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March 29, 2024, 11:38:38 AM

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GAME/Gamestation in trouble?

Started by Subtle Mocking, February 29, 2012, 12:12:32 PM

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Ignatius_S

Quote from: Viero_Berlotti on March 02, 2012, 02:40:15 PM
The baffling thing is that landlords don't seem to be willing to budge on rents, but the landlords still have to pay rates on these empty units, which averages about £5-6k per month per unit. So it doesn't make sense that the landlords aren't willing to cut any slack for retailers, because an empty unit isn't just not making them money it is actively costing them money while it sits empty.

At the moment, in certain places, some landlords are offering the first 12 months for free – someone I know who is doing this – and the leases aren't exactly that long but it's hard to find takers.

Business rates are  massive problem - some people I know who have shut up shop (literally, ho ho) said this was one of the main reasons. 

SetToStun

I think that in the case of an expired lease, when the property reverts to the landlord, then the landlord is responsible for the rates, but where the shop is empty because the tenant either just closes down or goes bankrupt, the rates are down to the tenant, not the landlord. In other words, if what I've read is correct, the landlords don't pay the rates until the full term of the lease has expired anyway.

Viero_Berlotti

Quote from: Ignatius_S on March 02, 2012, 03:25:54 PM
At the moment, in certain places, some landlords are offering the first 12 months for free – someone I know who is doing this – and the leases aren't exactly that long but it's hard to find takers.

To entice new businesses to take over empty properties, yes. They're not doing much to help the established businesses already in their properties weather the storm, and some might argue why should they.

Quote from: SetToStun on March 02, 2012, 04:00:44 PM
I think that in the case of an expired lease, when the property reverts to the landlord, then the landlord is responsible for the rates, but where the shop is empty because the tenant either just closes down or goes bankrupt, the rates are down to the tenant, not the landlord. In other words, if what I've read is correct, the landlords don't pay the rates until the full term of the lease has expired anyway.

This may well be true, shop leases can be complex things and terms can differ wildly. Might explain why some landlords are happy to let units sit empty, and then when they have no takers after x amount of months are offering these 12 months fee rent deals so the rates are covered at least.

Still Not George

When a business goes into receivership, it no longer exists, legally speaking - which means leases etc are no longer valid and the occupancy reverts to the freehold tenant. OTOH IIRC there are special rate levels for empty properties, so it's not such a big deal.

Neil

Quote from: madhair60 on March 02, 2012, 02:14:59 PM
I figure that you're being intentionally provocative here (to stimulate discussion rather than be a cunt, I hasten to add), but people losing their jobs isn't something to gloat over, even if they are mildly annoying in an impersonal way.

I suppose what I was doing there was giving the userbase too much credit.

chand

Quote from: Subtle Mocking on February 29, 2012, 12:47:36 PM
That sounds an awful lot like Manchester city centre. Two HMVs, two (maybe three) GAME stores, two Gamestation stores and two CeX stores, all within about 2 miles of each other. Ridiculous.

The HMV in the Arndale that used to be Virgin, then Zavvi, has gone now. Still two GAMEs a couple of hundred yards apart though, and in the Trafford Centre there are still two separate GAMEs facing each other (one on the upper floor), which seem to duplicate most of their stock.

Big Jack McBastard

Quote from: Neil on March 01, 2012, 09:54:11 AM
Anything else you want sir? A memory card? Joystick? Charger? Any pre-orders? Would you like to be vaguely threatened about stocks constantly running out if you're too much of a cunt to pre-order? Would you like to be shown a selection of goods you can also buy - and be pestered with fucking catalogues to look at - when you're a dedicated enough customer to be stood outside waiting for a midnight fucking opening?

Pre-order the new handheld games system sir? Oh go on, you cheap prick.

REDUNDANCY SOON.

I think I first noticed that kind of shit popping up/out of their mouths when their prices started to hike into ungodly levels about 5 years ago[nb]probably further back, but that was the last time I went in one with the intention of actually buying something[/nb]:

"Need any help sir?"
"Do I look like I'm in my 70s? Can't you see how much of a games nerd I am!? It's written in my DNA for fucks sake, etched into my mush and there for all to witness in my enormous thumbs, I was playing Elite while you were still chicken nuggets yet to be bio-manufactured into your dad's spunk you little prick, get te fuck wi ya and stuff your chargers up your arse while you're at it!"

Can't be doing with shops that hassle you, they might be poor, put upon workies under the heel of some heel but the fact that they'd engage in that spiel rather than become unemployed is a sad indictment of their principles if you ask me and thus: Balls to 'em. 

Quote from: micanio on March 02, 2012, 02:02:04 PM
Just went into Gamestation to get SSX and thought I would trade some games to see what I could get for them. Traded in AC:Revelations, MW3, FIFA12, SR3, Deus Ex and LA Noire and got £100 to spend in store. Got SSX, Zelda:SS and a couple of Wii games for the kids. Bargain.

Similar tale from me here, canny deal that was, left me a bit stymied about what to get..

Dark Sky

Quote from: Thursday on March 02, 2012, 01:02:14 PM
By the way, not to do with GAME, but what happened to Waterstones and HMV having electronic systems where customers could check their in-store stock? They seemed to have them for a little while and then stopped and I'm not quite sure why.

I never saw that, when was that?

It sounds really cool in principle, but just because the system claims a shop has something in stock, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is actually there, or is located where it is supposed to be.  There are always discrepencies, especially when it gets down to there only being a single copy around. Sometimes items get stolen, cross-referenced in a different section, may have been bought by another customer within the last hour, have been taken by a customer up to the coffee bar, been put on reserve for another customer...   There's also the potential for rivals to use stock information to their advantage somehow...?  (That seems cynical and paranoid, but may have been a consideration...)

madhair60

Quote from: Neil on March 03, 2012, 12:02:05 AM
I suppose what I was doing there was giving the userbase too much credit.

Sorry, no idea what you mean by that.

I guess it's not as bad in my area, then.  I almost never get asked if I need help, and if I do, I say "no thank you" and they let me alone.  I do this calmly and never once reflect on it, because it's their job, and I appreciate the gesture.  Being offered pre-orders doesn't bother me either, and I can usually spin a small conversation out of it.  I'd hope it was a day-brightener to take the time to engage with people who have to do say very menial things all day.

The only thing that really annoys me is the assumed lack of knowledge, but I haven't had that much lately.

Thursday

I think Neil was joking about gloating to the employees, you know just exaggerating his annoyance about being bothered by them for humorous effect.

Quote from: Dark Sky on March 03, 2012, 09:16:48 AM
It sounds really cool in principle, but just because the system claims a shop has something in stock, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is actually there, or is located where it is supposed to be.  There are always discrepencies, especially when it gets down to there only being a single copy around. Sometimes items get stolen, cross-referenced in a different section, may have been bought by another customer within the last hour, have been taken by a customer up to the coffee bar, been put on reserve for another customer...   There's also the potential for rivals to use stock information to their advantage somehow...?  (That seems cynical and paranoid, but may have been a consideration...)

I just remember them being around years ago briefly and then soon vanishing.

It's true that they'll often be wrong, but if you're looking up something fairly obscure you'll soon see that they don't have it in stock.
If there's only copy of something and you can't find it, it'll probably be because it's been misplaced or stolen.
If they have lots of copies in stock and you can't find it, then it will actually be worth asking a member of staff.

I guess forcing people to ask if something is in stock means they can offer to order it in. So maybe that's why.

Neil

I'm perfectly pleasant to shop staff in person. I vent about them behind their backs.

Subtle Mocking

See, I make sure not to bother customers at work because I know how much of a pain in the arse it is to be hassled like that, but when it comes to appraisal time I can slapped on the wrist for it.[nb]I still don't do it following the appraisal, because it's inexcusably irritating.[/nb]

gepree

I haven't visited a Game shop since reading about this last year:

GAME staff told to buy 3DS from Tesco

Shoulders?-Stomach!

QuoteSee, I make sure not to bother customers at work because I know how much of a pain in the arse it is

Plus I think you can tell when a person or group of people might need help, and when they know what they want, and when they are just window shopping.

It's an effective sales strategy though, because if someone is coming in, say on a vague idea of getting a console, approaching them and talking about it has the effect of bringing the idea into reality and you've got them captive.

There's something about a conversation with a salesman that has the effect of drowning out all external noise, even if that external noise has the potential to save you way more money. It's spooky- I'm not immune to it.

Dark Sky

Quote from: Thursday on March 03, 2012, 10:43:29 AM
I just remember them being around years ago briefly and then soon vanishing.

Maybe it was just in certain branches, unless you're thinking of how on the website you could check stock availability within a specific branch?  Because I know that that system never worked, and often claimed we had stuff in stock which we didn't.

I think the general point is not to give false impressions.  If someone asks if a book's in stock, the staff member will go with them to find the book.  If the customer reads for themselves that we have one in stock, but then can't find it, they then may get annoyed and angry.  Believe me that not all customers are as easy going or as understanding as you!  We knew from experience, and from being told my management time and time again, to not guarantee we had anything in stock until we physically had it in our hands.

chand

Quote from: gepree on March 03, 2012, 11:00:10 AM
I haven't visited a Game shop since reading about this last year:

GAME staff told to buy 3DS from Tesco

Does that happen with other stuff? I went in a GAME the other day and they already had pre-owned Vita games for marginally cheaper prices.

Incidentally, I picked up that new Katamari game for the Vita in Gamestation in Bristol, they said they didn't actually have any left but Sony pay them to display the empty cases so they can't remove sold-out stock from the display. The games industry seems fun.

Lee Van Cleef

Maybe it's because I've not shopped in there since I bought Fable 2, but my experience of Game was quite positive.  Yeah the chap behind the counter did hint at some other RPGs but hearing someone with actual knowledge talk about the game, clearly having played it himself, and about other games was of interest to me.  Made me feel like a human being as opposed to some douche just forking out cash to an empty headed drone. 

I've no doubt, however, that this has probably been pushed to stupid levels and you probably go in and get bummed up to the earholes with sales spiel, but I guess it is possible to do that without coming across as a completely charmless cunt pushing the master's sales agenda.  Depends entirely on someone's ability to engage in human interaction I suppose.

madhair60

Have I told the tale of the GAME clerk who told me he had both the UK and US releases of Final Fantasy Tactics on PS1, despite the fact that it never came out in the UK?  Yeah that's a good idea, lie to a customer for no reason.

Eight years ago, still stings.

Consignia

I remember overhearing an overenthusiastic Gamestation staff telling a mother how impressive the PS3 just before it's release. He was reeling out loads stats, but the problem was they were all bullshit. The only specific thing I remember was him saying Blu-ray had a storage capacity a few thousand times that of DVD. It was nice he was enthusiastic, though.


Puffin Chunks

Quote from: glitch on March 05, 2012, 12:12:53 PMhttp://www.vg247.com/2012/03/05/daily-express-real-risk-game-directors-may-pull-the-plug/

Quote
Fellow sources close to one of the chains lenders, Royal Bank of Scotland

Good to see that they've learnt from their mistakes then.

Subtle Mocking

As much as the chain has needed to go for such a long time, I really don't want any more people from retail to be made redundant. It's awful.

Dead kate moss

The one in Camden seems to have gone.

Subtle Mocking

They've only just cancelled the upcoming Tekken in the last hour or so. I'd be surprised if they lasted the month.

Tokyo Sexwhale

If GAME have so many shops in close proximity, the obvious answer is to close/merge some of them.  Perhaps the reason they don't is they're tied into some restrictive/penalising tenancy agreements?

Subtle Mocking


FUUUUUCK, GOTTA USE THOSE POINTS QUICK.

mcbpete

I've just used my Game card for the first time ever.... to evenly spread the new thermal paste I applied on my PS3 cpu & gpu.

Dark Sky

I was in GAME today.  Maybe for the last time.  I find it sad, to be honest.

My favourite GAME experience was when I bought a copy of some Colin McRae game in the branch in Loughborough.  The guy who served me at the til suggested that they should move the Colin McRae brand to helicopter simulators.

bitesize

Quote from: Tokyo Sexwhale on March 05, 2012, 07:17:38 PM
If GAME have so many shops in close proximity, the obvious answer is to close/merge some of them.  Perhaps the reason they don't is they're tied into some restrictive/penalising tenancy agreements?

  yeah this is what i've been hearing - that they took over a ton of shops (old EB/GameStation stores) with existing leases, and it's cheaper for them to keep them open til the lease expires than it is to close them and get penalised for ending the lease early. just speculation obv, but there must be a reason they keep all those shops open, it's ridiculous to have so many, often within walking distance of each other...