Game to close stores across SA, expect discounts of up to 40% on items in store

Retail 14 September 2022

South African retailer Game has announced that it will be closing down a few of its stores as part of its parent company Massmart’s turnaround strategy.

In December 2021, it announced that it had identified an “initial” “15 stores that will be subject to a possible sale”. This followed the re-lay of all 114 Game stores in the country which allowed the retailer to compare sales trends and potential.

Eight stores are now in the process of being shut down and the retailer has begun aggressive markdowns on all stock at these stores.

The eight stores the company will shut down are:

Game Bel-Air in Northriding, Gauteng

Game CBD in Cape Town, Western Cape

Game Gilwell in East London, Eastern Cape

Game Greenstone in Modderfontein, Gauteng

Game Hazyview in Mpumalanga

Game Mall of the South in Johannesburg South, Gauteng

Game Ulundi in KwaZulu-Natal

Game Westwood Mall in Westville, KwaZulu-Natal

With very limited exclusions, discounts of up to 40% are being offered on all stock, with the closing down sales beginning at the end of last month already. A letter to customers regarding limits on other discounts and promotions is dated 24 August.

Clothing, camping equipment, laptops/computers, furniture and toys are all marked down by 20%, hand tools, hardware, air conditioning and fans by 25%, while heaters, electric blankets and stationery are less than 40%. Currently, the minimum discount storewide is 10%.

"We are still in discussions with staff to finalise closure dates," a Game spokesperson said in a statement.

"As is always the case, we will apply our best efforts to identify opportunities for the redeployment of the affected staff members within the broader Massmart Group."

Written by: Shihaam (Gabriella) Steyn-Adams.

Guzzle Media