Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (
More info?)
"John Lewis" <john.dsl@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:42643f4c.3248244@news.verizon.net...
> On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 03:34:37 GMT, "JWB" <jwb3333_spamtrap_@excite.com>
> wrote:
>
>>"John Lewis" <john.dsl@verizon.net> wrote in message
>>news:426320cc.22711175@news.verizon.net...
>>> Went to my local EBX the other day for a Fry's price-match on a
>>> computer-game. It was refused.
>>>
>>> My EBX is in a mall, and I was told by the manager that they now
>>> restrict price-match only to other computer-software stores in the
>>> mall - Babbages' is the only one. Apparently on instruction from
>>> "head-office"... ( Babbages' in the same mall has been
>>> practicing the same policy for the last 2 years ).
>>>
>>> Circuit City and CompUSA are both just outside the mall, less
>>> than 1/2 mile away, so I went to Circuit City instead, where I
>>> got a 110% price-match....Fry's is about 7 miles away and Best Buy
>>> 2 miles away... all these still offer price-match with each other.
>>>
>>> Yet another reason NOT to go out of my way to visit my local EBX
>>> store.
>>
>>
>>Out of your way? Don't take this as an insult, but you proved you won't go
>>seven miles to buy an item you want that's on sale. You wanted someone
>>else
>>to give you the same price. What is EB really losing?
>>
>
> A regular customer. Usually when I go for a price-match, I also peruse
> the store's other stock. It is very seldom that I walk out with just
> the price-match item. Over the past 4 years, I have bought several
> thousand $$-worth of new and used PC software from this particular
> EBX. Up to about 2 years ago both their new and used-software prices
> were very competitive; not so now.....
do you ever buy full price stuff, or is it always bargain bin / price-match?
I ask because if you are indeed a regular customer who buys regular priced
stuff with an occasional price match, then the manager (or someone) really
should have recognized you and price matched. My EB will price match
something if I ask, but it's because they know me for years as someone who
usually buys titles at whatever the price is. I buy almost 100% of my games
there, many at full price. I guess it helps in my case that the staff has
remained fairly constant, too.
>
> Anyway, they have just been bought by Gamestop...at a highly-inflated
> valuation.. (not a very clever move by Gamestop, IMHO. No wonder EBX
> management was tumbling over themselves to sell.. )
>
> Anybody know Gamestop's price-match policies and typical used-PC game
> % reduction over new prices ? Gamestop is not currently local to me.
>>
>>As big box retailers grow, price matching from "the area" has not been a
>>good policy for niche stores.
>
> BTW, EBX is NOT a niche store. They are a speciality computer/cosole
> games vendor. 2000 stores in 10 countries...........
specialty computer / console game store *is* a niche store. The amount of
stores doesn't matter in relevence to discussing loss leaders (which was my
point) - the selection does.
>
>>They just can't compete on volume and loss leaders and such.
>
> Nonsense...... 3 years ago they were the most competitive
> console/PC game retail company in the business and very fast-growing.
I don't know about your area, but in my area, they haven't been
competitively priced for years and years. Their big selling point was they
took returns, and they got the games up to a week earlier than everyone
else. Then they stopped taking returns from most people (I say most because
they have always let me return stuff, because it's fairly rare.)
> I made a lot of money in EBX stock.....and I do not invest in any
> companies without due-diligence research...
>
> However, EBX management middle-age set in about 2 years ago.. I
> fortunately sold all my stock while it was still up.........and EBX
> has gradually become a me-too vendor of games software... Maybe
> Gamestop will revitalize them ?
I hope so. But I doubt it. I've been in a few gamestops and have left
unimpressed.
>
>> For example, Best Buy prices a new game for $39.99 to
>>drive traffic, and many people come in for that and buy other stuff. EB
>>can't do that because their stock just isn't varied enough for loss
>>leaders
>>to work.
>
> Huh ? Do you know anything about EBX at all... ever visited their
> stores ? A much, much wider selection of both PC and console games
> than Best Buy....
Yes, I have been in their stores. They are fairly small, and all they have
is games and game related items. Loss leaders will never, ever work in a
store like that, because:
a) The store is too small, square footage-wise
b) The stock is not diverse enough.
Now, my question to you: Do you know what a loss leader is and how it works?
>>
>>The whole point behind "price matching" was that you could easily go to
>>the
>>other store to buy the item (like the babbages you mention). Obviously,
>>you
>>weren't willing to do that (and EB knows most people won't). I'll bet if
>>circuit city also refused your price match that you would not have driven
>>the seven miles (unless it was a big savings). I know I wouldn't have.
>>
>
> I would have waited till the price of the title that I price-matched
> dropped to MY price-assessment..... I am NOT of the
> must-have-right-now crowd.
I am on some games. I'll be buying stronghold 2 tomorrow from my local EB.
They'll hold one for me (not that it'll likely sell out first day)
(I have it on pretty good 
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