Confessions of a Game Store Clerk

[Nature Boy]

I simply hate the whole pre-order system. If they get back to giving me some sort of token freebie (like the Zelda disc I got when pre-ordering Wind Waker) I'd probably pre-order again. But without that stuff why bother? The next brand new, 'just out' game I'll likely buy will be GTA IV, and I'll be able to get it *anywhere.* Why give EB $5 towards it if it turns out to be more convienent (maybe even cheaper) for me to buy it at Best Buy? It's not like I'm going to pre-order a DVD or a CD that I want? Why should video games be any different?


game stores turn them into robots who are forced to cram worthless crap down people's throats.

*Every* retail job asks their employees to push extra sales at the time of purchase because it *works*. Even less specific statements like "Did you find everything you were looking for?"

It doesn't work every time of course, but if 1% of the people end up buying something they wouldn't normally it's worth it to the company. And it's usually much higher than 1% of the people who succumb.

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

QFT. It's like going into a bar so often that the bartender knows you by name, remembers your favorite drink, and has one waiting for you before your ass even hits the seat...

So getting to know the counterhelp is not trying to "be on the 'ins' with the clerks to ensure that I don't get treated like an idiot and get decent service in their crappy corporate game store." It's being less of a jackass to the point where they'd WANT to help you out rather than treating you, well, like a jackass.

Both times I've been a customer at EB in the past few years, they have tried to sell me opened games as new- and to me that's like a slap in the face. To use your bar analogy, if my bartender was pulling shit that I felt was disrespectful to me, I'm going to another bar.

Look, I know what you're saying. I've been a game store fiend my entire life. I know what it's about to be a regular at a place that appreciates my business.


they get inserts which are usually similar (if not identical) to the actual inserts that come with the game. That has some costs which outweigh the benefits though: 1) buying an extra case for every game the store gets, 2) paying for all the color printing, 3) the ton of extra work it would be to make sure that whenever the last copy of a game gets sold, the display box comes down and gets stored somewhere, 4) storage space for all the extra boxes & inserts - trust me, marketing takes up enough backroom space as it is!


You can take the corporate policy apologist's position all you want- yes, gutting games may be efficient for the company- but it is bad for the gamer.

Selling an opened game at full retail 'new' price is the epitomy of a corporate bitch slap.

Maybe the reason 90% of your customers suck is because that's what you're left with, because the gamers that have any self respect stopped shopping at your stores because of practices like gutting new games.


What a joke.....

:fist:

[TurboGenesis]

Selling an opened game at full retail 'new' price is the epitomy of a corporate bitch slap.


^^Truth--The American way.
Gamestop is a corporation and their main objective is profits. The shareholders don't give a f about us. They view us as $$$ and their ends justify their means.

Corporate slogan:
"If it don't make dollars, it don't make cents"

[Gabriel]

On the issue of the opened but "new" games, I've known for some time and the article even states that the employees are able to borrow those games from the store. So, those so-called "new" games have effectively been used as rentals. Plus, I've had Gamestop try to push off a game with rental store stickers on it as "new".

As for reserves, it's definitely a racket. Reserving a copy isn't more convenient, nor does it ensure your copy of the game.

[norkusa]

Does EB/GS really give a 10% discount if selling you a 'new' but opened games? I got the discount a few times A LOOOOONG time ago from an employee whom I was friendly with but the last time I asked about it, the guy said they don't do that any more.

[TurboGenesis]

Does EB/GS really give a 10% discount if selling you a 'new' but opened games? I got the discount a few times A LOOOOONG time ago from an employee whom I was friendly with but the last time I asked about it, the guy said they don't do that any more.
The last game I purchased "new" with the 10% for 'Open and/or shopworn' was Every Extended Extra (PSP). The date was 12-11-06.

They really hate to do it and sometimes will fight it - when I got EEE I had a copy of my MS Saga receipt which had the discount on it. There have been times that if they don't do it, I just walk right out the door without saying a word. I really wanted the EEE because their price was $10 cheaper than TRU and I was cool with open game and 10% off :)

[SegaAges]

You know, I read this entire thing, and I am not surprised by any of this. I have never worked in a game store, but seeing as everybody and their mom around me knows I am a collector, I have to deal with retards all the time.

Some employees are retarded too. They should have a follow-up about dumb employees as well. Don't get me wrong though, I have had some good conversations with people about games in a game store before. There are some people that should be working elsewhere and are way to bright to be working at a game store.

[Iron Draggon]

here's my attempt to end the gutted games debate: if I buy a factory sealed game from GS, open it, and later try to return it to GS for a full refund, what happens? is the game still considered new? all I did was remove the factory seal... I didn't even take anything out of the box... I tell GS this is what I did... do they believe me? what if I do it right in front of them while standing there at the register? at best, I'll get the full new price of the game in store credit... I'll never get the cash that I just handed them for it when I ripped the plastic off it right in front of them... at worst, I'll get the used price of the game in store credit... this is why GS policy of gutting games is just another of the many ways that they rape or attempt to rape all of their customers... not to mention allowing employees to "check out" gutted copies of "new" games and re-seal them for someone to pay full price for later... oh and while we're on that subject, how can the company not afford to give a 10% discount on these "new" games when they're selling used games they paid almost nothing for at a 10% discount off the price of a new copy? it doesn't make any sense... only corporate greed can explain those policies...

someone said they didn't see why a reserved game would ever be gutted... well it happened to me with Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 for the PC... not only did I not get any of the "exclusive" bonus goodies that I was supposed to get for reserving the game at EB, they attempted to sell me a gutted copy because it was the "last one"... and of course when I refused the sale at that point, I was only able to get my money back in store credit... what a total scam... but that's the idea... piss the customer off so much that they never return, and they get to keep all the interest that they earned on that unclaimed store credit, until they finally write it off... this kinda stuff and the unclaimed reserve scam is the reason why those chain stores are able to operate on every corner... they're picking people's pockets as they walk in the door... I felt like I had been mugged when I left that store... and effectively, I was...

now on a happier note, I really enjoyed this quote from the article:

"No, foul poster, I am here because I love games, and love helping people make intelligent purchasing decisions about them. If I wanted to make real money I would get an office job, or donate blood. Anything pays better than gaming retail."

I've never worked in gaming retail, but I have worked in liquor retail... and let me tell you all there is nothing worse than dealing with the same types of customers mentioned in the article while they're intoxicated or in a big hurry to get intoxicated... fortunately, I was never in any of the stores that were robbed at gunpoint when it happened, but that was a very real possible scenario that I faced every day... I know that it happens in game stores too, and worse yet some GS employees have been killed for new systems... but that scenario is far more common in liquor retail than it is in gaming retail... so to those who mentioned stabbings and whatnot, I can only say that you haven't really feared for your retail slave life until you've worked in a liquor store... oh and imagine the fun of dealing with the Carpet Crawler or the LC while he's drunk... did I mention that the office always elects the one who doesn't drink to purchase all the liquor for the big corporate office party? the list goes on and on... yeah it's all the same, but it's all blurred by alcohol...

*_*

I don't miss retail at all... I don't miss customer service at all... I miss my friends... being the only one on the registers who kept his cool enough to call 911 and help save the life of the guy who had a heart attack as he was getting out of his car on his way into the store, and being thanked by him for doing so later after they finally got him revived and he was released from the hospital was really cool, even though I felt guilty for continuing to sell him liquor after that... but I didn't feel anywhere near as bad about it as I would if he hadn't lived to come back in my store and buy liquor from me again...

those of us who've worked in any branch of retail all have our war stories, our horror stories, our gross-out stories, and our heartwarming stories... my gross-out horror story was drop kicking a rat-filled box away from me and hoping the huge rat inside it didn't run towards me when it ran away, when I discovered it in a stack of empty boxes that I was breaking down behind the store... we always left a few empty boxes back there for customers who wanted empty boxes for moving, and I hope that some of our more pleasant customers got a similar surprise when they picked up one of those boxes...

:devilish:

[norkusa]

Has anyone ever purchased a gutted "new" game from GS/EB and try to return it as new? I'm curious how they handle that. If they sold you a game that has been opened at full price, you should be able to get the full amount back when you return it since there is no way to tell if you played it or not, right? I doubt that's how they see it though.

[Nature Boy]

but that's the idea... piss the customer off so much that they never return, and they get to keep all the interest that they earned on that unclaimed store credit, until they finally write it off

As much as I'm sure some of us would like to believe this is true, I'm fairly certain that a happy customer that comes back and spends money at the store over a long period of time is what they'd prefer. Keep in mind that what the owners would prefer isn't always what the employees do.


Has anyone ever purchased a gutted "new" game from GS/EB and try to return it as new? I'm curious how they handle that. If they sold you a game that has been opened at full price, you should be able to get the full amount back when you return it since there is no way to tell if you played it or not, right? I doubt that's how they see it though.

For Christmas in 2004 I asked for and received GTA: SA as a gift. My step-dad actually purchased the game, brand new, from an EB in cambridge. What I got, though, was GTA:SA inside the *wrong packaging*. You know the slip cover they use before the game comes out? That's what they put the game in.

Obviously I was furious, since they (even more obviously) purposely tricked my step-dad (who wouldn't know what the 'real' cover looked like anyway). So I brought the game back to an EB near my home (in Brampton) and exchanged it for a sealed copy. It wasn't easy - the guy wasn't going to do anything about it. But I still had that "seal" that they put on new or used games and I had the receipt, and he eventually relented.

I seem to get a lot of games from EB that have already been opened, but it's never really bothered me when I have, because I'm usually buying a 'new' game that has been out for a *long* period of time and the price has dropped (and is cheaper than anywhere else). I would buy more new games from them if they didn't sell me opened ones so often, but I don't think they really care that much since they make next to nothing on new games anyway.

[FantasiaWHT]

Has anyone ever purchased a gutted "new" game from GS/EB and try to return it as new? I'm curious how they handle that. If they sold you a game that has been opened at full price, you should be able to get the full amount back when you return it since there is no way to tell if you played it or not, right? I doubt that's how they see it though.

When I worked at EB pre-merger, we would seal the game back up (as they were purchasing it) with a clear, round sticker and base our return policy on whether that seal was unbroken.


this is why GS policy of gutting games is just another of the many ways that they rape or attempt to rape all of their customers..

Yes, the tiny fraction of customers who actually care, refusing to buy a gutted new game, are somehow representative of "all of their customers". Right.

You folks gotta get over yourselves; it may annoy you but the vast majority of customers couldn't give a crap. Don't shop there if you don't want to, but don't kid yourselves for a minute that the policy is some sort of travesty to the gaming community as a whole.

[Fuyukaze]

When I worked at EB pre-merger, we would seal the game back up (as they were purchasing it) with a clear, round sticker and base our return policy on whether that seal was unbroken.



Yes, the tiny fraction of customers who actually care, refusing to buy a gutted new game, are somehow representative of "all of their customers". Right.

You folks gotta get over yourselves; it may annoy you but the vast majority of customers couldn't give a crap. Don't shop there if you don't want to, but don't kid yourselves for a minute that the policy is some sort of travesty to the gaming community as a whole.


What you do with your money is your buisness. What I do with mine is my own. If I want to buy a rental copy as used, I'll do it. If you want to buy a rental copy as new, by all means be my guest.

Basicly, if I'm shelling out $50-$70 for a new game, I've damn well paid the right to be the first person to open it. It doesnt matter how shitty a day the game store emp has had. It doesnt matter if they only used it as a demo. It just does not matter if they only opened it to use the box as a visual aid for people who couldnt bother to look at a cheaper used copy or ask to see a new copy. It's our money! We are paying customers. It doesnt matter jack shit if we make up 70%, 50%, or even 10% of the customer base. We chose to shop at the store, show some damn respect. If you do, maybe we will come to respect you.

[8-bitNesMan]

You folks gotta get over yourselves; it may annoy you but the vast majority of customers couldn't give a crap. Don't shop there if you don't want to, but don't kid yourselves for a minute that the policy is some sort of travesty to the gaming community as a whole.

The fact that the majority of the population doesn't have a collector's mindset in no way justifies their shady business practices. The policy IS a travesty because they have a horrible double standard on the issue. If most people don't bitch about it, good for them. It's still not the right thing to do. I remember about a year ago taking a stack of new sealed games (legally acquired, of course) to my local EB. These were games I had bought with the honest intention of playing through. But as I get older, my attention span seems to get shorter. Long story short, I was rudely informed by the robust female clerk that all she could do was give me in-store credit for the approximately 20 games I was trading in. That would have been fine; I wanted to buy maybe 5 or 6 titles I would actually play. The ass kicker is that she wanted to give me USED trade-in on my NEW games. Kiss my ass! Seeing as how they sell used games as new, there's no doubt in my mind that they would have gladly taken my games and sold them as new. I realize they are in business and the sole point is to make a profit, but they just can't keep treating informed customers like shit in this word-of-mouth society we live in. I would rather be buried with my whole collection than to see Gameslop make one penny off me.

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

I remember about a year ago taking a stack of new sealed games (legally acquired, of course) to my local EB. These were games I had bought with the honest intention of playing through. But as I get older, my attention span seems to get shorter. Long story short, I was rudely informed by the robust female clerk that all she could do was give me in-store credit for the approximately 20 games I was trading in. That would have been fine; I wanted to buy maybe 5 or 6 titles I would actually play. The ass kicker is that she wanted to give me USED trade-in on my NEW games. Kiss my ass! Seeing as how they sell used games as new, there's no doubt in my mind that they would have gladly taken my games and sold them as new.

Am I reading this correctly? You expected the store to buy back your games at full price because they weren't opened?

[8-bitNesMan]

Am I reading this correctly? You expected the store to buy back your games at full price because they weren't opened?

Yep you sure are. I wanted to exchange unopened games that I figured I wouldn't play for games that I would play. Why is that hard to grasp?

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

Yep you sure are. I wanted to exchange unopened games that I figured I wouldn't play for games that I would play. Why is that hard to grasp?

Just making sure I got that right, because I was going to say that's kind of crazy to expect a game store to straight swap you new games like that. Unless you recently purchased those games there and have a receipt.

[8-bitNesMan]

My point is that they sell used games as new, but if you take them new games they call them used. Asinine! I did buy the games from them but I didn't have my receipt. But that should not matter if the games I brought in were sealed and able to be resold, which they were. I know I'm just a mere drop in the ocean in the grand scheme of things, but they should want to take care of me as a paying customer and keep my business. But it's all good; I kept my games and wrote them off long ago. I know they won't go belly up just from losing one guy, but if they keep pissing enough people off karma will catch up to them.

[Iron Draggon]

I'm with you, NESman... if those games were still in their system, then they should've given you the new price for your trade-ins... why should they call it used when it clearly isn't used, just because you had them for a while and didn't have a receipt? because they sell used games as new, that's why...

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

I know I'm just a mere drop in the ocean in the grand scheme of things, but they should want to take care of me as a paying customer and keep my business. But it's all good; I kept my games and wrote them off long ago. I know they won't go belly up just from losing one guy, but if they keep pissing enough people off karma will catch up to them.


You folks gotta get over yourselves; it may annoy you but the vast majority of customers couldn't give a crap. Don't shop there if you don't want to, but don't kid yourselves for a minute that the policy is some sort of travesty to the gaming community as a whole.

If this thread is any indication, the majority of DPers do indeed give a crap- and I think DP is a good cross section of gamers that have a decent budget for gaming. I'm pretty sure that annoying us has an effect on traffic in EB/GS stores, and the company's bottom line.

Personally, I would shop at my local EB/GS (I have 3 within a one mile radius of my apartment building) if I found out that they were doing away with the new game gutting. Just that alone would get me back in the store.

[Nature Boy]

But that should not matter if the games I brought in were sealed and able to be resold.

It totally matters. If you bought those games somewhere else, for $50 say, and brought them back to EB, where they're retailing for $60 say, that's fraud. Even if they're the same price, why on earth would any retailer want to give you product when your money went somewhere else?


and I think DP is a good cross section of gamers that have a decent budget for gaming

I have to disagree here. DP is a collection of hard core gamers and collectors, which hardly represents the game buying public in general. It's a great community, but it's hard for me to believe our attitudes represent the majority of an industry that is as large as this one has become.

In an ideal world the stores wouldn't have to remove the games from the discs, because nobody would steal them. We don't live in an ideal world though, so they're either behind a glass case (and are unbrowseable) or have been removed from the case (so that you can grab the box and check out what you're buying).

[8-bitNesMan]

It totally matters. If you bought those games somewhere else, for $50 say, and brought them back to EB, where they're retailing for $60 say, that's fraud. Even if they're the same price, why on earth would any retailer want to give you product when your money went somewhere else?

With respect, if you read my whole post then you'll notice I stated I bought the games from EB. If I return to them product "A" for $50 and they give me product "B" (also $50) what have they lost?

[GarrettCRW]

Did you know some people buy games and NEVER OPEN THEM?

And, like the people who never open toys, they're dolts, ninnies, and boobs. (Gorging on He-Man is obviously affecting my speech patterns.) It's a damn game. PLAY IT.

[FantasiaWHT]

With respect, if you read my whole post then you'll notice I stated I bought the games from EB. If I return to them product "A" for $50 and they give me product "B" (also $50) what have they lost?

Without a receipt how do they know you bought it from EB? Were EB's price stickers still on it?

[8-bitNesMan]

Without a receipt how do they know you bought it from EB? Were EB's price stickers still on it?

By that same logic, if they try to sell me an opened game at full price how do I know it hasn't been played or "borrowed" by one or more of the employees?

[Hep038]

With respect, if you read my whole post then you'll notice I stated I bought the games from EB. If I return to them product "A" for $50 and they give me product "B" (also $50) what have they lost?

What if EB dropped the price to 29.99? What if they have 25 more of that game in the back and they cannot sell it? What if you are trying to trade it for a game that is new release that they know they can sell at the same price? There are so many factors that would cost them money in letting you exchange that game for another, it is easier for them to just say no altogether.

[veronica_marsfan]

This older guy (40's-early 50's) would come in with his adorable daughter (maybe 5-6) and she would ask him simple questions...nothing anywhere near annoying, and he would act all short tempered with her and borderline scream at her. I saw him like 3-4 times and he was always like that to his daughter. Sad really. Sounds like my dad. He agreed to take me to buy an Atari game, and then when we got there, he yelled at me because I couldn't decide between Space Invaders & Night Driver.
It's not necessary to yell at your kid.
30 years and I still remember my dad yelling at me.
But then my dad's an ass, so no surprise there.


#1: If we didn't know how to talk to people, we wouldn't last very long.

You Don't. Most gamestore employees only last 1 maybe 2 years. That's not "long".

Were I working retail, I would work ANY where that's not gaming related. Walmart. Target. Sears. The customers are saner & the environment better.

[veronica_marsfan]

5. kids are stupid, but parents of stupid kids are even stupider. when you see some drooling, smelly, uncoordinated waste of life in your store, and you turn them down to buying an M rated game, you know you're in for big dog with his rude attitude to come back with him and insult you. I agree.

If I want my kid to play an M-rated game, that's my decision as the parent, not yours (or the government).

[veronica_marsfan]

Anyways, was anyone else offended by this part of the article:

#5: My least favorite type is what I call an "LC," which stands for "Lonely Collector." Usually this is a 30+ year-old single dude who asks you for the rarest game or whatever, which of course we never have, and then talks to you about it for ages. They sometimes ask if you were into whatever it was they collected, but your answer didn't matter. They talk to you about it anyway, for an embarrassingly long amount of time. It's so awkward having to say, "Well, I'd better get back to work..." when your job should be talking to them, had they not made it so creepy.

That hurts...

I used to get customers like that (in the shoes department of all places). They were a little creepy, and made me want to say, "Yeah yeah I like _____ too, but what ELSE have you done with your life?" Sadly I'm afraid the answer would be "nothing". Henry David Thoreau warned about not getting stuck in a rut... to try lots of different things.

[veronica_marsfan]

I remember about a year ago taking a stack of new sealed games (legally acquired, of course) to my local EB. ... The ass kicker is that she wanted to give me USED trade-in on my NEW games. Kiss my ass!

Same thing would happen in ANY store. You take back a pair of jeans, or a box of shoes, and no receipt?

You are NOT getting the new price. You will get the sale price. Why? Because the store has no way of knowing if you (1) Bought the item at $30 sale price. (2) Returned it at $50 non-sale price. So without receipt, they don't give you $50. They give you $30.

[Nature Boy]

With respect, if you read my whole post then you'll notice I stated I bought the games from EB. If I return to them product "A" for $50 and they give me product "B" (also $50) what have they lost?

With respect, I did read your whole post. You said it shouldn't matter, and I commented on why it should. The staff doesn't know you bought the game there without a receipt. Why wouldn't they assume you bought it somewhere else?


By that same logic, if they try to sell me an opened game at full price how do I know it hasn't been played or "borrowed" by one or more of the employees?

You don't know, and you can assume it was borrowed and make your decision accordingly. Either ask them for a discount or buy it somewhere else. Or they'll assure you it wasn't and you get to take the same leap of faith they did when you claimed you bought your game at that store...

[8-bitNesMan]

With respect, I did read your whole post. You said it shouldn't matter, and I commented on why it should. The staff doesn't know you bought the game there without a receipt. Why wouldn't they assume you bought it somewhere else?

I said this: I did buy the games from them...

And you repsonded with this: It totally matters. If you bought those games somewhere else, for $50 say, and brought them back to EB, where they're retailing for $60 say, that's fraud. Even if they're the same price, why on earth would any retailer want to give you product when your money went somewhere else?

That's why I had to wonder if you read my post in its entirety. But I really don't want to argue or make anyone angry here. My point was and is this: It's stupid and shady for a major corporation to sell opened, USED merchandise as "new!" and to give used value for mint sealed games. If I had let them bend me over and taken their crappy store credit, what would they have done with my games? They wanted to treat my new games as used, to their own benefit. Would they have resold them as new games or used? Given their exploitative ways, I think the answer's obvious. But like I said already, they gotta do what they gotta do. Likewise, I gotta do what I gotta do. So I simply vote with my wallet, and choose to shop elsewhere.

[Nature Boy]

I really don't want to argue or make anyone angry here. My point was and is this: It's stupid and shady for a major corporation to sell opened, USED merchandise as "new!" and to give used value for mint sealed games.

Hey no worries - it'd take something *much* more serious than this thread to get me angry. I'm just playing Devil's advocate here.

The two items you're complaining about, to me, are seperate issues. They *can't* give you full value for a sealed game without a receipt, for the reasons I've mentioned above. Although they will do it sometimes (as they did for you), and for that you should be grateful.

Not all of their opened games *are* actually used, and it's really up to us as the consumer to decide if we'll buy the game when they go to pull that trick or not. Like I said earlier, we get to browse the actual game boxes because of their policy of removing games from their cases, as opposed to having to have someone get a key and open a display case for you.

I'll personally probably try to dicker more the next time EB goes to give me an opened game, but I'm certainly not going to get my knickers in a knot if they won't. I'd rather they get my money than Walmart to be honest.

[skylark]

I don't like the gutted games either, but I've never gotten worked up enough to really care except in two cases. First, I bought a "new" collector's edition of Getting Up only to discover that not all the items were in it. It was bad enough that the tin case was dented from being on the shelf. The store is about forty miles from my house, so I called them to ensure that they had the missing item (a silver marker). They did, but I didn't think I should have to drive eighty miles just to get it seeing as it was their fault, so I asked them to mail it. The person I spoke with, who remembered me, told me to call back next week when the manager was there who, I was told, would "take care of me." I called the next week, no manager, but the A.M. who sold me the game was there. He was completely thrown for a loop and said things like "that's not what we do." He took my address and number to give to the manager who would call me back. No call back, so I contacted them again and was told by the A.M. that he would take care of me one way or another after taking my info again. I never heard from them, and let it drop. What annoys me is that the corporate culture is so stultifying that their sales people feel constrained from performing this one little task that should be a no-brainer for any business with any real committment to customer service.

The other incident was just last week when I bought a "new" Puzzle Quest from Gamecrazy only to discover someone else's saved game on it when I got home. I didn't complain because I like the guys there and it's just a game, not blood and guts, anyway.

[Push Upstairs]

Were I working retail, I would work ANY where that's not gaming related. Walmart. Target. Sears. The customers are saner & the environment better.

I got news for you, the shit that happens at game stores happens at all retail workplaces. Its just at the other stores its shit that doesn't necessarily deal with video games.

Stupid customers, lazy customers, rude customers, weird customers......everywhere. Thinking conditions will be any better...especially at a place like Wal-Mart is really, really naive.

getting back to game stores and clerks:

I'm in EB talking to the girl working there about this exact article and what do you know in comes a guy that would be a perfect candidate for a "game store clerk" story. Parents sold all his games, parents kicking him out, moving in with a friend he met on XBOX live, parents giving him $10,000 and him and his XBOX live buddy are moving to Japan, girlfriend is a Suicide Girl.

I can't even count the times me and the employee looked at each other and wanting to roll our eyes while hearing this wonderful tale.

Amazing and ironic.

[veronica_marsfan]

I got news for you, the shit that happens at game stores happens at all retail workplaces. Not where I worked. I didn't have runny-nosed kids begging me to give them discounts. I didn't have moms yelling at me because I sold them a M-rated videogame. Or nerds coming to me & talking to me about their $10,000 game collection (like I care). None of that.

In a clothing store, the customers are a little more..... SANE. JCpenney, Sears, Macys. All better places to work. You're dealing with "normal" Mr. and Mrs. Joe Smiths, many of them professionals. And the management is better as well (college grads). It's a more friendly atmosphere & I enjoyed [almost] every minute I worked there.

I remember about a year ago taking a stack of new sealed games (legally acquired, of course) to my local EB. ... The ass kicker is that she wanted to give me USED trade-in on my NEW games. Kiss my ass!

Same thing would happen in ANY store. What happened if you take back a pair of jeans, or a box of shoes, and no receipt?

You are NOT getting the new price. You will get the sale price. Why? Because the store has no way of knowing if you (1) Bought the item at $30 sale price. (2) Returned it at $50 non-sale price. That would be fraud. So without receipt, they don't give you $50. They give you $30.

They make the assumption that you originally bought the game while it was on sale for only $30.

[8-bitNesMan]

Not where I worked. I didn't have runny-nosed kids begging me to give them discounts. I didn't have moms yelling at me because I sold them a M-rated videogame. Or nerds coming to me & talking to me about their $10,000 game collection (like I care). None of that.

In a clothing store, the customers are a little more..... SANE. JCpenney, Sears, Macys. All better places to work. You're dealing with "normal" Mr. and Mrs. Joe Smiths, many of them professionals. And the management is better as well (college grads). It's a more friendly atmosphere & I enjoyed every minute I worked there.


Same thing would happen in ANY store. What happened if you take back a pair of jeans, or a box of shoes, and no receipt?

You are NOT getting the new price. You will get the sale price. Why? Because the store has no way of knowing if you (1) Bought the item at $30 sale price. (2) Returned it at $50 non-sale price. That would be fraud. So without receipt, they don't give you $50. They give you $30.

They make the assumption that you originally bought the game while it was on sale for only $30.

As far as the retail thing goes, I'd say you broke extremely lucky. I did 9 years in retail, and I think there are idiots everywhere you go. About the game situation that's not accurate either. I would have been glad to take the "sale" price, even though the games were not bought on sale. My point, repeated SEVERAL times over now, is that they wanted to give me the USED price for them. And I don't think the clothing/boots analogy applies, because you can't prove you didn't wear jeans or boots. But you can take one look at a new, factory sealed game and know it has never been played.

[veronica_marsfan]

As far as the retail thing goes, I'd say you broke extremely lucky. I did 9 years in retail, and I think there are idiots everywhere you go. I think it depends on your attitude too. I'd hear my coworkers _____ing about this or that customer, and I'd think, "That doesn't sound so bad. They asked you to help them find an XXL sweater; big deal. It won't kill you to help them." ----- I tried to keep a more positive attitude. I've worked in 3 different stores (2 JCPenneys & 1 Sears) and enjoyed all of them.

That's not to say I've never had problems. But it was rare... maybe once a month I'd get some idiot yelling at me about his non-working credit card. But so what? One idiot a month is still better than what those GameStore employees have to deal with.

And the management was better at the "anchor" stores too.
I've never had any manager yell at me.
Not even once.

They're trained not to do that. They're trained to be calm, cool, and rational. Professionals.

[Push Upstairs]

Then you are the the luckiest retail workers ever.

I have worked retail at many different places and each and every single one had it's share of dumbass customers, stupid managers, or silly policies.

Even my girflriend who worked at a clothing store in the mall had to put up with dumb shit from customers.

My favorite story:

Girl returns jeans to the store saying "she didn't wear them" (as that was the policy, you can return unworn merchandise) the bottom of the pant legs have dirt on them.

Her response: There was dirt on the floor in the store and when she tried the pants on it got on the pants then.

[veronica_marsfan]

I have worked retail at many different places and each and every single one had it's share of dumbass customers, stupid managers, or silly policies. Work at any major "anchor" or "big box" stores?

[Push Upstairs]

Do Target and Best Buy qualify?


I've never worked in a mall though.

[8-bitNesMan]

Do Target and Best Buy qualify?


I've never worked in a mall though.

I don't think it makes a difference Push. In Mars Fan's world, everything is rosy. Everyone is a calm, cool, and rational professional. All the girls look like Kristen Bell. It's kinda like Pleasantville, with everyone's TIVO set to record that show among shows, Veronica Mars. Ahh, bliss...

[Gamingking]

Interesting read.

[Gentlegamer]

I was miffed when I went to buy a used copy of Morrowind (GOTE) and GameStop only had a "new" Platinum Hits copy. I bought it, and and later realized that the box was open . . . it wasn't new at all!

Also, GameStop employees have tha annoying habit of giving you boxes that you don't want. I pick out exactly the box (with manual) that I want, take it to the counter to check out, and they get lazy and give you a worse box they have in their drawer so they can put the box you picked back out on display. Also, they seem to love to give me GH discs to go in my non-GH boxes that I pick out. Very annoying to have to constantly correct them before I leave the store.

[veronica_marsfan]

I don't think it makes a difference Push. In Mars Fan's world, everything is rosy. Everyone is a calm, cool, and rational professional. No. I wouldn't go anywhere near one of those tiny mall shops (like EB or Gamespot or Gap). The quality of working at a small shop, is as bad as the quality of their service. Definitely NOT rosy.

My point was when you get into a larger organization like a Sears or JCPenney, which have been around for 100+ years, you get a higher-caliber of management & a nicer working environment. I enjoyed my time at both stores.

re: Target or Best Buy.

I'm surprised. Not by BB which sucks, but by Target. That seems like a nice place to work. What specific policies of Target management did you find objectionable?

[smork]

I think it depends on your attitude too. I'd hear my coworkers _____ing about this or that customer, and I'd think, "That doesn't sound so bad. They asked you to help them find an XXL sweater; big deal. It won't kill you to help them." ----- I tried to keep a more positive attitude. I've worked in 3 different stores (2 JCPenneys & 1 Sears) and enjoyed all of them.

That's not to say I've never had problems. But it was rare... maybe once a month I'd get some idiot yelling at me about his non-working credit card. But so what? One idiot a month is still better than what those GameStore employees have to deal with.

And the management was better at the "anchor" stores too.
I've never had any manager yell at me.
Not even once.

They're trained not to do that. They're trained to be calm, cool, and rational. Professionals.

Do you mind if I call you kevin_PSX?

I think the limiting factor in your retail employee experience is the amount of customers you have. I worked at a Best Buy in the computer department in a bad neighborhood. I quite enjoyed it, my customers, coworkers, and management as long as the store wasn't so crowded, or maybe medium crowded. When there were alot of customers, and it was chaotic, then the customers seemed ruder, asked stupider questions, bosses seemed meaner.

It's mostly the stress! If people can work in a relaxed environment, then they tend to enjoy their work more. Clothing stores have to be less chaotic than big box stores -- there are alot fewer customers, usually.

Hell, I love my job when my clients leave me alone!

But I am not sure why gamestore employees think they have it worse than other retail types. A minimum wage employee in a mall store isn't a desireable position in life, any way you cut it.

[FantasiaWHT]

But I am not sure why gamestore employees think they have it worse than other retail types. A minimum wage employee in a mall store isn't a desireable position in life, any way you cut it.

Because gamestore employees are required to act like commissioned salespeople but they don't get a commission.

[djbeatmongrel]

Because gamestore employees are required to act like commissioned salespeople but they don't get a commission.

you nailed it! sell this percentage of reserves, this percentage of supscriptions. make sure you sell this much of used stock a day. theres no incentive to do it besides keeping a shitty paying job.

[Push Upstairs]

I'm surprised. Not by BB which sucks, but by Target. That seems like a nice place to work. What specific policies of Target management did you find objectionable?

Target wasn't anywhere near as bad as BB, but Target was my first retail job so learning to deal with customers and the ins and outs of things was pretty hard at first.



Because BEST BUY employees are required to act like commissioned salespeople but they don't get a commission.

FIXED

You were required to push MSN, some service plan or CD storage on customers. The only thing you got in return was managers not pestering you about meeting quotas/numbers for another day.

[Habeeb Hamusta]

you nailed it! sell this percentage of reserves, this percentage of supscriptions. make sure you sell this much of used stock a day. theres no incentive to do it besides keeping a shitty paying job.

Yeah EB used to offer bonus pay whenever you sold PRP warranty but now since GameStop took over they don't offer shit. (oh wait...15% off shit that's already 5 bucks more expensive than toys r' us.)

[Nature Boy]

Because gamestore employees are required to act like commissioned salespeople but they don't get a commission.

Pretty much all retail jobs require you to act like a commisioned employee, whether you're commissioned or not. The jobs with commission just get better sales people applying to them.

[FantasiaWHT]

Nobody I know that's worked in any retail store except for an electronics store, has the kind of crazy pressure to hit a deluge of miniscule sales goals every day, or push certain products on every single customer (with the exception of some big box non-electronic retailers who require their cashiers to half-heartedly offer a credit card).

Sales goals when I worked at EB included:
-New release titles
-Reservations
-Magazine subscriptions
-Edge cards
-Pre-owned percentage
-Replacement plans on systems
-Replacement plans on games
-UPT (units per transaction)
-Systems
-System attach rate
-Trade rate

Things we were "supposed" to ask every customer who walked in
-"Do you have your edge card/do you want an edge card"
-"Did you bring your trades with you today?"
-"Did you come here today to reserve X?"

Similar things (pushing to EVERY customer) at BB included:
-Giving every customer a Netflix flyer and explaining it
-Giving every customer a credit card application and explaining it
-Giving every customer a broadband flyer and explaining it

I'm sorry, you just do NOT get that crap thrown at you in any other retail store

[Nature Boy]

I'm sorry, you just do NOT get that crap thrown at you in any other retail store

Every job has 'suggested selling' associated with it. "Do you want to upsize that combo?" is no different than "Do you want an Edge card?"

As far as sales goals go that does sound a bit crazy, but what did they do if you didn't meet the goals? Not give you a raise? Fire you? Something else?

[FantasiaWHT]

Yes, some managers and assistant managers got fired if their store didn't meet goals. Smart managers fired associates that pulled their stores down. =/ Smarter managers taught their associates better. The smartest managers figured out how to game the system and taught their associates to do that too, heh. "Extra 10% for trades towards reserves! Don't want to reserve anything? Well, no problem, we'll reserve a game for you and you'll 'change your mind' in the next 30 seconds, and you still get your extra 10%" "Hey, did you know that if you buy these three really cheap PS2 games and immediately trade them in, you'll get an extra $10 in trade and you'll make free money?"

hehe

[Habeeb Hamusta]

Every job has 'suggested selling' associated with it. "Do you want to upsize that combo?" is no different than "Do you want an Edge card?"

As far as sales goals go that does sound a bit crazy, but what did they do if you didn't meet the goals? Not give you a raise? Fire you? Something else?

It's not the same at all. I mean yeah selling that upsized meal is making the company more money...but whether you sell it or not doesn't affect your job. At gamestop..if we don't get reserves, we don't work. If you aren't getting at least 10% of your transactions every week in reserves, then you get scolded and they cut your hours. They literally have told me just to lie to customers to get reserves and subscriptions. I had 9.8% the other week and I had to go on a conference call with our DM and "explain" to him why I didn't get that extra .2%.

So it is different because if you don't meet that quota they set for you, you won't get hours and eventually will be terminated. Which to makes good buisness..I am just saying it is different.

[veronica_marsfan]

Target wasn't anywhere near as bad as BB, but Target was my first retail job so learning to deal with customers and the ins and outs of things was pretty hard at first. Understandable.

By the time I was promoted to the customer level, I already had 3 years of store experience (stockroom). I knew all the procedures & policies of the store... it was just a matter of applying them in face-to-face sales.

And I was commission.

Earned $15 an hour (average). The best salesman earned $20 an hour..... amazing. Later during the dot-com crash, the company cut the commissions, so I was only averaging $9. I decided that wasn't enough money & focused on my daytime job.

(Both JCP and Sears offered $1.00 for every credit card application... a nice bonus even for flat-rate salespeople.)

[Nature Boy]

It's not the same at all. I mean yeah selling that upsized meal is making the company more money...but whether you sell it or not doesn't affect your job.

Sure it does. Those that do it get better shifts and pay raises than those that don't. Just like in any job really. If your work helps your manager achieve his or her goals, you'll get rewarded. If it doesn't, well, don't expect many favours.

It's called a job for a reason.

[Push Upstairs]

I've heard Best Buy stories about the # of hours people being scheduled was affected by how well they "sold" things. Have shitty #'s when it comes to service plans? 4 hours for you.

They never did that when I was there, but I knew management wasn't very happy with my indifference towards selling PSP's (service plans), and CD storage. I ended up being forced to either become a better salesman for their warranties in a months time or be fired....I took the high road and just quit. I'd rather say I quit after 2 years of donning the blue shirt than to say I was fired.

[FantasiaWHT]

CD Storage AHHHHHHHHHH

Thanks for bringing back horrible memories!

[Neil Koch]

I'm really surprised this thread has gone 6 pages.

Most retail jobs suck. There are exceptions of course, but most of the jobs are for short term part-time work, not making a career out of.

[Beefy Hits]

Another negative to pre-ordering is, what if the game goes on sale at release somewhere else? This happens infrequently, but goes on from time to time at Circuit City and Fry's.

[FantasiaWHT]

Another negative to pre-ordering is, what if the game goes on sale at release somewhere else? This happens infrequently, but goes on from time to time at Circuit City and Fry's.

Then you cancel it and put the $5 to something else? Or even get it back if you paid for the preorder with cash (not trade)

[Nature Boy]

Then you cancel it and put the $5 to something else? Or even get it back if you paid for the preorder with cash (not trade)

Pre-ordering offers me *no* value unless I get a freebie. Money in my pocket is worth *way* more than credit useable at only one retailer.

If they want to only order enough copies to fill preorders that's fine with me - as a video game consumer I have a lot of choices.

[JSoup]

Target wasn't anywhere near as bad as BB, but Target was my first retail job so learning to deal with customers and the ins and outs of things was pretty hard at first.




FIXED

You were required to push MSN, some service plan or CD storage on customers. The only thing you got in return was managers not pestering you about meeting quotas/numbers for another day.

The BB in my area will not hire you if you are not willing to lie to a customer to make a sale. It's right there on the application: "Will you lie to a customer to make a sale? Yes No". Circle No and they throw your application out.

[Push Upstairs]

It really sucked ass to work *at* BB but bizarrely it's a utter joy to shop there. Maybe it's the new management or its the calm feeling I get knowing I don't have to put up with Best Buy BS.

[FantasiaWHT]

Pre-ordering offers me *no* value unless I get a freebie. Money in my pocket is worth *way* more than credit useable at only one retailer.

If they want to only order enough copies to fill preorders that's fine with me - as a video game consumer I have a lot of choices.

One benefit for the common ruck (not dedicated gamers) is knowing the day a game comes out. Us folk follow those sorts of things religiously, but a lot of people don't and it's great for them to get a heads up the very first day a game can be bought.

[JSoup]

Oh, here's a little gem I missed.


"I was working with a male co-worker one weekend and I was processing trade-ins while he was ringing up customers. The line grew longer, so I decided to help out. I asked the next kid in line if he had any questions. He just pointed at my co-worker and said, 'Oh, no. I'm waiting for that guy.' My co-worker asked, 'Waiting for me? Why?' The kid said, 'Because you look like a gamer.' Being a girl had apparently disqualified me as a 'gamer.' "

Because it couldn't have been how you dressed, right? There's a very nice lady who works at the GameStop near my home who dresses like one of those people who would willingly work in a clothing store forever. It's not that she doesn't look like a gamer. Hell, I could never figure out what the 'gamer look' was. She just seems to be, and acts as though, she's out of her element.

In reality, she kicks ass at FPS games.

[Ace Comics]

This article started out as a very entertaining read... felt as though I was dodging anvils toward the end though...

My 2 cents, re: the article and this thread:

Pre-Ordering is something I do whenever I want a game on release day... notsomuch to "make sure" I get it, but, just as routine. I like to pay all upfront, so the day the game arrives I don't even need to open my wallet, haha. My only problem with pre-ordering, is that my local EB NEVER gives me the pre-order bonus. They claim they never got any, which I guess is possible...

Now, the selling opened games as new debacle... I've only had this happen once... with a copy of Baten Kaitos late last year. I didn't mind the case being open (though I can understand why it would annoy some), my complaint was that the case looked like an old "well-travelled" cartoon suitcase with stickers all over it. Not the white easy-to-peel stickers, either... of course I didn't realize the sticker difficulty until I got home.

Anyhoo... enjoyed reading the thread!
-Chris

[Push Upstairs]

Because it couldn't have been how you dressed, right? There's a very nice lady who works at the GameStop near my home who dresses like one of those people who would willingly work in a clothing store forever. It's not that she doesn't look like a gamer. Hell, I could never figure out what the 'gamer look' was. She just seems to be, and acts as though, she's out of her element.

In reality, she kicks ass at FPS games.

The female employee I talked to on my recent visit had a different problem....

guys are always hitting on her. From the way things sounded I guess it mattered little if she was a gamer or not (which she is) but more that she is an attractive female in a game store.

[norkusa]

Things we were "supposed" to ask every customer who walked in

-"Did you bring your trades with you today?"



This one is my favorite. I could walk into the store wearing nothing but a tank top, flip-flops, and some teabag shorts and I'll still get asked that question even though it's obvious I'm not carrying anything. I know it's their job to ask, but for christ sake, allow let the employees to ask it at their own discretion instead making them look like morons to everyone that walks in.

[JSoup]

This one is my favorite. I could walk into the store wearing nothing but a tank top, flip-flops, and some teabag shorts and I'll still get asked that question even though it's obvious I'm not carrying anything. I know it's their job to ask, but for christ sake, allow let the employees to ask it at their own discretion instead making them look like morons to everyone that walks in.

I think the trick is that someone will say "Hu? I can trade in games? I'll remember that for next time."

[JSN]

I think the trick is that someone will say "Hu? I can trade in games? I'll remember that for next time."

That was exactly why they implemented that policy, known as the "trade greeting". However, and thank goodness, it is now defunct. The employees are still supposed to inform all customers of the trade program while they visit the store, but not as a ridiculous greeting.

[Nature Boy]

The BB in my area will not hire you if you are not willing to lie to a customer to make a sale. It's right there on the application: "Will you lie to a customer to make a sale? Yes No". Circle No and they throw your application out.

They probably stole the question from a used car salesman application ...

[veronica_marsfan]

I've heard Best Buy stories about the # of hours people being scheduled was affected by how well they "sold" things. Have shitty #'s when it comes to service plans? 4 hours for you.

That's one advantage of working at an all-clothing store.

No stupid (and worthless) protection plans to sell. Makes for a more satisfying experience to not sell a customer a product you KNOW is worthless.

[Sniderman]

Every job has 'suggested selling' associated with it. "Do you want to upsize that combo?" is no different than "Do you want an Edge card?"

Indeed. I was the assistant manager of a convenience store back in college, and I HATED "upselling." If someone came to the counter with anything, I was to suggest something they may want to purchase that would go well with whatever. If they bought deli meat, suggest potato salad or chip. If they brought a morning paper, suggest a cup of coffee, etc.

To combat this, I suggested a six pack of beer with ANY purchase.

"I see you're buying a bag of chips. How about a frosty beer to go with it?"

"I see you're buying a box of donuts. How about beer too? The Breakfast of Champions, I say."

"Hi little kid! That's a pack of gum and a Mad Magazine. Say, are you old enough to drink?"

My manager tried like hell to get me to take it seriously, but screw that. I was a minimum wage register jockey and I was not about to bust my hump for no extra pay just to increase the store's profit margin.