Retro game store Up-pricing right in front of a customer, opinions?

[ifkz]

First, a little background. I am a long-time Sega CD collector and own all of the hardware variations. I have been collecting Sega CD games for more than ten years now, mostly keeping things local and helping support local shops and thrift stores. I've bought them when no one else wanted them, and I bought copies that should have been left alone just as placeholders. Here is what happened to me today:

I go into a local retro game store, their prices are overall high, but some good deals can be had if I look hard enough. Behind the counter are two games that I've searched for, ten years of searching: Popful Mail ($50) and Snatcher ($100). Just as I express interest in them, the sales lady starts marking them up after an e-bay search. They're now $100 and $200, respectively. I'm not happy, I tell them I would gladly pay them the original $150 for both. Sorry, no luck for me. "Well I've crushed one person's dreams, I'm done for the day" says the sales lady. I get out of the store at that point and go on my way (and continue my decade long quest to find a reasonably priced copy of both games). Sigh.

I'm going to boycott them, period.

Thoughts from the DP crew? All are welcome. Should I be so mad, or perhaps the store was just acting in their best interests?

[Trebuken]

I have had this happen. They look up the ebay price while you are standing there. They should have been priced the higher prices from the get go. It is often tough to find rare games locally because these game stores sell the more valuable games online. I think game stores that also have ebay-stores should be very open about it so that you can use both.

They probably could not have afforded the loss on these games at the original prices (who knows what they paid for them?). They should have known the value of the games from the get go, it's what they do.

Just sounds like a poorly run place...unfortunately it's not unusual in the retro-game store business.

[Damaniel]

There's a store in my area that I avoided for years due to this behavior. Anything even slightly rare didn't have a price tag - they'd go look it up on eBay and sell it to you for whatever it was currently going for. It was a huge shame, too - they had *by far* the best selection of rare stuff of any of my local stores. Hell, they even did this at our local retro gaming convention -- they'd bring a laptop and do price lookups right on the show floor.

Recently, they've moderated this behavior somewhat - I stopped in a few months ago and everything seems to have a price now, and most of those prices are even reasonable. I actually managed to pick up a complete copy of E.V.O. for $70. However, I've chosen to boycott them again for an unrelated reason (knowingly selling a counterfeit Pokemon cartridge to my girlfriend).

In short, I'd refuse to do business with a store that won't tell you what something costs up front. Even if the prices are on the high side, I expect to know what I'm going to have to pay *before* I get up to the counter.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

While I understand re-pricing merchandise in-line with current market value, I'd never EVER consider doing it if the game is on the shelf, with a marked price and a customer is there asking to buy it.

I mean, if an item was marked with a price that was connected to the wrong inventory/item UPC code and the sales clerk caught it right before the sale, that would be understandable.

What you described, including the comment from the salesperson - that's an exceptionally tactless move.

I'd ask if there is some type of law that protects consumers from a practice like this, but even if there is, I'm sure it's one of those things that is broadly interpreted, isn't really actionable and never actually works in the favor of the consumer.

[ifkz]

Thanks for the kind replies. I even sent a 'bad customer service' e-mail to their web presence detailing things. For all I know this was either the store owner or an owner of the chain. I don't expect it to go anywhere, but I do feel better (and requested to be dropped from their e-mail distribution list).

[Duke.Togo]

The only reason I visit stores is due to good customer service, and it sounds like this place hasn't got that figured out.

I would tell them that if they want eBay prices, they should sell on eBay; and if I want to pay eBay prices, I'll do so at home in my pajamas and won't waste the time and gas on the drive to their store.

[Sparkster]

It was a long time ago, but that practice was (maybe still is?) illegal here in Canada. The sticker price is the sticker price.

That's absolute garbage that they would change it on you... especially double when you're standing right in front of them.

[wiggyx]

Wait, she re-priced them right in front of you?! I would have made a huge scene and an ass of myself as a result. That's an absolutely TERRIBLE way to run a business. What's the name of the shop? You should post it so everyone can make sure to avoid it like the plague.

[ifkz]

I may do that, post the name of the place and website, but I want to give the e-mail a chance to get some results or get thrown away. Everyone, thanks for the responses!

[Doonzmore]

I've had similar experiences at a couple game stores. I was once at a retro game store that had a complete copy of The Lion King for the Game Boy in the font case. I asked the owner how much it was and after spending a few minutes on the computer he said "60 bucks *cough* It looks like those boxes are pretty hard to find".

60 bucks huh?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lion-King-Ni...2#ht_500wt_844

He never made eye contact with me the whole time. I knew he was full of it. Haven't been back.

Another incident occured when I was at a different store that had a game was interested in buying but was overpriced. I brought the item to the counter and asked if a price could be negotiated. I acknowledged that they needed to make money and I wasn't going to lowball them. The employee chuckled and rudely remarked "you wanna pay more?". He then got on Amazon and started reading off ONLY higher priced listings. I was shocked. Clearly this guy didn't know the difference between the online market vs retail and the difference between what people are selling for vs was people are buying it for.

I had been a customer there for two years, but that didn't stop him from pitching me the store's disc repair system. That's when he started badmouthing Gamestop, saying "they suck" for not using similar practices. Of all my buying experiences I've never encountered an employee that descended into badmouthing the competition just to make them look more attractive.

He didn't stop there. He then tried baiting me into buying two games at a discount instead of one. I chose to take the offer, but that doesn't excuse his childish tactics. I remained polite and picked up a business card at the counter. I e-mailed the person on the card about the employees behavior (I know the employee's name) and instead of getting a reply I get a friend request on facebook. I didn't know what his intentions were, but I wasn't going to argue with him over facebook. I said my peace. Badmouthing the competition is pretty unethical, but connecting with dissatisfied customers on facebook is just strange and sent up too many red flags for me. I ignored the request.

Sorry to derail the topic. As for the OP's situation, what that lady said after turning down the games is pretty low. You've e-mailed them about the incident though so the only thing you can do is to just let it go.

[Rev. Link]

I'm a little confused on the particulars here. Had you expressed interest in buying the games to her, then she checked the prices and marked them up? Or were you just standing around thinking about getting them, then she happened to change the prices before you pulled the trigger?

If it's the latter, then that's kind of okay. Sometimes prices change, and it's not like a store is going to wait until the end of the day when all the customers leave to do it. HOWEVER, the whole eBay pricing thing is complete BS, and her added comment would have been enough for me to want to take a great big piss on the countertop before I left.

If it's the former, then yes, that is absolutely terrible. I would also ask for you to reveal the name of this place to us, after you get a reply to your e-mail. Simply put, places that operate like that have no right to stay in business.

[xelement5x]

Wow, that is pretty lame. I've never had a store increase the price on me as I was looking at an item, but I try to keep a poker face about most stuff and ask to look at the game so I've got it in my hands. Anyone without prices on their games tend to get a pass by me unless it's really something I'm interested in. I also try to have cash on hand as a bargaining chip, some places are willing to knock off a fair amount if you pay in cash, just make sure you still get a receipt if you're skeptical of condition.

As a note though, I collect Sega CD as well and the days of a $100 Snatcher is long gone (at least for now) unless you want it loose or something. Don't get me started on Popful Mail since it seems to be spiking lately after being pretty low for so long, and if you want a copy Keio you basically need to sell body parts.

[sloan]

OP, you don't say if you had frequented this store up to this point, or this was your first visit. I have a few stores that I visit frequently, and like you, have bought through good times and bad from these guys. If one of them did to me what was done to you, I would be livid. I would make it well known that I had purchased many items from them over the years and would not be returning. There is fairness in the business world, and this is not.

[Atarileaf]

It seems a common practice for these stores to check the highest BIN on ebay as a comparible. In this age of everyone having a smartphone with internet access, a tit for tat would be in order - check completed auctions then and there and SHOW them what said game is actually selling for.

You probably won't change their mind but at least they're know that YOU know that they're full of shit.

On a similar note, a local collector I chat with was browsing the local game store, looking at some N64 titles and he made a kind of a "gasp" sound at some of the high prices and the owner, apparently overhearing it said "you don't like it, go BUY IT CHEAPER on your computer".

(1) That's a tactless move on a store owners part
(2) Saying "Buy it cheaper on your computer" is a pretty solid admission of gross overpricing.

Places like this prey on the uninformed consumer who wants it now and doesn't want to bother researching prices.

[ifkz]

NEWSFLASH!

My e-mail got through to the chain owner of all stores and he was very apologetic. He has talked to the employee that crushed my dreams AND, he has offered to sell them to me at the original price when I entered the store. I showed up and he was a great guy to talk to, and I tried to pay him back for his generosity and fairness. I told him about SMS Sonic's UPC making it a thousand dollar title (he might have a copy at home). I told him about the rarity of Deon Sanders Baseball 32x and Spiderman Web of Fire 32X. I told him TurboDuos have been running at $400 recently. Basically every bit of help I could give him on collector quality merchandise.

Also, I have been a loyal customer since at least 2006, which is the join date their e-mail chain showed. I've watched them expand from this small store to several along the way. Always browsed in when I was in the areas.

So, it's time for dinner, and a long session of Snatcher and Popful Mail. So concludes a decade+ journey !!!!!

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

NEWSFLASH!

My e-mail got through to the chain owner of all stores and he was very apologetic. He has talked to the employee that crushed my dreams AND, he has offered to sell them to me at the original price when I entered the store. I showed up and he was a great guy to talk to, and I tried to pay him back for his generosity and fairness. I told him about SMS Sonic's UPC making it a thousand dollar title (he might have a copy at home). I told him about the rarity of Deon Sanders Baseball 32x and Spiderman Web of Fire 32X. I told him TurboDuos have been running at $400 recently. Basically every bit of help I could give him on collector quality merchandise.

So, it's time for dinner, and a long session of Snatcher and Popful Mail. So concludes a decade+ journey !!!!!

That's fucking awesome. Diplomacy wins the day.

Congrats on some Sega CD personal grail action.

[Doonzmore]

Chalk one up for the good guys.

[InsaneDavid]

I'd ask if there is some type of law that protects consumers from a practice like this, but even if there is, I'm sure it's one of those things that is broadly interpreted, isn't really actionable and never actually works in the favor of the consumer.

I don't know how the state regulations for the OP go but the Board of Weights & Measures should have some kind of protection in place that you are entitled to the marked price on an item.

EDIT now that I've read the entire thread: I wonder if the owner knows this.

[Gameguy]

I told him about SMS Sonic's UPC making it a thousand dollar title (he might have a copy at home). I told him about the rarity of Deon Sanders Baseball 32x and Spiderman Web of Fire 32X. I told him TurboDuos have been running at $400 recently. Basically every bit of help I could give him on collector quality merchandise.

You'll never find anything priced well there ever again, but at least you got the games you wanted for a decent price.

[M.Buster2184]

NEWSFLASH!

My e-mail got through to the chain owner of all stores and he was very apologetic. He has talked to the employee that crushed my dreams AND, he has offered to sell them to me at the original price when I entered the store. I showed up and he was a great guy to talk to, and I tried to pay him back for his generosity and fairness. I told him about SMS Sonic's UPC making it a thousand dollar title (he might have a copy at home). I told him about the rarity of Deon Sanders Baseball 32x and Spiderman Web of Fire 32X. I told him TurboDuos have been running at $400 recently. Basically every bit of help I could give him on collector quality merchandise.

Also, I have been a loyal customer since at least 2006, which is the join date their e-mail chain showed. I've watched them expand from this small store to several along the way. Always browsed in when I was in the areas.

So, it's time for dinner, and a long session of Snatcher and Popful Mail. So concludes a decade+ journey !!!!!

The actions of the employee seem pretty despicable and heart breaking, I can only imagine finding a dream game at a good price only to see it marked up in front of me. Though I'm glad to see it worked out and the owner was/is a reasonable person. Congrats on the additions to your collection!