Pricewars: Walmart vs. Gamestop

When Gamestop started it's subsequent monopoly of the retail video games market by a slew of mergers and acquisitions of other names in the retail space their objective was simple. Saturation. Now, with a Gamestop in nearly every American neighborhood, this objective is complete. But what happens when the a bigger and badder corporation wants to steal market share from you? Well the answer is nothing. You inevitably lose....

[ZBlacktt]

This is a good thing. Because those stores like GameStop and Game Crazy are knowingly and willing ripping consumers off with trade in values. This is where they make a killing. I've watch time and time again some poor uneducated person stacking all his games and or consoles on the counter at a GameStop only to get 2 new games in return. Just a complete rip off and if that person would have only sold there stuff on Craigslist. They would have made 60% more back in return. With Walmart coming in, it will keep these rip off stores more in check to be "fair". But even still, I still wont deal with them.

Bt really folks, use Craigslist or any other free service first to buy and sell games. It's local and tax free.

[Reshun]

Yep, craigslist is the way to go. Bargain for the buyer/seller and everybodys happy!

[geoholyhart]

I completely agree the trade-in prices aren't fair by any means, and their sale tactics for employees get more aggressive. It's insanely annoying that as soon as I walk through the door they're breathing on my back about reserving games, getting a discount card, and some warranty.

I see Wal-Mart strengthening its electronics department (adding electronic specialist, trade-in system) in the future which is going to cripple Gamestop for sure. It'll be especially hurt if they offered more money for yours games, because Wal-Mart credit gets your a lot more then Gamestop.

Edit: Just found out Wal-Marts are already getting trade-in Kiosks.

[ZombieAutopsy]

"It's insanely annoying that as soon as I walk through the door they're breathing on my back about reserving games, getting a discount card, and some warranty."

I Couldn't agree more, I understand its their job to do that but im in their every other week or so and i always tell them no and its the same people so you would think they would get a clue and not only that after you tell them no they go "Are you sure? You only have to put $5 down right now" or "With the Edge Card you save 10% on used items (which is really only 4% after you factor in sales tax)".

I no longer trade in my games at GameStop anymore, since i've started to sell my Used games on Craigslist i've made at least 3 times more than i would have if I went to gamestop even if i had an edge card and they had some sort of special going.

The younger crowd are the ones that get screwed because their parents wouldnt really want them selling things to people they met online, well them and people who arent patient and/or are just stupid.

[Darkstorn]

Both Walmart and Gamestop suck. I vastly prefer either Mom and Pop video game stores, or trading on cheapassgamer.com
Amazon has good trade-in values as well.

[Sigh]

what Walmart is doing with their gaming prices. Over here in Calgary, Canada, I managed to get some great games with great prices. I remember just a few weeks ago seeing GTA:IV, Dead Space and Resistance 2 all with 29.99 price tag NEW with their normal boxarts, just too good to avoid. Also saw Mirror's Edge for $18.83 brand new.

Competition is great.

[StylizedPlayer]

I have actually never seen or been to a walmart.I think the nearest one from where I live is about 50 miles. Target and gamestop dominate the game sales. I always hear about walmart deals, but I never get to visit one

[Ricdog]

Gamestop sucks, plain and simple.

And as for Walmart, I dont know where to start. I will NEVER waste a penny on a worthless,disgraceful,inhumane ,corrupt business that I wish would die.

[CARRIERHASARRIVED]

So how do you feel about Microsoft and Sony?

Must be a bad time to be a gamer for you then.

[Golfcoachh]

Did they move into your neighborhood and close down all the mom and pops or something. For someone like me its great, I drive about 5 minutes and have everything I need right there with decent prices. Don't see the problem. People complain because they don't pay employees well, its not like they force anyone to work there. It is perfect for College kids like when my wife worked for them. She got a great deal on stock, almost half price per share, they offered medical, sure they didn't pay for it, but it was pertty inexpensive considering it was a huge group plan. Its not like they are the only big company to exploit workers in other countries. Not that it makes it right. They pay a huge amount of tax in the U.S. Most people who cry about them, and I don't mean you cuz I don't know your situation, have never worked nor know anyone who worked for them, they beleive what they read and thats all.

[CBaoth]

Were you born yesterday?

Remember the time when we actually bought music, you know physical media at brick & mortar stores instead of digital distribution? They tried to censor the products being sold there, requiring an alternate "cleaned up" version to be released alongside the unedited version (that they refused to carry). Wal-mart, the scum they are, tried to use their influence to regulate an entire industry, like they were some retail Nintendo fighting the good fight for parents.

Thank God my aging generation gave them the big "F you" and bought 3 million copies of 2Live Crew elsewhere. Or else you might be getting a censored L4D2 copy bought by some hapless relative shopping at Wal-mart for Xmas this year.

[Harry_Manback]

I also remember when Nirvana's In Utero launched, they made them edit the track "Rape Me" to "Waif Me".

[Golfcoachh]

Its there perogative to do so. As you said 3 million bought an overated two live crew from other places. You act like that was a bad thing. lol Its not like they deleted the words, it was up to the company that made the cd's to make ones that were radio edits. So because of that you have disdain for a company that has helped keep prices down, employed milliions of people, paid millions in taxes to help fund social programs, made it easier to shop and find things you want. Quit being such babies. I suppose you hate nintendo for not allowing blood in the mortal kombat game back in the day as well then. YOu boycot nintedo too. Nice.

[cmacdonald]

Lowest price wins, and I don't care who gives it to me.

[Taco_Waffle]

I would gladly pay a bit more at a mom n' pop store.

[Darkstorn]

Word. I think ignorance is how evil corporations such as Walmart have become so successful over the years.

[SilverSlug]

Amazon is the best when it comes to lowering prices and challenging retailers.

[spiky1228]

I am not sure why everyone hates wal-mart. If you don't like it, don't shop there. Plus, there are alternatives such as target and amazon which I think are great also. Wal-mart isn't run by the government. They started up small just like other regional retailers when sears and woolworth were already nationwide retailers back in the 70s. It's all a fair game in the free market. Walmart have surpass them, because they are offering products at a more acceptable price and quality determined by the consumers. If people want to argue that Wal-Mart is evil because of its prices, then I am not sure why official 99 cent store isn't the number 1 retailer in the US since they do offer almost everyting at 99 cents.

Besides most of the mom and pop store only hire relatives and friends. They are out of business because they are not meeting the need and demand from consumers and consumer simply eliminates them by not shopping there.

As for Gamestop, I have an edge card and the free game informer subscription. If Gamestop goes out of business, don't blame it on wal-mart. Blame the low trade in value and the tactics of selling used game as new without shrink wraps. I trade in my 160GB xbox360 hard drive and got only $31 from Gamestop. Personally, I wouldn't want Gamestop to go out of business. The more they compete, the more I save. Cut the Wal-mart is evil cliche...these retailers doesn't care about your value or morals.. They just want your business and they will do whatever it takes to get it. Stop being retail fanboys

Sorry for typing so much...

[Chaos Striker]

No need to be sorry. Everything you said is correct and I agree that the hate against Wal-Mart is totally baseless. There is a whole degree of economics that can further support your argument, but that is another story. All in all, price wars may be bad for the company, but for the consumers it is shopping heaven.

+bubble

[Darkstorn]

There seems to be a lot of support for Walmart on N4G, but I'll still state my opinion. Disagree away.
Any corporation who bases its success on screwing over small businesses and creating urban sprawl is not a noble business in my book. Basic urban planning theory states that if a city is consolidated and walkable, it makes for more social capital in a given area, and Walmart has a tendency to buy cheap land in the outskirts of cities, forcing shoppers to drive to their stores. It just makes for more urban sprawl, longer commute times for workers, and more segregation in housing prices.
Now, I have shopped at Walmart in my lifetime, albeit not more than 10 times total, but low prices do not correspond to good store policy. They treat their employees like garbage as well.

[ZombieAutopsy]

Most places treat their employees like garbage (i know first hand) and they do it because in most cases employees are expendable because everyone is looking for work. My brother works at Walmart though and he says it does suck, his bosses expect him to do everything even the stuff that wasnt in his job description, he cant be seen smoking a cigg outside while he's on break and cant smoke in the break room, but he still has it better than me. I work at JCIM (makes parts for Ford and Chrysler) i dont work for them i work for some other company that inspects the car parts for them and i only make 9.50$ an hour, i get no break or lunch, dont get a raise no matter how long i work their, no health insurance, no union to join, and my boss is a total pr1ck that didnt even explain half the sh1t i was suppose to do until about a week after i was their and b1tches at me about it for not knowing.

So to sum that all up, 99% of corporations are "evil" greedy dooosh bags who treat their employees like garbage.

[Chaos Striker]

You have a good reason in terms of city planning, but I will provide you my views of the matter. Firstly, this is the nature of competition, which results in the smaller businesses being driven away due to the larger one. But here in lies a truth. The reason why some small businesses are being driven out is because they are directly trying to compete with Wal-Mart rather than finding their own niche or specialty to differentiate themselves from a brick and mortar store such as Wal-Mart. If Wal-Mart was so threatening in all sectors of the market, why do we still have grocery stores and game stores? They carved out their own niche and differentiated themselves.

Secondly, the noble business part is something I disagree about. I am a strong supporter of the fact that a company's responsibility is to its stockholders, because they are the ones who ultimately dictate how the company should proceed through their votes and trading actions (so blame them for what Wal-Mart's objectives are).

Finally, for the most part, I think that Wal-Mart's treatment of employees are isolated cases. People sometimes over-exaggerate the number of instances such as this. Additionally, I personally believe Wal-Mart has come a long way from before. Therefore, I see no harm done based from my opinion anyway. (I've worked at Target before part time and I think it is no t so different and it was actually a pleasant experience).

[Darkstorn]

@10.3-
I suppose, but they don't have to be.
@10.4-
I don't think Walmart can be described as a 'niche' store. An example of a niche company would be Gamestop, but Walmart tries to sell as many items in-store as possible, so shoppers will not have to go to multiple niche stores to get a week's groceries/items. Now, either Walmart continues to develop haphazardly and unsustainably, OR we get city downtowns to become more dense, effectively making the equivalent of a Walmart (where one is able to buy everything they need within one square mile) in a single downtown area. That contributes infinitely more to the local economy, and is better for job creation. This is more akin to what is done in Western Europe.
But our conversation isn't about city planning, it's about the functions of a corporate entity. You obviously follow a more Milton Friedman-esque philosophy towards corporate self-regulation (companies mainly exist to service stockholders, and it is not their job to care about social capital), whereas I support more government intervention into the workings of large corporations (I'm a bit more of a Krugmanite). I simply see a way in which we can make our economic development patterns more sustainable, and Walmart isn't part of my socialist utopia... lol ;D

[Chaos Striker]

Indeed, I am more in tune with Friedman's philosophy (couldn't remember if he was the one, so I didn't add him in my description, lol). However, I do believe that there should be an overseeing web of regulations to ensure something like '08 Financial Meltdown does not occur again. I honestly could not believe corporate greed could get this bad and that credit agencies would simply let these exotic derivatives go.

And speaking about sustainability, apparently Wal-Mart is one of the initial supporters when sustainability caught fire in the business industries. I am pretty certain that they are going to adapt their practices as the industry continues to involve and become more eco-friendly centric. They definitely have the power and influence to cause a fundamental shift if it occurs. Regardless, well argued. It is good to have an intellectual discussion of the matter. I shall proceed to sleep as we speak.

***Btw, give up on the utopia part, you know that never works out =P (just kidding).

[DuneBuggy]

MORE goverment oversight and regs???? Thats what helped cause the big blowup last year.Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac anyone? Run by liberals with all the "greatest intentions" in the world.EVERYONE deserves a house and we will apply political pressure on you if a certain quota isnt met! It was a failure like the war on poverty.
We would likley be out of this recession if the goverment stopped trying to "help".The free market always fixes itself.

[CobraKai]

I like Walmart. I just have to go to the ends of the earth to find one.

[crazyturkey]

If Wal-Mart really wanted to end this price war they can actually afford to do it, but I think that they're still not going full force for the video-game market.

[spiky1228]

TO: Chaos Striker: I don't like to type too much for some reason. The goal is to keep it short and stupid. Every dollar a consumer save at Wal_mart or any other store can be spent on somewhere else. I think thats the easiest way to put it and it is relevant to this topic. The argument with Wal-Mart will never end and its too broad...anyways, I been waiting for some kind of deal on xbox360 arcade from wal-mart. They had a $100 gift card deal going on around early Novembet but its gone..

TO: Darkstorn: I am more of a personal responsibility rather than government oversight. I say survival of the fittest and let the company fail if they can;t keep up with the evolving global market...I live near a Wal-Mart supercenter but I rarely shop there, becasue they don't carry everything I "desire".

[Saryk]

I dislike both companies, but dislike Gamestop more. When they put PC games on one little shelf, I quit going, now I buy digital. Walmart is Walmart, the destroyer of the small business, don’t shop there, don’t care about them.

[DuneBuggy]

I think you buying digital along with everyone else is why the PC section in Gamestop is almost a afterthought.
Thats just the times changing. Blaim high speed internet and huge HD's!
I do miss browsing "physical" copies of PC games myself though.

No comment really on your Walmart view.Other than i'm personally a small business owner and I shop there.
Spiky touched on anything else I could add on that matter.

[lizard81288]

I hope Walmart won't leak a game early, otherwise, gamestop will tell on them

:P

[DuneBuggy]

You can always compete with WalMart even though your smaller if you cater to a niche market. Walmart tends to have a little bit of everything,but not alot of one kind of thing.
Gamestop has ALOT more variety of games.Gamestop has people on hand who are there to answer Q's (and are usually gamers).Gamestop does offer gamer specific services such as trades,disc repairs,used games,preordering,etc. Even if they are not used by you,its there.
I have shopped at both and neither are perfect. I hate waiting/looking for someone to unleash that game from its glass prison at WalMart.Also they dont always have the best prices on older/slightly older titles. Gamesstops arrival a few years ago did help in introducing my area to "games depreciate as they get older". Used to drive an hour away to "civilization" because of that.
I also hate getting hit up for a Edge card,mag subscription,reminder about some buy 2 used get a third free deal,pushing to reserve somthing 3-6 months out..etc at Gamestop.
My third option is the Mom and Pop that only had 6 copies of hot sellers (sorry sold out),charges full retail still for games that are about to have a birthday,has less variety than even WalMart, etc.

[Shnazzyone]

Give me a little locally owned video game store any day of the week. Let the corperate giant that is walmart kill them off. No skin off my back. In the end my little local game stores will still be around, gamestop has tried so hard to kill them off they deserve everything they have coming.

[MasterOne]

Good by Gamestop if Bestbuy joins the pricing war.