Dear Future Gamer

After reading issue 35 I've noticed the growing concern about independent retailers being shunned out of the market. Personally, I don't care - they charge ridiculous prices and don't even let you look at the game boxes without asking over a counter (in my area, anyway).

On another level, the bigger retailers are exactly the same, except for looking at the boxes. The fact is there's very little choice. I have to amble all the way down to Curry's, then to Comet, then to Electronics Boutique, etc, and finally to a small shop in an obscure alleyway.

It may come as a surprise but some of the smaller shops were selling cheaper than Curry's, et al. Get this: Half-Life for £34 at all of the big shops, whereas a small shop called Stokers sold it at £28. Okay, it's still expensive, but also a damn sight cheaper.

What's my point? Well, in my crazy little town everything's mixed up. The number one games are cheaper in obscure shops while the more mundane titles are more costly. Confused? I was.

SadB

FG: Your town does indeed seem to be mixed up. Independent retailers are constantly whinging about not being able to compete with the multiples in terms of volume of stock ordered (and therefore not qualifying for the discounts that economy of scale when purchasing in bulk commands) and yet here’s an independent retailer knocking games out cheaper than the multiples. I wouldn’t complain though - I’d buy as many games as possible from Stokers because they might not be around for too much longer!