Post by: TheYoungerPlumber on April 18, 2005, 03:36:50 PM
GameStop and EB, known as bitter retail rivals, are putting down their weapons and joining forces. GameStop will purchase all outstanding shares of EB at $55.18, turning the retail chain and maker of Game Informer Magazine into a $4 billion-a-year company with 3,800 stores worldwide.
Analysts underline that this deal will mostly affect hardcore gamers, as GameStop and EB are the only two major retail chains focused exclusively on games. The merged company will own about 21 percent of the video game retail market—comparable to Wal-mart.
Post by: raptorspike on April 18, 2005, 03:44:48 PM
Post by: NinGurl69 *huggles on April 18, 2005, 04:25:38 PM
Post by: Bloodworth on April 18, 2005, 04:43:06 PM
Post by: Karl Castaneda #2 on April 18, 2005, 04:44:11 PM
Post by: Djunknown on April 18, 2005, 05:28:45 PM
There's tons of Gamestop's around my area. I've shopped at one particular store in the mall the moment I got my 'Cube back in December 2001. They had good staff, made honest suggestions of what games/accessories to buy, and were never too pushy. Almost needless to say, they had my business for a while.
But something happened. Whether it was sudden management change, or all the employees went elsewhere, their quality tanked. The staff was obnoxious, disrespectful, and had to audicity to push their promotions. I remember going in picking up Icewind Dale (since I'm a fan of Baldur's Gate type games), and the employee, said something like "Dude, you why you're playing that? Its sooo dated..." He rang me up, and tried to sell me some Gameinformer. I don't know where the manager was at that point, but I never visted that establishment again.
In an odd twist, there was a Gamestop right across the street. The one in the mall was known as Babbages (good times, good times), and the one across the street was a FuncoLand. I gave them a try, and oddly enough, some of the employees from the mall worked there. Once again, I was graced with good service, so good that they finally sold me a subsciption to Game Informer. But quicker than you can say "Trade-in", new management came in and service rock-bottemed.
There aren't too many Ebgames in my immediate metro-area. I stumbled a newly built one around spring 2k4, and walked in to see what its like. They just about waited on me hand and foot. I found my sweet spot. I still get great service to this day.
I still frequent there today, without few complaints. The only two I have are A)Weak trade-in prices B) They get a little pushy when I go to the register. Considering my other option, the strengths far outweigh the weaknesess.
NOW, about the topic at hand, this merger scares me. Its bad enough that on paper, they're basically twins. But at least there was an option. GameStop put a 'stop' to all the mom-and-pop gamer-shops in my area.
Quote
Karl says: Unfortunately, with less competition in the used/trade-in games market, this will probably mean you'll get less money for games you trade in as well as paying more for used games. Hopefully the lack of risk won't go to GameStop's head.
Wishful thinking I'm afraid. Aside from the hobby-shops who might have a gamespace (and give you a better deal), There's no reason for them to be fair. Nobody else does what they do on a national-scale. You're almost better off keeping your old games and hawk them on Ebay, sell them to a friend, etc.
Post by: nickmitch on April 18, 2005, 06:02:51 PM
The R Zone aren't nearly as incompetant.
Post by: Grant10k on April 18, 2005, 06:16:58 PM
I'll take incompetance over magazine sales, pre-orders, magical psp's, incopetance, and EB losers any day. (he tried to convince me that UMD is "the" way to watch movies)
Post by: Gamecubeguy on April 18, 2005, 06:25:36 PM
Post by: TheYoungerPlumber on April 18, 2005, 06:27:56 PM
Post by: matt oz on April 18, 2005, 06:52:45 PM
Post by: Hostile Creation on April 18, 2005, 08:14:02 PM
I forget where I get my games. Gameware or the internet, it depends.
Or wal-mart
Post by: Shift Key on April 18, 2005, 08:15:49 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: matt oz
I'm surprised it wasn't EA that bought EBGames or Gamestop. Could you imagine?
Ssssh, EA hears all
Post by: WuTangTurtle on April 18, 2005, 09:16:54 PM
Post by: nitsu niflheim on April 19, 2005, 03:52:54 AM
Post by: KDR_11k on April 19, 2005, 09:19:13 AM
Post by: The Omen on April 19, 2005, 03:18:11 PM
Quote
Quote
Originally posted by: matt oz
I'm surprised it wasn't EA that bought EBGames or Gamestop. Could you imagine?
Ssssh, EA hears all
Post by: ThePerm on April 20, 2005, 09:48:07 AM
Post by: Berto2K on April 20, 2005, 03:24:23 PM
Post by: KDR_11k on April 21, 2005, 08:09:15 AM
Post by: WuTangTurtle on April 23, 2005, 01:34:25 AM
Here in the U.S. Walmarts destroy malls, and mom and pop shops, I've heard of many towns forcing away new locations from being built.
Post by: Robageejammin on April 23, 2005, 09:08:11 PM
. I dont even think they ended up buying the ds too.
Post by: Don'tHate742 on April 24, 2005, 03:19:30 AM
.
Post by: KDR_11k on April 25, 2005, 09:12:48 AM
Post by: Kamek_X on May 02, 2005, 08:34:37 PM
Post by: Kamek_X on May 02, 2005, 08:43:13 PM
Post by: ThePerm on May 02, 2005, 08:55:15 PM
Post by: UncleBob on May 03, 2005, 04:11:51 AM
I believe what you meant to say was "Here in the U.S., the customers that choose to shop at Wal-Mart cause the destruction of malls, and mom and pop shops."
