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is Gamestop really in trouble, and how can it recover?
- Thread starter fireflame
- Start date
LOL
lmaooooo I would not be surprised at the rate I'm seeing these stores popping up lol
They are all but gone by 2020/21 unless someone buys them, closes a ton of stores, and. they go more niche.
They are selling a dying medium when the big 3 are pushing digital distribution.
They are selling a dying medium when the big 3 are pushing digital distribution.
Lol
There's not much they could do, and not sure if I care if they went the way of Blockbuster.
But hypothetically speaking, it's possible they could go the BestBuy route and become more of a showroom, renting out square footage to video game companies for advertising space. The problem with that idea is that most Gamestops are tiny, so I dont see it yielding profit.
Nothing makes me want to step foot in there. If I do for some reason want a physical copy, I just order through Amazon.
Next gen launch will give them a boost. Buy now, sell in early 2021. No way they last another full gen though.
I think at this point you have to look at what exactly people are willing to go buy in person. It's not much these days it seems.
It probably wouldn't help much but I would be interested in seeing them COMPLETELY rebrand themselves, move away from walls of game copies, and try to court PC gamers by offering PC parts and accessories. The only problem with that is they would have to match the aggressive pricing of places like Fry's and Microcenter etc. which isn't easy.
It probably wouldn't help much but I would be interested in seeing them COMPLETELY rebrand themselves, move away from walls of game copies, and try to court PC gamers by offering PC parts and accessories. The only problem with that is they would have to match the aggressive pricing of places like Fry's and Microcenter etc. which isn't easy.
Good riddance to bad rubbish. You fuck over enough employees, word spreads and people stop shopping at your store.
I see no way how a physical store selling physical games like GameStop will not go anywhere but down as the years pass by. Digital, streaming and online stores like Amazon are all slowly but surely killing any chance Gamestop has to surve
I pretty much only go to GameStop for collectibles nowadays, and even then, I rarely find myself actually buying anything. I still have GCU, so Best Buy will remain cheaper for what few physical (read: console) games I buy, and even when it expires, I see little reason to go back.
Funcoland used to let you play used games to see if you like it. That might get some people back in the stores
This is why I hope they survive. Digital distribution is the end for me.
Yep.
It's just too convenient and easy to go digital. I know it's not feasible for EVERYONE, but it's feasible for most of us.
Kind of like funcoland when it was around, but without the ridiculous pricing
If they're going to survive, they might want to consider the Best Buy experience - they were faltering as Amazon became a preferred method to buy electronics, but they seem more stable now. Their stores are more pleasant than in the old days and customers don't seem to be pummeled by staff. The core experience is better than it used to - it probably didn't hurt that some regional electronics chains and competitors fell away in the last 20 years too.
GameStop's other related-but-distinct problem is there are plenty of places to buy video games and their in-store experience is better. Why go into a musty store when you can buy the same game at Target and get good sale prices too, never mind Best Buy? Instead, you can buy a new television for your home and get a console with it, and why not? Those places didn't have a rep for "gutting" new copies or letting staff blatantly pick at launch hardware either.
Hopefully they can whittle down their fleet of shops, many of which are likely stuck in sleepier malls, and re-focus their product a little better. But in the meantime, just stop being trash.
GameStop's other related-but-distinct problem is there are plenty of places to buy video games and their in-store experience is better. Why go into a musty store when you can buy the same game at Target and get good sale prices too, never mind Best Buy? Instead, you can buy a new television for your home and get a console with it, and why not? Those places didn't have a rep for "gutting" new copies or letting staff blatantly pick at launch hardware either.
Hopefully they can whittle down their fleet of shops, many of which are likely stuck in sleepier malls, and re-focus their product a little better. But in the meantime, just stop being trash.
I still buy a lot of physical games, I just don't buy them from Gamestop - mostly Amazon and Best Buy. I think mainly because I prefer the convenience of those two experiences - preorder experience that's easy to cancel if I change my mind and doesn't charge upfront, free or inexpensive shipping, easy store pickup at Best Buy. Shopping at Gamestop is an ordeal anyway you approach it - the stores are cluttered, shipping is expensive and there's no subscription service to mitigate it, the stores are understaffed and the clerks are forced to try and upsell. It's just overall unpleasant.
This is may be tangential to the underlying question, but I still think the move to cut down their locations to roughly half Funko-POP/novelty/collectibles was a terrible decision that made shopping there all the worse for their core buyers. Them now having to restructure that business to prop it up when the original intent was the other way around has to be frustrating on the business side. I understand the markup is higher on that stuff, but even having better arrangement/display of a smaller amount of game-related stock would be preferable to this pop-culture vomit making the store feel cramped and unfocused.
On a personal level, I don't like being in the stores with all that stuff sloppily stacked up around the other displays, and I think there was a missed opportunity in not making the stores focus more on hardware accessories and higher-end customization early on when it became clear how software would be moving toward digital/services.
On a personal level, I don't like being in the stores with all that stuff sloppily stacked up around the other displays, and I think there was a missed opportunity in not making the stores focus more on hardware accessories and higher-end customization early on when it became clear how software would be moving toward digital/services.
I was introduced to a YouTube channel from a thread here with some horrible GameStop stories. I had no idea upper management are really dicking over the people in the stores. I refuse to shop at GameStop anymore and the sooner they're gone with their negative reinforcement culture, the better.
Honestly, the best way they can recover is probably to fully transition into a store focusing on collectibles and merch like funko pops and t shirts, which is something they're already gradually doing.
It's how FYE somehow managed to survive after the audio CD/DVD market dried up, and Gamestop is very much in a similar scenario.
It's how FYE somehow managed to survive after the audio CD/DVD market dried up, and Gamestop is very much in a similar scenario.
Yup. Asura's Wrath was recently added to Xbox BC. I picked up a copy for less than $10 at GS while it was $20 digitally.
Does GameStop still sell opened games as new?
Not sure why I would give them money over a retailer that actually sells new products.
Not sure why I would give them money over a retailer that actually sells new products.
I went into my old GS yesterday, the one I worked at for years, and it's like night and day compared to when I worked there. It was sad. Their pricing is completely screwed up for what a used item should cost and the toys, even with a huge profit margin, cannot possibly sell enough to warrant the inventory levels each store is stocking.
I don't want anyone to lose their jobs but my city doesn't need 6 locations - 5 of which are in a 5 mile radius of each other. Not counting the ones in little towns right outside of here. They should also adjust their hours - from experience, no one goes to buy video games generally between 7:30-9 at night. Also, their DLs and RDLs are paid ridiculous amounts of money to generally work from home and be very hands off. I know the DL from my district is still there and is stuck in the 2005 GS model. "We should push reserves because they make us money!!!!" was his philosophy and the people I know who still work there say that is still the case. He's out of touch - it's not even the company focus anymore. Gamestop really needs to embrace its niche opportunities, put retro games into stores again, and appeal to people who want video games and not toys. I say this as an action figure collector but things like that should be stocked online and be special orders so they're not taking up/cluttering the storefronts.
But hey, what do I know? I wouldn't hard sell to people and, even though I put in 8 years there, my DL very much disliked me for it. Jokes on him, I guess.
I don't want anyone to lose their jobs but my city doesn't need 6 locations - 5 of which are in a 5 mile radius of each other. Not counting the ones in little towns right outside of here. They should also adjust their hours - from experience, no one goes to buy video games generally between 7:30-9 at night. Also, their DLs and RDLs are paid ridiculous amounts of money to generally work from home and be very hands off. I know the DL from my district is still there and is stuck in the 2005 GS model. "We should push reserves because they make us money!!!!" was his philosophy and the people I know who still work there say that is still the case. He's out of touch - it's not even the company focus anymore. Gamestop really needs to embrace its niche opportunities, put retro games into stores again, and appeal to people who want video games and not toys. I say this as an action figure collector but things like that should be stocked online and be special orders so they're not taking up/cluttering the storefronts.
But hey, what do I know? I wouldn't hard sell to people and, even though I put in 8 years there, my DL very much disliked me for it. Jokes on him, I guess.
I'm not going to sit here and pretend I know how to run a business. But I always thought if Gamestop offered much better prices on their in-store credit/cash for any games people bring in to sell to them used, then people would use them more. They'd have less margins on their used game sales, but it'd bring more people into the store I think, which could lead to people using the cash they gained to buy something a bit more expensive than what they received, thus Gamestop getting a small profit from it still.
I also think they should get rid of used games being sold in store altogether. Used game sales are much more prevalent online, so maybe just use their website or Ebay for selling the used games they get. Also offer better deals or rewards, right now they're the only dedicated video game store still around, but they somehow have the worst deals for video games which makes zero sense.
I also think they should get rid of used games being sold in store altogether. Used game sales are much more prevalent online, so maybe just use their website or Ebay for selling the used games they get. Also offer better deals or rewards, right now they're the only dedicated video game store still around, but they somehow have the worst deals for video games which makes zero sense.
I find myself using Gamestop more now that I know they are in danger. I stopped ordering from Amazon a few year back and switched to Best Buy. I still like BB, but I have been reorganizing my game collection and I have to say, Gamestop has been great for selling the stuff I don't want anymore and picking up some of the PS3/PS4 titles I've missed over the years. I also bought a 60GB launch PS3 recently (backward compatible with PS2) for $90 from them when eBay prices would have had me up near $250.
When Gamestop is gone, they'll be missed.
When Gamestop is gone, they'll be missed.
To be perfectly fair, they have time to find a new way to get people coming in and buying their wares.
I don't entirely have faith that they will, but they're not dead yet.
I don't entirely have faith that they will, but they're not dead yet.
They're going to keep bleeding for some time, their business model simply doesn't work in 2019 when all of the platform holders are quickly shifting to digital. The only likely path forward would be to make going there an experience and make events a focus, as many mom and pop board game stores have with game nights and hosting tournaments, but breaking into that space will be a very risk investment that they probably can't afford to make. It's something that probably would have worked out well 5 years ago or so when they still had a substantial foothold in the industry, but now they are likely so niche that they reclaiming that momentum and mindshare may not be possible
They could stop pissing on their customers and tell them it's raining like this.
I went to buy the recent Mario and Luigi Remake THE DAY IT CAME OUT and they had to FIND a case for it. I asked "Oh is it used?" "No, we just need a case for it"
Out the door.
Theres no reason for me to buy a game from gamestop at all here in germany. All the new games are cheaper on Amazon, Media Markt etc. And used games are cheaper on ebay. Used games are insanly expansive at GS. Theyre arround 5 to 10 euros cheaper then new games. Merch is also cheaper in lots of places. And trade ins are a pure steal for GS like we give you 10€ but will sell it at 45
This is another thing they don't understand: they managed to take the simple concept of walking up to a counter to buy an item and turn it into this wild crazy overwhelming/complicated experience. I can't tell you how many times I've seen "I just want to buy my game and go" as a critique of Gamestop. I think everyone is unanimous in agreement that it's stupid and sours an otherwise ordinary experience... somehow.
Like how do you make a simple transaction painful? It's like they looked at fast food places "what size? would you like fries with that? what drink? apple pie for $1 more?" and thought "yeah let's do that but double the amount of steps and questions". A lot of people will jump in and try to say it's not that bad but I have literally never gone to a Gamestop, asked them for X game, they say okay that'll be [total], me pay, and then walk out with my receipt. There's ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS strings attached and more questions and things I have to say no to, and questions about my points, and suggestions for me to buy used instead etc etc.
Are they insecure about the idea of them making it simple and possibly making people not see the point of even going there without any needless bells and whistles?
Oh and I forget the best one. Got a copy of Syndicate, also recently BC, for less than $3 while it is being sold for $20 digitally.
Also if you find one with good employees it's great. My son broke his DSi so I went to go buy him another one and the manager of the store I always go to just swapped my son's broken one for a working one for free. I will miss them when they're gone.
Also if you find one with good employees it's great. My son broke his DSi so I went to go buy him another one and the manager of the store I always go to just swapped my son's broken one for a working one for free. I will miss them when they're gone.
All of the streaming services that will come next year will eventually be a big problem for Gamestop as well. Being able to continue playing your games from your smartphone, tablet, low power PC, etc. will be another incentive to buy your games in digital format.
They were going to, but they backed out at the last minute, literally five days before it was going to go live
The deal honestly seemed too good to be true ($60 for six months of unlimited used games rentals, one game at a time, and you get to keep the last game you rent) so I imagine GS ran the numbers and realized they'd run into a MoviePass scenario of losing too much money for a tangible benefit.
Their used game pricing is already ridiculous, what makes you think that pulling the retro card would change it? They had a few stores offering retro titles for a while, not sure if they still do it because I refuse to shop there anymore, but the prices were ridiculous. I wanted to buy Pokemon Silver for gameboy but it was $45 (this was ~3 years ago).
I agree. It's such a turn off to even want to enter a store now.
Funny, I haven't set foot in one in about 4 years and haven't missed it
Don't think it ever got off the ground. Not sure what happened there.
There's no reason for me to choose them over Amazon. If it was a more respectable company then I would, but I don't like the opening new games thing and the shitty store management that I've experienced over the years.
