KB Toys pulls out of video game market

[cheesystick]

A good friend and former employee of mine has just informed me that KB toys plans to stop selling video games. Apparently, the company does not see video games as raising a high enough profit margin. How long this process will take, as well as many other fine details, are not known to me at this time. The company has been going through some rough patches in the past few years, so this move does not surprise me. Currently, the whole company has a "raise freeze" due to holiday sales not meeting projections.
I used to work at KB toys, but i quit 2 months ago due to the wrestling season. While i was working there, I raised the video sales to second in the district thanks to my knoledge and enthusiasm. I planned to return there after the season ended in Feb., but with my favorite part of the job being removed, I'm not so sure.

This is dissappointing to me as an employee, but probably not too much of a downer to the rest of the world. KB toys often over priced video games, and I would often tell friends to buy their games downstairs if they wanted to save 5 bucks. But KB Toys did carry a good selection of games that appealed to kids, and offered convienence to many parents buying gifts for their kids. KB also had a selection of games for mall-walkthrough traffic, including mature rated games. If nothing else, KB was just another competitior to keep the prices of other super giants like EB down. And worst of all, I gotta find a new job!
-crispy

[maxlords]

I'm not sure what I think of this, but I get the feeling all we'll have is Wal-mart, Gamestop, Game Crazy, and EB soon..... *shiver*

[kainemaxwell]

Wow..talk about bad news...

[zmweasel]

The entire toy industry is ailing, not just Kay-Bee: http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/...31124_6959.htm

-- Z.

[Oobgarm]

It's easy to see why they aren't pulling a profit when they're still trying to get $40+ for a copy of Fantavision for PS2. Their games are overpriced so horribly, it's no loss for anyone. I've seen Dreamcast games at their stores, and they're trying to get $30-$40 apiece for old titles like Hydro Thunder.

EDIT: I just read the article Zach posted. It's sad to see that TRU is closing their Imaginarium stores. I loved going in there when I was younger and marvelling at the cool gadgets they had.

[wberdan]

i dont see how this is bad news.. ive havn't bought a game at KB since 1991.

their prices suck.

willie

[SaturnRox]

yeah, kb toys is a crap place to find games... their prices are generally at the top-end of the scale.

once in a while, though, you can get a deal... i got a game.com and 12 games form them on clearance for $80. in retrospect, it wasnt such a great deal as if played that piece of b & w, slowdown-ridden junk for maybe 20 minutes, but it certainly satisfied my curiosity about the ability of a pre-GBA handheld to do duke nuken 3-d. not so good...

[Sotenga]

WHAT??!?!!??? :O

GODDAMMIT!!! We need all the VG stores we can get! This really f**king sucks!

*sigh* Then again, I don't remember the last time I bought any video game from them... still, this is bad news.

Maxlords, what you said, it's not going to come to that. Only when all life as we know it has come to the ultimate end will that prediction become a grim reality.

[Chunky]

I walked into one on saturday, i don't know why. After looking at the small sections of games they had i just thought they left the VG market some time ago.


However I have not been in a sam goody in about 5 years. They had more games in there than the gamestop next to them.

[Gamereviewgod]

I just don't see how a major company can be so stupid not to take advantage of a multi-billion dollar market. Is their market research department that ignorant that they can't figure out WHY their not making a profit?

[Flack]

I was in Toy Liquidators last weekend -- it's the KB outlet in the Gainsville Mall in Northern Texas. They did not have any video game related items. I even asked and they said that they no longer sold any video game related items. I was looking for a couple more Gamecube controllers. I just assumed that it was this outlet and not the entire chain that was cutting them out.

[nildem]

If all of the Kay-Bee's are as unorganized as the two near me, then it's no wonder they're taking a loss.

There was a Kay-Bee near me in a mall that closed a few years ago. They opened up the behind-the-counter section during the last few days to let customers back there to dig through all the crap.

You wouldn't believe what was back there. I found games and accessories for pretty much every system from the mid-80s on. NES, Virtual Boy, Intellivision, 2600, Game Gear, Jaguar... All crammed behind the current systems games and marked at the original price. Most of the barcodes weren't even recognized, some didn't even have barcodes.

Up above the register they had a large shelf where all the systems were stored. Way in the back, and out of view, were several Virtual Boys and Jaguars marked at $30.00...

Crazy.

[Raedon]

A good friend and former employee of mine has just informed me that KB toys plans to stop selling video games. Apparently, the company does not see video games as raising a high enough profit margin. How long this process will take, as well as many other fine details, are not known to me at this time. The company has been going through some rough patches in the past few years, so this move does not surprise me. Currently, the whole company has a "raise freeze" due to holiday sales not meeting projections.
I used to work at KB toys, but i quit 2 months ago due to the wrestling season. While i was working there, I raised the video sales to second in the district thanks to my knoledge and enthusiasm. I planned to return there after the season ended in Feb., but with my favorite part of the job being removed, I'm not so sure.

This is dissappointing to me as an employee, but probably not too much of a downer to the rest of the world. KB toys often over priced video games, and I would often tell friends to buy their games downstairs if they wanted to save 5 bucks. But KB Toys did carry a good selection of games that appealed to kids, and offered convienence to many parents buying gifts for their kids. KB also had a selection of games for mall-walkthrough traffic, including mature rated games. If nothing else, KB was just another competitior to keep the prices of other super giants like EB down. And worst of all, I gotta find a new job!
-crispy

do yourself a lifetime favor.. DON'T WORK RETAIL

[zmweasel]

However I have not been in a sam goody in about 5 years. They had more games in there than the gamestop next to them.

That's because Goody sees videogames as its financial salvation, what with music-CD sales spiraling ever downward as more and more people discover CD burners and MP3s.

-- Z.

[cheesystick]

do yourself a lifetime favor.. DON'T WORK RETAIL

I'm only 17, I dont really have a choice. Its either fast food or retail, what would you pick?
As for KB's shit prices, i hear ya. Get this: At my KB, we were selling copies of Eternal Darkness for Gamcube for 55 bucks a pop. Downstairs at Gamestop, new copies were going for 15. Hmmm.... for shopping downstairs you could get 3 copies of the same game and STILL have money to spare. If thats not whack, I dont know what is.
-crispy

[Oobgarm]

However I have not been in a sam goody in about 5 years. They had more games in there than the gamestop next to them.

That's because Goody sees videogames as its financial salvation, what with music-CD sales spiraling ever downward as more and more people discover CD burners and MP3s.

-- Z.

Not to mention that Goody charges close to and in upwards of $19.99 per CD. At least, that's what they're doing here.

[norkusa]

Not to mention that Goody charges close to and in upwards of $19.99 per CD. At least, that's what they're doing here.

$20 for a CD?!?! Jesus, no wonder why mp3 file sharing is so popular.

[Sylentwulf]

I'm with Willie, I'm glad they're pulling out, I friggin HATE KB. they have all their stores set up horribly, prices suck, and they always seem to play old people elevator music (in a goddamn TOY STORE?!)

I've been watching kb stores drop like flies in NH for the past 5 years, and I've celebrated the closing of each one

[rolenta]

I've been watching kb stores drop like flies in NH for the past 5 years, and I've celebrated the closing of each one

I was in New Hampshire three weeks ago and I stopped at a KB that was next door to a Walmart that I went to. I picked up PS2 Defender and a Gamecube game for $14.99 each. Although I've seen them at those prices elsewhere I figured I'd pick them up there and not have to pay any sales tax.

[zmweasel]

Not to mention that Goody charges close to and in upwards of $19.99 per CD. At least, that's what they're doing here.

The music industry plans to address the issue of overpriced CDs by shipping cheaper discs with fewer tracks, similar to the olden days of the LP album. Not a bad idea, since most CD releases are filled with fluff.

-- Z.