Gametraders’ Managing Director Comments On ‘Grey Imports’

Very interesting. I do absolutely love how Gametraders give us the choice of import copies.

I wonder though. Is it reasons like this that Nintendo decided to start putting region lockouts on their handheld consoles…?

The phrase adapt or die is apt, Nintendo can’t keep delaying there games weeks, months later or we’ll just import.

Region locking only blocks the US, the UK is a wide open market.

Thats all fine and well, but the reason street dates exist is so ALL retail outlets have the opportunity to sell the game on the SAME day. That way they have EQUAL OPPORTUNITY to sell the game.

I agree that the big guys like BIG W and JBs have the upperhand by being able to sell the game below cost. For example with the big toy sales on, one of the department stores is selling Zelda for $12 below cost price, making it impossible for stores like GAME to price match, as their policy is they cannot price match below cost (which makes sense because why sell something at a loss). The big guys do this because they don’t want you in their stores to purchase games. Department stores lure you in with great game prices, but they want you there to buy other stuff like clothes and electrical. JBs want you to come in for the cheap game and then look at new TVs.

EB took a bit of initiative with Zelda and secured a pre-order bonus with their game. This bonus item wasn’t even supplied by Nintendo or a publisher. They organised the prodution of the item themelves. And it was a great idea too. I work in games retail and can get Zelda at an awesome staff discount, but I pre-ordered at EB for the bonus.

So yeah stores can adapt and do whatever they can to get a slice of the pie, but there is more than one way to do it.

Many stores have broken street dates before, but Gamertraders is the only one that uses it as a business model.

These comments also raises the question… Why is importing games a cheaper alternative than supporting the local production industry who produce the games on our own soil?

Thanks to all of you with your positive feedback.

Succeeding in business is challenging at the best of times but since the GFC things has gotten even more competitive. We are subjected to intense competition and that is why we have to import some titles direct to allow us to compete and give our stores better margins which we have managed to achieve over the last two years.

We will also sell some games early if we see an unfair competitive advantage especially when a publisher gives our competitors a deal that it is available to us. We are not the only ones that sell early on occasions, street dates are broken all the time by our competitors.

I noted a couple of very cynical comments on the other thread, all I can say is that people should have the facts right before they make incorrect assumptions.

Regards

Mark Langford
Gametraders