Retailer to launch in-store digital catalog nationwide this fall.
May 20, 2010
GameStop will begin selling downloadable content (DLC) at all of its U.S. stores this coming fall.
The program will allow the company to promote and sell digital content, such as map packs, to customers alongside new and used games. Those who purchase the content will have it transferred directly to their Xbox Live or PlayStation Network account at the point of sale.
GameStop previously outlined this initiative last November at an analyst conference.
"Consumers will pay for the content with any form of tender, including trade credits," said COO Paul Raines. "This process will eliminate a lot of the friction of searching and discovering content online, and will bring the power of buy, sell, trade to the digital sale."
A pilot for the program will launch in 35 stores at the end of this month, and the digital catalog will grow over the summer months before going live at all of its U.S. stores by the end of the year.
"We've been working on the technology for DLC for well over a year," Raines added. "We've had to create propriety point-of-sale technology in partnership with Microsoft to be able to show that DLC catalog at retail."
"This is something that we feel like the industry is moving our way, and our investments are starting to really be timely and publishers see us as the destination for sale of DLC in stores."
MovieMiguel.com
