AfterDawn: News

GameStop drops Microsoft Zune

The huge video game retailer Gamestop has announced that it will discontinue selling the Microsoft Zune citing its "poor performance in terms of sales."

In its initial six months, Microsoft sold 1 million units but since then, and despite a complete line revamp, sales have slowed to a crawl. It has taken another year for Microsoft to reach 2 million units sold for its Zune line, a considerably slower pace for sales.



Despite at one point being the top seller on Amazon for MP3 players, the Zune has failed in comparison to iPod sales. For the Q2 2008, Apple had sold roughly 11 million of the popular media devices.

Ignoring Gamestop's decision, Adam Sohn, Microsoft's Zune marketing manager, said Zune sales "have seen good momentum" for the last few months.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 24 May 2008 18:19

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• 19 comments

• DXR88

  I'm not surprised, it's a store for video games. when i go in i go in for that reason. if i needed a zune there are 4 different stores that i could go to.

  24.5.2008 20:26 #1

• piloting1

  That is what happens when microshaft starts to play policeman. pay attention Microsoft.

  24.5.2008 21:20 #2

• iluvendo

  M$,Zune, 0
  
  Public 2

  24.5.2008 21:32 #3

• lawndog

  as a zune owner gotta say man that sucks, glad I already got mine. feel sorry for gamestop though, whenever I go in there I agree with DXR88 I'm there to buy a game or a system not an mp3 player.
  The zune is actually a really good mp3 player, and there is no police on the zune, yes I read the news, but I also did a little self research. although microsoft does do some policing on other items. most of the bashing I hear towards the zune are by people who have never even used it, seen it, or researched it.
  Most of the people I know that have the zune actually really enjoy the zune itself, just not the software.
  Oh well

  24.5.2008 22:36 #4

• DXR88

  the Zune is a really nice gadget,it was just in the wrong store.
  true the software is a bit..unrefined, but its not at all bad. DRM can be dealt with..by the right people or by yourself.
  
  Simple idealism: If a human makes it, a wild animal can break it.
  
  in other words, its easier to break than it is to make.

  24.5.2008 23:04 #5

• mrmarx

  Now Gamestop should stop selling that bullshit Xbox 3shitty. Microsoft sucks!

  25.5.2008 08:21 #6

• DXR88

  mrmarx. that was unnecessary and irrelevant, to the topic at hand.

  25.5.2008 11:23 #7

• pomelo

  We had ipods and they all broke a little before or after a year.We have had Zune since the release date and have not had any problems yet.If people would try the Zune they probally would like it better than the ipod.

  25.5.2008 12:14 #8

• jetyi83

  zune and ipods both suck... garbage players

  25.5.2008 13:03 #9

• lawndog

  wow jetyi83, that was right on topic, would you care to elaborate on that a little, Maybe as to why they suck?

  25.5.2008 13:45 #10

• pwhite23

  ipod's break easily and zune's are poor quality. ande going back up to the first post...ya gamestop is for video games not media.

  25.5.2008 13:45 #11

• iamgq

  Game Stop sold the ZUNE? Never woulda thougth to go buy one their.

  25.5.2008 19:35 #12

• seanacean

  they haven't been selling the zune for a very long time. they have only had it on display. now they are getting rid of the display. this title is very misleading

  26.5.2008 01:13 #13

• wwefan24

  Originally posted by pwhite23: ipod's break easily and zune's are poor quality. ande going back up to the first post...ya gamestop is for video games not media.i just have one question for you. How do iPods break easily? My older brother has had the 2G iPod since it came out and he still uses it, and myself being an iPod owner i don't think they break easy. i think people don't know how to take care of their stuff.
  
  on the topic at hand...i never knew zunes were being sold at gamestops. the zune is an okay player not the best but not bad either.

  26.5.2008 20:16 #14

• 7thsinger

  I personally like my Zune.
  
  It was not purchased at Game Stop, that's for sure. I don't think it was good market strategy to sell them at Game Stop's. Who goes in thinking they're going to trade off a few games they don't play, pick up a couple of used games, and buy a Zune?
  
  Duh.
  
  No surprises here.

  26.5.2008 23:26 #15

• Mez

  The reason they were Amazon's hot seller was they were selling the 30G Browns for under $90 delivered.
  
  Who would ever go to Gamestop to buy a Zune?
  
  Any mp3 player but especially the disk ones need to be kept in a carrying case. If you bump a disk drive while it is spinning it will tend to damage the bearings. Eventually it will die. I think ipods and zunes are well built. It really takes balls to re-invent the wheel making it square. The Zume may be built better than the ipod. The Zune software is real terrible. It is a big deal to use good software with it. That is one of the reasons it is selling so poorly.
  
  Even through unnecessary and irrelevant, to the topic at hand, MIRCOSOFT SUCKS!!!! Lets face it, the topic at hand is a no-brainer. They should never have sold them in the first place.

  27.5.2008 10:27 #16

• dysart147

  [i]OK, so there are many people for and against the Zune. Every one is entitiled to their own oppinion, I myself think that most peole say that Zune sucks because they have never used one.
  
  But one undeniable consistancy with all posts is Who actually knew that the Zune was sold at the Gamestop? Apparently so few that they no longer carry them. Now is it realy Zunes fault that Game stop did not do much marketing for the Zune? It is no wonder they were not selling. It would be like building a Best Western in the middle of the woods and not telling anyone it was there. No one could ever go to the hotel because they didn't even know it existed.[i]

  27.5.2008 11:29 #17

• lawndog

  holy falling timbers. you mean theres a best western in the woods. Which woods, is it just my woods or all the woods? Is it made from wood? Can I get wood there? normally when I go to the woods I sleep in a tent, you mean I can sleep on a bed in the woods? You know normally best western are along the streets, are you sure theres one in the woods cause that would just be stupid. To think somebody would put a best western in the woods, when you actually go to the woods to sleep in a tent or camper.
  that would be like somebody selling an mp3 player at a video game shop

  27.5.2008 14:50 #18

• DXR88

  Originally posted by lawndog: holy falling timbers. you mean theres a best western in the woods. Which woods, is it just my woods or all the woods? Is it made from wood? Can I get wood there? normally when I go to the woods I sleep in a tent, you mean I can sleep on a bed in the woods? You know normally best western are along the streets, are you sure theres one in the woods cause that would just be stupid. To think somebody would put a best western in the woods, when you actually go to the woods to sleep in a tent or camper.
  that would be like somebody selling an mp3 player at a video game shop
  Hahahaha...OMGWTFBBG... your right it would wouldn't it.

  27.5.2008 19:45 #19