MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Yes, says CEO Simon Fox, but there will be sacrifices. Christopher Dring visits HMV’s offices to find out how its attitude towards gaming has changed. Video game suppliers let HMV down. In a year where the retailer desperately needed their help, games publishers offered little in 2011. Exclusive deals and …
Read More »HMV slams ‘idiotic’ offshore tax dodging
It is ‘absolutely nuts’ online retailers can avoid tax so easily, says HMV. The Government is closing down the Channel Island tax loophole from April, but HMV CEO Simon Fox says this doesn’t go far enough. He believes that HMV’s big name online rivals such as Play, The Hut and …
Read More »Who will buy Metaboli?
Digital retailer Metaboli is an acquisition target for major video game firms. MCV has been told twice that distribution giant Arvato is set to buy the company, but twice Arvato has strenuously denied it. We are not currently in discussions with Metaboli about purchasing the business,” a spokesperson told MCV. …
Read More »India games chain to open 150 stores
An Indian games retailer hopes to have over 150 outlets in operation by 2015. Games The Shop, which currently has seven stores, also says it has the potential to expand its chain globally. India is a vast country – it has a scope for much more than 150 stores,” Games …
Read More »Amazon is the UK’s No.1 entertainment retailer
New numbers from Kantar Worldpanel suggest that Amazon overtook HMV in the three months ending December 25th to become the UK’s biggest entertainment retailer for the first time. Amazon grew its market share from 19.4 per cent to 22.4 per cent throughout the period while HMV’s share slipped 2.1 per …
Read More »New web retailer shares pre-owned revenue with publishers
An internet rental specialist has promised to share its used game profits with publishers. OnePlayS offers a video game rental subscription service similar to LoveFilm. The difference is it lets users buy the game they’ve rented – second-hand – if they like it. Then it shares the money with the …
Read More »ShopTo goes 24/7
Online indie ShopTo has expanded its warehouse facilities so it can operate around the clock. The firm says it will pick and pack stock 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It will send customers a photo of their packed item, to show that it’s ready for dispatch. We …
Read More »Apple becomes UK’s second biggest online retailer
The latest IMRG-Hitwise listings claim that Apple has grown to become the second most popular online retailer in the UK. In the process it knocks Argos down to number three for the first time ever. Online behemoth Amazon UK retains its usual No.1 position, of course. The tech world mourned …
Read More »The Hut launches games trade-in service
Online retail firm The Hut Group has set up a new website that allows customers to buy and sell pre-owned video games. TheHutRecycle.com lets users trade in their old games, CDs, DVDs, mobile phones, digital cameras, MP3 players and more in exchange for vouchers. These can be used to spend …
Read More »Asda takes aim at Amazon UK
Forget the High Street price war, the biggest battle this Q4 will take place online. Asda has relaunched its entertainment site in a bid to win over consumers this Christmas, and says it will compete better on price with market leader Amazon. It follows a string of etailer shake-ups in …
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