Need Info: Anyone ever shop at a Play N Trade Store?

[neogamer]

Okay, I have the ability to open up a video game store franchise. It is a Play N Trade franchise. I have been reviewing the company for some time, but have yet to actually get a chance to shop in a Play N Trade store (next step in a long process).

My questions are simple:

Has anyone ever shopped in one of these stores? Are there any near you?

I just would like to hear the thoughts of anyone who has ever shopped at one or even had a problem, complaint etc.

If you never even heard of the company, please speak up as well! In a world dominated by Game Stop and EB Games, I was surprised to hear of this company and they claim to be opening up stores in the US every other day! Any way, let me know! Thanks!

[norkusa]

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=101711

There's one by me and I stop in once every month or so. The prices are decent but they need to carry a lot more games because their selection is very light. They're the only store by me that caries NES & PS1 stuff though, so I really like that. And I don't know if it's a chain wide thing or just my local P 'n T, but they host tournaments too (just had a GHII tourney a few months ago).

Overall, I think it's a good store and it definitely feels like it's geared towards hardcore gamers. There's always people hanging out in there when I go in and there's plenty of demo systems set up for people to play (they even have a DDR area set up with 2 shiny new Afterburner metal pads). Employees are amazingly friendly and knowledgeable too and not dicks like the ones at the local EB/GS.


The only complaint I have is that the last time I went in there, I saw a *used* copy of Call of Duty 2 marked with some insane price (I think it was marked $39.99 or $49.99). Don't know what that was all about.

[neogamer]

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=101711

There's one by me and I stop in once every month or so. The prices are decent but they need to carry a lot more games because their selection is very light. They're the only store by me that caries NES & PS1 stuff though, so I really like that. And I don't know if it's a chain wide thing or just my local P 'n T, but they host tournaments too (just had a GHII tourney a few months ago).

Overall, I think it's a good store and it definitely feels like it's geared towards hardcore gamers. There's always people hanging out in there when I go in and there's plenty of demo systems set up for people to play (they even have a DDR area set up with 2 shiny new Afterburner metal pads). Employees are amazingly friendly and knowledgeable too and not dicks like the ones at the local EB/GS.


The only complaint I have is that the last time I went in there, I saw a *used* copy of Call of Duty 2 marked with some insane price (I think it was marked $39.99 or $49.99). Don't know what that was all about.

Thanks for all the info. I am looking at opening one up within 1-2 years when things settle down, may be sooner, if I can plan the market just right! I have to finish my MBA first, then go from there!

I already have the money (no problem there), it just depends on whether I want to commit to it!

[Nate Nanjo]

I would say know your area. The one near me the owners don't know focus to much on new products. They do not try to get any old games in, the only time they did was when Rhino went out.

[Anthony1]

There is a Play N Trade by me, and personally, my impression is that they are an amatuer GameStop clone. I doubt they will exist 5 years from now. I think you are better off not paying the franchise fee, and opening up your own deal. You can make it look real professional, make it look like a chain, but save yourself the franchise fee, and do everything exactly the way you would want to do it.

Of course, this is just my take after visiting a local one 3 different times. I was the only customer in there each time. I can't really disrespect them too much, considering I got a Dracula X for Super Nintendo for $14.99 from them.

[otaku]

Two of them within a half hours drive from me (one in boise one in meridian) anyway not a big chain store guy and I get the impression they're alot like other chains, like gamestop etc. I did notice they had some teenagers waving signs on the freeway this week but still didn't stop in. Personally I like to shop at local stores or online I don't buy games from chain stores just individuals/mom/pop shops on or offline. Open a cool store like DP has!

[dmmilkman]

Thanks for all the info. I am looking at opening one up within 1-2 years when things settle down, may be sooner, if I can plan the market just right! I have to finish my MBA first, then go from there!

I already have the money (no problem there), it just depends on whether I want to commit to it!

before you invest in a sinking ship like pnt ask them how many stores have closed since inception. around me two have closed in a 3 month span. they have many faults for the investor, an extremely high franchise fee, all new product must come from them so shipping costs as well as 5% royalties add up to no profit on new items. the pos inventory has many issues also. next ask them why they are suspended in cali for franchise sales. they have been ordered to refund all franchise fees to any who want them back in cali for non disclosure. they failed to tell of the closed stores on their circular. misrepresenting their success. many are struggling. look at the site of failing franchises and pnt comes up with many franchisee complaints and some funny disinformation from ceos.

[BetaWolf47]

That was quite a thread bump. I wonder how many of this has to do with corporate business practices, however. I've had two in my town close, but one was because of a legal issue between the store owner and the owner of the shopping center. Plus, the people who ran it had no business sense... just sat there playing games all day.

Every other one I've seen has flourished. Here in the Broward/Miami area, there's even a sole franchisee who has at least 4 stores open.

[portnoyd]

I've been to 3 PnTs and they'll all been comatose when I went in. Prices for old stuff were either nice or completely ludicrious. I would definitely not want to franchise a PnT if I opened a game store - going independent seems the better play just so you can focus on the better margin classic used games and not have 90% of a store with low margin new games.

[Razor Ramon]

Okay, I have the ability to open up a video game store franchise. It is a Play N Trade franchise. I have been reviewing the company for some time, but have yet to actually get a chance to shop in a Play N Trade store (next step in a long process).

My questions are simple:

Has anyone ever shopped in one of these stores? Are there any near you?

I just would like to hear the thoughts of anyone who has ever shopped at one or even had a problem, complaint etc.

If you never even heard of the company, please speak up as well! In a world dominated by Game Stop and EB Games, I was surprised to hear of this company and they claim to be opening up stores in the US every other day! Any way, let me know! Thanks!

Bump yo

[vpfrederick]

Neogamer, I sent you a message regarding Play N Trade. Good Luck.

[mills]

A friend of mine shops very frequently at a play n trade in virginia. In the course of a month they got in dragon warrior 2, 3, and 4, and megaman 3, 4, and 5. He bought all of them, lucky bastard!

[Steve W]

There's been a few more Play N' Trades popping up here and there. I like the fact that they're independently owned and not corporate like Gamestop/EB Games. However, since I don't buy a whole lot of modern games, I tend not to go in there too often. Mainly I go just to scope out any classic games they might have.

[Nitrosport]

Okay, I have the ability to open up a video game store franchise. It is a Play N Trade franchise. I have been reviewing the company for some time, but have yet to actually get a chance to shop in a Play N Trade store (next step in a long process).

My questions are simple:

Has anyone ever shopped in one of these stores? Are there any near you?

I just would like to hear the thoughts of anyone who has ever shopped at one or even had a problem, complaint etc.

If you never even heard of the company, please speak up as well! In a world dominated by Game Stop and EB Games, I was surprised to hear of this company and they claim to be opening up stores in the US every other day! Any way, let me know! Thanks!

The stores are very different from GameStop / EB games stores. People can come into the stores and play games for long periods of time. They have many consoles set up rather than just the standard 360, Wii, and ps3 kiosk. They also carry classic games as well as some Nes clones. The store can also be rented out for parties where people can come in and play on all the consoles.

I really suggest you have a meeting with your local Play N Trade rep. I myself had a meeting with one in my area. I was considering opening a Play N trade as a partnership with someone else. A few things bothered me however. The main thing is that you must purchase all new and used items through their distributors (other than what’s traded in) and they are a bit pricey.

You see, you will be making most of your profit from used games because stores only make about $2-$3 off of each new game sold (as I found out from multiple reps). Since your store will be new, you will start off having to buy used games and such from other Play N Trade stores (this is how they work), and their distributors. As the rep himself has said, they are still in the process of finding more distributors for used games. My point being, you’re going to be very limited in what used products you can get into the store. My greatest concern was the classics as they have even less distributors for them and they are very over priced.

My second concern is all the fees you must pay. You have to pay the franchise fee which is a percentage of all the money you gross (not net) each year. You then have to pay a high technology fee which is for the computers they provide that are used for pricing, register, trade in values, etc. There is also an advertising fee.

Basically, if you don't have tons of cash saved up for the first year or two, you will be better off looking at something else. Maybe you could open a mom and pop store?

Good Luck!

[josekortez]

They resurface anything disc-based whether it needs it or not, and they don't do a very good job. I will never buy another disc game at Play N Trade again.

[Luvelvis42]

First off, I am not a gamer myself,however, I do buy, on average, $100 in video game equipment/accessories/games a month. My boyfriend is big into them so we actual have "the gaming fund' built right into our budget. So, I am frequently in stores like Best Buy, FYE, Game Stop(formally known as EB) shopping. And it is usually a pleasant experience. I mean, the staff is friendly since they're at a place that promotes a passion of theirs.

I was very excited when this store opened near by, only to be horribly disappointed. The staff spoke to me like I was an idiot and pressured me into buying things I felt I did not need. I did ask, "What if he doesn't like it?" to which was replied, "Then he can just return it." What they failed to tell me was they only do store credit! No cash or credit refunds. I would have never made the purchase in the first place.

Then when I brought up the fact that I was not told about this policy, the manager replied it is right on the counter and he pointed to a plastic sign that was facing away from the cash register (one could not see it if they were making a purchase). I felt the staff was rude at times and they will not be getting my business.

[norkusa]

I was very excited when this store opened near by, only to be horribly disappointed. The staff spoke to me like I was an idiot and pressured me into buying things I felt I did not need.

Yeah, this is my biggest problem with Play N Trade. The staff can be WAAAAY too pushy. As soon as I walk into a store (there are 2 near me), an employee will run up to me and start drilling me about what systems I own and the types of games I like to play. I always say "a little bit of everything" just to be polite and to get them off my back. Then they'll continue to make suggestions and pull games down from the shelves for me. While I appreciate the effort, it really gets on my nerves after a while. Especially when they're asking me if I've ever heard of popular stuff like Fallout 3 and Final Fantasy XII.

[unwinddesign]

Especially when they're asking me if I've ever heard of popular stuff like Fallout 3 and Final Fantasy XII.

What's this about a Fallout Boy game? And there's three of them?! Count me in!

[TheDomesticInstitution]

What's this about a Fallout Boy game?

What's most fun about this game, is the hours you'll spend customizing bang length and the amount of mascara around the eyes.

[joshnickerson]

A Play N' Trade recently opened up near me, and I decided to stop in and check it out. As far as current and last gen games go, the prices and condition seem to be on par with Gamestop (almost errily on par... the prices on most of the games were exactly what you'd pay at GS). They also sell older players guides, which is nice, but they only seem to go back as far as PS2. They also had some 3D0 games on display, which was interesting.

But as far as classic games go, they're pretty much in eBay territory. The cheapest N64 game I saw was $20, and the SNES games seemed to start at $15 and go up.

Then I saw it... a loose copy of Metroid for the NES.

Price? $74.99. Dead serious.

Don't think I'll be shopping there for my retro needs after all.