Question: Mom & Pop/Independent Video Game Stores

[Shaver]

Do you use them?

How many are around you?

What are the advantages of the big box retailers?

Does it matter?

I'm seriously interested in the answers here.

[TJdaSportsGuy]

Re: Question: Mom & Pop/Independent Video Game Stores

Do you use them?

How many are around you?

What are the advantages of the big box retailers?

Does it matter?

I'm seriously interested in the answers here.

- Yes

- 3 or 4, all the same company. It's our little mini-franchise in town.

- Advantages are the occasional early release. Other than that, no real advantage.

- Nope, doesn't matter to me.

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: Question: Mom & Pop/Independent Video Game Stores

I have for big releases that they get early.

1 within 10 minutes and 1 two hours away.

They get games in early, sell early, and charge the same.

I got NCAA 5 days early from the 2 hours away place, they sell everything early, even had a giant sign on the front saying "We have NCAA Football 07". Funny thing was that around the corner was a Gamestop. My more local one gets very few games in, they got 4 copies of Crackdown on Friday, all of which were gone within hours, but I saw them right when they came in so I could have had one. I got WWE Smackdown there last year almost 2 weeks early. They had The Departed on DVD 3 weeks ago. Stuff like that.

I like to use them here and there to keep them in business.

[Skerik]

Re: Question: Mom & Pop/Independent Video Game Stores

I've used one a few times within the past year or so. It's a bit of a trek from me, but they willingly violate street dates for games like Madden and that's really the only thing that makes dealing with them any different from dealing with big chains. I guess they figure they're too small a fish for companies like EA to nail to the wall for violating street dates and they need to do stuff like that to provide a service that bigger chains don't offer.

Otherwise, their stock and overall apperaance aren't nearly as good as larger stores. And in my immediate area, there are basically zero "mom and pop" videogame stores.

[Meatball]

Re: Question: Mom & Pop/Independent Video Game Stores

I use Gamestop because of a two reasons.

1) Its super close to my house.

2) The guy knows me pretty well and he hooks me up with deals.

I also haven't gotten screwed with them..........yet.

[aukevin]

Re: Question: Mom & Pop/Independent Video Game Stores

I don't know of any around my area. All I want from a video game store is for them to get the games as early as possible. Whoever gets it the earliest usually gets my money.

[Shaver]

Re: Question: Mom & Pop/Independent Video Game Stores

So, there's no appeal to (a) supporting the small business owner and (b) having that more personal experience?

You're most likely going to pay the same price both places.

Besides an occasional early release, what would make you WANT to use an independent store?

[nyisles16]

Re: Question: Mom & Pop/Independent Video Game Stores

only got the "big boys" by me... heck, I have 3 Gamestops within 300 ft of one another (two in the same mall right around the corner from each other)

[Nivek]

Re: Question: Mom & Pop/Independent Video Game Stores

Do you use them?

How many are around you?

What are the advantages of the big box retailers?

Does it matter?

I'm seriously interested in the answers here.

- Yes
- Not many, about 3 or 4 that I regularly go to.
- Yes, they have better promotions and they usually give me 5% off all purchases b/c I'm a registered member.
- Yes it does matter, I'm a firm believer of supporting local businesses. I hate major corporations (mainly b/c I work for one) and they usually make it very hard for small companies to stay in business.

[Nivek]

Re: Question: Mom & Pop/Independent Video Game Stores

So, there's no appeal to (a) supporting the small business owner and (b) having that more personal experience?

You're most likely going to pay the same price both places.

Besides an occasional early release, what would make you WANT to use an independent store?

A) Huge appeal, but that's just me...I like supporting local stores/bands/whatever. Gives me a sense of awareness in the community.

B)Most people don't give a **** about a personal experince in a gaming store. It's not a haircut or any type of service; you pickout a game, you buy it, you leave. Unless they have some sort of kiosk or run tournements in that store (both very expensive), nobody will care.

[Skerik]

Re: Question: Mom & Pop/Independent Video Game Stores

There would definitely be an appeal to support the small business owner if there were any around here to support. But I'm not sure if that support would extend to waiting for a game that I was really desperate to have because the mom & pop store near me only got 3 in while the bigger chain got 20.

As far as the personal experience thing, that would be the last reason I'd support a smaller store. The people in those stores are generally nerds of the highest order and one of my greatest fears is being trapped in a conversation with one of them. I want to go in, get what I came for, and get out. I don't want a personal experience.

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: Question: Mom & Pop/Independent Video Game Stores

There would definitely be an appeal to support the small business owner if there were any around here to support. But I'm not sure if that support would extend to waiting for a game that I was really desperate to have because the mom & pop store near me only got 3 in while the bigger chain got 20.

As far as the personal experience thing, that would be the last reason I'd support a smaller store. The people in those stores are generally nerds of the highest order and one of my greatest fears is being trapped in a conversation with one of them. I want to go in, get what I came for, and get out. I don't want a personal experience.

I actually find the knobs working at Gamestop worse. The ones at my local one aren't bad, since it's more of a music store, they generally have no clue what the game I'm buying is even about.

[aukevin]

Re: Question: Mom & Pop/Independent Video Game Stores

I never really cared about having personal experience at a video game store. I never really considered a video game something that needed that personal touch in store. I usually buy games at release so their opinions of the game won't carry that much weight with me I don't think since neither of us would have had time to really come up with an opinion. In my own experience, video game stores are quick in and out stops for me, they aren't places that I hang around and chat with people like I do at someplace like the comic book store. So a personal experience at a video game store doesn't have much appeal to me.

Also, it's probably a fault in me, but I've never had a conviction of helping the small business owner. I don't shop at stores like that often unless it benefits me, and I've really only worked in corporate enviroments, as did my family growing up.

If there was a mom and pop store that got games early, I would use them for that reason, but I don't see any other reason that I would go out of my way to get it from them over somewhere like Gamestop who I pass 4 of their stores on the way home from work each day.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: Question: Mom & Pop/Independent Video Game Stores

In terms of movies, I do my best to avoid Rogers and Blockbuster.

I give most of my business to a local Mom and Pop store. I know the owner and he has the best prices. I also like the service. The trade off is that he has a smaller variety of films/tv shows than the big chains and he doesn't have as many copies.

[SPTO]

Re: Question: Mom & Pop/Independent Video Game Stores

I usually only use the big chain stores to buy my video games BUT I have had a history of supporting local business.

I was a member of a local/small video rental store for YEARS. Sometimes they wouldn't have the newest releases on time but that was offset by the friendly service and the knowledge that i'm helping the small guy make it in the world. The only reason why my family and I switched to Blockbuster was because of a dispute we had with the owner of the place which severed our relationship.

Also when it comes to dining out we don't go to the big establishments but rather the small places that serve food from my culture. My father also only goes to small restaurants of the same type to hang out with his friends. In fact I think the Toronto and surrounding area is one of the best places in the world when it comes to supporting culturally diverse and independent restaurant owners.