Sony incentives to push PS3

[sabre2922]

Far from being NEW news I thought this to be slightly interesting.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/72556-Sony-Incentivizes-Gamestop-Managers-to-Push-PS3s


Gamestop managers whose stores outperform other district branches in PS3 console sales will be handsomely rewarded thanks to a Sony-sponsored "contest."
Gamersreports.com (http://www.gamersreports.com/news/5801/sony-offers-gamestop-managers-prizes-for-pushing-ps3-units/) claimed in a news item today that Sony is dangling incentives in front of Gamestop managers whose stores sell the most PlayStation 3 units.
In what is apparently a Gamestop memo (http://www.gamersreports.com/mediabrowser/930/12926/), managers are advised that stores with the highest average PS3 sales in a given district will win 20,000 points redeemable at the company's GamestopRewardstop.com website. One overall winner will be showered with an additional 10,000 points.
It appears Gamestop customers would be well-advised to do their research on console choices before entering the store, and to not necessarily rely on employee advice.

[Oobgarm]

Not surprising in the least.

Companies frequently offer incentives to associates in order to sell more products. Maybe not quite to this extent, though.

Usually, it's like 'learn about our products and we'll send you free/discounted stuff that's actually worth the time you invest in the learning process".

[mailman187666]

a friend of mine works at a gamestop and she says she answers quizes on that website to gain points to get free games and whatnot. She says she likes the whole thing and she gets free PSP games and stuff. I wonder how much 20,000 points could get you. I think Sony is smart for doing something like that. I'm not a sony fanboy, I'm a videogame fanboy, and love them all equally. Maybe 360 a little bit less cuz it broke on me.

[FantasiaWHT]

a friend of mine works at a gamestop and she says she answers quizes on that website to gain points to get free games and whatnot. She says she likes the whole thing and she gets free PSP games and stuff. I wonder how much 20,000 points could get you. I think Sony is smart for doing something like that. I'm not a sony fanboy, I'm a videogame fanboy, and love them all equally. Maybe 360 a little bit less cuz it broke on me.

Microsoft had something like that going on when I was working at EB. The quizzes took very little time, and the points racked up very quickly. I think when I first started, doing the full backlog of quizzes up to that point allowed me to get somewhere around 6 games and a year of Xbox Live with the headset. Sony started something very similar but with worse selection of games, but I can't remember what the points were like.

[norkusa]

Great. As if GS/EB didn't push enough shit on you at checkout already (saver card, warranties, etc.). Now you gotta put up with employees asking if you they should "throw in" a $600+ system on top of that $15 used game your buying every time you go in there.

[skaar]

This kind of program is nothing new, retailers have been doing this for years. My friend has been milking the HP program for years.

[slip81]

instead of bribing employees to force them down consumer's throats, maybe Sony should try some customer incentives to make people actually want them?

EDIT: I also think it's funny that the managers are the only one that'll get the reward. What do the low level workers who actually push the shit get? "great job son, you've sold X ammount of PS3's. I got a bunch of free shit, and you get to keep your job."

[Vinnysdad]

Great. As if GS/EB didn't push enough shit on you at checkout already (saver card, warranties, etc.). Now you gotta put up with employees asking if you they should "throw in" a $600+ system on top of that $15 used game your buying every time you go in there.



LOL Exactly what I was thinking.

[Push Upstairs]

Yawn....why are people getting worked up over this?

This isn't anything new and it isn't limited to video games, why are people getting their panties in a bunch?

[TurboGenesis]

EDIT: I also think it's funny that the managers are the only one that'll get the reward. What do the low level workers who actually push the shit get? "great job son, you've sold X ammount of PS3's. I got a bunch of free shit, and you get to keep your job."

Its the american way....Game Stop is just doing what any other american company does every day every year.

[norkusa]

Its the american way....Game Stop is just doing what any other american company does every day every year.

No. I've never been to another store that pushes you to buy more crap that you don't want than Gamestop/EB. And this PS3 thing is going to make it even worse.

[crazyjackcsa]

No. I've never been to another store that pushes you to buy more crap that you don't want than Gamestop/EB. And this PS3 thing is going to make it even worse.

You ever been asked "Do you want fries with that?" Extended warrenties on electronics? Batteries and Memory cards for cameras/mp3 players. If you think for some reason Gamestop/EB is the only one that does this, you're just plain old wrong.