The BBPS has a great two part article called Exposed: The Ugly Truth Behind Pre-Order Pushing that is quite a good read. Author Xav de Matos managed several EBs and has quite a lot to say, good and bad, about the corporate process and the thinking behind it.

I think it is easy to jump on the "I hate Gamestop/EB Games" bandwagon without knowing the full truth. Sure, they have some policies that are aggravating, but at the end of the day, they are a corporation with some sucky corporate policies just like any other business. And yes, some employees are rude and distant, but others are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I have never had a problem dealing with my local EBers here in Atlanta. At both of the stores I frequent, the staff are extremely nice and always have something smart to say about games. On the other hand, my experiences with EB in New Orleans was less than stellar, often ending with me leaving the store extremely frustrated and vowing never to return. But, in the end I did. I guess what I'm saying here is these thing need to be taken on a case by case basis.

And yes, I pre-order sometimes. I pre-ordered my Wii at the local EB and had one of the most pleasant experiences picking it up at midnight and I certainly didn't have to wait overnight in a long line in the cold. The feeling was friendly and cordial and the whole process took about 20 minutes. later i got the requisite phone call about selling back my copy of Zelda, but I simply hung up the phone. But then, I'm a pretty laid back guy when it comes to those sorts of things.

All that said, I encourage you to read Xav's article. It has a good deal of insight into the corporate structure of EB and sheds some light on the whole subject. I like the fact that while he criticizes the corporate process, he makes it clear that the employees are in some ways as much victims of the system as the customers. Agree with his presentation or not, more articles of this ilk are certainly needed and appreciated. Flynn De Marco

Exposed: The Ugly Truth Behind Pre-Order Pushing Pt. 1
Exposed: The Ugly Truth Behind Pre-Order Pushing Pt. 2 [the bbps]