Plenty of major retailers have sold parallel imports in-store: GameTraders did it to get a headstart on local release dates, EB have sold imported games, and troubled retailer GAME has also sold imported games as ‘pre-owned’. Now JB Hi-Fi is getting involved, but its scheme is a little different…
Not only is JB Hi-Fi selling imported games in-store, unlike other retailers, it’s selling them at reduced cost, and advertising them as “import games” at “great prices”. Other retailers selling parallel imports have tended to be a little more discreet about the practice, and have used imports to increase the profit margin on stock, JB Hi-Fi is doing it in — arguably — a far more honest way.
According to in-store staff, this is a ‘nationwide initiative’, and that’s made clear by the fact that JB Hi-Fi has created specifically branded ‘JB Hi-Fi Special Import’ stickers to put on the games themselves. As far as we know JB Hi-Fi is only stocking games that can be played on Australian consoles, so there is no need to worry about the games not working on local machines.
We’re currently trying to get in contact with JB Hi-Fi for comment on this, more news as we get it.
Thanks to Steven Janjic for the pic!
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