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GameStop managers get free XB1, PS4 and 7 games

Petrae

Petrae

Member
Interceptor said:
Serious question: How is this legal?
Click to expand...

How is it illegal? It's an investment in front-line employees so that they're better-versed in selling these new platforms. They can answer questions, share experiences, and troubleshoot minor issues (setup, UI navigation, etc.)

Since Sony really can't afford to send multiple packages to store employees, you send to the staffer who works the most hours. It makes sense.
 
C

Crazypanda_85

Member
As an ex-GS assistant manager (worked there while in school), there is not enough free video games in the world that would make that job worth dealing with.
 
Q

qko

Member
So pretty much payola. This is bad for any industry folks, leads to people trying to convince you out of what you want as a consumer kinda how some reviews get inflated due to all the perks given to review a game. One system might have those lovable [Insert genre here] kinds of games you want to buy a system for and then you get pushy vendors telling you that what you like is crap because they have essentially been paid off to do so. Makes the experience of buying retail even worse than it is now. I can't believe people are saying this is a good move. This is a bad move for the consumer and in other industries (radio) considered illegal.
 
C

C4Lukins

Junior Member
If this is true, looks like Gamestop is on its last leg.

This could be a huge short term thing for Sony. But it shows desperation for GameStop, to get them to promote a particular system.

I really would like physical media to continue to exist. But just like music and film, that experience of midnight game sales is dying. It sucks, but I would venture to guess that in the next 5 years GameStop stores arr reduced by half. And in the 5 years after that, they will become another Blockbuster.
 
L

la flama blanca

Banned
C4Lukins said:
If this is true, looks like Gamestop is on its last leg.

This could be a huge short term thing for Sony. But it shows desperation for GameStop, to get them to promote a particular system.

I really would like physical media to continue to exist. But just like music and film, that experience of midnight game sales is dying. It sucks, but I would venture to guess that in the next 5 years GameStop stores arr reduced by half. And in the 5 years after that, they will become another Blockbuster.
Click to expand...

uhh..no.
 
M

Massa

Member
I'm surprised at how many people are unaware that salesmen get free samples of the products they sell, or think this is new practice for Gamestop managers.
 
C

Colonel Nasty

Member
C4Lukins said:
If this is true, looks like Gamestop is on its last leg.

This could be a huge short term thing for Sony. But it shows desperation for GameStop, to get them to promote a particular system.

I really would like physical media to continue to exist. But just like music and film, that experience of midnight game sales is dying. It sucks, but I would venture to guess that in the next 5 years GameStop stores arr reduced by half. And in the 5 years after that, they will become another Blockbuster.
Click to expand...

MS is doing it too. But I do agree GS will go the way of the dodo just not by 50% in five years. And good riddance, not just because of their shit policies but also because physical media needs to die.
 
S

SwiftDeath

Member
Colonel Nasty said:
MS is doing it too. But I do agree GS will go the way of the dodo just not by 50% in five years. And good riddance, not just because of their shit policies but also because physical media needs to die.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I'll ever understand the hate on here for physical media

Some of us genuinely prefer it even if we had the same rights with digital

And it won't die for decades most likely, just become marginalized

CD's are still sold in national chains as are books

But I shouldn't start yet another argument on this
 
Petrae

Petrae

Member
C4Lukins said:
If this is true, looks like Gamestop is on its last leg.

This could be a huge short term thing for Sony. But it shows desperation for GameStop, to get them to promote a particular system.

I really would like physical media to continue to exist. But just like music and film, that experience of midnight game sales is dying. It sucks, but I would venture to guess that in the next 5 years GameStop stores arr reduced by half. And in the 5 years after that, they will become another Blockbuster.
Click to expand...

Huh? How do you associate free product with the end of a retail chain?

If Sony really believed that GameStop was on the fast track to trouble, why would they part with hundreds of thousands of dollars in product for nothing? It's nonsensical; Sony would have been better-served giving the stuff to Walmart and Target stores instead if this was the case.

While I do agree that GameStop is slipping towards irrelevance, the timeline is longer than you think. There are still 5-10 years left, and nothing will change between now and December. It's a good investment for Sony to get store managers for GameStop acclimated with its newest hardware.
 
digoutyoursoul

digoutyoursoul

Member
Massa said:
I'm surprised at how many people are unaware that salesmen get free samples of the products they sell, or think this is new practice for Gamestop managers.
Click to expand...

Yeah it's hardly a shocking situation. I'm more irked by the calibre of free stuff game reviewers get. Special edition sets outclassing what's available for fans to purchase.
 
C

Colonel Nasty

Member
SwiftDeath said:
I'm not sure I'll ever understand the hate on here for physical media

Some of us genuinely prefer it even if we had the same rights with digital

And it won't die for decades most likely, just become marginalized

CD's are still sold in national chains as are books

But I shouldn't start yet another argument on this
Click to expand...

It has literally no advantages over digital.

Edit: I guess lending could be a plus but who lends games nowadays.
 
Petrae

Petrae

Member
Colonel Nasty said:
MS is doing it too. But I do agree GS will go the way of the dodo just not by 50% in five years. And good riddance, not just because of their shit policies but also because physical media needs to die.
Click to expand...

Physical media "needs to die"? Have fun with that. Bandwidth capping and throttling will have something to say about the death of physical media, and those aren't going away anytime soon.
 
M

Mutagenic

Permanent Junior Member
C4Lukins said:
If this is true, looks like Gamestop is on its last leg.

This could be a huge short term thing for Sony. But it shows desperation for GameStop, to get them to promote a particular system.

I really would like physical media to continue to exist. But just like music and film, that experience of midnight game sales is dying. It sucks, but I would venture to guess that in the next 5 years GameStop stores arr reduced by half. And in the 5 years after that, they will become another Blockbuster.
Click to expand...
Last leg? This makes it appear that GameStop has as much power as ever at determining console sales and Sony knows it.
 
F

Finalow

Member
7 PS4 games? That's a lot of games. also they should have given them a white PS4 special edition, would have been even better.
 
S

SwiftDeath

Member
Colonel Nasty said:
It has literally no advantages over digital.

Edit: I guess lending could be a plus but who lends games nowadays.
Click to expand...

I lend games but that's doesn't really matter to me as much as actually owning the game

I'm one of those crazies who likes to have a shelf full of games

All those benefits digital has really doesn't sway me from it tbh
 
S

SonicXtreme

Member
lol the funny thing is 99% of those managers would have bought the system anyway, they aren't 'improving the knowledge of the managers' there when they all would have bought the product. it's textbook payola.

that said it's completely legal and smart as hell by sony so good job for them.
 
C

C4Lukins

Junior Member
Colonel Nasty said:
MS is doing it too. But I do agree GS will go the way of the dodo just not by 50% in five years. And good riddance, not just because of their shit policies but also because physical media needs to die.
Click to expand...

I did not mean to blame Sony. And it is not a new thing for a company to gain their favor.
 
M

Massa

Member
zruben said:
LOL

I can't accept gifts from our suppliers where I work, for ethic reasons. Last Xmas, I didn't know that policy and almost got fired because I accepted a USB stick and some chocolates.
Click to expand...

That's because your company wants to buy from the cheapest supplier they can get and having their employees friendly with them might color their judgement in doing that. This is not the case with sales people, where both Gamestop and Sony want the managers be as excited as possible about selling video games.
 
C

C4Lukins

Junior Member
Mutagenic said:
Last leg? This makes it appear that GameStop has as much power as ever at determining console sales and Sony knows it.
Click to expand...

No what I meant by last leg, is that GameStop is desperate to ally with companies that are going to engage in practices that would benefit GameStop. I am sure MS and. Nintendo are still very much aware of how important physical retail especially at GameStop is still important to there success.
 
K

kidhero1000

Banned
This exhibits great confidence in the PS4 by Sony. Delivering a poor product to arguably the largest game retailer in the world at a management level can be catastrophic.

That said, it brings to mind and observation I have made regarding commerce in general. When a company that delivers an excellent product AND service does something like this I tend to feel rewarded and proud of my choice to do business said company.

If the company does not provide a positive customer experience and makes this exact move it seems like an attempt to not only purchase my loyalty, but also play me like a fool in the process. Give me the goods. I will decide if you deserve my attention or not.

Consumers need to exercise their power. Companies want all our eyes on them when in truth it is the other way around. All eyes on us!
 
Z

ZealousD

Makes world leading predictions like "The sun will rise tomorrow"
Thanks Seda for editing in the Joystiq link. I've also edited the OP to include the fact that Microsoft is also giving them XBones. Might be worth a title change.
 
L

la flama blanca

Banned
C4Lukins said:
No what I meant by last leg, is that GameStop is desperate to ally with companies that are going to engage in practices that would benefit GameStop. I am sure MS and. Nintendo are still very much aware of how important physical retail especially at GameStop is still important to there success.
Click to expand...

So this move is a partnership?
 
B

Black Door

Banned
Lord above, please let the stoner assholes I gave my store application to last week hire me then recognize my talents of actually being able to do a job properly and allow me to lead them after two months (then I quit and get a respectable job after receiving my payola)
 
K

kpaadet

Member
Interceptor said:
Serious question: How is this legal?
Click to expand...

How would this be illegal? Reviewers get sent free games all the time same thing with tech sites, they all get free stuff. Companies want their product exposed, what better way to do that then to give some away for free to people alot of consumers listen to.
 
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