@monkeyking1969 said:
Selling new and used games, Funko Pops, and plushies; while trying to flip-sell smartphones is not a long term business model. The bubness mode shoudl answer WHY should someone come down to a shopping mall? Why did they psycslly need toi be in our stores? Or, what can we do in our stores that would be worth being pyschilly present- what services cna we offer that fit within of gaming, pop-culture brand?
Because, "Well, some people still like to buy physical games" does not answer the questions of why someone PHYSICALLY has to come to a store. And, they have to think about this at teh very moment that going to the malls to have physical contact with other humans being is a "trigger" for CONVID-19 discussions.
I think you really hit it on it there. Their store experience isn't currently offering anything by its existence. Most games these days are sold digitally and for people who want a physical copy they aren't selling anything that you can't get at someplace like Target, or, if we're talking used games, off of Amazon. Really, the only thing they "offer" is increased hassle from salespeople trained to push a bunch of pre-order non-sense on you.
Personally, if I were in charge I would shutter even more stores and focus on making the ones that are left super high-end. They need to try to get it to feel like an exclusive experience going there rather than some random gathering place in the mall. Focus more on high-end hardware than games, maybe by adding in some top-shelf PC stuff on top of consoles. For the games they do sell, curate the collection so it's only the best new stuff and the truly classic and/or hard to find older stuff.
It's sort of like car dealerships. Right now, GameStop is the skeevy used-car lot off the freeway - cheap, run-down, and probably trying to scam you. Ideally, they'd be more like a Lamborghini dealership - super high-end, super-exclusive, and a more than a little bit snobby but selling the dream of buying a car as much as the car itself.
Step One: I think once CONVID-19 passes (Janauary 2021?) All Game Stops in malls that are not about to shutter, (yeah, this whole thing will wipe out so many malls and shopping plazas that are on teh edge), should find larger spaces and become places where people can play D&D, Magic, Yugioh, etc. Basically an "all gaming" center: video games, role play games, card games, etc. It maybe sound crazy but so what independant hobby shops have been doing - act as a local center for card & RPG gaming. So, teh first step is get stable ized doing gaming hobbies.
Step Two: Now we get into expansion beyond gaming hobbies into all hobbies. Corner the market on "commercial" Makerspaces - wood, matal, plastics, welding, building, and other makinbg activites . Big cities have co-op makerspaces, but small cities and the suburbs don't because you need seed money for all those expsive tools, teahers, etc. Yet, isn't a "Makerspace" a real reason to be somewhere PHYSICALLY! And with shopping malls becoming empty there is a TON of space to convert to leasable 'shop' (as industrial arts) space. Want to build a 12ft boat, but don't have a garage? Want to learn woodworking or welding, but done have the money to buy every tool? Want access to a high-end 5 axis mills and 3D printers? Old shopping malls have the space, while modern homes, apartments, and condos are build ar made WITHOUT garages and workshops!
Even better, makerspaces need other retailers to sell raw materials to build with. A Makerspaces needs Lowes, Home Depot, Joann's Fabrics, Radio Shacks, CompUSA, and all the other stores that sell "raw" materials for projects and hobbies! And if you put those IN THE MALL that is a makerspace you can walk to get supplies. I don't need Banana Republics or a Forever 21...but I sure could use a pace where I can lease a 12" x 12" space to build a boat and a lockup for my tools. Maker spaces are places you PHYSICALLY need to be in!
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