I had some time to kill today so I stopped into a Game Stop. Yikes.
So let me just say that while I've had my issues with this store in the past I am really rooting for them to survive. Imperfect as they are, they are one of the last bastions of physical media.
What I saw was not pretty. The sections for new systems (PS4, XB1, Switch) were pretty sparse, and the used games where mixed in with the new, and you really couldn't tell the difference. There were new releases right next to old games like Mario Kart 8. Stickers were plastered all over the boxes. Who would spend $59 on any of these when you could get a shrinkwrapped copy cheaper on Amazon?
Much of the space was taken up by junk merchandise including those blockhead characters. Man there must be a serious mark-up on those things! There was a rack of "old games" (360, PS3) but because of their return policy, they were all in those generic white boxes. You couldn't give those things away.
I really wish the people running these stores could go back in time 20-30 years ago to see how a real store is run. Walls of merchandise. Exciting "new" sections with latest titles. No used junk to clutter things up.
Frankly, I can't get over Gamestop has survived THIS long! Thoughts...?
GameStop in bad shape
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Re: GameStop in bad shape
VideoGameCritic wrote:I had some time to kill today so I stopped into a Game Stop. Yikes.
So let me just say that while I've had my issues with this store in the past I am really rooting for them to survive. Imperfect as they are, they are one of the last bastions of physical media.
What I saw was not pretty. The sections for new systems (PS4, XB1, Switch) were pretty sparse, and the used games where mixed in with the new, and you really couldn't tell the difference. There were new releases right next to old games like Mario Kart 8. Stickers were plastered all over the boxes. Who would spend $59 on any of these when you could get a shrinkwrapped copy cheaper on Amazon?
Much of the space was taken up by junk merchandise including those blockhead characters. Man there must be a serious mark-up on those things! There was a rack of "old games" (360, PS3) but because of their return policy, they were all in those generic white boxes. You couldn't give those things away.
I really wish the people running these stores could go back in time 20-30 years ago to see how a real store is run. Walls of merchandise. Exciting "new" sections with latest titles. No used junk to clutter things up.
Frankly, I can't get over Gamestop has survived THIS long! Thoughts...?
I'm always shocked at the lack of selection at Gamestop. I mean, they are a video game store and they should have a massive selection of games! As you said critic, the selections of PS4/Xbox and Switch is not very good. You'd think they would have most of the entire catalogue in stock. Why wouldn't they?
It reminds me of HMV (at least up here in Canada). They were mostly music (cds/tapes, etc) then brought in movies to complement their music catalogue, then came t-shirts, mugs, and other pop culture collectibles, then went bankrupt shortly afterwards.
Gamestop (EB games here in Canada) has the same vibe unfortunately.
- ActRaiser
- Posts: 1544
- Joined: April 8th, 2015, 12:38 pm
Re: GameStop in bad shape
Good riddance?
I feel bad saying that but what they do with their games is criminal in my humble opinion. Why put all those idiot stickers on the games and "open" up a new copy to remove the disk. Best Buy and Walmart don't do that.
I get if it's used you may have the disk elsewhere so that's it not so easy for someone to open it up and slip it out of the case, but c'mon man for a brand new, wrapped game, that's nuts.
I feel bad saying that but what they do with their games is criminal in my humble opinion. Why put all those idiot stickers on the games and "open" up a new copy to remove the disk. Best Buy and Walmart don't do that.
I get if it's used you may have the disk elsewhere so that's it not so easy for someone to open it up and slip it out of the case, but c'mon man for a brand new, wrapped game, that's nuts.
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Re: GameStop in bad shape
I understand the whole physical media dilemma - but do you guys not have anywhere else that sells games physically, even if they’re not a video game shop?
You can still get physical copies of games online. Although, I can see how it could start the slippery slope towards it becoming obsolete if there’s nowhere in public to purchase them physically.
I don’t know if we have an equally despised equivalent to GameStop in the UK, but from the amount of complaints I’ve heard about them for the past decade and a half, I don’t know why anyone would want them to survive. They certainly don’t sound like they deserve to have lasted this long.
You can still get physical copies of games online. Although, I can see how it could start the slippery slope towards it becoming obsolete if there’s nowhere in public to purchase them physically.
I don’t know if we have an equally despised equivalent to GameStop in the UK, but from the amount of complaints I’ve heard about them for the past decade and a half, I don’t know why anyone would want them to survive. They certainly don’t sound like they deserve to have lasted this long.
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Re: GameStop in bad shape
I just order physical copies online. Or grab from the local Walmart, Target, etc.
I figured I’ve aged out of the Gamestop target customer. I get a game and jet out. I don’t linger around and check out accessories, etc.
There is a local place that only sells used games and movies, and it’s cool, but again, I’m too old. There’s usually kids hanging out, talking about games, etc. I like that it appears to be surviving as a business, but it’s not for me.
I listened to this whole thing over a month. 10 hours of GameStop employees telling stories. Some wild stuff, but anyone who has worked in retail can tell you what a zoo it is.
https://youtu.be/ORbHXlrTgXI
I figured I’ve aged out of the Gamestop target customer. I get a game and jet out. I don’t linger around and check out accessories, etc.
There is a local place that only sells used games and movies, and it’s cool, but again, I’m too old. There’s usually kids hanging out, talking about games, etc. I like that it appears to be surviving as a business, but it’s not for me.
I listened to this whole thing over a month. 10 hours of GameStop employees telling stories. Some wild stuff, but anyone who has worked in retail can tell you what a zoo it is.
https://youtu.be/ORbHXlrTgXI
- C64_Critic
- Posts: 440
- Joined: April 11th, 2015, 11:51 am
Re: GameStop in bad shape
Sounds like nothing has changed in the years since I last bothered to wait for 15 minutes behind some bickering 13 year old and the cashier trying to up-sell him on his trade-in games, or dodge pointless "Funko" dolls and other random, non-game-related garbage. Now I actually want to mosie back into one and check it out for myself!
- velcrozombie
- Posts: 610
- Joined: April 12th, 2015, 3:37 pm
Re: GameStop in bad shape
I've actually made a few big orders from Gamestop this year since they had some good sales on used games (not just newer games, either - I ended up with a number of PS1, PS2 and Gamecube games). I'd just show up at the store, call their number and they'd bring the order (or at least whatever they had in stock) out to my car. I will say that almost every order had at least one unplayable game, usually a WiiU game (probably kids not being careful with their stuff) but I never had a problem getting a replacement or refund. The local Gamestop (there used to be a second one at the local mall but they closed early this year) is just below my workplace and every couple of weeks I'll stop in during lunch. I have noticed that the last couple of times I went in there has been less merchandise but it hasn't really been replaced by anything - maybe they're just making room for the new systems. I will be fair and say that the employees have always been pleasant and will leave me alone after they check in with me once and don't seem to do any aggressive upselling (although I certainly remember that being a bigger thing 5-10 years ago). We do have a retro game store on the other side of town so I have an alternative and of course Ebay for what neither of them have.
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Re: GameStop in bad shape
GameStop is just “riding it out to bankruptcy city”. K-Mart and Sears did the same thing. They just didn’t care the last few years. They don’t bother to remodel the stores, they close stores down and they don’t bother spending the money to train the employees. managers don’t feel obligated or enthusiastic about displaying merchandise .
- VideoGameCritic
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Re: GameStop in bad shape
I wonder if Best Buy is headed down the same road. The last time I was in there, not only was the video game selection scant but there was NO PRICES on ANY of them! It was ridiculous. What was I supposed to do, take it to the front, wait in line, and have them scan them for me? Or just go to Amazon? Easy choice there.
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Re: GameStop in bad shape
VideoGameCritic wrote:I wonder if Best Buy is headed down the same road. The last time I was in there, not only was the video game selection scant but there was NO PRICES on ANY of them! It was ridiculous. What was I supposed to do, take it to the front, wait in line, and have them scan them for me? Or just go to Amazon? Easy choice there.
I used to love Best Buy. They used to have a massive selection of DVDs and their cd and game selection were quite good for the most part.
Now, the store almost seems empty.
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