fightingfi
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2008
- Messages
- 3,231
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
I bought two voodoo 3 3000 cards way back when, from them.Not surprised. Will miss the trade in opportunists. Will not miss the store though.
Anyone have fun stories from when GameStop and EBGames were everything?
Midnight releases or similar?
There were 3 GS in the mall near me at one point. Two of the stores were across from each other.5500 locations? Talk about bloated and unsustainable in the digital age.
Yeah, I've always been served well and had chats with the reps at GameStop. I hate seeing b&m stores closing like this...Ah, I must be in the minority then. I love Gamestop. Yes, they're over priced on some things, but the two locations I've been going to for some 20 years now are top notch.
Always friendly service, staff is always down to talk about games"obviously" , and I just generally have an overall better experience with them than buying stuff online.
I work hard for my money, and I'll be damned that a buy click download experience is the only type of purchasing experience ill have with gaming in the future. How boring is that?
I'll take spending an extra 20 minutes (OMG the horror!) to supplement some local employees and put a smile on my sons face when we go in there.
Just can't get that online. Sorry, you just don't.
RIP to these stores.
Electronics Boutique was s great place for PC games a long time ago.Not surprised. Will miss the trade in opportunists. Will not miss the store though.
Anyone have fun stories from when GameStop and EBGames were everything?
Midnight releases or similar?
GS doesn't even lower their prices on new games like other places. Hell it is common to take advantage of it. There was a story where a guy bought up cheap Xbox ones at a GS that was closing up and dumping stock. Then went to another GS and sold them forI remember Electronics Boutique being a pretty good smaller game store. Gamestop for as long as I can remember is a place you only go in a real pinch. IE my controller is messing up and I need to get a replacement real quick because I'm trying to play a game with friends. The problem even with that though is that half the time stock is an issue. They also destroyed thinkgeek which used to be an interesting website.
Now if I really need something quick I'll go to the walmart two more blocks up from the gamestop, they have a better chance of having what I was looking for. I got really tired of gamestop trying to sell me a used switch game for 5 bucks less than new and then asking for a couple of bucks for a warranty on it. Hell they killed the discount on used games in the power up or whatever rewards program apparently(my brother used to have it).
The people in the store were generally cool. It just sucked how corporate crushed these people underneath their shoes. It was cool that a great deal of then we're gamers but forced to push bs on the customer in fear of losing their job.Ah, I must be in the minority then. I love Gamestop. Yes, they're over priced on some things, but the two locations I've been going to for some 20 years now are top notch.
Always friendly service, staff is always down to talk about games"obviously" , and I just generally have an overall better experience with them than buying stuff online.
I work hard for my money, and I'll be damned that a buy click download experience is the only type of purchasing experience ill have with gaming in the future. How boring is that?
I'll take spending an extra 20 minutes (OMG the horror!) to supplement some local employees and put a smile on my sons face when we go in there.
Just can't get that online. Sorry, you just don't.
RIP to these stores.
5500 locations? Talk about bloated and unsustainable in the digital age.
Ah, I must be in the minority then. I love Gamestop. Yes, they're over priced on some things, but the two locations I've been going to for some 20 years now are top notch.
Always friendly service, staff is always down to talk about games"obviously" , and I just generally have an overall better experience with them than buying stuff online.
I work hard for my money, and I'll be damned that a buy click download experience is the only type of purchasing experience ill have with gaming in the future. How boring is that?
I'll take spending an extra 20 minutes (OMG the horror!) to supplement some local employees and put a smile on my sons face when we go in there.
Just can't get that online. Sorry, you just don't.
RIP to these stores.
Babbage's and Software, Etc. were my favorite places on Earth back in the '90s. EB was great for the enormous stock of games they constantly had on hand. I remember purchasing a copy of IndyCar Racing 2 there, a game released in 1995, back in 2000 after everybody else stopped carrying it long before then. Coincidentally I stopped going to the mall when Gamestop assimilated all of them.I had some great experiences at Babbage's, Electronics Boutique, Software Etc, and Gamestop back in the 90's. I had friends that worked at each of them and the staff used to know their stuff.
For me I think things went awry when they started requiring a reservation for basically everything. Every month when the new EGM or Gamefan magazine would drop, those stores would get flooded with calls for people wanting to reserve whatever the latest and greatest was. If got to the point where the stores in my area were taking reservations for stuff that wasn't even announced. People were just reserving stuff based on a wild guess. They started charging a $5 down payment when things got out of hand, but it's not like that stopped anything. $5 is nothing for a system that costs $300-500 or even a $65 game. It was just a giant mess. Some of the funniest moments I can recall were walking past the huge reservation lines at EB only to buy the same system or game off the shelf at the toy store around the corner. Half those people in line didn't even get anything and had to wait for additional shipments. Not long after that is when they started requiring hint guide bundles, "protection plans," and all sorts of other nonsense to actually maintain some semblance of a retail presence. Then the used game highway robbery began...
5500 locations? Talk about bloated and unsustainable in the digital age.
I've hated Gamestop since my first visit. They opened one in my small town of 12,000 people and I thought it was going to be pretty cool. I only had 6mbps internet until last year. They had one end cap with computer games and good share of that was no name titles and MMORPGs that required downloads anyway. The whole store was for consoles. It lasted about a year and closed up. Shared a parking lot with Walmart.
For the record, I dislike most of what Gamestop does, as mentioned things like opening all the new games and then selling them that way (which has lead to things like theft of coupons etc in the past). However, what you're describing in terms of their used market is normal. Brick and Mortar have overhead and Payroll. So you're exchanging maximum value for convenience. As a customer, all you have to do is go in and they hand you cash. They as a company then have to flip it in order to actually make money. They need the margin in order for it to even be worth their time to buy (they aren't a charity).Couldn't help but to feel ripped off when I went there a few times to trade in games they would give you $20-$25 for your "used" game and then sell it "pre-owned" for $40-$55 so I just start selling my used games elsewhere and getting pretty much double what they were giving me. Not to mention the fact that they wouldn't price match local retailers like Walmart or Best buy was a no go. So to GameStop deuces bitches you will not be missed!
it's usually the neckbeard behind the counter.Gamestop stores smell.
For the record, I dislike most of what Gamestop does, as mentioned things like opening all the new games and then selling them that way (which has lead to things like theft of coupons etc in the past). However, what you're describing in terms of their used market is normal. Brick and Mortar have overhead and Payroll. So you're exchanging maximum value for convenience. As a customer, all you have to do is go in and they hand you cash. They as a company then have to flip it in order to actually make money. They need the margin in order for it to even be worth their time to buy (they aren't a charity).
If you want to sell through eBay as an example, there is a lot more that has to be done in order to extract full value. Even local selling options such as Craiglist and Facebook Marketplace will require time that may or may not be as conveneint as a short trip. As well as negotiating and dealing with flakes and so on.
So, if your time is worthless then it's a ripoff. The long and the short is if you have more time than money, then selling everything you have for maximum value is of greater importance. But if you have more money than time, then places like Gamestop or any place that gives instant money at a fractional value is of greater importance.
I think you missed the point of what I was saying. Let me be more clear. GameStop’s 2 options are: 1) Charge a margin. Or 2) Don’t buy people’s used games.You know back in the day when your only options were GameStop and eBay yeah it was probably more worth it just to let GameStop get your games for "convenience" but these days with so many local marketplace options I rarely list anything ebay. I list something it sells they meet me at the grocery store 2 minutes down the road from my house cash in hand I'm on my way back home and I saved great deal of cash in total over the years doing this. Furthermore I understand that they are business but gouging the customer and leaving a bad taste in their mouth is never good practice and I'll tell you what you can spend hundreds of thousands on advertising but word of mouth real life experience spreads faster and goes further than any amount of advertising.
I think you missed the point of what I was saying. Let me be more clear. GameStop’s 2 options are: 1) Charge a margin. Or 2) Don’t buy people’s used games.
All of your thoughts are centered on what is best for you. GameStop is a business. Their goal with buying used isn’t for the utility of the game (that is to say, to “play it”). They have to have margin to pay for overhead and also give profit. There is no other function in what they are doing in terms of a service.
What I described earlier is their value proposition for the customer. But it’s not relevant if all we want to do is have a conversation about the functions of their business and model. If you think that’s a ripoff, fine. But if you were a business person operating in the same space, you’d do the same thing as there isn’t a choice.
They really don't. Thanks for the anecdotal, unsubstantiated evidence though.Please
They pay less than pawn shops for games and consoles
Good riddance, profiting from kids who don't know any better
They really don't. Thanks for the anecdotal, unsubstantiated evidence though.
Once again, if you don't like their business practices, that's fine. But their goal is to have liquidity (as in, remain in profitability). Try running any small business with actual overhead (read: a store front that requires rent and utilities every month) and tell me about margins.
1.) You haven't even read all of my posts in this thread. I don't shop at GameStop. And I'm not particularly a fan of their practices. How about you scroll up and read what started this chain? So if you're going to call people "names" then perhaps you should actually gather context. It's far easier to use ad homniem attacks then actually make a cogent argument though isn't it?They do. Funny because no matter what business is being called out, you'll always find a shill willing to defend them
I think you missed the point of what I was saying. Let me be more clear. GameStop’s 2 options are: 1) Charge a margin. Or 2) Don’t buy people’s used games.
All of your thoughts are centered on what is best for you. GameStop is a business. Their goal with buying used isn’t for the utility of the game (that is to say, to “play it”). They have to have margin to pay for overhead and also give profit. There is no other function in what they are doing in terms of a service.
What I described earlier is their value proposition for the customer. But it’s not relevant if all we want to do is have a conversation about the functions of their business and model. If you think that’s a ripoff, fine. But if you were a business person operating in the same space, you’d do the same thing as there isn’t a choice.
Please
They pay less than pawn shops for games and consoles
Good riddance, profiting from kids who don't know any better
This has been said a thousand times: vote with your wallet. (Gamestop can't force you to sell them your games)."GameStop is a business"
You say that as if GS doesn't give a shit about the customer.. I agree they are a business first, but do it without making people feel like wow I just got robbed w/o a pistol.
"All of your thoughts are centered on what is best for you"
I entered into a discussion specifically about profit margins. The irony about "spin" is that the other way you could say it is that even with a decent profit margin they're unable to stay in business. However I would say the greater issue isn't necessarily the profit margin that Gamestop has nearly as much as the competition that is eating away at them.You. AKA the consumer/customer. It's always about you. Without you no business would be innovating with new products and fresh ideas to keep you interested and a consumer. Without competitive pricing. This is very debatable and can go back and forth for eternity it seems, as people will always have different view points. My bottom line is you can spin it how you like but in the end people dictate enough is enough hence the reason Gamestop is hurting ATM and potentially wont be around for too much longer without new fresh ideas that don't entail ripping people off.
"What I described earlier is their value proposition for the customer. But it’s not relevant if all we want to do is have a conversation about the functions of their business and model. If you think that’s a ripoff, fine. But if you were a business person operating in the same space, you’d do the same thing as there isn’t a choice."
You can study profit margin. It's a pretty simple equation in finance. In fact the Wiki highlights it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Profit_marginThere is a choice, there is always a choice! I'm sure you've heard the expression "Quick nickle is better than a slow dime" It has been in practice for eons and has proven that it in fact does work by increasing business at the cost of some profits, and keeping folks happy. Satisfied consumer = successful business. If you were miserable shopping at Target will you continue going there, given you have many other options?
I have a close friend that works in a local Vape shop. As most people know most vape shops are highly overpriced. What you may not know, most are working with at least a 50% margin, but the owner of his shop chooses to work at a 30% margin. He gets more than double the business of the surrounding shops in the "area" confirmed from wholesalers in the same market.