Retail Review: Game Play USA
I’ve been back in Massachusetts for three months now, and I’ve slowly been reacquainting myself with the landscape. I heard about a place called Game Play that was something new that had sprung up in my absence and wanted to check it out as a change of pace from Video Game Castle (which I love) and GameStop (with whom most of my recent experiences here have been poor). I didn’t know what to expect, and was surprised by how much I enjoyed the experience. It’s not perfect, but it’s a store with an independent feel and yet a very professional demeanor.
When I walked in, the first thing that caught my attention was the size of the store. It’s pretty large for a games-only retailer, based on my experience. All of the current generation platforms were well-represented, with a good selection of new and previously owned software. The original Xbox and PlayStation 2 also had fair selections of used games to look over. While (aside from the inclusion of original Xbox games) this sounds similar to any GameStop layout, the comparison ended with banks of TVs and gaming chairs for customers to play on. There was also more gaming-related merchandise, including some great t-shirts for sale that I had to force myself not to buy. The store was all about video games, but without the “corporate drone” feel of a GameStop location.
The gaming stations were pretty busy. For a fee per hour, customers can play games at will, or they can use the time to try out games before they buy them. If the gameplay hourly fee is used to try out a game and the customer decides to buy that game, the fee is applied to the cost of the game, which is a nice touch. It’s not quite the risk-free game trial approach that FuncoLand and a few other independent retailers have used in the past, but it seems fair given the setup and operating cost involved. I love the idea of having game stations like this. It doesn’t replace arcades, but if you have a free hour, being able to play some games on a nice setup like Game Play has is a nice idea. It’s great for parties, too.
The staff was great, to a person. The manager sincerely took to the fact that I was a new customer without going overboard. He described a bit about the store and where to find things, but that was it. Customers are given free reign to browse without pressure, and questions were answered with a smile and with as much knowledge as possible. If an answer wasn’t known, an honest “I’m not sure” was given, which impressed me as I observed a couple of interactions. There were two upsell items: one is a $15 annual membership card, which is similar to other gaming retail membership programs but also discounts the hourly rate for playing games in the store. The other was for scratch/damage protection for games, similar to GameStop‘s model. The pitch I was given was casual in nature, with no real pressure to buy. The manager was ringing my transaction and seemed more interested in getting me to come back because I wanted to, rather than investing in a card or other features to “win” my loyalty. I did take the card and the protection on the items I bought, if only because the pitch was so stress-free. Other transactions I witnessed with different staff members went the same way; there were a lot of passes, but rejections didn’t seem to matter.
Game Play also does one thing that other gaming retailers don’t do. New games sell for $55, not $60. It encourages new game sales and serves as a motivator to buy from this store. The manager explained to me that competing with a retail giant like GameStop is a major challenge, but consumers seem receptive to the lower price and that those customers usually end up being repeat customers. Cuts like that might not be possible with the pre-owned side of the business and trade-ins, but not once during my visit did I hear sales of a used game being pushed over the sale of a new game. The idea of a sales transaction of any type seemed to be the more important factor.
The store also hosts regular tournaments. There are sometimes entry fees to cover costs, but turnouts have apparently been quite good and these events build community ties. I’ve always been a big proponent of tournaments and am a big fan of Game Play‘s active role in helping to organize and host them. I’m probably going to drop in and watch the Super Smash Bros. Brawl event on February 25th. I won’t play (because I’m terrible, quite frankly) but it’s fun to get caught up in an event and see who comes out on top.
Game Play really impressed me, and I recommend it to other video gaming fans here in the Springfield, MA area. If the store can stay the course with great staff, fun events, and a low pressure sales environment as I saw this past weekend, then it’s a great alternative to GameStop and shows that brick & mortar stores just might have a bit more of a future than we think.
