News - GAME announces that it must close 60 stores in the UK by 2013

[Pete301]

I went to game yesterday and bought a few games with a gift card. The shop assistant tried to tempt me to have deus ex as a preowned game for £2 less than it was new. i told him no, I wanted a new game. However after this he came back to the desk with what appeared to be a new game though it went through the till as preowned.

Whether they were doing something dodgy and selling new games as preowned or this guy was just forcing me to buy preowned I don't know. But to avoid causing a kerfuffle I just took the "preowned" game.

Either way it looks like the game stores have gone really down hill from a couple of years ago. Maybe the next gen consoles will give them a boost in 2013.

[Terbinator]

...

Either way it looks like the game stores have gone really down hill from a couple of years ago. Maybe the next gen consoles will give them a boost in 2013.

Assuming they'll survive 2012.

[j.o.s.h.1408]

Assuming they'll survive 2012.

And assuming the new consoles come out next year

[KeyboardDemon]

Whether they were doing something dodgy and selling new games as preowned or this guy was just forcing me to buy preowned I don't know. But to avoid causing a kerfuffle I just took the "preowned" game.

I suspect that they have targets to reach with selling pre-owned games, however selling a New item as a pre-owned item will mess up their stock file which would create issues further down the line.

What might have happened in your case is that the game may have originally sold as part of a bundle and the person who bought the bundle decided to trade the game for a different title which means it has to go on the stock file as a pre-owned title even though the game has never been taken out of its original wrapper. Take a console like an XBox 360 which retails for £230 on its own and £240 with two games, often it works out better to take the bundle with the games and trade in an unwanted game, getting £20 back on the value of the traded game to either put towards another title or an accessory, I've done this before.

[Hicks12]

Saw it coming, they lost my business long ago when they stopped selling most pc games except for games they couldnt shift (you know the 20 year old unknown games , diablo 2 was always selling !) all they kept getting in was their top 10 games and most of the time this included COD.... The games were so overpriced.

What really got me was that they had different pricing instore, it would always make me ignore the stores unless i really really needed the game that day but 90% of the time the local Cex store has it (after opening last year ). And to be honest i dont fancy a trek for 5 miles to town, id rather wait a day or two for delivery.

They couldnt compete online, they brought in this stupid online system that was more expensive and rental based, dont think they made much from that!. There was very rare times when they were cheaper than the rest of retailers. Amazon dominates the online now adays and the supermarkets destroy the physical market.

Hopefully Game can hold on for another 6 months though, i have a £5 preorder for a game, it was a pricing error but they have honoured it so far... its due this year (currently selling at £25!).

[Dareos]

These kind of stores are never going to compete with the internet today, pretty much any kind of store that doesnt either sell anything unique to them or sells a wide variety of products (selling Wii and Xbox games is not a variety, its all just games and game related products) is in trouble, is going to struggle with the way the consumer shops.

I occasionally buy games from Asda/Tesco etc, but would rather do my shopping online as its usually cheaper and I can do it in the warmth without barging my way through reams of inconsiderate trolley bashers and I can do it in my underwear! I wouldnt buy my fruit and veg this way cos then I dont get to select the stuff I am putting in my mouth and am relying on some schoolkid to know what I want from a shopping list printed out instore.

Anyways, digressing to a point there, what GAME appear to have done, is fail to recognise that they are selling electronic and digital products to consumers that are fully conversant with these products and the systems that use these products. These systems also give you the option of buying elsewhere, for cheaper, with less effort, either with digital downloads or postal delivery. Not enough has been done by the company to provide alternatives to traipsing into town, battering your way through the hordes of kids at lunchtime to pick up your copy of the latest game when the postie could have delivered it that morning.

Maybe, take a leaf out of the american books, have some company like Asda or Tesco setup the store assigned to games etc as a GAME outlet, partially closed off with all the games demos running, knowledgable staff, an abundance of peripherals and call it GAME@ASDA or GAMESTATION@TESCO.

[=assassin=]

GAME prices are the reason I haven't used their stores for a long ime, although their online pricing has often been much better. Gamestation I haven't used since they stopped selling PC games in store not long after they were taken over by GAME. It's a shame they recently got rid of the Gameplay website, as that had some very good deals on it, I have bought more from Gameplay over the past couple of years than any other e-tailer. So it's quite annoying they decided to kill that off.

[HalloweenJack]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/10-000-game...122313224.html

they have 14 days left or its good bye

[KeyboardDemon]

I guess I should really try and use up my loyalty points quick then.

[crossy]

There has been a bit of a resurgence in green grocers. Products is cheaper and better quality than the supermarkets. There are people who like veggies that taste of something other than water.

+1 on that, and we aren't the only one's - chief exec of Morrison's was saying last week that this is exactly what they're aiming for with the "Market Street" affair they're setting up in store for bakers, butchers, etc. More focus on "quality" product in an atmosphere that people feel "more comfortable" in.

What might have happened in your case is that the game may have originally sold as part of a bundle and the person who bought the bundle decided to trade the game for a different title which means it has to go on the stock file as a pre-owned title even though the game has never been taken out of its original wrapper.

You're on the button here - that's exactly how I managed to get a couple of titles in the past at a discount. When I queried how a "pre-owned" title still had the cello on and the authenticity (XBox game) seal intact, what I got told was pretty much what you're saying above.

I occasionally buy games from Asda/Tesco etc, but would rather do my shopping online as its usually cheaper and I can do it in the warmth without barging my way through reams of inconsiderate trolley bashers and I can do it in my underwear!

Too much information there!

Maybe, take a leaf out of the american books, have some company like Asda or Tesco setup the store assigned to games etc as a GAME outlet, partially closed off with all the games demos running, knowledgable staff, an abundance of peripherals and call it GAME@ASDA or GAMESTATION@TESCO.

They're already doing that to some extent, I've certainly been in a couple of Waterstones (a while ago now, so I'm not sure that this is still there) that had GAME franchises in-store. Always struck me as a little weird considering that Waterstones is/was in the same group as HMV.

I guess I should really try and use up my loyalty points quick then.

+1 on that - think I've got about a fiver's worth. What about Gamestation - are they on the block too? Reason I ask is that it's not entirely clear whether Game group is trying to sell the GAME stores or the whole group, (Game+Gamestation).
If they do go, then I think that HMV will be the beneficiary of at least some of the trade - without the GAME/Gamestation folks they're really the only ones I see doing trade-in's (although yes, I know some of the supermarkets are now doing game trade-ins, but they don't seem to want to deal with the hardware though).

[Jonatron]

I guess I should really try and use up my loyalty points quick then.

I'd do it ASAP

[zulander]

yeah just my thoughts points arent worth anything if they go bump
Lack of choice, plus high prices have put me off buying, i remember when if you waited a few months a game would come down to around 20 now anything decent costs around 40 - its a lot to pay when the rents due. I was looking at getting Nhl 12 but because its not one of the big 10 most stores dont carry it so i havent botherd its not like there is much of a saving from the webpage either.

They probably need to add to what they sell like HMV have done, but TV's, PC's, phone are all coverd by other stores. IF game cant compete on price (like they used to) i cant see them lasting a quick google has nhl 12 under 30 on amazon. Its 37.99 at game with my point i might just be able to get it for the same price -if i can find a game store stocking it