Video game retailers

[dumpster]

25 minutes ago, Dudley said:

Sony and Microsoft aren't going to delay a worldwide console launch in order to slightly help out Mike fucking Ashley.

 

They would be perfectly happy if GAME died.

I agree with you, but from the point of view of Game, if they manage to sell their entire allocation of preorders by shipping them to customers houses instead of delivering to a store (because the store is closed) then surely they have to be questioning why they even bother having stores at all?  It's another example of Covid forcing a situation you'd not have seen otherwise, teaching a lesson to the businesses affected and possibly changing the way they do business forever. See also how call centres are working well by having all their staff working from home, movie companies putting films out to rent on the day of cinema release and so on. Once you find a better way of working  you don't go back, and I see this is the final blow to the high street, proof that we won't go back to the old way of life.

[Dudley]

It's absolutely possible.

 

Although they're delivering out of need, would they have won all those orders without those shops or would those people have gone elsewhere?

[Transient Curse]

3 hours ago, Dudley said:

Sony and Microsoft aren't going to delay a worldwide console launch in order to slightly help out Mike fucking Ashley.

 

They would be perfectly happy if GAME died.

Interestingly, Microsoft have done a deal with Gamestop in the USA. If you buy your Xbox from Gamestop and subsequently buy digital games for it, Microsoft will give Gamestop a commission on that sale. I don't know the finer details but that would seem to be a bit of a lifeline to a bricks and mortar business being edged out by the move to digital purchasing.  So perhaps Microsoft see value in these traditional retailers.

[Mr. Gerbik]

19 minutes ago, Wahwah* said:

Interestingly, Microsoft have done a deal with Gamestop in the USA. If you buy your Xbox from Gamestop and subsequently buy digital games for it, Microsoft will give Gamestop a commission on that sale. I don't know the finer details but that would seem to be a bit of a lifeline to a bricks and mortar business being edged out by the move to digital purchasing.  So perhaps Microsoft see value in these traditional retailers.

That sounds more like a way of encouraging GameStop to sell and also actively promote an all-digital console.

[JohnC]

Part of the deal also had Gamestop move their backend to MS services and staff use Surface gear instore.

[tnman]

4 hours ago, Isaac said:

 

 

 

It's looking like this is exactly what's happening next week.

Stay tuned for a bigger discussion at 4pm...

[PyramidFace]

Good edit.

[Dudley]

1 hour ago, Wahwah* said:

Interestingly, Microsoft have done a deal with Gamestop in the USA. If you buy your Xbox from Gamestop and subsequently buy digital games for it, Microsoft will give Gamestop a commission on that sale. I don't know the finer details but that would seem to be a bit of a lifeline to a bricks and mortar business being edged out by the move to digital purchasing.  So perhaps Microsoft see value in these traditional retailers.

 

Yeah, although it seems to be for less than 1% so it's not going to be a major earner, it's probably just a sweetener for that ancillaries deal.

[tnman]

5 minutes ago, PyramidFace said:

Good edit.

Fucking horrifying typo. 

[djbhammer]

If the sources are true per Sky News, lockdown will include non essential shops. GAME said they would contact customers directly in the event of store closures regarding instore console pre orders so I will sit tight and see what happens re my Series X. At least they have some time to hopefully sort out a plan. I’m very relaxed about it, there is a pandemic going on so it is what it is, keep safe all. 

[Mars]

4 hours ago, Wahwah* said:

Interestingly, Microsoft have done a deal with Gamestop in the USA. If you buy your Xbox from Gamestop and subsequently buy digital games for it, Microsoft will give Gamestop a commission on that sale. I don't know the finer details but that would seem to be a bit of a lifeline to a bricks and mortar business being edged out by the move to digital purchasing.  So perhaps Microsoft see value in these traditional retailers.

Except that the Game backend is a tupperware box stuffed with till receipts, an unboxed ps3 version of FIFA 16 and some pubes.

[tnman]

They said in the briefing that click and collect services could still run so that might be how GAME have to do it. Working between now and Wednesday to contact your store’s preorder customers to discuss this is surely how they’ll have to do it, right?

[deerokus]

Wales will be out of lockdown and Scotland and NI aren't having one anytime soon. If they delayed a launch in England people would go over the border to get their consoles. 

[dumpster]

Our local indie has mailed to say that he's honouring all preorders with local delivery. You can go in today through to wednesday and trade in your old stuff, pay for your new stuff and he will deliver it on launch, or do a form of click and collect where his store will be available to those people who have paid in advance.

[teddymeow]

2 hours ago, dumpster said:

Our local indie has mailed to say that he's honouring all preorders with local delivery. You can go in today through to wednesday and trade in your old stuff, pay for your new stuff and he will deliver it on launch, or do a form of click and collect where his store will be available to those people who have paid in advance.

 

That's some quality service right there.

 

Should the thread title be changed to "General Videogame Retailing" to encompass discussion of ShopTo, Smyth's, Indies etc.?

[djbhammer]

37 minutes ago, teddymeow said:

 

That's some quality service right there.

 

Should the thread title be changed to "General Videogame Retailing" to encompass discussion of ShopTo, Smyth's, Indies etc.?

Yeah that’s a great idea. This ‘Is GAME finished’ is rather tiresome now!  9 years later they are still going! 

 

Will be keeping an eye on the GAME help twitter page today to see what the outcome is on instore pre orders. Keeping my fingers crossed that they can open under the click and collect rule.

[Mr. Gerbik]

22 minutes ago, djbhammer said:

Yeah that’s a great idea. This ‘Is GAME finished’ is rather tiresome now!  9 years later they are still going! 

How about "Never be GAME over (& other retailers)"

[teddymeow]

27 minutes ago, Mr. Gerbik said:

How about "Never be GAME over (& other retailers)"

 

"Insert (dodgy fat bloke's) coin to continue"

 

Although that is still a bit GAME specific.

[phillv85]

Well if we’re going to discuss other retailers...

 

What’s the deal with ShopTo these days? I used to use them a lot and they were excellent. Then they changed their website and I couldn’t put up with it so stopped buying from them about 7/8 years ago. Trust Pilot reviews of the site now are terrifying. Are they as bad as people make out?

[Steven]

16 hours ago, Mars said:

Except that the Game backend is a tupperware box stuffed with till receipts, an unboxed ps3 version of FIFA 16 and some pubes.

 

PubeG 

[Mr. Gerbik]

"More like 'bricked and mortar' - GAME and other retailers"

[dumpster]

The click and collect rule is interesting. Non essential stores have to close but they can stay open for click and collect. I wonder if the high street will be busy with shops open but only having queues outside and no customers inside.  

[Dudley]

Like Wicks (tbf, "essential") did last time, "Open All Hours" it to a queue in the car park.

 

Worked for them since they were the only thing open on a trading estate, likely to be chaos in a town centre.  And presumably the ones inside a shopping centre might not even be able to click and collect without having people wait "Properly outside".

[djbhammer]

FYI for those like me with an instore console pre order. 

 

GAME have announced that an official statement will be made asap and that customers will be contacted over the next few days. It’s a similar message from Smyths Toys. So sit tight folks.

[teddymeow]

If they are allowed to do in-store pick-up it will be within a strict window of time, one customer at a time. No browsing, just buy what you pre-ordered and maybe ask for a couple of other bits behind the counter.

[djbhammer]

HUH HUH!

 

GAME rung and basically the process is as follows. You have until close of business Wed to go to the store to pay the balance and select any games/accessories you may also want. Then on the 10th, hand over your ticket and management staff will pass over the goods. They are not allowed to run anything through the tills on the 10th.

 

I know GAME get a bad name but the service and speed on this has been exceptional. 

 

Just jumped straight into the car to GAME and now on way home.

 

Oh, and I have even been allocated my serial number for my Series X!

[gooner4life]

1 minute ago, djbhammer said:

HUH HUH!

 

GAME rung and basically the process is as follows. You have until close of business Wed to go to the store to pay the balance and select any games/accessories you may also want. Then on the 10th, hand over your ticket and management staff will pass over the goods. 

 

I know GAME get a bad name but the service and speed on this has been exceptional. 

 

Oh, and I have even be allocated my serial number for my Series X!

 

Wow shits getting real now!! given all the stores have the stock(they must do if you have your serial number) or at least the warehouses do wouldnt it make sense for MS to bring the launch forward? 

[scoobysi]

3 hours ago, phillv85 said:

Well if we’re going to discuss other retailers...

 

What’s the deal with ShopTo these days? I used to use them a lot and they were excellent. Then they changed their website and I couldn’t put up with it so stopped buying from them about 7/8 years ago. Trust Pilot reviews of the site now are terrifying. Are they as bad as people make out?

I’ve used ShopTo for years, bought 2 PS4s (1st at Launch and 2nd £150 Black Friday deal with FIFA 18 which I didn’t think they’d honour but they did) and more recently Switch games & PSN credit.

 

I think the website is ok, better than it was but can struggle a bit under load e.g. during console pre-orders etc. but where doesn’t. I generally use PayPal to checkout. However, the PS5 was pretty painless, pre-ordered in May and then about a month to pay once allocation was announced.

 

One of my preferred retailers, fingers crossed for same service with PS5 delivery.

[Dudley]

Shops do get these things a little early.  I worked in Blockbuster on the 360 launch and we had them a week.

 

Or in my case, the store had a brick in a 360 box and I had my 360 at home

[Dudley]

51 minutes ago, scoobysi said:

I’ve used ShopTo for years, bought 2 PS4s (1st at Launch and 2nd £150 Black Friday deal with FIFA 18 which I didn’t think they’d honour but they did) and more recently Switch games & PSN credit.

 

I think the website is ok, better than it was but can struggle a bit under load e.g. during console pre-orders etc. but where doesn’t. I generally use PayPal to checkout. However, the PS5 was pretty painless, pre-ordered in May and then about a month to pay once allocation was announced.

 

One of my preferred retailers, fingers crossed for same service with PS5 delivery.

 

tbh, the big problem with ShopTo is their policy that if it arrives damaged you can fuck off.

 

Which was especially a problem for those buying Amiibo and wanting an intact box, because they just threw them in jiffy bags and put a disclaimer on the site saying they weren't responsible for the condition it arrived in.