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[Orutisu Furio]

See below. Usually a good source of info.

If this is true then I can only hope GameStop dies a quicker death as they’re totally desperate. Ship keeps sinking and management is panicking.

Summary: apparently if you walk into a GameStop looking for any console current or next gen or even used you cannot just buy the console, you will be forced to buy a bundle with at least 5 items. If you just want the console, they’ll order it online for you but not in store even if they have stock.

Fuck GameStop.

 

[Explosive Zombie]

I'm assuming this has something to do with the scalpers

 

[Tranquil]

It's not current or next gen. It's last gen or current gen.

 

[Imtjnotu]

I'm assuming this has something to do with the scalpers

Or to generate more money for they broke asses

 

[Blond]

Or to generate more money for they broke asses

Damn Black Jesus, chill!

 

[devilNprada]

Consoles will eventually be available in store...
Why at that point would anyone want to by a premade bundle (not discounted)?

 

[Orutisu Furio]

I'm assuming this has something to do with the scalpers

No it’s to increase lines per transaction and profits. It’s a common theme in retail.

(I used to work retail)

 

[Birgitte2004-2]

I genuinelly thought this was already their policy, they were already the only place that would never sell the Switch "raw", you had to pack it in with a bunch of BS.

 

[cd_jakevas]

See below. Usually a good source of info.

If this is true then I can only hope GameStop dies a quicker death as they’re totally desperate. Ship keeps sinking and management is panicking.

Summary: apparently if you walk into a GameStop looking for any console current or next gen or even used you cannot just buy the console, you will be forced to buy a bundle with at least 5 items. If you just want the console, they’ll order it online for you but not in store even if they have stock.

Fuck GameStop.

Calm down. If it works, great for them. If not, great for someone else. You have choices.

 

[Captain Toad]

I honestly don't blame them. They make almost nothing off of console sales. If I were them, I wouldn't even carry the digital-only consoles.

 

[Captain Toad]

It's not current or next gen. It's last gen or current gen.

This is a silly semantic argument we have every start of the generation. Does it matter?

90% of the CURRENT console owners have PS4/XBO. The new generation consoles are basically unavailable. If people want to call PS5 and XBS as next-gen still, it makes just as much as sense as the reverse.

 

[On Demand]

Who’s buys consoles and games at GameStop anyway. They way they casually open anything they want and still sell them.

I shop at Amazon and Bestbuy. Target depending certain situations.

 

[Kingsora]

Honestly, while I don't agree with it at all. The reason why is clear. More and more people buy exclusively digital and game stores are starting to struggle. Selling a console without any games don't help them make any money. With a bundle they make some money they otherwise wouldn't.

I wouldn't be surprised that as this rate in 10 years you barely see stores that are selling only games and nothing else.

 

[Rubik8]

Haha that’s funny, as if I’d ever buy anything from GameStop! I look forward to that company’s demise.

 

[Craig of War]

Haha that’s funny, as if I’d ever buy anything from GameStop! I look forward to that company’s demise.

If you value physical Media you would not wish death on Gamestop they are only a few still doing physical Media left.

 

[Rubik8]

If you value physical Media you would not wish death on Gamestop they are only a few still doing physical Media left.

Walmart, Amazon, and Best Buy aren’t going anywhere. I am standing firmly in the “fuck GameStop” camp.

 

[Nikana]

I'm fairly certain they have done this before. I remember trying to get a gamecube in my teen days and they refused to sell me just the console. Perhaps my mind is playing tricks but I remember having to go to target in the same mall because of this.

Fuck off gamestop.

 

[LordCBH]

Fuck off gamestop.

 

[baphomet]

Well legally they can no longer advertise the consoles at their MSRP.

Who fucking cares though. If you still go to GameStop in 2020 youre part of the problem.

 

[Banjo64]

Game in the UK refused to sell me a standard white PS3 Super Slim once, which they had exclusivity of, without forcing an artificial bundle on me with a load of tat for £100 over the RRP. I just looked at the guy like the fucking idiot he was and walked out. Promised myself I’d never spend another penny in Game no matter what the cost and I haven’t. To be fair, I’d never shop there in normal circumstances anyway, but that white Super Slim looked dope as fuck.

 

[JerryinSoCal]

This isn't new, the first xbox EB made us pre-order bundles with a certain amount of games in it, Gamestop has done this in the past as well but it's usually only temporary. They don't make much on the consoles though and with digital becoming a bigger thing they need to do what they can to force sales in store, people already complain about what they charge for used games but honestly if you want to blame anyone blame the game makers for the slim margins retailers get. If gamestop was a bigger store like best buy or walmart that sold all kinds of things they wouldn't need to do this but games and consoles are like 95% of what they sell and they need to make money to stay in business.

 

[teezzy]

lmfao what

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Makes sense.

If I was a retailer selling $500 consoles for breakeven, I'd try to get gamers to buy software or gear too. How is GS going to make money selling consoles for flat, and then gamers buy digital games going forward?

 

[DarkMage619]

I like this idea if it will stop scalpers from scooping up inventory for resale. GameStop is the main reason I was able to get a PS5 at launch. I paid about $700 but I got an extra controller and a year of PS+ with a game. People paid way more than that and only got the system so it's not too bad.

 

[Rubik8]

Makes sense.

If I was a retailer selling $500 consoles for breakeven, I'd try to get gamers to buy software or gear too. How is GS going to make money selling consoles for flat, and then gamers buy digital games going forward?

They sold their soul to MS in exchange for some cash to market the series consoles. They can rot for all I care.

 

[kiphalfton]

Newegg had been doing this since September, with the RTX 3080 graphics cards.

 

[kiphalfton]

Haha that’s funny, as if I’d ever buy anything from GameStop! I look forward to that company’s demise.

If you don't shop there, why would you even care if they close.

You sound like one of those #cancelculture zealots, who want to cancel something... but it doesn't even affect you in any way, shape, or form.

 

[Virt McPolygon]

I see people on twitter still rushing to buy PS5 bundles full of extra shit and cheap third party headsets they aren't gonna use. Settling for bundles like that is a pathetic ass display of desperation. Just to play PS4 ports and remasters.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

I see people on twitter still rushing to buy PS5 bundles full of extra shit and cheap third party headsets they aren't gonna use. Settling for bundles like that is a pathetic ass display of desperation. Just to play PS4 ports and remasters.

Yup. Just wait gamers. It's not like the initial batch of PS5 and Series X games are mind boggling Hall of Fame games. The biggest game launching now is 2077, and it doesn't even have the next gen patch yet. That comes at an undisclosed time in 2021. Right now, next gen consolers are playing the One X and Pro versions with some boosts.

If a new iPhone came out and Apple said you can only have it if you buy $200 of iStore apps, will you do it? Or just wait till next year when Apple drops the bundle?

 

[Cato]

I'm assuming this has something to do with the scalpers

Is scalpers still an issue in the PS4/OneX market?

 

[S73v3]

Thanks reggie :^)

 

[teezzy]

Makes sense.

If I was a retailer selling $500 consoles for breakeven, I'd try to get gamers to buy software or gear too. How is GS going to make money selling consoles for flat, and then gamers buy digital games going forward?

Its total bs. Gamestop makes stupid money on everything preowned. The Roi is insane because they give such low amount for trade ins. It's not the consumer's fault their business model failed. If people still buy a console there they deserve to get bent over. Gamestop is shit from head to toe

 

[Explosive Zombie]

Is scalpers still an issue in the PS4/OneX market?

I could see them becoming one if the consoles are discontinued but I see your point.

 

[nush]

Forced bundles have been a thing at retailconsole launches for a few generations now. "Sorry we've sold out of the solo console and only have the value bundle available. Would you like to take that one?".

 

[Miles708]

You all talk shit about gamestop but i was able to get a load of software and hardware during the years, usually for pretty low prices. Like 9€ for Astrobot 2 weeks after launch.
Last one was a psvr headset for 90€ new.

Their policy in US is total garbage, but in Europe they're quite good actually, especially when they make sales on smaller titles.

Management deserves all the shit they're getting, but it's a tragedy to see them go out of business without even trying to get better before crashing.

GS closing down will have consequences and most likely none of them will be positive.

 

[West Texas CEO]

I don't do bundles.
And if I did, I wouldn't.
Unless the bundle included something good, like Tifa's used panties.

 

[Mr. PlayStation]

This could potentially be problematic for consumers who've already pre purchased their specific next gen games or controllers that's going to be bundled with the console from gamestop. Is the bundles flexible? As in could it be customized by the consumer on what he/she wants bundled with the console?

 

[Concern]

Makes sense. "Come get your Ps5/xsx bundled with an extra controller for the incredible price of $1199.99"

 

[supernova8]

Didn't retailers do this with stuff like PSP and PS Vita early on? I remember you could get some crazy tricked out PSVITA for like $500 but you couldn't just buy the console itself.

As someone working in online retail, I know the pressure (I'm the one putting the pressure on people lol) to increase average revenue per transaction. The point is that different items have different sourcing costs and therefore different profit margins. They will sell a product with a low profit margin at a competitive price but then bundle in other stuff with higher margins. You'll notice that whenever you get some sort of carry case or cover or whatever it is, it'll always be the brand of that retailer (ie PB or private brand) because those products have a massive profit margin.

Sucks but yeah it is what it is and while stock for PS5/XSX is scarce it won't get any better.

 

[UltimaKilo]

It makes total sense for them, but it’s not going to help them. I don’t know how a video game retailer can survive with such razor thin margins. GameStop stores should relocate to inside of Walmart.

 

[prinz_valium]

I have no issues if they try to upsell, but just sell the console in the end if you tell them you just want that item.

If they say no, i say fine, good by

 

[evanft]

If this bothers you, just buy the console somewhere else.

 

[DaleinCalgary]

I get it but they are mostly irrelevant now.

 

[Rubik8]

If you don't shop there, why would you even care if they close.

You sound like one of those #cancelculture zealots, who want to cancel something... but it doesn't even affect you in any way, shape, or form.

Well I have shopped there in the past, which is why I have disdain for them now. When they finally go belly-up, maybe a decent company can fill in the small void GS leaves behind. Maybe a company that has some reverence and respect for the products they sell and isn’t as slimy to their employees and customers.

 

[cyber_ninja]

One less reason to shop there.

 

[Orutisu Furio]

GameStop is dying a slow and painful death.

As digital sales increase with games, they become more and more insignificant and likely will cease to exist as a retailer. They are the blockbuster of video games, and they are likely within a few short years (less than 3 to 5) of total bankruptcy.

If I was a current employee there I would seriously start silently looking for work elsewhere.

 

[BacklashWave534]

I'm assuming this has something to do with the scalpers

Um, no. This has to do with the fact that Gamestop wants to make a shit ton of money with each system. If you watched the video he said that individual consoles can ONLY be purchased online and that stores will only carry bundles.

 

[BacklashWave534]

I have no issues if they try to upsell, but just sell the console in the end if you tell them you just want that item.

If they say no, i say fine, good by

The brutal upselling tactics are what killed their business. People don't want to be harassed every time they walk into the store. I worked as a Assistant Manager at Gamestop from 2000-2006 and I absolutely hated pushing shit on people that I knew they didn't need.

 

[Rambotito]

Great, it's 2005 all over again. When the 360 launched they were very difficult to find, just like next gen consoles right now. We had websites that tracked all online availability. Retailers were bundling every 360 with shovelware titles and accessories at full price. We're talking bundles of $1000 or more that included such hot titles like Tony Hawk's Underground and Gun as well as including two additional wired controllers for some strange reason. Stores just emptied their inventory on people who wanted a 360. Combine all of this with the scalping back then and you can probably guess why I haven't bought a launch console since then.

 

[The Bloody-Nine]

Simply Games in the UK did this with the Series X last week. Console, Cyberpuke, Ass Creed, extra controller, charge set and headphones. £629.