How the hell is GameStop still around? We're in the era

>>384947893
People like having a physical collection.

Normalfags and autists who look for disc-only ps3 titles.

>>384948002
Than why did Blockbuster go out of buisness?

>>384948087
Amazon

>>384947893
Because of people who buy games brand new, play them once then trade them in for $5 store credit.

Because of people who think that $5 off for a 4 year old game with no case is a good deal.

>>384948251
So streaming services killed the need for people to buy physical copies

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>>384947893
Because half the store is these fucking dolls now.

>>384947893
I visit Gamestop to buy physical vita games. It's often cheaper than amazon and other sites, and I don't have to use precious memory space on downloaded games.

Also I'm an impatient faggot and sometimes I don't want to wait for shipping

retards, the same reason consoles exists

>>384948087
Blockbuster doesn't sell physical copies.

You don't own your rented copy, making the service identical to online stresming except no late fees.

>>384948726
Even if you want to buy a physical copy, do you prefer to drive to blockbuster, browse the dvds, etc or buy it from your phone and receive at your door?

>>384949227
>Blockbuster doesn't sell physical copies.

They did though?

>>384948859
Not even those, but GameStop has become a sort of Think Geek/ Spencers Gifts dumping ground.

>>384947893
>tfw GameStop left Puerto Rico
and they were pretty successful here too. don't remember why they left.

>>384947893
Because physical games can be sold and used games can be bought for cheaper? Duh? Not to mention a lot of people have shit internet especially in rural areas

>>384947893
They are the only major videogame retailer in the country.

It's profitable to buy games at 10% of what you're going to resell them for.

>>384951182
Good riddance.
Amazon Prime and Best Buy are better for new games, while eBay and the local store Neo Japan Games are better for used games.
Gamestop se puede ir pal carajo

>>384951961
>Neo Japan Games
I have never heard of them, thanks for mentioning them!

Do they use eBay prices or are there good bargains there? Also, do they sell imports?

>>384950901
They didn't. They just rented movies and games.

Game stop doesn't make money off selling new brand new copies of games. DESU idk how they are still in business because thats all I ever used them for, buying brand new games during launch and for pre-order bonuses. Even then I haven't been to one in almost 2 years.

>>384952503
>They didn't. They just rented movies and games.

They did. You could buy used movies and games from Blockbuster.

>>384947893
Kids and normies, not people like you and me

>>384953117
Huh. Was it late into the store's "life"? Before clossing, I mean.

>>384949063
i honestly only go to gamestop to get steam gift cards and riot point giftcards for lol

>>384953728
>Huh. Was it late into the store's "life"? Before clossing, I mean

No not particularly, at least for the ones near me. It was definitely something they did in the effort of clearing shelves, not really a regular practice. But I remember it happening at least 4-5 years prior to their closing.

>>384947893
I'm kind of surprised as well
They'll die soon enough though

>>384952503
Except they did...
They sold used and new movies as well as rented. You were better off going to Best Buy or Circuit City at the time, but they stills old movies.

>>384947893
I only saw one GameStop in my entire life

>>384948859
>>384951046
This, I went into one the other day to find a copy of DeS and was surprised at how quickly it became a pop figure and knick-knacks store. They always had some of that shit but it was shocking to see so much of it so quickly. They know they won't survive on games and console alone.

>>384952768
>DESU idk how they are still in business because thats all I ever used them for
A lot of people buy games used shortly after launch. That's always been where they get their money.

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>>384947893
GameStop is fucking pathetic. Who the fuck in their right mind would go buy a gutted """new""" game, when they can just get a cheaper, sealed, copy at walmart?

>>384951182
Could be cause Puerto Rico is trying to rape big chains for money.

>>384955106
Walmart is in the ghetto and games are behind a locked case

>>384947893
They are slowly dying, they recently announced that they were closing 300 stores out of the 6000 ones they have worldwide, that's exactly how blockbuster went out of business, it started with a couple hundred stores and then snowballed into full blown bankruptcy.

>>384955106
Because you can ask for a sealed copy or refuse the purchase, numbnuts.

>>384955106
>Who the fuck in their right mind would go buy a gutted """new""" game, when they can just get a cheaper, sealed, copy at walmart?

It makes sense if you aren't a hoarder and buy mostly AAA yearly release games.
>Buy game
>Play game while community is active
>New game releases
>Trade In for discount
>Get new game cheap
>Rinse and repeat

>>384955253
>Walmart is in the ghetto
Not all Walmarts

>games are behind a locked case
Technically so are Gamestops. Just the cases themselves aren't.

>>384955435
Yeah but in EB games you can read the box at Walmart you can't

Gamestop is still mostly a good thing for one thing and one thing only: getting scalpable Nintendo shit. I can either feverishly wait online scouring different retailers to be disappointed when preorders of something run out within seconds of it being in stock, or just walk into Gamestop and preorder it when it gets announced.

Then again, if Nintendo would stop creating artificial scarcity then I would happily watch GS burn to the ground.

>>384947893
>Buy new game on Prime for $48
>Play it for two months
>Walk into GameStop and sell it for $20

Why would I give this up?

GameStop is a good tool if you use it correctly.

>>384955106

Why do they always do this? I went in for Hitman and dude went and took the slipcover from the case with a big red sale sticker on it. Every time I seem to get the last one.

>>384948726

No, being able to purchase what you want and have it delivered to your house in 2 days with free shipping (if you have prime) beat the hell out of driving to the store and seeing what they may (but probably don't) have.

They provide both physical and digital copies, Blockbuster became obsolete as a business model.

>>384955886
>Prime

Are you really recovering enough money to make up for the $99 a year Prime subscription?

>>384956012
>with free shipping
>(if you have prime)

How do you get prime?

I go to GS for new releases only but that's only because my mailing services typically come late in the afternoon. At least with GS, which is a short drive, I can be playing it at 10am. Just impatience more than anything especially when you're hyped for a new release.

>>384955106
Idk what game stops you guys go to but every new game Ive gotten from them has been sealed

>>384956017
I'm not sure, I'd have to look at my purchase history.

I'd be a Prime subscriber regardless though. Two day shipping is too convenient. Saves me trips to the pet store to buy flea treatments and cat food. When I'm running low on deodorant and shit, I'll just buy a six pack on prime immediately when I notice instead of having to hope that I remember to go shopping for it in time.

>>384955214
Walmart won its case against Puerto Rico or whatever. They did say they were going to leave the island if they lost. The court case was something about taxing Walmart more than other retailers. I don't think the Government bothered in raping other big retailers after that.

GameStop should've gone to court instead of leaving, but like a lot of anons are saying, Amazon is better.

>>384955417
Why even waste my time?
>>384955253
>>384955736
You have the internet, you can read about games online before purchasing them.
>>384956006
>>384956273
Idk, but every GS in my area does this shit and makes me stay far away from them.

>>384948002
I'm a massive physicalfag and I fucking HATE GameStop. Their prices are always higher than online, they cover their shit in stickers, they trash games, and have contributed to further ruining the retro games market. Fuck em, hope they go out of business.

>>384952339
When I went a few years ago they had jp consoles like the Sega Mark 3, but I've never seen an imported game when I walked into their store. But that was back when they only had 1 store in Lomas Verdes, Bayamon. They opened a bigger second store and have only seen NA consoles since.
They use ebay prices for the most part, but all of the disc games they have are cib with no scratches. Most games look brand new. Worth a visit
Who knows, we might cross paths one day without even knowing. I walk in all the time to see what they've added

They really should bring back rentals. It's been long enough and we're at a point when I think that'd be a good gimmick to get people into a physical store. It's the role physical can still play that doesn't really work with digital games unless it's a psnow type thing. They should rent out games and have some kind of discount if you rent it x times and want to buy it.

Their transition to "geek trinkets" store didn't work. I think rentals would.

>>384947893
3d>2d
I like having physical copies

>>384956273
Gamestops around me will try to trick you with their display gutted being new. If you were to call ahead and ask they would say it's new but then you get there and see it's the fucking display copy. I started learning to ask them if they have a new SEALED copy to let them know I'm onto their bullshit. They have to say if it's sealed or not.

Typically if the website says your particular store has low stock on a New copy there's a high probability of it being a display copy.

It's scummy as shit and contradicts their own store policy which is ridiculous.

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>>384947893
>How the hell is GameStop still around?

Well it's pretty obvious

>>384956782
>no pubes
Into the trash can she goes

>>384956782
Wtf I love Gamestop now

I like having a place to easily sell back games.

Some games are good, but I'll never play them again. Like Rise of the Tomb Raider. Great game, but once I was done, I was done. Bought it for $35 on a black friday deal and sold it to GS for $25. Not bad.

Sometimes I'll play games and just decide that they're no good. I played the first 15 hours of FFXV before realizing it wasn't for me. Sold it to GS for $30. Better than having a digital copy that I'd never play again and zero dollars.

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>>384948859
some even have cricket wireless dealers in the store LMAO

>>384955736
You do realize you can ask to see the fucking thing before buying it?

>>384957021
>asking the nigger lady there if you can read the back of the Nintendo box
No that's embarrassing

>>384956914
you know that you're fucking yourself by selling it to them right
they're buying them so they can sell them at a markup (a big one at that)
you can walk into game stop, see what a used copy of your game is going for, then undercut them by 5 bucks on craigslist or ebay and get way more money than they'll give you

>>384956273
i think it's illegal to sell opened goods as new in some areas, so they dont do it in all locations

really not sure why they do it at all though because it just doesn't make sense. i'd assume they do it so they get more people to buy used copies which nets them a lot more profit than new copies.
>the new copies here are opened...or you can save $10 and get this used copy , both are opened anyway

>>384957094
hows it less embarrassing than asking her to get it for you so you can buy it

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>>384956782
Omg I love kayona kim.

>>384957137
Why would I care about what they do with it after I sell it to them?

>>384956782
>>384957474
whats the appeal? you go to your average california college campus or mall and theres a billion asian girls that look better than her. in fact her face is disgusting.

>>384957415
It's not that's why EB Games is better, or Toys r Us

>>384957695
so just likes yours fag

ouch

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>>384956418

>>384957515
because you could do what they do instead and get more money for your posessions instead of getting a fraction of what they pay you

>>384955362
>They are slowly dying
Came here to say this, they are dying a slow death its going to awhile but its going to happen. Its going to take awhile but it will happen doesn't help many publishers hate gamestop's used game sales because they don't get any money for it.

The gamestop in my area is closing and it didnt even have a fucking sale, what the fuck, fuck you gamestop

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>>384957474

ADOREABLE

>>384957695
this, i've seen infinitely better looking asian grills

>>384958084
No I can't.

They're able to get that price because they've established themselves as the go to retailer for pre owned video games and keep regular retail hours, seven days a week, at 1000 locations nation wide.

I don't have that. I could probably get a bit more by selling on eBay, but that takes time an effort.

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40% of their store space is plastic junk and "nerd" culture merchandise. It is a literal train wreck of a business and they're doing everything they can to stay relevant short of selling their wage slaves bodies as cheap whores just to keep the lights on.

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>>384956418
Don't forget that most of their "New" games are already opened.
>can I have this new game?
>"Sure"
>gets an empty box
>opens front desk drawer and takes out the game disc
>places the game in the empty box
>"Ok that will be $59 plus tax."

>>384947893
1. People like a physical collection
2. High speed broadband/fiber is not available in every household yet. There's still a very sizable coverage gap in the US

>>384947893
>How the hell is GameStop still around?
Comcast, AT&T etc. have monopolies in plenty of places meaning the internet is shit and it's still faster to drive 15 minutes to your GameStop, buy a physical game and then drive home.

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>>384958913
Is it true that they actually sometimes play the games and then stick it in the box and sell it as new?

Hmmmm yes let me download a digital copy on my console and only have space for 5 games because new games are 150+ GB big, while also spending $60 on something that shouldn't be worth as much as a physical copy

Because nerds come in to buy our shit because they can stare at my female coworker, the only girl other than their mom they've seen in a month.

>>384959242
Yeah, we can borrow them for three days to try them out to talk to customers about. We can't use codes or anything in the box or it's considered stealing on our part. Most managers will only let you take floor copy, that was open anyway, or a pre-owned game.

>>384957474
Does she still camwhore? I have her old stuff but was wondering if there was anything new.

>>384948087
Internet

Netflix

>>384958529
my man you can literally make an ad on criags list and have that shit sold in an afternoon

>>384960281
You're not going to get mugged trading at GameStop. Unless you live in my neighborhood.

>>384960549
it's pretty super easy not to get mugged on craigs list too retard

>hey want to meet at [public place] at [agreeable time]?
>sure

>>384960281
>have that shit sold in an afternoon

I work during the afternoon at a job that pays me considerably more than the margins I'd save by selling games by myself. I'm not keen on spending my two days off doing this either.

The convenience of GameStop is worth the extra $10 or $15 I could make fucking around on craigslist.

Any of you guys own a game store? What's the general cost of running a small to medium store with new games?

>>384960998
>hey want to meet up at [time]?
>nah that doesnt work i get off at [time] though
>oh okay that works

>>384961174
A business degree and a loan from the bank

>>384961350
You're describing work. The kind of work that isn't worth $10 or $15.

make back the precious seconds back by meeting up closer to your house than gamestop

>>384961742
Dude, just say
>meet me at [place you work] at [time you get off]
literally 15 bucks no hassle.

>>384956006
>>384956273

corporate is cheap as fuck and doesnt send us demo cases/covers except in the case of AAA major releases. As a result, we have to gut a case to use as display. We sleeve the game and any DLC codes in the back drawer, and sell it as new, because our other category "pre-owned" doesnt imply anything about the game actually being sealed. Usually it never matters in the long run, unless a new game gets checked out by an employee for a few days and gets scuffed/scratched but some people get really autistic about it.

>>384962186
Not that guy, but dude, you're describing a fantasy world.

Who is willing to surf craigslist, and meet up at some rando's office just to save a few dollars on a video game when they could just go to gamestop and buy it immediately for a few dollars extra?

Think about it logically. If someone is willing to drive out of their way to go meet a craigslist person just to buy a game they could buy at gamestop much easier, then they must be getting a significant discount by using craigslist. That means the person selling it probably isn't making that much more than they would if they just sold it to GameStop.

The economics of what you're describing just make no sense.

>>384962839
Maybe he can meet up somewhere on the weekend... OH WAIT, this fuck is bill gates and driving (or walking) to a public place is literally not worth his time in dollars. He's still going to have to drive to gamestop and he still has to get there before it closes.

>>384948859
Who the hell buys these ugly pieces of shit?

>>384963304
>I have only ever flipped burgers and mowed lawns for employment so I have no concept of how much time is actually worth

purchasing preowned shit

>>384963304

I did a little test. Let's take a reasonably new game, Persona 5. Gamestop is buying back for $20. Craigslist Los Angeles has one listing for Persona 5. It's for $40 and it's been up for four days.

The market you're describing simply doesn't exist.

>>384963439
normalfags

>>384956418
>>384958913
And let's not forget how much they helped to popularize the extremely jewish practice of pre-order DLC.

>>384963590
Because that's a (slightly) obscure game. More mainstream games sell pretty quick

>>384963948
Left is wife material, right is for rape

>>384963449
if you're flipping burgers and mowing lawns to make ends meet then you really should take the 30 seconds to arrange a craigslist meeting for $15

have you guys had mostly good experiences buying physical copies from amazon? I imagine they don't have the draconian return policy that GameStop has, and hopefully they don't send the game in a flimsy, thin package that looks like it's been run over several times.

>>384964665
I've had fairly good experiences with them. Recently though they've started putting stickers on their used games which fucking blows.

>>384953728
My friend told me that blockbuster video still operates in Alaska, but I never checked.

>>384964665
It's incredibly safe. If the product you receive goes against the seller's description in any way, you can totally return it.

>>384956418
>Their prices are always higher than online
False. I've bought plenty of games below retail/online price from Gamestop.
>cover their shit in stickers
It's usually not that bad, but I have no trouble with removing those.

>>384947893
They're managing to hang on by a thread by re-tooling themselves into a Hot Topic for gamerzzzz

>>384964665
youll have 0 problems with amazon

ebay too actually, since paypal always sides with the buyer in a dispute. i bought a SNES that was on the verge of yellowing and it shattered in the mail and I got a full refund instantly. didn't even have to send it back.

>>384957965
Jesus Christ it's like watching a wrestling match between a summer sausage and Vienna sausage

>>384956317
This. Regardless of whether it pays off for games it's great for the shipping alone. Saves a ton of time and money and getting what you need in two days (sometimes I get shit in one, since I live within an hour of a new major distribution center) is too good to pass up. Also, their streaking and on demand video is fantastic. Haven't redboxed a movie in years and they have far better programming than Reddit tier Netflix does.

>>384963304
>>384962186
You're underestimating the type of people who buy gaming shit from Craigslist. It's a pain to deal with those white trash or poor minorities, especially because in my experience they haggle nonstop to get the price down or show up with less money than you agreed upon if they show up at all. It's just not worth it in most scenarios, like the other anon I'd rather go to a GameStop and while my hands clean, even if it means a bit less money.

>>384963804

>Fantasy market doesn't exist for a million seller game

Then what fucking good is it?