275: Confessions of a GameStop Employee - Part Three

vxicepickxv

Slayer of Bothan Spies
Sep 28, 2008
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Jedoro said:
He's upset his District Manager did that to him? My DIRECT SUPERVISORS do that to me at the movie theater, and it pisses me off to no end. My employees better be happy I back them up even though my boss doesn't.
You think getting thrown under the bus is limited to retail jobs? I've lost count of the number of times I've been thrown under the bus this month alone. I know it's more than 10, and I've only worked 8 days this month.

I try not to be a jerk when I'm dealing with people in retail, because of the stories I hear with some of the retail vets I drink with regularly. There was an article on the consumerist not too long ago about how the customer is almost always wrong.
 

Celtic_Kerr

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May 21, 2010
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I've walked into an EBGames (Canadian Gamestop) and seen the exact same thing. The funny things is that since I came from a relatively small town, I know the workers there. You see a woman walk in, refuse to buy used, and before I've even left the store (and I don't stay more than an hour in a shop) they're back and demanding a refund. They get all pissed like you're fucking insulting them (which I'm sure my friends would do if it didn't get them fired).

THe funniest part is when a brand new game comes out, in this case it was sould calibur 4, and all the games run out because so many pre-ordered it or, say, it's a FUCKING ANTICIPATED GAME. This woman walks in the daty after it releases and doens't ask nicely, but bitches the man out for not having any on the floor.

So he politely says "I'm sorry ma'am, but apperantly the game was highly sought after. We got sold out in the first day and our next order should in in tomorrow." TOMORROW. Not in a month. THe woman had a shit fit and kicked over three "Used bargain" bins and stormed out.
 

Fr]anc[is

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May 13, 2010
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Um, what the heck does he mean by spiked? Thrown...? Or are there giant spikes conveniently placed about town where he is?
 

Shihan2

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Apr 14, 2009
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That's still a hell of a lot better than Mc.D's. You get loads more unreasonable dicks and everyone thinks you're a retard for being there. I'll take the occasional asshole customer rather than having one walk through the door every ten minutes.
 

Dora

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Jul 13, 2009
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God, fanboy employees. They suck no matter where they're working, and you can find them at movie, comic, and book stores too. You know, sometimes when I go to the store, one of the employees will wander over, ask me if I'm looking for anything in particular, or do the usual, "Have you heard of this game, if you like XYZ you'll really like this" spiel. Which is fine, I'm cool with that. I actually like recommendations because I don't follow the gaming scene all that closely, and it's entirely likely you may have heard of something I haven't.

But every once in a while I run across one who tries to convince me that the game I want is crap; not because it actually IS crap or defective, but because he likes some other franchise or genre better. I don't know if it's because I'm a chick and they assume I'm buying for someone else. I know I don't exactly look like a typical gamer or whatever. (I've actually had employees hand over games going, "I'm sure your husband/boyfriend/whoever you're buying this for is going to love this.") Seriously, if I'm trying to give you money, for the love of God don't try to enforce your personal tastes on me, especially if you're going to be condescending about it. I've never reported anyone to the manager for it (after all, it really isn't worth the trouble, and hey, the person might be having a bad day or whatever) but it's the quickest way to make me walk out and lose a sale.
 

Netrigan

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Sep 29, 2010
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Straying Bullet said:
Costumer is always king right? No fuck you. This woman had a specific warning that she couldn't get a refund in a new game. If they cannot be reasonable, you stop being as well and kick them out of the store. It cost me a job once because I followed protocol and I don't regret it at all. People need to read and listen on the things that they are going to buy.

Rant over.
Most companies are more than willing to bend or break rules to keep a customer happy. Worst case scenario in this case is they knock ten bucks off the price and sell it as a used game (most likely scenario is they reseal it and sell it as new). The choice between ten dollars and a pissed off repeat customer isn't any kind of a choice.

The story about the mother getting mad because they wouldn't sell a mature rated game to her kids... these are those situations where you calmly explain that you could lose your job or face legal action and under no curcumstances will you bend that rule. In the highly unlikely chance your superior doesn't back you up, it's time to find another job. As long as you don't lose your temper and have witnesses as to what transpired, you're golden. The company might "take her side" in that they'll do something to make her happy, but that's the standard operating procedure when dealing with a customer going up the chain: do something to make them willing to continue buying things at your store.
 

Mechsoap

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Apr 4, 2010
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i must say it was the mom's own fault, she overreacted and blamed others instead of her self.

some people never learn to listen
ps: she ''doesn't buy used games for her kids''?! wtf is wrong with people, its not like someone put hardcore porn on the disc after it was used
 

Mechsoap

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Fr said:
anc[is]Um, what the heck does he mean by spiked? Thrown...? Or are there giant spikes conveniently placed about town where he is?
he meant she threw the game down, hard, on the floor making it ruined perhabs
 

Brandchan

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Oct 6, 2010
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I pretty much agree with "pretty much every job in retail is the same". I did my time and after a while I was like I can't live my life like this and went back to college.

I worked two years at an EB (when it was still EB) and man the crazy crap that would happen. I remember once a woman wanted to buy a copy of Windows XP (why we ever had it to me was questionable, it was also the first release that was the office version). I had mention that this version was more for office use then home use to her but she still wanted it. I got the guts out of the back and put in the box and she was upset she was getting the box of the shelf. I told her we have and have had only one copy and this is it. Then she gives me her unsigned credit card. This is where shit gets bad. I ask to see her ID, she refuses. Her friend comes in and she starts to tell her friend that I'm being nasty and rude. In fact up to this point I had very nice and cheerful with her. I tell her I still can't accept her credit card without ID. She picks up the copy of Windows and wings it at me. This she and her friend get nasty with me. I pick up the phone and she was like what are you doing? I was like calling Mall Security. Then she ask why, because she did nothing wrong! I told her not matter what I don't deserve to have something thrown at me. Mall Security came and had her kicked out of the mall. She was fuming and incensed over the whole thing. The mall cop said mostly like she was trying to commit credit card fraud and that I did the right thing, but seriously WTF?

I also have never felt so much sexism then when I worked at a game Store (not even when I worked at a comic book shop). Not from the other employees or managers but from the customers. I still remember a time when a father and young son come in and start asking about the three MLB games that came out recently. In the end I had to say ?I?m not sure which one is the best I don?t play sports games? to which the young boy who was maybe seven states ?You?re a girl so you don?t know anything about video games?. I look up and his father was shaking his head in agreement! I was so pissed. I wanted to be like ?I?VE PLAYED GAMES LONGER THEN YOU HAVE BEEN ALIVE!? I just couldn?t believe the Father either. In the end they ask my fellow male employee and she said the same thing I did, he didn?t play sports games so he didn?t know. At least I felt some justification in that.

On the other hand I did have a lot of good experiences. I was lucky to have managers and district managers who where all big gamers and I?m still friends with some of my former managers ten plus years later.

One of my favorite things was selling games to the elderly for them to play themselves. I remember a Grandmother came in and wanted an RPG for her Grandson, and I sold her something (I?m thinking Tales of Destiny). She then tells me she likes to plays these games herself and is looking for something a bit more mature to which I sold her a copy of Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (this was the PSX era and I?m a huge SMT fan girl). Or the time my friend?s Grandmother came in to buy him a Dreamcast and bought one for her so she could play Sonic. I hope I?m an awesome old lady when my time comes.

Over all my time in retail while a harsh experience was a good one to have. I think I treat people in retail much better than if I had never done it myself. I really do feel people in retail get little respect and customers have overblown and ill formed expectations of how retail works and expects the little guy to be able to fix their big problems. I always try to be respectful to them and try to get others to be more understanding.
 

infernovolver

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Jun 11, 2008
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So is this gonna be like a newer updated, less comprehensive text version of Zero Originality?
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6wnow_zero-originality-episode-1_videogames
 

SenseOfTumour

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Jul 11, 2008
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I could join the posting of idiot customer stories, but I think I'll save some times and just post a link to the motherlode of dumb customer stories.

Just feel some solace in knowing so many of us also know the customer is:

www.notalwaysright.com

(Just so I am adding something personal, I've been asked:

'So, how does this...alphabetical system work then?' (about how our cds were arranged in the racks)

'Where it says surname, do I put MY name?' (filling out a loyalty card form)

'Where's the new stuff?' *points to the foot high 'NEW RELEASES' sign next to the entrance and the 20 feet of new stuff on display* 'What? it can't be, it was there last week!'

Damn they made my brain hurt.
 

Netrigan

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Sep 29, 2010
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The credit card one is classic. I always like when they get annoyed when you ask for their ID when they've written on the back of the card "Ask For ID".
 

Skweebl

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Oct 10, 2008
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I try my best to be nice to retail employees, especially ones at Gamestop. Maybe it's because I have a soft spot for gaming. I do get a little irritated when I say I don't want to preorder anything and they don't accept my "no" (I don't have a job, so I tend to not preorder because there's no telling if I'll have the money when the game is released), but for the most part they're pretty nice.

There are a couple anecdotes that come to mind. One is when I was buying a game, and the employee was on the phone with a customer. This customer apparently had an Edge card (discount card), and with one of these you get 50% extra when you trade in used games. The employee was trying to explain 50% to this customer, but apparently the customer wasn't understanding the simple concept of it. I felt bad for the employee, because I know he was wanting to insult this guy for being an idiot, especially since his explanation couldn't have been more clear.

Another is when I was in line behind this kid and his father. They had a couple Nickelodeon games to trade in (old ones too, like Monsters Inc.). The employee said he could only give like 75 cents for each of them, and the father gave him a dirty look, muttered something about being ripped off, and left. I've had moments where I declined a trade-in price, but only because I felt the game I was selling was worth more to ME personally than they were offering, even if cash-wise it really isn't valuable. I try not to take it personally.
 

zHellas

Quite Not Right
Feb 7, 2010
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Fr said:
anc[is]Um, what the heck does he mean by spiked? Thrown...? Or are there giant spikes conveniently placed about town where he is?
Thrown down. Hard.
 

CitySquirrel

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Jun 1, 2010
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I love that these stores have policies the employees are expected to follow (or get fired) but then they have to magically determine the proper time to ignore the policies. This is despite the fact that it has been made clear they do not have that kind of authority.
 

SenseOfTumour

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Jul 11, 2008
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Yeah, something I hear that is slowly gaining popularity in retail is the simple concept that good employees are more valuable than shitty whining customers. There's really not much profit in a customer than bitches about everything in front of other customers (making you look bad) then demands to return everything at full price (losing you profit). Whereas a good member of staff both helps your store run smoothly and makes you money.

I agree customer satisfaction is important, but treat the good ones as well if not better than the bad ones, rewarding being an asshole with better service is just going to create more assholes.

EDIT: I should say we unofficially stuck to this, as an unwritten rule, even my manager, when I worked in a music and DVD store for a few years. If someone brought back something 'Hello, I bought this as a gift, it appears my sister got bought it as a gift, I wonder if I could exchange it at all?' We'll bend over backwards to make sure she leaves happy, receipt or no receipt, the loyalty tracks a lot and we also just remember a lot of our customers.

However, the moment we hear 'I know my rights!' you're getting the bare minimum level of customer service it takes to get you out of the damn store.
 

Sampsa

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May 8, 2008
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Welcome to the world of retail. I work currebntly as a cashier in local store. Few customers like that in a day.
 

mattaui

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Oct 16, 2008
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You work in retail and you had to learn how to use a shrink-wrap machine and deal with angry and unreasonable customers? Get outa town! And wait, you tried to hold an angry customer to store policy but they complained to management and you got overruled? No way!

This entire series started off bad and has gotten worse. It should be titled 'Why No One Aspires To Work In Retail'.
 

Falseprophet

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Jan 13, 2009
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After I worked public service for a few years (and even as a professional librarian, you get crapped on almost as much as a retail clerk), I can't really get angry with front-line staff. I empathize far too much with their situation.

I'd suggest that everyone should have to work a minimum period of public service before they're allowed into stores and malls. But then again, my friend used to be a waiter and is harder than anyone else I know on waitstaff.

Ah well, I'm sure if the economy keeps going the way it is, everyone will know the "joys" of working retail sooner or later.