major highstreet retailer is now acceptable.
The balance of power HAS shifted, regardless of what the consumer might think...
From mobile phones to blu- rays to downloadable games, whatever it is we'll buy into it in great enough numbers in the end.
Why?
'Cos they'll sell it to the kids...
Twenty years ago, how many kids had mobile phones?
Now, how many over the age of eight DON'T?
Marketing is all about creating acceptability. Games companies are experts at it. Let's be honest, EA's BIGGEST title is the Sims. How much do they make on downloadable content alone?
So, if EA suddenly said "all future Sims games will be Download Only", who'd bat an eyelid? How many would just cough up the money and download?
I'd say the majority would. And if it's good for one title, why wouldn't it work for the rest?
And to clarify, just because i believe it doesn't mean I think it's right!
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