PLAY N TRADE: Will WalMart Crush PnT?

Will Play N Trade’s love and devotion to their video game concept be enough to hold off an attack by WalMart?  Or is big trouble heading their way?

According to a post on UnhappyFranchisee.com, nation’s largest retailer “has turned its hungry eye and voracious appetite for growth on the used video game market.”

According to the post (PLAY N TRADE: Should PnT Respond to Wal-Mart Threat?) WalMart will test a game and DVD rental kiosk system in 77 of its New York and southern New England stores.  If the test is successful, it could go expand the program nationwide, enabling gamers to buy, sell and trade their video games at WalMart locations.

The CEO of troubled Play N Trade, Larry Plotnick, responded calmly to the news.  He stated that the fledgling video game retailer’s superior service could withstand and assault by the nation’s largest retailer.  In fact, Plotnick says WalMart’s entry into the market could have “positive implications” with Walmart “legitimizing” used game sales and trading.

UnhappyFranchisee.com, which has hosted a spirited debate among Play N Trade franchisees of late (see PLAY N TRADE: CA Suspends PnT Franchise Registration), has asked for reactions to Larry Plotnick’s unemotional reaction:  Is his hope that WalMart will “validate the concept” just wishful thinking?

Is his belief that PnT customer service will make it invulnerable to WalMart’s competition just delusion & denial?

Or is Larry Plotnick exhibiting public coolness under pressure as PnT execs ready a strategic marketing response to the potential attack from a category killer robot army?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.

image:  FranBest.com