Steven R. Morgan Appointed President of GameStop

[fitbabits]

Thanks to Next Generation (http://www.next-gen.biz) for the scoop (http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1904&Itemid=2).

Morgan joined EB in 2001 where he served as president of stores-North America and president of EB Canada. Prior to that, he held executive management positions with Federated Department Stores (Macy's, Bloomingdale's).

"The promotion of Steve Morgan as the company's next president is a continuation of his history of personal accomplishment and highlights the fact that our newly combined company has many talented people capable of driving our growth," said GameStop chairman and CEO, R. Richard Fontaine. "At Electronics Boutique, Steve recently led their Canadian operations to explosive growth and a leading share of the Canadian market."
Explosive growth in Canada? Any of our resident neighbors-to-the-North like to comment on that?

[RevGored]

Holy shit, this is strange and big news, if you follow this kinda thing. I've met Steve Morgan a couple times at our annual manager shows, and I remember him talking about meeting with the GS president all the time at the most recent show. Looks like he usurped him in a bloody coup.

And as for the explosive growth, etc etc, we (EB) did just open something like 200+ stores in the last couple years up here, and we edged out a couple competitors (Zellers, etc...) for marketshare and for partner love (Nintendo, MS, etc.)

[The Iron Weasel]

Well all I have to say about this is that from all the stories I've heard about EB in the US and my experiance with EB here this could be a good thing.

[StoneGut]

Explosive Growth in Canada.... big time!

The bastards (ooops...) opened up 5 here in our city. There were none 4 years ago when I started working in another video gaem store (Microplay). They also have 1 on the other end of the provience and from what I hear plans to open up more. Can you grow too quickly... I guess so but not if you're trying to squeeze out all the little guys / gals and gain massive market share. Done and done.

Congrats (shakes fist in air!)

[Thenetcase]

i think we should trade Canadian Bacon for games ;)

[fitbabits]

i think we should trade Canadian Bacon for games ;)
That leaves vegetarians (me) out in the cold, though!

[The Iron Weasel]

Explosive Growth in Canada.... big time!

The bastards (ooops...) opened up 5 here in our city. There were none 4 years ago when I started working in another video gaem store (Microplay). They also have 1 on the other end of the provience and from what I hear plans to open up more. Can you grow too quickly... I guess so but not if you're trying to squeeze out all the little guys / gals and gain massive market share. Done and done.

Congrats (shakes fist in air!)

I hate Microplay! When you pre-order stuff there they just take your money and they dont actually put it towards the game. I bought GTA:VC from there and paid like 10 dollars extra there ontop of the 10 dollar pre-order charge.

[Varsity]

The first link is messed up.

[Stevercakes]

They have around 4 - 5 here in Edmonton and I'm not entirely sure how many there are outside Edmonton. I know there's more in Calgary. Surprisingly, they're not in West Edmonton Mall.

[fitbabits]

The first link is messed up.
Cheers for the notice.

[UnderHero5]

I had an explosive growth in my pants this morning when I woke up...

but I live in America.

[bean19]

Too bad Gamestop is earning nothing but enmity and hate from all of their preorder customers for not filling preorders evenly.

I'm in Amarillo, TX and we have not seen a replinishment since the release. Not one. I've read many similar stories about the company from people in other regions of the country. Meanwhile, other stores that have filled their preorders get weekly replenishments, and Gamestop.com is selling console bundles for $1000 or $1500 before the preorders are met. According to some, they are actually filling online bundle orders as the consoles show up, and the later dates are just estimations of when they expect to receive more units.

Probably too late for him to fix this. Personally, I won't buy anything from Gamestop ever again. We have a chain that has it's corporate headquarters here (Hastings) and they get their titles on the same day as Gamestop (instead of the day after like Best Buy) so there is no real reason to give them my business.

[fitbabits]

I had an explosive growth in my pants this morning when I woke up...

but I live in America.
Ah, but where does your 'explosive growth' reside?

[jpublic]

Yeah, EB really grew in Canada. They had the notable advantage of being a niche store with no real effective national competition.

They got the games first, they got them faster than you could order them from the US, and they got them for the same prices as everywhere else.

Microplay is a joke, Computrends is a farce, and no other store even is worth comparing to. The other stores (Future Shop, Compusmart, Walmart, Staples) are too worried about DVDs and their other products to put to show any great effort in the gaming side.

[Mozain]

I agree, there really isn't much competition up here for EB's. Here (Calgary) there are pretty much two places I go to get games in the South end of town. EB and Futureshop. Problem is EB usually gets it first and knows what the hell they are doing. Futureshop doesn't give a rats ass about anything and when I call them they usually don't even answer the phone. Takes about 30 mins just to contact them, and when I do there isn't usually someone even working in the Entertainments section. At any rate though the Future Shop is alot closer to my house (5 mins drive as opposed to 20 mins to EB) so when I can I shop there..... But I don't like it.

[Kyle Jones]

Well all I have to say about this is that from all the stories I've heard about EB in the US and my experiance with EB here this could be a good thing.

Really? For me, this could be a bad thing. The management is almost always terrible here at our local EBs. I've known folks who can attest to that, but I suppose it could be low-end management problems, like store managers and warehouse managers...

[CrashCart]

This move is sure to add to their value chain.

[Blazyr]

LOL!

Steve Morgan is single-handedly responsible for the conversion of EB from gamer's speciality store to dictatorially run brow-beating retail hell.

He was the driving force behind the house cleaning that removed all game knowledgeable staff from both the buying and field management teams to be replaced by retail automatons that bounce from chain to chain.

He'll attempt to run a clinically correct retailer's business model, but completely obliterate anything that speaks to the gamer. His approach, having been learned as noted in the news piece, follows department store mentality. It will be 100% about today's numbers, period.

[Exodus]

gotta love eb, we only hire you if you're an asshole.

but I'm an asshole so at least we perfectly understand eachother. I agree with Blazyr, the problem is, EB has the selection, the problem is they sell everything at ultra mark up.

[RevGored]

Blazyr and Exodus - it's too bad you guys have had those experiences with EBGames. My store must be the exception, not the rule, with myself, my ASM, my third key and both my part timers being gamers. I've also got a 14 year background in customer service and retail experience, with 5 years management as well. In addition, one of my guys has a BA in Comp. Sci. (not rocket science, but he did it for the games, niggaz), and two of my kids are going on to a local gaming university next year.

Sorry if I sound like I'm blowing my horn, but I think that the previous two statements are the general concensus regarding EBGames due to the fact that we're expanding at such an exponential rate. It's not like we're the McDonalds of gaming - if you want that, go to Wal-Mart; if you'd have said you comments regarding THIER gaming section, I wouldn't have batted an eye, because you don't even have to know what a game IS to work in thier electronics dept.

I think I can safely speak for the majority of 'good' (re: knowledgeable in gaming/business) EBGames managers when I say that it's a boon to have at least a couple gamers on the crew, but it's also good to have people with social skills.

Now, not to browbeat the common average gamer (I've been gaming for 19 years now), but, for the most part, gaming and social interactivity don't go arm in arm. You have to be able to attain a nice gentle medium, and it's a hard thing to accomplish. I'd say that I have been extremely lucky with my staff, but other managers have had to go with the 'gamer/retail guy/gamer/retail guy' method of hiring within thier stores to balance out knowledge and ability on the frontline.

Now, once again, I guess that my store must be the exception to the rule or something - I know alot of the stores, at least locally, that hire quite a few 'gamers', and are doing quite well in the rankings, so maybe it's the area we're in (Lower Mainland/Greater Vancouver Area). I feel for the people who have had bad experiences in our stores, as I know that I wouldn't want people feeling about my store the way both of you guys seem to feel about the chain.

And as to my two employees who read the forums here, don't think I'm blowing your horns or anything dudes, but somebody needed to step up. ;)

[Exodus]

Blazyr and Exodus - it's too bad you guys have had those experiences with EBGames. My store must be the exception, not the rule, with myself, my ASM, my third key and both my part timers being gamers. I've also got a 14 year background in customer service and retail experience, with 5 years management as well. In addition, one of my guys has a BA in Comp. Sci. (not rocket science, but he did it for the games, niggaz), and two of my kids are going on to a local gaming university next year.

Sorry if I sound like I'm blowing my horn, but I think that the previous two statements are the general concensus regarding EBGames due to the fact that we're expanding at such an exponential rate. It's not like we're the McDonalds of gaming - if you want that, go to Wal-Mart; if you'd have said you comments regarding THIER gaming section, I wouldn't have batted an eye, because you don't even have to know what a game IS to work in thier electronics dept.

I think I can safely speak for the majority of 'good' (re: knowledgeable in gaming/business) EBGames managers when I say that it's a boon to have at least a couple gamers on the crew, but it's also good to have people with social skills.

Now, not to browbeat the common average gamer (I've been gaming for 19 years now), but, for the most part, gaming and social interactivity don't go arm in arm. You have to be able to attain a nice gentle medium, and it's a hard thing to accomplish. I'd say that I have been extremely lucky with my staff, but other managers have had to go with the 'gamer/retail guy/gamer/retail guy' method of hiring within thier stores to balance out knowledge and ability on the frontline.

Now, once again, I guess that my store must be the exception to the rule or something - I know alot of the stores, at least locally, that hire quite a few 'gamers', and are doing quite well in the rankings, so maybe it's the area we're in (Lower Mainland/Greater Vancouver Area). I feel for the people who have had bad experiences in our stores, as I know that I wouldn't want people feeling about my store the way both of you guys seem to feel about the chain.

And as to my two employees who read the forums here, don't think I'm blowing your horns or anything dudes, but somebody needed to step up. ;)


I like how you didn't dispute what I said about eb's pricing strategy.

:)

[RevGored]

I like how you didn't dispute what I said about eb's pricing strategy.

:)

The only reason I didn't cover your 'pricing strategy' comments were because they consisted of you saying 'ultra mark up', which doesn't seem like an arguable point. The only reason I really mentioned you in the writeup at all is because you referred to all EB employees as assholes, which is untrue, in the opinions of most people.

Like I said, I apologize if you have had bad experiences with our stores, it's really a shame that some stores aren't run to a standard that compliments the customer service and quality service that most people are capable of.

And if you would really like me to 'dispute' your intensely well-written claim about the pricing at EB, they price to the MSRP, which is the 'Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price', but will price match to anyone else as long as you can provide a print advertisement, and it's within reason.

"Within reason" means, if London Drugs is trying to sellout all thier game stock, and is selling GBAsp's for 20 bucks, we're not matching that. If Wal-Mart is selling Madden 06 for 10 bucks cheaper, sure we will.

I think that next time you decide to go on a semi-literate rampage about something, to quote Too Short, "you'd best do your homework, nigga".

[Exodus]

I ain't a 'nigga' and neither pretend or want to be.
when I see EB selling NWN for 109.99 on launch and staples(best buy) selling it for 89.99 on the same day, what do you expect me to think?

My homework? How about my experience?

[RevGored]

I'd like some proof, to start.

NWN for 109.99 is fairly ludicrous, and I'd like to see something backing that up.

Also, you need to calm down and realize that your baseless allegations against a sea of thought-out diabtribe are basically amounting to a hill of beans, to quote someone you may be familiar with. Or maybe not.

[bean19]

Steven Morgan killed my cat.

[Exodus]

sorry, I'm talking canuck dollars if you haven't figured that out yet because you're too busy quoting things that more or less cancelled out by your first quote.

[RevGored]

sorry, I'm talking canuck dollars if you haven't figured that out yet because you're too busy quoting things that more or less cancelled out by your first quote.

I'm quoting Canuck dollars as well, which you would know if you had read my first post.

[Exodus]

sorry 'nigga' but I ain't kidding. it was that price, you saying it wasn't doesn't change how ridiculous the price was, if it wasn't so bloody high I would'n't have remembered it. EB is the zehrs of electronic gaming here in canada, thankfully my belief does not require you to believe, you might run your shops your way but I unfortunately don't have the same experience you have with them because after that fiasco, that was totally enough for me.