Video games stores | What are you looking for

Thanks heaps bud!

Pretty groovy Epoch. I'll see what Mseny thinks up of first though!

[ Edited by Epoch on 2005/5/16 22:16 ]

Thanks, (The P's upside down though)

1.What are you looking for in a store that sells video games, and/or computer games?

A huge variety of games, old AND new, reasonable prices, friendly staff, no bias for particular consoles/companies.

2.How important to you is the looks and tidyness of a video game retailer?

Very. It should be easy to find sections and games - randomly shoving games on shelves is extremely annoying, it's preferable to have them alphabetically.

3.How important to you is the Friendliness and expertise of staff?

Friendliness is very important to keep me coming back time and time again if coupled with the things mentioned in question 1's answer. Expertise isn't required as much, but it's still nice for the staff to know what they're talking about to some degree.

4.Please rate the following things in order of most to least important when you look for a video game retailer :

Availability of games
Good selection of Retro/Older games
Good selection of Recent games
Price
Friendliness and expertise of staff
Looks
Sales
Competitions

5.Does buying games in a store take prefrence over buying games online?

It depends. On one hand, it does because you physically have the product you've just purchased at that moment in your hand, but on the other, online buying is much cheaper and so more satisfying in that respect.

6.Please mention some of the things you dislike about the video game retailers that your visit mostly

Untidy, unorganised shelving systems, i.e. everything just put on the shelf with no order to it. Also, system bias is evident.

7.How many games, on average would you buy a year? Where from, stores or Online retailers? Do you trades many in? Do you buy them at full price, or at discount?

It'd difficult to say, as it varies depending upon my monetary situation every year. This year so far, I've bought 16 and we're only into May; last year I think I bought that amount for the entire year. I'd love to give you an average but I just don't think I can. I'd say 10 - 30 as a rough estimate, but it depends on the year as to what end of the scale I'm on. I buy mainly online, with my shop buys often being 'impulse buys' when I see something for cheap, or if I really desperately want something that day without caring about saving a few pounds. Discounts are preferable, but I pay full price for new games that I really want. Trade ins? I've only ever done one.

7.And finally, give your opinion on trade in games, and, generally, anything preowned.

As long as they're in decent condition (i.e. not perfect, but in good, working order) and at a reasonable price, I'll buy a traded in/pre-owned game over a brand new one.

EDIT: I forgot to say, 'hope that helps'. Also, when you get the online shop up, do you think you'll be doing overseas posting? If so, I'll definitely be checking it out.

[ Edited by Mason on 2005/5/16 15:33 ]

Thank Mason, and yes, Overseas posting will be a must.

Good to hear it. It'll be good to find another decent online shop for me to spend my non-existant money on.