why is GAMESTOP so expensive on software?

cojomo2

i live very near one ,and bought an xbox360 off them...i go in to buy street fighter 4 and they tell me its 49.99...i tell them that its available it xtra vision for 39.99 and can they match that plaese...all i get is '' ehh no, our price is 49.99''

so ofcourse im gonna hang on till im near an xtravision..but i dont bloody get it..the are a games shop, surely if xtravision can make a few quid on it at 39.99 then GameStop can too? Dont they know attempting to rip off THEIR customers is very bad for business...:mad:

Captain Slow IRL

I went in to buy some games for myself christmas eve, and picked up GOW2 and Midnight club for €65 for both of them (in Gamestop) - xtra-vision was charging similiar for each of these titles. If you find something cheaper, don't crib about it - just buy the cheaper item!

The employees in these shops probably wouldn't be able to discount items like this - the prices are set and they have to go by them. If you went into a smaller business and were dealing with the owner, you might be able to knock a bit off the price.

cural

You would think GAMESTOP would be able to sell games at a cheaper rate due to their high turnover but the fact is that people arnt buying the amount of games they once did due to the worlds circumstances, so their stock turnover is going down meaning prices are going up.

cojomo2

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

I went in to buy some games for myself christmas eve, and picked up GOW2 and Midnight club for €65 for both of them (in Gamestop) - xtra-vision was charging similiar for each of these titles. If you find something cheaper, don't crib about it - just buy the cheaper item!

The employees in these shops probably wouldn't be able to discount items like this - the prices are set and they have to go by them. If you went into a smaller business and were dealing with the owner, you might be able to knock a bit off the price.

im cribbing about the hassle of havint to go to xtra vision instead..which as a valued customer (have bought a lot of stuff off them, inc a game yesterday) i think is crappy- fair enough the staff cant discount, but there should be a policy in place for price matching...the guys in there know my face so i just think/know that thats bad business on their part.

RobertFoster

You did the right thing by hanging on and going elsewhere. Now if only everyone shopped around, they might try to be more competitive... but some people just don't care.

Lord Spence

you think thats bad my local ROXY store in Shannon are selling it for €60 so I was about 20 yards to Xtra Vision and got it for €40 ROXY stores are the worst stores in ireland overpriced and terrible selection

Helix

cojomo2 wrote: »

i live very near one ,and bought an xbox360 off them...i go in to buy street fighter 4 and they tell me its 49.99...i tell them that its available it xtra vision for 39.99 and can they match that plaese...all i get is '' ehh no, our price is 49.99''

so ofcourse im gonna hang on till im near an xtravision..but i dont bloody get it..the are a games shop, surely if xtravision can make a few quid on it at 39.99 then GameStop can too? Dont they know attempting to rip off THEIR customers is very bad for business...:mad:

simple answer? gamestop charge more coz people are idiots and will pay it

thebman

It price of the game depends on how much demand they think there will be for it. If they know loads of people will want it, they will charge more.

Personally I'd have given my business to Xtravision anyway to promote the low price set as standard there not try to give business to the store trying to rip me off.

Swizz

Buy online its the cheapest. I stopped buying in stores because theyre more expensive than online and CBA going into town

Try these
http://www.play.com/Games/Xbox360/4-/5816869/Street-Fighter-IV/Product.html
http://www.thehut.com/hut/10025518.product
http://gamestation.co.uk/Xbox360/Fighting/~r409869/Street-Fighter-IV/?mid=409869

They also come cellophane sealed so boxes have absolutely no scratches on them and the discs are perfect, unlike if you buy them in Xtra Vision or GameStop, they give ya a crappy box covered in slime from the sweaty nerds with B.O that spend all their time n there! :P

mikemac

cural wrote: »

You would think GAMESTOP would be able to sell games at a cheaper rate due to their high turnover but the fact is that people arnt buying the amount of games they once did due to the worlds circumstances, so their stock turnover is going down meaning prices are going up.

I think I read somewhere thats sales of computer games are booming. As people spend less, buying a game to entertain yourself on a night in is a cheaper option then heading out.

Traditionally the cinema does great business doing tough economic times too

cojomo2 wrote: »

.i tell them that its available it xtra vision for 39.99 and can they match that plaese...all i get is '' ehh no, our price is 49.99''

They charge it as people pay it.
Fair play to you for highlighting the difference and going elsewhere. If everyone did that they'd have to drop prices.
But realy the guy serving you won't have the power to discount games, you probably need to ask for the assistant manager and above.

cojomo2

UPDATE********


They have now dropped the price to 44.99...

probably because they sold feck all at 49.99...

still 5 quid too expensive...i think they are greedy pricks..testing the waters at 49.99, no joy, so now 44.99

Varik

this is not about gamestop but love what other toys or xtravision charge for the niche games that no ones buy there

Shinji Ikari

cojomo2 wrote: »

i live very near one ,and bought an xbox360 off them...i go in to buy street fighter 4 and they tell me its 49.99...i tell them that its available it xtra vision for 39.99 and can they match that plaese...all i get is '' ehh no, our price is 49.99''

so ofcourse im gonna hang on till im near an xtravision..but i dont bloody get it..the are a games shop, surely if xtravision can make a few quid on it at 39.99 then GameStop can too? Dont they know attempting to rip off THEIR customers is very bad for business...:mad:

Because they have lots of stores in the smaller towns where there is no HMV,GAME or SMYTHS so people don't have much of a selection. What happened to you is a classic example of this.

Mr Bloat

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

I went in to buy some games for myself christmas eve, and picked up GOW2 and Midnight club for €65 for both of them (in Gamestop) - xtra-vision was charging similiar for each of these titles. If you find something cheaper, don't crib about it - just buy the cheaper item!

The employees in these shops probably wouldn't be able to discount items like this - the prices are set and they have to go by them. If you went into a smaller business and were dealing with the owner, you might be able to knock a bit off the price.

Are you saying people shouldn't complain that prices are too expensive somewhere just because it's cheaper elsewhere? How will the expensive shops know we're not happy with being overcharged if we don't complain about it?

The Irish have taken bad service and overcharging for too long, imo. It's time we grew a pair and started to complain to these shops when we're not happy. I don't mean scream and roar at the spotty lad behind the counter but if enough people complain in a reasonable way to him, he will tell his manager and the complaints will rise throught the ranks.

alastair_doom

mikemac wrote: »

Traditionally the cinema does great business doing tough economic times too

I'd imagine rentals would boom aswell so. I wonder if companies like XtraVision sell these as loss leaders for good will and getting people into the store. Something it would be pointless for a dedicated game store to do as their customer return rate would be much poorer.

Seem to remember Gamenash saying the RRP of the game in Ireland was €69(?!) and they couldnt discount it much.


Edit:
found the thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055485166

The RRP in Ireland is €69.99 and the cost price that we have been quoted means we would have to retail it at €62.99

mikemac

mikemac wrote: »

I think I read somewhere thats sales of computer games are booming. As people spend less, buying a game to entertain yourself on a night in is a cheaper option then heading out.

Traditionally the cinema does great business doing tough economic times too

This is quite true. I have been working in the same cinema for the past 4 years and our business has increased dramatically ever since this whole recession malarky began.

Back on topic, to be fair to Gamestop, I have found some great deals on their secondhand games. I rarely buy new games, mainly because all their secondhand ones preform just as adequately.

thebman

Second hand games are just donations of free money to gamestop though. I never buy used, I'd rather buy online and know the publisher got their cut.

thebman

thebman wrote: »

Second hand games are just donations of free money to gamestop though. I never buy used, I'd rather buy online and know the publisher got their cut.

I would too for other stuff. But there's just something about having the game there and then that forgives any extra money I may have to give to Gamestop.

Usually I never spend more than 20euro on a game though.

defness

cural wrote: »

You would think GAMESTOP would be able to sell games at a cheaper rate due to their high turnover but the fact is that people arnt buying the amount of games they once did due to the worlds circumstances, so their stock turnover is going down meaning prices are going up.

People are actually buying much more games! Sales in 2008 were up 12% on 2007 which in comparison to the previous years is a giant increase

Helix

spot on, the recession is actually helping game sales

a game is cheaper than a night out and lasts longer

cinema attendances are up too

ROC1977

shops like gamestop prey on parents buying games for their kids. Most gamers will shop around. In the crescent in Limerick, Gamestop is generally more expensive than Argos, Tesco, Zavi(gone now). But the odd title or app was cheaper in Gamestop. Buying online is the best way if you pre order or are willing to wait.
Look at the trade ins in gamestop, you get between 10 - 20 euro, they resell for 50-60 euro. For a second hand game thats a joke. The best thing to do here is not buy from them. As soon as gamestop feels they are loosing money they might re-evaluate their prices.

Y2J_MUFC

defness wrote: »

People are actually buying much more games! Sales in 2008 were up 12% on 2007 which in comparison to the previous years is a giant increase

Tbh, there were loads of massive games out at the tail end of last year, and all their prices dropped from 50-60 to 35-48 (in any shop I've been in from October to December)... A drop in prices is always going to lead to more sales

Gears 2, Mirrors Edge, Left 4 Dead, Fallout, Dead Space Farcry, Fable, Spore etc etc...massive games which aren't yearly iterations.

Just so people know:

Staff have no choice as to what prices they put on games. So giving out to staff about said prices is pretty pointless. And if you get a slightly cranky response, it is probably because of people doing just that.

If you really really have an issue with it, get in contact with their HQ.

Also, shop around. If you find a game cheaper than another shop, don't complain that the first shop is more expensive, just be glad you found it for cheaper.

paul150

The more people that realise its better to shop around,the more gamestop will feel the pinch and hopefully lower some of their prices. Too many people are still forking out €70 for a new release when compared to online prices is ridiculus.

Y2J_MUFC

Deleted User wrote: »

shop around

Saved myself 15 quid by walking about 30 yards from Gamestop in Limerick to GAME on Saturday.

Gamestop prices are all gone back to to 54.99 (at least) for any of the top games, GAME and HMV seem to be 5-10 quid cheaper for some games now.

Gamestop are charging €60 for a game I saw in Manchester for £20. :mad:

I still don't like those guys in GAME in Limerick who walk around asking "if you are ok". Yes, I'm ok. I know they are just trying to do a job, but they are basically praying on the clueless parents and making a killing.

Captain Slow IRL

Got Halo Wars yesterday in Xtra-Vision for €44.99, didn't get a chance to check Gamestop - was impressed with value for money!

Brimmy

Wanted to get a wireless adapter today. Price in HMV was 77 euro. 70 in Gamestop.

I was amazed it was cheaper for once. Still didn't buy it did, anyone know a good cheap online source? :pac:

Gamesnash.ie: Pat

alastair_doom wrote: »

I'd imagine rentals would boom aswell so. I wonder if companies like XtraVision sell these as loss leaders for good will and getting people into the store. Something it would be pointless for a dedicated game store to do as their customer return rate would be much poorer.

Seem to remember Gamenash saying the RRP of the game in Ireland was €69(?!) and they couldnt discount it much.


Edit:
found the thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055485166

Just to be clear that's a thread referring to killzone 2 and not Street Fighter 4

Gamesnash.ie: Pat

Y2J_MUFC wrote: »

Tbh, there were loads of massive games out at the tail end of last year, and all their prices dropped from 50-60 to 35-48 (in any shop I've been in from October to December)... A drop in prices is always going to lead to more sales

Gears 2, Mirrors Edge, Left 4 Dead, Fallout, Dead Space Farcry, Fable, Spore etc etc...massive games which aren't yearly iterations.

There was too many top games released in one go. People just didn't have the money to buy them all so the expected sales never materialised. Hence the discounting seen before Christmas in an attempt to clear through the stocks.

Y2J_MUFC

Gamesnash.ie wrote: »

There was too many top games released in one go. People just didn't have the money to buy them all so the expected sales never materialised. Hence the discounting seen before Christmas in an attempt to clear through the stocks.

This is pretty much my point. Most people are never going to have 300+ quid lying around to go out and buy games at the best of times, the fact that the prices came down, coupled with all the big releases, is always going to lead to more sales...

People seem to pull random facts out of thin air and say "the recession" is the reason. I swear I've heard people talk about how their dog is cutting back on pissing because of "the recession"..

Gamesnash.ie: Pat

This is taken from a recent article - EA basically have come out and said they made an arse of last years release schedule and that publishers in general should spread the games out rather than all compete for 2 months of the year.

Electronic Arts has admitted it got it wrong with the releases of some of its biggest games of 2008, and insists the industry must now rethink its entire approach to putting products into the market.
Glen Schofield, general manager of the publisher's Redwood Shores studio in San Francisco, acknowledged that releasing new franchises like Mirror's Edge and Dead Space during peak season, which failed to hit sales projections, had been an education for the company.
“The one big thing we learned was, we came out with a bunch of new IP, actually with a bunch of new games at the same time,” he said, speaking to GamesIndustry.biz in Florence last month for the global unveiling of Dante's Inferno.
"Some people are calling this last year one of the best years in the history of videogames. You just had one great game after another, so we were just right in the middle of it, and you have to have a lot of money behind you to shout out."
"You can blame some of it on the economy," he said, but added that there were "far too many" games in general released during the holiday period, a situation which, given the dire economic conditions, the industry could no longer ignore.
"I think the industry has finally gone, 'Wow, we could probably just come out just like the movies do'. Movies launch on Christmas day, they launch blockbusters during the summer, and we're now learning that we could probably launch a game at any time, and if it's a good game it will be well received.
"I think that we traditionally thought that people only buy games at Christmas or around holiday time, and now we're looking back and going, 'You know what, GTA launched in May; Resident Evil comes out in March'."

thebman

Oh they mean that thing gamers have been shouting about for the past 2 years or so. That is what they are going to do as opposed to what they have been doing which is all competing for the number one spot at Xmas.

Flojo

Y2J_MUFC wrote: »

Saved myself 15 quid by walking about 30 yards from Gamestop in Limerick to GAME on Saturday.

Gamestop prices are all gone back to to 54.99 (at least) for any of the top games, GAME and HMV seem to be 5-10 quid cheaper for some games now.

Gamestop are charging €60 for a game I saw in Manchester for £20. :mad:

I still don't like those guys in GAME in Limerick who walk around asking "if you are ok". Yes, I'm ok. I know they are just trying to do a job, but they are basically praying on the clueless parents and making a killing.

Well yes we have to do it, it's good customer service. Surely it's better then being completely ignored in other shops? Those "clueless parents" often need guidance in helping to pick out suitable games for their children... we're not preying on them, they come into our store to buy a game, we help them pick the right one. We aren't making them spend their money in our store.

TerrorFirmer

I have to say the last year or two I haven't found a single game that wasn't better priced in Game (which, in Galway, is 2 minutes down the road). Don't really know why people buy games there.