Slackers CDs and Games

Infobox Company
name = Slackers CDs and Games

type = Private
genre =
foundation = Columbia, Missouri, U.S., 1993
founder = Kurt Jellinek
Paul Zacharias

location_city = 1010 East Broadway
Columbia, Missouri
location_country = USA
location =
locations = 10 stores (2008)
area_served = Midwestern United States
key_people =
industry = Retail
products = Video Games
Music
Movies

services =
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
owner =
num_employees =
parent =
divisions =
subsid =
slogan =
homepage = http://slackers.com/
footnotes =
intl =

Slackers CDs and Games or simply Slackers is a chain of entertainment retailers located in the Midwestern United States. The store specializes in video games and music. It was founded in 1993 by Kurt Jellinek and Paul Zacharias in Columbia, Missouri. The store is known for selling local independent music, its extensive collection of classic games, and giving the most credit for trade-ins.

In 2007, the store raised some controversy for stockpiling Nintendo Wiis. As of 2008, there are 10 locations in the midwest.

History

Slackers CDs and Games was founded in 1993 by Kurt Jellinek and Paul Zacharias in Columbia, Missouri. [cite web | url=http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2003/06/02/newscolumn2.html | title=Slackers CD's and Games | work=St. Louis Business Journal | accessdate=2008-01-04] Jellinek and Zacharias opened the store after graduating from Saint Louis University using only their own collection of 1,500 music CDs.cite web | url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-6941891_ITM
title=College 'Slacker' Buddies Follow Music, Video Game Business Dream. | work=Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News | accessdate=2008-06-13] The name originated from their generation being considered slackers before given a chance to prove otherwise. The first store was located in the historic E. W. Stephens Building on the corner of Broadway and Hitt streets. [cite web | url=http://www.wsiprojects.com/microsites/farwest/articles/Article111905.pdf |title=E.W. Stephens Building | work=Columbia Business Times | accessdate=2008-06-18] Although, business was slow at first with the store sometimes only making $30 in a day, business eventually increased and after 2 years they were able to open a second location in O'Fallon, Illinois. As of 2008, there are 10 locations in the states of Missouri and Illinois, eight of which are in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area and two of which are in Mid-Missouri [cite web | url=http://slackers.com/about/contact.html | title=Slackers CDs and Games locations | work=Slackers CDs and Games | accessdate=2008-01-04]

Praise and criticism

Slackers CDs and Games won an award for best used CD store in 2006 from the Riverfront Times for it's collection of vinyl records and independent and rare music CDs. [cite web | url=http://www.riverfronttimes.com/bestof/2006/award/best-cd-store-used--101039/ | title=Best CD Store (Used) (2006) | work=Riverfront Times | accessdate=2008-01-04]

Since the store buys video games from all consoles, it's known for it's extensive collection of classic titles. While the prices are considered to be fair for most of their old titles, some are considered to be too high when compared to other stores. In addition, they only require the game for catridge based games. [cite web | url=http://www.sega-16.com/feature_page.php?id=155&title=Genesis%20Around%20the%20World:%20%20Slackers%20CDs%20and%20Games | title=Genesis Around the World: Slackers CDs and Games | work=Sega-16 | accessdate=2008-01-04]

The store is also known for giving more credit for trade-ins than it's competitors. In 2005, "Vox Magazine" had the same four games ("", "Metal Gear Solid 3", "NHL 2004", and "Madden NFL 2005") priced at EB Games, Game Crazy, and Slackers CDs and Games, with the trade-in value being $16.50, $26.82, and $45 respectively. [cite web | url=http://www.voxmagazine.com/stories/2005/06/02/beat-the-system/ | title=Beat the system | work=Vox Magazine | accessdate=2008-01-04]

Wii Controversy

On December 20, 2007, the store raised some controversy when Ars Technica reported that the chain was stockpiling Nintendo Wii systems to sell at a higher profit while telling retail customers that the chain did not have any systems in stock, and were not expecting any. [cite web | url=http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2007/12/21/slackers-employees-explain-wii-scalping-business | title=Slackers employees explain Wii scalping business | work=Ars Technica | accessdate=2008-01-04]

On December 21, 2007, Kurt Jellinek responded on the Slackers website, saying that the article was sensationalist and misleading. Jellinek stated that of the 44 units the chain had, five were sold on eBay for $399.99 with a couple of units still in stock, 35 were held for specific customers and sold at the MSRP, and the remainder were given away. [cite web | url=http://gizmodo.com/337110/slackers-stores-not-slacking-on-wii-profit-margins | title=Slackers stores not slacking on Wii profit margins | work=Gizmodo | accessdate=2008-01-04]

Some sites believe this may violate Nintendo's enforcement of the Wii's $249 retail price, [cite web | url=http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Retailer_Sold_Nintendo_Wiis_on_eBay_12215.html | title=Retailer Sold Nintendo Wiis on eBay | work=eFluxMedia | accessdate=2008-01-04] cite web | url=http://news.digitaltrends.com/news/story/15221/retailer_sold_marked-up_wiis_on_ebay | title=Retailer sold marked-up Wiis on eBay | work=Digital Trends | accessdate=2008-01-04] and may prevent the store from receiving future products from Nintendo. [cite web | url=http://www.slipperybrick.com/2007/12/retailer-selling-wiis-ebay/ | title=Retailer selling Wiis on eBay | work=Slippery Brick | accessdate=2008-01-04] [cite web | url=http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/5170 | title= Retail Store Accused of Scalping Nintendo Wiis on eBay | work=RealTechNews | accessdate=2008-01-04] Nintendo has refused to comment on the issue. [cite web | url=http://www.newslocale.org/sci%10tech/stnews/us_game_store_black-marketing_nintendo_wii_on_ebay?_20071224821.html | title=US game store black-marketing Nintendo Wii on eBay? | work=NewsLocale | accessdate=2008-01-04]

References

External links

* [http://slackers.com/ Official site]