UK Consumer Advocate Feuds With Game Retailer, Makes Up

[vansau]

UK Consumer Advocate Feuds With Game Retailer, Makes Up

When you refuse to sell games to someone who can't produce valid ID, make sure that the kid's mom doesn't have her own TV show and Twitter account.

When it comes to people whom British retailers should not anger, Mary Portas is probably at the top of the list. The consumer watchdog, who happens to have a show on the BBC that focuses on helping struggling stores, recently got upset with British videogame retailer GAME after a store refused to sell her 17-year-old son some 15+ rated games.

Portas' son recently visited a GAME store, but was unable to produce a valid form of ID when he went to check out. GAME -like many other retail groups around the world- requires something like a passport, driver's license, or government-issued ID as validation of the customer's age. As a result, the store refused to sell him the titles.

Portas was less-than-thrilled to hear about her son's treatment. She claimed that her son's <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyster_card>Oyster Card should have been proof enough of his age, so <a href=http://twitter.com/#!/queenofshops>she used her Twitter account to rant at both the chain and its CEO Ian Shepherd.

"STILL holding on after 8mins to spk to a human at GAME Ox st where they refused to sell my 17 yr son a 15 + game. Now they've cut me off," her first Tweet stated.

When asked by one Twitter follower what kind of ID her son was carrying, she replied, "His 16 plus Oyster card. Plus the sales asst advised these games for him. The cashier then said no."

After a while, though, Portas was actually able to speak with Shepherd. Following the conversation, Portas was much less hostile towards the retail chain: "spoke to CEO of GAME. Impressive and bright. Agreed good customer service is worth fighting for and how tough the regulations they face are."

Normally, parents freak out about videogame stores sell mature games to kids, instead of refusing to make a sale when a kid can't produce valid proof of age. Personally, I'm curious about what Shepherd said to Portas that got her to change her mind.

Source: <a href=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2011-02-14-mary-portas-rages-over-age-restriction-issue>GamesIndustry.biz

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[Daystar Clarion]

Making mountains out of molehills, seriously, how self important do you have to be to think this is worth telling people on Twitter about?

Just bring your bloody passport next time.

 

[Dogstile]

Maybe he explained to the stupid woman that if its not photo ID, it doesn't count.

Aside from that, the kid needs to grow some facial hair or something. ID'd for a 15? Seriously?

 

[Woodsey]

Oyster cards don't have photos on them last time I checked, so of course that's not satisfactory ID - they can get fined a lot of money for selling to someone under the age of the rating.

And how young must this guy look? I'm 16 and can't remember the last time I got checked for buying a 15.

 

[Matt_LRR]

Normally, parents freak out about videogame stores sell mature games to kids, instead of refusing to make a sale when a kid can't produce valid proof of age. Personally, I'm curious about what Shepherd said to Portas that got her to change her mind.

Not actually really true. You hear about parents freaking out over selling M-rated games to minors in the media more, but at a store-level, it's actually much more common to have a parent rail on you for refusing to sell their 12-year-old a copy of GTA, and having the AUDACITY to cause them the inconvenience of having to consent to the purchase, or presuming to do their job for them.

-m

 

[mad825]

big whop? just come back with some official ID and even then the accountant has the right to refuse it anyway if they suspect anything.

 

[Spygon]

The more i hear about or see Mary Portas on things the more i am sure this women has not a clue how the retail world works.Also i find her dangerous to it as some people actually listen the shit she says and believe every bit of it.

The oyster card is not photo id also it says on the card not to be used as age id.So her son did not have offical ID and the retailer rightly so refused the sale as is there legal right.

If this happened to other way round that the retailer sold an 18 game to a 15 year old they would have been crucified for it.

 

[Mehall]

I don't see the problem TBH. Unless I'm mistaken, Oyster cards aren't photo-ID, so I can see why a store wouldn't accept it where a photo-ID would normally be accepted.

Agreed, just checked it out and Oyster arn't photo ID. The dude in the shop was doing his job as he is is asked to.

This said was it a PEGI 15+ or a Errrr, the other one with the 15 and the circle round it. Cos PEGI is just a guide as far as i know and the other U 12 PG 15 18 are LEGAL requirements.

GAME have required staff to treat PEGI as a legal requirement for as long as I can remember, and there are many reasons for that, not least because that would be one hell of a way to avoid the 18cert issue: Don't submit it to the BBFC.


Soon, however, the PEGI ratings system will be law in the UK completely.

And yeah, no photo ID, no sale. Oyster says it's not a proof of age card.


No, sir, I can't take a birth certificate. Nor can I accept your student card.


EDIT: Also, it would have had to be a BBFC rating, as the PEGI ratings are 3,7,12,16 and 18. No 15 rating.

 

[Nikki_Viper]

Normally, parents freak out about videogame stores sell mature games to kids, instead of refusing to make a sale when a kid can't produce valid proof of age. Personally, I'm curious about what Shepherd said to Portas that got her to change her mind.

Not actually really true. You hear about parents freaking out over selling M-rated games to minors in the media more, but at a store-level, it's actually much more common to have a parent rail on you for refusing to sell their 12-year-old a copy of GTA, and having the AUDACITY to cause them the inconvenience of having to consent to the purchase, or presuming to do their job for them.

-m

Or when the parents comes in, buys and M rated game, and then comes back 1 hour later saying "You should have told me this isn't for little kids! My 8 year told son was playing this!"

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Personally, I'm curious about what Shepherd said to Portas that got her to change her mind.

Well, speaking for myself and other UK cashiers:
Unless you are absolutely 110% sure you can call for ID. If they can't produce a PHOTO I.D. that states their birthdate, then you have to refuse them if they look under 21.
(The Co-op does under 25, and also bans the sale of Chinese Lanterns, Xmas crackers, Eggs and Flour)

If we fail to do that, that's an instant dismissal and up to £5000 fine.

We can, of course, refuse the sale anyway, but we have to fill in paperwork to show why.

(This DOESN'T stop us from selling the Karma Sutra, Fluffy Handcuffs or other "adult" toys to children. If a 4 year old comes up and wants to buy the Karma Sutra, I have no direct right of refusal - and must serve her.

On @Matt_LRR's point, I've had a number of people cursing me for not selling their obviously underaged child age-restricted material because "IT'S THEIR CHOICE".

Yeah, and it's mine not to get fired.

ID'd for a 15? Seriously?

Seriously. You go into your Co-op and you have to LOOK 25 to get cigs and alcohol.

Slow news day?

Given the Governator is trying to re-rate 18 games to be worse than that - quite fitting news, I'd say.

 

[cabalistics]

I remember Game refusing to sell me Resident Evil 2 back in 98 so I walked a little bit don the street and bought it in HMV

 

[ph0b0s123]

Hate these customer service guru's. Does not matter what you do they are never happy. Bet she would have been just as angry if they had sold him the game without ID.

Good on GAME for doing their jobs.

 

[blackcherry]

Interesting article

Could I just make a small correction to the article? Her shows are Channel 4. The BBC would never show such biased and ill informed trash.

 

[Legion]

Aside from that, the kid needs to grow some facial hair or something. ID'd for a 15? Seriously?

You say that but when I was 19 I was asked for ID when buying a 15+ DVD. The strange thing is that I was never ID'd going into a club, nor when buying alcohol.

 

[Matt_LRR]

Normally, parents freak out about videogame stores sell mature games to kids, instead of refusing to make a sale when a kid can't produce valid proof of age. Personally, I'm curious about what Shepherd said to Portas that got her to change her mind.

Not actually really true. You hear about parents freaking out over selling M-rated games to minors in the media more, but at a store-level, it's actually much more common to have a parent rail on you for refusing to sell their 12-year-old a copy of GTA, and having the AUDACITY to cause them the inconvenience of having to consent to the purchase, or presuming to do their job for them.

-m

Or when the parents comes in, buys and M rated game, and then comes back 1 hour later saying "You should have told me this isn't for little kids! My 8 year told son was playing this!"

I've worked in games retail for 8 years, and I don't think I've ever actually had this happen. Parents most commonly get pissed when you involve them in the parenting process.

-m

 

[Ranooth]

The kid was 17! How does he not have a provisional drivers license!

She is a bit of an idiot, anyone in retail will tell you that acceptable ID must have a photo on it.