Fremont 2/1/2012 5:04:55 AM
News / Business

How Did The PC Gaming Industry Do in 2011?

One of the most common and popular items you will find on a Christmas wish list is a pc gaming system. We wait for the store's sales advertisements and compare them to see who has the best deals. Many times, we wait for Black Friday or Cyber Monday, because as we know stores are looking to make a lot of sales, and we consumers, are looking to score a great deal. So we await the Thanksgiving paper, pull out the flyers, and make our plans to hit the target location.

Gaming has become a great past time for both kids and adults alike. So no matter if you have a certain person on your list that is a longtime gamer, or someone who is brand new to the world of gaming, you are guaranteed to find a great deal on the best gaming system or a particular game they are asking for.

Many times stores will offer a package deal. If you purchase a gaming system on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, you will also receive an extra game or two, and sometimes get an exclusive colored console that is being offered.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become important shopping days for stores throughout the United States. This is an important opportunity for retailers to pick up sales that really haven't been there throughout the rest of the year. A consumer is willing to spend their money in order to get a great deal. And in most cases, the consumer and the store both end up with winning deals.

This past Black Friday in 2011, the gaming consoles VS gaming laptops were a big push for retailers. Because of many newly anticipated games, sales were boosted. Many times prices were slashed on the newest models, giving steep discounts to older models. While new models are being anticipated for release in 2012, stores will offer the current model at a great price to make room for the new release. A great attraction to sell the gaming console is to offer a gift card with purchase. That way, you can use the gift card to purchase a new game to go with the console, or give the gift card away to the recipient of the gaming console, and let them choose their own game that they want.

Cyber Monday is another great shopping day to gaming items at great deals. Cyber Monday is the internet version of Black Friday, which takes place that Monday following Thanksgiving.  A great thing about Cyber Monday is all the convenience of the sale, but without the crowds. Just like Black Friday, retailers are offering discounts and savings on gaming items. Many retailers will offer bundles or a wide variety of games under a certain dollar amount. Many times shipping is free as well.

Retail sales on Black Friday 2011 versus Black Friday 2010 increased by nine percent in stores. And online sales increased over twenty four percent. Black Friday was the busiest spending day of 2011. Cyber Monday sales increased by thirty-three percent versus 2010. Also, an increase to about ten percent of 2011's Cyber Monday's shopping was done via a mobile phone.

The gaming industry is a billion dollar industry in the United States. In December 2011, total sales did fall about twenty-one percent, the hardware sales fell by about twenty-eight percent, and the software fell to fourteen percent. Previous years in December having about twenty-eight percent of the annual sales, this past December it slipped to twenty-three percent. This wasn't a total surprise to industry insiders because they are at the end of the current gaming consoles. Once new consoles are released, expect to see the numbers rise once again.