Indie game retailers increasing shelf space for toys

The challenged independent video games retail sector is turning to toys and gifts to survive.

In the search for higher margins, several respected names in the worlds of both High Street and online games retail have begun stocking toys and gadgets over the past 12 months.

Xbite’s Nick Whitehead said: We’ve expanded into other product ranges. With toys and gadgets, there’s no real price point that’s embossed in a consumer’s mind of what they should be paying for it. So there’s a better margin out there.

Stephen Staley, MD of online retailer Gameseek, added: Do you specialise in video games, or do you specialise in making money? The more diverse product range the better, as long as you don’t lose your identity. Besides, a lot of the toys we sell complement the games we sell.”

Sister site Toy News has the full story.