Notwithstanding their ridiculous late fees and continual threats to revoke memberships indefinitely, Blockbuster did things like refusing to carry certain titles if new release prices weren't raised.
-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
Would Gamestop be in a better state if they respected customers?
- Thread starter fireflame
- Start date
OMG yes. I worked at Blockbuster, and having to tell some poor mom that she couldn't rent a movie for her kids because she had $30+ in late fees was brutal. And by brutal, I mean they became irate and verbally abusive.
And the selection was shit and all the popular movies were almost always all rented.
My only experience was when my friend tried to resell a brand new game he got. We asked them how much they would pay for it, but they said they couldn't by a copy in the plastic. We needed to unwrap it first, but after unwrapping, they would buy it for $10.
Brand new game, never played, still on the plastic, released on that same year.
Brand new game, never played, still on the plastic, released on that same year.
I only bought from GameStop when I was young and didn't know better.
Their prices were jacked up compared to everywhere else and the aggressive and unwelcome upselling + the practice of taking out the discs of games, and then putting them back in when you purchase, occasionally leading to ps3 games in Xbox 360 cases. Also the trade-in program's a total joke.
This all certainly pushed me towards digital only, the moment it was an option for me.
Their prices were jacked up compared to everywhere else and the aggressive and unwelcome upselling + the practice of taking out the discs of games, and then putting them back in when you purchase, occasionally leading to ps3 games in Xbox 360 cases. Also the trade-in program's a total joke.
This all certainly pushed me towards digital only, the moment it was an option for me.
I had enough annoying experiences that it fell to 4th or 5th on the list of places I would go in search of a game. Nothing down right hostile, but between the constant questions/sales pressure/opened "new" games, it wasn't worth the hassle when I could just walk in and out of a half-dozen other stores on the same block.
I think they would do better if they didn't pressure they're employees so much, yes.
Everytime I go to Gamestop there's always one person at the register and another frantically running around the store plus answering the phone when it rings. I feel bad for them.
The used prices are a lot worse than I remember them being. Something is wrong when a new copy is $20 cheaper by looking it up on your phone.
omg same, at least it's convenient with stuff like New Super Mario
also Taeyeon give me your friend code
Everytime I go to Gamestop there's always one person at the register and another frantically running around the store plus answering the phone when it rings. I feel bad for them.
The used prices are a lot worse than I remember them being. Something is wrong when a new copy is $20 cheaper by looking it up on your phone.
omg same, at least it's convenient with stuff like New Super Mario
also Taeyeon give me your friend code
it's a retail store that tries to sell. they all do it. it's so weird how gamestop is the worst. you never been asked for a points card at 7eleven?
I just want to walk in, browse, select a game and purchase it. I.dont want to be hassled about rewards points, preorders,game informer or popheads etc...
I love my local EBgames here in Australia. They have a ten day return policy on games. They usually know their shit. And only a few stores push the upselling.
I will say tho, I traded in a few games on my birthday and then bought days gone. I checked the receipt when I got home and noticed they hit me for the disc protection without my permission, and that's not cool. Sure it's only $3 or whatever but he didn't ask, you shouldn't do that.
I will say tho, I traded in a few games on my birthday and then bought days gone. I checked the receipt when I got home and noticed they hit me for the disc protection without my permission, and that's not cool. Sure it's only $3 or whatever but he didn't ask, you shouldn't do that.
It's not the fact they ask you about preordering games, they try to make you feel like an asshole poser casual for not being on top of the newest game and the latest issue of lame informer. Like, I know whats coming out, you dont have to remind me. If i wanted to order the game, i would!
I used to go in GameStop at least a couple times a month. I haven't been there in probably four years. I just hate being bothered while I'm browsing. I don't mind a, "do you help with anything?" It's the insisting that I need help when I said I don't, and listing a huge pre-order list and just acting like I want to preorder something.
I don't blame the employees, mind you. But it absolutely made me stop going. Way easier to just buy a copy at Walmart, especially now that they sell games $10 cheaper than GameStop.
I don't blame the employees, mind you. But it absolutely made me stop going. Way easier to just buy a copy at Walmart, especially now that they sell games $10 cheaper than GameStop.
Never had a problem with a pushy sales associate. I did have a huge fucking issue with a gift card that I lost and had to replace. I ended up having to call their customer service 6 times, half of those in their stores, because they fixed my card and then broke it again over and over. That was ridiculous enough to stop buying games from them.
I understand why some of their tactics annoy some (they do the same to me) but I don't think it has any thing to do with their struggles. I doubt a majority of customers even feel this way and most of the complaints in this thread seem completely anecdotal and probably fairly isolated. If anything, being pushy about preorders, buying used, subbing to GI, buying "protection plans", upselling shitty merch is what has kept them in business as big box/online/digital has continued to eat into their marketshare. Yes, that stuff annoys you, but it probably works on the next guy, and frankly, if all you want to do is walk in, buy your $60 and get out, they probably won't miss your business all that much. They make their money on all that other shit.
Which ones? And what does "thrive" mean to you, and is it in any way comparable to what Gamestop accomplished for itself?
Just want to chime and repeat the above. Like most of the time I go to Gamestop, and I've been to quite a few, the staff has been really nice. They ask me about insurance for games, pre-orders, etc. I just say "Naw man" "Naw" "No thanks" or shake my head. Then they always say no problem, they circle their survey area on the receipt and tell me to have a good day lol.
Gamestop is not the only company that does this, and rightfully so. They can't buy"new" games, because those new games could very well be, and likely are, stolen. That's not ALWAYS the case, but it's more common than someone buying a game and never opening it and the shitty people in the world have ruined things like this for the few good people.
I work retail, and the amount of stuff that gets stolen from my very store and then the thief instantly tries to return/sell the item is insane, and I don't deal with expensive video games like Gamestop does.
Gamestop has never had disrespectful customer service. They are just people doing their jobs. If being asked if you want to buy a card or preorder something is disrespectful, then that's shameful on you for not just accepting that someone has a job to do, and the company makes money on that job being done. All you have to do is say no thanks and carry on.
What has been killing Gamestop, is the continued rise of digital purchases, and other retail locations being able to offer steeper discounts on games. More physical buyers are willing wait and go to the Targets, Best Buys, or Amazons because the games drop a lot quicker in price thanks to the money they make on everything else. Gaming in retail is not ultra profitable.
What has been killing Gamestop, is the continued rise of digital purchases, and other retail locations being able to offer steeper discounts on games. More physical buyers are willing wait and go to the Targets, Best Buys, or Amazons because the games drop a lot quicker in price thanks to the money they make on everything else. Gaming in retail is not ultra profitable.
Then ask for receipts? If at the end they end up buying they are saying "hey, we don't buy stolen games... for more than $10".
We wouldn't have minded tearing the plastic if the end price was fair, or going to the person who gifted him the game and ask for a receipt.
Company policy for a sealed game is to not take it in on trade unless the customer has proof of purchase (like a receipt). They're not even supposed to offer to have you unwrap it then trade it in. As stated, it is an anti-theft policy.
Respecting customers is such a vague term and even the OP doesn't really open up the question enough.
In the United States every single store and service is overselling, pushing and harassing customers compared to Finland, where you are basically alone in any given retail store unless you specifically go and ask for assistance. It's a cultural thing and not entirely company policy.
What is killing them is lack of variety and digital market rise. Being "one product" retail company is not a good business these days. Yes of course they sell clothing, toys etc, but at least here they didn't come into the shelves until the downhill had already started.
If you have a bad customer experience that is not disrespect. Most likely it's because someone had a bad day at work. Try not to roll it unto others.
In the United States every single store and service is overselling, pushing and harassing customers compared to Finland, where you are basically alone in any given retail store unless you specifically go and ask for assistance. It's a cultural thing and not entirely company policy.
What is killing them is lack of variety and digital market rise. Being "one product" retail company is not a good business these days. Yes of course they sell clothing, toys etc, but at least here they didn't come into the shelves until the downhill had already started.
If you have a bad customer experience that is not disrespect. Most likely it's because someone had a bad day at work. Try not to roll it unto others.
Yeah. No problem with the anti-theft policy. My problem as stated in the above post and the previous is that they didn't asked for a receipt, and asked to tear the plastic and made an offer over it.
One quick question vs a whole lecture about power up rewards, disc insurance, upcoming preorders, trade ins, and fucking magazines. You can be in an out of a 7-11 in a minute, that's never been possible at gamestop.
That's a huge lie. You walk in, grab what you want, go to the cashier, say no to their optionals, you pay, you leave. Y'all act like you go through misery and obstacles to purchase a video game.
Probably not, but it didn't help. It was an explicit business decision to pay their employees as little as possible and train and develop them to aggressively push their most lucrative business items. That's not a recipe for building a lasting brick and mortar shop, but for maximizing profit while the opportunity exists and no further. The only reason some people have a positive view of GameStop is because of the savvy and kind people on the ground who found a way to work around their constraints and build community in spite of corporate designs.
If it was about goodwill most mom and pop operations would have survived PS4/XB1 but MOST didn't GameStop financially did till it completely lost any direction and became a garage sale
GameStop never respected it's employees one big conference trip where they got free stuff was dangled to everyone.
This is the height of it's audacity, game publishers would show up and kiss their ass (GS corporate) let them play things before the public (employees)
Then expect you to sell the pre-orders and magazine previews since you obviously know more than your customers do right?
Now work 60 hrs it's holiday time and your regional manager wants to make sure everyone new fall release has 25 copies (you could actually sell btw)on a stupid floor display since corporate could visit your store.
You have 2 families a cool local person who's excited about the fall release schedule who has been in your store 35 minutes talking non stop what he thinks about this or that
Your part time once a week employee doesn't have direct deposit is waiting on their check since the safe takes 12 minutes to open is being rude to a mother with games you can't take on trade due to condition
Oh now your district manager is in your face contradicting what his boss said (regional) since he quote doesn't fucking know (right in front of the family in the store)
The wrong 25 copies were gutted you might have to reseal them and now go stack every pre-owned system in a display box have it ready in 10 minutes while telling you pick up your pre-order /subscription numbers or you won't have additional holiday hours so expect to work till after Jan 4 with only one day off every week
BTW did you do your scan of the entire ds case despite it being Friday at 5pm while one employee becomes tied to said register
Take them all out we need no less than 95% accuracy or do it again
I'll deal with your customers your DM says
Till he can't do anything but talk pre-orders and give wrong information to your regular customers who become disgusted by his non stop pressure to hit metrics
While reminding you need to drop off the safe money with customers looking at you like that's dangerous to say outloud
(One store in our district was robbed and employees were killed premeditated)
Tell me why did this fail again?
Signed friend of a store manager who took a part time position to help out
GameStop never respected it's employees one big conference trip where they got free stuff was dangled to everyone.
This is the height of it's audacity, game publishers would show up and kiss their ass (GS corporate) let them play things before the public (employees)
Then expect you to sell the pre-orders and magazine previews since you obviously know more than your customers do right?
Now work 60 hrs it's holiday time and your regional manager wants to make sure everyone new fall release has 25 copies (you could actually sell btw)on a stupid floor display since corporate could visit your store.
You have 2 families a cool local person who's excited about the fall release schedule who has been in your store 35 minutes talking non stop what he thinks about this or that
Your part time once a week employee doesn't have direct deposit is waiting on their check since the safe takes 12 minutes to open is being rude to a mother with games you can't take on trade due to condition
Oh now your district manager is in your face contradicting what his boss said (regional) since he quote doesn't fucking know (right in front of the family in the store)
The wrong 25 copies were gutted you might have to reseal them and now go stack every pre-owned system in a display box have it ready in 10 minutes while telling you pick up your pre-order /subscription numbers or you won't have additional holiday hours so expect to work till after Jan 4 with only one day off every week
BTW did you do your scan of the entire ds case despite it being Friday at 5pm while one employee becomes tied to said register
Take them all out we need no less than 95% accuracy or do it again
I'll deal with your customers your DM says
Till he can't do anything but talk pre-orders and give wrong information to your regular customers who become disgusted by his non stop pressure to hit metrics
While reminding you need to drop off the safe money with customers looking at you like that's dangerous to say outloud
(One store in our district was robbed and employees were killed premeditated)
Tell me why did this fail again?
Signed friend of a store manager who took a part time position to help out
My area should be prime demographics for GS yet I never see it that active. Maybe the one in the mall gets more crowded.
Gamestop is between a rock and a hard place. There are fewer dedicated systems now than in previous generations, and that eats into their profits. There's no PSP/PS Vita anymore, there's no dedicated Nintendo home system anymore, and the 3DS is slowly exiting the market. There are simply fewer platforms that they can sell games, hardware, and accessories on. Maybe offering better service and actually listening to their customers and potential customers could help them in this situation, but that has never been Gamestop's strength.
I feel since this is primarily a game related board and Gamestop sells games, it gets more notice here. Honestly, their practices aren't any different than most specialty retail stores trying to stay alive in this day and age.
Personally, never had anything but good experiences at the one I haven't been in for over 2 years, they ask about the upsale often sounding like it's a script and knowing what my answer is, and when I say "no" – I get thanked and leave.
Personally, never had anything but good experiences at the one I haven't been in for over 2 years, they ask about the upsale often sounding like it's a script and knowing what my answer is, and when I say "no" – I get thanked and leave.
I can get why some can be a little annoyed, but honestly never found it that bad.
There is a magical phrase you use at Gamestop when you aren't interested in their other services and are just buying a game- "no thank you". Say it pleasantly but firmly. It works marvelously when they ask you if you want warranties, game informer, do want/have any trade ins, want a used copy, want accessories, strategy guides, etc. After a question or two with this answer provided, the hint is taken that you aren't an upsell sucker and you are leaving with your game in short order. When they ask, don't talk about it further, don't engage in conversation or go into diatribe on how you feel, etc. Just NO THANK YOU :)
Honestly, for me, its been nothing but mostly pleasant experiences at Gamestop. I would certainly be sad if my only brick and mortor options someday were fucking Walmart/Target/Best Buy where I would probably never find the kind of stuff I'm often looking for.
There is a magical phrase you use at Gamestop when you aren't interested in their other services and are just buying a game- "no thank you". Say it pleasantly but firmly. It works marvelously when they ask you if you want warranties, game informer, do want/have any trade ins, want a used copy, want accessories, strategy guides, etc. After a question or two with this answer provided, the hint is taken that you aren't an upsell sucker and you are leaving with your game in short order. When they ask, don't talk about it further, don't engage in conversation or go into diatribe on how you feel, etc. Just NO THANK YOU :)
Honestly, for me, its been nothing but mostly pleasant experiences at Gamestop. I would certainly be sad if my only brick and mortor options someday were fucking Walmart/Target/Best Buy where I would probably never find the kind of stuff I'm often looking for.
Tbh I haven't had a bad experience at Gamestop in over a decade.
The ones that I went to back then were really bad about selling gutted games as new but I haven't seen that since then. They also either aren't trying to up-sell stuff to me as aggressively, or I've simply been desensitized to it and don't mind refusing it whenever it comes up.
The ones that I went to back then were really bad about selling gutted games as new but I haven't seen that since then. They also either aren't trying to up-sell stuff to me as aggressively, or I've simply been desensitized to it and don't mind refusing it whenever it comes up.
Oh good god, yes. People who go into any retailer just to demonstrate they know more than the staff really need to rethink their lives.
Got a preorder deposit snuck on my trade in receipt the other day. Not the first time something has been snuck on my receipt even at a different store. I'm done with GameStop.
I generally like Gamestop but i'll never forget the idiot that asked me if I wanted to switch my MGS4 preorder to the "360 version" just a few weeks before release.
As a game collector (unopened games,) GameStop is pure shit.
After I preordered a new game years ago and they gave me an opened game, I never went back again.
They tried to tell me it was still new because no one had played it yet.
No cellophane, not in original manufacturer's condition = not fucking new. Get it, GameStop?
My condolences to all of those who are about to unemployed though.
After I preordered a new game years ago and they gave me an opened game, I never went back again.
They tried to tell me it was still new because no one had played it yet.
No cellophane, not in original manufacturer's condition = not fucking new. Get it, GameStop?
My condolences to all of those who are about to unemployed though.
I just wanna say, while my country doesn't have GameSpot, the few in Italy(3 different GS) and Austria (2/3 different once) where I was, were cool. Always got amiibo half the price and nice chill people in the store, never had problems just looking at the games or asking anything.
Around here the employees don't pester you but I still don't go to Gamestop because it's pointless. Their selection is tiny (even moreso now that half their shelf space is dedicated to merchandising with the actual new game shelves being tiny), their prices are higher than the competition and the games are unsealed and the whole store seems grubby and decaying even when they're newly opened, probably due to all the unsealed copies everywhere.
Usually they're right next to a Saturn which has a MUCH larger game section, uses antitheft systems that let them keep the games in the original wrap and usually has them cheaper to boot (sometimes you pay less for a new copy at Saturn than a used copy at GS), often 3-5€ below MSRP while GS is strictly MSRP. Sales in a Saturn are more frequent, prices drop more quickly and the shelves don't stack different games on top of each other forcing you to dig to see the whole catalog, it's all visible at a glance. And when the Gamestop sells out because they only ordered enough to satisfy preorders the Saturn still has plenty of copies left.
I honestly have no idea why people even shop at Gamestop. I don't even bother browsing there anymore since they never have a better deal, either the game's expensive or out of stock.
I'm always reminded of the brazen idiot who sold me such an unwrapped (or was it shrinkwrapped?) game as "see, it's new, original packaging" and the game cart had his savegames on it. It was pretty damn obvious that the game had been opened, I didn't care much at that point but the stupid comment is what really made this memorable.
Usually they're right next to a Saturn which has a MUCH larger game section, uses antitheft systems that let them keep the games in the original wrap and usually has them cheaper to boot (sometimes you pay less for a new copy at Saturn than a used copy at GS), often 3-5€ below MSRP while GS is strictly MSRP. Sales in a Saturn are more frequent, prices drop more quickly and the shelves don't stack different games on top of each other forcing you to dig to see the whole catalog, it's all visible at a glance. And when the Gamestop sells out because they only ordered enough to satisfy preorders the Saturn still has plenty of copies left.
I honestly have no idea why people even shop at Gamestop. I don't even bother browsing there anymore since they never have a better deal, either the game's expensive or out of stock.
I'm always reminded of the brazen idiot who sold me such an unwrapped (or was it shrinkwrapped?) game as "see, it's new, original packaging" and the game cart had his savegames on it. It was pretty damn obvious that the game had been opened, I didn't care much at that point but the stupid comment is what really made this memorable.
Last edited:
about 10 years ago maybe longer my local store was amazing. The staff was friendly and helpful. I made a few close friends with some who are still friends today.
Then they left for better jobs and newer ppl came in and the policies went downhill fast.... they still all have that same stink to them though.
so yes i think if they were more customer friendly they would be healthy today i think. I haven't been in a Gamestop in almost 4 years.
Then they left for better jobs and newer ppl came in and the policies went downhill fast.... they still all have that same stink to them though.
so yes i think if they were more customer friendly they would be healthy today i think. I haven't been in a Gamestop in almost 4 years.
I mean Gamestop having to be in the corner of like every. goddamn. strip. mall. and. walmart. supercenter. complex. is really what's doing them in the most. Any pushiness beyond that is mostly them trying to act like they didn't stretch so far they snapped, and trying to act like the expansions they did were actually a good business strategy.
Random "Gamestop is shit" experience.
I remember this one time I pre-ordered a Collectors Edition of a game for 360 like a year in advance, back when they had speculative pre-orders in that massive binder with release dates like *TBA* / *unannounced* and such... IIRC it was probably Gears, Modern Warframe or Halo (I don't recall exactly) but Gamestop was around the corner from my house, so I usually waited until the huge lines was like 3/4ths through and then showed up to grab my stuff and leave right away, usually taking less than a minute or two.
Anyways, I showed up to grab my game...
gs: "oh sorry, we're out of the collectors edition"
me: "...I pre-ordered it, it's been paid off for over a year now"
gs: "we're worry, we only have the regular version available, we ran out"
me: **looks behind him and see's a collectors edition of the game just sitting there**
me: "umm... there's a copy right behind you"
gs: "that copy isn't for sale" he puts it below him on the shelf.
me: "I'm not buying a copy, I already paid for it.."
gs: "That one is for (names random employee), he's coming in a bit later to pick it up" at this point he walks it to the backroom and hurries back...
-Cue a bunch of really annoyed replies from me over the course of about 10 minutes with lots of awkward silence on his end.-
This is the store manager mind you...
After standing there talking it out to himself for a bit and asking others when random employee is coming (he was working the next day), he finally agrees to give me my game.
I still shopped there after that, I'm guessing the convenience of it being so close was what let stuff slide. So many disappointing visits there. It was that same manager there many years later, the very last time I bought a retail game where he tried to give me an opened copy of a game and pretended it was new and then argue it with me... like, this guy and that store are the reason why I've been 100% digital only ever since. The only "decent" Gamestop was another one that was like 30+ minutes away that an old highschool acquaintance of mine was running. That's literally the only Gamestop I've been to without shenanigans every time I buy something; after many years of running that place, probably the busiest around my area, they fucked him over bad, not even going to get into that.
I remember this one time I pre-ordered a Collectors Edition of a game for 360 like a year in advance, back when they had speculative pre-orders in that massive binder with release dates like *TBA* / *unannounced* and such... IIRC it was probably Gears, Modern Warframe or Halo (I don't recall exactly) but Gamestop was around the corner from my house, so I usually waited until the huge lines was like 3/4ths through and then showed up to grab my stuff and leave right away, usually taking less than a minute or two.
Anyways, I showed up to grab my game...
gs: "oh sorry, we're out of the collectors edition"
me: "...I pre-ordered it, it's been paid off for over a year now"
gs: "we're worry, we only have the regular version available, we ran out"
me: **looks behind him and see's a collectors edition of the game just sitting there**
me: "umm... there's a copy right behind you"
gs: "that copy isn't for sale" he puts it below him on the shelf.
me: "I'm not buying a copy, I already paid for it.."
gs: "That one is for (names random employee), he's coming in a bit later to pick it up" at this point he walks it to the backroom and hurries back...
-Cue a bunch of really annoyed replies from me over the course of about 10 minutes with lots of awkward silence on his end.-
This is the store manager mind you...
After standing there talking it out to himself for a bit and asking others when random employee is coming (he was working the next day), he finally agrees to give me my game.
I still shopped there after that, I'm guessing the convenience of it being so close was what let stuff slide. So many disappointing visits there. It was that same manager there many years later, the very last time I bought a retail game where he tried to give me an opened copy of a game and pretended it was new and then argue it with me... like, this guy and that store are the reason why I've been 100% digital only ever since. The only "decent" Gamestop was another one that was like 30+ minutes away that an old highschool acquaintance of mine was running. That's literally the only Gamestop I've been to without shenanigans every time I buy something; after many years of running that place, probably the busiest around my area, they fucked him over bad, not even going to get into that.
Last edited:
I don't think it would have massively changed their situation, but it wouldn't hurt.
Selling open games as new is bullshit and their stores are always stinky to go into.
Selling open games as new is bullshit and their stores are always stinky to go into.
I have one near my home too. About 10-15 minutes away by walking. I have never had an issue there or anywhere I frequent ie gamestop(s) 30 minutes away.