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Shrapnig posted:It actually worked out really well for Burlington (Don’t call us Coat Factory) Stores that people were talking about a few pages ago. I was working for them after they were acquired by Bain and had a chance to get in on the IPO and didn’t. They were offering shares at $17, it’s currently trading at $163. I was a manager on the distribution side and it was a horrible company to work for but I kind of wish I had bought into some shares looking back. There's a Burlington near me in an empty field, near a closed TRU and Burger King, surrounded by Hotels. It used to be part of an outlet mall (Great Mall of the Great Plains), but the mall closed because the owner stopped paying taxes. Burlington bought/rented the land it specifically was on, so when the mall closed, the city demolished it, except for the Burlington, which is still open. It's such a glorious shrine to lovely business practices.
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Jun 8, 2019 17:53
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FrozenVent posted:Yes if only this company had a completely different business model, they might be successful. And you'd be pivoting into a much smaller niche with terrible margins. Dominating that niche would be easy but hobbyist games are a $2 billion dollar niche, of which Kickstarter has around 10%. They probably could prevent their death but there would be a lot of blood letting in the process. And it puts them in a position where they really have no flexibility and growth will be very limited. Yeah, the majority of game stores are badly run and are one bad fart away from collapsing. And yes, a large company could improve margins a bit via economy of scale. But it's still a tiny pond.
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Jun 9, 2019 03:01
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GameStop would need to turn every store into a local store and focus on employee retention and customer service. 10 years ago. I think it would be nice to go buy games from someone who was there the last time, and who could recommend titles based on their personal experience, as well as my previous purchases. But that's basically never going to happen.
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Jun 9, 2019 03:19
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Yeah, the only way for a niche retailer of any kind to survive is to offer something online sales can't, and about the only thing is customer experience. If you walked into any given Gamestop and would get a salesperson with an encyclopedic knowledge of gaming who made good suggestions, you might slow the bleeding. But the ultimate killer is price. The final out-the-door dollar amount is 99% of determining where people spend their money. Gamestop has too many fixed costs their merchandise has to pay for to ever be competitive on price with digital sales.
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Jun 9, 2019 06:45
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The EU equivalent EB seems to have doubled down on merchandise and accessory sales and doesn't have as many of the annoying consumer-hostile practices, but they might have had a head start there with different management and a less garbage reputation. Physical video games are a rapidly narrowing market for obvious reasons, but there's still a niche for them. They just can't survive pissing off your customer base and relying on garbage practices.
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Jun 9, 2019 07:17
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Beachcomber posted:GameStop would need to turn every store into a local store and focus on employee retention and customer service. 10 years ago. Even though I do miss having actual, physical media to pick up, touch, and put on a shelf I have to admit that being able to buy any game I want with no worry about it running out at 3 a.m. while drunk and in my underwear is pretty fantastic.
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Jun 9, 2019 10:22
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How much of Steam's revenue is the video game equivalent of impulse buys at the checkout I wonder? I know I've got games I barely touch but bought them because they looked sorta interesting and were less than  .
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Jun 9, 2019 15:33
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Me: "$3.74? It would be stupid NOT to buy $game!" Also me: "eh, I'll play it later"
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Jun 9, 2019 16:04
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Steam definitely rakes in millions from that the human mind sees a price under a certain threshold as being basically free.
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Jun 9, 2019 17:50
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Volmarias posted:Me: "$3.74? It would be stupid NOT to buy $game!"
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Jun 9, 2019 18:02
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Volmarias posted:Me: "$3.74? It would be stupid NOT to buy $game!" Hello me. Its me again
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Jun 9, 2019 18:23
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ryonguy posted:How much of Steam's revenue is the video game equivalent of impulse buys at the checkout I wonder? I know I've got games I barely touch but bought them because they looked sorta interesting and were less than Ive woken up from a night of drinking to discover I put $100 in my steam account. Oops.
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Jun 10, 2019 13:06
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Just wanted to chime in on the "GameStop should sell tabletop games thing" and remind everyone that Wizards of the Coast tried this in 1999 and ended up closing all their stores by 2003. The market for tabletop games is so, so much smaller than video games. I worked at Alliance Games, the largest distributor in the country, for over a decade and even our best year of sales was still smaller than a single AAA title by several factors. It might give them a tiny bump, but just like video games, buying RPGs and Magic and board games is already so much cheaper online, it couldn't last. Literally as I'm typing this you can get a copy of the Player's Handbook for Dungeons and Dragons for $29.95 on Amazon. It retails for $49.95 and most stores get about 40% off, plus or minus 2% on depending on volume. Those margins are not pulled out of my rear end either, those are the current prices an independent store gets. A consumer can literally buy the quintessential book for D&D for the same price a store does. The leg up an actual game store has is playing space and carrying stuff that you otherwise would never see, two things that GameStop would not be able to do in all but their largest stores. They would still make less money than they would by keeping their claws in the dying market of physical video games.
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Jun 10, 2019 16:21
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There is a guy in our uncool town who seems intent on opening a sneaker + music store. If you want to guess what his interests/hobbies are, you would be right! I hope nobody is insane enough to give him a loan.
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Jun 10, 2019 16:33
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JB50 posted:Ive woken up from a night of drinking to discover I put $100 in my steam account. I did this recently except for a f2p game. Jesus Christ. I'm legitimately not drinking at home on weekends anymore. Wife and I are gonna have to figure out something else to spend time together
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Jun 10, 2019 16:42
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ADudeWhoAbides posted:Just wanted to chime in on the "GameStop should sell tabletop games thing" and remind everyone that Wizards of the Coast tried this in 1999 and ended up closing all their stores by 2003. The market for tabletop games is so, so much smaller than video games. I worked at Alliance Games, the largest distributor in the country, for over a decade and even our best year of sales was still smaller than a single AAA title by several factors. It might give them a tiny bump, but just like video games, buying RPGs and Magic and board games is already so much cheaper online, it couldn't last. I never actually played a game at those WotC stores, but goddamn did I spend so much money on games there. I miss that store.
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Jun 10, 2019 16:47
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I must live in a unicorn's arsehole because there's a gamestop and a games workshop two doors down from each other and a buffalo wild wings at the end literally right across a man road from my house.
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Jun 10, 2019 16:58
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BloodBag posted:I must live in a unicorn's arsehole because there's a gamestop and a games workshop two doors down from each other and a buffalo wild wings at the end literally right across a man road from my house.
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Jun 10, 2019 17:02
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Iron Crowned posted:I never actually played a game at those WotC stores, but goddamn did I spend so much money on games there. I miss that store.
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Jun 10, 2019 17:13
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FlamingLiberal posted:I bought way too many Star Trek CCG cards from the one that used to be near my house The old Decipher cards? I think they have a cult following online and might actually be worth something
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Jun 10, 2019 17:24
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BloodBag posted:I must live in a unicorn's arsehole because there's a gamestop and a games workshop two doors down from each other and a buffalo wild wings at the end literally right across a man road from my house. Games Workshop is such a wondrously strange beast when it comes to retail. They only sell their own products, so their margins are probably terrific (hard to know what they are cause they never release internals) and they keep costs low by operating only in strip malls with mostly single-person stores. Maybe one other person for call-outs and holidays. They used to have a bunch of multi-person stores in some big malls and what counts as high-street in the US, like a store in Harvard Square in Boston. But those all cost a bunch of money and weren't profitable. After closing or moving a bunch of stores, they're re-expanding with the current model and seem to be doing well. Fake edit - I'm sure the numbers have changed but I worked in GW's mail order in Maryland from 02-05. At the time employees could buy finished product (and plastic stuff) for 80% off, and the unpacked metal components by weight, 25 cents a gram. Never knew for sure but was told that even at those low costs the company still turned a profit off employee purchases. ADudeWhoAbides has a new favorite as of 19:01 on Jun 10, 2019 |
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Jun 10, 2019 18:56
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Sexual Aluminum posted:The old Decipher cards? I think they have a cult following online and might actually be worth something
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Jun 10, 2019 19:31
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Sexual Aluminum posted:The old Decipher cards? I think they have a cult following online and might actually be worth something Isn't Decipher another one of these company circling the drain stories. There was a huge LotR CCG following out here, and then Decipher just kinda poofed one day.
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Jun 10, 2019 19:53
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Anora posted:Isn't Decipher another one of these company circling the drain stories. There was a huge LotR CCG following out here, and then Decipher just kinda poofed one day.
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Jun 10, 2019 20:30
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Anora posted:Isn't Decipher another one of these company circling the drain stories. There was a huge LotR CCG following out here, and then Decipher just kinda poofed one day. They lost $1.5 million from one of their VPs embezzlement and don’t seem to have recovered, that led to them laying off 90 employees https://pilotonline.com/news/local/crime/article_d640b6dd-d781-5386-b0e7-e95602255a0b.html
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Jun 10, 2019 21:26
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I know at least .hack and Beyblade. Probably a bunch of other anime properties as well. Looks like they do How to Host a Murder now. Looked them up on Wiki, seems like poo poo went down: quote:In March 2009, it was reported that Holland's (the founder) brother-in-law Rick Eddleman had pleaded guilty to embezzling over $1.5 million (USD) from Decipher, Inc. since the year 2000. Eddleman had been VP Finances for Decipher since 1993 and used his position to write checks to himself and to use company credit cards for personal purposes. The losses contributed to the company's decision to lay off more than 90 employees.
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Jun 10, 2019 21:31
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Beachcomber posted:I think it would be nice to go buy games from someone who was there the last time, and who could recommend titles based on their personal experience, as well as my previous purchases. But that's basically never going to happen. My town has a little independent comics store and an independent board/card game store, both owned by the same dude and his girlfriend. They, and the couple of part timers they have, are really lovely people and they know their customers and what they like and dislike. As a result, they do good business. I'll pop into the game store (not really into comics) and usually leave with something because they'll say "hey, that thing you bought two years ago? This is a lot like that, but better in x ways". I go out of my way to shop there, even if it's a bit more expensive than buying online, because of the excellent service. I've also donated games that I've gotten bored of/didn't like so that they have open copies to play, and as a result they'll periodically chuck me a decent discount on things, because having that copy of the game open and playable in-store nets them more buyers. People hang out and chat with the staff and other customers. It's like a community. I walk into a GAME (the biggest UK video game chain, who have been on the verge of collapsing for a decade), where I used to be a manager, and it's rarely the same people due to terrible staff retention, and I go up to pay and have to deal with the whole sales pitch on loyalty cards, disc insurance, would you like a used copy for £1 less, do you need a strategy guide, would you like to buy this dvd of some poo poo film for only £2 more, anything you want to preorder. It's crap. It's not the fault of the employees - I left the company just as that insane level of corporate bullshit started seeping in, so I know how these poor fuckers on minimum wage are being threatened with getting the sack if they don't hit whatever arbitrary target HQ has decided on this week. But it sure as gently caress makes me not want to shop there when I can just press one button on Amazon and have it delivered the next morning. edit: while working at GAME, one Christmas they had this great reward scheme for staff. For every (admittedly crappy) own brand £10 PS2 pad you sold, you got an extra quid in your pay. Sales went through the goddamn roof. Now these pads cost the company less than £1 to make, so it was still massive margin for them. After the Christmas period was over, they put the price of the pads up to £15, removed the £1 staff incentive bonus, and told everyone that if their attachment rate of own brand pads to games and consoles dropped they'd face disciplinary action, since it was obvious that we could sell that many if we tried. Sales absolutely plummeted and loads of staff quit. Quote-Unquote has a new favorite as of 13:24 on Jun 12, 2019 |
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Jun 12, 2019 13:19
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Hyrax Attack! posted:They lost $1.5 million from one of their VPs embezzlement and don’t seem to have recovered, that led to them laying off 90 employees Interesting, thanks for this link. I have a binder full of LOTR TCG cards from way back. I'll have to see if anyone will take them.
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Jun 12, 2019 17:46
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Quote-Unquote posted:
They heard about Taylorism and then just stopped reading after the anecdote about the guys shoveling coal for a contest
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Jun 12, 2019 17:56
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BloodBag posted:I must live in a unicorn's arsehole because there's a gamestop and a games workshop two doors down from each other and a buffalo wild wings at the end literally right across a man road from my house. Off of Blue Diamond in Vegas?
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Jun 12, 2019 19:51
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Companies really, really, really underestimate the value of staff retention. Our local Safeways have incredible turnover, and it definitely shows on the shelves and especially the checkout. Companies also need to pay employees enough to care about their jobs. Our local independent grocery, Draegers, is wonderful to shop at and everyone is super nice.
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Jun 12, 2019 21:50
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Beachcomber posted:Companies really, really, really underestimate the value of staff retention. Companies also loving love chasing numbers pulled out of some bean counter's/consultant's/middle manager's rear end, even though they have zero relation to the store's success in the long run. Like all the initiatives forcing checkout clerks to push credit cards and loyalty programs the customer doesn't give a poo poo about.
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Jun 13, 2019 03:44
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uli2000 posted:Off of Blue Diamond in Vegas? Kirkwood & Westheimer in Houston. https://www.google.com/maps/@29.735...!7i16384!8i8192
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Jun 13, 2019 12:13
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Haifisch posted:The value of staff retention is hard to quantify and shows over the long term. The savings of cutting staffing to the bone and paying as little as possible is quantifiable right now, which is what shareholders/vulture capitalists care about(despite the fact that it causes problems in the long term). Long term doesn't matter anymore if there is a shareholder involved.
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Jun 13, 2019 12:39
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I don't know why, but it still shocks me how companies tolerate significant brain drain for the short term illusion of exponential growth. My whole department has been let go this summer. I'm cool with it because automated QA is in high demand in my area, but the company is not only losing me and several very good developers, but also a couple very good managers who have been with the company for twenty years or more. That's a lot of institutional knowledge walking out the door in order to boost earnings per share for one fiscal year. Gotta wonder what they will cannibalize next FY to make Number go up. Intellectually I know why they do it. I shouldn't be surprised. But I am.
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Jun 13, 2019 12:45
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anonumos posted:I don't know why, but it still shocks me how companies tolerate significant brain drain for the short term illusion of exponential growth. My whole department has been let go this summer. I'm cool with it because automated QA is in high demand in my area, but the company is not only losing me and several very good developers, but also a couple very good managers who have been with the company for twenty years or more. That's a lot of institutional knowledge walking out the door in order to boost earnings per share for one fiscal year. Gotta wonder what they will cannibalize next FY to make Number go up. We should just call Shareholders what they are, they're loving vampires
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Jun 13, 2019 12:54
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Occasionally someone will figure out the value of employee retention. Wal-Mart used that as one of their reasons for boosting pay, which while still lower than it should be, forced every other big retailer to do the same. The problem, as Haifisch already said, is that cutting pay, manpower, or benefits show up on the bottom line immediately. There's an objective, quantitative, measurable result. Keeping employees happy so you're not training new staff every 6 months has a better impact on long-term expenses, but is subjective and not as easy to track. So you'll see a poo poo company scratch it's head and wonder why a Publix or QuickTrip can keep people for years and the answer is it takes years of good policies. You can't just flip a switch and expect everything to get better. Companies that try, like that UK game store, see only the short term benefits which aren't usually enough to make good policies permanent. Iron Crowned posted:We should just call Shareholders what they are, they're loving vampires The top 10 companies to work for usually has 3 or 4 privately held companies. The publicly held ones are dominated by big tech firms, which I think are still not entirely governed by the same forces most companies deal with and should probably not be representative of public companies. The bottom 10 companies to work for are all publicly traded firms except for Dillards. There's something to be said for private companies. Krispy Wafer has a new favorite as of 13:11 on Jun 13, 2019 |
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Jun 13, 2019 13:03
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ADudeWhoAbides posted:Games Workshop is such a wondrously strange beast when it comes to retail. They only sell their own products, so their margins are probably terrific (hard to know what they are cause they never release internals) and they keep costs low by operating only in strip malls with mostly single-person stores. Maybe one other person for call-outs and holidays. They used to have a bunch of multi-person stores in some big malls and what counts as high-street in the US, like a store in Harvard Square in Boston. But those all cost a bunch of money and weren't profitable. After closing or moving a bunch of stores, they're re-expanding with the current model and seem to be doing well. Games Workshop is its own story where they actually managed to pull themselves out of a tailspin after they changed their management from being what amounted to an insular corporate cult that literally didn't do market research at all.
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Jun 13, 2019 13:06
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Krispy Wafer posted:Occasionally someone will figure out the value of employee retention. Wal-Mart used that as one of their reasons for boosting pay, which while still lower than it should be, forced every other big retailer to do the same. Companies used to care a lot about long term things. This is why a lot of the big, old companies of yesteryear threw money into research divisions. The immediate return on a bunch of nerds given a budget and told to just nerd the gently caress out wasn't great but occasionally somebody would come running out of the lab with something cool as gently caress that would make billions of dollars. These days a lot of them are trying to find magic words that will get people to stay around forever in exchange for basically nothing. That's a fool's errand as the best people will get snapped up by competitors who understand the value of a good employee and will compensate them appropriately. Even the best workers will eventually fall into the attitude of "minimum wage = minimum effort." I can tell you the exact moment at my last job where my motivation died and it was when my boss told me that if I work very hard I might, in a few years, make an average entry level salary for my profession. Meanwhile he was telling me how much he appreciated the good things I had done for the company. I had been doing things that were above my pay grade already and could produce results that were not entry level but, you know, the corporate bureaucracy says that I should keep producing exceptional results in exchange for a poo poo salary. Needless to say I don't work there anymore. Last I heard the place is hemorrhaging most of its best talent pretty fiercely.
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Jun 13, 2019 13:21
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ToxicSlurpee posted:Companies used to care a lot about long term things. This is why a lot of the big, old companies of yesteryear threw money into research divisions. The immediate return on a bunch of nerds given a budget and told to just nerd the gently caress out wasn't great but occasionally somebody would come running out of the lab with something cool as gently caress that would make billions of dollars. Oh yeah. My department (IT at a huge massively profitable retailer) has seen lots of brain drain in the 2 years I've been here. At my yearly review my manager talked specifically about how much the company values its employees and is trying to retain talent and then gave me a 21 cent per hour raise. What a way to find out I'm not considered talent. Meanwhile, at my old job (huge family run telecom) my friend's boss heard head hunters were sniffing around and gave everyone a 20% pay bump.
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Jun 13, 2019 13:38
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