GAME (retailer)

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The GAME Group plc

Type	Public (LSE: GMG.L)
Founded	As GAME 2002, beforehand Electronics Boutique UK 1995
Headquarters	Basingstoke, UK
Key people	Peter Lewis, Chairman Lisa Morgan, CEO
Industry	Video Games
Products	Game Consoles Computer Games Accessories
Revenue	▲£801.3 million GBP (2007)
Subsidiaries	Gamestation
Website	www.game.co.uk www.game.com.au www.game.se

The GAME Group plc (LSE: GMG.L) (usually known by its high street trading name GAME) is a UK-based video games retail company. With over 800 stores across Europe, GAME is the largest retailer of video games in the continent. Its flagship store is in Oxford Street, London, although many of their best stores can be found around the country, dubbed "Centres of Excellence".

The current GAME Group was formerly known as Electronics Boutique PLC, having licensed the name from the otherwise unrelated U.S. company of the same name. (GAME was originally a chain which Electronics Boutique PLC purchased in 1998).

GAME opened their 500th store in Denmark in 2004.

On May 2nd 2007, GAME Group announced the acquisition of rival UK specialist video game chain Gamestation, for a claimed £74 million.^[1]^[2] GAME have stated they intend retaining the brand.^[2]

GAME has won at least two Golden Joysticks for "Retailer of the Year", in 2006 and 2007.

1 Rebranding from Electronics Boutique to GAME
2 Policies
3 References
4 See Also
5 External links

[edit] Rebranding from Electronics Boutique to GAME

Electronics Boutique PLC (a UK-based video game retailer with stores in the UK and Ireland), purchased the original GAME in 1999. Prior to this, GAME were independently active in the UK, Swedish and Irish markets. Electronics Boutique also purchased the BarrysWorld online gaming service, the French retailer ScoreGames and the Spanish retailer CentroMAIL. In 2006, GAME acquired Australian specialty video games retailer Gameswizards and have since rebranded all Gameswizards outlets as GAME stores. Game represented 72% of European hardware sales and 65% of European software sales for the fiscal yeal 2006-2007.

In 2002, Electronics Boutique stores in the UK and Ireland were rebranded as GAME, and the company name was changed. Despite the name change, a 1% sales royalty to Electronics Boutique in the United States (who they had licensed the name from and were otherwise unconnected with) remained until January 2006. Attempts to have this overturned in court in 2003 were unsuccessful.^[3]

GAME commenced operations in Australia in late 2007 with the purchase of local game retail chain GamesWizards and is in direct competition with EB Games Australia.

[edit] Policies

GAME operates a loyalty card scheme for UK and Ireland customers, which offers a 2.5% cashback on all purchases (5% on games pre-ordered in-store). The card normally costs £3. It had over 5 million members as of 2004. This loyalty scheme was soon extended to GAME's website.

In Australia the Loyalty Card Scheme is a little different. For every $1 AUD spent in store, Members receive 10 Game Reward Points. After 3000 Game Reward point have been accumulated, a Reward Voucher for $16.50 is mailed to the Reward Card Holder. This system offers 5.5% value back on all orders (11% on games pre-ordered in-store). The Reward Card is Free to sign up.

The company also has a trade-in policy for used console games (but not PC games), which are bought in good condition and sold on at a profit. GAME also runs a "Deal of the Week" scheme, which allows for newly released games to be reduced heavily for a week in order to sell high numbers of stock.

GAME changed its returns policy in the summer of 2006 to give customers more time to return unwanted or duplicate gifts, although it now stipulated that the product had to be unopened. Software may be returned for a refund or exchange within 28 days of the purchase date, providing that the seal remains unbroken. Goods purchased on the store's website can also be returned to GAME stores with the original invoice and credit or debit card used on the original purchase to process the refund.

The GameCare extended warranty was introduced at the same time as the Playstation 3. It protects newly bought consoles from fault and accidental damage (unlimited free repairs or a replacement) for either two or three years, depending on the option chosen.

Game also offers a Finance option when spending over £350 in stores, this is with a 6 month interest free period and after that a 29.9% APR interest rate.