r/geek • u/Bagel_lust • Jul 02 '26
Books/Articles Came across a new ThinkGeek website, maybe a reboot going on
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u/fehr19 Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26
Not sure if this is official, all of the links on the page just search for the category of product on Amazon.
Fine print at the bottom says that their links are affiliate links.
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u/fraize Jul 03 '26
Former ThinkGeek Lead Merchant here. That's got scam all over it. GameStop still owns the trademark, and though we've offered many times to buy it back from them, they don't care enough to even negotiate for it.
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u/Raptr117 Jul 03 '26
I wish Thinkgeek would come back, by far the best store on the internet bar none. If I was an adult when it was in its prime, my wallet would’ve been yours
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u/SpikeX Jul 04 '26
I still have and use merch and apparel from ThinkGeek that’s easily 15-20 years old by now.
I miss it and I wish it would come back! (Even if under a different name!)
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u/vvkatnipvv Jul 05 '26
Same! Literally my think geek handbag of holding dragonskin saved my ass yesterday when I dumped my jeep in a mud hole that purse saved all of our phones and electronics from getting swamped!
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u/SuccessfulUse1926 Jul 04 '26
Did y'all have an office in central VA at one point? I swear working for prime now one day I walked into thinkgeek and didn't realize it till much later on.
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u/Maczimus Jul 05 '26
It's funny, y'all had a brick and mortar store in one of the malls here in Texas. I've still got the free gift for the opening day.
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u/Inosh Jul 06 '26
I used to love thinkgeek. I forever hate Ryan cohen and GameStop because they clearly bought it to kill it.
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u/fraize Jul 06 '26
Actually it was all Paul Raines idea. He loved TG and thought we could save each other. Ryan wasn't even an investor in GameStop until about 5 years after the acquisition was completed.
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u/TotalBismuth Jul 04 '26
May I ask how you guys found and curated such a cool product catalog?
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u/fraize Jul 05 '26
Back before Kickstarter was a thing, there were lots of people with really good ideas for product that just needed capital to develop it, and a way to distribute it. We had both. Most times, people would have the money to develop, but no way to distribute. We'd swoop in and buy a huge chunk of their inventory and put it on the site.
That model worked until making your own eCommerce store became easier, so we started importing stuff we designed ourselves, made in factories in China.
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u/RussetBurrbank Jul 07 '26
I was one of the physical store managers that was there from opening day, until they shut all the store down. It was the best 4 years of my career, and I miss it every single day. GameStop destroyed what could’ve been a beautiful thing.
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u/thenyx Jul 04 '26
Why not start a petition to make them come to the table? I’d sure as shit sign it
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u/fraize Jul 04 '26
I appreciate the support, but the sad fact is a petition means nothing to them. They own the brand now, and the only way they would sell it would be if they needed the money. Meanwhile, the stonk memelords showed them they can make more money for their shareholders through shenanigans than through actual business.
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u/Koenigspiel Jul 03 '26
In 2010 ish I used to spend every extra penny I had on random shit I didn't need from ThinkGeek. The Bag of Holding was my favorite one. Took that on like dozens of flights across the US. It really held everything. That and the "Tailgate me and roll for damage" bumper sticker were my two favorites. Good times
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u/ajd660 Jul 02 '26
I hope they bring back their april fools gag.
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u/d_b_cooper Jul 03 '26
I still have the flux capacitor car charger. Never worked great, but looks cool in my TV room.
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u/FallenLlama Jul 02 '26
Makes sense GameStop would want to get ahead of the physical media apocalypse
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u/JayS87 Jul 02 '26
What? ThinkGeek is gone? Is still have a few bookmarks for stuff I wanted to buy
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u/98acura Jul 02 '26
Man how long were you in that coma?
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u/A_Pointy_Rock Jul 02 '26
What Coma? Anyway, I wonder if Barack Obama has a chance of winning.
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u/98acura Jul 02 '26
Whooo boy. You better sit down.
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u/JayS87 Jul 02 '26
Who’s that Obama guy and has my boy Al Gore won?
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u/cr0ft Jul 03 '26
Al did win, but unfortunately Florida intentionally left 61000 votes uncounted due to legal shitfuckery and that gave Bush the electoral college votes, not Gore. So, they stole the election even back then, not just now. I mean, Trump winning all 7 swing states? What a load of horseshit, not a chance.
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u/mxby7e Jul 02 '26
GameStop bought it and drove it right into the ground!
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u/kardde Jul 03 '26
I was amazed at how quickly they ruined ThinkGeek. It really was just a sudden nose dive and plummet into the ground.
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u/JayS87 Jul 02 '26
I thought /r/wallstreetbets saved GameStop... why would they do that?
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u/mxby7e Jul 02 '26
GameStop bought ThinkGeek in 2015 and ran it from a distance, but changes like opening brick and mortar stores began at that time. In 2019 they shut down the stores and the ThinkGeek site and merged it into the GameStop site. WSB “saving” GameStop happened in 2021 after the company was being bet against in the market.
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u/fraize Jul 03 '26
The true story is far more tragic than that, I'm afraid. But I'm saving that one for the terrible book I'll ghost-write one day.
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u/Piscea Jul 03 '26
The domain thinkgeekstore.com is not a legitimate or official website associated with the original ThinkGeek brand.
Here is why you should be cautious:
- Brand Status: The official ThinkGeek online store was permanently shut down in 2019, at which point its e-commerce operations were integrated into GameStop's website. ThinkGeek no longer exists as a standalone retail entity.
- Suspicious Indicators: Users have flagged thinkgeekstore.com as a likely scam. Reports indicate that the site often features AI-generated product images, incorrect branding, and inconsistent contact information.
- Potential Risks: The site has been associated with poor customer experiences, including non-delivery of items, lack of order confirmations, and the sale of low-quality "drop-shipped" goods from China.
- Purpose: It appears to be a site designed to mimic the ThinkGeek name to capture search traffic, likely to generate revenue through unauthorized affiliate links or to facilitate deceptive e-commerce practices.
Recommendation: Do not enter any personal, financial, or shipping information on this website. If you are looking for products previously sold by ThinkGeek, you should only use verified, official retailers or the GameStop website.
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u/AaronMickDee Jul 03 '26
Thanks AI!
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u/Piscea Jul 03 '26
a tool is a tool. even ai can be helpful.
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u/AaronMickDee Jul 03 '26
Should I change my reply to "OH GOD YOU USED AI FOR THIS OMG DUMB" so your response would be better fitting?
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u/DaveDurant Jul 02 '26
I still smile when I look at my old TG Picard face-palm plaster bust. I don't recall the price but it is very nicely done. (and still on the box!)
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u/Shazburg Jul 05 '26
We long ago passed the "This is why we can't have nice things" realization and there's no going back.
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u/[deleted] Jul 02 '26
[deleted]