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With just RM15,000, entrepreneur Iskandar has turned his passion for video games into a thriving business with three stores in Kota Bharu, Melaka and Selangor.
Three years ago, I started my own business selling second-hand video games. Many of my friends and relatives thought I was crazy, including my own family.
“Who in their right mind is going to spend money on video games during such tough times?” they asked.
But I knew there was a market for it, because everyone was stuck indoors during the pandemic.
So with a capital of RM15,000, I set up my first online store, Marhaen Gamers. I focused on buying and selling pre-loved Nintendo Switch games.
As a gamer myself, I knew what titles were in high demand
When I first started, there was only one other store in Kota Bharu and a few local online stores selling Nintendo Switch games. But they were mainly selling new games and most people could not afford them at full price. I know because I was one of them.
So as a gamer myself, I became very familiar with second-hand sellers online. I noticed that their prices were not that much cheaper than the original games. Some were even sold with only a RM30 difference.
To make matters worse, scammers were rampant. There was even a scammer called Shin Chan who became quite notorious for cheating gamers out of thousands of ringgit by using a syndicate of resellers to artificially jack up prices.
I knew that if I made sure my products were priced fairly and in good condition, I could compete with them.
At first, I sold the pre-loved games under my personal account and because of my good reputation, I was able to transition to physical stores under the Marhean Gamers business name.
After 6 months, I was essentially breaking the monopoly that the syndicate had over the second-hand games market in Malaysia.
So if anyone asked me how I stood out from my competitors I would say: Honesty and integrity. I know that sounds cliche and boring, but it really is true.
Once you’ve built up trust with your customer base, good word-of-mouth will help you grow.
My approach to business is to keep customers happy and investors happier.
Image: The Marhaen Games store in Kota Bahru, Kelantan. Provided by Marhaen Gamers
When I decided to open my first physical store, I took a loan of RM15,000 from several of my friends. I promised them a 30% return on their investment within a few months.
You’d be surprised at how much more motivated you can be when you’ve made a promise not just to your investors, but to your friends.
I was also realistic with my investors and didn’t promise them the sky and the moon. I kept my operational costs low and my first year was profitable. With this solid track record, I attracted more investors to inject more capital into a second store in Melaka.
My wife is not much of a gamer, but once I explained my business plans and showed her the maths, she was onboard. Not having to work during odd hours of the night also means we get to spend more time together, and we finally start thinking about kids.
I’m extremely blessed to have found business partners who are passionate and hardworking. Without their commitment, I wouldn’t have the confidence to expand my business outside of Kota Bharu.
So what’s next for Marhean Gamers?
My goal is to open at least one outlet in every state and who knows, might even grow it into a multi-million franchise like Speedy or Blockbuster.
If all goes well I might be able to retire in 10-15 years. Then I’ll finally have time to catch up on my ever growing library of games, hahaha!
What would you do with RM 15,000 of savings?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
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