Gamestop Hate

[The Damned]

I'm fairly sure that most of the US has Do Not Call laws in place, so I'm sure that if they ask you to not call again, you have to remove their name from your call list.

What the corporate people do about that is what I think is really going to show how they think.

Will they tell you to ignore it? Will they comply with it? Will they gamble on any fines against them being worth the supposed increase in business?

I'd suggest that anyone go goes to GameStop/EB Games often ask to have their file updated with a do-not-call request.

[Brushfire]

I'm fairly sure that most of the US has Do Not Call laws in place, so I'm sure that if they ask you to not call again, you have to remove their name from your call list.

What the corporate people do about that is what I think is really going to show how they think.

Will they tell you to ignore it? Will they comply with it? Will they gamble on any fines against them being worth the supposed increase in business?

I'd suggest that anyone go goes to GameStop/EB Games often ask to have their file updated with a do-not-call request.

At the very least the manager of my store is completely against it. It's like Mirbs said earlier, it depends on the store, most stores are good to thier customers, but corporate is the slime.

[Devyn]

"Why would you be rude to the guy or girl behind the counter? They don't run the business, they don't decide what prices to make or give, you're just being a dick..."

I agree. I once bought Paper Mario 1,000 Year Door for 15 or 20 dollars, disc didn't work, so I went back to get my money back. They told me they have another one at another location 2 or 3 miles down the road (which used to be an EB). The clerk was shocked that I said "okay" and picked it up other there and thanked me, the customer, for not being an asshole. It must be scary to work at gamestop, and I don't blame them, you have to work somewhere.

The only thing I really have against gamestop is how they bought out the really good chains like Rhino Games. That place was really cool.

But yeah, there's no reason to be rude to employees, gamestop or anywhere. They really don't have much power over you, their boss, or the suit and ties up above.

[Mirby]

I always find it funny when I read reviews on a place and the person writing the review gave the place like 1 star and the story they tell is one where they're just unruly jerks to the people behind the counter and don't see why they were treated so badly.

There's really no reason to do so. Hell, I even thank bus drivers if they actually did their jobs right, something I don't think anyone really does. No job should be a thankless one.

[SirChadlyOC]

EDITOR'S NOTE: I worked at GameStop for 3 years at the 2nd busiest location in Ohio.

GameStop is definitely not great at everything, but they do offer a few valuable services for gamers. I've found that GameStop employees are more knowledgeable about video games than most retailers (excluding local mom-and-pop stores). When Brushfire's example of dumb mom needs help, GameStop will be the best equipped to help her find a hidden gem that her kid will love.

The best use I've found for Gamestop is that it's a great place to buy semi-old games (1-5 years old). Obviously you're only saving 8-18% off used games for current hits, but the prices are usually really good for not-that-old games that nobody plays anymore. Current price examples: Gears of War 2 - $3, Mass Effect 2 - $8, Red Faction Armageddon - $5. BTW, my last GameStop purchase was Rockband for $0.99.

I've also had a lot of luck finding old games that are out-of-print. I've found rare DS games like old Atlus RPGs that cannot be found anywhere else without paying a fortune. If you buy a video game system many years after its release, GameStop is a great place to go to get all the great games you missed out on.

[Mirby]

I actually saw The World Ends With You at my Gamestop (in case) recently.

So yeah.

[Garrett Williamson]

Here's my hate for Gamestop.

They don't sell any retro stuff. And there are tons of people who would definitely buy that stuff. Like me.

When you want to sell a game there, they give you 3 bucks and sell it for 20+ bucks. And that is literally no overexaggeration. That is the big thing with them that just utterly pisses me off.

[Avatar of Justice]

I don't like GameStop because I always feel harassed. They always are trying to get me to pre-order shit or accept one of their magic plastic cards. The only reason I ever shop there is if I don't feel like waiting on Amazon to ship one of my obscure weeaboo games that only Gamestop carries. Here's two example conversations of nonsense I've had to deal with while trying to buy something at Gamestop:

http://overthinkingthingss.tumblr.com/post/56052192917/awkward-conversations-with-gamestop-employees-pt-1

http://overthinkingthingss.tumblr.com/post/56459044455/awkward-conversations-with-gamestop-employees-part-2

I'm not sure if they are lonely or just hard up for a pre-order. I particularly don't like the guy that seemed to call my taste in games into question.

[Malaki-LEGEND.sys]

I also don't understand the massive amounts of hate for Gamestop. Of course, take my opinion with a grain of salt as I work in the service industry, but these guys are a business in an otherwise very expensive industry.

Being a business, they are going to make business decisions that make sense given their business objectives. It makes next to no sense to carry a used copy of Star Ocean: 2nd Story or Star Ocean: 'Til The End of Time if there won't be anyone to actually buy the thing versus stocking up with a few copies of the latest Gears of War or Madden. Doing the former only wastes shelf space, and they're losing money on the deal by giving you anything in the first place more often than not.

Also, as Brushfire has alluded to, there's a STARK contrast between the alignment of corporate versus the store manager/employees. Corporate is usually doing their thing(usually wrong), while the managers/employees are trying to do their best to answer customer needs with a smile for customers who quite frankly are probably better off with a boot a few feet up their ass.

And really, shame on you for buying a $55 used copy of a game versus $60 for a new copy. If you like supporting game devs, this shouldn't even be an issue for you. Who cares if an employee touched it for a few days? We aren't talking about a perishable good here.

Finally, when it comes to the whole pestering for pre-orders and PowerUp Rewards, again, that's corporate at work. At the same time though, what's wrong with offering something to customers that, heaven forbid, they actually might be interested in? Of course the average Gamestop consumer might be more versed in the latest happenings in gaming(or maybe not), but seriously, just say "no thanks, I'm not interested" without sounding like a total ass about it and move on with your life. There's no reason to treat an employee like shit just because they're doing their job.

Gamestop admittedly isn't nearly as good as a lot of other retailers from the 90's may have been, but if there's one truth, it's that they aren't going ANYWHERE anytime soon. Physical media is here to stay, folks. Regardless of what's what about "you're purchasing a license" for a piece of software, people still like the sense of ownership from buying a disc. Hell, it's why the internet threw a huge hissy fit over the Xbox One for so long. People like the convenience of walking into a store, picking up what they're looking for, maybe browse around and find something they didn't know they wanted, and engage in some laughs with some associates(egad! SOCIAL interaction in a STORE!?). Like others have said, if you don't like it, then just don't shop there, maybe leave a few well-elaborated comments on their suggestion box(or whatever), and leave it at that. I personally have no qualms shopping there.

Edited July 25, 2013 by Malaki-LEGEND.sys

[Gollgagh]

surely I'm not the only person that only buys their $5-10 games, spiking up to a $15 game on occasion

but seriously, just say "no thanks, I'm not interested" without sounding like a total ass about it and move on with your life. There's no reason to treat an employee like shit just because they're doing their job.

also this; I've never had a Gamestop employee pester me beyond the first "No thanks."

Edited July 26, 2013 by Gollgagh

[Mirby]

It's also important to remember that, just like you, the employees are only human, with their own tastes, their own preferences, and their own biases. If they call into question your taste in games, that's their bad, not GameStop's bad. GameStop doesn't tell them to do that, that's their own idiocy coming into play.

[Malaki-LEGEND.sys]

If there's anything I've learned in customer service and making recommendations and such, it's that there is a certain art to it. If anything, most of the gamestop employees that don't know when to quit just suck at homing in on customer needs, polite conversation, and respecting boundaries/limits. Like Mirby said though, that's strictly on the employee and not necessarily Gamestop. Not everyone is meant to deal with people on a 1-on-1 level, either. Some people quite frankly just suck at it.

[Annie Felis]

I'm fairly sure that most of the US has Do Not Call laws in place, so I'm sure that if they ask you to not call again, you have to remove their name from your call list.

What the corporate people do about that is what I think is really going to show how they think.

Will they tell you to ignore it? Will they comply with it? Will they gamble on any fines against them being worth the supposed increase in business?

I'd suggest that anyone go goes to GameStop/EB Games often ask to have their file updated with a do-not-call request.

Not if you've been a customer in the past 18 months. Then they can call you, and will. I've gotten the stupid Gamestop telemarketing calls on my answering machine before. I never pick up the phone anymore, thanks to the sheer amount of autodialers and scam calls I get a day, so they won't get me on the phone with them anyway.

[Cash]

I stopped shopping at GameStop years ago, but not because I hate it. I buy most of games through digital download on Steam, or on a console. If I end up buying an actual physical game, I'll order it online. I no longer have a use for stores like GameStop.

[Avatar of Justice]

Finally, when it comes to the whole pestering for pre-orders and PowerUp Rewards, again, that's corporate at work. At the same time though, what's wrong with offering something to customers that, heaven forbid, they actually might be interested in? Of course the average Gamestop consumer might be more versed in the latest happenings in gaming(or maybe not), but seriously, just say "no thanks, I'm not interested" without sounding like a total ass about it and move on with your life. There's no reason to treat an employee like shit just because they're doing their job.

Whenever I'm at random big box store and get prompted about their Reward Card, I say "No thanks" and nothing else is said. At Gamestop it's always "Are you sure? If you buy a lot of games it's worth it." Every. single. time. No matter what city I'm living in.

So yeah. I don't care if the corporation is a dick or the employees are dicks. I do a minimal amount of business with Gamestop because I find the experience unpleasant. It's not my problem that corporate makes their employees be annoying.

[Otakatt]

Once as a teen I was at a Gamestop and saw a Castlevania SoTN remix album called "Dracula X Remixes". I excitedly looked over it, contemplating if I wanted it. An employee then told me how he also had the album and how it was sooo great. So I got it. Most. Disappointing. Purchase. Ever. /random story

But I haven't been harassed and I think GS experiences are just going to differ from store to store. Some employees are gonna be cool, some aren't. It's like any establishment you go to.

And I can't take the argument from people about supporting game devs seriously anymore since those same people usually spring for the majority of their games during Steam Sales, thus not supporting devs as much as they could have, like they preach to others to do! I'm not saying buying during Steam Sales is bad/wrong, I just tire of preachy people who are kinda hypocritical.

[Brushfire]

I don't like GameStop because I always feel harassed. They always are trying to get me to pre-order shit or accept one of their magic plastic cards. The only reason I ever shop there is if I don't feel like waiting on Amazon to ship one of my obscure weeaboo games that only Gamestop carries. Here's two example conversations of nonsense I've had to deal with while trying to buy something at Gamestop:

http://overthinkingthingss.tumblr.com/post/56052192917/awkward-conversations-with-gamestop-employees-pt-1

http://overthinkingthingss.tumblr.com/post/56459044455/awkward-conversations-with-gamestop-employees-part-2

I'm not sure if they are lonely or just hard up for a pre-order. I particularly don't like the guy that seemed to call my taste in games into question.

That is literally how we as sales associates are trained. Also it is so crucial for us to get hours by getting those reserves and card subscriptions. If it was just based on selling stuff, you better believe I wouldn't give two shits about doing any of that stuff. But because it literally affects my paycheck, I have to do it.

[DarkeSword]

I don't like GameStop because I always feel harassed. They always are trying to get me to pre-order shit or accept one of their magic plastic cards. The only reason I ever shop there is if I don't feel like waiting on Amazon to ship one of my obscure weeaboo games that only Gamestop carries. Here's two example conversations of nonsense I've had to deal with while trying to buy something at Gamestop:

http://overthinkingthingss.tumblr.com/post/56052192917/awkward-conversations-with-gamestop-employees-pt-1

http://overthinkingthingss.tumblr.com/post/56459044455/awkward-conversations-with-gamestop-employees-part-2

I'm not sure if they are lonely or just hard up for a pre-order. I particularly don't like the guy that seemed to call my taste in games into question.

That second one just sounds like you being really grumpy. You probably need to lighten up.

[prophetik music]

i think it's hilarious when people complain about used game prices. they wouldn't charge that if people didn't buy them at that price if you can get a game for 60$, or a game for 55$, very few people pick the 60$ option unless they want to support the developers specifically. of course, those people preorder through amazon and get direct shipping for free or something like that.

also, since people who buy a lot of games through them use their little powerup card thingie, they get an additional percentage off the cost of the game. so, that 55$ brand new game becomes 50$, or 45$, which is a pretty decent price for a new game that won't see a price drop for a while.

[AngelCityOutlaw]

i think it's hilarious when people complain about used game prices. they wouldn't charge that if people didn't buy them at that price if you can get a game for 60$, or a game for 55$, very few people pick the 60$ option unless they want to support the developers specifically. of course, those people preorder through amazon and get direct shipping for free or something like that.

also, since people who buy a lot of games through them use their little powerup card thingie, they get an additional percentage off the cost of the game. so, that 55$ brand new game becomes 50$, or 45$, which is a pretty decent price for a new game that won't see a price drop for a while.

There is this game I want to buy and I just searched it up on EB's website to check how much it costs. It made me think of your comment. I lol'd hard. Here is the screenshot I took:

[Benjamin Briggs]

gamestop makes the absolute worst 3rd-party gamecube controllers

yeesh

[Garrett Williamson]

gamestop makes the absolute worst 3rd-party gamecube controllers

yeesh

lol dude I've dealt with worse

but theirs are pretty bad

[Modus]

Every single, every single third-party controller I've ever bought in my life has broken within a couple months or not worked properly. They're so awful I can't figure out how the industry stays afloat.

There's a reason the official controllers cost so much, because I still own them and they all work. I have two friggn Dreamcast controllers that still work.

[Brushfire]

Yeah, I can't defend Gamestamp's controller. They are there for poor people that don't care.

[Crowbar Man]

i think it's hilarious when people complain about used game prices. they wouldn't charge that if people didn't buy them at that price if you can get a game for 60$, or a game for 55$, very few people pick the 60$ option unless they want to support the developers specifically. of course, those people preorder through amazon and get direct shipping for free or something like that.

Do people really buy the used games at $55 instead of $60? I would never do this, it seems completely silly to get a used product for only $5 cheaper than the new one. Why would you get something used if you are only saving $5? A complete rippoff and a waste. Get the new one

The only time I generally get a used product at GameStop or elsewhere is when it isn't available new anymore and the price is decent (like less than $20) or if there is some gigantic discount (like $20-30 vs $50) which never ever happens at GameStop

Edited July 27, 2013 by Crowbar Man