A few years ago, the Melaka-born entrepreneur noticed his brother playing a new “Pokemon” game. Iskandar inquired about the console he was using and was surprised by how much it cost.
“It was steep,” he told FMT Lifestyle. “I thought, how could I make this price lower? This led me to learn about reselling: I could buy in bulk from retiring gamers and resell everything, except the games I wanted to keep.
“So in the end, I would have the game I wanted, and a small profit, too.”
Realising he was on to something, the 32-year-old set up a company, Marhaen Gamers, which operated from his then residence in Bandar Sunway, Selangor. This allowed customers to come in to buy and sell used video games and consoles upon appointment.
The response to his services was encouraging, and Iskandar eventually opened an administrative office in Kelana Jaya. This soon led to stores in Melaka, Kota Bharu and Kuantan. He hopes to open a store in the Klang Valley someday.
His business model may seem rather unusual: most entrepreneurs start a business in the capital city and expand outwards, but Iskandar seems to be doing it in reverse.
This strategy, however, seems to be working. His Kota Bharu outlet, for example, is the best performing, despite being the smallest.
It helped that Marhaen Gamers was the only second-hand games store in the area for a while. There were predecessors, Iskandar recalled, but they had to close during the pandemic.
Across the three stores, Marhaen Gamers trades between RM30,000 and RM40,000 in games and consoles each week. Products are usually sold in their existing condition when brought in by customers, although the stores have technicians on hand to restore damaged items if necessary.
Consoles such as the Nintendo Switch and Playstation 5 are in demand, while the most popular games seem to be “Fifa” and “Tekken” titles.
“Second-hand games are a lot friendlier on the wallet,” Iskandar noted. “With us, you can trade in your preloved games and consoles for fast cash, and Marhaen Gamers will always make sure they are passed on to the next gamer.”
According to Iskandar, his business is unique in that there are no fixed suppliers: everything depends on the community, which means good customer service is essential.
“I believe we stand out because we are able to sell at prices that end users offer. Instead of marking up and playing with prices, we focus on reputability. We are trusted; we won’t sell you fake or damaged goods.”
He also commended the good work of his partners who run the Melaka, Kelantan and Pahang branches.
Iskandar has many things in store for his business: he hopes to expand the Kota Bharu store by Aidilfitri this year to keep up with increasing demand. He is also planning the simultaneous launch of new outlets in Ipoh and Penang, which will have a café concept.
Might he consider looking into original games some day? Iskandar shared that he has considered teaming up with several companies to be their official distributors – but one step at a time. For now, Marhaen Gamers will continue to focus on its niche market.
Business can sometimes be challenging, he admitted, but Iskandar enjoys it as it gives him the opportunity to bond with customers over topics he is passionate about.
“This has been a good career for me. I’ve worked in many other industries before, but this one really hits home. I get to talk to people about the things I love and encourage people to play games,” he concluded.
For more information, visit Marhaen Gamers on Facebook and TikTok.