CAG Store Database - need opinions

CheapyD

CheapyD

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About a month or so ago, a CAG (i'm sorry i forgot your name) sent me an message with the idea of creating a database of game stores. He/she thought it would be a good idea if we could have a central location to catalog, rate and review stores that sell games.

Let's say (hypothetically) that this feature would be added to CAG, with the ability to search by geographic location and to rate and review stores and assign specific searchable attributes to them (such as "Sells imports, Provides repairs, etc). New entries would be submitted by CAGs and approved by me before they go live in the database.

Do you think we should just include independant game stores (and other stores that happen to sell games) or should we also include the EB, Gamestop, etc...

I'm inclined to think that we should include any location that sells (or rents) video games. What do you think?
 
I think all stores would be good. Then again, I'm pretty biased...the closest indie store to where I live is about 45 minutes away.
 
So long as you (or someone) approves the entries it would be a good idea. Otherwise we would just get a bunch of "This EB is full of idiots who know nothing about games and they got mad at me for not buying anything....:)
 
Including all of the stores would make the database a lot more useful for more people (and it wouldn't necessarily add that much more tedium to setting up/maintaining the database, would it?).
 
Ideally, they should be included. By casting a wider net, fewer deals/ratings/reviews slip through the holes.

But I imagine most of the reviews will be based on "deals," being that we're all CAGers and all.

However, a wide net is also going to magnify the upkeep of such a database manifold. From B&M only specials to Mom and Pop stores to retailers that are primarily comics or dvd vendors, vg retail can be found in TONS of places. If one was to include these in the database from the outset...I guess the point is is that it'll be a LOT of work to formulate consensus from so many differing opinions. There are so many individual YMMV deals going on in this world that I think it might even serve to clog a database, rather than supplant it. Basically, how are we going to sort through or weigh one person's individual experience versus another's?

This might work best with a top-down approach, starting with the largest click & mortar chains that best standardize prices that coincide with their online deals. From there, we can work our way down to include smaller, independent stores, where variation in prices and deals are more rampant. This way, peoples' experiences might be more uniform and thus, valid/representative/accurate.

This way, we can "take it slow" in case we get over our heads (flooded with a ton of varied ratings) and can "back up the train" if necessary.

Please forgive my caution...I dabble in Risk Assesment and sometimes find it hard to escape my biases.
 
If we're including all, it would be nice if we can differentiate between retail and indie...I've got a ton of stores that sell games around me, since I'm in the middle of suburbia, but very few indie stores. I don't want a list that's all Best Buys, GameStops, and EBs to come up every time I look.

That's just my opinion, though...
 
I think it should include indy and chain stores [perhaps a sortable/filterable column for 'Chain/Independent'?], but individual store reviews might better apply to the indy stores. Most chains have companywide policies, which can often be found on the websites; many of them have decisions made at the chain or district level. Also, in retail, every store/company/office has got at least one jerkass working at it, so I definitely would not include comments like that, since that applies to every place of business. In fact, in many cases the comments on the chain store level would be superfluous, since for the most part a chain is a chain.
I'd like to see both, however, simply because there are fewer indy stores and showing both would be more useful to more CAGs.
 
I like the idea :) I also dont think rental stores should be added because they are all pretty much the same.

I like the idea because some gamestops are different and are a little nicer sorta and same with best buys and then their are the stores with crack head employees who act like jack.... :)
 
I vote all stores as well. I'm still trying to think of a good reason why you wouldn't want to include all stores. :?

BTW, I also would like to add that I think this is a great idea. :mrgreen:
 
[quote name='CheapyD']I'm inclined to think that we should include any location that sells (or rents) video games. What do you think?[/quote]

I agree.

And a rating system for the stores sounds really good as long as it is done well.
 
[quote name='CheapyD']Ok, looks like that poll was entirely unnecessary.
Any other suggestions or comments?[/quote]

y do you say that?
almost everyone voted for all stores
 
[quote name='CheapyD']Ok, looks like that poll was entirely unnecessary.
Any other suggestions or comments?[/quote]

I think the more important aspect of the database is how the stores will be rated and if users will be able to rate the stores and post their experiences. Maybe you should make a poll about that.
 
i suggested to cheapyd that we have a place to geographically have cheapass games put up. for example major cities or by state. is this what you're talking cheapmaster or just rating the store. it would be oh so badass if we could search cheapassgames with a regional section.
 
[quote name='punqsux']what kind of info do u want? like
store name:
address:
phone number:
rating:
details:[/quote]
Pretty much.

[quote name='pukemon']i suggested to cheapyd that we have a place to geographically have cheapass games put up. for example major cities or by state. is this what you're talking cheapmaster or just rating the store. it would be oh so badass if we could search cheapassgames with a regional section.[/quote]
This is just store specific ratings, not a compilation of deals.


[quote name='Scrubking']
I think the more important aspect of the database is how the stores will be rated and if users will be able to rate the stores and post their experiences. Maybe you should make a poll about that.[/quote]
My plan is to have stores rated numerically in three categories; Value, Selection, and Service. These 3 scores will make up the store's overall rating.
Users will be able to also post their experiences.
Users must be registered on the CAG message boards to be able to participate and IP addresses will be logged,
 
[quote name='Cheapy']My plan is to have stores rated numerically in three categories; Value, Selection, and Service. These 3 scores will make up the store's overall rating.
Users will be able to also post their experiences.
Users must be registered on the CAG message boards to be able to participate and IP addresses will be logged,[/quote]

Sounds good, but you should make the section to post experiences flame proof. The last thing this idea needs is people fighting over whether a sites service is good or not.
 
Uh, I'm guessing you don't have a directory of all the game stores in the US, so we'll be posting the stores, correct?
 
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