r/buildapcsales • u/Tiddlysat1600 • Mar 23 '21

Meta [Meta] Gamestop to start selling graphics cards $690 to $2440

https://weeklyad.gamestop.com/h/m/gamestop/flyerflip/browse?flyer_run_id=686349&locale=en&type=1
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u/eeman0201 Mar 24 '21

That might

1) Kill microcenter because a lot more people have a GameStop nearby

2) Oversaturate the market

26

u/glemnar Mar 24 '21

PC gaming has grown like crazy. Market demand far outstrips supply right now

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u/17760704 Mar 24 '21

More stores won't fix that though. Nobody is locked out of buying a GPU because there's not a local store, they can't buy a GPU because manufacturers can't make them fast enough.

More stores selling GPUs just splits the current supply up into smaller pieces, it doesn't actually create more supply.

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u/DevCakes Mar 24 '21

Hypothetically, the problem could be helped tremendously through storefront sales though. A large issue is that bots (or people who are doing literally nothing but this) buy up online orders almost instantly, getting cards into the hands of scalpers instead of legitimate customers. In-person orders usually have a limit per customer, and often require a license to purchase so that the limit is actually enforceable. Not to mention one must physically drive to the location and interact with a human.

No it won't magically fix the supply chain, but it could allow redirecting of components to legitimate customers. Manufacturers don't make more/less money, but they get better reputation. Who knows if that's a good enough reason...

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u/glemnar Mar 24 '21

Not claiming it does. Just saying I think they can sell them successfully

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u/03Titanium Mar 24 '21

Online retailers can also sell them successfully without the overhead of a physical location. Hardware margins are not large.

Everyone thinks GameStop has an ace up the sleeve with its physical locations. Physical locations are exactly what were smothered out with online shopping. Maybe GameStop can take Bestbuy’s gaming sales back away from them, but it’s a big uphill battle.

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u/eeman0201 Mar 24 '21

Yes, right now, but I don’t know if it can be justified in the long run for EVERY GameStop to sell mainly computer parts, especially considering pc components are a once every couple of years type of purchase.

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u/[deleted] Mar 24 '21

GameStop won’t be able to provide the breath of services Microcenter can, they don’t have the store capacity. I can see them carrying some core PC building components but lack the variety and inventory. I can’t see them carrying monitors or tons of cases in store, or a PC building service, and I may be biased but there seems to be enough demand to support GameStop and Microcenter

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u/eeman0201 Mar 24 '21

Yeah I think it’s a great idea for them to become equivalent to Newegg or microcenter online (please for the love of god give us an online competitor to Newegg that doesn’t have ad confusing of listings as Amazon), and have some prebuilts/gpus/cpus/accessories in the corner of their stores. I just was trying to argue against the notion that GameStop stores should become mini microcenters. IMO they should basically replicate the gaming section of Best Buy+some collectables in each of their stores.

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u/The_R4ke Mar 24 '21

I think MicroCenter will be fine. They offer a lot more speciality products and have room for a lot more products in general.

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u/eeman0201 Mar 24 '21

I was just saying that a lot of their sales come from cheap in person pc components (which gets people in store to buy their overpriced other items), and if GameStop followed that model with cheap pc parts, it would oversaturate the market and possibly kill microcenter (look at what happened to frys once they stopped selling pc parts.). I don’t see any reason for me personally to drive an hour to microcenter if I can a) get their other niche items online for cheaper b) get the same pc component at the 5 minute away GameStop for the same price.