Speculation among industry analysts has amplified surrounding the possible purchase of meganormous video game retailer GameStop by big box electronics/media retailer Best Buy. The Dow Jones Newswire (via the Wall Street Journal) followed up with Best Buy CFO Ryan Robinson recently, who, unsurprisingly, wouldn't directly comment.
He responds, however, by saying that his company hasn't been taking advantage of the used game market in the way some competitors are. "We've not developed the capability to the extent that other participants have," Robinson says, calling the used game business a "very margin-rich portion" of the game sales market, and adding, "there's opportunity in that business." Opportunity that Best Buy clearly saw fit enough to enterprise on with a foray into used games in 2005 and another this year -- heck, they even price match new game prices with used game ones every now and then.
Still, Best Buy outright purchasing GameStop would be a real stretch, says BloggingStocks.com. "There's no overlooking the roughly $4.2 billion it would cost to buy up Gamestop, and Best Buy doesn't have that much cash," the piece claims, saying Best Buy wouldn't see a return on the investment "any time soon." We've reached out to Best Buy for comment and have yet to hear back as of publication.
Update: A Best Buy representative got back to us with the stock, "We don't comment on rumors or speculation."
[Via Kotaku]
Reader Comments (40)
Posted: Sep 21st 2009 9:44PM (Unverified) said
For some reason I imagined your post being spoken by a slightly-less-nasally John Cleese. Needless to say it was pretty funny.
Reply
Posted: Sep 21st 2009 9:43PM (Unverified) said
Every once in a while they may have a bargain bin with some decent titles in it. They have had some good sales on collector's editions of games as well. As a whole, though, I agree. It's almost never my first choice for where I want to buy a game.
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Posted: Sep 21st 2009 9:55PM (Unverified) said
Maybe if games weren't 70 bucks a pop there wouldn't be such a big used game market.
Reply
Posted: Sep 21st 2009 9:58PM Special Agent Steve said
1200,000?
ZOMG
That's like... 1199,999 more people than I actually know!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!
HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?
Reply
ZOMG
That's like... 1199,999 more people than I actually know!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!
HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?
Posted: Sep 21st 2009 9:59PM Special Agent Steve said
Quick question:
Can I fuck on the first date?
Reply
Can I fuck on the first date?
Posted: Sep 21st 2009 10:01PM (Unverified) said
Posted: Sep 21st 2009 10:03PM (Unverified) said
That has nothing to do with anything.
You're stealing my job, motherfucker!
Reply
You're stealing my job, motherfucker!
Posted: Sep 21st 2009 10:02PM ArchiGamer said
The name sugarlove makes me giggle for some odd reason......
Reply
Posted: Sep 21st 2009 10:02PM (Unverified) said
Best Buy has a better chance by marketing better deals than Gamestop usually does. Attach some accessories and gift cards to preorders, get more limited editions, etc.
I love Best Buy's reward program also. They have a lot of deals for games and they have a special $10 gift card for every $150 spent on gaming merchandise.
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I love Best Buy's reward program also. They have a lot of deals for games and they have a special $10 gift card for every $150 spent on gaming merchandise.
Posted: Sep 21st 2009 10:22PM Mr Khan said
They killed that price-matching thing, though. A forum-goer at VGChartz who lived at the Test Site out in Utah said so.
http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=83391
Reply
http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=83391
Posted: Sep 21st 2009 11:00PM (Unverified) said
I work at future shop which is owned by BEST BUY we are doing game trade ins and we pay way more then our competitors for example EB games and blockbuster pay about 15 for halo 3 and we are paying $25 not only that you get a store credit that's good for the whole store not just games!! Also we send the games away to be repaired fixed repackaged and missing manuels re added!! And the games are sold for less then what eb games sell them for as well!!
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Posted: Sep 21st 2009 11:15PM (Unverified) said
Posted: Sep 21st 2009 11:16PM (Unverified) said
Also unlike BEST BUY we do sell appliances and juicers so you could use your used game credit towards your new juicer ;)
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Posted: Sep 22nd 2009 12:16AM kmcroc said
sounds like great concept for best buy , but who to say best buy will stay afloat much longer. circuit city was a big store & look what happen to them.plus as it is stated BB does'nt have the funds for such a deal,worst case scenario is best buy get's help from a bank.best buy goes broke cause they can't cover the loan on time or mismangement fucks up somehow.then everything is put on hold for both companies. now gamestop is in danger of closing or will have to be sold at liquation sales just to cover some of the loan. now we as consumers are left with these webstores like Amazon or Ebay who say they will sell you stuff at great deals ,but nail you with these outlandish shipping fees just cause you want the item right away.from the looks of this concept it look like we the consumer or patrons of gamestop get the raw end of the deal in the long run.
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Posted: Sep 22nd 2009 1:28AM (Unverified) said
What about a wholly owned subsidiary like Magnolia, speakeasy, or dealtree. They've been buying small companies like crazy and Best Buy is one of the most liquid companies out there right now. They started buying instead of leasing spaces they've got the money but it seems more logical to put kiosks inside of best buys. When your corporate earnings are more than 56 billion in a year with a 21% profit growth goal for investors they could if they wanted.
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Posted: Sep 22nd 2009 2:14AM Davis4ever said
It won't matter. Just like Gamestop it will be good.... for a while. Then all used games will be just $5 less than new.
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