evaluating game stores

[chrisbid]

if you were assigned to evaluate more than one game store, what criteria would you use, and would you rely more on scientific data (things that can be measured) or subjective (simply rating things based on your own opinion and feelings), or would you eliminate any numbers and simply give well-written highly detailed descriptions of the stores in question.

i have some of my own ideas, but ill save them as to not influence others' ideas

[Half Japanese]

if you were assigned to evaluate more than one game store, what criteria would you use, and would you rely more on scientific data (things that can be measured) or subjective (simply rating things based on your own opinion and feelings), or would you eliminate any numbers and simply give well-written highly detailed descriptions of the stores in question.

i have some of my own ideas, but ill save them as to not influence others' ideas

Purely subjective.

- Do they stock a decent selection of both new and used titles?

- Do they carry more in the used section than current-gen stuff?

- Are the prices reasonable?

- Are their sales staff friendly and informed?

- Is the location reasonable, meaning I won't have to drive to hell and back to get there?

- Are their hours decent?

[chrisbid]

Purely subjective.

- Do they stock a decent selection of both new and used titles?

- Do they carry more in the used section than current-gen stuff?

- Are the prices reasonable?

- Are their sales staff friendly and informed?

- Is the location reasonable, meaning I won't have to drive to hell and back to get there?

- Are their hours decent?

cant at least some of these things be quantified?

[emumuumuucowgomoo]

if you were assigned to evaluate more than one game store, what criteria would you use, and would you rely more on scientific data (things that can be measured) or subjective (simply rating things based on your own opinion and feelings), or would you eliminate any numbers and simply give well-written highly detailed descriptions of the stores in question.

i have some of my own ideas, but ill save them as to not influence others' ideas


I'c probably chain myself to numbers, since otherwise I'd be likely to just write a bunch of obsenities.


Factors:

Price (lower is better)
Non-smelliness of employees)
Selection (more is better)
Other customers (less is better)

With a bonus 10 points awarded for every attractive female employee dressed in a halter top.

[Kuros]

if you were assigned to evaluate more than one game store, what criteria would you use, and would you rely more on scientific data (things that can be measured) or subjective (simply rating things based on your own opinion and feelings), or would you eliminate any numbers and simply give well-written highly detailed descriptions of the stores in question.

i have some of my own ideas, but ill save them as to not influence others' ideas


I'c probably chain myself to numbers, since otherwise I'd be likely to just write a bunch of obsenities.


Factors:

Price (lower is better)
Non-smelliness of employees)
Selection (more is better)
Other customers (less is better)

With a bonus 10 points awarded for every attractive female employee dressed in a halter top.

Why would less customers be better?

If a good amount of customers are in the store, that would be a good sign.

[chrisbid]

there is also the guns/butter type continuium of price and selection. the stores that have the lowest prices, usually have crap in stock, and the stores with the most incredible selection, are charging 45 dollars for madden 98 on PSX.

[Flack]

I'm a pretty scientific guy. Here is what I would do.

01. Game Selection.

Take the top ten selling games right now for each current system. Go to each store and find each game. While you're doing it, time yourself from start to finish and see how long it takes to find the games. That will give you an idea of how organized the store is. You could figure a percentage of how many of the top ten games each store had in stock. You could also randomly select five classic games, and do this for their older game section as well. I'd make it a nice mix of easy and hard to find games. If you're interested in measuring this, you could also count how many of each new release they have. It might be important to know that store X has 2 copies of the best selling game while store Y has 10 copies.

02. Price.

This is pretty simple. As most game stores carry identical items, mark the prices. You can compare them to a set price, like Amazon.com or something, and mark the deviation from Amazon's price. Along with price, you can check sale papers and compare who (if any) have better coupons, better deals, etc.

03. Help / Employees

To do this, I would have a couple of set questions For example, you could ask an employee when a new game is coming out, or where an item is located at in the store. I would use a stopwatch and start timing from the minute you want help to the minute you find someone, the minute they can help you, and how long it takes to find something in the store. To do this I would say you would need to do each store two or three times, in order to weed out any single particularly unhelpful (or overhelpful) individuals. For example, across three game stores, store X was able to direct me to Xbox controllers in five seconds while store Y took a minute and a half. Some of these questions like release dates or a technical question about a system might seem like you're testing the staff instead of the store, but you're also testing the type of people the store hires. Here's an afterthought, you could count how many times you are approached for help and how long it takes while wandering around the store before you were asked if you needed help.

04. Environment

This might be slightly more subjective. I'd evaluate the parking situation. I'd note what the customer situation was (kids, loud, quiet, etc). Were games neat and in order or piled everywhere? Were there TVs blaring everywhere or was it a relaxed atmosphere? Was it too crowded? Was everything locked up under glass or were all the games out in the open? Stuff like that.

[Wookie]

As someone who only buys used games, I much prefer shops where either (a) the games are out in the open or (b) they're arranged in such a way that I can easily read all the titles and prices. I hate having to wait for a salesperson to pull things out for me just so I can be disappointed in the price.

[98PaceCar]

I tend to put the most emphesis on the employees of the store. For example, the place I frequent the most hires people that really know gaming. They are gamers and to a lesser degree, collectors. They are able to talk intelligently about new releases as well as older stuff and frequently introduce me to new things that I never played or even knew about. They also listen to what I am looking for and will let me know if they find it. I mentioned last week that I really wanted a boxed top loader. Got a call last night that they have one for me. That's good service and because of it, I spend a huge amount of money here.

Another place I know of has a GREAT selection of stuff. Lots of rare games and consoles (just this last weekend he had an SMS 2, Intv 2, CDX, Gemini, boxed 2600 Jr, etc). The guy is a prick though. He acts like everybody that comes into his store is beneath him and he refuses to even talk to customers unless you go to him. He's never once offered up any buying advice or even suggested a potential new game. I've bought very little from him and don't plan to unless he has something truly rare.

Price plays a minor factor as well, but for the most part I don't see a lot of disparity in pricing between stores other than the occasional sale. The places with the slightly cheaper prices tend to be the chains and I choose to not support them unless I have to.

Truthfully, there's not a lot out that I can't find at multiple sources so I go where the service and knowledge is best.

[sealboy6]

I personally would rate a store on what harder to find games it has, and how the employees act. Most of the actual game stores have the same prices because they listen to what the publishers say. The prices for used games will differ at each store, so that's what matters when you talk about price. The employees also matter. The store that I go to has some nice employees, and I know them all. They really don't care what I do. I go into their back room and go behind their counter, and they don't care. They all know me, and they like the fact that I know games. I don't like movie rental places for selling games because they are overpriced and under selectable. Well that's my two cents.

[drewbrim]

[quote="98PaceCar"]I tend to put the most emphesis on the employees of the store. For example, the place I frequent the most hires people that really know gaming. They are gamers and to a lesser degree, collectors. They are able to talk intelligently about new releases as well as older stuff and frequently introduce me to new things that I never played or even knew about. They also listen to what I am looking for and will let me know if they find it. I mentioned last week that I really wanted a boxed top loader. Got a call last night that they have one for me. That's good service and because of it, I spend a huge amount of money here.

Personally I've found this ruins a store for me. Not the helpful employees or people holding things for you, but a staff made up of gamer/collectors means the best stuff never even makes it on to the floor since they all swoop it for themselves the minute they get it in.

[Gamemaster_ca_2003]

A Game Store according to Me is based on these Factors

-Sellection
A great game store should have games for almost Every Console and Computer (PS2, XBOX, GC, PS1, 2600, NES, Genny, SNES, C64, PC, Mac, Apple 2, ETC.)

-Orginzation
I don't mean by Just Sorting the games by system and in Alphbetal Order, but Also the systems are they for are cleary visible. As well that the Newest and best Selling Games Are Cleary seen and noted.

-Atmosphere
This Means the Visuals are clean and you fell comfortable and right at home.

-Custmer Service
You should fell comfortable to ask for help and the employees are nice and Curdious at you.

[jezt]

i can think of one such place. Its here in anchorage.

MICROPLAY!! If any of you ever visit out here visit it. Not only do they have a lot of great stuff, new and old, but they have some of the coolest guys working there.

[Mr.FoodMonster]

Alright, reading through some of these, I have a responce to one point.

When/how/if you are asked "Do you need help?"
When I go into a store, I dont usually liked being asked that. I can look around for awhile, and see something I might not have been intrested in to begin with. If I were to walk into a store, not knowning anything, the first thing I would do would be to walk up to the counter, or someone standing around on the floor and ask them for help. IMO, someone who walks into a store and starts scanning, dosn't need help. Someone who comes in and walks up to an empoyee, obviously does. I dont know, maybe I'm alone in thinking this?

I pretty much agree with everything people are saying here, decent price, INFORMED STAFF, good selection. I dont like it when staff members spout off a bunch of BS about such and such game or system, and are totally wrong. But I dont mind correcting them if they get out of hand :D

[njiska]

i can think of one such place. Its here in anchorage.

MICROPLAY!! If any of you ever visit out here visit it. Not only do they have a lot of great stuff, new and old, but they have some of the coolest guys working there.

Microplay is generally a great store no matter where you are. Except here in NS where the only one i've been to is a glorified rental store with shitty selection and shittier service.

A game store should always be rated like this.

1. Knowledgability of Staff - This is important beyond all else. If the staff doesn't know the difference between Katamari Damacy and there own assholem the store is immediately worthless.

2. Selection - This should always be second because the selection is what the customers came for. A good store should have a broad selection. If the store only has modern games then it's worthless to collectors and anyone looking to buy older or rarer items. However if the store has a large selection of old titles, but a small stock of new ones it's no good to the average person. What's important is a rich healthy mix of New and old.

3. Atmoshpere/Layout - If a store meets the first to requirements then it's also important that the layout of the store be one that's intuitive. A customer should easily be able to find what they're looking for and the store shouldn't be cramped.

4. Price - This is generally irrelavant because price doesn't vary all that much from location to location. Except at places like blockbuster where they're still charging $49.99 CAD for a used copy The Getaway Black monday which currently retails for $29.99 NEW everywhere else.

Well there's my 2 cents.

[chrisbid]

evaluating employees is tricky

the first problem, is that while techincaly an employee represents a company, anyone with common sense knows to comparmentalize the employee from the company. a good sales person is a good sales person, he/she is not completely a product of the store they work for. on top of that, you will never never find the same level of knowledge from a group of sales people. there are too many games floating out there to expect them to know everything about every game.

secondly, customers have different expectations of what they want from sales people. the game business is unique in that their main market of teenage boys and young adult males tend to not want or need help. the first thing a good sales person does (after a greeting, it may annoy some people on here, but it is crucial in a retail environment for customers to know that there is help available, and potential shoplifters need to know that there is somebody that knows they are there) is qualify a customer. meaning that by asking a few questions you can judge what kindof customer you are dealing with, and determine the best course of action needed to close the sale. the question "can i help you find anything?" isnt a great qualifying question, as it is too open ended. however in a game store, there isnt much else to ask. (ive gone off the deep end on salesmenship, ill move on :P)

lastly, even if there were perfect standards to go by, how do you score this? a lot of stores hire "secret shoppers" that rate their experience at a store, however everyone's expectations are different when entering, and even the best sales people will not be able to move mountains if asked to. nor can they avoid asking the corporate mandated questions like "would you like a warranty?" or "would you like to preorder this title?". (and yes, corporate bs is certainly within bounds to rate)

so in a nutshell, sales help is something that can only be rated subjectively, and with the high turnover, wide variety of employees, and wide variety of customer expectations, any score derived would not translate well to another person.

[98PaceCar]

[quote=98PaceCar]I tend to put the most emphesis on the employees of the store. For example, the place I frequent the most hires people that really know gaming. They are gamers and to a lesser degree, collectors. They are able to talk intelligently about new releases as well as older stuff and frequently introduce me to new things that I never played or even knew about. They also listen to what I am looking for and will let me know if they find it. I mentioned last week that I really wanted a boxed top loader. Got a call last night that they have one for me. That's good service and because of it, I spend a huge amount of money here.

Personally I've found this ruins a store for me. Not the helpful employees or people holding things for you, but a staff made up of gamer/collectors means the best stuff never even makes it on to the floor since they all swoop it for themselves the minute they get it in.

That is a good point and is something I see a lot of. It's rare to find a store that has employees that won't keep the truly good stuff, but the one I spoke of does not seem to have this problem. I'm sure some things get snatched up by the manaegment, but since only managers price items I think this is cut down quite a bit. But it can be an issue in other places.

[bazariah]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v177/bazariah/ultgamesadvert.gif

well this was the advert for my old shop, listing what we sold and so-on

when i go to any store i evaluate things in a different manner

1: turnaround, when any store seems like they have different stock on a daily basis (retro or used stuff) i can tell it is a good place, because allthough it may not seem stocked up enough if you were to visit everyday it's garunteed that you will see something new

my nes, sms, megadrive and snes stock was always at a minimum of 150 games each, allthough the figure differed everyday it never went lower

2: product knowledge: you'll find that a lot of the bigger game stores employees dont actually play games but rather just read a press release, at my place i had to play every title just so i could give an honest idea of the game in question

3: appearance: im not saying ugly people shouldnt be allowed to sell games (hey look at my ugly boat race), but they should at least be somewhat presentable

4: smells, a ready supply of air freshener should be available.. reason customers fart quite a lot, hey i do in other stores :D

5: price, the cheaper the better, if a game is being sold as used it should say costs new £39.99 be at least £30 used rather than how some places decide to deduct £2 if it's used

and in closing, here are some pictures of a boring sunday at my old place

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v177/bazariah/ultimategamesonaquietday.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v177/bazariah/MyFiles0002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v177/bazariah/MyFiles0005.jpg