275: Confessions of a GameStop Employee - Part Three

SenseOfTumour

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Falseprophet said:
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.
Thanks and a thousand times yes, if every schoolkid was required to do a month's service at Walmart or McD's or even, yeah, Gamestop, then perhaps in 20 year's time we'd have less arrogant people who see anyone behind a counter as an irritant drone getting in the way of their purchasing.

We're people dammit!

As such, the rare times I've needed to complain, it has been in writing, to head office, and I've made it clear who is at fault, as I know how easy it is to blame the first person in a store shirt for what went wrong.

I'd suggest 90%+ of the time when a store clerk is being bawled at by some angry dick, it's not because of something they did.
 

JeanLuc761

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SenseOfTumour said:
We're people dammit!
Doesn't seem that way sometimes, does it? That always aggravated me to no end. I have a job, I'm good at my job, and it's a necessary position to fill. Still, some people think it's appropriate to somehow look down upon me for being in retail, and I see this all the time.

It makes. no. sense.
 

JeanLuc761

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Blammage said:
Hence the expression: "The customer is ALWAYS right". Period.
That's wrong an astonishing percent of the time.

The customer is, often, more wrong than he cares to admit.
 

BlackStar42

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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?
I imagine stamped on with a heel, but that's just off the top of my head...
 

MadGodXero

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Love it. Puts a new insight on my job at sears warehouse, Glad I do not have to deal with customers much.
 

ginty2

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Dec 16, 2008
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PayneTrayne said:
Fantastic read. I deal with crazy soccer moms all the time seeing as I work at a Chuck E Cheese, and like your place. Most people are only doing it cause they don't have many goals, are in between school, or are simply just goddamn bored.

I always wanted to work at the local EBGames, but after reading these, I may change my mind.....then again these stories do seem like they'd be funny to tell.
ha! i worked at chuck e cheese for like 5 years. it always amazed me how parents could be more stupid than their kids. i worked in the game room and was taken back by the depths of stupidity that people waded in. a fine example is putting in tokens in games that didn't work and then thinking that putting in more will make it work.

anyway as a gamestop customer I have seen just how stupid the parents are when it comes to their kids games.
 

Orekoya

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How stupid is this woman that her immediate thought process was that "I don't know if my son will like this game, I better buy him a new copy." Did the thought of just renting it ever occur in that thought process?

BlackStar42 said:
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?
I imagine stamped on with a heel, but that's just off the top of my head...
Going to guess it's the american football definition.
Spike -
n. Football The act of slamming (the ball) to the ground after succeeding in an important play, as after scoring a touchdown.
v. Football Throwing (the ball) down to the ground.
 

Monshroud

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Jul 29, 2009
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coldfrog said:
Here's a nice "observed" story that I was reminded of reading this. I was shopping in a Gamestop when a little kid comes in, probably 12, with his brother who is even younger, asking for COD4. Naturally (well, I don't know how well most do it, but to me this was an easy choice) he refused. The kid offered his mother's ID and credit card. He told the boy he could not give him the game, he could only give it to someone who is at least 18. The kid says OK. He walks out the door to a minivan parked and idling right in front of the store. He comes back with his mom, who of course left the van there, running, and then begins to berate the employee for making her get out of the car. She tells him to just give him the game, which he says he still can't because of the rating, he can only accept payment and hand the game directly to her. She tells him that he can decide for himself if it's appropriate or not, but it takes a few more minutes of her being pissed off before she just grabs the credit card to buy the game like she's been greatly inconvenienced. It was utterly ridiculous, and of course, the worst part is that the kids were both just standing there the whole time watching this ridiculous display. I rather feel sorry for those kids, though I felt the one at least handled it rather better than his mother did. Hopefully he'll grow up smarter.
Had a similar experience back at a EB Games many many moons ago. Shortly after GTA3 came out. A kid about the same age wants to buy GTA3, Ray the store manager says that he can't sell the game to him due to his age and that he would need his mother or father to come in and buy it. 10 - 15 minutes later, in walks kid with Mom. Mom is a bit confused because the kid told her that the store wouldn't sell him a game.

Ray explains that the game is rated 'M' for mature and that store policy does not allow him to sell a M rated game to a minor. Now, the mom looks VERY confused and she asks Ray why the game is rated M. Ray states the laudry list of reasons why. The ability to kill anyone, steal any car, drugs, prostitution, etc... I chime in and explain a few of the first missions to her.

Mom looks a bit concerned.. Then she looks at her boy and says "Is this really the sort of game you want to play? to which the boy says back "yeah, my best friend (whatever his name was) has it and it's way cool!" Mom hands over credit card, and I lose a little more faith in humanity...

P.S. I LOVE YOUR SIFL & OLLY AVATAR!
 

Meggiepants

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Jan 19, 2010
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While I agree that "Soccer Mom" was foolish, it has been my experience that certain Gamestop employees looove humiliating people who know less about video games than them. I would not be surprised if this employee took a little glee in telling the woman she could not get her money back. People love saying, "I told you so."

I'm not saying the district manager was correct, but I've worked in food services, retail and as a clerk collecting library fines. If there is one consistent thing I found while working in these places, it's this:

The customer is always right, but if the clerk ever has the chance to smirk at the customer's stupidity and deny them something they want, they're going for it.

It's very rare to find a clerk who isn't bitter about the way they are treated by over privileged customers.
 

JUMBO PALACE

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Chad Brumfield said:
JeanLuc761 said:
It's often very frustrating, but I don't think any more so than any other retail job. The general public has an almost astounding lack of respect for retail employees (or so it seems). You just find ways to cope.
The things I've read about in this series are exactly the same for any retail job. I've sold men's clothing, computers, worked in a book store and worked at a Target. The only thing that changes are the details concerning what you sell, the services your company offers customers and what clothes you're required to wear. Retail is a millstone for the human soul.
From what I hear (from stuff like this and my girlfriend) working retail must just be awful. I worked at a semi-upscale fast food restaurant for two years and I have to say, it's not much different in the service industry. People just don't have any respect for the employees. so many people have selected hearing and then blame their own mistakes on you.
 

JUMBO PALACE

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JeanLuc761 said:
Blammage said:
Hence the expression: "The customer is ALWAYS right". Period.
That's wrong an astonishing percent of the time.

The customer is, often, more wrong than he cares to admit.
You are absolutely 100% correct.
 

JeanLuc761

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Cassita said:
What's with all the GameStop topics and news popping up everywhere?

Is any of it really that big of a deal?
A lot of people find it interesting, so it's been popular as of late (especially given the reputation the store has).

If you aren't interested, don't read/comment about it.
 

boyvirgo666

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May 12, 2009
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interestingly enough i always chat with the people who work at my local EB games. hell i may hate the company but the workers are decent guys and they dont deserve the crap they get from alot of these people

Edit: reading along more posts i have to wonder how most people complain when they go. iv had to complain once on a mistake when buying a used game(the game wasnt in the case, i was in a hurry he forgot to put it in, i still had the reciept blah blah blah) so yeah when i got home i was pissed, complaining to myself, saying hw hard is his job and all that. Then i calmed down and went to the store and explained what happened. i thought this was a fair way to handle it. i go in every few months and they know me so no one was too pissed or got chewed out.
 

Tim Hann

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I was actually pissed about that district manager. What a dick. Your not wrong they really will do anything to appease a customer. Doesn't matter how wrong they are. Or how many of their own home grown rules they have to break, Which you are forbidden to break, they will just choose the easiest option. Now I have been in similar situations and every time you get thrown clean under the bus. It is in these situations that I find ways to deliberate subvert rules to appease a customer, only to then use the previous district managers actions to explain away my actions. Can't reprimand me without reprimanding him.

Man I love unions.
 

azurawolf

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Apr 27, 2009
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Reading this is interesting.
Where I live, GameStop is having a job fair tomorrow and I plan on going to get a job. It's interesting learning about it before I go.

And I feel his pain. I have been working in Retail (Cracker Barrel) for 3 1/2 years now. It gets aggrivating. I remember this one lady wanted this Dracula that danced and sang thriller. It had a sign under it that said 'Halloween Slap and Pop 4.99' She brought it to the register and when it rung up, it was 12.99. I came to help her, looked at the sign and then looked at the tag on the dracula. It said that the Dracula was a 'Halloween Singing Pal'. The Slap and Pops were right beside them on the shelves. I explained that someone must have moved the sign when they were looking at it. I showed her both tags and prices to show that it was an honest mistake. She said that all other Cracker Barrels would give it to her for that price (which my Retail Manager said was a lie and I knew it was). I walked over to my GM and told him what happened. He said that since he wasn't the Retail Manager, he didn't have the authority to change the price for her. She got all upset (mainly because he asked why she wanted the price change). She asked for the Home Office number and said that she would never shop at another Cracker Barrel again. She did call Home Office and filed a complaint. My DM asked what happened and I let my Retail Manager know what happened the day afterwards. I never got fussed at though because I did what was right. ^^

I hate people who try to get something for nothing. One reason I don't like my job. But I do have to say, aside from the stupid people, I am starting to like Retail.