Moviebob's Re-Tales

[BabyFaceJer]

After working retail last Christmas, I can sympathize with how tough it can be trying to sell video games to parents. Luckily, the store I worked at was pretty lenient with their sales policies and never seemed to care what they sold, as long as they sold it. Can't imagine working at any place Bob actually described. Guess he's lucky he got out when he did.

I can also relate to how good it can feel when you try to do some "good" in your job, even if all you are doing is selling junk. For instance, I was once able to convince a mom to buy her kid a copy of "Vanquish" rather than "Call of Duty" on the grounds that Vanquish was less violent. Also, every copy of Kirby I was able to sell made me feel like just a little bit better about my life.

 

[LordLundar]

For the first story, the simple reply would have been "Correction, Instead of selling him a $600 system that would have made the store maybe ten cents (video game consoles have next to no markup), I sold him a $300 system and a bunch of accessories that made the store at least $70, if not more (those sport attachment packages? Priced at 2-3 times cost.) So I saved him some money and made us more than had I simply given him what he originally came in for. Good decision in my eyes."

Why yes, I have had this discussion with a former manager myself, why do you ask?


As for the second story, I admit, I'm not sure if I would have taken the exact same approach as you, but probably along similar lines. But yeah, there's a fair bit of some of those earlier animes that didn't necessarily mean it's for one particular demographic exclusively.

 

[Knoopdog]

Great article, Bob. Saw your comments on twitter about the Sailor Moon story before and thought it'd make an interesting anecdote. Turns out that was right. Keep more of 'em coming.

 

[RedmistSM]

I won't mind more stories. The second one was a real feel-good tale, I'm gonna remember it for a long time.

 

[Silverspetz]

Moviebob's Re-Tales

MovieBob reminisces about his years working retail before he started reviewing films.

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I have a VERY good idea why you were pulled into that back room. Here in the UK i (Very briefly) filled in for someone at a gaming outlet around the time of "The first year of sales of the 7th gen console". It was explained to me, in no uncertain terms, that the Wiis sold so well at the store that i was basically to do everything in my power to get them to buy an Xbox 360 and especially a PS3. The Wiis needed no selling and since they couldn't move the PS3 systems (and actually made a higher markup on it) they wanted to try and shift it.

Your mangers should have explained this to you when you started the job (it's basically their fault), it's uncomfortable but its a fact of life that you may have to 'up-sell' a customer because of a stores bottom line. Surely someone saying to you "Hey bob, we make a higher markup on the PS3 and we have loads in stock, plus we have no trouble shifting the Wii so i want you to put your sales-man hat on and try and sell some PS3s". That's basically what i got told in my introductory briefing. Its not unreasonable.


Speaking as one of those many people who wasn't fond of the Wii "the fancy one" made me laugh so hard. The Wii was essentially a game-cube under the hood, so you did infact sell him an "old one" XD. Ahhhhh clueless consumers, i bet it got played for about 6 days...

Or for many years to come. You know, since the Wii was WAAYYYY more popular than the PS3 or 360, especially among kids (who were the intended players of that particular system Bob sold). And seeing how much more of a fuzz the Wii was compared to other systems back then, I think "fancy one" is a pretty accurate description.

 

[latenightapplepie]

Great stories. You should post some more sometime. Even if they have to be ones in which you didn't do the right thing.

 

[Quaidis]

That was such a great read, Bob. Good job! I hope to see you write more like this. =D

 

[Jang]

I would love to see more of these!

 

[mailh20]

i hardly ever write comments on this site but i had to say keep doing these stories there great maybe you could do a big picture on a collection of these i realy connect to the second one becauce i love anime and my dad does not and we all know how anime looks to an outsider

 

[Baldr]

The Sailormoon craze hit about my freshman year of highschool. My friend who parents and him immigrated to the US from China. He lived close to my house and we use to hang out at his house after school as long as his parents were not home. They were really strict and if I ever met them I was suppose to tell them I was also a straight A student also and I was over to help study. Fortunately/Unfortunately I never met them. Most afternoons when I was over there we would watch Sailormoon on Cartoon Network. At that time I was not into Anime and really wasn't a so called fan of Sailormoon, but could put up with it. One day my friend was on his computer and I was sitting next to him and brought up a locked folder. Inside was all this Sailormoon hentai, I was quite shocked, concidering his strict upbringing. Lets just say I became more of a fan of Sailormoon that day.

 

[Mumorpuger]

That last anecdote was awesome.

 

[4RT1LL3RY]

Ah, Toonami. Tenchi Muyo, Yuyu Hakasho, Dragoon Ball Z, Outlaw Star, Sailor Moon, Android 009, Big O, etc.

Sailor Moon was a good show, I went back and watched some of it again recently. Tuxedo Kamen is useless 99% of the time, so many stupid decisions of people. Also seeing that Sailor Neptune(Michiru) and Uranus (Haruka) are in love with one another, also the fact they were made them cousins in the Dub on toonami was a bit weird.

The planned demographic for a show doesn't mean much frankly. A periphery demographic also exists, all female cats can attract men, all male cast can attract women. Also Magical Girl shows are awesome, Madoka Magica, Nanoha, Sailor Moon. Other interesting thing about the focused demographic, shows for girls have more character development while shows for boys have more action. I personally find character development an important part of a show not just action action action.

 

[Unesh52]

I liked this. The Sailor Moon story was kinda touching actually. I'd love for you to do more like this, Bob.

 

[RPQ]

I'd love more of these! The Sailor Moon story was so sweet. I'd like to think you did them some good.

I remember SM from when I was 5ish. I watched it with my sister IIRC. I found it again years later at around 12 or 13 maybe as far as 15 and rewatched all of the English translated episodes on Youtube.

I admit I think at least part of why I liked it was the girls...Minako and Makoto.....Yowza. Regardless I can't wait for the new anime. Come on 2013.