Lee Stewart
10-06-2009, 10:46 AM
Wal-Mart Selling Used Games
By : Erik Gruenwedel | Posted: 05 Oct 2009
egruenwedel@questex.com
Wal-Mart Stores Oct. 5 began offering used videos games for sale, including games for the Nintendo Wii, DS/DSi, Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3, with prices from 15% to 30% off suggested retail.
The Bentonville, Ark.-based retail behemoth launched a pre-owned video software page online (www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp) that coincides with kiosk operator e-Play’s installation of kiosks capable of accepting used games in 70 Wal-Mart stores in the Northeast.
The push toward used games comes as game retailers scramble to offset plunging sales of new games, which in August fell 16% from the same month in 2008, according to data from The NPD Group. Overall game sales have fallen behind 14% year-to-date compared to 2008, from $10.58 billion to $9.07 billion.
Toys “R” Us, Best Buy and Amazon this year bowed used game trade-in programs, spearheaded by No. 1 game retailer Game Stop, which reported that 70% of credits generated from traded-in product are used to purchase new games at regular prices.
An executive with retailer Game Crazy, which is owned by Movie Gallery, recently told IGN that 20% of monthly revenue came from pre-owned product.
That said, Gallery last week said it would shutter 200 Game Crazy locations.
http://www.homemediamagazine.com/wal-mart/wal-mart-selling-used-games-17224
By : Erik Gruenwedel | Posted: 05 Oct 2009
egruenwedel@questex.com
Wal-Mart Stores Oct. 5 began offering used videos games for sale, including games for the Nintendo Wii, DS/DSi, Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3, with prices from 15% to 30% off suggested retail.
The Bentonville, Ark.-based retail behemoth launched a pre-owned video software page online (www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp) that coincides with kiosk operator e-Play’s installation of kiosks capable of accepting used games in 70 Wal-Mart stores in the Northeast.
The push toward used games comes as game retailers scramble to offset plunging sales of new games, which in August fell 16% from the same month in 2008, according to data from The NPD Group. Overall game sales have fallen behind 14% year-to-date compared to 2008, from $10.58 billion to $9.07 billion.
Toys “R” Us, Best Buy and Amazon this year bowed used game trade-in programs, spearheaded by No. 1 game retailer Game Stop, which reported that 70% of credits generated from traded-in product are used to purchase new games at regular prices.
An executive with retailer Game Crazy, which is owned by Movie Gallery, recently told IGN that 20% of monthly revenue came from pre-owned product.
That said, Gallery last week said it would shutter 200 Game Crazy locations.
http://www.homemediamagazine.com/wal-mart/wal-mart-selling-used-games-17224