Borders Books testing game sales in London

by Kyle Orland { Feb 29th 2008 at 12:00PM }

Those worried that these new-fangled video games are taking vital attention away from the written word likely won't be too happy with the news that Borders Books is reportedly testing game sales in its Oxford Street London store. A handful of PC titles sit alongside the store's selection of CDs and DVDs as part of a pilot program that Borders UK and Ireland Commercial Director David Kohn thinks could expand to be a core part of the store's business.

"When it comes to Borders, we believe that computer games could deliver a level of sales equal or greater than our current DVD business," he said. "This could amount to as much as ten per cent of total Borders sales."

Kohn seemed particularly interested in adding Wii and DS titles to the stores' selection in order to "complement our market-leading children's line-up." Great idea ... just be careful which Wii games you put in the children's section. Flesh-eating zombies don't necessarily complement Hop on Pop.

Tags: borders, borders books, borders-books, BordersBooks, london, retail, test, UK

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Marshmallow713 @ Feb 29th 2008 12:06PM

Are they going to add "games" under there name? Just pick something and stick with it...

baby sea tuna @ Feb 29th 2008 12:38PM

Please refer to page one of the responses.

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/28/brawl-effect-wii-outsells-ps3-4-to-1-in-japan/

Ethan @ Feb 29th 2008 2:40PM

their their, don't worry.

hvnlysoldr @ Mar 1st 2008 9:24PM

Haha because there/their/they're rules are discussed. I see what you did their.

Jon @ Feb 29th 2008 12:06PM

I am pretty sure that Borders stores in the UK do sells a very small range of generic budget PC games. But I haven't been into the Oxford Street one for six months now, but their Brighton stores has games.

risrepkel @ Feb 29th 2008 12:10PM

Might I suggest that PC games aren't a very accurate test if a market exists for games? I'm not sure what console is hot in Europe, but you can't go wrong with stocking PS2 games for a test run.

Nigeria: the graphics have amazing gameplay @ Feb 29th 2008 12:11PM

I brought a copy of EEEEE EEE EEEE there. And The Invisible Man, and some other books.

I would also like to say Oxford Street is an awful place.

Marty @ Feb 29th 2008 12:16PM

Oh good, now they'll have one more reason to clear out anything that was worth a crap in the store, and stop carrying rare / unique books to make room. Because everyone in the country wants to read only the same 5 top seller books.

Kye Grammar DF @ Feb 29th 2008 12:17PM

OK its its time to worry.
Once major names start seeing the Wii as "kiddie" the developers will make kiddy games.
Then it's the Gamecube all over again :(

Shagittarius @ Feb 29th 2008 12:18PM

"Once major names start seeing the Wii as "kiddie"

START seeing?

Kye Grammar DF @ Feb 29th 2008 12:57PM

Yes, start seeing.
Did I say something wrong?

Erwos @ Feb 29th 2008 12:24PM

I would really like to see this happen in the US. The nearest Borders to us is much, much closer than the nearest Gamestop. For some releases, I wouldn't mind just walking over and picking it up at full price.

Besides, they sell DVDs and music already. How much worse could some video games be?

Jack @ Feb 29th 2008 1:02PM

My local Borders has been selling video games since 2004. Not of GameStop proportions but games none the less.

doom saber @ Feb 29th 2008 2:05PM

They actually did this in the U.S. a decade ago

I recall buying PC games like Megaman X and wanted to get knights of Xazar(spell?) (Dragon Knight 3) when I was younger. They had a huge selection, though I think the pc game prices were normal.

Gordon @ Feb 29th 2008 12:27PM

People buy DVD's at their prices??

Zootittles @ Feb 29th 2008 12:31PM

That's what I was thinking as well.

See where this is going?

NINJABREADMAN- $39.99

Gavin @ Feb 29th 2008 12:32PM

Will they mark them up to absurd prices like they do DVDs and CDs?

Nick the Hero of Canton @ Feb 29th 2008 3:11PM

And books?

I bought that Stephen Colbert book there for 30 bucks (because I wanted to read it on the way home) but it was 15-20 everywhere else.

Daniel @ Feb 29th 2008 12:33PM

I like how the company is called Borders UK and Ireland. I live in Ireland, and unless it's quite well hidden I don't recall seeing any Borders. In fact, the only time I have seen one is in the US.

Tom @ Feb 29th 2008 12:58PM

True, I've only ever seen one in the UK and that was in Leeds. It's not like W.H Smith which you can find in any town or city.

BigD145 @ Feb 29th 2008 12:37PM

They are going to have major issues with returns. I know, I've worked big box before.

ComicShaman @ Feb 29th 2008 1:09PM

Odd. I'm pretty sure the Borders in my area already tried this, and eventually liquidated its games section. Which was a good move, since they had a kind of half-assed approach to it anyway.

Comrade Penguin @ Feb 29th 2008 2:15PM

As mentioned before this just seems to dilute what borders do even more than they have already. On top of that testing it in Oxford Street seems an odd place to choose given the number of specialist games stores and huge HMV/Zaavis just down the road. Guess I'm going to have to stick with Foyles.