GameStop’s stapled Switch 2 has gone from PR nightmare to absolute goldmine

Console releases only happen every few years, so they’re a huge occasion for major retailers. That’s especially the case for an enthusiast storefront like GameStop; early adopters will flock to specialist stores before considering mainstream options that may not offer the same breadth of options. You’d think that when news started to spread that GameStop had sold ruined Switch 2 consoles to hundreds of customers, alarm bells were going off at GameStop HQ. But what began as an undoubtable marketing fiasco has been fully embraced by the beleaguered retailer, as evidenced by their latest PR blast.

The reputational stakes were high from the onset for GameStop. Would people cancel their orders if they thought their nearly $500 purchase might come home with a receipt stapled onto the console’s brand new screen? Would the negative association make some people think twice before trying their local GameStop for a Switch 2 over other potential retailers? If nothing else, there were no shortage of headlines pointing out the mishap almost immediately after it transpired at a store in Staten Island, in New York City. The staples apparently affected dozens of people, but they all hailed from one locale — it was hardly a widespread issue.

GameStop quickly moved to make things right for the affected customers, reportedly pulling extra stock from nearby stores while also ensuring that affected parties could trade in their stapled portables for a fresh consoles. On social media, the games store made light of the situation after making it clear that it had handled the incident as best it could. “Staplers have been confiscated,” read a post with a GIF from the 1999 film Office Space.

In an impeccably timed post, GameStop also announced a promotion the next day where it offered a 20% trade-in bonus to anyone who brought in a Switch 2 with a receipt from a different retailer. While GameStop has done things like price matching before and offered incentives to get people to trade in material, none of these promotions have been tied to bringing a receipt. Things like pre-orders can be done through receipts, but stores will typically keep records of these transactions so that customers don’t necessarily have to hold on to them. Though it may be unintended, it came across like an attempt to influence Google results for the words “GameStop” and “receipt.”

Now, a little over a month after the stapler fiasco, GameStop’s willingly reminding people of the ordeal, which it is cheekily referring to as “Staplegate,” through announcement of an upcoming charity auction. The auction will include the very stapler used by the employees during the midnight release of Staplegate, as well as the first ruined console, the box it was packaged in, and the staple that started it all. Proceeds will go toward Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. As of this writing, GameStop has raised $15,000 for the stapler, and there are six days left before it’s over. So far, there are over 100 bids and counting.

“While the incident itself was unfortunate, we hope its legacy serves a greater purpose,” reads a satirical letter of authenticity signed by GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen.