Purchasing a Videogame store: What would make you want to come to my place?

[quote name='sasukekun']http://www.playntrade.com/riverside/

All it says is coming soon. I guess I'll contact Pat Harriman, since he's listed as the contact on there.[/QUOTE]

Pat is actually in charge of PR for Play N Trade... always found it weird why she was always listed as the contact. She might be able to give you information but she is really in charge if getting news stories about Play N Trade and such.
 
We might possibly be back to that original spot I talked about that I liked. Seems they may want to work out a deal but I still need to get an approval on it... again. I am having a conference call with PNT tomorrow about the location and another location. So we will see but I really want a store, sooner rather than later.

One thing I do know is that we will NOT be open for this holiday season.

Even if I signed the lease tomorrow, it will be hard to make it. So I am looking for an early 2008 start hopefully around the time Smash Bros. Brawl releases. Maybe use that as a good starting ground and have a tournament the following month.

Alot of games have been pushed back so might not be a horrible time to start. Then after that you have GTA if it keeps its date.
 
have you looked into Dover? I used to live in DE. i remember there was a shopping center right outside of the Dover Mall. If people go to the mall to get a game that could be the first place they'll stop since you have to drive past that to get into the parking lot.
 
[quote name='iversonwii']have you looked into Dover? I used to live in DE. i remember there was a shopping center right outside of the Dover Mall. If people go to the mall to get a game that could be the first place they'll stop since you have to drive past that to get into the parking lot.[/QUOTE]

It is possible for down the road. Again, I want my first store in northern DE and expand from there. Eventually having a store in Dover is not out of the realm of possiblity but not in the near future.

I would like my additional store near the PA border because you get alot of sales with the no tax. I would also like to open one in the mall down the road. It is risky getting into a mall especially Christina Mall (main mall in the area) because there are so many stores where you can buy videogames. The difference would be offering a different experience. Supplying that in a mall setting is different because I know you will get a ton of people into the store, but getting them to buy something is different. They would tend to gather around and just play the games. So you have to do things slightly different. Also for mall stores, you sell more new games vs. used games. Which means you have to sell a shit ton of new games and ordering alot of new games.

Also I am not entirely sure about the Dover market. I don't know how their tech sales are compared to other areas. I know the Office Depot over there does not have the same sales as we do and I think that the tech side of stuff is slower there so I wonder how videogame and tech stores do in that area.
 
[quote name='OnChkMnDS']For some reason the Glendale store doesn;t show any tourneys though the guy told be there will be a halo 3 one[/QUOTE]

Yeah I do know there is a national Halo 3 one but it is up the the store to decide which tournament they pick monthly. Alot of the time they get feedback from customers or success with previous events.
 
[quote name='bingbangboom']I
What are some of your other ideas and things you hate about the other guys? Would take all ideas and input. I have my own ideas like possibly free silly tournaments like "Worst Game Ever" or "NES Classic" like a duck hunt tournament. Maybe a Virtual Console tournament. [/quote]

IF you decide to do any kind of membership - don't push it. Don't pester customers about it.

As an indie store, I wish you good luck.
 
Checked out the Play N Trade booth at E 4 All... I really like the direction they're going. I hope a store gets opened in the San Diego area.
 
[quote name='Nephlabobo']IF you decide to do any kind of membership - don't push it. Don't pester customers about it.

As an indie store, I wish you good luck.[/QUOTE]

There is a membership program but you don't hassle people into it. You just explain it to them and the benefits. For $10 you get 10% off used games and accessories. You also get 10% extra for trade ins.

I would personally give additional perks such as free tournament entry for your first event. (up to $10)

Additional coupons mailed to them or emailed. (their preference)

Special offers on new games and etc.

But you just explain the savings and it is up to them to get it or not. The main reason you have it is so that it builds brand loyalty and also they might be more incline to come to PNT vs. a store they might not have that offer.
 
It appears that the People's Station location is off the table. Corporate is having a hard time approving it, the landlord does not want to lower the rate and they appear to be moving forward on a lease with another tenant. It sucks because I do really believe it would have been a great location.

We are moving forward with a location down the street though at Sunset Station. This is a smaller store and is a pretty new plaza. It has a Buffalo Wild Wings, Quiznos and Pizza Hut Express. Not as good as the other location, but not bad. The tenant mix is well very mix... a couple tenants are not favorable and this includes Dollar General, a Easy Check cashing place, a beauty store etc.

I will keep you updated.

If you have any questions please ask such as if PNT is moving into a location near you.
 
Turns out this location is a no go also. It has been leased out so we continue our search. Big learning experience but eventually we will find the right spot.

I have expanded my search into PA also, just to see if there is anything that will suit our needs. I would love to stay in DE, but if it means getting a great location I will drive that far. lol
 
[quote name='anomynous']I just hope you get your store up & running, and it's successful[/QUOTE]

Thanks

Right now I am looking at a few locations around including one right on Main Street. Pretty popular area but not much retail. It is right near the University of Delaware.
 
Wow, what a helpful discussion thread this is. I mentor my nephew who is hot to open a Play N Trade franchise. I've spent hours reading just this thread, but also looking at others.

Can anyone out there advise me on some key points?
1) It looks like there are about 90 Play N Trades that are actually open. Out of that there have been about 6 or so of them close (Blaine, MN, Farmington, NM, Plano, TX changed management as the first owners went under (I tracked them down), a couple in Denver - Colorado Springs). I'm a business consultant and based on my experience that's over double the normal rate for a concept at this stage of development.

The burning question is why do those of you who follow this industry and this retailer think such a high rate of failure? They seem to have no problem selling franchises, but what is causing the actual owners to fail and lose their investments? A certain number of any system will, but for such a new concept in such a burning hot category to have failed worries me to recommend this step to my nephew.

2) What about impending digital downloads? Can a system that is only now coming to the party in this space grow big enough to compete on COSTS of games (what they a PNT owner must pay based on their volume to the publishers that drives their profit margins) with giants like Best Buy, Wal-Mart, or GameStop? Play N Trade would be able to compete on costs with them no problem in, what, 10 years based on their aggressive growth, but will this retail space last that long with digtal downloads coming down the tracks?

3) I've read a couple of places GameStop/EB Games is about to start fanchising, and for less of an upfront investment than Play N Trade. What are the implications of that for Play N Trade? So many of the great postings in this string talk about the importance of connecting localy with gamers -- seems to me that's based most on the strength of the owner reaching out and choosing to have frequent tourneys etc. If that same owner lived in a GameStop system, wouldn't that be the 1-2 punch (because they'd also get the cost advantages)?

Please let me know your thoughts on this and again thanks for such a wealth of info on this string.

PS - here are some links where you can read about some of the things I have:

http://www.franchisepundit.com/forums/index.php/topic,177.0.html

http://franchisepundit.com/index.php/2007/03/01/gaming-franchise/

and of course

http://cheapassgamer.com/forums/newreply.phpdo=newreply&p=2853840

 
Let me start out by saying I currently own my own business, It's a computer store where we don't carry too much inventory, but can get anything next day shipped. our main business is fixing computers, and consulting. When we first opened we thought about also selling video games and consoles (which I'm a BIG gamer so I was pretty gung ho about it).

After looking into it long and hard we decided against selling video games. Its really hard to keep yourself afloat when you have to carry inventory (lots of inventory in a video game store) that you don't make a whole lot of money on (profit margin on new games and consoles is next to nothing).

The one thing I'd recommend is to try and find some other type of service you can perform besides just selling games. (remove CD/DVD scratches, console cleanings, something else?) just selling inventory is VERY hard to make money, you need to have some sort of labor you can market as well (profit on labor is much higher, because it only costs time). trying to get something where there is recurring revenue, some sort of month or yearly club they can join, or some sort of "protection plan" on games. what I'm getting at is rack your brain and try and come up with something besides just selling games.

Just think about this before you go ahead and get a small business loan and jump in head first. several small video game stores in my area have all gone out of business because its REALLY hard to compete with the big boys. you need to find some way to make yourself different and also offer services the other stores don't.

good luck! I hope it all works out for you
 
[quote name='rcarlton4c']Wow, what a helpful discussion thread this is. I mentor my nephew who is hot to open a Play N Trade franchise. I've spent hours reading just this thread, but also looking at others.

Can anyone out there advise me on some key points?
1) It looks like there are about 90 Play N Trades that are actually open. Out of that there have been about 6 or so of them close (Blaine, MN, Farmington, NM, Plano, TX changed management as the first owners went under (I tracked them down), a couple in Denver - Colorado Springs). I'm a business consultant and based on my experience that's over double the normal rate for a concept at this stage of development.

The burning question is why do those of you who follow this industry and this retailer think such a high rate of failure? They seem to have no problem selling franchises, but what is causing the actual owners to fail and lose their investments? A certain number of any system will, but for such a new concept in such a burning hot category to have failed worries me to recommend this step to my nephew.

2) What about impending digital downloads? Can a system that is only now coming to the party in this space grow big enough to compete on COSTS of games (what they a PNT owner must pay based on their volume to the publishers that drives their profit margins) with giants like Best Buy, Wal-Mart, or GameStop? Play N Trade would be able to compete on costs with them no problem in, what, 10 years based on their aggressive growth, but will this retail space last that long with digtal downloads coming down the tracks?

3) I've read a couple of places GameStop/EB Games is about to start fanchising, and for less of an upfront investment than Play N Trade. What are the implications of that for Play N Trade? So many of the great postings in this string talk about the importance of connecting localy with gamers -- seems to me that's based most on the strength of the owner reaching out and choosing to have frequent tourneys etc. If that same owner lived in a GameStop system, wouldn't that be the 1-2 punch (because they'd also get the cost advantages)?

Please let me know your thoughts on this and again thanks for such a wealth of info on this string.

PS - here are some links where you can read about some of the things I have:

http://www.franchisepundit.com/forums/index.php/topic,177.0.html

http://franchisepundit.com/index.php/2007/03/01/gaming-franchise/

and of course

http://cheapassgamer.com/forums/newreply.phpdo=newreply&p=2853840

[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the comments and I hope I can answer alot of the questions you have...

1. When I first got into the franchise, there was only one store that defunct from PNT and it was very shady as he is running a store called "Trade N Play". He even admited that PNT are doing very well. As far as the failure rate, they are making strides to change this. This includes training that is now mandatory and becoming stricter on locations. I honestly believe you have to have the right goals if you go into something like this and understanding the industry is a plus. Not just knowing what Mario is... but knowing the industry as a whole. I do get a feeling that many of the owners don't know what they have gotten into and it was a toss up between this or a Subway.

2. Digital downloads are a threat but I do not believe will overtake the market place in the next 10 years. That is why PNT has a different take on retail verses most other stores because you can play the game before you buy. Also the experience is much different. We are already seeing that while there is profit for the publishers, the speed and storage space is just not there for the HD games as they could be. In the future when broadband speeds increase, we might see a shift but I think the industry as a whole have a different approach vs. what happened to the music industry. I also feel that many game purchases come from non gamers, and there isn't a system or way for your mom to buy you a digital game and put it under a tree. People like that tactile feel of owning something. Also a plus is the trade in value for when you are done with it. Gamers love that even though publishers do not.

3. Currently Gamestop is not franchising and I have not seen any plans to do so. It is possible that this may happen in the future but it is really up the store owner to make it a different experience then Gamestop or other bigbox stores.

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=130125&p=irol-faq#9411

It shows on their site that they do not franchise. I honestly do not see them franchising because they have a very large base and are continuing to grow. A large number of these stores were bought ala EB Games.

But you can't be afraid to fail... sure it will suck, but everyone has gone through their ups and downs. You just have to do your best and keep with it. I do feel that PNT offers a different experience that gamers and causal consumers crave and especially with new markets opening up to older and female gamers, PNT can help guide them instead of just offering to preorder games.

Hope that helps you out.
 
[quote name='Drnick']Let me start out by saying I currently own my own business, It's a computer store where we don't carry too much inventory, but can get anything next day shipped. our main business is fixing computers, and consulting. When we first opened we thought about also selling video games and consoles (which I'm a BIG gamer so I was pretty gung ho about it).

After looking into it long and hard we decided against selling video games. Its really hard to keep yourself afloat when you have to carry inventory (lots of inventory in a video game store) that you don't make a whole lot of money on (profit margin on new games and consoles is next to nothing).

The one thing I'd recommend is to try and find some other type of service you can perform besides just selling games. (remove CD/DVD scratches, console cleanings, something else?) just selling inventory is VERY hard to make money, you need to have some sort of labor you can market as well (profit on labor is much higher, because it only costs time). trying to get something where there is recurring revenue, some sort of month or yearly club they can join, or some sort of "protection plan" on games. what I'm getting at is rack your brain and try and come up with something besides just selling games.

Just think about this before you go ahead and get a small business loan and jump in head first. several small video game stores in my area have all gone out of business because its REALLY hard to compete with the big boys. you need to find some way to make yourself different and also offer services the other stores don't.

good luck! I hope it all works out for you[/QUOTE]


The margin for new games are not very high and consoles it is basically nothing but used games is very high especially when that game comes back a number of times. PNT does also offer repair of disc and consoles, which the competition does not. Infact Gamestop has stopped supporting extended warranties on the Xbox 360 because people were using the warranty service. Instead they would rather you deal with someone else or buy a new one. It is possible that Gamestop will offer to take it as a trade in for a very low value and resale them repaired. Microsft has extended their warranty to 3 years.

As far as competeting with the "big boys" I think the difference is customer service, something that will get word of mouth and change. If you go to many big stores, they lack acknowledging your existance, even when you ask for help. It is just hiring standards and expectations are low. That is the difference.
 
[quote name='bingbangboom']Infact Gamestop has stopped supporting extended warranties on the Xbox 360 because people were using the warranty service. Instead they would rather you deal with someone else or buy a new one.[/QUOTE]
Exactly why I just returned my Elite that I bought from GS yesteday.

Thanks for the info on the Riverside, CA store, they plan to open at the end of November.
 
[quote name='sasukekun']Exactly why I just returned my Elite that I bought from GS yesteday.

Thanks for the info on the Riverside, CA store, they plan to open at the end of November.[/QUOTE]

Very cool, I would recommend if you have any stuff you want to trade in, save it till their opening because they typically do specials because they need used inventory.
 
[quote name='bingbangboom']Very cool, I would recommend if you have any stuff you want to trade in, save it till their opening because they typically do specials because they need used inventory.[/QUOTE]
Good to know. I was also planning to go to their grand opening because I'm applying for a job there too :D
 
Offering console repair services would be a HUGE, HUGE asset. BUT, you have to have someone who genuinely knows what they are doing, and you have to be able to repair all consoles and have all the parts on hand, plus you should probably guarantee your work. The repair also has to be affordable as people will just go out and buy a new system if the repair costs too much. I have friends who can fix any console, so there are people like that out there. If someone gets a console repaired with you and it stops working in a week or a month, people will start to look down on your store if word gets out fast, and with the internet nowadays, word gets out very fast! Make sure you are very confident in either your repair skills or the person you hire to do the repairs, if not it will be a huge curse for your store.

If you could get a handle on fixing all these broken Xbox 360's and PS2's you could probably make some decent cash.

Non gamers, gift giving buyers, and children will make up a huge % of buyers, make sure you treat these people with respect and help them when help is needed, don't just try to sell them the latest game, help them get a game that is right for them (even if they have no clue what they are looking for).

How many times do I see kids and parents walking into Gamestop just wanting to buy a game, but they don't want something thats too expensive but they want something thats good, I see it all the time. These people get nada help in retail stores, they are told to buy the latest 50-60$ game then the clerks walk away from them, or they are told to buy whatever system the employees are pushing that day. Many customers are very gullible and will buy whatever they are told to buy cause the guy at the store said it was good, use this to your advantage.

Listen to the customer, if they say games are too expensive, recommend an older system with cheaper games. Many parents will come in wanting a video game system for their kids just so they can play video games, an N64 might be a good choice for these people over the more expensive PS3, recommend what is right for the customer.

Welcome them into the store and treat them nicely even if they only buy a small item. These are the people that will trust you if you are good to them, then they will recommend your store to friends and they will come back and buy more stuff.
 
[quote name='sasukekun']Good to know. I was also planning to go to their grand opening because I'm applying for a job there too :D[/QUOTE]

I would apply before the grand opening, because well they would need people to work there. Typically they hire before openings so they can train and have a full staff ready to go.
 
[quote name='SaraAB']Offering console repair services would be a HUGE, HUGE asset. BUT, you have to have someone who genuinely knows what they are doing, and you have to be able to repair all consoles and have all the parts on hand, plus you should probably guarantee your work. The repair also has to be affordable as people will just go out and buy a new system if the repair costs too much. I have friends who can fix any console, so there are people like that out there. If someone gets a console repaired with you and it stops working in a week or a month, people will start to look down on your store if word gets out fast, and with the internet nowadays, word gets out very fast! Make sure you are very confident in either your repair skills or the person you hire to do the repairs, if not it will be a huge curse for your store.

If you could get a handle on fixing all these broken Xbox 360's and PS2's you could probably make some decent cash.

Non gamers, gift giving buyers, and children will make up a huge % of buyers, make sure you treat these people with respect and help them when help is needed, don't just try to sell them the latest game, help them get a game that is right for them (even if they have no clue what they are looking for).

How many times do I see kids and parents walking into Gamestop just wanting to buy a game, but they don't want something thats too expensive but they want something thats good, I see it all the time. These people get nada help in retail stores, they are told to buy the latest 50-60$ game then the clerks walk away from them, or they are told to buy whatever system the employees are pushing that day. Many customers are very gullible and will buy whatever they are told to buy cause the guy at the store said it was good, use this to your advantage.

Listen to the customer, if they say games are too expensive, recommend an older system with cheaper games. Many parents will come in wanting a video game system for their kids just so they can play video games, an N64 might be a good choice for these people over the more expensive PS3, recommend what is right for the customer.

Welcome them into the store and treat them nicely even if they only buy a small item. These are the people that will trust you if you are good to them, then they will recommend your store to friends and they will come back and buy more stuff.[/QUOTE]


Yes, I understand that customers range from the hardcore to families. Offering them what they need and explaining how a game is played and giving them the chance to play it is very different. I used to work at Toys R Us, so i know how to work with families.

As far as console repairs, currently they are working on a plan to fix Xbox 360's nationally. They do work on PS2's and various other systems. I would prob hire someone to work on these exclusively. Would basically give them a cut of each repair, rather get it done correct then half ass it. I have talked to someone who does work for various places fixing consoles. Namely Gamestop's in the area.

But I do really want of offer a great customer experience and I feel that would spread a positive word of mouth.
 
[quote name='bingbangboom']I would apply before the grand opening, because well they would need people to work there. Typically they hire before openings so they can train and have a full staff ready to go.[/QUOTE]
Already applied via the contacts you gave me before. Just waiting in a call when they start the interviews.
 
[quote name='sasukekun']Already applied via the contacts you gave me before. Just waiting in a call when they start the interviews.[/QUOTE]

Good to hear, hope it works out for you :)
 
Wow Gamestop fixes consoles... who would have ever thought...

If someone could get a handle on all these broken Xbox 360's, some people don't want to be bothered sending their console to microsoft so they would come to you. Replacing touch screens and lcd's on DS systems would also be another good thing to offer, and this is very simple to do. If you could, also offer Ipod repair, with the amount of units out there, your bound to make some money off that.

I am sure when your store opens it will be very good! Its good that you have previous retail experience because that will help a lot.
 
[quote name='SaraAB']Wow Gamestop fixes consoles... who would have ever thought...

If someone could get a handle on all these broken Xbox 360's, some people don't want to be bothered sending their console to microsoft so they would come to you. Replacing touch screens and lcd's on DS systems would also be another good thing to offer, and this is very simple to do. If you could, also offer Ipod repair, with the amount of units out there, your bound to make some money off that.

I am sure when your store opens it will be very good! Its good that you have previous retail experience because that will help a lot.[/QUOTE]

Gamestop never repaired consoles, but they would fix up broken systems and sell them as used.

They did have a warranty plan but the thing about warranty plans is that you make alot of money off it if people don't ever use it. When people do, you loose money. That was why they did stop. Also with the extended Microsoft warranty, they prob saw a problem with it.

Replacing screens are pretty easy but you must have these parts on hand or have a vendor to get it quicky. Having someone on staff or someone you can send these jobs to make it a better deal.
 
Just saw something pretty funny on Penny Arcade...

20071031.jpg


Read about their experience at a Gamestop/EB
 
I am in Cali for additional training which has been pretty good. One thing they did talk about is Gamestop's new focus is Play N Trade which is kinda cool. That is why you are starting to see more marketing and the new addition of "WOW" stores which have tvs in them.
 
Something pretty interesting that was in a little paper called the Wall Street Journal...

GameStop's 'New' Competitor (GME)

It is always interesting when you see a pure-play monopoly, and out of video game stores it is arguable that GameStop (NYSE:GME) is a pure-play monopoly on a video game focused business strategy. 24/7 Wall St. is not at all suggesting antitrust issues or predatory actions or anything of the sort, because there are the behemoths Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Toys R US, online giants, and many other large stores that sell games.

But there is a company that was just noticed as having grown after looking through press releases today, and this is a company we looked at before and had forgotten about. A company called Play N Trade put out a press release about the winner of its Halo 3 tournament, but it was a little surprising how fast the company has grown and more importantly how much it wants to grow. It claims 95 video game stores currently, but it says that it has sold more than 400 franchises. On the store location site, we counted over 100 stores for Play N Trade that were either open or coming soon. Its website has the goal of reaching close to 200 stores by the end of 2007 and a national presence of 1,000 stores in the next 3 years.

GameStop operated some 5,000 stores as of last look. So this is not even 1/10 the size of the video game giant the merged Electronics Boutique with GameStop stores into the largest pure-play video game retailer out there. You can also be sure that GameStop will grow its store count in the U.S. and much more internationally while Play N Trade is on its growth plans.

Play N Trade's "investment required" is listed as $125,000 to $150,000 on the Franchise.com web site, although the "investment required" for most franchises is usually not the full costs for running a business to success. GameStop's market cap is just under $9 Billion, which gives it a value of $1.8 million per store if you discount the online sales and the content sales etc.

Its doubtful that GameStop will even notice this in the immediate future, but this could be an issue that GameStop at least notices when the next generation of video game consoles start coming to market.... in a couple years or more.

Jon C. Ogg
November 8, 2007

Jon Ogg produces the Special Situation Investing Newsletter; he does not own securities in the companies he covers.

http://www.247wallst.com/2007/11/gamestops-new-c.html

At least it shows that PNT is making a little smoke for the games industry. Anyone have any questions since I am out here?

One thing I did find out about Gamestop's shipping method is that they do their own distrubuting for their product which is why they may get it faster than other stores. They get it and ship it basically ASAP. I understand that was a pretty big concern especially with some bigger games. I still think the industry would be better served by shipping the products to stores earlier and having a national release date for ALL releases.
 
[quote name='bingbangboom']

Its doubtful that GameStop will even notice this in the immediate future, but this could be an issue that GameStop at least notices when the next generation of video game consoles start coming to market.... in a couple years or more.

Jon C. Ogg
November 8, 2007
[/quote]

Boy, this guy already got it wrong. From what I hear, Gamestop has already picked 10 Play N Trade stores to do special marketing attacks (50% more for trade, better discounts, etc.)
 
[quote name='Tarlot']Boy, this guy already got it wrong. From what I hear, Gamestop has already picked 10 Play N Trade stores to do special marketing attacks (50% more for trade, better discounts, etc.)[/QUOTE]

Yeah thats what I have heard and these are stores that are doing very well or locations where a Gamestop is doing very very poorly with a PNT in the area. The founder talked about this and said one of the PNT store owners said "Bring it on!" because he likes the competition and it just strives him to do even better.

I do agree though that there are stores that are having a hard time but that is because they are not following the formula. One store in particular had over $75,000 in used merchandise but was not generating the sales he needed. The thing is he can sell that merch back to corp because they need it for new stores opening up and he didn't want to do it. He rather hold on to the product than sell it.

Just like any business you have great stores and bottom stores and typically the stores not doing well are the ones as they put it "trying to change the recipe for KFC", it just doesn't taste the same.

I am going down to the Middletown, DE store on Sunday and help them out with what I have learn because I think they have a lot of potential because they do not have a Gamestop in the area or even any big box store like Bestbuy or Walmart.
 
Also in some news that was discussed earlier... We cannot play music inside our store unless we want to pay some large fees. It was suggested just to turn up the volume on certain games that have good music.
 
[quote name='bingbangboom']I will be getting my own self-owned videogame store later this year. It competes against Gamestop, EB Games and various other stores. They do have a certain ideas to attract gamers like monthly tournaments and allowing you to try a game before you buy policy.

What are some of your other ideas and things you hate about the other guys? Would take all ideas and input. I have my own ideas like possibly free silly tournaments like "Worst Game Ever" or "NES Classic" like a duck hunt tournament. Maybe a Virtual Console tournament.

SO, whatcha think?[/quote]

I'll be honest, I didn't read thru all the posts yet, and the answer is probably in there. But the biggest thing for me is where you are located. Proximity beats all for me, I'd gladly pay a few more bucks if I don't have to drive all over the place.

If you were located near my house, I would happily support a mom-and-pop business over EB/Gamestop or BestBuy/Circuit City. The big retailers just don't give a crap about anything except for my cash, and EB/Gamestop is rampant with bad business practices.

I try really hard not to go to any of those stores anymore. I now buy 99% of all my games online and wait for the delivery guy to drop off my stuff.
 
have used games
a point card that doesnt expire
have hard to find games
old games/systems
low prices
other video game merchindice like toys and videogame related stuff
trade ins
able to return games if you didnt like it even if it was new
sales/deals
music playing in the store
game demos
pre orders
renting games
 
[quote name='coalhalo']I'll be honest, I didn't read thru all the posts yet, and the answer is probably in there. But the biggest thing for me is where you are located. Proximity beats all for me, I'd gladly pay a few more bucks if I don't have to drive all over the place.

If you were located near my house, I would happily support a mom-and-pop business over EB/Gamestop or BestBuy/Circuit City. The big retailers just don't give a crap about anything except for my cash, and EB/Gamestop is rampant with bad business practices.

I try really hard not to go to any of those stores anymore. I now buy 99% of all my games online and wait for the delivery guy to drop off my stuff.[/QUOTE]

Yes, location is very important but I do not know I can't be near everyone's house. One thing I will be focused on is a great experience when you come to my store. This is something you do not get at a bigbox store or corporate store. Hooking you up on great deals, letting you play the game before you buy it and inviting you to tournaments.

Hopefully this is something that your delivery guy cannot offer.
 
[quote name='tomboy72']have used games
a point card that doesnt expire
have hard to find games
old games/systems
low prices
other video game merchindice like toys and videogame related stuff
trade ins
able to return games if you didnt like it even if it was new
sales/deals
music playing in the store
game demos
pre orders
renting games[/QUOTE]

Let me answer each one because you have quite the list...

have used games - We will have plenty of used games including specials for buying and trading in.

a point card that doesnt expire - We do have a membership program that last a year which cost $10. You get an extra 10% off used games and accessories and an extra 10% trade in for games and accessories. We do also have another membership program that basically keeps a record of your information and your trade in credit which is free for everyone. the 10.10.10 program you get the perks though.

have hard to find games - It depends on what games you mean, new or used. If there is a special game you want, we can always request it for you or order it for you.

old games/systems - We carry ALL old systems and games that are traded in going all the way back to Atari. We will take it, so that gives you a good idea of what we will carry. This is depending on what people trade in though as we can't buy new games for old systems.

low prices - Typically our price is just under retail so a $59.99 game would be $59.89 or something roughly around that. Used games have a better deal that can be $51.89

other video game merchindice like toys and videogame related stuff - I have asked about these items and they are getting a vendor in place. I can go and purchase these items and sell them in store though. Only problem is that I would need to put a markup on them. So finding a good vendor is key so that the pricing is not too high.

trade ins - play n TRADE... got it covered

able to return games if you didnt like it even if it was new - This is a customer service issue and varies depending on the issue. We do offer to allow you to try every game before you buy them, so that cuts down on that.

sales/deals - Running specials all the time and we will hook you up with a great deal.

music playing in the store - I asked about playing music and we cannot do this due to licensing issues. We can put the volume of games louder though. I would love to do videogame themed music, it is just the risk is too high.

game demos - I don't know what you mean by demos but you can try a game before you buy. Better than a demo because your playing the final product.

pre orders - Got that checked although I do know they are having issues with vendors reguarding getting these products in stock right away. Typically you will see it in store a few days later. They are working to resolve this problem but it is industry wide.

renting games - Sorry, no renting games but again you can try the game before you buy. If renting games interest you I would recommend Gamefly.

Hope that helps.
 
[quote name='bingbangboom']L
music playing in the store - I asked about playing music and we cannot do this due to licensing issues. We can put the volume of games louder though. I would love to do videogame themed music, it is just the risk is too high.
[/quote]

I think I've mentioned this before, but I think it would be awesome if you played tracks from OverClocked ReMix in your store. For those unfamiliar with the website, it is an online community where musicians create arrangements of videogame music merely because they are fans of the medium and wish to express it in one of the ways they know how. I've been watching this thread and have heard the arguments that licensing is the largest problem you would have to deal with. With OverClocked ReMix, since it is a nonprofit website, they will allow people to use their music as long as it isn't changed or sold.

Here's their official content policy:
http://www.ocremix.org/info/Content_Policy
(Check Terms of Use, point A)

I really think you should look into it. Surely licensing and operating fees are not such a pain that you can't pipe in fan-created music through a stereo system in order to expose more people to gaming culture. It's all in good fun and fandom. If you need more details, you can ask me or you can contact the people at OCReMix themselves. They're good people.

Oh, and I hope you find a new, awesome location for your store to settle in. It's too bad I live half a country away, though.
 
Have you noticed the new gamestop at the mall?


I love it, the layout I mean. Much better than the other one IMO since it's now a standalone store.
 
[quote name='Flyersfan']Have you noticed the new gamestop at the mall?


I love it, the layout I mean. Much better than the other one IMO since it's now a standalone store.[/QUOTE]

In the Christiana Mall? I havn't been there for a while. I will check it out.
 
[quote name='dditto74']I think I've mentioned this before, but I think it would be awesome if you played tracks from OverClocked ReMix in your store. For those unfamiliar with the website, it is an online community where musicians create arrangements of videogame music merely because they are fans of the medium and wish to express it in one of the ways they know how. I've been watching this thread and have heard the arguments that licensing is the largest problem you would have to deal with. With OverClocked ReMix, since it is a nonprofit website, they will allow people to use their music as long as it isn't changed or sold.

Here's their official content policy:
http://www.ocremix.org/info/Content_Policy
(Check Terms of Use, point A)

I really think you should look into it. Surely licensing and operating fees are not such a pain that you can't pipe in fan-created music through a stereo system in order to expose more people to gaming culture. It's all in good fun and fandom. If you need more details, you can ask me or you can contact the people at OCReMix themselves. They're good people.

Oh, and I hope you find a new, awesome location for your store to settle in. It's too bad I live half a country away, though.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the information but I could not find information to contact them without making an account. Think you could give them my email: [email protected]

I also don't know what music is on there or preferred, so if you have a list that would be great. Would want pretty good sounding tracks but pretty classic songs and stuff so nothing like compeltly rare... you know Mario is good.
 
[quote name='bingbangboom']In the Christiana Mall? I havn't been there for a while. I will check it out.[/QUOTE]



Yeah, it's right next to JC Penny now inside the mall. If you know where to park at (which I never have a damn clue with all the doors they have, plus only going there a few times a year) you can walk in and it's right in front of you.


It's not the best thing I ever saw, but it's much nicer than what they had, IMO.
 
Playing music in the store isn't a biggie, most of the time it goes overlooked. In fact I find music in stores quite annoying especially if a store is massively crowded because it makes it so that you cannot hear the employees or the other people in your party talking.
 
[quote name='dditto74']I think I've mentioned this before, but I think it would be awesome if you played tracks from OverClocked ReMix in your store. For those unfamiliar with the website, it is an online community where musicians create arrangements of videogame music merely because they are fans of the medium and wish to express it in one of the ways they know how. I've been watching this thread and have heard the arguments that licensing is the largest problem you would have to deal with. With OverClocked ReMix, since it is a nonprofit website, they will allow people to use their music as long as it isn't changed or sold.

Here's their official content policy:
http://www.ocremix.org/info/Content_Policy
(Check Terms of Use, point A)

I really think you should look into it. Surely licensing and operating fees are not such a pain that you can't pipe in fan-created music through a stereo system in order to expose more people to gaming culture. It's all in good fun and fandom. If you need more details, you can ask me or you can contact the people at OCReMix themselves. They're good people.

Oh, and I hope you find a new, awesome location for your store to settle in. It's too bad I live half a country away, though.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the information but I could not find information to contact them without making an account. Think you could give them my email: [email protected]

I also don't know what music is on there or preferred, so if you have a list that would be great. Would want pretty good sounding tracks but pretty classic songs and stuff so nothing like compeltly rare... you know Mario is good.
 
[quote name='Flyersfan']Yeah, it's right next to JC Penny now inside the mall. If you know where to park at (which I never have a damn clue with all the doors they have, plus only going there a few times a year) you can walk in and it's right in front of you.


It's not the best thing I ever saw, but it's much nicer than what they had, IMO.[/QUOTE]

My brother said he saw the new Gamestop and said it looked very nice. I will have to check it out, I wanted to but got too busy with other stuff.

Also we just got a new vendor for various products but mainly apparel. They pretty much have a wide selection especially for videogame related. Similar to the stuff you see at Hot Topic.

Another possibility is action figures which they do have some from NECA, these include the new Castlevania, God of War, Assinsins Creed and Resident Evil to name a few. Problem with these is it is by the case and would have to charge alot for them.
 
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