05/22/2008, 4:10pm, EDT
Thursday, May 22ndGameStop to stop selling Zunes
Microsoft is in for more bad news regarding its Zune personal music players, as GameStop on Thursday announced it decided to stop selling the flash-memory digital music player in its stores. The video-game retailer said lack of consumer demand and the device's ill fit with its existing offerings prompted the decision, which was made about a month ago. The retail chain is made up of hundreds of stores across the US, and will not order new stock, clearing out existing inventory exclusively on its web store.
"We have decided to exit the Zune category because it just did not have the appeal we had anticipated," a GameStop spokesperson said. "It did not fit with our product mix."
Microsoft recently revealed it sold 2 million Zune players since the device launched in 2006, which is a fraction of the 10.6 million iPods Apple managed to move in just the last quarter. Losing GameSpot's distribution network is seen as a further setback in the software giant's attempt to boost the device's sales. Earlier this month, Microsoft announced it will launch the Zune in Canada by the middle of June, expanding the Zune's potential market. [via TheStreet]
Filed under: iPod, industry, accessories, audio
Other story tags: Microsoft, Zune
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Throw in the Towel
Ok, M$... I think it's time for you to throw in the towel in that industry. Much like Vista, Zune is a failure.
I wonder
How many of the 2 million "sold" are actually owned by GameStop?
Misleading headline
Should read: GameStop to stop CARRYING Zunes
Not a setback
This blog fails to mention that GameStop does not carry Ipod's. This obviously was something they were doing as a trial. Who goes to GameStop to by a Zune anyway? Now if this said they won't sell Zunes but will carry ipods that would be story.
????
What's a Zune?
slappy
MS won't give up. They can afford to lose money forever. They easily make money every quarter, so all they have to do is wait it out and eventually Zune will dominate.
slappy's
right of course. same old story, deep pockets, all the time in the world.