News
Borders gets into games
Christopher Dring Feb 28 2008, 10:27am
Comments (8)
Retailer highlights Wii and DS software as potential new product line
Borders is to begin stocking video games to accompany its existing range of DVDs and CDs.
The retailer is currently trialling an On Demand range of CD and DVDs in its Oxford Street store, which includes a handful of PC titles. However, commercial director of Borders UK and Ireland David Kohn feels a full range of gaming software isn’t far away:
“We believe there is a significant opportunity for computer games in our stores, following much positive feedback from our customers and our store staff,” he said.
“We already have a competitive DVD and CD offer and a games range would sit comfortably alongside this.
“We also see a computer games offer, particularly based on the Nintendo formats, complementing our market-leading children’s line-up.”
Speaking to MCV, Kohn pointed to the video game market’s recent success for Borders’ interest, and believes sales of computer games could even outstrip its successful DVD business.
“The computer games market is going through a boom time at present, and is now estimated to be larger than both the DVD and music markets,” he added.
“We will need to develop a credible and competitive offer that appeals to our customers. When it comes to Borders, we believe that computer games could deliver a level of sales equal or greater than our current DVD business. This could amount to as much as ten per cent of total Borders sales.”
Comments
“I won't be attending”
Posted by: flakmagnet - Feb 28, 11:39am
If Borders charges the same price for Games as they do DVD and CDs, I won't be going near the place. Here in York, EVERY DVD and CD were at RRP or higher last time I went in. Not a chance would I think of going there for anything shy of books.
“Re: I won't be attending”
Posted by: The Retailer - Feb 28, 12:07pm
Personally I'm glad they do sell at RRP because most of the time we have to sell at RRP as well otherwise we'd be out of business. It's tough when other shops sell items at prices cheaper than we can get them from our suppliers just because they could buy in bulk or a using an item as a loss leader. But that's the nature of the business and one reason why we get a better return on pre-owned sales than new games/DVDs.
“Re: I won't be attending”
Posted by: Dringo - Feb 28, 1:10pm
Borders appear to be targeting the casual market with their line up of software.
“Re: I won't be attending”
Posted by: flakmagnet - Feb 28, 1:33pm
@ Retailer-
Perhaps I should have expanded on that a little. I have no problem with paying RRP (Above is more than a little cheeky IMO, but I'm not a retailer, so that's by the by), when I shop at an independant store or small chain that specifically tailors to and offers a good selection of whatever I'm purchasing (obviously in this case, games), I dislike when a major brand with ties to Amazon and the ilk can still have the audacity to be that much more expensive, especially going over RRP. I'm not a retailer, but that just seems like greed to me. I support my local stores (Thought there are no indies in York that I know of anymore, but Gamestation started here and I supported them way back when), but I still support indies in the local area and am more likely to trade in there than anywhere else.
So, I won't be going to borders over say HMV, Zavvi, and most importantly Game/Gamestation if I'm not already at a local retailer, because in my personal history, for anything short of books, they are rip off merchants, and, most likely, the staff won't have a clue about the product they are selling, when I can quite happily walk into a local indie retailer and get real useful knoweledge from people *****ally have a passion for the industry.
Hope that clears things up. :)
“Re: I won't be attending”
Posted by: flakmagnet - Feb 28, 1:34pm
*****ally have a passion for the industry. Daft spam filter.
“Re: I won't be attending”
Posted: Feb 28, 1:35pm
"*****ally" have a passion for the industry. Really really daft SPAM filter. If it doesn't work this time, you can play figure out the ****'es !
“Re: I won't be attending”
Posted by: Bob - Feb 29, 7:23pm
Borders already did this at a number of stores in the United States and ended up liquidating their stock of games a year and a hal*****he games almost never were discounted prior to this liquidation and sales appeared to be very poor. I'm not sure why they are trying this again.
“Re: I won't be attending”
Posted by: Mark - Mar 1, 11:54am
Video games makes more money than CDs.
That's why.