This upcoming holiday shopping season is far more complicated than previous years, largely thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic and the unique challenges that it causes. In response to COVID-19, many retail stores are limiting their holiday shopping hours, and GameStop is one of them, with the gaming retail giant confirming that all of its stores will be closed in the United States during the Thanksgiving holiday.

GameStop's official reason for closing its stores on Thanksgiving is that it wants "both our guests and our associates to have the opportunity to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday and spend time with family and friends." However, GameStop has been open on Thanksgiving in years past, typically opening its doors in the afternoon on the holiday to kick off its big annual Black Friday deals. But while consumers won't be able to shop in-store at GameStop on Thanksgiving this year, some alternative options have been announced.

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GameStop will still be taking online orders during Thanksgiving, plus the new GameStop mobile app will be "open and ready" by the time Thanksgiving rolls around. The store and the app will offer options like shipping from specific GameStop stores or allowing customers to buy online and then pick up their purchases in-store later. Some GameStop locations will also be offering same day delivery, which is a first for the company, but not a surprising move in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Additionally, GameStop is also offering new payment options for holiday shoppers this year. Customers can purchase items using the GameStop credit card, utilize Buy Now, Pay Later for select items, and take advantage of the company's upcoming Rent-to-Own service. With expensive next-gen consoles set to launch soon, these different payment options will likely be appreciated by GameStop shoppers.

When it comes to the Xbox Series X, GameStop will have even more purchasing options available for its customers. GameStop and Microsoft have entered a partnership that will allow the retailer to offer Xbox All Access plans to anyone interested in buying an Xbox Series X console. Xbox All Access is basically the Xbox equivalent of a phone plan, where users pay a monthly fee for the console, as well as a Game Pass Ultimate subscription.

Of course, this is assuming that next-gen consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X will even be readily available at GameStop stores this holiday season. PS5 and Xbox Series X pre-orders are sold out at the time of this writing, and it's unclear how many additional units will be made available for sale. With the holiday shopping season right around the corner, though, fans don't have to wait long to find out.

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