Buy, Sell or Trade

"A few years ago, when customers wanted a used PlayStation, I asked, "PlayStation 1 or 2?" Now the question is, "PlayStation 1, 2, 2 Slimline or PS3 with which hard drive?" When they want a used Xbox 360, I say a little prayer."

Brian Rowe recounts the hard knock life of a videogame retailer.

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Oh man this article hits me so close to home. As you may know I also work at a Gamestop and this article pretty much sums up my experiences there. Its really stressful and at some points I have to choose games for parents between games like Dogz or Catz. Ugh.

But it really is a great feeling when a customer comes back raving about a game I recommended to them. It rarely happens, but its great.

It's been so long since working at a GameStop, and the retail job I work at now is only part games. When I do sell games, it's usually one of the more enjoyable aspects as I get to talk with the customer. However, GameStop....it could be so difficult to figure out what a customer really wanted when the asked for the GameBox or XCube.

However, the one rule I CONSTANTLY broke was not to interject my opinion to the customer. If I knew the game was genuine trash, I'd let them know. Kabuki Warriors on the Xbox was a perfect example. I would tell customers that brought it up just how terrible the game is, and that it's only worth it as a joke. Same thing when someone grabbed Daikatana 64. I asked if they were purchasing it as a comedy, and the guy said he thought it looked like it would be cool. I then had to explain how Daikatana is now one of the biggest jokes in the gaming industry and only to buy it if you want something to laugh at. He put it back to look for something else.

In the end, I prefer the independent retailers. It's where the employees that genuinely love the hobby work, they usually aren't a bunch of lazy assholes, and they also tend to have the best prices on used games. I paid $35 for a used Super Paper Mario when it was still $45 at GameStop when I visited an independent retailer. In fact, I should go back and browse them again to see if they got Psychonauts since there's no chance of grabbing it at GameStop.

For gamers like me, the Indie retailers are few, far between and not enough. So the mere fact that you exist is awesome to me.

Also, Wal-Mart will have the game cheaper.....by $.75.

For God's sake Man, get another job. Your tale of the retail game market is a no win situation.

Your my hero dude

the main problem with game retailers these days is that corporations are just buying them out in a snap. so they never last long, because the company just gets bought out, and as for trading in, people are more likely to trade it into a commercial game shop, so there becomes a constant flow of games out of indie retailers, into commercial retailers

Question to the gods'o'business savy,why not sell games for 30 a pop and not 60, would not the volume from these sells be the same or better than trying to get every last penny out of each sell? if new games where 30 I might could remove my total boycott from them but since that wont happen I will stick to never paying more than 30 a game(even with shipping) again simply because price V cost has shown me time and time again why bother paying 60 for a 20$ game!

ccesarano
Oh and as far as FPS jokes go Jericho is by far worse, even Doom 3 is worse froma gamepaly perspective,IMO quake 4 is about as good as Daikatana, simply because the game (daikatana)was somewhat fun and the dialog something to laugh at, of coarse Quake 1 and 2 and really any brand name FPS in the 95-99 era are better Daikatana is not the worst FPS, even when I got it when it came out it was not that bad at least the level design didn't put me to sleep like Q4 and D3 dose, hell even unreal 2 is as lame.....and lets not forget pariah!
Even to this day Daikatana has more thought put into weapons and level design than most FPSs put together....

I love indie retailers but the only real ones we have left are called pawn shops much anymore, Wallmart is pointless for shopping for anything not made in china,if I want a game I go to Amazon and Ebay first, GS/EB dead last in fact with EB's assault on used PC games I no longer shop there or at GS since EB bought them out,I might hit up best buy or Circuit city if they offer free shipping or 10 off retail but after being burned so many times I just wait till I can find it used or have played the game to know if tis worth 30+.

It does seem to be a thankless proposition. Most edifying article. I didn't realize the margins were so low.

Wal Mart is usually my last stop for games. They aren't any cheaper, and I have to wait for the guy to open the jewelry case of games. *insert eyeroll*

LisaB1138:
It does seem to be a thankless proposition. Most edifying article. I didn't realize the margins were so low.

Wal Mart is usually my last stop for games. They aren't any cheaper, and I have to wait for the guy to open the jewelry case of games. *insert eyeroll*

If you can sell more games with a free game wouldn't selling games for 30 a pop work the same?
if you can tipple sells you win,f you double them you merely break even,and there is no way to not break even at 30 a pop.

that was pretty interesting stuff, see I'm one of those comes in the store raving about a game recommend kind guys who used to constantly buy useds and trade in old games at my local independant [till it got bought out] so ii gotta a little place in my heart for independants, plus i hate the saturation of the market ideology of the modern gaming industry,more money less ethics eh? but i guess as EA tell us you gotta "challenge everything" and keep your store ticking, good luck suriving the minefield of staying in the green dude.

Never knew that a retailer didn't get much money for just a game that's new. You need at least more than 50 copies or so sold per day... Of course, i don't know what i'm talking about, just estimating.

but yea, that is something that should be in mind. Especially the thing that 2nd hands are usually two-edged sword. Pretty dangerous.

Article:
This is why the units per transaction (UPT) metric has become the hottest buzzword among upper management at major retailers. They still care how much you the consumer spend, but they care more about how much you buy. Due to the margins between wholesale and retail costs, selling two games for $30 each is actually twice as profitable as selling one game for $60. UPTs are also why you can expect to be offered extended warranties, magazine subscriptions and a plasma TV before you reach the exit.

No kidding. It's the most obvious thing, and yet, it's been so under exploited for ages. I've been wondering for so many years why retailers didn't provide more bundles, or even bundles that the consumers could create on their own.

The more games you buy, the more each game gets cheaper (but still high enough to be worth the marketing ploy).
Rveryone knows that consumers want to get more for less.

Geez.

I have a certain degree of experience with the retail world myself (¬¬) and Brian's story is dead-on. The margin on new software sales is tighter than just about anyone imagines. Retailers sell it either because they get big volume discounts for selling mass quantities (which applies primarily to Wal-Mart) or, far more commonly, because it attracts customers who will hopefully pick up some other higher-margin crap at the same time. With the razor-thin margins game retailers are dealing with, a warranty here and a Prima guide there is significant.

The next time some poor schmuck behind the counter at Gamestop or EB or wherever tries to sell you a warranty or a strategy guide or some peripheral you didn't ask for, don't automatically assume he's just a dick who's looking to rip you off. He's doing his job; most of these guys have mandates to offer this stuff to every customer, and you can believe those numbers are tracked. The company can tell who's selling the add-ons and who's not, and woe betide the guy who isn't keeping his numbers up. If he's lucky, he'll take some grief from his boss every week or so, but in worst-case scenarios he may eventually find himself out of a job. If you don't want the extras, just say "no" and be done with it. Coming down on a guy over assumptions about his motivations doesn't do anyone any good, and in most cases it's more than a little misinformed to boot.