The current EB Games logo

EB Games EDGE card

Electronics Boutique is an international computer and video games retailer, established as an American company in 1977 by James Kim with a single, electronics-focused kiosk, located in a suburban Philadelphia mall in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The operation mainly sold calculators and digital watches. Between 1977 and the mid-1990s, the company expanded to (and later stopped) selling computers and other related items. In the mid-1990s, the company's focus switched to TV-based video games and consoles, though many stores still maintain PC game sections. Prior to an October 2005 merger, when the company became a wholly-owned subsidiary of GameStop Corp., the international headquarters were located in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Electronics Boutiques current logo. ... Electronics Boutiques current logo. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 536 pixelsFull resolution (1792 × 1200 pixel, file size: 363 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 536 pixelsFull resolution (1792 × 1200 pixel, file size: 363 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Namcos Pac-Man was a hit, and became a universal phenomenon. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... King of Prussia is an unincorporated community in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. ... GameStop Corporation (NYSE: GME), headquartered in Grapevine, Texas, USA, is the worlds largest video game and entertainment software retailer. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

As of July 30, 2005, the company operated 2,280 stores in the United States, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Austria and Spain, primarily under the names EB Games and Electronics Boutique. The company operates an e-commerce and international website at http://www.ebgames.com . There is also an Australian EB Games website at http://www.ebgames.com.au and a New Zealand EB Games website at http://www.ebgames.co.nz , however neither support online shopping like the international website does. The company changed its corporate name to EB Games within the past few years, but the retailer is often still referred to as Electronics Boutique. The company still has stores named Electronics Boutique, EB Games, EBGameworld, EBX, Stop-N-Save, and EB Kids. The reasoning behind the multiple names is not known, but it is speculated that it is to get around a restriction in many malls that there cannot be two stores with the same name. It is believed that this is the same reason that GameStop has not commenced renaming EB Games stores to GameStop, even though the companies have been operating as one since early 2006. is the 211th day of the year (212th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Criticism

EB Games retailers in some countries have recently come under criticism from consumers amidst claims that the majority of the software they are selling as "new" is actually pre-owned. This comes from EB's 7 Day Return Policy in which a customer purchases a product item and is able to return it for a full refund or an exchange if he/she is not entirely satisfied with the item. This prompts the staff at EB Games to accept the games and put them back on the 'shelf' and sell them as new. Being a specialist video gaming retailer, it has been widely reported that a number of staff that EB Games employ lacks the knowledge of the video games industry and its operations.

Merger

On April 18, 2005, Electronics Boutique and GameStop announced a proposal to merge into one company called GameStop Corp. The merger was approved by the shareholders of both corporations and completed in October, 2005, at the cost of many EB Games personnel both at the West Chester headquarters and in the field. In September of 2006, the two companies completed what they considered the last major milestone in combining operations -- accepting EB Games gift cards and store credits at GameStop and vice-versa. is the 108th day of the year (109th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... GameStop Corporation (NYSE: GME), headquartered in Grapevine, Texas, USA, is the worlds largest video game and entertainment software retailer. ... GameStop Corporation (NYSE: GME), headquartered in Grapevine, Texas, USA, is the worlds largest video game and entertainment software retailer. ...

International

EB began its international expansion with the purchase of financially troubled British game retailer Rhino Group in 1995 and the name of the chain was changed from Future Zone to "Ethan Buys Games" to match the new owner. Store remodels, product mix changes and used video games combined to restore the chain's finances, and promptly embarrass the USA chain with the massive success of EB UK's pre-owned program. Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ...

In April 1999 Electronics Boutique's UK entity bought out its main rival, GAME PLC following GAME's near failure after a dreadful Christmas period. Electronics Boutique UK folded Game, Plc into its own structure, keeping Game stores open under their Game branding, and all new stores following the release of Playstation 2 in 2000 used the Game branding, as EB UK wanted to sever its ties with its American parent. Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... Tug of war is an easily organized, impromptu game that requires little equipment. ... The PlayStation 2 , abbreviated PS2) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ...

Although the EB-GAME "merger" created a company separate from the US parent, EB retained a 24% ownership stake in the merged chain for a period of time and, under the merger agreement, collected substantial management fees from it until 2004, when the companies agreed to sever the remainder of their ties with a one time settlement. The GAME brand replaced the EB name at all former EB stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland. The new company was the biggest video game retailer in the United Kingdom. However, GameStop Corp. is once again operating in the UK and Ireland under the GameStop brand. shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Electronics Boutique commenced operations in Australia in 1997 and rapidly became the number one video game specialty retailer in the country and the only one with a nationwide footprint. Year 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar). ...

On May 23, 2005, Electronics Boutique announced a definitive agreement to acquire Jump, a retailer based in Valencia, Spain that sells PCs and other consumer electronics. Electronics Boutique plans to begin introducing video game hardware and software into Jump's 141 stores over the next several months. The acquisition provides Electronics Boutique entry into the Spanish marketplace and continues Electronics Boutique's aggressive international expansion. is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Location Coordinates : 39°29′ N 0°22′ W Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name València (Catalan) Spanish name Valencia Founded 137 BC Postal code 46000-46080 Website http://www. ...

EB once had a retail presence in South Korea.

References

External links

• Electronics Boutique official website
• GameStop official website