Gamestop stops selling the Zune

by Terrence Stasse { May 25th 2008 at 10:30AM }

While it was never a big success and never really lived up to its full potential, the Zune was a good little device that no doubt sold more than it might've otherwise had it not been available at dedicated game stores. Now after almost two years, the media player is being dropped from the one of the US's largest games retailers.

Citing a lack of customer appeal and their own misplaced anticipation, (perhaps they thought MS would bring some games to the device) Gamestop will no longer be selling the Zune in-store and will only be selling them online as long as it takes them to run through their existing inventory. Hmm ... hopefully this'll mean that the online store will have some good discounts as its stock gets low ....

Tags: hardware, media-player, mp3, mp3-player, portaable-media, zune, zune-2

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

DBoyFlex @ May 25th 2008 10:38AM

Is the zune any good though? I have never even seen one in a friends' hand, so I have no idea what they are really like. Are they good? Do they suck? Is it all that big a shocker gamestop is dropping them? Would you even buy it at gamestop? Eh, just curious as it seems like it was a failed MS attempt to rival the iPod, which everybody and their mother (literally) has.

Grimlock @ May 25th 2008 11:00AM

I have one, i picked it up because the idea of updating the firmware seemed cool. but the program that runs the zune is broken. random artwork is being displaced, albums are being split up into 4 different cd's all with the same name and artists on them. very frustrating program. i went to the ipod last month and have had a lot easier time. the zune i still use at the gym though.

JRHAD @ May 25th 2008 12:06PM

with the 2.5 software update they have fixed that, so you can go in and edit and make albums right like the first generation software.

Bryan @ May 25th 2008 10:39AM

I wonder how many sales that they really have because of stores such as Gamestop. In my mind, not many. Probably that run of Halo 3 Zunes maybe sold quite a few there, otherwise, I don't think so.

Why? Because the majority of people, when they go into Gamestop, they are looking at games. Looking for a DAP? Best Buy, Circuit City, Even places such as Target, Wal-mart, and especially online.

The online time that I have gone to Gamestop is when I'm looking for an older game, so that maybe I can get it for a little cheaper. Gamestop, at least around here, typically overcharges for everything except much older games.

Bryan @ May 25th 2008 10:39AM

recon @ May 25th 2008 10:42AM

This is sad because the Zune is really a great product. I know a lot of people tht have slowly moved over from the ipod to the Zune, and would never turn back(unless the ipod touch was a reasonable price with good storage). Microsoft neeeds to do a better job marketing this product and get games on it and other functions. The hardware has the balls to process information maybe simple web features, it has wireless. I personally own a Zune and i wish people would give them a second chance because for the money they are a quality product and should be looked at as one.

P.S - im not that much of a ms fanboy, even though im a zune\360 fanboy.

Bryan @ May 25th 2008 10:47AM

How many Zunes have been sold at Gamestop? I wouldn't think very many. Why? Because when people do go to Gamestop, it's probably because they are looking at games.

When people look for DAP's, they are looking online, or at Best Buy, Circuit City, even Target, and Wal-Mart. So I wouldn't say that this is because the Zune is a failure. In fact, I think that the only thing that the only failure here is thinking that Gamestop is a good place to market anything non-gaming related.

I own a first gen, and I love it. It does everything that I need it to, and I have never regretted purchasing it. In fact, I'm looking at purchasing one of the new 4 or 8...I think they have done exactly what they were hoping to do, take a lot of market share away from Creative and others.

Tony @ May 25th 2008 11:06AM

They don't sell any other MP3 players at Gamestop, I never think to go there for anything like that. Who would?

I actually own a 8GB Zune and I'm very happy with it (particularly after the latest updated)... and even I have never thought once to check out Gamespot when I was looking for one or for accessories lol.

Seems like a smart move to me.

iFester @ May 25th 2008 11:23AM

We've yet to get the Zune here in Canada. I keep hearing this year, but who knows when. I will say it looks more appealing to me right now as opposed to the iPod. My 1st gen Nano is slowly dying and I don't like the newer models with the fat screen. I'd love to be able to walk into a store and test out a Zune to see if it's my next DAP of choice.

John @ May 25th 2008 12:16PM

actually the Zune is being released in Canada June 13th. Check thesourcecc website... they are taking pre-orders

ericdrum @ May 25th 2008 11:31AM

I got the 80 gig Zune and I like it so much better than my iPod Classic. It is an awesome device. Gamestop just shouldn't have ever sold it as people don't want to buy MP3 devices at a game store. Gamestop couldn't sell iPods there either if they wanted to.

Phil J W @ May 25th 2008 11:44AM

"While it was never a big success and never really lived up to its full potential, the Zune was a good little device that no doubt sold more than it might've otherwise had it not been available at dedicated game stores."

First off what does this have to the with xbox? Secondly have you ever held a Zune, its amazing and blows the iPod out of the water, not the Touch, but the ipod classic. And third, the zune sales were not affected AT all BECAUSE of Gamestop, AS The article says, not the "gems" you posted, they relized that a game store isnt the place for an MP3 player, so clearly the Gamestop wasnt driving sales for the Zune.

offday @ May 25th 2008 12:17PM

Totally agree with all three of those points.

This is in no way Xbox related, and it sounds like the blogger who posted this doesn't know much about the subject.

Phil J W @ May 25th 2008 11:47AM

Also its funny you have a picture of the 1st generation of the zune, thats like posting an article ACTAULLY about the Xbox system and having you post an image of the first geneation of the consol. Ovbiosuly youve never seen the new 80gb or flash players...

Doom3killer @ May 25th 2008 11:50AM

i personally hate the zune. especially the "social crap" and the design of it (it has a wheel that doesn't scroll WTF!?!). I like the iPod much better (especially cause iTunes has more songs/ movies/ TV shows.

JRHAD @ May 25th 2008 12:05PM

I bought my first generation Zune at gamestop because they were advertising it online and i knew i would be able to get it there.
Gamestop dropping the Zune is no big deal, of course when XNA games can be played on it later this year they might regret it a little, since then it will technically be a gameing platform

when i got my new 2nd gen 80gig i bought at FYE that specializes in music and media players

i love my my Zune, i gave my sister my 1st gen when her ipod broke and she loves it.

JRHAD @ May 25th 2008 12:11PM

"d-pad" style is much easier the "click-wheel" in my book.

and the answer to "iTunes has more songs/ movies/ TV shows" is
1-Zune Pass. 15$ a month for pretty much every song on zune marketplace.
and 2- Zune Video Marketplace and Xbox Live Video Marketplace are pretty much going to get combined( ie same stuff on both XBLVM and ZVM)

ZeroCorpse @ May 25th 2008 12:21PM

Maybe if Microsoft would make the Zune compatible with more than just Windows, I'd have one. As it stands, I can't even use one with my current OS or my choice of music file format. MS locked me out.

If they wanted to take the iPod market, they should have done what Apple did and make the Zune compatible with ALL operating systems; Not just their own.

People complain that the iPod is proprietary, but the Zune won't even work with anything not running Windows Media Player... And Windows Media Player no longer exists for any platform other than Windows. WMP has the most draconian DRM of any player! This is all because MS has a tendency to lock down any content you buy from them-- Sometimes to the point that it won't even play nice with other MS products (Xbox 360, for example).

It's MS's fault the Zune is bombing. I'd get one if it provided a choice besides the iPod for me, but since it's purposely not aimed at my OS, I'm going to have to stick with my iPod, after all.

Either way, I can't imagine buying a media player from GameStop-- They have the WORST return policy in the retail electronics industry: NO RETURNS on new items once opened. Period. That's not very friendly, and it certainly doesn't make them seem very customer-oriented. Once they shovel their crap out the door, it's YOUR problem.

Of course, you COULD sell your new item back to them for a substantial loss in value, so they can mark it back up to near-retail price and sell it again.

Reuben @ May 25th 2008 12:42PM

I agree 100%. If Microsoft was really so concerned with breaking into the MP3 market and taking some of the sales away from Apple, they really should have opened up the Zune to other OS's. When the ipod first released it was only compatible with MACs, but because the market wasn't glutted with MP3 players Apple had time to fix that. Microsoft, on the other hand, has no such time. Not if they want the Zune to be the #1 player on the market, anyway.

Phil J W @ May 25th 2008 2:22PM

i guess you guys forgot that the ipod didnt work with windows when it first came out right?

matty @ May 25th 2008 2:33PM

for those that dont already know, you can deploy xna games to your zune (fw2.5) RIGHT NOW.
i have like 6 games and a clock on my zune. www.zuneboards.com has a good game selection and a team of programmers working on some new ones.

and for the guy saying the zune is bombing, that pretty far from the truth. they've sold far more than 1 million 1st gen 30gb zunes, and with the new lineup going worldwide next month i think this is just the beginning.

Phil J W @ May 25th 2008 3:20PM

nm i noticed reuben remebrs..

Deck @ May 25th 2008 4:17PM

I love my Zune. I only have a small 4gig one, because all I use it for is Podcasts, Radio and a small amount of music for working out. I don't need anymore space. The player is excellent. Love the wireless sync with the player or the wireless connectivity to other devices. Plus the FM radio is a nice touch. The basic functionality of it is great too.

What I don't like is the software. They made it too "fancy" and "graphic intensive". Of course I use it because I have to, but it really is awful in my opinion. Its a massive resource hog just to make it "appealing to the eyes" and that just drives me crazy. I am not a fan of ITunes either... but the Zune software really needs some work I think. Just needs to be simpler.

Though as for buying it, I got mine at Costco. I don't think Gamestop dropping the Zune is really that big of deal, I know I never would have thought to buy my Zune there.

Drachen77 @ May 25th 2008 5:15PM

I have a 30 gig Zune and love the thing. My wife has a 80 gig Ipod classic and I honestly like mine better.

No question ITunes has more to offer than Zune Marketplace, but it looks like that will be changing in the coming months. Zune finally got TV shows this month and there are whispers more shows and some movies will be coming.

matty @ May 25th 2008 9:21PM

if they merge the xbox live marketplace and the zune marketplace there will be lots of content

Drachen77 @ May 25th 2008 11:57PM

That would be great. Unfortunately I don't see it happening. Too many DRM issues and license issues.

ZenGaijin @ May 25th 2008 11:05PM

"Update the Zune Album art"

The legend will never die!

It's sad to see the Zune not be supported even though I see it as the superior device. Damn you iPod and your sexy appeal.

Dean Tripp @ May 26th 2008 12:38AM

I used to be a devoted fan of the Zune. No Matter how much flak was given to me about the Zune, it's software or it's support, I would say they were wrong. I thought they were, how would they know anyways? They didn't have it, everything went well until the software started bugging me. I couldn't download songs from the Marketplace and lost about 600 Microsoft Points thanks to the problem. I then called tech support when I couldn't download TV shows from the service. I spent the better part of four hours talking to several associates only to have them screw up my PC so bad I couldn't even access the internet. Frustrated, I system restored 2 times before the Internet worked and then I went to use the Zune software to no avail. It hasn't worked since then and I cannot add music or videos or anything so I am probably going to sell the thing soon, It really is a disappointment, but not everyone has problems, just most people.

mernmern @ May 26th 2008 1:25PM

I am a big fan of the zune. Of course, I got my poopie brown one for $99 when the new ones came out. It is not without issues, but at that price I made the move from my 2nd gen ipod. The most annoying thing about it is that it tends to reset every time I get a static shock if I am holding it. Once, audible titles play on it though it will be perfect for me. I recommend it to anyone that does not want to deal with apple's continual pushed updates of real player and safari.