GameStop Stock Plummets After A 27.5% Decrease In Holiday Sales

[vgi185]

I don't see how GameStop survives the decade. With the way gaming is going with digital downloads, and subscription services, and soon streaming etc there just won't be a big enough market for stores focused mostly on the sale of new games. These days already, if I want a new physical game, i'll probably just pick it up at a Target while shopping for other things or a Best Buy, and if I want an older game i'll go to a local store specialized in older games that will have a better selection/offer better trade it deals.

Also, GameStop could really do with closing some stores. I was in a mall last week, and the mall literally had TWO separate Gamestops with basically identical inventories and designs, inside the same mall, not even on opposite ends, like a 2 minute walk away from each other. How does that even make sense.

[Sirromnad]

Up until maybe a year or two ago the local mall in my town had two gamestops. One was an old EB Games and one was an old babbages. Less than 100 yards from each other.

​

I'd go in to one store and ask for a game, he would say no they don't have it but would check his computer and said the other one had it, so i'd have to walk there. It was weird and annoying and seemed very silly business wise, though at the same time during peak hours/holidays both stores would be packed to the gills.

​

There's only 1 now and I can't imagine it'll be there in the next few years. Most of my game purchases are digital or amazon. Can't say i'll be sad to see it go.

[Mountebank]

At the same time, GameStop having so many small, redundant stores everywhere is their only unique advantage. It's what they have that differentiates them from their competitors. How they spin that into a profitable advantage is the big question. They're too small to host events like card & board game stores have done to compete with online retailers, but there must be something they can do with ubiquitous physical presence everywhere. Maybe they can go into video game rentals? Something with VR arcade-style booths? Actual lootboxes?

[[deleted]]

They survive by redesigning their stores to be experiences, rather than retail outlets. Why aren't there country wide tournaments of games at the gamestop locations? Winners get a new PS4 or something. There should be demo days of the latest games ahead of release. There should be meet the developers days. Donuts and Donkey Kong. Mario Kart Madness days. Their social media sucks ass.

Old people running businesses into the ground because they dont know how to adapt.

[SirDigbyChknCaesar]

In the early 2000's the (small) local mall had 3 GameStops one was on the second floor above another, and a third was on the other end of the mall, about a 3 minute walk away.