[QUOTE]Lazard Capital Markets' Colin Sebastian today revealed that he expects an upbeat earnings report and outlook from GameStop when the games retailer issues its Q4 report next week. Sebastian predicts revenues to total $3.5 billion with earnings per share at $1.34. For the first quarter, guidance is expected to be around $1.85 billion in sales with earnings per share of $0.35.

While Amazon recently threw their hat into the ring of used sales, Sebastian expects there to be little impact. "Amazon trade-ins [are] unlikely to appeal to core GameStop shoppers," he wrote. "While Amazon's recent entry into the trade-in market remains an overhang, we believe there will be limited visible impact on GameStop's used business."

He went on to note that he anticipates GameStop's used sales to exceed $2 billion in the year ahead, including used hardware, software, and accessories. Sebastian reiterated his 'Buy' rating and a stock price target at $31.[/QUOTE]

[url]http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/gamestop-sold-2-billion-worth-of-used-products-in-08/?cp=1#comment_57452[/url]

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Add in amazon and ebay(other online self selling sites) and that number is easily doubled, if not tippled if you count all used games.

All game stop has is B&M stores the online places have better prices.

And yet a gang of the media mafia wants a piece of the action without dragging in all media types with it you can't argue licenses because any digital media can have the same licenses setup and most of the companies involved would wet their pants over Double dipping a profit off used DVD(film) and game alike.

So you can not touch used products its not worth the fallout since the mob..er industry can not be trusted. However a proper online account offering freebes and the chance to buy discounted goods would at least bring in some new product purchases and if you charge a fee to get a used product put onto your account there's a magical profit stream right there.

Its really up to the publishers to put more effort/content into games or downgrade the overhead costs in order to gain and maintain profit.

Alot more can be done by using carrots with new media purchases rather than with big gnarled phallic sticks with nails coming out of it...