Starting a Gaming Store (Off-line)

[jy76 1]

Where I live, the video rental industry is dead (been dead probably since 2000), but in it's place, there are at least 5 video game stores.  Anyway, do you all feel the gaming market - as in owning stores, is saturated?  What capital might be needed?  How would you get it?   How would you beat competition from other stores?  Would you go with a franchise (Game Stop etc.) or be independent?

Edited March 24, 2019 by jy76

[Razor1911 2]

In this pandemic time, this type of shop is really booming. People are left with no option for entertainment. Most of the people can't go outside to play or watch movies, rather they are going to game shops. In our area, people have opened game shops in their house. So child or any game lover can go there and play games on rental basis. We call it game parlour. 😊

[Mouse89 1]

Gamestop was tanking prior to 2020. I think they were closing several stores each year. The stock shenanigans and the virus helps pluck them out of facing extinction a lot sooner. They are by no means doing well though. They are still bleeding money and will likely not be around after a few more years. I don't think this is a good investment personally. 

[Simonweb 2]

Do people really buy physical games these days? I thought the majority purchased digital games because it's just so much easier. To be totally honest with you, I don't think there is any point in starting a physical game store these days.

[Ash 26]

On 8/14/2021 at 6:57 PM, Simonweb said:

Do people really buy physical games these days? I thought the majority purchased digital games because it's just so much easier. To be totally honest with you, I don't think there is any point in starting a physical game store these days.

I prefer to buy digital games before games I haven't played before or are unsure about since I can always return it. To be honest, even with games I love, I like to have a physical copy to look and hold.

[Razor1911 2]

On 8/22/2021 at 1:17 AM, Ash said:

I prefer to buy digital games before games I haven't played before or are unsure about since I can always return it. To be honest, even with games I love, I like to have a physical copy to look and hold.

That sad but the physical stores have been under too much stress nowadays. I have my one friend who runs offline shops of selling games consoles and accessories. It is unfortunate that during the pabdemic period he had suffered a lot financially.

 

I think it is better to move online with our stores. As it will give us more exposure to the customer base.

[ZandraJoi 1]

For many, many years now people seem to prefer online shopping over going to physical stores. Just look at all the HSN channels you can just phone in your order! Selling games online is not any different. It's really supply & demand. If you have a niche that you feel others may utilize, then an online store would be beneficial. Some do it via Ebay where they have better control over it. 

[EmpireKicking 155]

What you gotta do is follow the Dave and Buster's model. Hand out free game store bucks to everyone. They use these game store bucks to buy games at your game store. Then, when they need more games they come back to your store and spend their cash on more game store bucks which they then use to buy more games from your game store. The end goal is a self-sustaining economy of real bucks and game bucks.

[nomad 6]

Our government strictly forbids people from sending money to the foreign counties, however, a lot of people who play games need to make in-game purchases, and there are stores that provide in-game top ups, game gift cards, etc. This is a booming business n small towns.,

[Puppuccino 1]

I think that video games are so easily available online, I wouldn't suggest opening a store because it'd be impossible to get up and running and even then, your return wouldn't be very high.