HMV to start selling used games

The international retailer is set to expand into the secondhand games market after seeing tech-related sales increase 50 percent in a year.

HMV has revealed that it will be moving into the sale of used games, as noted in its financial-year results for the 52 weeks ending April 26, 2008. Games and technology are rapidly growing areas for the company--which once specialised in music--and now account for 21 percent of all HMV sales (compared to 14 percent the previous year).

Last year the retail chain also started trailing "next-generation HMV store formats," which feature multiplayer games zones. These have proved successful by outperforming the old-fashioned stores, and 10 to 15 more will follow in the rest of 2008 and through 2009.

According to the company's financials, games and technology products, including MP3 players, will become increasingly more of a fixture in HMV stores. The report states, "We continued to enhance our credibility with customers and suppliers in the fast-growing games console and software market, and are planning to launch a pre-played games offer in 2008/09."

HMV has stores in the UK, Canada, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Until recently it also had operations in Japan, but these were sold for a profit of £51.8 million. The total sales for its financial year were up to £1.9 billion, and profit was £89 million.

The company faces strong competition in the secondhand games market in the UK. Not only do high-street stores Game and Gamestation (the former bought the latter last year) stock a considerable range, but specialist stores including CEX sell only secondhand products. There are also a variety of places on the Internet to snap up used-game bargains, including Amazon Marketplace and eBay.

52 Comments

  • RPGgamer_awsome

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 10:54 am GMT

    @ sirkel28

    hmv stands for "his masters voice", which relates to their mascot of this dog which sits longingly next to an old school gramophone.

    peace

  • salamancecool

    Posted Jul 6, 2008 1:49 pm GMT

    Now if only Zavvi or whatever Virgin are calling themselves now would join in.

  • puppiemaster

    Posted Jul 3, 2008 2:54 pm GMT

    All HMV has to do it undercut Game, Gamestation and Blockbuster, should be easy, they are too expensive for second hand games

  • advandam

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 11:11 am GMT

    it's about time, maybe lowering there prices on games might help! i love HMV though and hope they stay high street giants, much better than Xavvi (or virgin)

  • zeke2040

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 10:44 am GMT

    well i never bother with this at all... i go down the corner market and get all the bootleg's stuff i want for 2 bucks... can't go wrong with that...lol

  • razgriz_101

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 9:50 am GMT

    for me its usually gamestation for games and HMV for CD's DVD's.but if they are competitive with their pricing of the games in the used section i might just see myself just jumping off the bus going there and going back home instead of trapsing around town between all the shops.

  • ZippyDSMLee

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 6:59 am GMT

    gandalf_storm
    ebay polices things like that more, out of the 40 games I have got never got a bad one or a even a bad key.

  • Nicksta101

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 5:04 am GMT

    I usually get games from GameStation since they do great deals with their games. HMV is just for music and DVDs. I'll be using HMV.com anyway now since they are expensive in shops.

  • dannyodwyer

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 3:25 am GMT

    awww man. i work in the game section of a HMV.
    my workload has just doubled so

  • gandalf_storm

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 2:01 am GMT

    to the guy below (or anyone moaning) - pre owned isnt a ripoff, you can pay £25 (new) for a copy of gears of war or £14.99 (preowned) and get second half price in game, gamestation also have some good offers. At least you see the product up front, can inspect the disc, even repair it now (game) - you can end up with an empty box from ebay. just my 10p worth.

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 1:49 am GMT

    I wouldn't buy a second hand game from a shop. They are always a rip-off and almost the price of the game new. I use Ebay for this. Serves me well.

  • jivemaster

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 12:54 am GMT

    Umm... the stores are also in Australia. I wish they sold games here. They only sell cds, dvds and a little vinyl. Lame.

  • theclaw135

    Posted Jul 2, 2008 12:35 am GMT

    None of those chains have US stores...

  • C-10

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 8:58 pm GMT

    His Master's Voice
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMV

  • sirkel28

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 8:36 pm GMT

    What does HMV stand for anyways?

  • Sk8ter_213

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 7:19 pm GMT

    Lame.

  • OfficialBed

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 6:37 pm GMT

    wtf...ugh

  • SteeleInd

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 5:37 pm GMT

    jackrocks123

    Ugh. Don't listen to morons like that and believe that that's the summary of the American population. Even Americans don't like imbeciles like that guy.

  • knives2

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 5:31 pm GMT

    I think somebody forgot to give guppieface his pills today.

  • GatCloudX

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 2:39 pm GMT

    whats HMV????

  • sirvampalot

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 2:27 pm GMT

    Game and ebay are the best places fot 2nd games.

  • Pradmetro

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 2:19 pm GMT

    who is the HMV?

  • PatlaborAV98

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 2:06 pm GMT

    this isnt new

    hmv near where ive lived has been selling used games for a long time
    so the news isnt really that new

  • enevharaldarion

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 1:20 pm GMT

    Gonzoguy, it is not $2 less than new, it is normally 10% less than new at Gamestop. I always felt that used games should be 20-25% less than a new copy and games without inserts or manuals should be even less.

  • marco0798

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 12:42 pm GMT

    in relation to the comments on GAME stop going to them, simply put they are rubbish. if you want second hand games then go to CeX this includes if you inten to trade in games since CeX will, 99% of the time, offer you double what game does and the games they are selling are also cheaper, ALOT cheaper. for buying new games stick to HMV/Play.com they always offer the best deals i find.

  • chimairawr

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 11:50 am GMT

    Richmaester6907:

    You, sir, are a moron. The companies cannot afford to buy back at near the price they sell them, because the vast majority of pre-owned games will not get sold, so there needs to be a profit made on the ones that they do sell. They're not "cheap" as you so eloquently put it, they're a business.

  • biggs92--

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 11:34 am GMT

    Good be god if they keep on top of what they are pricing everything.
    I hate it when i go in Game and a new copy of a game is cheaper than the preowned, it makes it impossible to get a cheap pre owned game if they are £30!

  • Hayasmez

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 10:54 am GMT

    I think i'll stick with Gamestation unless they offer decent trade in prices. The last time i did any gaming business with them i pre-ordered WoW: BC collectors edition and got screwed over because they decided to have them all at their launch party at London. They offered me the original edition which came a day later than it was supposed to, not a good impression. Though they do have good DVD and CD prices. Their game section just sucks though.

  • faseli

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 10:32 am GMT

    Actually skemaal HMV has not been losing money for years, that is Virgin Stores or Zavvi as they are known. They are currently losing about £10 million a month. Hmv just have the public perception of not being as cool despite being the market leader, admitidly years 02-05 could have been better for them, but they have been profitible and this year they are way ahead of the rest retail in the UK in terms of growth, around 10%. This is quite oustanding seeing as in genreal terms UK retail is in a slump.

  • Richmaester6907

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 8:58 am GMT

    Trade ins have always been rip off because they dont buy back anywhere! near! retail! PRICE! cheap B***ards!

  • tyzwain

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 8:35 am GMT

    Good, now we got other avenues to buy second hand games. Good news for UK....plus we'll get student discount.

  • GonzoGuy

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 8:35 am GMT

    Why do I get the feeling they're just going to copy gamestop: sell the used games for $2 less than new.

  • skemaal

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 8:29 am GMT

    HMV is really desperate to get new customers as they have been losing money for years. They are simply too expensive on both their catalogue and new products. This is a company that used to focus 95% on music only now they are 50% music, 40% movies and 10% games which is new since last year. With this news those numbers will likely change again.

    The only thing I like about them is their DVD bargain bins. I found some cool films for from 4$-6$CAN that list everywhere else at 8$+.

  • GANGSTASAN

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 8:19 am GMT

    Oh, good news for me.

  • Hello_Kitty_Man

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 7:58 am GMT

    Never even heard of HMV. But wow a student discount? That's something I've never heard of either!

  • cerrilove4788

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 7:56 am GMT

    Game give student discount. Just need a reward card

  • mintvilla144

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 7:45 am GMT

    i get some of my games from hmv as they give student discount, game and gamestation dont.. which can make hmv cheaper.

  • jackrocks123

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 7:41 am GMT

    guppieface? while you eat you burgers?

  • balanekk

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 7:34 am GMT

    never heard of it.

  • meme378

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 7:16 am GMT

    They finally realised too late that the companies that sell games make the most profit from games in the used games sales.

  • guppieface posted Jul 1, 2008 7:14 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    guppieface

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 7:14 am GMT (hide)

    HMV sounds like "humvee" to us americans. the humvee we drive when we smash through big ben and the tower of london. Then we hop on over and fill our car with girls from singapore and hong kong, all while waving the stars and stripes and chanting "U S A!". whats a canada?

  • Avenger1324

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 6:26 am GMT

    Since GAME & Gamestation have almost no competition in the used game market maybe this will make prices better for consumers.

    That said HMV already have the highest prices for games on the highstreet. £49.99 for games that can easily be bought for less than half that in GAME or Zavvi, so I wouldn't think they will offer very good prices on used games either

  • Irve

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 6:11 am GMT

    great another store that will offer £5 trade in for a game they will sell for £30 .... WOO - HOO !!

  • Humorguy_basic

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 6:09 am GMT

    None of this will be PC games though, because of the fact that only PC games are pirated, not any other machines - which is a total joke, but there you have it!

  • Whellock

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 5:57 am GMT

    That makes a bit of a change now.

  • mikewalsh69

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 5:57 am GMT

    H.M.V. are complete crooks. they will swindle the poor mothers who do not know about values of games. use the buy&sell magazines(trading mags). everyone's a winner. the seller gets a fair price and and so does the buyer. just cut out the middle, money hungry corporations, men!!

  • JamesSoprano

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 5:46 am GMT

    one of HMV's big problems is they charge too much for their games ... for instance .. God Of War with tax is 22 no more then 23 sometihing total here in Canada .. yet they charge 24.99 plus tax !!!! and they still have games that are 69.99 ! and are 59.99 in other stores ..... i will never but a game from HMV cause they just charge too much for most of the games

  • fishnpeas1

    Posted Jul 1, 2008 5:37 am GMT

    Now that Game cornered the market, and have dubiously started fixing trade in amounts across both game and gamestation (but didn't the ruling say the buyout wasn't anti-competitive??) - HMV might start opening up the market more by being a bit more competitive. I cursed Game for causing the death of the small software shops in my area, hopefully HMV have the money to buy a good chunk of the market!

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