Sunday, March 22, 2020
On Saturday, (March 22) GameStop announced it will temporarily close all U.S. storefronts due to the coronavirus pandemic. Starting on Sunday, March 23rd, the largest video game retailer will move all-digital, and curbside pickup orders to keep gamers happy.
GameStop was slow to shut down its retail stores following California Gov. Gavin Newsom's mandate that "nonessential" businesses close to the public during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. The retailer has struggled in recent months, including a round of layoffs in August and a 25% decrease in sales for 2019.
GameStop CEO George Sherman said in a letter to customers that it will “will temporarily stop customer access to storefronts” and would process orders on a “digital-only” basis. Customers can use the GameStop app or QR codes at its stores, though future purchases will be given to customers via curbside pickup at its retail stores or through e-commerce deliveries.