Don' t you guys have giant superstores that sell everything in Europe?
In Europe, life-style shopping and culture is sometimes more important than the price. Many people shop at certain stores, regardless of the price, because the store might offer a more " exclusive" experience.
You often say " you get what you pay for" To many people the product isn' t the only enjoyable part of shopping so the actual shopping can be as important as the purchase itself. Paying a slightly higher price can sometimes be worth it.
Not only does the experience matter, but also the name of the store as it shows what parts of society you belong to.
Shopping at small game stores and such can be a way of showing you' re a gamer. You want to meet, talk, get advice and mingle with the same kind of people as yourself.
But shopping games in larger stores would be the place for parents to buy videogames. The clerks don' t know shit, there is no way to get a modded product, and there' s no community whatsoever.