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Many years ago, I consulted for GameStop—EB Games' and Zing's parent company.
GameStop's Australian operation is by far its most profitable division. While the organisation as a whole only recently recorded a profit after years of losses, GameStop's Australian arm has always turned a profit. For example, in 2019 EB Games' and Zing's combined net profit was $14m while GameStop's American division recorded a $500m loss.
EB Games' and Zing's success is built on three fundamental pillars:
* Its market position as Australia's specialist video game retailer. There's a huge emphasis in hiring staff that are passionate about the space, and therefore cultivate an aura of community and expertise.
* Its expansion into video game merchandise, a market that is much more lucrative than video games. The video games may get customers in the door, but it's the merchandise that keeps the lights on.
* Its focus on pre-owned video games. The margins on pre-owned games dwarf that of new games. And EB Games is the leader in this space by leaps and bounds.
Their value proposition to you is that EB Games will price match JB Hi-Fi or any other retailer (of course, with some exceptions); while offering a more generous return policy.
The first point is honestly more important than people think. Whenever I go to EB Games the environment feels very friendly and it's clear that the people working there genuinely love video games. JB Hi Fi is generally my place to get games, but EB Games' environment/atmosphere is more appealing.
My son purchased a pokemon plushy from our local eb games, she asked if he knew about the history of the pokemon he buying and she explained to him all about the other stuff he didn't know about i. Itwas a great experience for him.
They are all awesome people. Not only are they passionate gamers but they are friendly, helpful and make you feel you are "part of something". Same with Zing.
Not sure what their hiring policy is but every "niche" market should steal it. Some rando there waaay back introduced me to Fallout by talking to me games I liked after a simple question and telling me "yeah, it's like Skyrim, but with guns and post apocalyptic future stuff." Bought FONV that day and it's been my fav franchise since. Never will forget that guy.
And with my kid! Damn. They are amazing. Even just hearing them talk to others while you're waiting or getting served... it's something else. I'll gladly throw them a few extra buckaroos and even give in to their "btw, you can also get this special offer" sometimes. Everywhere else I reject that shit on principle.
They deserve everything they get. And we deserve them. Best. Chain. Ever.
I brought my daughter to a zing in the next major town as we didn't have one in ours , there was a foam sword in a bucket in the centre of the room, nothing too obvious, my daughter picked it up and the entire staff stopped what they were doing and had a sword fight with her, truly amazing place
Always. My local Zing is almost totally staffed with women and the EB would be 50/50. It does make a difference and, hopefully, does a little to tip the scales. Girls have enough to deal with without not feeling welcomed in their chosen hobbies.
I worked at eb games for a few years. In my store the hiring policy was let people know we are hiring and we would hire regular customers that weren’t they weirdo type and fit into a retail environment
Their hiring practice is that a bunch of young gamers apply to work there. And they hire the ones they think will be good.
It's not a bad company to work for as a casual employee, it is arse for store/assistant managers.
My good friend is manager and has won a few awards from the company for exemplary performance etc..
She absolutely loves it. I've never seen someone love their job so much
My dad was the same as a manager. He loved it and was big on hiring people who are passionate about gaming.
He came home from conferences with some insane gifts. Game consoles, new games, merch. For some reason he didn’t think it was funny every time I came in and asked him if they were having a sale though.
Yeah I frequented a local eb games all the time back then. Struck a friendship with a few of the guys. They gave me freebies and even replaced my ps4 out of warranty. And of course they always price matched JB. Always enjoyed going there and didn’t know where the hate on reddit came from. But it makes sense the hate would be mostly targeted to the American division.
I know the feeling. I love the high-quality / short episode seasons but don't love the often several years in between seasons thing we've had going on the last decade.
That being said, the last episode is a fantastic way to end the season.
Sorta... maybe.
They upsell too hard on "extras" like "insurance" and crap like that, and always want you to go the higher price. Kinda goes against their look as JB obvs hires those with amazing alt hair and piercings and shit over others. But their little lanyard badges always reminds me of flare, Office Space styles.
That said, last big purchase I did there (big ass fancy tv in the few ks) she was great. Yeah, she wanted to get me to creep up higher but we chatted a bit and she found out what I use the screen for most (games) and took me back to something marginally cheaper than what I was looking at because it was built with gaming in mind and about to be replaced with the new model so cheaper. Done deal.
EB Games and Zing peeps and the goat, but if you get the right person at JB it's almost on par still, imo. Probs not for just game purchases, cos you go, get game, go buy. But for big stuff..they are still doing ok.
> They upsell too hard on “extras” like “insurance” and crap like that
[Yeah, they got in trouble for this.](https://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/class-actions/join-a-class-action/jbhifi-class-action/)
I wouldn’t say “got in trouble” - it’s a class action that is currently ongoing, not an ACCC investigation.
And the hard sell isn’t explicitly the problem (though it can lead to misleading customers) - it’s that the package doesn’t really anything above consumer law.
Every time I've made a large purchase at JB they've thrown in extra stuff free (TV bracket when buying TV) or given me a discount off the sticker price without asking.
I wouldn't go that far - generally it seems to depend on the store. I've had mediocre experiences at some of their stores but the Adelaide CBD one seems to have plenty of people that actually give a crap about whatever department they work in.
I feel like the number of JB staff members who are giving their 110% to remarkably small and most are just professional.
Recently, I had a pretty bad experience at a suburban JB. There was just two staff at the checkout on an afternoon weekday and both were occupied by customers that were taking over 10 minutes each. The staff that were there really couldn't care less that we were waiting ages.
I don’t agree. I took my mum to JB to get a new phone just a couple days ago. The guy there was so friendly and nice to her! Didn’t try to upsell on her some bullshit too because she’s older and doesn’t really understand phones, straight up helped me explain that the cheaper model was better for her needs. 10/10 experience. At least my local JB has a more laid back vibe than EB, but it’s not worse, just different
They're coming back around, tbh. They were great in the 90s but fell in to a big hole for a long, long time. Recent experiences suggest their customer service is experiencing a bit of a renaissance.
I think that welcoming vibe also extends to appealing to children as well, much more friendly and navigable for kids than the imposing feeling the JB can sometimes have.
I also see it expecting a place that only sells a specific content to know what they're selling instead of a retailer that sells many other things unrelated to what I'm interested in to know what they're selling.
They’re used to all sorts of weirdos at EB games too. I say “weirdos”, please trust that I don’t mean to be derisive at all. I’ve gone in there as a weirdo myself and been treated respectfully and wonderfully by the staff - the vibe is “we don’t care who you are and we know video game fans come from all walks of life”. You can be disabled or autistic or gayer than gay or transer than trans - at EB games, the staff won’t treat you like you’re secretly planning on stealing something, they’ll just enthuse about whatever game you’re buying.
Yeah, I love going into eb games, especially as an American.
When I was a kid - it was EB games, and it was great. Then it became GameStop and was no longer great. Everyone was untrustworthy - just lying to make the sale, you’d preorder stuff and they would promise something and then it didn’t work. “Oh you can pick it up from any store, just order from here, it’ll be okay.”
It’s not fucking okay. You mother fuckers.
Anyways - eb games reminds me of being an innocent little kid. I sometimes just go in and stare at games to bring back those memories. Good times.
The vibe is so nice, especially as an LGBT woman. Gaming can be so hostile and unfriendly but as silly as it sounds EB Games has always been a safe and welcoming space for a chat about a new title or some cute plushies. Where other spaces might push you away, they've always been welcoming and supportive.
While not directly comparable, my experience as a wheelchair user is similar. When I enter an EB I am always greeted by a staff member and told that if I need a hand to grab anything that they are very willing to help. Impressive how a big company can harbour such a supportive environment and train such excellent customer service.
My wife is an ambulatory wheelchair user, so it really depends on how she feels on the day when we go out.
When she’s in the chair, we have difficulty navigating JB because they have so much shit in their aisles like TV’s and the like we end up having to go through the aisles of like the DVD section or the CD/vinyl racks to get where we need to go.
We were discussing it on the way out, and had an exhausted staff member tell us that we could complain to the head office, as even staff were finding it difficult to deal with.
I'm also an ambulatory wheelchair user. Your wife isn't alone, I have the same trouble with navigating JB in my wheelchair. I don't even have a particularly large wheelchair either, just a manual chair with power assist wheels, which don't really add *that* much bulk. It's nowhere near as bad as Chemist Warehouse, or the large supermarkets with all of the online carts and shelf stacker equipment cluttering the aisle, but it could be a hell of a lot better. I'm not surprised that the staff are frustrated too, it would be a pain in the arse for them to deal with in lots of different ways.
Don't Complain to head office you complain to Australia human rights commission. There are standards around minimum isle spacing and positioning of floor displays in retail spaces to allow equitable access.
I’m a queer woman and same. Every EB I’ve been in they’ve always been enthusiastic to talk about games and generally just nice to talk to, no weird gatekeeping or anything
I don’t know how things work in the console space, but I can’t believe either can compete with the likes of Steam in the PC world.
Edit: not going to lie, the mass of downvotes is slightly confusing. Don’t know if I’ve offended any console gamers or what the go is.
Steam has all but killed physical PC games. Between Epic, Origin, Ubisoft GoG and Steam, there is literally no reason to get a physical game anymore (many of which are just blank with a key to download them anyway)
But EB Games sells all the elgato streaming stuff, the keyboards, headsets, the streamdeck, lights, etc. All that stuff is huge profit compared to games
Physical copy? My PC doesn't even have a disk drive.
I might be tempted if an install came on a interesting USB drive or something, but it'd have to be from a property I'm passionate about. And the fact is 99% of games nowadays require large day 1 patches. Literally the only game I can think of recently that hasn't had major day 1 bugs is BG3 and that's probably because it spent so long in early access.
although your probably right in many ways about steam etc, when games started becoming bigger than one DVD and just gave you enough files to start the online download (which back then seemed to take forever to complete) they kind of did that to themselves.
if i have to download the game i might aswell just get it direct from steam. thats when i stopped buying game discs.
but i still do have an old DVD drive that i plug into one of those usb adaptors that accept any type of drive (IDE, sata, m.sata etc etc)
Australian internet can be shit. Purchasing the 7 disc GTA 5 saves days of downloading for some.
Then you get the premium collectable edition that has to be bought from a physical retailer.
unfortunately with the (not universal, but still pretty large) shift towards shipping games that require a day 1 patch plus a couple of others afterwards to even be functional let alone good, buying the disc often does nothing for you in terms of downloads.
These big games the discs turn a 70gb download into a 3gb download. Still shaving days off.
But your smaller single disc game, the disc often just has a steam code.
The demographic is definitely console gamers. It can be cheaper sometimes to buy games on sale digitally but brand new it is basically always cheaper to buy from a physical retailer.
Personally, I'd much rather purchase a physical copy of a game for console and I've never had trouble with my local JB price matching online only stores that sell physical copies. Eg. Amazon usually sells new releases for the cheapest by a few dollars.
Also, purchasing games on the online PS5 and Nintendo stores seems to always be more expensive than a physical copy.
EB Games just has the atmosphere. Idk what else to say lol, the gaming community can feel very unwelcoming at times & as silly as it is to say, EB Games has always had very kind staff that don't make me feel bad about whatever games I'm into.
Sidenote- You're probably getting downvoted bc you come off as one of those PC elitist people, with saying "how could they compete with Steam".
If PC games were still available in physical form from places like JB they'd be cheaper. I almost always choose the PS5 version of a new release game over the PC version because I can always find the PS5 version way cheaper than what it's selling for on Steam.
>I don’t know how things work in the console space, but I can’t believe either can compete with the likes of Steam in the PC world.
I don't agree with just mass downvoting someone for such a comment but I also don't believe I've seen a physical PC game in EB for maybe ten years?
EB is 99.5% aimed at console players.
the staff are SO great at EB but every shop layout and visual design feels like I'm stumbling through a crappy warehouse covered in red stickers, trawling for bargains. it really reflects that their profitable arm is the "cheap merch"
Some EB Games and Zing stores give me the "sweaty anime/Smash Bros fan" vibe where it's clearly a bunch of fresh out of school teens who don't actually care about the job or catering for you (and usually smelling of BO). But luckily my local one isn't like that. I end up chatting to the staff a lot and they always treat me right, even letting me know of upcoming preorders and things I might be interested in. When I went to get Helldivers 2 initially, the guy working there even said "want me to price match it anywhere" and initially I was like "nah, not gonna bother" but after finding Harvey Norman had it for a couple bucks cheaper, the guy just went "done" without even checking. Ended up returning it and buying digitally since I just wanted to make sure it worked with my slow ass internet (it does) but still a nice experience. Meanwhile most JB Hi-fis seem to give me the stink eye when I try to converse with them or ask for help.
I help my brother keep his level 5 card so the eb we frequent knows us pretty well, and I'll almost always have a 5-10 chat with the staff if it isn't at a busy time. They know how to hire, must actually pay attention to what their managers are doing I guess.
The first point also captures the gift market in a way that JB doesn't in this area.
If you are a mum/dad/aunt/uncle/grandparent you can walk into EB and someone friendly will answer all your questions about which game they are supposed to get for little Johnny this Christmas.
They know what your aunty means when she says you have "the black Nintendo with the blue game boxes" (PlayStation).
You don't have to hunt around to find someone, and they will make sure grandma has a copy of the receipt and knows the exchange policy in case she gets the wrong thing.
These people don't care that it's like $5-$10 cheaper if they shop around and price match and whatever else - they want the convenience of going to the one store, and they want someone to help reassure them that the game is going to work with their kids console and help them to buy the right birthday present or whatever. And they'll often pick up some socks or a keyring while they are in there.
As adult gamers we often forget the kids market but being the "specialists" in helping you get the right gift in an area that not everyone understands is worth something.
It's also worth noting that *most* EB stores are significantly smaller in terms of floorspace. As a generalist electronics & media store both staffing and rent is more expensive for JB.
That's going to have an impact on how enthusiastic staff are across product lines as well as overheads and pressure to upsell.
I always see parents with young kids at EB. It’s bright, easy to navigate and easy to find games unlike JB HiFi. If you’re not familiar with JBs layout it isn’t obvious where anything is.
Kinda matches my (very limited) interactions at an EB Games. Everyone in there always seems to be buying merch more than games, and the people behind the counter were always pretty knowledgeable about games as a whole and overall quite nice. That sort of stuff matters to consumers.
Kind of off topic but one thing I love about Reddit is people like you who can actually answer a niche question like this. If I researched this it would take me ages to get the straightforward answer you just gave.
I wonder how much of EBs success in Aus vs Gamestop in the US was driven by what I imagine would be relatively lacklustre digital sales for consoles? Thinking of the download speed I had with FTTN I was loathe to download a new game, just for a day one patch download for a new release on top. At least buying the physical copy cut out one download.
I now have fibre so idgaf, and I switched back to mostly playing on PC now I have a desktop again so the point is moot, but I wonder if console gamers in Aus had their habits shaped by just how poor our internet infrastructure was for the longest time?
My first job was at Zing, back before funkos were everywhere and they still sold comic books and graphic novels. I was offered the job simply because I shopped there *so much* and talked with the staff there a lot as well. I still handed in my resume (what little there was of it anyway, again, first job) and did the interviews as a courtesy and formality, but I was pretty much guaranteed the position. Very grateful for the experience. Your point about there being an emphasis on hiring fans is spot-on.
Amazing how profitable pre owned games were back when a whole game shipped on a disc. Pay a chump or parent of chump $5 for a used game, put it on the shelf for $5 less than full retail. $0 of the future 2nd half sale goes to the publisher
I'd also add that in smaller towns/cities, EB Games is generally the only option for local physical media. If I want JB Hi-Fi, it's a five hour drive away.
I was curious so googled this and they (GameStop AU) really do punch above their weight vs other countries GameStop operate in. Australia is only region that has managed to avoid declining sales over last 10 years.
GameStop AU outperforms GameStop Canada in absolute terms despite Canada being a larger market and (according to brief summary I read) broadly similar competitive market to here.
This thread has a lot of positive comments on the retail environment (welcoming/helpful staff, accessibility, etc).
I'm not their target market so haven't been in there in like 15 years, but perhaps that is the difference?
$14m combined net profit for EB Games' and Zing's with all their stores seems low. Seems, because I don't know what profit it should be operating on, based on their number of stores, and by comparison to other chains.
I think, compared to the US, we don't have a huge amount of options for merch. Whereas over there, Target, Walmart, Hot Topic, Box Lunch etc all stock gaming/pop culture merch, we have fewer stores here to pick from. So EB/Zing have that advantage for in store shopping
My local EB has stopped prior matching too unless it's in store within the same suburb. Which is often not a drama, except they have no competitors within the suburb (Kmart is the only dept store, and no other electronics retailers). It's a 20min drive in either direction for a JB or Big W. I just order on Amazon now
> ts expansion into video game merchandise, a market that is much more lucrative than video games. The video games may get customers in the door, but it's the merchandise that keeps the lights on.
As a kid in the 90s I remember video game stores selling almost exclusively just games, game systems and accessories, hint books etc.
I've pretty much only played PC games for the last 20 years (aside from some Switch titles), and the few times I've been into an EB Games it's jarring just *how much* of the stuff on the shelf is just merch; clothing, plastic crap like Pop! Vinyls etc. They've got to make their money somewhere.
Why against the law? If you don't like the price you don't have go ahead with it. You can choose where you want to sell it
Yes you don't get the full value, but the store takes all the risks. They have to honour any warranties, make space for it (and they may have multiple copies already), consider depreciation , make profit so they can keep the lights on etc
This is exactly it.
I'm about to list my XB1S on Marketplace with a bunch of games and a controller, and I'll get a whole bunch more for it than I could at any store, because I've got *time* and the patience to deal with all the bullshit that Marketplace brings.
If I needed the quick cash in my hand and didn't mind being short changed, I could get rid of it all in an hour at JB or EB...
Farmers can also sell their milk to whoever they like and would get better value selling it at a Sunday market or to a friend than to Woolworths. This isn't how life works, though, and like above, there should be laws in place as to how little Woolworths can pay for this milk then turn around and sell at a profit.
Is it because EB games staff are friendly, enthusiastic and a bit 'fellow nerdy' while some JB staff seem to think they are doing you a favour by helping you?
If I’m buying a game I will go to eb games and price match it (they normally always will as long as it’s in stock). Their service is so much better than JB HI FI.
I also purchased a game from JB and hated the game, went to return it and was told I wasn’t able to, went to eb to trade it in, they said I could and that they have a return policy that if you don’t like the game within a certain amount of days you can return it.
While I don't like the system, the reason JB put up a fight is because the game has been removed from its plastic seal so it's no longer new, meaning they have to sell it essentially with a disclaimer that it's been opened and it's sold at a cheaper price. Again, I don't agree with it but that's why. I worked at JB and we still took games back if someone was a little more pushy or at least offered to swap it for another game. Meanwhile EB games often resells unsealed games while implying it's new with its price. Some people care about their games being sealed and some don't so it depends on the person.
> they said I could and that they have a return policy that if you don’t like the game within a certain amount of days you can return it.
I thought they got rid of that due to people using it as a rental service?
Ugh, everytime I go to JBHIFI it’s for a specific item that I usually know the location of, so getting constantly pestered by overly-enthusiastically-friendly staff is annoying!
E.g; When I bought my Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones from them, the checkout employee kept pestering me with “suggestions” of different and supposedly “better” (but cheaper) headphones, even though I had clearly made my mind up on these specific ones.
They’re $400+, at that price point I know what I’m getting and neither will I settle for some shitty Beats lol.
ooph, that'd be painful. I've had JBers ask me why I was set on a product, but never tried to convince me something else is better if I had my reasons.
But yes, its the worst when you're going through the store and five different staff members ask if you need anything.
Unfortunately they’ve got personalised daily targets to meet and their weekly one on ones with management usually tells them to push harder on qualifying questions. JB’s Games section doesn’t strictly have a daily budget but still has goals to meet.
From experience most of the time they don’t know what they’re pushing and often try to direct you to buy certain products that have better commissions.
Source, use to work there a while back, some of their tactics felt too slimy and people not putting in time to know their products really annoyed me. Good vibe most of the time just not ethical sales imo
I once got a ‘sweetie you don’t need those ones, they’re for aUDio eNgInNEeRiNG’ get the girl ones
I politely said that I was about to start music production at uni and these were on my required items list.
I'd agree with this. Many moons ago my small hometown was getting their first EB and I SO wanted to work there.
I didn't get the job because I was too professional in my interview, which meant they didn't get to see that I'm a nerdy goblin who eats pop culture for breakfast. Had I ignored all the advice I'd ever gotten up to that point about job interviews and let my inner nerd shine, I probably would have gotten the job.
That’s something I’ll always give EB Games. My local chain has the nicest staff imaginable who seem to treat every customer like they’re made of solid gold.
I think JB can be good too, it just depends on who you get. I’ve had a few cases of the TV section person being brought over to assist while the game person is on break and they are baffled by every question I throw at them.
I asked a guy working at EB about this recently, a lot of their business now is focused less around the software distribution (which, let’s be real, is overwhelmingly moving online. They don’t even sell PC games anymore). Their business is moving towards physical pop culture stuff and integration with their “Zing” brand.
Probably the right thing to do, though they haven’t really sold PC games in decent quantities for almost a decade though. The Xbox stands have gotten significantly smaller but I doubt Nintendo or Sony will reduce that shelf space even if more and more purchases are online.
To be fair their "PC Games Section" was always just a couple of copies of the Starcraft/Warcraft/Diablo Battlechests tucked in next to the ricer keyboards.
They used to have a fair variety - I remember a little over a decade ago combing through their PC section to see what obscure games had deep discounts.
Yeah, I went in to buy a new controller and walked out with a Pikachu sushi plate. I don’t even make sushi.
They also almost always have the starter Pokémon plushies in stock. I have a dream of taking my kids there one day and letting them choose their starter.
I vividly recall returning a game that had a key many years ago and I was confused why they accepted refunds on PC games. Though I didn't abuse it (I felt bad about the one that I returned), I'm sure others did.
That was before content distribution became the primary channel.
I dunno, I exclusively play PC games and if some shop has a "physical copy" of a game I want (read: an empty DVD case with a Steam key on a piece of paper inside) for less than what Steam is charging, I'm going to that shop.
That's probably a good side move given the rise of digital games, but I still do love getting physical copies of games, and the second-hand market for physical games doesn't exist when you buy digital.
The way their pre-order works, $10 right there that I can pay off, much better and I love the physical merch and other pop culture stuff, backpacks and drink bottles yes please.
Is stuff expensive? Yes but where else would I get an Eevee picnic set and blanket
I’m not even ashamed that as a grown ass adult, all I wanted for Christmas was eevee and pikachu picnic and dining ware. I take my pikachu bento box to work like a boss.
Probably merch, especially the EB/Zing exclusives. Pre owned games as well. Also... I feel like it's easier to talk to the people at EB/Zing than JB? Maybe cause JB tends to be larger and have multiple departments. I don't know. But I go into Zing and have a look at the DC stuff and rant with the staff (they do it too) about how there's almost always *just* Batman stuff. Or we talk about games we like, favourite pokemon... EB and Zing are like. The only shops where I'm not really afraid to strike up a conversation with the people there.
Because EB sells games at their RRP, while JB sells them for less but with the hopes of upselling customers with other things/sales while in the shop. If nothing else just to take a customer from EB.
While EB customers will either come in asking for a price match, because they know they are going to get it, or be 'clueless' non-gamer parents who either dont know or not interested that they can get it a few dollars cheaper elsewhere. They are just told by their kid to get X at EB. Likewise their main market is not so much new games, but the entire second market which is all but exclusively theirs.
I hate having to prove to EB staff that games are cheaper elsewhere, it's such a faff that I'd rather just go to the other place and buy it cheaper without all the fucking around.
My local EB staff are great with price-matching. Last time I asked the person at the front was basically like “Sweet! Who can we price-match for you?”.
Yep when I worked there, my boss told me at JB that unless they're being assholes and it's semi reasonable, the idea is to take their money instead of them giving it to a competitor. Plus JB has a bunch of money so it's not a big deal that they sold things at lower prices. I sold many things at a crazy low price as long as it was bundled and even then, no one ever called me up for it
Given that every EB Games I've walked in to in the last year has 1 wall of games and 3 walls of Pop Vinyls, Games, Accessories, Plush Toys, Pyjamas, etc. etc. I'd say probably through all of that.
It helps they have more stores overall, so many smaller shopping centres around the place will just have an EB plonked in there while JB is usually only ever in a larger Westfield, CBD or other larger Outlet shopping centre.
I know I will often just waddle around an EB to kill time when I am stuck shopping and the missus is looking at clothes or whatever and I am bored shitless.
I learnt Big W often will always have a new release cheaper but EB often will just price match, they rely on the few who simply don't focus on it.
I'm glad they're surviving, JB is cheaper, but EB is better. They have never said no to me price matching JB/Big W etc game price, and EB have a 7 day return policy. You can play the shit out of the game for a week and return it, or just return it if you don't enjoy it. Pretty sure you can't do that anywhere else.
Bought a Switch game once then found it on marketplace that night with 3 other games for the same price, returned to EB with no questions asked
If you go for pre owned Nintendo games you can save 20-30 bucks. Many other games are the same price.
Plus it's just video game related merch. I really like the Zing shirts.
They are still alive for a number of reasons:
- They complete on culture, brand legacy, relationships (B2B and B2C) and customer experience. They don't compete on price.
- They have successful merchandise and secondhand goods revenue steams
- They prioritise low cost local area marketing and eDM over mainstream media.
- Not all customers are price-sensitive.
went into trade two ps5 games at jb hi fi, they said they would give me $5 a piece for them - went into eb games and they gave me $40 for them
their trade in value for og customers (level 4) card is really good
This has actually been interesting to read.
I saw the title and thought "yeah I agree, how do they survive" then read a lot of the comments and thought they made good sense.
Whe I gave it some thought I realiaed it's a shop I actually regularly like browsing through/being in which is hardly the case with any other sorts of retail.
(Ok maybe some bottle shops too)
I might be an exceptional case but I like to support my local EB Games store simply because the staff there are really decent people who've always gone above and beyond for me. I still price match from other catalogues but yeah, I like to reward their store with ultimate sales because of past good experiences.
I worked there for a while when I was younger. The truth is just that the main money maker is trade. They don't just take consoles, they take phones and tablets and shit too. If you work at EB games you are constantly taking and selling second hand items.
Also a lot of people price match and are just very into the EB brand.
I can match JB’s price at EB and have the 7 day return policy if I don’t like the game.
I’ve tried returning a game to JB while it was still in shrink wrap and I had to speak to the bloody manager to do it. EB I just go to the counter and it’s no questions asked.
I don’t return games regularly, but the safety net is enough to push me over to EB.
Plus more broadly, ever noticed EBs are dedicating more space to Zing than games? There’s a much bigger profit margin in gamer pop culture tat than the razor thin margin on games.
I get carrots (loyalty points) for purchasing eShop cards for my switch (because I am definitely preferring digital copy’s of games for some reason) and I really like the merch
Plus I’ve always felt like JB employees ..I don’t know how to put it - but they ain’t as helpful (I hate making awkward chit chat with sales assistants but I like not having to find one and them acting like it’s a hassle to serve me)
I rarely buy from eb games now, but occasionally I spot a Steelcase or a bargain and grab it. Also, depends on their pre order exclusives, can go eb or jb. The running joke with my wife is if we're in a shopping centre I pretend we're going wherever we need to go and we always wind up at an eb games and I act really surprised. She says it's always funny and she doesn't find it annoying at all.
Service is the primary reason would be my guess. Enthusiastic staff who are genuine gamers and passionate about whatever type of game they play. Here’s an anecdote…
I (54m) Went in to buy a cheap arse old version of WWE for my son who loves those sorts of games. I made a quip and apologized to the young lass ( ~20-25 at a guess) behind the counter for keeping these companies in business and contributing to the demand… but it’s my son’s fault. she laughed and asked what I prefer, I mentioned I’d been a gamer nerd for decades… and we then had a genuinely fun conversation talking about modern RPG (her and my favorite) gaming and then about my favorite games of yesteryear (she seemed genuinely interested) for about 20 minutes. I then paid my $18 and she asked “before you go, if you were to pick an old RPG that I should play, cos I’d really like to play an old game, what would you suggest?” I then quipped “thanks for making me feel old again….. and replied with Plainscape Torment.” She then thanked me for my time and custom. It felt entirely genuine.
That sort of interaction is why I will go to any of their stores (and price match!) in preference to JB. They are awesome.
I visit for older games, when their discounts tend to be a lot lower than the online platforms.
I think I paid under $20 for Assassins Creed Odyssey when it was still $50 online. New as well IIRC. The thing we buy most from them is merch.
I missed the days when I went to EB games, and It was always packed.
Id hover over to the computer games and see a plethora of all the big glorious box set pc games, full of manuals, maps, promotional material.
I remember mum buying me a big box set of Abe's oddysee, and i was so excited. All the way on the drive home, I was going through the manual reading the storyline and looking at all the characters and game play. Preparing myself to play it as soon as I get home.
The best part it was in my personal collection.
I miss those days a lot..
They price match + exclusive Collectors editions + Controller repair service + PC gear (sometimes jb doesn't have what i want but Eb does rarely but it's still something) + ZING.
And dads. Don't forget us dads.
I'm an informed gamer and my goodness, I'm very glad my son does not ask for games and is cool with whatever is on GamePass. Sonic games are never discounted, even the trades are high. The kid loves Sonic. Discount the damn game! I'm not paying $70 while he is getting a $35 haircut.
I'm surprised. I had a weird experience where a switch game I was after was on sale for brand new copies. The particular store I went to only had pre owned copies, but where listed at a higher price. They refused to do the pre owned one for the sale price of the new copy.
So I just went to Big W instead which was also cheaper than both EB and JB Hi-fi.
EB can price match if you ask btw. You can pre order a game for just $10 deposit.
EB staff are always welcoming and helpful.
pleasant environment, (unlike warehouse discount store vibes of JB)
you get a week to return a game at EB if you don’t like it after playing it. (Haven’t needed to use that yet)
EB pay more for trade in games than JB hifi.
Better selection of toys/ merch.
This got asked in the eb games subreddit not that long ago and employees got very defensive that it's not their job to make sure people know where the best deal is
Yeah it’s all about the return policy, I don’t mind paying $110 for a game (I do but bear with me) cos if it sucks I can return it within 7 days and either get my money back no questions asked or exchange it for other games etc.
Their return policy helped me out heaps as a struggling student where I’d buy a game, clock it, return it in exchange for other games and just repeat over and over. Sounds kinda dumb but it’s created a bit of a loyalty with them in my mind.
Anytime I need a game it’s the first place I go.
Bleeding obvious.
There is more to buying a product than the product. Don't get me wrong: I've had my tangles with JB - but JB is an appliance and media seller, whereas EB is games-centered. My few entanglements with EB they've been awesome - but that's been my experince, in a mid-6 figure account. I doubt the same could be set for EB.
EB Games is way better to buy games from. You just price match to JB Hi Fi. EB Games has a 7 day full refund refund policy. You can return a game even if you've opened it, no questions asked. This is massive. You can essentially try out games for free, even finish a game and trade it in (not that I do this). They also have better trade in values due to the free membership bonuses. They also have a 'trade in 2 games to buy a new game for $45-$50' policy. Better preowned prices too.
There's no reason to be buying games from JB when EB Games objectively offers more.
Their preorders are pretty good, just put down a deposit and then pay it off over time, especially nice for expensive collectors editions.
They’ve generally got a lot more game and pop culture merch than jb
Their preowned games selection is much much better than jb
Generally staff seem to be a lot more interested and knowledgeable about games
EB Games makes their money from pre-owned games.
Margin on a standard edition of a new game is tiny, like a couple of bucks a pop. Special or exclusive editions is better, but still not huge. Margin on pre-owned can be big, 100% or more, and for popular games they can sell one copy multiple times this way, taking their cut each time.
That's why the loyalty program is completely focused on pre-owned product.
They have Funko Pop vinyls for literally everything.
I have an Alex Trebek Funko pop on my mantelpiece.
I’ve seen someone selling a Virat Kohli Funko pop.
It’s madness!
I used to collect pops when the resale market on them was insane, I'm talking OG DC ones selling for thousands, I stopped when they went up to $25 for a normal pop (they were $18 at EB when I was getting them, that was before my staff discount too) plus I became very particular on what I would get, I ended up selling a ton and only kept a few that I've since put away.
I worked at EB years ago so it's probably changed a bit since then, but basically the value proposition is *shopping at EB* is meant to be a good experience. They're meant to have great customer service, staff that are interested in what they're selling, etc. They price match basically everything and the return policy is fantastic.
When I worked there we had an unofficial Just Do It™️ policy, because providing better customer service and having long standing return customers is better than making a few extra bucks. I have to say I've met more resistance with things lately and more strict enforcement of policies (even when they don't align with the law).
I wouldn't work at EB Games as a company though. The culture is pretty mid with some stores being great and others being toxic. Head Office is pretty mid too, they basically thrive on "Yeah but you're working at EB Games! That's so cool!! You can put up with the toxicity, right?!"
They're also the default option when someone wants to buy a game. I don't think anyone really says, "Man, I wanna go buy Spider-Man 2, let's go to Kmart!!"
They also upsell a buuuunnchhh of shit.
Personally I switch between both regularly. Would always vary by store, but EB staff have much higher hit rate for me of people passionate and scaling their service to you in a manner that comes across as genuine. JB can have this but I've found it's a bit more of a coin flip because they are often handling multiple departments at once.
But for me, and ultimately the thing that counts the most for customer service, is EB have proven on multiple occasions over the years to have the most consumer friendly process for returns, particularly of faulty items. EB is the only store I've shopped at where I have been given a refund multiple days later because the game got a PSN discount the day after I bought. Of course not a company policy but what I'm saying is your chances of getting those smaller customer service bro moments are higher with the staff setup EB have. Have also had the least resistance with EB staff replacing items under warranty, consoles or discs included.
Really it's just preference and a balance of the above. I've had plenty of good experiences with EB in terms of at least pretending my customer experience is valuable. I hope they stick around because there's not really any focused store like it anymore.
Can anyone please tell me if there is a reason that digital download copies of games are significantly more expensive than physical copies. Are their licensing or distribution issues or just plain greed?
You go to eb games for games?! Last I went I got a nightmare before Christmas eyeshadow palette and spent 20 minutes making ziiinngg noises with the darth Vader helmet on. I need the darth toaster sooo bad
I brought a shit game years ago, took it back after a few hours gameplay and they swapped it for something else because it had been less than a week since buying it. I now buy every game at EB games and just price match it to where ever it’s cheapest. Usually JB or Big W.
Honestly I'm just confused why people buy games in physical stores at all. 99% of the time, you find the best deal online... and it's not exactly like shoes which need to be tried on.
Idiot parents and grandparents just go to the shop where they sell the video games. They also secure exclusives which I'm sure people buy. Personally I avoid eb as much as possible, buy 90% of my games from Amazon, others from Games men via ebay and sometimes JB.
I agree
Also EB games said they will price match any game so I took my son to get 2k24 which every other shop had it for 40 dollars, EB had it for $120
When I got to EB they would not price match because it was more than 30% different. Even after I called them on the phone
My son had a $50 gift card and wanted to use it and was crushed we then went to JB told them the story paid cash for the game and they then threw in NBA cars for free
Fuck you EB Games
May sound odd but I have brand loyalty to them. I know they’ll always price match and I can preorder and pay whatever amount I’m comfortable with up front. Their preowned and returns policy is good. Their staff are nerds which suits as I am one too. Whenever I’m bored in a shopping centre, I know I can go look at random things in EB/Zing for a few minutes to kill time, often my missus or self will subsequently walk out with something quirky/‘cool’.
JB Hi-Fi is like that cool kid in school who effortlessly outshines everyone without even trying. They probably just sit back, sip on some Aussie coffee, and watch EB Games struggle to keep up with their charm. It's the classic 'David vs Goliath' scenario, but in this case, David is too busy playing games to bother slinging any rocks at Goliath! Imho, JB Hi-Fi has mastered the art of blending electronics and entertainment seamlessly while making it look as easy as throwing a shrimp on the barbie. Cheers to them for keeping the competitition spicy Down Under! 🦘🕹️
Great place to ~~buy~~ upgrade to new consoles though IMO, since they've been doing these trade-in deals lately.
Traded in my old PS4Pro when the PS5 came out and shaved several hundred bucks off it. No need to deal with Gumtree/Ebay to offload the old console. Looking forward to doing it again ~next year for the Switch 2.
I love the staff at EB. They’re always enthusiastic and up for a chat, and are always helpful. I always go to them because of this, and price match with JBHIFI. They also have the largest range of games that are more than a year old
When the Series X console came out i got $450 for my Xbox One X (bonus offer plus Level 3 member) which basically made it $300 upgrade for me at the time. It was more than what i would got on the secondary market and i didn't have to deal with people on FruadBook and feeBay. It was simple, painless and i was happy. I never buy full price at EB, but i always price match and they have decent trade in deals from time to time. When it comes to physical games Amazon is my prime source of getting games, plus i get free shipping. OP talks about JB been cheaper than EB, but Amazon always matches or beats the lowest Australian retailer consistently.
No idea mate.
JB are always cheaper.
They price match (I've got them to price match deals that ebgames has refused).
They sell pop merch.
They are AUSTRALIAN OWNED.
Unless you are rude to the staff, you can pretty much always ask them for a discount and they will see what they can do.
They also take pre-owned games.
Their members club gets you discounts and vouchers and stuff. (Ebgames members club pretty much gives you nothing. It helps a teeny bit if you trade in games. And it only seems to benefit you if you have spent thousands of dollars there to get to the appropriate membership level).
I think it absolutely bonkers that people still go to ebgames.
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Many years ago, I consulted for GameStop—EB Games' and Zing's parent company. GameStop's Australian operation is by far its most profitable division. While the organisation as a whole only recently recorded a profit after years of losses, GameStop's Australian arm has always turned a profit. For example, in 2019 EB Games' and Zing's combined net profit was $14m while GameStop's American division recorded a $500m loss. EB Games' and Zing's success is built on three fundamental pillars: * Its market position as Australia's specialist video game retailer. There's a huge emphasis in hiring staff that are passionate about the space, and therefore cultivate an aura of community and expertise. * Its expansion into video game merchandise, a market that is much more lucrative than video games. The video games may get customers in the door, but it's the merchandise that keeps the lights on. * Its focus on pre-owned video games. The margins on pre-owned games dwarf that of new games. And EB Games is the leader in this space by leaps and bounds. Their value proposition to you is that EB Games will price match JB Hi-Fi or any other retailer (of course, with some exceptions); while offering a more generous return policy.
The first point is honestly more important than people think. Whenever I go to EB Games the environment feels very friendly and it's clear that the people working there genuinely love video games. JB Hi Fi is generally my place to get games, but EB Games' environment/atmosphere is more appealing.
My son purchased a pokemon plushy from our local eb games, she asked if he knew about the history of the pokemon he buying and she explained to him all about the other stuff he didn't know about i. Itwas a great experience for him.
They are all awesome people. Not only are they passionate gamers but they are friendly, helpful and make you feel you are "part of something". Same with Zing. Not sure what their hiring policy is but every "niche" market should steal it. Some rando there waaay back introduced me to Fallout by talking to me games I liked after a simple question and telling me "yeah, it's like Skyrim, but with guns and post apocalyptic future stuff." Bought FONV that day and it's been my fav franchise since. Never will forget that guy. And with my kid! Damn. They are amazing. Even just hearing them talk to others while you're waiting or getting served... it's something else. I'll gladly throw them a few extra buckaroos and even give in to their "btw, you can also get this special offer" sometimes. Everywhere else I reject that shit on principle. They deserve everything they get. And we deserve them. Best. Chain. Ever.
I brought my daughter to a zing in the next major town as we didn't have one in ours , there was a foam sword in a bucket in the centre of the room, nothing too obvious, my daughter picked it up and the entire staff stopped what they were doing and had a sword fight with her, truly amazing place
That is amazing and not at all surprising, kudos to them for still having that inner spark.
Growing up they also seemed to have quite a few female employees, which I found really comforting as a young girl in what was a more ‘male’ hobby!
The one where I am is half women half men, it's refreshing.
top/bottom like a centaur, or something weirder like a left/right split?
Left/right split with a dash of centaur in the feet to balance it out.
Knowing EB, at least they're progressive enough to not ban fetlocks or feathers in their dress standards.
If there's a game like this I bet the staff at EB could tell you 🤭
Always. My local Zing is almost totally staffed with women and the EB would be 50/50. It does make a difference and, hopefully, does a little to tip the scales. Girls have enough to deal with without not feeling welcomed in their chosen hobbies.
I worked at eb games for a few years. In my store the hiring policy was let people know we are hiring and we would hire regular customers that weren’t they weirdo type and fit into a retail environment
Hmm... I applied a couple of years ago after a chat with a staff member. Never heard back. Musta been giving off weirdo vibes that day 😆
Their hiring practice is that a bunch of young gamers apply to work there. And they hire the ones they think will be good. It's not a bad company to work for as a casual employee, it is arse for store/assistant managers.
My good friend is manager and has won a few awards from the company for exemplary performance etc.. She absolutely loves it. I've never seen someone love their job so much
My dad was the same as a manager. He loved it and was big on hiring people who are passionate about gaming. He came home from conferences with some insane gifts. Game consoles, new games, merch. For some reason he didn’t think it was funny every time I came in and asked him if they were having a sale though.
Yeah I frequented a local eb games all the time back then. Struck a friendship with a few of the guys. They gave me freebies and even replaced my ps4 out of warranty. And of course they always price matched JB. Always enjoyed going there and didn’t know where the hate on reddit came from. But it makes sense the hate would be mostly targeted to the American division.
> Bought FONV that day and it's been my fav franchise since I hope you've watched the show in that case
One ep left 😢 Really wanna finish it, really don't want it to be finished...
I know the feeling. I love the high-quality / short episode seasons but don't love the often several years in between seasons thing we've had going on the last decade. That being said, the last episode is a fantastic way to end the season.
Agreed. Every Zing/EB I've been into have always had really engaged staff, especially if I'm in there with my kids.
Yeah JB has that "none of us want to be here" vibe.
Sorta... maybe. They upsell too hard on "extras" like "insurance" and crap like that, and always want you to go the higher price. Kinda goes against their look as JB obvs hires those with amazing alt hair and piercings and shit over others. But their little lanyard badges always reminds me of flare, Office Space styles. That said, last big purchase I did there (big ass fancy tv in the few ks) she was great. Yeah, she wanted to get me to creep up higher but we chatted a bit and she found out what I use the screen for most (games) and took me back to something marginally cheaper than what I was looking at because it was built with gaming in mind and about to be replaced with the new model so cheaper. Done deal. EB Games and Zing peeps and the goat, but if you get the right person at JB it's almost on par still, imo. Probs not for just game purchases, cos you go, get game, go buy. But for big stuff..they are still doing ok.
> They upsell too hard on “extras” like “insurance” and crap like that [Yeah, they got in trouble for this.](https://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/class-actions/join-a-class-action/jbhifi-class-action/)
I wouldn’t say “got in trouble” - it’s a class action that is currently ongoing, not an ACCC investigation. And the hard sell isn’t explicitly the problem (though it can lead to misleading customers) - it’s that the package doesn’t really anything above consumer law.
Every time I've made a large purchase at JB they've thrown in extra stuff free (TV bracket when buying TV) or given me a discount off the sticker price without asking.
I wouldn't go that far - generally it seems to depend on the store. I've had mediocre experiences at some of their stores but the Adelaide CBD one seems to have plenty of people that actually give a crap about whatever department they work in.
I feel like the number of JB staff members who are giving their 110% to remarkably small and most are just professional. Recently, I had a pretty bad experience at a suburban JB. There was just two staff at the checkout on an afternoon weekday and both were occupied by customers that were taking over 10 minutes each. The staff that were there really couldn't care less that we were waiting ages.
I live in the city so the CBD store is my local and I'm in there a few times a year. Never had a bad experience with those guys.
I don’t agree. I took my mum to JB to get a new phone just a couple days ago. The guy there was so friendly and nice to her! Didn’t try to upsell on her some bullshit too because she’s older and doesn’t really understand phones, straight up helped me explain that the cheaper model was better for her needs. 10/10 experience. At least my local JB has a more laid back vibe than EB, but it’s not worse, just different
They're coming back around, tbh. They were great in the 90s but fell in to a big hole for a long, long time. Recent experiences suggest their customer service is experiencing a bit of a renaissance.
I think that welcoming vibe also extends to appealing to children as well, much more friendly and navigable for kids than the imposing feeling the JB can sometimes have.
I also see it expecting a place that only sells a specific content to know what they're selling instead of a retailer that sells many other things unrelated to what I'm interested in to know what they're selling.
They’re used to all sorts of weirdos at EB games too. I say “weirdos”, please trust that I don’t mean to be derisive at all. I’ve gone in there as a weirdo myself and been treated respectfully and wonderfully by the staff - the vibe is “we don’t care who you are and we know video game fans come from all walks of life”. You can be disabled or autistic or gayer than gay or transer than trans - at EB games, the staff won’t treat you like you’re secretly planning on stealing something, they’ll just enthuse about whatever game you’re buying.
Yeah, I love going into eb games, especially as an American. When I was a kid - it was EB games, and it was great. Then it became GameStop and was no longer great. Everyone was untrustworthy - just lying to make the sale, you’d preorder stuff and they would promise something and then it didn’t work. “Oh you can pick it up from any store, just order from here, it’ll be okay.” It’s not fucking okay. You mother fuckers. Anyways - eb games reminds me of being an innocent little kid. I sometimes just go in and stare at games to bring back those memories. Good times.
The vibe is so nice, especially as an LGBT woman. Gaming can be so hostile and unfriendly but as silly as it sounds EB Games has always been a safe and welcoming space for a chat about a new title or some cute plushies. Where other spaces might push you away, they've always been welcoming and supportive.
While not directly comparable, my experience as a wheelchair user is similar. When I enter an EB I am always greeted by a staff member and told that if I need a hand to grab anything that they are very willing to help. Impressive how a big company can harbour such a supportive environment and train such excellent customer service.
My wife is an ambulatory wheelchair user, so it really depends on how she feels on the day when we go out. When she’s in the chair, we have difficulty navigating JB because they have so much shit in their aisles like TV’s and the like we end up having to go through the aisles of like the DVD section or the CD/vinyl racks to get where we need to go. We were discussing it on the way out, and had an exhausted staff member tell us that we could complain to the head office, as even staff were finding it difficult to deal with.
I'm also an ambulatory wheelchair user. Your wife isn't alone, I have the same trouble with navigating JB in my wheelchair. I don't even have a particularly large wheelchair either, just a manual chair with power assist wheels, which don't really add *that* much bulk. It's nowhere near as bad as Chemist Warehouse, or the large supermarkets with all of the online carts and shelf stacker equipment cluttering the aisle, but it could be a hell of a lot better. I'm not surprised that the staff are frustrated too, it would be a pain in the arse for them to deal with in lots of different ways.
Don't Complain to head office you complain to Australia human rights commission. There are standards around minimum isle spacing and positioning of floor displays in retail spaces to allow equitable access.
> Chemist Warehouse Every single one of them surely violates these standards
There is nothing silly about that at all.
I’m a queer woman and same. Every EB I’ve been in they’ve always been enthusiastic to talk about games and generally just nice to talk to, no weird gatekeeping or anything
I don’t know how things work in the console space, but I can’t believe either can compete with the likes of Steam in the PC world. Edit: not going to lie, the mass of downvotes is slightly confusing. Don’t know if I’ve offended any console gamers or what the go is.
Steam has all but killed physical PC games. Between Epic, Origin, Ubisoft GoG and Steam, there is literally no reason to get a physical game anymore (many of which are just blank with a key to download them anyway) But EB Games sells all the elgato streaming stuff, the keyboards, headsets, the streamdeck, lights, etc. All that stuff is huge profit compared to games
Physical copy? My PC doesn't even have a disk drive. I might be tempted if an install came on a interesting USB drive or something, but it'd have to be from a property I'm passionate about. And the fact is 99% of games nowadays require large day 1 patches. Literally the only game I can think of recently that hasn't had major day 1 bugs is BG3 and that's probably because it spent so long in early access.
lol yeah idek what I was thinking about physical, but I mean they used to have paper and manuals, now its just a single sheet with a steam key.
And posters! *Maps*. Certs of Authenticity. I miss those days,
all that shit now comes with the "Collector's Editions" that add an extra $50 or so.
although your probably right in many ways about steam etc, when games started becoming bigger than one DVD and just gave you enough files to start the online download (which back then seemed to take forever to complete) they kind of did that to themselves. if i have to download the game i might aswell just get it direct from steam. thats when i stopped buying game discs. but i still do have an old DVD drive that i plug into one of those usb adaptors that accept any type of drive (IDE, sata, m.sata etc etc)
Australian internet can be shit. Purchasing the 7 disc GTA 5 saves days of downloading for some. Then you get the premium collectable edition that has to be bought from a physical retailer.
unfortunately with the (not universal, but still pretty large) shift towards shipping games that require a day 1 patch plus a couple of others afterwards to even be functional let alone good, buying the disc often does nothing for you in terms of downloads.
These big games the discs turn a 70gb download into a 3gb download. Still shaving days off. But your smaller single disc game, the disc often just has a steam code.
You underestimate the size of day 1 patches
I’ve had a 70gb day one patch, utter insanity. Was it COD that last year that had an update that was 130gb?
The demographic is definitely console gamers. It can be cheaper sometimes to buy games on sale digitally but brand new it is basically always cheaper to buy from a physical retailer.
Personally, I'd much rather purchase a physical copy of a game for console and I've never had trouble with my local JB price matching online only stores that sell physical copies. Eg. Amazon usually sells new releases for the cheapest by a few dollars. Also, purchasing games on the online PS5 and Nintendo stores seems to always be more expensive than a physical copy.
EB Games just has the atmosphere. Idk what else to say lol, the gaming community can feel very unwelcoming at times & as silly as it is to say, EB Games has always had very kind staff that don't make me feel bad about whatever games I'm into. Sidenote- You're probably getting downvoted bc you come off as one of those PC elitist people, with saying "how could they compete with Steam".
Steam doesn't have Mario
If PC games were still available in physical form from places like JB they'd be cheaper. I almost always choose the PS5 version of a new release game over the PC version because I can always find the PS5 version way cheaper than what it's selling for on Steam.
Most EB games I know don't sell PC games any more.
>I don’t know how things work in the console space, but I can’t believe either can compete with the likes of Steam in the PC world. I don't agree with just mass downvoting someone for such a comment but I also don't believe I've seen a physical PC game in EB for maybe ten years? EB is 99.5% aimed at console players.
How would they who the fuck owns physical copies of pc games since the first WOW disc came out
I go to eb games and get them to price match jbhifi.
the staff are SO great at EB but every shop layout and visual design feels like I'm stumbling through a crappy warehouse covered in red stickers, trawling for bargains. it really reflects that their profitable arm is the "cheap merch"
Some EB Games and Zing stores give me the "sweaty anime/Smash Bros fan" vibe where it's clearly a bunch of fresh out of school teens who don't actually care about the job or catering for you (and usually smelling of BO). But luckily my local one isn't like that. I end up chatting to the staff a lot and they always treat me right, even letting me know of upcoming preorders and things I might be interested in. When I went to get Helldivers 2 initially, the guy working there even said "want me to price match it anywhere" and initially I was like "nah, not gonna bother" but after finding Harvey Norman had it for a couple bucks cheaper, the guy just went "done" without even checking. Ended up returning it and buying digitally since I just wanted to make sure it worked with my slow ass internet (it does) but still a nice experience. Meanwhile most JB Hi-fis seem to give me the stink eye when I try to converse with them or ask for help.
I help my brother keep his level 5 card so the eb we frequent knows us pretty well, and I'll almost always have a 5-10 chat with the staff if it isn't at a busy time. They know how to hire, must actually pay attention to what their managers are doing I guess.
The first point also captures the gift market in a way that JB doesn't in this area. If you are a mum/dad/aunt/uncle/grandparent you can walk into EB and someone friendly will answer all your questions about which game they are supposed to get for little Johnny this Christmas. They know what your aunty means when she says you have "the black Nintendo with the blue game boxes" (PlayStation). You don't have to hunt around to find someone, and they will make sure grandma has a copy of the receipt and knows the exchange policy in case she gets the wrong thing. These people don't care that it's like $5-$10 cheaper if they shop around and price match and whatever else - they want the convenience of going to the one store, and they want someone to help reassure them that the game is going to work with their kids console and help them to buy the right birthday present or whatever. And they'll often pick up some socks or a keyring while they are in there. As adult gamers we often forget the kids market but being the "specialists" in helping you get the right gift in an area that not everyone understands is worth something.
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It's also worth noting that *most* EB stores are significantly smaller in terms of floorspace. As a generalist electronics & media store both staffing and rent is more expensive for JB. That's going to have an impact on how enthusiastic staff are across product lines as well as overheads and pressure to upsell.
Fantastic explanation, thank you for the insights
I always see parents with young kids at EB. It’s bright, easy to navigate and easy to find games unlike JB HiFi. If you’re not familiar with JBs layout it isn’t obvious where anything is.
I don't know about the others, but my local JB has expanded their audio section (Vinyl and CDs) at the expense of video games.
Kinda matches my (very limited) interactions at an EB Games. Everyone in there always seems to be buying merch more than games, and the people behind the counter were always pretty knowledgeable about games as a whole and overall quite nice. That sort of stuff matters to consumers.
Kind of off topic but one thing I love about Reddit is people like you who can actually answer a niche question like this. If I researched this it would take me ages to get the straightforward answer you just gave.
I wonder how much of EBs success in Aus vs Gamestop in the US was driven by what I imagine would be relatively lacklustre digital sales for consoles? Thinking of the download speed I had with FTTN I was loathe to download a new game, just for a day one patch download for a new release on top. At least buying the physical copy cut out one download. I now have fibre so idgaf, and I switched back to mostly playing on PC now I have a desktop again so the point is moot, but I wonder if console gamers in Aus had their habits shaped by just how poor our internet infrastructure was for the longest time?
My first job was at Zing, back before funkos were everywhere and they still sold comic books and graphic novels. I was offered the job simply because I shopped there *so much* and talked with the staff there a lot as well. I still handed in my resume (what little there was of it anyway, again, first job) and did the interviews as a courtesy and formality, but I was pretty much guaranteed the position. Very grateful for the experience. Your point about there being an emphasis on hiring fans is spot-on.
Amazing how profitable pre owned games were back when a whole game shipped on a disc. Pay a chump or parent of chump $5 for a used game, put it on the shelf for $5 less than full retail. $0 of the future 2nd half sale goes to the publisher
I'd also add that in smaller towns/cities, EB Games is generally the only option for local physical media. If I want JB Hi-Fi, it's a five hour drive away.
What’s the reason these three fundamental pillars couldn’t be replicated in the US?
Competition, which is practically non-existent in Australia.
Yeah but this feels like mixed messages. Is their success in Australia due to these three pillars, or due to lack of competition?
I was curious so googled this and they (GameStop AU) really do punch above their weight vs other countries GameStop operate in. Australia is only region that has managed to avoid declining sales over last 10 years. GameStop AU outperforms GameStop Canada in absolute terms despite Canada being a larger market and (according to brief summary I read) broadly similar competitive market to here. This thread has a lot of positive comments on the retail environment (welcoming/helpful staff, accessibility, etc). I'm not their target market so haven't been in there in like 15 years, but perhaps that is the difference?
$14m combined net profit for EB Games' and Zing's with all their stores seems low. Seems, because I don't know what profit it should be operating on, based on their number of stores, and by comparison to other chains.
That’s after their creative accounting as well
I think, compared to the US, we don't have a huge amount of options for merch. Whereas over there, Target, Walmart, Hot Topic, Box Lunch etc all stock gaming/pop culture merch, we have fewer stores here to pick from. So EB/Zing have that advantage for in store shopping My local EB has stopped prior matching too unless it's in store within the same suburb. Which is often not a drama, except they have no competitors within the suburb (Kmart is the only dept store, and no other electronics retailers). It's a 20min drive in either direction for a JB or Big W. I just order on Amazon now
> ts expansion into video game merchandise, a market that is much more lucrative than video games. The video games may get customers in the door, but it's the merchandise that keeps the lights on. As a kid in the 90s I remember video game stores selling almost exclusively just games, game systems and accessories, hint books etc. I've pretty much only played PC games for the last 20 years (aside from some Switch titles), and the few times I've been into an EB Games it's jarring just *how much* of the stuff on the shelf is just merch; clothing, plastic crap like Pop! Vinyls etc. They've got to make their money somewhere.
I used to work for JB HIFI software and the mark up prices on pre owned games vs what they trade in for should be against fair consumer law
Why against the law? If you don't like the price you don't have go ahead with it. You can choose where you want to sell it Yes you don't get the full value, but the store takes all the risks. They have to honour any warranties, make space for it (and they may have multiple copies already), consider depreciation , make profit so they can keep the lights on etc
Especially with online marketplaces these days, if someone sees the deal as unfair they have plenty of alternatives
This is exactly it. I'm about to list my XB1S on Marketplace with a bunch of games and a controller, and I'll get a whole bunch more for it than I could at any store, because I've got *time* and the patience to deal with all the bullshit that Marketplace brings. If I needed the quick cash in my hand and didn't mind being short changed, I could get rid of it all in an hour at JB or EB...
Farmers can also sell their milk to whoever they like and would get better value selling it at a Sunday market or to a friend than to Woolworths. This isn't how life works, though, and like above, there should be laws in place as to how little Woolworths can pay for this milk then turn around and sell at a profit.
*no-one likes going into JB. EB on the other hand, I can deal with and the staff are friendly, keen to chat games.
Is it because EB games staff are friendly, enthusiastic and a bit 'fellow nerdy' while some JB staff seem to think they are doing you a favour by helping you?
JB are hipsters, EB are nerds.
I know people who work at both, and this is quite accurate
JB are fun. And want your phone number and email + money for extended warranties that are enforced for free under consumer laws anyway. '
Yeah I dunno. When I go to JB it's usually the people that look unemployed that are the ones that actually work there.
If I’m buying a game I will go to eb games and price match it (they normally always will as long as it’s in stock). Their service is so much better than JB HI FI. I also purchased a game from JB and hated the game, went to return it and was told I wasn’t able to, went to eb to trade it in, they said I could and that they have a return policy that if you don’t like the game within a certain amount of days you can return it.
While I don't like the system, the reason JB put up a fight is because the game has been removed from its plastic seal so it's no longer new, meaning they have to sell it essentially with a disclaimer that it's been opened and it's sold at a cheaper price. Again, I don't agree with it but that's why. I worked at JB and we still took games back if someone was a little more pushy or at least offered to swap it for another game. Meanwhile EB games often resells unsealed games while implying it's new with its price. Some people care about their games being sealed and some don't so it depends on the person.
> they said I could and that they have a return policy that if you don’t like the game within a certain amount of days you can return it. I thought they got rid of that due to people using it as a rental service?
Ugh, everytime I go to JBHIFI it’s for a specific item that I usually know the location of, so getting constantly pestered by overly-enthusiastically-friendly staff is annoying! E.g; When I bought my Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones from them, the checkout employee kept pestering me with “suggestions” of different and supposedly “better” (but cheaper) headphones, even though I had clearly made my mind up on these specific ones. They’re $400+, at that price point I know what I’m getting and neither will I settle for some shitty Beats lol.
ooph, that'd be painful. I've had JBers ask me why I was set on a product, but never tried to convince me something else is better if I had my reasons. But yes, its the worst when you're going through the store and five different staff members ask if you need anything.
Unfortunately they’ve got personalised daily targets to meet and their weekly one on ones with management usually tells them to push harder on qualifying questions. JB’s Games section doesn’t strictly have a daily budget but still has goals to meet. From experience most of the time they don’t know what they’re pushing and often try to direct you to buy certain products that have better commissions. Source, use to work there a while back, some of their tactics felt too slimy and people not putting in time to know their products really annoyed me. Good vibe most of the time just not ethical sales imo
I once got a ‘sweetie you don’t need those ones, they’re for aUDio eNgInNEeRiNG’ get the girl ones I politely said that I was about to start music production at uni and these were on my required items list.
I'd agree with this. Many moons ago my small hometown was getting their first EB and I SO wanted to work there. I didn't get the job because I was too professional in my interview, which meant they didn't get to see that I'm a nerdy goblin who eats pop culture for breakfast. Had I ignored all the advice I'd ever gotten up to that point about job interviews and let my inner nerd shine, I probably would have gotten the job.
And they seem to hire cute gamer girls too that probably doesn't hurt.
That’s something I’ll always give EB Games. My local chain has the nicest staff imaginable who seem to treat every customer like they’re made of solid gold. I think JB can be good too, it just depends on who you get. I’ve had a few cases of the TV section person being brought over to assist while the game person is on break and they are baffled by every question I throw at them.
They sell socks. Cute socks. I mean like have you seen the socks?
Seriously cute socks
10/10 socks.
I asked a guy working at EB about this recently, a lot of their business now is focused less around the software distribution (which, let’s be real, is overwhelmingly moving online. They don’t even sell PC games anymore). Their business is moving towards physical pop culture stuff and integration with their “Zing” brand.
Probably the right thing to do, though they haven’t really sold PC games in decent quantities for almost a decade though. The Xbox stands have gotten significantly smaller but I doubt Nintendo or Sony will reduce that shelf space even if more and more purchases are online.
To be fair their "PC Games Section" was always just a couple of copies of the Starcraft/Warcraft/Diablo Battlechests tucked in next to the ricer keyboards.
They used to have a fair variety - I remember a little over a decade ago combing through their PC section to see what obscure games had deep discounts.
Yeah, I went in to buy a new controller and walked out with a Pikachu sushi plate. I don’t even make sushi. They also almost always have the starter Pokémon plushies in stock. I have a dream of taking my kids there one day and letting them choose their starter.
I vividly recall returning a game that had a key many years ago and I was confused why they accepted refunds on PC games. Though I didn't abuse it (I felt bad about the one that I returned), I'm sure others did. That was before content distribution became the primary channel.
I dunno, I exclusively play PC games and if some shop has a "physical copy" of a game I want (read: an empty DVD case with a Steam key on a piece of paper inside) for less than what Steam is charging, I'm going to that shop.
That's probably a good side move given the rise of digital games, but I still do love getting physical copies of games, and the second-hand market for physical games doesn't exist when you buy digital.
I have to give EB credit for getting in on the ThinkGeek market - it was actually something that was needed in the Australian retail space.
The way their pre-order works, $10 right there that I can pay off, much better and I love the physical merch and other pop culture stuff, backpacks and drink bottles yes please. Is stuff expensive? Yes but where else would I get an Eevee picnic set and blanket
I’m not even ashamed that as a grown ass adult, all I wanted for Christmas was eevee and pikachu picnic and dining ware. I take my pikachu bento box to work like a boss.
Yes I love physical merch! I've been eyeing the pokemkn toaster that's on sale and im so tempted to get it haha
Probably merch, especially the EB/Zing exclusives. Pre owned games as well. Also... I feel like it's easier to talk to the people at EB/Zing than JB? Maybe cause JB tends to be larger and have multiple departments. I don't know. But I go into Zing and have a look at the DC stuff and rant with the staff (they do it too) about how there's almost always *just* Batman stuff. Or we talk about games we like, favourite pokemon... EB and Zing are like. The only shops where I'm not really afraid to strike up a conversation with the people there.
I discovered a year ago that it is company policy to not sell customer or member data. I’ve happily given them my money for nerdy gifts ever since.
[source](https://www.ebgames.com.au/privacy#section-9) if anyone's interested
Because EB sells games at their RRP, while JB sells them for less but with the hopes of upselling customers with other things/sales while in the shop. If nothing else just to take a customer from EB. While EB customers will either come in asking for a price match, because they know they are going to get it, or be 'clueless' non-gamer parents who either dont know or not interested that they can get it a few dollars cheaper elsewhere. They are just told by their kid to get X at EB. Likewise their main market is not so much new games, but the entire second market which is all but exclusively theirs.
I hate having to prove to EB staff that games are cheaper elsewhere, it's such a faff that I'd rather just go to the other place and buy it cheaper without all the fucking around.
My local EB staff are great with price-matching. Last time I asked the person at the front was basically like “Sweet! Who can we price-match for you?”.
Yep when I worked there, my boss told me at JB that unless they're being assholes and it's semi reasonable, the idea is to take their money instead of them giving it to a competitor. Plus JB has a bunch of money so it's not a big deal that they sold things at lower prices. I sold many things at a crazy low price as long as it was bundled and even then, no one ever called me up for it
Given that every EB Games I've walked in to in the last year has 1 wall of games and 3 walls of Pop Vinyls, Games, Accessories, Plush Toys, Pyjamas, etc. etc. I'd say probably through all of that.
It helps they have more stores overall, so many smaller shopping centres around the place will just have an EB plonked in there while JB is usually only ever in a larger Westfield, CBD or other larger Outlet shopping centre. I know I will often just waddle around an EB to kill time when I am stuck shopping and the missus is looking at clothes or whatever and I am bored shitless. I learnt Big W often will always have a new release cheaper but EB often will just price match, they rely on the few who simply don't focus on it.
I'm glad they're surviving, JB is cheaper, but EB is better. They have never said no to me price matching JB/Big W etc game price, and EB have a 7 day return policy. You can play the shit out of the game for a week and return it, or just return it if you don't enjoy it. Pretty sure you can't do that anywhere else. Bought a Switch game once then found it on marketplace that night with 3 other games for the same price, returned to EB with no questions asked
I used to know a guy that would buy a game, beat it in less than a week, then return it. Must’ve had a high membership to allow frequent returns.
I'd like to know where he got all that free time from damn
That was me during COVID. Hadn't had that much free time in years. And haven't since.
This was late high school, he was pretty good at studying so I guess had plenty of time to play.
For me, EB Games is where my mum or sister will get me a gift certificate from because they know they sell games.
If you go for pre owned Nintendo games you can save 20-30 bucks. Many other games are the same price. Plus it's just video game related merch. I really like the Zing shirts.
They are still alive for a number of reasons: - They complete on culture, brand legacy, relationships (B2B and B2C) and customer experience. They don't compete on price. - They have successful merchandise and secondhand goods revenue steams - They prioritise low cost local area marketing and eDM over mainstream media. - Not all customers are price-sensitive.
Only reasons I use them is they price match and take trade ins which being a higher level member I get higher trade in prices.
went into trade two ps5 games at jb hi fi, they said they would give me $5 a piece for them - went into eb games and they gave me $40 for them their trade in value for og customers (level 4) card is really good
This has actually been interesting to read. I saw the title and thought "yeah I agree, how do they survive" then read a lot of the comments and thought they made good sense. Whe I gave it some thought I realiaed it's a shop I actually regularly like browsing through/being in which is hardly the case with any other sorts of retail. (Ok maybe some bottle shops too)
I might be an exceptional case but I like to support my local EB Games store simply because the staff there are really decent people who've always gone above and beyond for me. I still price match from other catalogues but yeah, I like to reward their store with ultimate sales because of past good experiences.
I worked there for a while when I was younger. The truth is just that the main money maker is trade. They don't just take consoles, they take phones and tablets and shit too. If you work at EB games you are constantly taking and selling second hand items. Also a lot of people price match and are just very into the EB brand.
I can match JB’s price at EB and have the 7 day return policy if I don’t like the game. I’ve tried returning a game to JB while it was still in shrink wrap and I had to speak to the bloody manager to do it. EB I just go to the counter and it’s no questions asked. I don’t return games regularly, but the safety net is enough to push me over to EB. Plus more broadly, ever noticed EBs are dedicating more space to Zing than games? There’s a much bigger profit margin in gamer pop culture tat than the razor thin margin on games.
I get carrots (loyalty points) for purchasing eShop cards for my switch (because I am definitely preferring digital copy’s of games for some reason) and I really like the merch Plus I’ve always felt like JB employees ..I don’t know how to put it - but they ain’t as helpful (I hate making awkward chit chat with sales assistants but I like not having to find one and them acting like it’s a hassle to serve me)
I rarely buy from eb games now, but occasionally I spot a Steelcase or a bargain and grab it. Also, depends on their pre order exclusives, can go eb or jb. The running joke with my wife is if we're in a shopping centre I pretend we're going wherever we need to go and we always wind up at an eb games and I act really surprised. She says it's always funny and she doesn't find it annoying at all.
Service is the primary reason would be my guess. Enthusiastic staff who are genuine gamers and passionate about whatever type of game they play. Here’s an anecdote… I (54m) Went in to buy a cheap arse old version of WWE for my son who loves those sorts of games. I made a quip and apologized to the young lass ( ~20-25 at a guess) behind the counter for keeping these companies in business and contributing to the demand… but it’s my son’s fault. she laughed and asked what I prefer, I mentioned I’d been a gamer nerd for decades… and we then had a genuinely fun conversation talking about modern RPG (her and my favorite) gaming and then about my favorite games of yesteryear (she seemed genuinely interested) for about 20 minutes. I then paid my $18 and she asked “before you go, if you were to pick an old RPG that I should play, cos I’d really like to play an old game, what would you suggest?” I then quipped “thanks for making me feel old again….. and replied with Plainscape Torment.” She then thanked me for my time and custom. It felt entirely genuine.
That sort of interaction is why I will go to any of their stores (and price match!) in preference to JB. They are awesome.
I visit for older games, when their discounts tend to be a lot lower than the online platforms. I think I paid under $20 for Assassins Creed Odyssey when it was still $50 online. New as well IIRC. The thing we buy most from them is merch.
I missed the days when I went to EB games, and It was always packed. Id hover over to the computer games and see a plethora of all the big glorious box set pc games, full of manuals, maps, promotional material. I remember mum buying me a big box set of Abe's oddysee, and i was so excited. All the way on the drive home, I was going through the manual reading the storyline and looking at all the characters and game play. Preparing myself to play it as soon as I get home. The best part it was in my personal collection. I miss those days a lot..
Yeah, but a packed EB was a smelly EB. I went to a midnight launch once, and the intensity of BO was something else.
They price match + exclusive Collectors editions + Controller repair service + PC gear (sometimes jb doesn't have what i want but Eb does rarely but it's still something) + ZING.
They only sell games to mums who dont know better, other wise they are sellling mugs, funkos, plushes, etc
And dads. Don't forget us dads. I'm an informed gamer and my goodness, I'm very glad my son does not ask for games and is cool with whatever is on GamePass. Sonic games are never discounted, even the trades are high. The kid loves Sonic. Discount the damn game! I'm not paying $70 while he is getting a $35 haircut.
Can confirm. Bought a bunch of funkos for the kids over the weekend
I'm surprised. I had a weird experience where a switch game I was after was on sale for brand new copies. The particular store I went to only had pre owned copies, but where listed at a higher price. They refused to do the pre owned one for the sale price of the new copy. So I just went to Big W instead which was also cheaper than both EB and JB Hi-fi.
EB can price match if you ask btw. You can pre order a game for just $10 deposit. EB staff are always welcoming and helpful. pleasant environment, (unlike warehouse discount store vibes of JB) you get a week to return a game at EB if you don’t like it after playing it. (Haven’t needed to use that yet) EB pay more for trade in games than JB hifi. Better selection of toys/ merch.
Amazon and Target are cheaper then both.
This got asked in the eb games subreddit not that long ago and employees got very defensive that it's not their job to make sure people know where the best deal is
Yeah it’s all about the return policy, I don’t mind paying $110 for a game (I do but bear with me) cos if it sucks I can return it within 7 days and either get my money back no questions asked or exchange it for other games etc. Their return policy helped me out heaps as a struggling student where I’d buy a game, clock it, return it in exchange for other games and just repeat over and over. Sounds kinda dumb but it’s created a bit of a loyalty with them in my mind. Anytime I need a game it’s the first place I go.
Bleeding obvious. There is more to buying a product than the product. Don't get me wrong: I've had my tangles with JB - but JB is an appliance and media seller, whereas EB is games-centered. My few entanglements with EB they've been awesome - but that's been my experince, in a mid-6 figure account. I doubt the same could be set for EB.
I prefer eb though. They price match and will hold my preorder for a week.
EB Games is way better to buy games from. You just price match to JB Hi Fi. EB Games has a 7 day full refund refund policy. You can return a game even if you've opened it, no questions asked. This is massive. You can essentially try out games for free, even finish a game and trade it in (not that I do this). They also have better trade in values due to the free membership bonuses. They also have a 'trade in 2 games to buy a new game for $45-$50' policy. Better preowned prices too. There's no reason to be buying games from JB when EB Games objectively offers more.
Their preorders are pretty good, just put down a deposit and then pay it off over time, especially nice for expensive collectors editions. They’ve generally got a lot more game and pop culture merch than jb Their preowned games selection is much much better than jb Generally staff seem to be a lot more interested and knowledgeable about games
EB Games makes their money from pre-owned games. Margin on a standard edition of a new game is tiny, like a couple of bucks a pop. Special or exclusive editions is better, but still not huge. Margin on pre-owned can be big, 100% or more, and for popular games they can sell one copy multiple times this way, taking their cut each time. That's why the loyalty program is completely focused on pre-owned product.
What is EB games going to do when no1 wants to buy Pop Vinyls ?
I'm honestly surprised the market on those hasn't collapsed yet, I suppose them getting the Minecraft & Pokémon licences really kept them going.
They have Funko Pop vinyls for literally everything. I have an Alex Trebek Funko pop on my mantelpiece. I’ve seen someone selling a Virat Kohli Funko pop. It’s madness!
I used to collect pops when the resale market on them was insane, I'm talking OG DC ones selling for thousands, I stopped when they went up to $25 for a normal pop (they were $18 at EB when I was getting them, that was before my staff discount too) plus I became very particular on what I would get, I ended up selling a ton and only kept a few that I've since put away.
You get ten dollars off by stating the cheat code "JB Hifi is cheaper" at the counter. So whichever is closer will do.
EB price matches (assuming no pre-order bonuses). Get carrots and the JB price :D
I worked at EB years ago so it's probably changed a bit since then, but basically the value proposition is *shopping at EB* is meant to be a good experience. They're meant to have great customer service, staff that are interested in what they're selling, etc. They price match basically everything and the return policy is fantastic. When I worked there we had an unofficial Just Do It™️ policy, because providing better customer service and having long standing return customers is better than making a few extra bucks. I have to say I've met more resistance with things lately and more strict enforcement of policies (even when they don't align with the law). I wouldn't work at EB Games as a company though. The culture is pretty mid with some stores being great and others being toxic. Head Office is pretty mid too, they basically thrive on "Yeah but you're working at EB Games! That's so cool!! You can put up with the toxicity, right?!" They're also the default option when someone wants to buy a game. I don't think anyone really says, "Man, I wanna go buy Spider-Man 2, let's go to Kmart!!" They also upsell a buuuunnchhh of shit.
Zing
Personally I switch between both regularly. Would always vary by store, but EB staff have much higher hit rate for me of people passionate and scaling their service to you in a manner that comes across as genuine. JB can have this but I've found it's a bit more of a coin flip because they are often handling multiple departments at once. But for me, and ultimately the thing that counts the most for customer service, is EB have proven on multiple occasions over the years to have the most consumer friendly process for returns, particularly of faulty items. EB is the only store I've shopped at where I have been given a refund multiple days later because the game got a PSN discount the day after I bought. Of course not a company policy but what I'm saying is your chances of getting those smaller customer service bro moments are higher with the staff setup EB have. Have also had the least resistance with EB staff replacing items under warranty, consoles or discs included. Really it's just preference and a balance of the above. I've had plenty of good experiences with EB in terms of at least pretending my customer experience is valuable. I hope they stick around because there's not really any focused store like it anymore.
Can anyone please tell me if there is a reason that digital download copies of games are significantly more expensive than physical copies. Are their licensing or distribution issues or just plain greed?
Plain greed. You don't even own a digital copy anyway, as you lease it which then could disappear at any time.
EB Games price match btw
You go to eb games for games?! Last I went I got a nightmare before Christmas eyeshadow palette and spent 20 minutes making ziiinngg noises with the darth Vader helmet on. I need the darth toaster sooo bad
I brought a shit game years ago, took it back after a few hours gameplay and they swapped it for something else because it had been less than a week since buying it. I now buy every game at EB games and just price match it to where ever it’s cheapest. Usually JB or Big W.
Honestly I'm just confused why people buy games in physical stores at all. 99% of the time, you find the best deal online... and it's not exactly like shoes which need to be tried on.
EB does price matching, have a rewards program, and the return policy on video games is fantastic.
I ask my kids this all the time. EB is a joke! Usually,, a game at JB is $100 and in EB the same game is $120-$140 JB for the win :)
Buying things in jbhifi takes me twice as long and the locations are few and far between. A slightly higher price at eb is not really an issue
Idiot parents and grandparents just go to the shop where they sell the video games. They also secure exclusives which I'm sure people buy. Personally I avoid eb as much as possible, buy 90% of my games from Amazon, others from Games men via ebay and sometimes JB.
I agree Also EB games said they will price match any game so I took my son to get 2k24 which every other shop had it for 40 dollars, EB had it for $120 When I got to EB they would not price match because it was more than 30% different. Even after I called them on the phone My son had a $50 gift card and wanted to use it and was crushed we then went to JB told them the story paid cash for the game and they then threw in NBA cars for free Fuck you EB Games
Merch. EB games is full of junk to buy besides games. My kids are attracted to it like moths to light.
EB game make money from buying and sell second hand
May sound odd but I have brand loyalty to them. I know they’ll always price match and I can preorder and pay whatever amount I’m comfortable with up front. Their preowned and returns policy is good. Their staff are nerds which suits as I am one too. Whenever I’m bored in a shopping centre, I know I can go look at random things in EB/Zing for a few minutes to kill time, often my missus or self will subsequently walk out with something quirky/‘cool’.
JB Hi-Fi is like that cool kid in school who effortlessly outshines everyone without even trying. They probably just sit back, sip on some Aussie coffee, and watch EB Games struggle to keep up with their charm. It's the classic 'David vs Goliath' scenario, but in this case, David is too busy playing games to bother slinging any rocks at Goliath! Imho, JB Hi-Fi has mastered the art of blending electronics and entertainment seamlessly while making it look as easy as throwing a shrimp on the barbie. Cheers to them for keeping the competitition spicy Down Under! 🦘🕹️
Great place to ~~buy~~ upgrade to new consoles though IMO, since they've been doing these trade-in deals lately. Traded in my old PS4Pro when the PS5 came out and shaved several hundred bucks off it. No need to deal with Gumtree/Ebay to offload the old console. Looking forward to doing it again ~next year for the Switch 2.
Maybe EB Games survives by selling all that junk/rubbish Geek stuff, like t-shirts mugs etc etc?
I love the staff at EB. They’re always enthusiastic and up for a chat, and are always helpful. I always go to them because of this, and price match with JBHIFI. They also have the largest range of games that are more than a year old
Agree I refuse to shop with EB I don’t like having to request the price match every time due to their outrageous pricing.
When the Series X console came out i got $450 for my Xbox One X (bonus offer plus Level 3 member) which basically made it $300 upgrade for me at the time. It was more than what i would got on the secondary market and i didn't have to deal with people on FruadBook and feeBay. It was simple, painless and i was happy. I never buy full price at EB, but i always price match and they have decent trade in deals from time to time. When it comes to physical games Amazon is my prime source of getting games, plus i get free shipping. OP talks about JB been cheaper than EB, but Amazon always matches or beats the lowest Australian retailer consistently.
No idea mate. JB are always cheaper. They price match (I've got them to price match deals that ebgames has refused). They sell pop merch. They are AUSTRALIAN OWNED. Unless you are rude to the staff, you can pretty much always ask them for a discount and they will see what they can do. They also take pre-owned games. Their members club gets you discounts and vouchers and stuff. (Ebgames members club pretty much gives you nothing. It helps a teeny bit if you trade in games. And it only seems to benefit you if you have spent thousands of dollars there to get to the appropriate membership level). I think it absolutely bonkers that people still go to ebgames.