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So I went into GAME today.... (Retail Rant)
Funky Goodness | 3:11 PM on 12.10.2008 15 comments


...intending to buy God of War: Chains of Olympus. Waddled over to the (unusually miniscule) PSP section, and there it was. 30 big ones, brand new. "Still pretty pricey" I thought, considering it came out nine months ago. Strolled to the used section. Had to look around a bit before I found it. Then... you'll never guess what...

30 bucks used.
My immediate reaction was


When I pointed it out to the guys working the counter, they said it was definitely a mistake, but there was nothing they could do about it since the computer rang it up for 30 as well. Even they were like "WTF?". Now I know this happens in other retailers too (most notably Gamestop), but it's got to stop. Seriously. However, I managed to find a new copy in Smyth's for €20 and I was evidently pleased.

And another thing, what the balls is up with retailers having sales on games that were released mere weeks ago? GAME had Mirror's Edge for €34.99, reduced from €59.99. I know it isn't very good (having bought it on launch and brought it back 2 days later), but it really mustn't be selling that well for it to warrant such a dramatic drop. Other games that similar situations have stricken: Unreal Tournament III, Gears 2, Left 4 Dead, Fallout 3. But the difference is, those games have sold well.

I don't understand the economics of the video games industry, and it's making me inadvertently butthurt.



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12 comments | showing # 1 to 12
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Timmeh's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2008 16:29
Timmeh
Some of those games have been heavily discounted I suspect because supermarkets and other retailers have been slashing prices on games as loss leaders to get people through the door.

Mirror's Edge is £25 on Amazon at the moment, for example. Left 4 Dead was also heavily discounted on Amazon at release.
UglyDuck's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2008 17:39
UglyDuck
This ties in with the reason stores are moving away from PC game sales.

My understanding is once they sell the games to the people who are willing to pay that ridiculously price, then their only focus is getting the games out the door. They want the games to go out so that people can bring them back and trade them in. Then they can justify that initial loss by selling the game ad infinitum. They also cultivate store loyalty and get them to buy other games and indulge in other sales or trades while in the store.
Takeshi's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2008 18:04
Takeshi
Bought it recently for about 15 Euro's. Not a bad deal. Some games just don't go in price others are cheap after a couple weeks. I don't get it either.
TUoAnonymous's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2008 18:12
TUoAnonymous
PSP has shrunk down across the company, I don't think there's a store with more than two wall bays of it.

To be honest, GOW is one of those titles begging to go into the Christmas Sale this year (Which starts being put on V.Early next week) so that's likely why they've not dropped the game just yet.

To be honest, it is a little messed up, the company works in mysterious ways, however instances like that at the moment would be due to the recent increase in size of the BOGOF and the imminant sale.

As for the preowned not dropping in price - it seems to me that the prices of Preowned (Trading in AND purchase price) are directly relevant to the flow of the SKU around the branches. Titles that are frequently traded in and the company handled thousands upon thousands of have very low prices, while products that are rarely traded in and the company have lots of new will keep high prices as the push would be on selling the mint game.

I could however be completely wrong, I do just work there, which just means I see the awesome-madness up close.
TUoAnonymous's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2008 18:26
TUoAnonymous
Also, I don't think English Branches have had L4D on DOTW just yet, might be something imminant. Products normally go on deal if the company have recieved excess stock or are recieving a lot of press.

Pattern seems to be, 2 weeks after launch DOTW, month after launch potential drop, 6 weeks after launch DOTW. Although this doesn't apply to all products across the board.

Mirror's Edge (a good example BTW), as you no doubt saw is blanketed everywhere, it is present in bundles, all over the walls and prominantly positioned in the chart - this is something my collegues call "Assasin's Curse" because it's exactly what happened with Assasin's Creed last year (And we are bad at making up names).

This is mainly due to games being over-hyped and overstocked.

Perfect examples of this are Mirror's Edge, Final Fantasy : Crisis Core, Too Human, Assassin's Creed, Crackdown, Burnout Paradise - to name a few.

While these games are lacking in certain departments, the price drop isn't due to quality, simply overstocking.
Marc of Arabia's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2008 18:31
Marc of Arabia
I've noticed over the years that NDS games don't really drop in price. Super Mario 64 DS was still thirty dollars at Best Buy two months ago. I have no words for this.
Anus Mcphanus's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2008 18:56
Anus Mcphanus
I think the discount on new(ish) games is mostly only for a limited time to promote the game and get people in the stores to buy it.

I really don't like game. I always find their stores to be badly laid out and it's hard to find any games that aren't either big hitters or out this week. I say go to hmv if there's a bigish one near by
MYL0R's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/10/2008 23:43
MYL0R
TUoAnonymous

They tell you in the store to push the mint(aka:new?) games before the used? I work at a Game Crazy in St Louis and we are always trying to push the used games, because we make a much higher profit off used games than we do new.
Funky Goodness's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 02:21
Funky Goodness
@Heretic

Would if I could...


@Marc of Arabia

SM64DS and WarioWare are STILL €44.99. Ridiculous.
dronkmunk's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 11:38
dronkmunk
I don't think evidently means what you think it means.
TUoAnonymous's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/11/2008 16:32
TUoAnonymous
@ Mylor.

Nah, we are exactly the same man. However the company does price drops like I said as they need to shift the stock - they still expect us to sell preowned before.
Funky Goodness's Avatar - Comment posted on 12/12/2008 13:54
Funky Goodness
@dronkmonk

"1. In an evident manner; obviously."

Try again.
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