I debated with myself to write a professional business plan providing statistics,
evidence and real life examples of how a industry declining could improve. Instead
I just wrote the below shoddy article in 5 – 10 minutes…..Enjoy
Game Retail Limited is a British video games retail company which entered administration on 26th March 2012, a sign of the High Street Shopping decline as internet shopping thrives.
I'm no business analyst but I recall roughly 3 years ago having a discussion with a friend who wanted to invest in shares for the Game retail company, seeing game sales in great growth. I warned and predicted that video game retailers (such as Game) would not be lasting long and I recall implying that Game would go in to administration within 2 years of our conversation....they lasted roughly year longer (ironically got bought out and are still going after closing 277 of their 609 stores).
With Game still being in action you can notice the small subtleties they've made to push their brand towards being more open to gamers. Their online store has exclusives and more options (i.e. Ouya) and eshop vouchers can be bought which they send instantly over e-mail, a nice little feature us impatient geeks love (I love!). What it does not improve is its gaming stores, the forefront of their brand….the one hot spot to get parents and casual gamers in to buy their kiddies the ‘must have’ titles or possibly the unknown titles. Game have a lot of stores and I’ve visited plenty and they all give me the same lasting impression, a old school shopping feel and experience that leaves me popping in for 2 minutes looking at their prices and walking out again feeling deflated.
Poor, miserable lighting & decor, mundane music, over stocked pre-owned shelves and nothing eye catching or entertaining. If you ask me (which I know you haven’t or won’t so I’ll take the liberty to continue) for Game to take their brand to the next level the proof is the in the pudding (or title of their business?) GAME……
Games for the Gamer, Game for the experience, Game for the hell of it.
Turn the stores from a book shelf of games to an experience. I’ve noticed a select few stores now use Twitter to post game news, competitions on their stores but it’s not enough asking people to leave the comfort of their homes to hunt for a “toy” to win something that’s not worth leavening your sofa for let alone the front door……
Why not get the stores jazzed up, easy on the eyes and something attractive to look at?
Have a try before you buy system? Get a nice setup for being able to play games in the store rather than battered old sample systems on a stand that is almost falling over if you breathe on it (rarely are even sample systems in store). The store becomes an experience, a reason why people want to come in and leave with a little extra.
Get some “Gaming Clubs” started, perhaps a membership required or just the point of enticing people to repeatedly come to the stores for their games. Have a few consoles linked up for a mini LAN and have competitions where people can win in store vouchers (they then use them to buy something in store whilst having to contribute cash towards it….more sales)
One example - Have a nice sized TV in stores, setup some 4 player Mario kart and have people playing throughout the day, make an event of it so locals know of it and purposely visit the store…those passing by will hear the fun, the noise and come in being nosy. Before you know it, their having a go with their companions and enquiring how much, what is it they are playing….bang possibly another sale? If not, entice them to come again and play any time! Eventually they want this experience at home and more games with it.
Have a social feeling to the stores (Brand), maybe in store gaming leagues/ladders? Local teams compete in COD or whatever game with the systems setup in the back, a fee to enter? A prize of in store vouchers and bragging rights…..
Give people a good enough reason to visit the store for their games and they will do so. For interaction or knowing the in store guys or possibly buddies known from hanging in the store will be there for a good old geek chat whilst they pick their game up (a facility online buying can not provide).
When Game do a 00:00 launch at select stores for select products don’t just do a big bang at your key London stores, make it so each store provides again…an experience more than just queuing to get the product. They can just get the product online or cheaper at a supermarket these days, up the Game…no pun intended.
I’m just touching the Ice Berg here of ideas that could be implemented which would be at minimal cost to the business. Why do I care so much? Because I can not imagine a world walking down my local high street to not see a Video Game store or somewhere to dash to for a last minute purchase…but I mostly buy online because there is no experience or point to visit the store (I contradict by not investing in the store??) So I’ll stop here…. And finish off by saying the person never did listen to me regarding stock and did in fact; lose out on all of it.
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