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Denver, 1:17 PM
Sat Dec 19
46 posts in the last 24 hours
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05/18/09
May a truck show up at the local strip mall and unload the store, pad lock the doors and apply Sheriff Sale labels on the outside.
Please, oh please!
(Hey, take the money and run. Now's a good time you scheisters!)
05/18/09
However, when Gamestop eventually merged with EB-Games we saw the adoption of EB-Games OS. It was at this time that employee's had their ability to discount any games completely removed. They told by corporate that they are no longer allowed to discount any New games, even the display copies. Employee's who violated this would be fired immediately. Of course with every "rule" there is an exception. The Manager could still discount open copies but only if the customer was upset about it being open. I don't mean like "Oh that's a bummer" upset. I mean very upset. In these cases the Managers were capable of overriding the system and giving a discount. When they did this however they would get a call or an e-mail from corporate asking them why they did it. They of course would have to respond that it was to please an irate customer and generally it was dropped at that.
What I thought would be a cool second job. Something that related to my interest soon turned out to be something that very much alienated my views on not only good business, but what the video game industry should be as a whole. We would frequently get told that if we didn't "push" certain promotions, get reserves for games (most of which were generally bad), get subscriptions, and get a good amount of trades that we would be fired. We were also told to say that the open "new" games were new and never played. Even if that was not the case.
All the combined made me leave the company. It wasn't fun to work there. The customers overall were the best part of the job. Getting to see people come in and talk to you about a game they enjoyed and having a conversation with them about it was probably the best part. However, it left a very bitter taste in your mouth when you knew the company you work for is hiring you to basically be a con man.
Does anyone have any questions relating to the "check-out" policy that they'd like to ask? I don't mind answering them if it helps clarify things for you, the fellow consumer.
05/18/09
new game means sealed. once a game is opened it is no longer new.
05/18/09
05/18/09
fine. From now on, to prevent theft, all games will be behind sealed glass cabinets. You can't check them out, can't touch them, and you HAVE to talk to us to look at anything. Is that what you prefer?
05/18/09
You have room behind the counter. Use it.
05/18/09
The room behind our counters is full if not close to full most all the time. If we pulled everything off the walls and put it behind the counter (Enjoy not looking at product and having to ask us) we'd be literally sitting on piles of games.
05/18/09
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05/18/09
You did get the last copy. Just about guaranteed.
We don't have 30 copies of persona 4 sealed behind the counter, and we won't sell the floor copy to you if we do, because then we have to print stickers and gut another copy.
05/18/09
Gamestop sells used games, am I right? What is SO HARD about only allowing employees to take home used games, and not new? And you know what, if it's a new enough game to where there aren't any traded in copies yet, tough. Wait it out. It's not like it takes any more than a couple weeks anyway for that to happen.
And don't give me this "they need to be educated on the newest products" stuff. A) These people know nothing anyway, it's all personal opinion as to what they think is cool and what isn't. And B) You owe it to your customers to actually sell something as NEW rather than new-other-than-being-used-once-or-twice. If they're going to continue this practice, then that game shouldn't be 59.99. Period.
05/18/09
05/18/09
Every now and then the Gamestop in my area tries to sell me one claiming that it's the only one left and that it was new, but that the case was a "display case" (which is plausible), and that's why they had to put it back in the case before the sale. Every time, after a little griping, I get one in a sealed package or I don't get one at all.
05/18/09
and I don't know what store you went to, but it's pretty ass backwards for them to not want to sell you a sealed over the gutted copy. if they have both, it's in their best interest to sell you the sealed one because they have to have one open for the display wall. if they sell you the gutted copy, they have to then take the time to gut a fresh one to replace the one that sold. believe me, they haven't got that much time on their hands if they are doing their job.
05/18/09
If you don't like the condition the game is in, don't buy it -- that's what I do. What's the big deal? I can't believe how badly people are overreacting. I've worked in GameStop's and EB's before, our stores only let associate's borrow used games ... the store's that are letting employees take home new games are 1) stupid and 2) in the minority (even if it is a large minority).
We know it's happening, GameStop just needs to come out and say it won't again and make sure it'd codified.
05/18/09
05/18/09
05/18/09
Pre-order at GameStop and you get an exclusive Blazblue artbook with your online order.
Pre-order at GameStop and you get an exclusive Kratos Sackboy with LittleBigPlanet.
Pre-order at GameStop and get your exclusive Dissidia Final Fantasy PSP bundle pack.
Kind of ridiculous that if we want everything for our purchase we pretty much HAVE to purchase from this place. I feel dirtily cheated.
05/18/09
If GameStop weren't getting an exclusive, rather, they were simply getting something that every store were getting, they wouldn't offer the publisher any incentives, and, so we wouldn't get them.
Does this apply to every premium item? No ... but, it does to a lot.
05/18/09
and do I smell original investigative reporting? way to go kotaku!
05/18/09
05/18/09
You do realize that paying extra for shrinkwrap alone is silly, correct?
@subnet6:
I WISH we still had them. At this point a store having a shrinkwrap machine is a rarity.
05/18/09
If you're sold something in shrink-wrap you've probably been scammed.
05/18/09
05/18/09
I'd like to see them run a convenience store and sell pop that's all been opened and recapped. "Don't worry, we didn't put anything in it, it's brand new and fresh!"
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