In their half-year financials they state they’re the ”clear market leader” in the UK. 70% of customers from closed stores transferred to a new one.
The marketing campaign was a success and will be used again to help migrate further customers from stores set to be closed down. ”By Christmas 2013 we expect the UK store portfolio to have been reduced to about 550 stores as we reduce store over-lap and drive for greater cost efficiency,” said chairman Peter Lewis.
”We remain the clear market leader in the UK, with 635 stores across two brands. We will continue to manage our store portfolio with strict retail disciplines.”
GAME Group will also be reducing the average lease. ”We are focussed on having an efficient operating lease profile. To do this we are lowering our average lease length, now five years across the Group compared to 7 years two years ago, and through rent reviews and renegotiation we are seeking year on year operating lease savings,” he said.
A lot of GAME and Gamestation stores are still in close proximity to one another in larger high streets and so the closures come as no surprise.
