Despite a mixed result for the physical entertainment market in the first half of 2017, with sales of music falling by 5% and video by 13%, gaming beat this trend, however, growing by 0.5% year on year.
These results are positive news for dedicated gaming retailers, but hardly reassuring for those who are fighting a tough battle against the increasingly dominate position of online retailers and online download platforms. These results are thanks in part to a strong set of new releases such as Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Horizon: Zero Dawn which have drawn consumers into store. However, if gaming retailers are to increase their level of growth and avoid results seen in other physical media categories, they must adapt to suit the ever changing needs of consumers and gaming fans.
At the moment, it is all too easy for consumers to download software via their consoles’ marketplace, or purchase a new console or piece of hardware from an online retailer for home delivery – and this isn’t going to change. If gaming retailers are going to compete against online retail, they need to offer a service that will bring consumers onto the high street and into store. Game’s recent demonstrations of PlayStation VR (however controversial) show exactly what retailers can offer – a real, unique and immersive gaming experience that consumers can’t download or stream.
Though space is limited in some stores, retailers need to offer demos of key new titles for consumers to try. Rather than just leave customers to their own devices, store staff need to be more active in-store, speaking to customers about their needs and offering advice on the best game or console for them. Most other categories in tech and consumer electronics make use of brand ambassadors and product demonstrations to great effect – 74% of consumers want to shop in store so that they can see, touch and experience the product before buying.
Likewise, offering exclusive deals or special offers that are only available in store is a great way to encourage footfall. Competing with online only retailers is easier said than done, but offering exclusive deals is a sure-fire way of convincing gaming fans to spend their money on the high street rather than for the basic package online.
If gaming retailers can make this effort and offer consumers a space where they can really experience a gaming system or piece of software before buying, they can bring consumers back into store who might previously have stayed at home.
gekkofm 