EMA Retailer Of The Year: GameStop
See Full ImageWhether you were aware of it or not, the Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) hands out annual Retailer of the Year Awards, and this year's winners have been revealed.
As reported by IndustryGamers, GameStop received the top award in the video game category (as if there was much of a choice). Amazon.com was recognized for its DVD and Blu-Ray business, Hollywood at Home won the Independent Retailer Award and Hastings Entertainment, Inc. received the Chairman's Award. You may be asking yourselves, "uh, how do they decide the winners? What's the criteria?" Well, it seems that the decisions were made "based on business practices, operational policies, marketing and merchandising programs, customer service, and involvement in EMA." GameStop kinda has the market cornered in its category, but consumers still have some reservations about the retailer, especially in regards to their pre-owned games business. Anyway, EMA President and CEO Bo Andersen had this to say:
"The award winners are recognized in the home entertainment industry as the leaders of their trade. EMA honors and commends the chosen merchants for their steadfast dedication to delivering an exceptional consumer experience and providing positive models for the industry.
EMA Chairman Bob Geistman of Ingram Entertainment added that each of the winners "are a credit to our industry." We're wondering if consumers should have their own lil' awards ceremony every year, with open invitations to send in suggestions and critique. Of course, there are other factors to consider than just saving money and we all have to admit that GameStop is a fixture of the industry. Doesn't get much plainer than that.
7/21/2009 Ben Dutka
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Comments (26 posts)
___________
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 @ 4:22:31 AM
everyone has their price.
1 up, 1 down
Kangasfwa
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 @ 10:21:44 PM
Last edited by Kangasfwa on 7/21/2009 10:21:51 PM
7 up, 2 down
NoSmokingBandit
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 @ 10:29:46 PM
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I should slap him in the face for suggesting i buy that crappy game.
Other than that he knows his stuff, is very pleasant, and isnt a douchebag.
Their corporate division seems to be full of morons though.
Last edited by NoSmokingBandit on 7/21/2009 10:30:08 PM
1 up, 0 down
BTNwarrior
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 @ 3:15:16 PM
or are you just angry at it because it came out a week after infamous?
0 up, 0 down
Ricochet
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 @ 10:45:14 PM
Reply
1 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 @ 10:53:29 PM
Reply
Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 7/22/2009 12:24:14 AM
4 up, 3 down
LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 @ 11:12:19 PM
8 up, 3 down
Alienange
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 @ 11:08:46 PM
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Yeah. It sure as hell wasn't based on customer satisfaction or even the public's opinion.
8 up, 2 down
thepill
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 @ 11:23:25 PM
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and the award for environment best suited for fish goes to: WATER
How about the award for best color created when mixing blue and yellow: GREEN
13 up, 2 down
Banky A
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 @ 11:47:54 PM
Last edited by Banky A on 7/21/2009 11:47:59 PM
9 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 @ 2:27:06 AM
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LMAO, good comeback!!!
Although you just made my coffee stream through my nostrils, still a thumbs up for you!
2 up, 0 down
kreate
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 @ 2:37:42 AM
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like everyone else talked about on past posts, the word most people like to hear 'competition'
*i personally like gamestop, if it wasnt for them, there are some titles i would of never played cuz i was skeptic about it. some games are better buying used when u have mixed feelings about shelling out the cash
Last edited by kreate on 7/22/2009 2:39:06 AM
4 up, 0 down
bamf
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 @ 3:28:35 PM
Use the net for cheaper games than all of these, or use a small independent retailer.
0 up, 0 down
kreate
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 @ 3:33:53 PM
0 up, 0 down
___________
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 @ 4:28:41 AM
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game the games men gametraders.
they may not be as big but they have 3 things EB dont and never will.
1 customer service the staff are extremely friendly and polite.
2 they allways make shure you are 100% satisfied before you leave the store, they give a much higher trade in value and prices of games on release are allot lower, i picked up resi 5 LE from games men for 110 bucks 10 less than what EB wanted for the standard 30 less than they wanted for the LE.
3 they some times release games early.
verry rarely but i got prototype and red faction 2 days before release date.
and a friend of mine got KZ2 from them a day early and i was so pissed because i pre ordered it at EB so i had to wait a extra day :(
knowing he was playing the game i was so excited for was torcher
1 up, 0 down
kreate
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 @ 5:09:58 AM
1 up, 0 down
Naga
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 @ 8:18:57 AM
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0 up, 0 down
___________
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 @ 8:27:04 AM
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i normally go to the parramatta store, never mention the price on there website, the prices in stores are normally cheaper.
but there website is www.ebgames.com.au
1 up, 0 down
wquach
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 @ 9:14:18 AM
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More recent encounters have been either employees talking down on me (despite my knowledge and research of most games), or being 360 fanboys trying to push that crap on me while trashing anything PS3.
My last encounter was during the Valkyria Chronicles $30 sale, where I simply asked over the phone whether any copies were available and asked about their "new" game policy along with their gutting practices and the person over the phone went apesh** on me.
Then there's the matter of selling used games for a mere $5 less than new ones (and having the bloody hard to remove w/o residue used sticker to boot) and the complete joke of a trade in value for games.
Perhaps the GameStops I've been to just suck (NY and MD). But either way, when I want an actually new, untouched game I go to Amazon. Best customer service I have seen from any company (email them a question and you get an intelligent, friendly response from a human within hours or a day). Their prices and sales are awesome too.
As for used games, I'd rather pay or trade with other individual sellers, so I turn to half.com. I have not been disappointed with prices and the excellent condition of games from good feedback users.
Thus, whatever sale GameStop ever offers, I don't give them a second glance at all. My hard-earned money deserves to be given to other retailers that are actually respectable, contrary to what the EMA says or how they came up with that godawful conclusion for the award.
Last edited by wquach on 7/22/2009 9:16:40 AM
5 up, 0 down
b3mike
Reply
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 @ 10:14:12 PM