3) Sell More Gaming Merchandise
Appealing to the larger audience is never a bad thing. Right now it’s well known that GameStop sells a variety of pop culture merchandise, and that’s certainly helped slow down the descent into possible bankruptcy. But what about gamers? For a company that lives and breathes video games, there’s significantly less gaming t-shirts and merchandise available for purchase than all of the pop culture content. Without offering less of the pop culture merchandise, GameStop needs to add more of everything video game-related. That means more Skyrim, more Fallout, more Call of Duty, more Pokemon, just more of it all. And what about having t-shirts, keychains, and other wonderful collectibles available for both indie and triple A standalone titles? It’s not always just about the popular franchises! By offering a bit more selection where video gaming merchandise is concerned, gamers who are buying their video games through their digital console stores will still have plenty of reasons to visit GameStop, both online or in store.
4) Improve Their Online Sales Presence
Considering just how big online shopping has become in recent years, GameStop needs to make a more substantial push into the online market. Not only do they have competition from the other video game stores branching out, like Best Buy, but also the likes of The Epic Games Store, Steam, and more. It would be wise to advertise the online store in a variety of ways, both in the physical world, as well as the digital realm. It’s absolutely imperative that GameStop begins to look at new strategies to increase their online presence, as well as their profits. Hell, maybe like The Epic Games Store, the company could offer the occasional free title. Using that as an incentive to bring more people to their website, they can have the biggest and best deals on display, which should then turn into a few more sales. As the saying goes, innovation is key.
5) Hire a Good PR Company
On the heels of all of the previous points, the executives at GameStop would be wise to hire a good PR company. There are plenty of examples of just how much good publicity and good advertising make a difference within the industry. Just look at Epic Games and their huge, huge success with Fortnite. Within a year on the market, it amassed a cult-like following that has remained steadfast ever since. And while it’s not like GameStop can offer all their video games for free, there is still a lot that can be learned from Fornite’s marketing campaign. Maybe get a couple of huge video game streamers and Youtubers to advertise your company, like Ninja, Dr. Disrespect etc. Hiring the right PR company can be the difference between business absolutely booming and closing the doors forever.
Do you agree with these ideas? Do you have any of your own to help GameStop get their feet on solid ground again before it’s too late? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!