GameStop survey finds families are scaling back this summer

GRAPEVINE, Texas According to a survey commissioned by GameStop and conducted by Harris Interactive, four in five American families are planning to scale back on summer leisure activities.

Among the activities families plan to scale back on are eating out (66%), trips to theme parks or other attractions (46%), small vacations (43%) and going to the movies (38%).

The survey found that families instead will participate in cheaper alternatives including going to free community events (63%), day trips (51%) and playing video games together (34%). The last item is particularly good news for GameStop, which could see a boost in video game sales this summer, if the survey accurately predicts consumer trends.

To help promote the idea of playing video games together, GameStop is launching its Family Night In program, which is designed to help families maximize their entertainment budgets with special summer value offers and other incentives to customers who make their purchases on summer Tuesdays from June 23 to September 1.

“We appreciate that American families are taking a close look at their spending this summer, and are pleased that GameStop is able to be a budget-friendly destination for entertainment that is as economical as it is fun,” said Paul Raines, COO for GameStop.