Well, I will admit I'm a bit surprised.
Since I wrote the article about GameStop buying older generation consoles, I've both found and received a ton of negative feedback from the community about the project.
Heck, even some of us at Twinstiq feel the same way. In Twinstiq's Podcast Episode IV: A new Drama we sat down and talked about how we felt about the subject as well as different possibilities as to why GameStop was suddenly so interested in buying back consoles.
Since I wrote the article about GameStop buying older generation consoles, I've both found and received a ton of negative feedback from the community about the project.
Heck, even some of us at Twinstiq feel the same way. In Twinstiq's Podcast Episode IV: A new Drama we sat down and talked about how we felt about the subject as well as different possibilities as to why GameStop was suddenly so interested in buying back consoles.
While going through most of the web-pages that had mentioned the subject I saw hundreds to thousands of comments stretching across from gamers being completely against the idea. Of course most of these comments seem to be just a lot of slander by people jumping on the bandwagon of something to hate. Once in awhile you do get to a rant or review from someone who is older and has seen the start and finish of companies like Blockbuster who give a true opinion on the matter.
Reading through pages and pages of comments, I started seeing trends and eventually started noting the major claims against GameStop. The top claim is, "you can buy a brand new game for $60 USD from GameStop, play it and sell it back later the next day and only get offered $7 USD." Others claim that GameStop employees intentionally scratch disks after buying them back so no one can play them.
Armies of people are boycotting this old console buyback by claiming it's just easier to buy from E-bay, Amazon, or private game trade in shops because they'll get a better deal. Which in all honesty, may be the easiest and friendlier way to go about buying an older console.
Reading through pages and pages of comments, I started seeing trends and eventually started noting the major claims against GameStop. The top claim is, "you can buy a brand new game for $60 USD from GameStop, play it and sell it back later the next day and only get offered $7 USD." Others claim that GameStop employees intentionally scratch disks after buying them back so no one can play them.
Armies of people are boycotting this old console buyback by claiming it's just easier to buy from E-bay, Amazon, or private game trade in shops because they'll get a better deal. Which in all honesty, may be the easiest and friendlier way to go about buying an older console.
Now don't get me wrong, for the past 10 years GameStop seems to have become the laughing stock of the gaming community. People would rather go to individually owned sell-back stores to make their purchases then even set foot inside GameStop.
The following are personal views of the subject:
One: GameStop is pulling out one or two major tries to gain back some of its community. What we're seeing now is a company trying to bring up their declining consumer base. Back in the 90's when we first saw GameStop hit it big with the teen crowd, they seemed almost unstoppable. There were no real trade-in places, or major game shops like there are now. This may be one of the last ditch efforts to try and gain profits back and come up to where they used to be.
Two: Another big reason behind this idea is that some parents who find these systems won't take the effort to actually look up and research pricing on something that their child has had sitting in the basement for 10 years or more. To them, they can sell it back, make a few bucks and never have to worry about it again. Not to say that GameStop isn't banking on something like this happening, but it can happen and probably already has happened at some point.
Three: Some cities do not have individually owned game shops, nor do they have repair shops, so there really is no alternative option if people do not want to keep their old systems anymore. It's either garbage it, or sell it to GameStop. Or this is a great opportunity to sell back a none working system that you've had lying around so it can get repaired and sold to someone who wants it. The nostalgia factor alone allows a generation like yourself to enjoy the classics. Also as Cody from Twinstiq mentions in the Podcast, " This is a Global business." It's true, how many people can say they visited a GameStop in America as well as Europe versus a buyback shop run by a local college student with a dream.
Four : The pricing is a huge factor. It will always be a factor. When GameStop realizes that people won't pay the top end price for the systems we'll see a change. There's no doubt in my mind about it. No one is going to pay 40-50$ USD on a system they can buy from Ebay and Amazon for about 20-30. Games on the other hand, might be a bit more difficult to come by, but there is a niche market that pertain to these needs. Swap meets are another good idea and Reddit I know for sure has boards of people looking for certain games or locations to purchase items. Most of the collector community helps one another find items, and it's easier to talk to a stranger on the internet than to a person face to face sometimes.
Overall, it seems like there's just too much push and pull to subjects like this. I know the idea behind any big company is, " Make Profit." In the end that's what makes the world go round. If you can make a profit on something that seems to be an open market why wouldn't you. I wouldn't go hating on GameStop just yet, they have a creative idea that needs a few bugs worked out.
As always.
~Tisnight
(Images Courtesy of Joystiq (Engadget))