Retro Gaming Bias in Stores

[Stewie]

Does this ever happen to you guys?

I'm a starting NES collector, I enjoy it way more than the newer systems, it reminds me of my childhood, etc etc

At least 1 out of 3 times I buy older games, I get snide remarks from the cashiers!

At gamestop, was in there with my girlfriend, found a few SNES and NES games, the guy was like "Is she making you go old school, aww man, you need to get an XBox"

Another gamestop "So what's with buying all those Genesis games?"

At an independant store "Yeah, I just play roms, I think they take up too much space and its a waste of plastic"

There's been more, but that's what I am coming up with at the moment, any thoughts?

[Pantechnicon]

I've long since given up on lookiing for pre-NES goodies at the shops because, in the modern vernacular, "Uh, we don't, like, uh, carry that old stuff, old dude. Huh huh.." :monkey: So it's the thrifts for me.

Actually we've got one local shop here in Albuquerque (Replay Games) where there's a ton of NES, Genesis and pre-NES stuff sitting behind the glass; mostly commons, but a few diamonds in the rough. Either way, I'm rather tired of the incensed look the proprietor gives me any time I pull him away from his counter perch to fish things out for me.

I swear, one day I'm just going to tell him, "Given that these carts are only $2 each, I'm sorry that this seems like such an inconvenience for you to take my money for them. Why don't you just give me the whole lot for free and save yourself the hassle? That way you can sit over there on your ass and play Extreme Arena Hentai Jai-Alai on your PS2 all day long without worrying about this whole worrisome concept of 'customer service'?"

Think it would work? :D

[Gunstarhero]

At least 1 out of 3 times I buy older games, I get snide remarks from the cashiers!

Either ignore it and take the abuse, or the next time it happens, before you have a chance to pay, take the games and chuck them across the room and say "yeah you're right, why do I want those?"


At an independant store "Yeah, I just play roms, I think they take up too much space and its a waste of plastic"

Ah well, you might as well get used to that. Hell, most of the people here will tell you that. :o

Hope you got some good games for your trouble at least :)

[Stewie]

I just felt like venting, I would like to think that if I ran a store, if someone was willing to hand me money, I wouldn't care if they were looking for Atari or Commodore games.

I do know one store that gives decent trade credit and treats me well, so I try to do my best business there, but sometimes its hard to turn down the lure of a Gamestop, I've found some hard to find games there for low prices.

Ehh, that wont last long anyway, they quit taking trades on what I always look for!

[Dangerboy]

You know, I never really get that (my poor ex used to get some of that...surprised she didn't rip someone's neck out...), but I get the other end of the spectrum.

I have been in several Game Stops and Game Crazies, and the minute they hear I'm from EB, they go "Dude, what the hell are you doing here?" to which I reply 'shopping'. One guy even commented that he'd be fired if he shopped at another store, and he was dead serious.

DId I miss that part where Free WIll and the right to Shop where ever you want to regardless of employer were revoked?

Bizarre.

Jason

[charitycasegreg]

I never bought a game from a store. Got all my stuff from friends. I dont have much though. 87 nes games, 7 nes's, 67 genesis games, 2 genesis's, 23 snes games, 4 snes's, 11 2600 games, 1 2600, and some ps1 games and gameboy ones. Ive spent 150 or less on it all. Sure beats ebay

[Mr. Smashy]

I buy older cartridge games in stores all the time and I've never gotten any comments like that. I've mostly gotten comments of approval if anything or maybe a respectful question as to why I'd be getting those games (worst case scenario). I'm usually purchasing a few new games with the old, too.

Of course, I'm buying games on a pretty regular basis from a few stores so the clerks get to know me by name pretty quickly.

As far as ROMS go, I'd never choose them over the official software that's played on original hardware. Some people would rather have save states and emulator stuff like that. I guess they don't see the charm of playing these games the way they were played back in the day.

[mosesshirai]

I have been in several Game Stops and Game Crazies, and the minute they hear I'm from EB, they go "Dude, what the hell are you doing here?" to which I reply 'shopping'. One guy even commented that he'd be fired if he shopped at another store, and he was dead serious.

DId I miss that part where Free WIll and the right to Shop where ever you want to regardless of employer were revoked?

Bizarre.

Jason[/quote]


Try working at a gamestop. I have a great import store here in Honolulu, and everytime I shop there, I get the "Why did you sell out?" speech.


I love oldschool videogames, but hate newschool attitude. You have to expect that, though, because more people are playing games, more are buying games, and more are making games. The pressure is on. Welcome to the McSizing of the gaming world...

[LazingBlazers]

@Stewie - Sounds like a case of little man to me. Either smile and let it slide, or break a NES game over your head and say... "Yeah! They DO suck!" LOL

@Retrotaku - Take some oregano and mustard seeds and mix it up in a sandwich bag. Then say, "I'll trade ya!"

[Jasoco]

You know. I work at Kmart and I shop at Target once in a while. I don't care. If a store has something your own does not, who says you can't buy it there? (Besides. Target is so much nicer. And it's better than the guilt of shopping at Wal-Mart.)

When I worked at Family Toy, I made a few trips all over.

Since my store didn't have any Game Cubes, I got one at the next door Game Stop. Later that day I went into my store to get Pikmin. The self-proclaimed "Manager" (Assistant.. NOT the actual Manager. He just acted like he was.) knew I didn't have a Cube. So he said "You got a Cube?" I said, "Yeah. I just got it over at the Game Stop. He said in a disappointed tone, "Why didn't you get it here?" So I replied, "Well, MAYBE if we actually HAD them, I would have!" LOL

They all agreed. I mean really. He himself should have realized that. You can't buy something when the store doesn't have it. :roll:

[Daltone]

I get the "what the hell are you doing?" looks whenever I buy Mega - CD games from Gamestation. They usually don't comment, just look mightily annoyed that they actually have to find the game because they've stuffed it in a drawer somewhere.
The only time I have got a comment was when I bought a DDR style game (can't remember which one now.) The girl behind the counter gave a bit of a grin and said "We've got Britney's Dance Beat over there too you know" in a quietly mocking tone. Frankly, I expected nothing less LOL

[maxlords]

LOL@ this thread. I've NEVER had someone make fun of me for buying older games. Can't even imagine. However, if they do it in a store like Gamestop or EB, ask for their customer serivce number and file a complaint. They're not allowed to. I've had problems with EB before with clerks being dicks and I called corporate and complained. Never got bothered again.

As for being FIRED for shopping at another game store...that's a lawsuit waiting to happen. I'd sue a store in a BLINK if they did that to me. You can't forbid someone to shop at a cpompetitor if they're not on the clock.

[Flack]

The next time someone says, "you still buying that old crap?" just respond with, "you still selling that old crap?" Either that or give them the most bizarre answer ever. "Genesis? Yeah I got the adapter so you can play them on your PS2." Just persist and insist it's true.

This past week I picked up a SegaCD from the local thrift store. She asked me what it was and I tried to explain twice. Finally she said, "like a Playstation?" and I said "yeah" and that worked for her.

[Half Japanese]

I work at Circuit City, but I'm not ashamed to drop by Best Buy every once in a while when something I want is on sale. "Oh, but they price match here" my fellow employees tell me. I don't give a shit when the manager rolls his eyes every time I get it done (which was once, on Futurama's first box set). I also still shop Gamestop, EB, locals, etc. if I damn well please. That's nonsense not to be able to. Don't get me started on the time I worked at Kmart....only thing (besides snacks or drinks on break) I bought there was ONE issue of Xbox Magazine, because it had a Voodoo Vince demo on it. Everywhere else was cheaper/better.

[Griking]

All of my local Gamestops recognize me by now. Rather than being looked down apon when I buy old games they're usually are letting me know when they took in large trade-ins of the older stuff.

[djbeatmongrel]

i love my game stop, i have no problem with it since its owned by a DP member and everyone there is an actual gamer. I get a lot of respect with the purchases i make there when it comes to older games. i'm sad though, after the whole 16-bit and below clear out, my trips are going to be less frequent. on the plus side, its going to be one out of two gamestop in its district(or whatever) to have dreamcast games so it makes up slighty but i still want my genny games :puppydogeyes: *sorry for the rant* times a changing and it hurts. theres always the dirt malls, "old crap" runs rampant on the right day and i know i'll wallow in it :D

[Push Upstairs]

On a trip last year i went looking for some Genesis games at some Gamestop stores.

I walked up to the counter at one and asked "Where are your Genesis games?"

From the look on the guys face you'd think i just asked for naked pictures of his younger sister.

[DDCecil]

Every time I go into a video game store, I ask them if they have any old atari games if I don't see any, and never really get any comments, just a 'Nope, sorry'.

On shopping at other places while working for another store:
Our local EB wouldn't even let anyone from our family buy anything in there, just because we owned our own small little store in the same mall. When any of our regulars who hanged out in our store went in there, the employees ALWAYS though they were buying something for my dad, and would refuse them service.

[PyroPenguin]

All those guys that work at Gamestop that try to cut down classic gaming are dumbasses. I'd just laugh at them.

btw, where are you people finding girlfriends who are into gaming? I can only find girls who hate it or deal with it.

[Cmosfm]

Well, I've never been made fun of at gamestores, but at other places...

One downtown Ghetto pawnshop, I went in there and they had next to nothing in there. I asked the guy if he had any older games, Nintendo, Super NES, etc. He looked at me, got a real smart ass attitude to him and said "No, we don't carry that old crap, you need to go to the flea market or something"....funny thing was he had original Game Boy games for sale. :o

Most of the time I get more dumbass remarks than smartass ones. Like this time I was going to buy an Atari 2600 from a larger redneck boy, about age 17 or so I'd guess. I asked him if he had any games for it, he said "naaaw, you caint find dem anywheeres but da paawn shop no more". I feel sorry for that boy.

This thread rocks by the way. :D

[Kejoriv]

I have never had any remarks like that. I think when I buy all the olds games at Gamestop and EB they are happy to get rid of the stuff.

[PapaStu]

The only comments that im getting really tired of are the ones from GS and EB, "Do you want to get our frequent gamer cards? They'll save you a buncha moola on your games"

The snide comments that i use to get dont really happen anymore, because the employees at the various stores see me frequently enough to know that im a hunter of stuff, though on occasion i do get the buffoon that tries to tell me that such and such game is crap when i perfectly well know it is, but its rare or weird crap that needs to be in my collection... (My favorite time was when i was picking up The Lost World: Jurassic Park for PSOne, and i asked if they had Skies Of Arcadia for GCN and he gives me shit for wanting Skies but not for buying Jurassic Park.....) Game store employees are a fickle fickle creature...

PyroPenguin: My Ex was all into games, infact her mom and lil sis got all into them too because of me.... I'd love being told to stop playing games and to come over to spend time with her, but when i'd get there, she'd be playing games and would continue to do so for hours.... while i got to sit there and watch.

[Stewie]

btw, where are you people finding girlfriends who are into gaming? I can only find girls who hate it or deal with it.

My gf isn't super into it, but she loves to play Tiny Toon and Mario games. She cussed at them a lot! Oh, and if I want her to leave the house, I can't let her play Dr. Mario!

[Achika]

Usually if someone is bringing classics up to the counter to play, I make a bit of chit chat asking what kind of game it is (if I haven't played it, assuming they have) or I'll make suggestions on what other games they might like for the same system.

Apparently the kid missed that he only wasn't supposed to work at another store simultaneously, not shop there LOL Gamestores and employees in Flint, MI are like the town bike: everyone's had a ride. People have left Gamestop and went to EB, EB employees shop in Gamestop all the time, the independent store was owned by a ex-Gamestop employee. I usually get a playful "what are you doing here?" In anycase, most of the stores around here know me so I can get the best of both EB & Gamestop worlds.

[Push Upstairs]

btw, where are you people finding girlfriends who are into gaming? I can only find girls who hate it or deal with it.

I met a girl i fancied and well...when i got back into games she just kind of accepted it as one of my hobbies.

Probably doesnt hurt that she loves pinball games.

[nesuser2]

btw, where are you people finding girlfriends who are into gaming? I can only find girls who hate it or deal with it.

A-Friggin-men :eek 2: I've been having this problem since the beginning of time. My g/f loved games when I pulled out my old Nintendo. When I started buying some more, she thought it was awesome. The day she walked into my house and saw 350 boxes NES games, she said "You're crazy" and since then has despised looking for games and talking about them. However, I did get her to play Sonic Mega Collection while I worked on my laptop, got her off my back for 20 minutes. LOL

Now, the shopping at other stores......that's definite BS. You just can't work for two competitors. I had a friend that worked at Arby's......he got a job at DQ and covered it up for 2 weeks then put in his 2 weeks at Arby's. DQ didn't care but Arby's sure did. It's a matter of which company your putting your time in with, and no stores can effect free will. They sure can't stop you from walking out can they?

Now, back on topic. The only "store" persay that carries anything retro is an EB about an hour from my house. I've never had any kinds of comments about it in the slightest, because they're happy to see the stuff actually sell. However the EB clerk last week didn't know about the trade in 5 and get $50 off the FFXI HD Package. :roll: Then when I went to check out, I asked a question about the buy 2 get 10%, 3 get 15%, 4 get 20%....or 10% with that stupid subscription. I had to make him watch the TV and by that point...I had my answer.

At thrift stores however, or flea markets, or garage sales even. Most people will call any cartridge based game a "Nintendo game." Everything is Nintendo around here, hillbillies. THEN, you'll get the...."omg, you still play these?" Accompanied by a smile like they just got laid. Then they go on to tell you about how they still have theirs or their kid still has theirs and refused to put it down. So, they say...you should check out "insert here" which is always the EB that I try to frequent and they say "they have excellent deals there." and almost everytime I get the urge to say, don't you ever get online? Very seldom do I find a good deal on anything at EB, but I will get the occasional...it's worth it for the wait of shipping, but usually I don't need a game NOW. I have more to play than I have time for as it is, I can wait a week for that stack to grow. :D

[AB Positive]

As for being FIRED for shopping at another game store...that's a lawsuit waiting to happen. I'd sue a store in a BLINK if they did that to me. You can't forbid someone to shop at a cpompetitor if they're not on the clock.


This is true, the manager of the local EB is a right jerk, but even he doesn't do anything when his employees come to our Gamestop. It's funny though, first time I saw an EB employee I sorta blinked and went:

"Whoa... no offense but why are you shopping here?"

"Do you know our manager?"

"Yes"

"Would you want to shop there?"

"No."

"Well?"


And I laughed. I feel bad for the guy, he'd rather shop at the competition and not get his discount rather than deal with his boss. Still, he's a regular and we shoot the crap all the time when he comes in. Really nice guy. :)


-AG

[farfel]

The day she walked into my house and saw 350 boxes NES games, she said "You're crazy" and since then has despised looking for games and talking about them.

How many shoes does she have? :evil: