The Softwarez Store

IN YOUR LOCAL MALL— Quicker than the time it took to download the latest patch, PC gaming has made itself into a profitable industry. Talented creative teams continue to develop interesting new titles, perservering programmers produce code that push the limits of hardware, and more and more households now have PCs capable of running the hottest new games. The surging growth in this entertainment market is helping new businesses to succeed, and retail stores are enjoying the opportunity to profit in the rapidly growing gaming economy.

Lower overhead costs and high profit margins are the keys to success,” says store owner Duane Miller. “While other retailers are filling their storerooms with needless stock, we keep our inventory tight by only carrying one copy of each software title!”

Miller’s retail concept is original, and he hopes that other stores don’t copy his ideas.

“We have a ‘Warez While-U-Wait’ policy,” says Miller, who uses four CD-writers, two DVD-writers, and one floppy disk-drive to reproduce the popular games for his demanding customers. “If we run out of a particular item–give us 10 minutes and you’ll have that copy of Warcraft III in your hot little hands. How many other stores can offer that kind of service?”

Is business doing well? Miller says that sales for new software titles are always strong the first couple of days after their release, but then they drop-off significantly after about two weeks.

“I’m pretty sure that my customers are pirating the copies that I make/sell to them,” said Miller resignedly. “Hopefully, by that point I’ve recovered the cost of the original game, OS, or application. I’ve discussed the piracy problem with the mall management, but there’s not much they can do.”

“It’s stealing, and it’s wrong,” denounced mall security officer Bernard Lantz.

The Full Story: http://thetoque.net/031007/softwarez.htm