Carphone Warehouse gets into games consoles, Macs
Retailer readies 'Best Buy Europe' scheme
Exclusive The UK’s High Street gaming retailers now have another competitor on their hands: the Carphone Warehouse has begun selling games consoles.
Although CW hasn’t officially announced its roll-out of its in-store 'gaming walls' yet, a representative from a London branch confirmed the firm will sell consoles like the PS3 and Xbox 360 from today.
Unfortunately, the gaming wall in CW’s Oxford Street branch wasn’t quite up and running when we popped in earlier today. But it’s reasonable to assume that, when it is, the wall will let gaming fans get up close and personal with each of the big three consoles.
CW's Oxford Street gaming wall's was still a little bare today
Whether CW’s gaming walls will welcome handheld consoles, such as the PlayStation Portable, remains to be seen. It’s not been confirmed if the retailer will sell games and accessories too.
A company spokesman told Register Hardware that the firm will make a major announcement on 14 October which will be linked to US electronics retailer Best Buy’s recent acquisition of a 50 per cent stake in CW.
From next year, CW stores will be joined by larger, “Best Buy Europe” outlets, the spokesman said, as the company brings the US chain's format over here.
Although the spokesman wouldn’t reveal any further details, a source familiar with the company's plans claimed that CW’s computer system has already begun listing Apple products, none of which the retailer currently stocks.
Our source added that everything from iMacs to laptop batteries and external CD drives for the MacBook Air have begun appearing on the company’s stock system.
COMMENTS
Even if they were the only store selling water ...
.... I would avoid CPW (and all of the other "phone" stores) like the plague. I'd rather drink out of muddy puddles! CPW are truly awful, second only to P4U. The sooner the recession claims them the better.
Where's the IT angle in this story anyway? Blatant flamebait I tell ya.
No thanks
Any shop that mobs me as I walk through the doorway loses my custom no matter what they're hawking. They just don't understand the difference between informed advice (welcome) and the blind hard sell (unwelcome).
They're second in line to my throne of Consumer Hate only to DSG :)
retards
The tards in most carphone whorehouse stores actually make shopping in a PCWorld pleasurable in comparison.
Muppets.
@ Joe K
They're not the same retailer group.
One is DSG and the other is CPW.
The Link were DSG's high st presence.
CPW have been selling PSP's for ages, by the way :)
There's no money in new games...
High street video game retailers these days make money re-selling used titles. The consoles and new games are mainly a loss leader.
So unless they plan to turn Carphone Warehouse into a glorified pawn shop like GAME, Gamestation or CEX I can't really see this succeeding.
