GameStop has found a way to do some good out of the Switch 2 stapler debacle.
As we reported on during the Switch 2’s midnight launch, some GameStop customers found that an errant employee mistakenly stapled their receipts in the front of the Switch 2 box. Because they didn’t know or check, those first few consoles got that staple punctured through into their console’s screens.
In this case, GameStop moved fast. They confirmed that this only happened in one location, and they acted to quickly replace the broken units for all the customers who were affected. And now, they’ve turned the whole situation around completely.
GameStop has put up the infamous Switch 2 stapler on auction for eBay. As of this writing, the eBay bid has six days to go. At 181 bids, the highest outstanding bid is placed at a wild $ 108,895.
If that sounds like it’s too much for a novelty item, GameStop did sweeten the deal. They have bundled in the offending stapler with the first stapled Switch 2. As they claim, the console has been refurbished with a repaired screen, so you can get a working $ 450 console along with it.
They also retained the first box, so you can see that the staple holes are still clearly visible. GameStop claims that everything else in the original packaging remains intact and is included.
Finally, GameStop claims that they managed to find the original staple as well, which doesn’t seem like it would contribute much to the $ 100,000+ asking price, but it’s certainly a sweet bonus that they managed to get everything ready to bid.
And you don’t have to worry, because the money from this bid isn’t going to GameStop or any other meme stock. They claim that this auction will raise money for Children’s Miracle Hospitals. In GameStop’s words:
While the incident itself was unfortunate, we hope its legacy serves a greater purpose.
We have to imagine, if the Strong Museum of Play or Pink Gorilla Games isn’t placing this bid in, it must be some high income gamer who would be able to preserve this historical relic in their carefully curated collection. GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen has written up a nice certificate of authenticity to pitch this auction to exactly that kind of gamer.
While GameStop does deserve some criticism for leading some retail investors on with wild claims surrounding their meme stock, we can’t fault them for knowing how to generate a bit of publicity. Now if only GameStop could manage to resurrect their business to make retail store video games a thing again.
