Best Buy Fails to Intimidate GameStop in Used Games Market
June 26, 2009 by srfto
Best Buy has decided to jump into the used video game market, much in the vein of Wal-Mart with automated kiosks. GameStop isn’t exactly breaking a sweat over it, though.
Best Buy’s automated kiosks are being tested in select stores in Houston and Austin, Texas. The kiosks check the games for readability and if they’re in working order, issue the credit on a Best Buy gift card immediately.
They’re hoping to get those who don’t want to have to wait in lines to trade at their stores, of which there are many considering America’s obsession with getting things done as quickly as possible.
If the kiosks do well enough, Best Buy stores will also be selling used games to give their consumers more of a choice.
GameStop had some words on the new competition at their annual shareholder meeting on Tuesday, saying that “trading in used games and consoles is a highly-assisted activity,” adding that they are confident that their “expert associates” give an definite edge over the self-serve process that the kiosks provide.
Not a lot of expertise goes into trading in games, but it is true that most people who go into GameStop to trade in games immediately ask what games are “good.” So that alone would give the game retailer a huge edge.
GameStop seems to feel like the king of the mountain, but trading in for a Best Buy gift card has its advantages over a GameStop one sometimes.
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