GameStop's move onto Facebook shows true thinking ahead, writes CIARA O'BRIEN

JUST A FEW years ago, most gamers would have bought most of their games in high street shops. But as online shopping becomes more popular, consumers are getting access to a wider – and sometimes cheaper – range of titles.

The effects of e-commerce have been felt by more than games retailers. Look at HMV, the one-time king of the high street, which has issued three profit warnings in three months. Times are tough and retailers must come up with new ways of reaching customers.

It’s with this in mind that US-based retailer GameStop opened up its first store on Facebook. Millions of people are already interacting with the company on the social networking site, according to Kelly Mulroney, GameStop’s vice president of e-commerce. “Social commerce on Facebook is a natural complement to our trusted store and online networks.”

The shop has everything, including product videos and reviews. Customers can pre- order online and pick purchases up in store. The company’s loyalty programme also works with purchases made on Facebook.

Social networking has had a significant impact on the way we live our lives. Not only has it changed how we interact with people, it has also changed how we shop, how we stay informed, and how we how we play games. Product recommendations come through Twitter and Facebook. Friends pass on news of discounts and deals online.

Retailers are slowly realising the value of social networking. With relatively little investment, a company can spread its presence on the web. And with more than 500 million registered members using Facebook, it has an impressive reach.

Games companies are also being forced to expand. Online stores such as Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network have become popular. Recent figures show that sales of physical videogames are declining in the US, prompting fears that the games industry, seen as an area of potential growth, could be in trouble.

But those figures fail to take into account the more agile, download model that companies such as Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo have adopted. And, with publishers building mobile versions of popular titles, it seems that gaming is infiltrating almost every aspect of ordinary life.

With so many content providers, retailers and businesses suffering from the effects of the economic downturn, businesses should be ready to take advantage of whatever opportunities come their way.