Is Gamestop Evil? The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

[BurningDoom]

I guess I don't realize how lucky I am to have an active retro game shop by my place. Their prices are usually considerably lower than GameStop and eBay/online prices across the board. I rarely set foot in GameStop.

There's really only one Gamestop near me, and their selection of things I'm usually looking for (Gamecube, Advance...), tends to suck. Luckily a new retro shop opened up in town with pretty agreeable prices. $2.99 or $9.99 on all games through the NES-N64 era, with few exceptions, plus they check the games before they accept them and give you a lifetime warranty as long as you keep the receipt. All Gameboy games are $2.99, which I think is more than fair, and while some of their prices are a dollar or two over Gamestop (Off the top of my head: Warrior Within $12 compared to $9.99), I've found several games in there either at, or even considerably lower, than Gamestop (Complete copy of Ico for $8.99, anyone?). So some of use are more lucky than others. I just hope that more retro shops open up as the PS2/Gamecube/Xbox era gets phases out of Gamestop. Gamestop could stand a little more competition.

I wish the prices were like that where I'm at. We have a local used game shop, but unfortunatly, the lady prices according to online prices that she compares on eBay and Amazon. So you're not gonna save on anything but the shipping. And often times, I can actually find some of the games she has for cheaper online. But I still go from time to time and usually leave with a few games...I have a problem.

[gtmtnbiker]

I wish the prices were like that where I'm at. We have a local used game shop, but unfortunatly, the lady prices according to online prices that she compares on eBay and Amazon.

The problem is that there's a finite supply of used games. The owner needs to rely on people to sell them to her cheaply in order to be able to sell them cheaply to you and still cover her costs. If the games are cheap, then people will be complaining about crappy trade-in prices.

She can also get cheaper games by buying large lots but then you're stuck with crappy games that don't sell, etc.

It's a tough business for retro video game store.

[Mendoza]

I wish the prices were like that where I'm at. We have a local used game shop, but unfortunatly, the lady prices according to online prices that she compares on eBay and Amazon.

The problem is that there's a finite supply of used games. The owner needs to rely on people to sell them to her cheaply in order to be able to sell them cheaply to you and still cover her costs. If the games are cheap, then people will be complaining about crappy trade-in prices.

She can also get cheaper games by buying large lots but then you're stuck with crappy games that don't sell, etc.

It's a tough business for retro video game store.

Yeah, its probably up there with comic shop on the list of bad ideas to start a business.

Thats why you have to eat it a little to support a place like that. Now of course the worst prices ive ever seen have still been in retail stores for current gen games.

I remember going into a FYE once and seeing Soul Calibur 2 for xbox for 54.99, USED!

That was when the new game was 19.99.

[BoringSupreez]

I wish the prices were like that where I'm at. We have a local used game shop, but unfortunatly, the lady prices according to online prices that she compares on eBay and Amazon.

The problem is that there's a finite supply of used games. The owner needs to rely on people to sell them to her cheaply in order to be able to sell them cheaply to you and still cover her costs. If the games are cheap, then people will be complaining about crappy trade-in prices.

She can also get cheaper games by buying large lots but then you're stuck with crappy games that don't sell, etc.

It's a tough business for retro video game store.

Yeah, its probably up there with comic shop on the list of bad ideas to start a business.

Thats why you have to eat it a little to support a place like that. Now of course the worst prices ive ever seen have still been in retail stores for current gen games.

I remember going into a FYE once and seeing Soul Calibur 2 for xbox for 54.99, USED!

That was when the new game was 19.99.

Reminds me of the last time I went to Hastings. They had Metroid Prime 2, used, and they wanted 34.99 for it! I haven't been back since, and that was 2 years ago at least.

[Mendoza]

Yeah, Hastings is such a weird place.

I once bought an x-men tpb there for .02

I saw a Captain American Omnibus for 17 when it normally goes for well over 80.

I got GTA San Andreas Special Edition for 9.99 complete.

Then i see individual volumes of DBZ on dvd for 20 a pop.

Tons of stuff near retail when they have had greatest hits versions for a while.

DVDs at higher prices than blu rays.

Its like they have no idea what to price stuff at sometimes.

[cidsa]

Strange, the EB Games shops here are still pretty good (only a couple of them have changed their names to Gamestop). They don't junk the cases or boxes ever and their prices are generally pretty good. The ones I go to also check the disc out for me and tell me ahead of time if there are any imperfections on it at all, they've saved me from buying some really horrendous ones before. Sadly only a couple of them continue to carry older generation games, which is a bummer.

Although I will admit that there a couple of their stores here I refuse to go to. They are full of neckbeards who appear to have never seen a woman before and are extremely creepy and rude to me. Not really a condemnation of EB itself, just the specific employees

I'm lucky that I have access to a few retro stores and a trader as well (who tends to have really dang low prices and awesome games, will also do equal value trades and give deals.. he's awesome lol.) However, most of my really good finds have been online or on kijiji, I just don't think any physical store can really compare unfortunately.

[Wombatula]

I'll be honest, I never knew there was such hate against GameStop. There is one 2 miles away from me and they are awesome. Their selection is great and they carry a great selection of games from almost every console as far back as the NES. Their guarrantee system is great and so is their return system. The only thing I wish they would change is they don't carry systems older than last-gen.

The retro gaming store he on the other hand is a shining example of how not to run a store. The vintage store has a bad rep here because they always try to find ways to get out of their 30 day guarantee, overcharge like crazy, and are generally pretty damn rude. They don't take care of their games at all. Their prices compared to GS are just insane. I got Crazy Taxi from GS for $4.99 while it was $19.99 at the vintage store, and Killer7 for $9.99 compared to $24.99 at the vintage store. Plus the GS here is pretty negotiable with trade ins. If you're a regular customer are a member of their discount card program they give a little extra in trade in, sometimes all you have to do is ask to get a little extra. They also can be haggled down on their used game prices too.

Maybe it's a franchise store or something. I do wish the vintage store here was better because they're the only ones around here to get older systems but they're still overpriced compared to ebay and other online outlets. So, at least here locally, GS will keep getting my dollars over the retro store.

[AppleQueso]

Yeah, Hastings is such a weird place.

I once bought an x-men tpb there for .02

I saw a Captain American Omnibus for 17 when it normally goes for well over 80.

I got GTA San Andreas Special Edition for 9.99 complete.

Then i see individual volumes of DBZ on dvd for 20 a pop.

Tons of stuff near retail when they have had greatest hits versions for a while.

DVDs at higher prices than blu rays.

Its like they have no idea what to price stuff at sometimes.

Yeah hastings is REALLY strange when it comes to their pricing.

I never go there for games anyhow. They have the biggest movie and music selections in town, so when I go there it's usually just to browse those.

I'll be honest, I never knew there was such hate against GameStop. There is one 2 miles away from me and they are awesome. Their selection is great and they carry a great selection of games from almost every console as far back as the NES. Their guarrantee system is great and so is their return system. The only thing I wish they would change is they don't carry systems older than last-gen.

You actually have a gamestop that carries games that old? All the ones I know of dumped all of their older games in discount bins soon after corporate decided they weren't doing that anymore.

Yeah, its probably up there with comic shop on the list of bad ideas to start a business.

Not including Hastings, we have two comic shops in town that have been open for a really long time. Every so often though someone else will open another one up, only to close it down in a matter of months.

[Michi]

I wish the prices were like that where I'm at. We have a local used game shop, but unfortunatly, the lady prices according to online prices that she compares on eBay and Amazon. So you're not gonna save on anything but the shipping. And often times, I can actually find some of the games she has for cheaper online. But I still go from time to time and usually leave with a few games...I have a problem.

The two guys who own the shop near me do use Amazon to gauge prices, but they don't necessarily use the prices they see there to sell the games at. (Though I do think they check the Gamestop online prices so that they can compete with the PS2/Gamecube/Xbox prices. The prices are just too close to think otherwise. Now their Advance game prices are alllllll over the freakin' place ) But I've heard them say on several occasions that there is a difference between what people will pay for games online, and what they'll pay for something they find in a store. The highest I've seen them price a game is $30 and that was for the Greatest Hits version Final Fantasy VII, about half of what you'll usually find it for on ebay. It really helps that the two guys who own the shop (and another one a few towns over) consider themselves gamers first and businessmen second. So they're not purposefully trying to screw you over and they know how much the games are actually worth, not just pricing them the way ebay tells them.

[CRTGAMER]

I'll be honest, I never knew there was such hate against GameStop. There is one 2 miles away from me and they are awesome. Their selection is great and they carry a great selection of games from almost every console as far back as the NES. Their guarantee system is great and so is their return system. The only thing I wish they would change is they don't carry systems older than last-gen.

What .... What ....... Is this a mistype? If this is true, WHERE!