My local GameStop is closing down

SMC92Ian · 02-10-2019 7:05pm #1

Holy **** it's actually happened. I knew my local store was in a bad way as nobody ever goes into it with they're mental prices and Smyths and Argos down the road but yeah they're gone.

Saw a sign in the window. I'll try post a photo if I can.

Dravokivich · 02-10-2019 7:09pm

1 branch in particular or all over?

Duane Dibbley · 02-10-2019 7:10pm

SMC92Ian wrote: »

Holy **** it's actually happened. I knew my local store was in a bad way as nobody ever goes into it with they're mental prices and Smyths and Argos down the road but yeah they're gone.

Saw a sign in the window. I'll try post a photo if I can.

Naas?

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo · 02-10-2019 7:12pm

CEX took most of their trade in business. And they were never the cheapest for buying new games.

Damien360 · 02-10-2019 7:16pm

Duane Dibbley wrote: »

Naas?

The Naas GameStop is in a weird place. It probably had footfall when the old Tesco was beside it but once Tesco moved to their big store, there is little reason to go there for a younger generation. I went there only by chance a few times and it was always empty of people.

Newbridge on the other hand is in a shopping complex beside the Whitewater and will still get footfall. I’m surprised they are still there with CEX just a few yards away.

Duane Dibbley · 02-10-2019 7:20pm

The Naas one is closing on the 20th Oct

SMC92Ian · 02-10-2019 7:20pm

Naas atm, but a few more to follow. I had to go in to cancel all my pre-orders. My hole I'm going over to Newbridge, I hate that store and the manager is a twat.

GarIT · 02-10-2019 7:45pm

Just for people to be aware, within the last few years they were on the verge of closing all stores but found a buyer at the last minute. That buyer planned on turning things around by focusing on high profit merchandise instead of games. If the merchandise doesn't start turning a profit soon they will be closing all stores and you will loose and preorders.

scamalert · 02-10-2019 7:53pm

when theres likes of Steam offering almost any pc game, or dozens other sites. Then you have regular stores tesco supervalu getting most console games, which work out usually at same price, there becomes little need for likes of gamestop, ps,xbox stores eliminate the need.

Id say will go down like extra vision and many similar stores in close future.

DaveyDave · 02-10-2019 7:56pm

I think they're closing around 20% of stores worldwide and restructuring to have a new store design.

Maybe if their games weren't €75 when Smyth's and Argos are €65 or less for all new releases they would have more sales. They get a lot of sales with their merch sections nowadays.

SureYWouldntYa · 02-10-2019 7:58pm

I might be getting ahead of myself, but anyone know what happens with pre orders with Gamestop should your own store close? Or the country as a whole

GarIT · 02-10-2019 8:00pm

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

I might be getting ahead of myself, but anyone know what happens with pre orders with Gamestop should your own store close? Or the country as a whole

If one store closes they will have to honour it. If all of the stores close you're out of luck.

They announced losses of $673 million in 2018. If they doesn't change then they will all be gone.

TitianGerm · 02-10-2019 8:02pm

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

I might be getting ahead of myself, but anyone know what happens with pre orders with Gamestop should your own store close? Or the country as a whole

You'll be an unsecured creditor if the whole Irish company closes. Most likely you wouldn't get anything from them if that did happen. I'd go move your pre-order to something already available if it looks likely they will all close.

If your store closes I'd imagine the pre-order would be honored in another store.

SureYWouldntYa · 02-10-2019 8:03pm

GarIT wrote: »

If one store closes they will have to honour it. If all of the stores close you're out of luck.

Again getting ahead of myself but anyway you or someone might be able to help

I remember seeing something about being able to change my trade in voucher to €70 GS credit? Or am I rambling. If there's trouble I'd consider using my 3 pre orders and a bit of cash to buy a Switch instead

ShaneU · 02-10-2019 8:06pm

DaveyDave wrote: »

I think they're closing around 20% of stores worldwide and restructuring to have a new store design.

Maybe if their games weren't €75 when Smyth's and Argos are €65 or less for all new releases they would have more sales. They get a lot of sales with their merch sections nowadays.

The €75 charge only happened fairly recently when things got bad for them (the max was €70 before)

They obviously decided to screw over the people not bothered to shop around and turn everyone else away

I have a lot of sympathy for the staff but none whatsoever for the higher management who treat their staff like dirt, especially some of the stories I've heard from U.S. workers.

GarIT · 02-10-2019 8:09pm

ShaneU wrote: »

The €75 charge only happened fairly recently when things got bad for them (the max was €70 before)

They obviously decided to screw over the people not bothered to shop around and turn everyone else away

I have a lot of sympathy for the staff but none whatsoever for the higher management who treat their staff like dirt, especially some of the stories I've heard from U.S. workers.

They tried selling Gears and Halo for €80 around the 360 launch. I think they tried similar around this gen, they try it when they can.

TitianGerm · 02-10-2019 8:12pm

GarIT wrote: »

They tried selling Gears and Halo for €80 around the 360 launch. I think they tried similar around this gen, they try it when they can.

I think I paid €80 for Ninety Nine Nights in Xtravision for 360.

Beechwoodspark · 02-10-2019 8:18pm

Awww man I love GameStop I hope they stay open

Myself my missus and our kids often spend time browsing the one in naas for example

Ol' Donie · 02-10-2019 9:49pm

They should expand the merch section to do band tshirts and that. Do all the gaming tat that we all buy from time to time, only do it for bands too.

I'd hate it if they closed. It'd be a big loss.

NewMan1982 · 02-10-2019 10:01pm

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Awww man I love GameStop I hope they stay open

Myself my missus and our kids often spend time browsing the one in naas for example

That’s the problem. Do more buying

5uspect · 02-10-2019 10:50pm

I upgraded my Switch to the new more energy efficient model for €30 there the other day. No idea how they plan on making money on the secondhand stock. I can’t remember the last time I’ve actually bought a game there.

Skerries · 02-10-2019 10:55pm

aww where am I going to go now to look at stuff that I can then buy online after?

2Mad2BeMad · 02-10-2019 11:04pm

Skerries wrote: »

aww where am I going to go now to look at stuff that I can then buy online after?

if I walk into smyths to buy a present for my kid or any of my friends kids, I always go to the game section.
If I walk into argos to buy anything I always look at the games section in the book.

Whenever I see a gamestop I don't recognize it. I don't see it as a gamestore, its mearly a shop I have no interest in going in so I don't notice it. Its like arnotts to me. I just walk on by.

I hope they don't close down due to the fact competition could raise their prices but how bad does a games shop have to be to make me think this way. I mean I literally play games every day (well most days when I can) its my favourite hobby(addiction) and that shop is just a blank to me.

Darkglasses · 02-10-2019 11:06pm

They recently gutted and remodeled the one in Wexford Town, and it now sells more knick-knacks like tshirts and toys than anything else. Fairly few games in stock really. A modest selection of peripherals, only things that don't take up much space.

Kinda ****ty really, not much reason to go there compared to CEX for anything tech/gaming related.

Ned Led Zeppo · 02-10-2019 11:11pm

Gamestop in Dundrum Town Centre: God Of War new 70 Euro,second-hand 60 Euro.The sooner
they close down the better.

SMC92Ian · 02-10-2019 11:20pm

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

I might be getting ahead of myself, but anyone know what happens with pre orders with Gamestop should your own store close? Or the country as a whole

Yup the girl told me I could go to another county to get my pre-orders, I laughed them out the shop with all my refunds.

SMC92Ian · 02-10-2019 11:21pm

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Awww man I love GameStop I hope they stay open

Myself my missus and our kids often spend time browsing the one in naas for example

Really? I guess you don't drive? Just go to Smyths and Argos. Much cheaper and better selection.

Corholio · 03-10-2019 2:45am

Still would miss browsing around there even if their prices are high. Never get why people would want a specific store to.close when they aren't shopping there anyway. New games out tend to be still pretty expensive in CEX when traded in too it has to be said, just comes down more over time than Gamestop does.

I think thread title is a bit misleading too. There's no word at all that all Irish Gamestops are closing down.

Exclamation Marc · 03-10-2019 2:58am

Ned Led Zeppo wrote: »

Gamestop in Dundrum Town Centre: God Of War new 70 Euro,second-hand 60 Euro.The sooner
they close down the better.

Ugh this attitude really irritates me. If you don't like it, don't shop there but wishing it shuts down is so shïtty.

I traded in PES2019 a month or two ago (a game a year old with its sequel nearly out) and got a preorder on Luigis Mansion 3 for €10. Earlier this year I bought Little Dragon Cafe for 20 in Argos, traded it into GS for 60 credit and got Days Gone for free. I think I upgraded my PS4 to a PS4 Pro for about €100 last year. Some unbelievably good deals. They are so good for some trade in deals if you're clever with your trades.

Less competition is always a bad thing.

DaveyDave · 03-10-2019 3:49am

Is less competition really a bad thing when the cheaper, better rivals are the ones left over? They only have themselves to blame, they're expensive and they haven't done much to change things except push overpriced hoodies, Pop figures or clog the stores with Game of Thrones Monopoly.

Sales are down 14% this year, they're closing 200 lower performing stores worldwide which is 3.5%.

They still have a website you can buy everything on. It just means there's a few less of their generic stores and now you can't talk to the girl with blue hair while buying Yu-Gi-Oh cards.

Atlas_IRL · 03-10-2019 8:32am

People should probably know better than to put up closing down threads for companies that close one store out of 52 :rolleyes:

My local GameStop is closing down

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