ESRB Initiative Supports Indie Retailers

Forests beware. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and entertainment product distributor Ingram Entertainment Inc. have announced a new initiative in support of Indie Retailers. 10,000 independent and small chain retailers nationwide will receive ready-to-use in-store signage explaining the ESRB rating system and supporting store policy of denying sale of M rated video games to children 17 and under.

“The ESRB actively supports retailers in their efforts with respect to the sale or rental of video games, and their support of the ratings has been tremendous, as evidenced by the most recent report from the FTC,” said ESRB president Patricia Vance. “Our partnership with national retail outlets continues to be strong, and with the help of Ingram Entertainment we’re helping smaller, independent retailers across the country inform their consumers about the rating system and support their store policies.”

What this means for the consumer is more signs and shelving strips to inundate those parents who just don’t get the ESRB ratings. Bob Geistman, chairman of the Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) and Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Ingram Entertainment asserts that this initiative can only bring retailers and consumers closer together.

“Indie retailers are a vibrant and significant part of the video game market, tending to offer a neighborhood environment that endears them to their customers. Providing this signage to these thousands of stores will undoubtedly help foster that unique and personal relationship by enabling stores to offer their customers information that is vital to the way they buy and rent games.”

This article is rated E for everyone.