GAMA has launched an online game store locator service at http://www.gama.org/search.  The service provides a way for consumers to locate stores carrying games based on store name, city, state, or zip code.  GAMA is the Game Manufacturers Association, the primary trade association for producers of RPGs, CCGs, and miniatures games.  The store locator is currently available via links both from the GAMA site and, more importantly, from the Originsgames.com site, which is the official Website of the Origins game convention, one of the largest (second only to Gencon among pure gaming conventions) consumer gaming shows in the country.  Listings are free to retailers; retailers interested in being listed on the locator service need only send an e-mail with the pertinent information to the GAMA webmaster at techman@gama.org.

The database of retailers on the locator service now is a combination of stores from the GAMA retailer database and the Games Quarterly Catalogue list, and according to GAMA webmaster Andrew Reinlieb, it contains almost 10,000 entries.  Unfortunately, GAMA currently has no way of systematically cleaning its list, and as a result many of the retailer listings are out of date.  For example, we noticed stores in our home state on the locator service that have been out of business for over five years.  We also noticed stores with duplicate listings. Reinlieb explained that when the two databases were merged, stores that had slightly different names on the two lists could have produced duplicates.  While GAMA has not been cleaning its list on a systematic basis, it does make changes based on input from retailers and other users.  Those wishing to provide such input may e-mail corrections to the webmaster e-mail address above.  Reinlieb said that 'a gratifying number of people have been sending in corrections' since the site's launch a few weeks ago.

The search functionality is currently quite limited, and only provides stores in the specific zip code, city, or state requested.  It does not, for example, list stores in nearby towns or zip codes in response to a search request.  A retailer also alerted us to the fact that if a store has a zip+4 listed, the engine won't display it when only the five digit zip is entered.  Reinlieb acknowledged the limitations and said that it was something that GAMA hopes to improve, but was unsure when resources would be available to do so.  On the other hand, it's free.