Gamestop irritates me

[Goshogun1]

I have been shopping at EBgames/Gamestop for a long time (since 89'), and their service has gotten progressively worse over the years. It used to be that I could just walk in and buy a game, say thanks, and leave.
I guess actually having customers come in and buy stuff isn't enough for them anymore. I mean, their prices are fine, and I have found quite a few nice used titles, but my experience a few days ago just pissed me off.

So I go in to buy a DSi a few days ago, and the cashier gets the system. He then asks, "So, do you have a DS Lite you wan't to trade in?" I answer no, and that I want to use it for GBA. Then he tells me that they have GBA's for sale really cheap, and that I really should trade it in. I firmly say no. He then says, "Woah man, I am just trying to make small talk." In my mind it sounds more like he is trying to add to his DS Lite trade in quota...

Then he asks me if I want to pre-order any upcoming games. No.

Then he asks me if I want a screen-guard. No.

Do you want a warranty? No.

Finally he tells me about some kind of Gamestop Card and making me feel like a fool for not having one. "So, you sound like you buy a lot of games, don't you want to save some money? I mean, its the smartest thing to do." He asks me like 3 times in different ways, until I raise my voice a little letting him know I don't want his goddamn card. Then I get my DSi and leave.

Seriously, so many stores nowadays try and sell extra crap that I don't need. I usually just shop Amazon.com, and avoid these confrontations with sales clerks. Am I just over-reacting? It makes little sense to try and bombard me with other crap if I am already paying them like $200. Anyway, I just had to get that off my chest. I am sure I am not the only one who hates having to deal with this crap.

 

[clonesniper666]

That is really true they do try to sell you stuff you do not need, except for maybe the screen guard. plus they then try to get you to preorder games from them, many which do not have a true street date, and then they ask if you have a card, which you only get if you buy a subscription to gameinformer. Personnally i rarely shop Gamestop or EB games unless they have something I am looking for, then the trade in values are not that great at my local G2k games, is really good in every field, their policy is if you trade in two 360, Ps3 Wii, ds, or psp games you get an extra $5 trade in for free.

 

[JDMEVOIXMR]

Same thing with Fry's and Best Buy sometimes, it gets hecka awkward. That's why I bought my DSi from Game Crazy, they don't really bother you there, all they offered me was a warranty..

 

[dewback]

This is just normal business.
Just buying the DSi they make $0 selling systems are sold as a lose to get revenue out of games for it.
With trading in the DS lite and getting $70 off the price they can resell it for $110+ to make a $40 profit.
The offer the warenty pure profit (ok this is bullshit but some people like to waste money)
The screen saver so they can make a buck or two and protect your investment.
for the prepay looking to have you come back and inform off up coming games coming out. Ok with this it is stupid to just ask if you want to preorder any games and not give any titles that I have happen at GB.

Americana land of the FEE

 

[Blythe31]

Well it's not only Gamestop that does this, so it shouldn't be solely directed towards them.
I was at Sears buying a vacuum and it took me an extra 30 minutes because guy was trying to get me to buy an extended warranty on it.
I really didn't care since I just need something basic to pick up the damn shit on the floor so I just walked out haha.
I guess they either don' train their employees well, or it's a marketing ploy to get the weak willed into succumbing to their materialistic nature.
Whatever..

My main problem with gamestop is how bad the service has gotten.
The employees are too busy playing the latest handheld game that is easy to hide if the boss walks by to give a rats ass about the customer. I recently went to gamestop to purchase a copy of Soul Calibur IV. I noticed that there was only a 5 dollar difference between a used and a new copy, so I decided not to be frugal. I tell the guy that I want a new copy, and he checks all the shelves and can't find it, then he disappears in the back for what takes about 10 minutes. I then strike up a conversation with the one guy that doesn't totally make me want to break his face in and get caught up in a conversation about the DSi. The guy then comes back out with the game in the bag and I walk out nonchalantly.

As I get home, I grab the game out of the bag and realize he gave me a USED copy for the price of a new one, and even put it in the display case which is missing the game manual, has the greasy yellow USED sticker on it, and several scratches on the case. Didn't really bother me, but I was expecting to wrestle with annoying plastic, smell the "new game smell" (there is such a thing. =P), and read the pamphlet (YES, I actually do that. haha) Surprisingly the disk in great condition except for a few fingerprints and several unnoticeable hairline scratches. I was too lazy to go back, but still... the fact that they did this really irked me and I think i'm going to stick solely to Amazon, Ebay, etc.

 

[Rayder]

Problem is, they are told to do that and can get fired for not asking all those annoying questions.

I think the company would rather you buy the stuff online and that's why they irritate you with so many question. The company HATES the fact that they have to pay the people working in the store, so they make them hassle the customer in the hopes that the employee gets fed up and quits before he/she gets too many raises. That way, they can hire the next sucker at the bottom pay rate and start allover again with their demands on the employee.

Just one of the many multitudes of reasons I try to avoid Gamestop.

 

[dewback]

Bythe
the vacuum is the pure bull of the extended warranty crap, but funny.

As fare as Gamestop giving you a used game for new game price I could contact Gamestop about that because you paid for a new product and that is what you should get this has happened to people with ds games that they reshinkwrap having saved games on them (that might just be employees playing them though) the should give you at less store credit for the difference in price or more.

 

[Xoo00o0o0o]

I know i hate gamestop so much. I will never shop from them again. They scammed me to getting warrenty on my original Xbox and when it broke a week later, they would't replace it even though on the receipt it said 1 year warrenty!

 

[CheatingSoi]

I believe they are just trying to help, Its required for them to ask some of those questions. But I suppose it could be annoying but not a big deal too me.

 

[Splych]

I noticed that there was only a 5 dollar difference between a used and a new copy

My friend was at EBGames a while back. He was just doing some window shopping for the games. Noticing the prices he saw that a used game and a new game exact same games only had a $5 difference. He started ranting to me about how they are just ripping you off... Other thing he did while at EBGames was to sell some old consoles of his since he was buying a DSi there. He was selling his DS Lites and GBAs. While there, he was looking at the prices of the used consoles and noticed a GBA SP was $50 (or was it $30. Can't remember). When the seller dude was talking about how much it was worth, the guy said they will take it for free. Decided to not sell any of his consoles anymore seeing the fact they don't even give you half of what they sell it for.

They have okay prices. But I noticed that when I was buying Halo 2 for XBOX, they ripped you off so bad... They were selling a used for like $25 and a new for $30. I was just about to buy it then my mom persuaded me to not buy it. So I didn't buy it. Then after, looking at other places to buy it, I tried HMV and saw them selling a Halo 2 new for $20. It was even compatible with the XBOX 360. Got my mom to buy it and I am here now who just saved $10 by not buying at EBGames.

 

[Spikey]

I work at GameStop and we are forced to do that kind of nagging. Some of it is for the customer's benefit, like that edge card(if they buy a lot of used anyways, better to have them save some money). However, we realize most of it is useless extra money spent.

For not doing well, you get less hours to work, which means less time to get those type of purchases from the customers too. If you do REALLY bad, you lose your job. Just 1 or 2 of those small purchases from customers helps out the employees a BUNCH. You might not realize it, but our jobs depend on them. And in the current economy it's more important than ever to keep this job, and it's at this point when it's also the most difficult to get customers to get them cause people are trying to penny pinch whereever they can(and I don't blame them), but it would suck to lose your job over something that would only cost a customer a little bit to help us, and with some things, helping themselves.

 

[p1ngpong]

I work at GameStop and we are forced to do that kind of nagging. Some of it is for the customer's benefit, like that edge card(if they buy a lot of used anyways, better to have them save some money). However, we realize most of it is useless extra money spent.

For not doing well, you get less hours to work, which means less time to get those type of purchases from the customers too. If you do REALLY bad, you lose your job. Just 1 or 2 of those small purchases from customers helps out the employees a BUNCH. You might not realize it, but our jobs depend on them. And in the current economy it's more important than ever to keep this job, and it's at this point when it's also the most difficult to get customers to get them cause people are trying to penny pinch whereever they can(and I don't blame them), but it would suck to lose your job over something that would only cost a customer a little bit to help us, and with some things, helping themselves.

From what I hear about Gamestop (there arent any in my country) they really are not a nice company to work for. They essentially put pressure on their employees to push stuff like Edge cards and subscriptions on the customer. Acting like they are working on commission, even though the employees get no commission for the extra stuff they might sell. So when you shop in a Gamestop you cant blame the person at the counter for asking you all these sort of things, they have to do it. And like Spikey said they even go so far as to penalise their employees if they dont manage to push loads of extra crap on their customers, even though the employees get no bonus incentive for doing so.

 

[Hop2089]

I asked Gamestop last month if they had a guide for FFCC:EOT and they said that one wasn't even made, BIG MISTAKE!!!! There was one on Amazon from Brady and really cheap too and I bought it immediately with 1 day shipping. The moral, Gamestop don't even know squat about the simplest concepts of gaming.

 

[DeMoN]

The employees are clueless, you can ask them if they have _____ and they'll say no even though there are a stack of copies right in front of them (happened to me once with the Castlevania: DoS guide book).

But you cant blame the company for making the employees nag you, all stores do that, though not all stores will fire their employees for not meeting a quota.

 

[Goshogun1]

Yeah, its true that this is widespread in many retail outlets I frequent. But, I just don't remember it being this bad. Well at least my local Fred Meyer store just asks how I am doing, and say thank you. Thats all I want. If I buy a new PC or TV/Receiver I might want a warranty recommendation.

I know I am probably overreacting, but this is just something I noticed over my history of shopping at EB/GS. Finally got to me when all that nagging reached the boiling point.

And I do realize they are just doing their jobs. I guess I can't change their system.

 

[IchigoK2031]

I went to a gamestop once while I was on vacation , and being the nice person I am, I helped some ppl because the guy was so clueless, he essentially told me to stop helping ppl (probably because it made him look bad), it always ends up happening alot during holiday season, or some women doesn't no wat to get her son 4 his birthday, when gamestop ppl can't help, I can....most of the time...lol, but yes they irritate the hell out of me.

 

[Blythe31]

It seems like the hate for gamestop employee's is widespread. We should start a global army, take them down, then start our own store, for the gamers by the gamers.

What angers me more is that I applied there and they said I wasn't qualified enough.
I guess working IT when I was 16 isn't enough for the high expectations of gamestop.

Also, almost EVERYONE i've encountered at gamestop (sorry, no anecdotal examples here.) has either A. Had no clue what was going on, or B. Tried to shove their opinions on me about whatever my purchase is.

Several ignoramus comments include "why would you buy mirror's edge? It's just about some asian chick who runs and jumps on shit, right?" "You're seriously buying (insert non-hyped release that you know he's never heard of here)? Why not get (insert completely over-hyped generic mainstream game here, one that doesn't even fit the genre of the item he was currently ringing up)?"

 

[Ultratech87]

I just personally don't care for the people who work there. Most of the time, they're pretty ignorant of actual good games as opposed of what they really try to sell people. I can say that not all Gamestop employees are like this, but a good majority of 'em are.

Trust me, I'd be way more than qualified to work there, with as much as I know about games and other stuff. But I couldn't really get into selling stuff...not what I do. Chances are I'd get fired for telling some mother off.

 

[Blythe31]

I just personally don't care for the people who work there. Most of the time, they're pretty ignorant of actual good games as opposed of what they really try to sell people. I can say that not all Gamestop employees are like this, but a good majority of 'em are.

Trust me, I'd be way more than qualified to work there, with as much as I know about games and other stuff. But I couldn't really get into selling stuff...not what I do. Chances are I'd get fired for telling some mother off.

right? I don't get how parents are able to go into a store not knowing a thing and throwing money at whatever the people there recommend.


also, is that sazabi as your display picture?

 

[G2K]

I really don't think they're that bad, if you count EB Games. The one where I go the employees are really nice, I've become good friends with a few of them! The only thing they've ever offered me is a warranty, so it must just be your guy's stores.