It's a frakking mess like I never saw in video game retailing here in France.
Hint: yesterday was the beginning of a global sales tradition here, each january stores have the right to bargain last year goods during 3 weeks. I absolutely don't know if this occurs in other countries but basically you have armies of womens fighting and running on luxury (or not) stores. Same for video game stores (except the women part).
So, with perfect timing, Game is using (or should I say used) this to disguise their full stock clearance, before.. closing all their shops in France.
Basically you have between -25 to -60% on brand new games (I saw it myself in the nearest two stores in Paris, websites are reporting -85%) and -20 to -50 on hardwares (websites reporting -60%).
Today everything was gone. Since the last few months it was surprising to see ninja-closed stores, but now you have to find an opened Game store with actually, something in the shelves. In the two stores I visited (one at 12:00 the other at 19:00), zero brand enw game left. And only Xbox360 and psp hardwares (you can easily get a new psp3000 for something like 50 I think).
Since my last buy (WiiU and stuffs) I had something like ~35 in cash back, only be able to spent ~15 in various WiiU official accesories which had also massive bargain price. It's not easy to find something in stock to buy, and when it's here it's super cheap.
It really make me sad in fact. One customer ask for a few more off. The Game guy answered: "I can't, don't exagerate. Game, it's over".
Now we will have a monopole by Micromania. Can't be good.
Oh and finally, for the few minutes after works I spent, 3 people asked for WiiU hardwares. Sure people are searching for good deals, but it can also be a clue that -25% to the price and people jump in.
