Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, GameStop has enforced a number of strange and controversial decisions that have turned many against the slowly declining video game retailer. From declaring the store as an essential business to literally instructing employees to wrap their hands in plastic bags while working, it’s clear the company is desperate to remain open amid the current global crisis, however, it seems their efforts may have been in vain.
Despite the company’s passionate will to remain open, all Massachusetts based GameStop locations have officially been closed down. This is due to the state declaring all non-essential businesses be shut on March 24, which despite GameStop’s claims, is a bracket it almost definitely falls under.
Regardless, it appears GameStop wasn’t planning on listening to the statewide call, with the chain of stores continuing to operate well after March 24. While stores in Massachusetts weren’t explicitly open, they were offering curbside pickups, with customers turning up to locations to be handed products by GameStop employees through the door. Seemingly, this wasn’t enough for the inspectional services department for the City of Boston, who ordered the Dorchester GameStop branch to close immediately. The company managed to escape a fine regarding the incident, however, a nuisance order was issued in its place.
It seems the decision sent the message to the higher-ups at GameStop, who made the decision to shut all stores in Massachusetts on April 2. No doubt its the right decision, especially with GameStop allegedly not being very active when it comes to employee safety during this worrying time. Last month, a number of employees claimed that it was difficult to even find hand sanitizer within the store, while later, many claimed GameStop advised they wrapped their hands in plastic bags to give purchases to customers.
It’s clear why GameStop is so keen to stay open during current events, however, with the company recently struggling extensively with financial issues. This massive dip in sales has seen the company make a number of controversial decisions, such as closing hundreds of stores, firing district managers, and putting increased pressure on employees. Regardless, it seems like the company is still on the decline, with many believing that the release of the upcoming Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 could be its last opportunity to financially stabilize. Only time will tell whether GameStop can survive the ongoing pandemic, however, it’s good to see it’s finally beginning to shut down stores in the wake of the Coronavirus.
