UK retailer Game hasn’t had it easy recently. Their slip into administration was a shock for many customers who, having already lost their local HMV in similar fashion, were about to lose the only specialist games retailer within easily travelled distance.
Fortunately, the company was bought out, restructured a bit and seems to have come back stronger than it had been for some time. Despite recent practices around console “bundles” being a slip back to consumer-unfriendly price-gouging, they have generally, in my entirely anecdotal experience, been much more friendly, informed and switched on since the restructure.
So today’s sales figures, posted up on MCV, are a very good sign for the company. They claim year-on-year increase of 83 per cent for overall sales, with their online sales jumping a massive 213 per cent year-on-year. That’s for the six weeks to January 4th, so it encompasses sales from the day after the Xbox One release and covers the period in which the PlayStation 4 was released too.
As you might expect, much of the credit goes to the newly released next-gen consoles and their software libraries. But Martyn Gibbs is keen to point out that the new hardware isn’t the only reason that Game is revelling in such success. “These figures also reflect the transformation over an 18-month period of the operational and financial profile of the business,” he said, pointing out that this investment put them in a good position to handle the new launches.
Gibbs also credits the company’s focus on their digital delivery and online offerings, stating that the company is “continuing to invest in [their] digital delivery and expect to see revenue from digital content increase significantly in 2014 and beyond.”
Source: MCV
Bilbo_bobbins
and in 5 years time, they will back where they were a while ago. Why? Because their prices are still inflated and they haven’t got anything new from before.
Muskyy
Exactly. I was shopping around after Xmas, and they still had the most expensive games on the market. Places like Argos and Asda were selling PS4 games cheaper. I can’t help but think the only reason they’ve done so well are those ridiculous next gen bundles they were forcing on people. The knew parents would be desperate to get a PS4/Xbone for the kid!
BullyBurton
Lost all faith when I was told (by staff at my local) that they were “flying in additional PS4 stock at a massive cost to the company, hence only £500+ bundles are being sold”. Then off the record a friend of mine working there admitted the managers had made this up as a reason to sell stupid bundles.
When I was next in to spend the last of my reward points and be rid if Game, a mother was at the counter with a son nearly in tears. She mentioned she had been told the PS4 with Knack should only be around £400 and it was a late Xmas present for him. The tw*t behind the counter told her the “flying in” rubbish and then the manager said the same thing. My transaction was over and I lept in with “excuse me, Asda have stock in at the moment and are charging just £389.99 for PS4 and Knack”, then looked at the manager and said “they obviously have jets with better MPG hey”, winked and walked out smiling. Best thing was seeing the mother and son as I left ASDA with my obligatory Red Bull and the little fella thanking me.
Bottom line – this company will sh*t on everyone and prey on the less clued up. Disc care? For a BluRay? Are you effing mad? They had a warning shot and continue to make the same mistakes.
Pidge
Totally agree. Couple of years back a friend was after the Assassins Creed PS3 bundle and went into Liverpool City Centre GAME and was told it’s now hard to get hold of but they would do a PS3, AC and all sorts of crap for a stupid amount. Although it was the kids chrimbo prezzie, she was reluctant and called me for advice! I phone another game in Liverpool, who proceeded to tell he ‘yeah we have a couple and to pop down and they would hold it for me!’
They have not and will not learn. I feel sorry for some of the staff, not all. When a Vita was due for release one if their staff was showing me their demo machine and then she proceeded to reel off a load of bull. I just laughed and told her I wasn’t clueless and corrected her on the incorrect stuff and advised her best not to bullshit as not everyone is a clueless parent buying for kids!