Gamefly opening East Coast distribution center ... finally!
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Mar 29th 2007 at 3:55PM }
In a move that should bring much rejoicing by Gamefly members, compounded by their distance from Inglewood, Calif., Gamefly is finally opening up an East Coast distribution center. The site is located in Pittsburgh, PA. An official announcement has not been made by Gamefly about this new hub because they are working out the kinks to "supply the best experience possible."Part of the email sent to certain members read, "Initially, we are launching this new distribution center for only a small subset of our members so we can complete our testing and training efforts. Over the next several weeks, we'll broaden the reach of this new distribution center to more members." Gamefly says the official announcement of this new center is not expected for a month or two.
East Coast members of the service have become accustomed to week and a half long waits in receiving their next game. Gamefly's fast return, which was meant to recognize when a member dropped a game back in the mail and then send out the next title on the queue, has been a hit or miss system. This new distribution site should cut down shipping times and alleviate traffic in the West Coast center, meaning faster turnaround there. All good consumer news. Gamefly also has some of the best deals in used games, they'll even ship the buyer the "new" case and manual.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
James @ Mar 29th 2007 4:17PM
A GameFly center in my hometown?!
*Cancels GameznFlix subscription*
thehunter1320 @ Mar 29th 2007 4:04PM
FINALLY!! I loved gamefly, but I had to dump it because, living in Ohio, it took way too long. I started going to my local blockbuster and using their gamepass which is more expensive and they have a much smaller selection. Thanks gamefly, I'll see you in a month or two.
IslandLife @ Mar 29th 2007 4:05PM
YAAAAY!!
Now I can rent an get all my gam... Ohh wait a minute, I live in the Bahamas:(
Sean @ Mar 29th 2007 4:06PM
For someone that is in PA: good! I tried the service two years ago and enjoyed the games I played, but the wait was BRUTAL!
I may start it again, since I will most likely be getting Wii/Xbox360 soon (thank you IRS return).
Abras @ Mar 29th 2007 4:07PM
I live in ohio too. It's not that slow...
But this IS good news for me.
Mr Khan @ Mar 29th 2007 4:08PM
Yay!
That's only 50 miles away
Maybe now it would finally be worth it to have a GameFly account...
Christopher7xii @ Mar 29th 2007 4:10PM
Please god.... faster...
Davik @ Mar 29th 2007 4:12PM
Hooray! I love Gamefly but I'm in IL and it kinda sucks waiting 3 or 4 days for games to arrive.
JodyAnthony @ Mar 29th 2007 4:11PM
I'm just outside of chicago and the longest I ever waited when I had gamefly was 3 days from shipment to my doorstep. I ended up cancelling my account, but I should start it back up again one day. Tried using gamesnflix.com, talk about a wait! It would take 4 or 5 days to get a game! sucked. Cancelled my account after one month
insertnamehere @ Mar 29th 2007 4:17PM
East coasters are better off with using Games n Flix. They have less of a selection, but they're based in Boston, so much more amenable turnover times. Plus they are cheaper.
Andrew @ Mar 29th 2007 6:32PM
I've been a Gamefly member for a while now. I have to say, the only way to bear the turnaround was to have the "two out at a time" plan. Play one while the other is in transit. I think this is the smartest thing they could do to increase membership. And the used game store is the best kept secret out there. With the rewards system, you get % discounts and $5 coupons every quarter. I rented Gears when it came out, then bought it a month later for under $40. Can't beat that.
Zertoss @ Mar 29th 2007 4:15PM
Gamefly dumped me when some mail carrier(s) kept stealing the games when I'd send them back. Games usually took a couple of days to get to me, not far south of Houston, when I had the service. Maybe I'll try again someday.
Zack11190 @ Mar 29th 2007 4:19PM
Still doesn't help the people living in the MidWest (like me). They need to build a center in St. Louis or Chicago.
Josh @ Mar 30th 2007 1:42PM
You people who got games in 3 or 4 days in Ohio.. where the hell do you live?? I live in KY and it took friggin WEEKS!!!!!!!
WWWWEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKSSSSS!!!!!!
Joshua @ Mar 29th 2007 4:24PM
12. Actually a PA location will help Midwest folks a lot. I-70 well help with that.
Here in Indianapolis it takes GameFly 4-5 days to receive my games. The fast return only works about 10% of the time.
Receiving the games takes 4-5 days as well.
I'm glad to see the new location though I am a little shocked they didn't try Indianapolis.
Zack11190 @ Mar 29th 2007 6:27PM
@13
I live in St. Louis, which is pretty much equal distant from CA and PA. It will still take the same amount of time for games to arrive.
Nate @ Mar 29th 2007 4:40PM
YESSSS
That is the only reason I cancelled my subscription.
Daniel Clausen @ Mar 29th 2007 7:57PM
Ok, wouldn't it make a lot more sense to open up a distribution center in the middle of the country. Oklahoma City is the exact center of the U.S. and would help speed up delivery to people all over the country. Netflix put a distribution center there for that reason.
Byll @ Mar 29th 2007 6:30PM
This is awesome news, but 9 out of the 10 games in my queue have a short wait on them (and have for a while now).
I'm not sure this new distro center is going to do much to change that.
Seraph @ Mar 29th 2007 11:33PM
Speaking of Fast Return, why does it work so infrequently? Is it GameFly's problem or the Post Office's?
I live in Texas, so I don't know how much this news will help me, but it's good to hear they realize their is a huge problem and they are working on fixing it. I look forward to the day when GameFly is as big as Netflix and has shipping centers all over the country.
Matthew
billychaos @ Mar 29th 2007 5:44PM
YES!!!! I live in Pittsburgh. I'm expecting next day.
john @ Mar 29th 2007 5:33PM
I live in Brooklyn and I just subscribed. I had no idea there were shortage problems on the east coast. I got my first 2 games yesterday, and they were shipped out 2 days before that. Not so bad.
I think Gamefly, or a similar rental place is the way to go for the next few months if you've got a Wii. There are a lot of games that seem like they use the motion controls in interesting ways, but aren't worth purchasing to fiddle with. Marble Mania, for instance.
bryan2four2 @ Mar 29th 2007 5:37PM
pft....I live like 30 minutes at the most from the Inglewood location(hell....I was born in Inglewood). I love the fact that I get a game pretty much the day after they send it(and they generally get it the day after I send mine in). This is great for people in the midwest and the east coast(especially for those in New England).
Nate @ Mar 29th 2007 7:30PM
very nice. i myself am from pittsburgh. perhaps i will try out this shennanigans
Jeff @ Mar 30th 2007 11:04AM
I was really happy with Gamefly before, but I have noticed a DRAMATIC improvement since I reenlisted two months ago (I live in NYC). I send a game in, they get it by Fast Return in 2 days and I have the next game two days later. This has happened every time for me except once, where it was a four day delay before Fast Return.
Also, no more missing games because of the non-orange envelopes?
Richard DeV @ Mar 29th 2007 8:56PM
too bad for them I already cancelled over this. Gameznflix is cheaper with 3 out at a time than gamefly 2 games out at a time. and its on the east coast....and you can get movies too. So why people on the east coast choose gamefly over gamesnflix i dont know...
Brad @ Mar 29th 2007 7:36PM
This is one of the reasons why I haven't signed up yet. So maybe I'll give it a shot.
I got spoiled when I first used Netflix. I was so close to a distribution center that if I put something in the mail tuesday, I'd have a new movie wednesday morning.
GRT @ Mar 29th 2007 8:17PM
Good news! My last Gamefly exchange (from the day I sent a game back to when the next one in my queue got to me) was 12 days! And that was with a 1 day turnaround at Gamefly HQ.
That said, Gamerang has 4 distribution centers scattered around the US, but I have no idea how good they are, as I just found out about them.
Matt @ Apr 4th 2007 9:51PM
This is AWESOME. I go to college in PA! And I just started the paid service about 3 weeks ago. So I'm so excited that it won't be forever between games anymore!
Craigo @ Mar 31st 2007 3:50PM
@ 18:
Christ, look at a map. The distance between LA and St. Louis looks to more than twice that between Pittsburgh and St. Louis.
Lewis @ Apr 1st 2007 12:52PM
NYC needed some lovin. Finally.
Jeff @ Mar 30th 2007 11:05AM
Sorry. At first I meant to say I WASN'T happy with Gamefly before.
Joe K. @ Mar 30th 2007 11:35AM
I just subscribed to Gamefly this past week and got my first game in about three days (I live in Maine). But this is still good news, maybe they can get it down to one day. :)
scooterge558 @ Mar 30th 2007 2:01PM
I live in St. Louis, and I sent a game back last Saturday, they (GameFly) stated yesterday (Thursday) that they had received it. Now it'll be another 4-6 days before I get my next one.
James @ Mar 30th 2007 2:26PM
Hrm, just noticed a Fatwallet thread with a coupon code that makes GamesnFlix $9.75 for 2-at-a-time. You can't beat that with a stick. I think I may sign up tonite when I get home...
al proco @ Apr 3rd 2007 9:00AM
gameznflix vs. gamefly....
both companies get complaints about delivery time... to me it's simple... gameznflix is almost half the price and i can get a movie every now & then.... so, if one of my games/movies comes longer than expected, at least i am paying half the price...
Justin Felder @ Apr 4th 2007 3:55AM
Good news. I'm reading some of these horror stories and realizing I didn't have it so bad after all. I've never had to wait a week for a game; and I live in South Carolina. The longest has probably been 5 days. I average at 2...though now it's seem to drop to 3. I'm guessing it's became I live in a rural area.
Pat @ Apr 7th 2007 10:23PM
@ #11, didn't you read? Thats what this is all about, gamefly opening a east distribution center.
Dave @ Apr 19th 2007 2:25PM
Well with gamefly partnering with brightspot 2 games out at a time is only 11 bucks. 3 games out at a time is 18 which is only 2 bucks more expensive than gamesnflix's 2 at a time but instead of 2 at a time you get 3. I think thats a better deal and am really exited about gamefly getting an east coast hub. That would be a 1-2 day delivery for me in Buffalo, NY area.