2001: A Peek Into The Major Retail Software Slingers

I think the higher price of software at babbbages,etc… is justified  partly because of their liberal return policy...but what are the chances I am going to return GT3?

I tell you what would rock (listen up retail stores): game kiosks in store for on site game testing. I know due to the high rent in malls this is not practical but many games can be dismissed fairly quickly, evaporating any reason for me to lug the crappy code home in the first place. And MORE IMPORTANTLY, game stations would foster a more hardcore game environment…

These stores have so much room for improvement; it is almost funny ..WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PRE-ORDER A GAME!!!!!! It is a CD/DVD, there ARE NO SHORTAGES of the game, only the store\'s inability to stock enough copies...BABBAGE\'S, etc... Don’t give me enough reasons to forge brand loyalty! If on July 11th comes and they don\'t have a copy of GT3 for me, guess what? Wal-Mart here I come.

AS a matter of fact, these stores on a consistent basis, Give me reasons to shop ELSEWHERE!

I could go on but instead of railing on them more I would rather hear what everyone else thinks of the situation and HOW THESE STORES CAN IMPROVE! Gentlemen (and lovely ladies) start your proverbial engines and put on your thinking caps…

Originally posted by astroglide
1.   I think the higher price of software at babbbages,etc… is justified  partly because of their liberal return policy...but what are the chances I am going to return GT3?

I think you\'ve hit the nail on the head here regarding their liberal return policy...this *can* cost them money.  On the flip side...they make a more than modest profit on traded/used games that they resell...almost makes university bookstores look like they might make it into heaven after all...
_____________________________________________

2.   I tell you what would rock (listen up retail stores): game kiosks in store for on site game testing. I know due to the high rent in malls this is not practical but many games can be dismissed fairly quickly, evaporating any reason for me to lug the crappy code home in the first place. And MORE IMPORTANTLY, game stations would foster a more hardcore game environment…

Hmmm...  Not so sure mall & box stores REALLY care to cater to the hardcore gamer...  Seems to me they want to sell product and make a profit if they can.  Having a poor return policy and marrying that with a lack of a kiosk (to keep folks from knowing what turds are often sitting on their shelves) is their opportunity to make money.  You *see/play* a poor game...you don\'t buy it.  You *don\'t* see/play a poor game that has a great looking cover...you buy it...you play it...you curse...you grab your receipt (and pick up the disc from behind the TV set where you whipped it)...and mosey down to the store to get a refund...and they say..."Sorry, we don\'t return *those*!...we *do* return ladies bras, however..."  Grumble, grumble...
_____________________________________________

3.   These stores have so much room for improvement; it is almost funny ..WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PRE-ORDER A GAME!!!!!! It is a CD/DVD, there ARE NO SHORTAGES of the game, only the store\'s inability to stock enough copies...BABBAGE\'S, etc... Don’t give me enough reasons to forge brand loyalty! If on July 11th comes and they don\'t have a copy of GT3 for me, guess what? Wal-Mart here I come.

I\'ve managed some fairly large stores in the past (shivers upon memory).  Many of us have for one reason or another, worked in retail.  My experience (and maybe yours too) is that: 1. Suggested Ordering processes cannot take into account "NEW" products. Period.   2. The best way to calculate demand on a new product is to request pre-orders from the customers.  3. Shortages are only half the problem...True that if you don\'t have it, you can\'t sell it.  But on the other hand, inventory costs money.  Insuring that inventory costs money.  More inventory = higher risk for theft.  For these reasons and others, overstocking kills a retail outlet.  Again, I really think its the economics that motivate retail...not forging brand loyalty...
_____________________________________________

4.   AS a matter of fact, these stores on a consistent basis, Give me reasons to shop ELSEWHERE!

Ummm.... \'Kay...

BTW, astroglide, welcome to the forums...  Nice topic you offered here.  Thanks.  Whew, now I need to take off this *thinking cap*...my brains hurt!

I am well aware of the inventory/overstock problem...I have "served my time," so to say in retail hell myself for many years as my upbringing involved a family retail business. It is amazing how much information you pick up through osmosis being raised in that type of environment. Obviously I see the large differences in the niche of software vendor versus other types merchandise…

HOWEVER: Does Barnes and Noble Require Pre-orders? HA, What a laugh, these guys unlike videogame retailers step up to the mic and have a pretty good understanding of their target audience and what products they want and  at what quantities. AND HERE IS WHERE I MAKE MY MAIN POINT:

VIDEOGAME ENTERTAINMENT IS A MULTI BILLION DOLLAR A YEAR INDUSTRY ON THE VERGE OF OVERTAKING MANY OTHER FORMS OF TRADITIONAL MEDIA, I.E. MOVIES….

I think it is time for  more elegant solutions to be devised…and hopefully we can come up with some concrete ones in this thread…

more inventory=higher risk of theft


ummmm I don\'t think this equation is ever at play in terms of how much quantity of any given product a company thinks it should order

pro-orders do work fairly well for the company in judging demand...I just think  the system is not customer centric enough.

ok, I will shut up now(sorry)