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News Game admits buying 3DS stock from Tesco

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by arcticstoat, 30 Mar 2011.

  1. arcticstoat

    arcticstoat Minimodder

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  2. BlackRaven

    BlackRaven Freaking printers!

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    Thats good business
     
  3. Tangster

    Tangster Butt-kicking for goodness!

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    This is true. People who want one are probably going to buy it anyway, regardless of an extra £20-30.
     
  4. mpr

    mpr What's a Dremel?

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    How's that any different than the Stock Market or big buisinesses buying up competing buisiness and shutting them down... other than the fact that the only potential losses will be had by Game and not any employees of Tesco as happens during buy outs.

    As stated above, good buisiness.
     
  5. bluespider42

    bluespider42 Minimodder

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    I seem to remember a similar story with the Harry Potter books.
     
  6. Lance

    Lance Ender of discussions.

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    Years ago when I worked at a sports shop we were only allowed to sell mens 1 football shirt per customer because a rival was trying to buy up our stock.

    As above, its good business, controls demand and keeps prices strong. Better for the games industry (I am aware they don't see the higher prices now, but it means they can keep their price to suppliers higher for longer).

    Creating high demand like this is good. The poor miss out, but then they should work harder and become less poor.
     
  7. r3loaded

    r3loaded Minimodder

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    Bit of a dick move, but that's the principle of arbitrage for you.
     
  8. Ph4ZeD

    Ph4ZeD What's a Dremel?

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    Only way that GAME can compete anymore is to try to buy out their rivals so the only place that people can buy from is themselves. They can't compete on price or convenience.
     
  9. Phalanx

    Phalanx Needs more dragons and stuff.

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    Am I the only one who sees no problem?

    They bought it legally, they were notifying people it was not brand new and were selling it used. I'm missing where this was illegal or misleading.
     
  10. NethLyn

    NethLyn Minimodder

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    My discounted Kick-Ass DVD from Zavvi had an Asda sticker on it, but I suppose that was just overstock from Christmas. I don't see the problem, pick the best price or the preferred reward scheme, it's not like the Wii where they couldn't be bought for months on end unless you travelled to Germany like some of my brothers' friends.
     
  11. sp4nky

    sp4nky BF3: Aardfrith WoT: McGubbins

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    No, you're not. I'd have thought that Tesco aren't displeased that they sold all their stock.
     
  12. smc8788

    smc8788 Multimodder

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    No one said it was...
     
  13. TWeaK

    TWeaK Minimodder

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    Lol at anyone who thinks that GAME is at fault for this. Frankly, I commend them. I don't support GAME much, and I remember the time when they were undercutting and muscling out local game stores, but Tesco have that practice as their bread and butter (literally!).

    Tesco use loss-leading products - they sell some items at a loss as a way to drive customers into the store; they know their customers will want to buy the cheap items but while they're there they'll also buy other things. If GAME employees are buying 3DSs using company money then I doubt they'll be buying anything else. I see it as the lesser of two evils - and I'm happy for anyone to stick two fingers up towards Tesco.

    @sp4nky: If Tesco are selling it at a loss then I'm not so sure they would be pleased that it's GAME employees buying them!
     
  14. Phalanx

    Phalanx Needs more dragons and stuff.

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    And yet everyone is laying into Game... Me no get!
     
  15. smc8788

    smc8788 Multimodder

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    I don't really either. There's no victim here, I hardly think Tesco would be selling them at a loss anyway so GAME would be making less than stock bought from Nintendo wholesale. It's not really profiteering, just making sure they have enough stock for their customers.
     
  16. Mitcian

    Mitcian What's a Dremel?

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    ^ This
     
  17. sandys

    sandys Multimodder

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    Game have done it before, its annoying I'm not interested in 3DS but if I wanted one I'd be pretty annoyed that I can't buy one at a good price with what I want, I recall being very annoyed when Game snapped up all the cheap 360s from Tesco when I was after one, course Game were charging more for the console bundled with some secondhand crap I did not want.

    Doesn't make it wrong though its just business for them, but I can't help feeling a little pissed off with them about it having missed out due to this behaviour.
     
  18. NethLyn

    NethLyn Minimodder

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    Well Asda took all the Childrens' Editions of the last book and flogged them for a fiver in the first weekend, so undercutting Waterstones which has been closing branches at the time and ever since. I made do with the adult version for a tenner. Like TWeak says, any retail chain can take any product and make it the can of beans just to get people in the store.
     
  19. flibblesan

    flibblesan Destroyer

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    Probably because they are selling these as pre-owned and charging the same price as a new 3DS. IMHO there would be less of an uproar if Game just sold these as new in the first place.
     
  20. greypilgers

    greypilgers What's a Dremel?

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    A similar thing happened with the cocoa harvest a couple of years ago, didnt it? A hedge fund or investment company realised that due to some global climate or weather trends the cocoa harvest globally was going to be significantly lower than in previous years, they then bought up all the (then) cheap cocoa and hoarded it until the shortage became apparent - this pushed up the prices so they were able to sell at an inflated price and reap the profit from companies, and in turn people, who had to pay more for something than they did previously. This is capitalism in effect, and the same thing is in effect here - GAME not able to secure enough for their projected demand, so they take advantage of a lower price elsewhere, thus decreasing supply somewhat whilst enabling them to fulfill the demand with higher priced stock.
    Everyone sniffs at Tesco, but personally I quite like being able to buy groceries cheaply and conveniently. I struggle to see what the issue with that is - at least the consumer is getting something out of it. With GAME's tactic, the consumer is getting less choice about the retailer, and a higher price for what they were after.
     
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