UK Consumer Advocate Feuds With Game Retailer, Makes Up
- Thread starter vansau
- Start date
That's exactly it, I worked at a game retailer for a year and got that exact scenario countless times. Even had a time where the parent came up to the counter with the child after I had told him he wasn't old enough to buy the game, she buys the game without looking at it, I even tell her of the content and she doesn't care.Matt_LRR said:
Parent and child go home, he plays GTA (Who's have guessed right?) and then parent comes back next day asking to return the game because it's too violent etc for her kid. She happens to be served by me again, I get my manager, she accuses me of not telling her of the content. My manager actually told her, in a polite manner, to bugger off. He didn't like he accusing me of lying, afterward, he had also mentioned that he had dealt with her before.
Poor game retailers. Simply can't win. We need to put this woman in a room with another parent who freaked out because her child DID get a Mature game. Awesomeness right there.
I'm 25 and I still get carded sometimes. I think it's funny myself.
I'm 25 and I still get carded sometimes. I think it's funny myself.
This is what people rag about?
This?!
What are they stupid or something? It's like the average IQ fell below the winter temperature in Antarctica.
It would have been perfectly reasonable to rag about the unfair game prices in the UK or I dunno unreasonable prices of consoles (compared to the US). But no, rag the CEO-s ear off over something that could have been easily fixed by going home for a real ID.
This?!
What are they stupid or something? It's like the average IQ fell below the winter temperature in Antarctica.
It would have been perfectly reasonable to rag about the unfair game prices in the UK or I dunno unreasonable prices of consoles (compared to the US). But no, rag the CEO-s ear off over something that could have been easily fixed by going home for a real ID.
I once had someone offer to show me his tattoo (on his back, pervs!) to prove he was over 17 as he'd left his ID at home. I declined, but that was a new one.
Also, I have to wonder at all the people who DROVE TO MY STORE and don't have ID on them. Seriously? I hope you get pulled over.
Also, I have to wonder at all the people who DROVE TO MY STORE and don't have ID on them. Seriously? I hope you get pulled over.
While I can understand the annoyance of trying to get valid ID, his mother's response was ridiculous. As many other people have stated on this thread, the employees were completely in the right.
I understand the boy's pain though, as gaining valid ID can be a hassle, especially due to differing regulations. I have a government issued health-card (Yay Canada!) that everyone gets at 16, and is photo ID with birth date, but it is an offense for a retailer to accept it as photo ID. (It is covered by privacy of information, so can only be accepted by certified medical professionals or something to that tune.)
That being said, retailers seen to be the most lenient in terms of ID in my experience, as transit companies either refuse your University issued student ID, and instead ask for an obscure student ID issued by a separate travel agency with a yearly fee of $30, or a signed, notarized and sealed letter from the University itself (costing around $20 per document, single use only.) You need more documentation for a transit pass than what is demanded by the government for tax credits.
I understand the boy's pain though, as gaining valid ID can be a hassle, especially due to differing regulations. I have a government issued health-card (Yay Canada!) that everyone gets at 16, and is photo ID with birth date, but it is an offense for a retailer to accept it as photo ID. (It is covered by privacy of information, so can only be accepted by certified medical professionals or something to that tune.)
That being said, retailers seen to be the most lenient in terms of ID in my experience, as transit companies either refuse your University issued student ID, and instead ask for an obscure student ID issued by a separate travel agency with a yearly fee of $30, or a signed, notarized and sealed letter from the University itself (costing around $20 per document, single use only.) You need more documentation for a transit pass than what is demanded by the government for tax credits.
Good on the company for not making the sale. I'm not familiar with UK laws concerning sales of games to minors, but it is good to see the retailer following the rules and regs as they are stated.
Here in the US, we don't have any laws (yet) concerning selling certain games to minors. The whole industry is self-regulated and choices are made on a store by store basis. California tried to pass a bill imposing a fine on any retailer that sells a Mature rated game (17+) to a minor. The law was taken to court and was struck down by each and every court. The Supreme Court has heard the case and are now deliberating on whether video games get First Amendment (Freedom of speech, press, religion, etc...) protection or if they will be treated the same way pornographic material is...highly regulated.
I worked in retail for 4 years. I ran into every type of parent. My favorite was an uninformed parent that tried to buy GTA 3 for her 8-year-old. We informed her that it was mature rated and not suitable for younger kids. She turned to her son and said "I don't think you are old enough for this yet..." and the kid started crying and threw a temper tantrum. I had to leave the area because it was so hysterical.
The gaming industry should be allowed self-regulation. It is not the government's job to step in and say who can sell what. It is the parent's job to decide what is and isn't appropriate for their children.
And retailer should retain the right to sell to whomever enters their store. That isn't bad customer service. Ultimately, it is self-preservation.
Here in the US, we don't have any laws (yet) concerning selling certain games to minors. The whole industry is self-regulated and choices are made on a store by store basis. California tried to pass a bill imposing a fine on any retailer that sells a Mature rated game (17+) to a minor. The law was taken to court and was struck down by each and every court. The Supreme Court has heard the case and are now deliberating on whether video games get First Amendment (Freedom of speech, press, religion, etc...) protection or if they will be treated the same way pornographic material is...highly regulated.
I worked in retail for 4 years. I ran into every type of parent. My favorite was an uninformed parent that tried to buy GTA 3 for her 8-year-old. We informed her that it was mature rated and not suitable for younger kids. She turned to her son and said "I don't think you are old enough for this yet..." and the kid started crying and threw a temper tantrum. I had to leave the area because it was so hysterical.
The gaming industry should be allowed self-regulation. It is not the government's job to step in and say who can sell what. It is the parent's job to decide what is and isn't appropriate for their children.
And retailer should retain the right to sell to whomever enters their store. That isn't bad customer service. Ultimately, it is self-preservation.
It isn't accepted because of the popularity of out of province forgeries also i believe only Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec have photo IDs, many are identical to a credit card, and some are pieces of paper with your PHIN number printed on it, they are not to be used as official ID because there is no standard which is the same reason metro cards and the like cant be used, they are difficult to identify and many people aren't familiar with them.microwaviblerabbit said:
I would be willing to bet that wherever you live there is a government issued ID for people without drivers licenses usually people just don't know this. Although i once had a co-worker tell me he didn't get a liqour commission issued ID because he didn't drink
So she would prefer the store to sell the games illegally to people under-age just so as not to annoy parents? Should we perhaps apply this principle to smokes? Alcohol? Class A drugs?
Ms. Portas, you're a Khunt!
Ms. Portas, you're a Khunt!
I'm 19 and I don't have a provisional.Ranooth said:
My passport always works though....
I don't see what her problem is. If he doesn't look old enough to buy the game, he should require photographic ID.
Same with anyone buying alcohol. My 20 y/o housemate is baby faced. Looks about 16.
You can't just take someone's word for something like that. It's a legal requirement.
And. If he wasn't 15 and was sold the game, she'd probably be the type of mum to whinge about how that would be inappropriate and terrible.
did i step into the twilight zone?
You can get bitched at for following the rules? man this woman needs to get over herself and her ill prepared son
You can get bitched at for following the rules? man this woman needs to get over herself and her ill prepared son
Yeah but it's a bit of PHOTO ID that required government PHOTO ID to get. It still has photo, name and date of birth just the same as before. I'm having a similar discussion at the moment about selling alcohol and about the systems they use for checking ID and I'll say what I said there. Just because it's "the rules" doesn't excuse it entirely, it means the rules need to be changed.TestECull said:
I avoided bringing up the Nazi analogy in the other thread (because one sure way to make you seem crazy is to bring up the Nazis) but it is similar. Lots of German people were just "doing their jobs" but that doesn't always excuse people.