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[digoutyoursoul]

Not GameStop but I worked for Game when I was at college and it was ok, the money wasn't great and a couple of the staff were strange but it wasn't the worst job ever. You get to know regular customers who you can chat to however we had to ban a couple of horrendous people who kept hassling other customers, yeah, real life console war shit, I couldn't believe it at the time.

I hope it works out for you, it's experience at the end of the day and better than nothing. Plus Games!!

 

[hlhbk]

I have my local gamestop people trained even though I rarely go there to leave me alone, and don't give me any of their spiel. I have essentially told them that I am not being a jerk but I am well informed when it comes to games and don't need to be upsold or explained what I am looking at. I generally keep my mouth shut when I hear them BS's other customers, but sometimes its to much and I correct them.

So yeah it may sound like a jerk move but you can expect to deal with people like myself.

 

[MikeXXIeaf]

Retail is a nightmare. Only difference here is you're surrounded by video games.

 

[Dr. Black Jack]

I could never do it. Pushing people to preorder things and buying used games over new are things that I wouldn't feel right doing. I also think I'd be too honest with people and if they were about to make a shitty purchase I'd probably suggest something else

PROTIP: your job is to sell games, not impress people with your taste. Cannot stand when GS employees do this.

OP: do it if it's a side job. If you're not liking the experience, then leave. You might have fun/get some stories.

 

[kittens]

I worked there back in 2006 and hated it. My co-workers were boring bros and my manager was a dick. I spent each shift alphabetizing shit on the shelves and wishing I was anywhere else.

And the pay is terrible.

 

[Square Triangle]

I was a manager for five years, don't. Don't bother, it's a miserable company to work for once you get past the free shit handed to you.

 

[v1lla21]

I applied at the same time as one of my friends did and he got the job despite not knowing as much about games as I do and he's also an asshole. Going off of the comments in this thread, I'm happy I didn't get it.

 

[russian box]

you'll get to sell call of duty to 'moms' while their kid stands next to them.

You can enjoy explaining in as much detail as you like how gory and violent a game is to try and put them off from buying it for little timmy, however it normally ends in them buying it anyway and saying "it shuts him up so what does it matter" or some other condescending phrase


-ex Gamestation worker (like GameStop)

 

[Schweinehund]

I can't work retail, and I wouldn't want it affecting my favorite hobby.

I don't hate gamestop in particular, but I can't imagine myself asking people if they want to pre-order something they don't want every time they check out.

 

[cosmicblizzard]

It's retail, and therefore most definitely shit.

I'd still probably take it over my current job in retail though.

 

[ultratruman]

Like any other retail job, it's exponentially less shit if you have good managers and nice colleagues. That really is a crapshoot, though.

GAME UK has horrible staff discounts (5% off mint hardware etc), and I doubt Gamestop has it much better. It can be occasionally fun, but the reality is it's 1% discussing games and 99% doing boring retail stuff.

 

[Barristan Selmy]

Money, power, respect. Go for it buddy.

 

[Forgottonone]

don't do it. You're better than that for sure. It all seems fun and dandy till your closing and a foreign family of ten won't stop looking at crappy ds games.


side note: cute girls.

 

[ZealousD]

I worked there for years. Listen to me.

You should never take a job as a manager under any circumstances. It is one of the worst retail jobs in the entire industry. You will work long hours for very little pay. It is soul crushingly terrible. I have never met a manager that left GameStop that ever had anything positive to say afterwards.

Getting a job as a regular Game Advisor is easy work and can be fun at times. You are expected to meet your numbers but the pressure is less stringent on the GA's than the managers unless your manager is a hardass. However, you will get minimum wage and your hours will be terrible. Usually around 8-10 hours a week. That's basically only enough money to afford the games you will be buying there. BTW, the employee discount is only 15%.

I made a lot of friends working at GameStop. If anything, that's where I got the most value. Not the paycheck.

 

[tanooki27]

there's that documentary "the bridge," about people jumping off the San Francisco bridge.

the family of one of the dudes who jumped discovered a message on his answering machine after he passed. it was a message from gamestop, offering him a job as manager.

 

[Altered Juice]

begging the customers to pre-order so you can keep your job

 

[Seik]

Do it, you'll be able to rip open new games from their plastics to play then rip off customers by selling it for the same price as brand new.

/Rant.

 

[Forgottonone]

asking for 2 bucks more for a warranty if it breaks. Sorry you will not take my 2 dollars gamestop for I take care of my games and lose reciepts.

 

[CheesecakeRecipe]

From a friend who worked there for some years:

Prepare to be stuck in a dead-end position regardless of how long you're employed there. Prepare to work the days nobody else wants to work. Prepare to be given fewer hours on the weekly schedule if you get fewer pre-orders and warranties as everyone else. Prepare to be utterly /harped/ upon if your numbers aren't "satisfactory" (note: what constitutes satisfactory changes on a daily basis.) Prepare to be given loads of shit if you ever have the nerve to ask for a specific day off. Prepare to work midnight releases and holidays. And prepare to be forced to compete with your coworkers for pre-orders to avoid being bitched at by the manager. You'll spend a lot of time organizing and reorganizing ancient shit that nobody wants, and enjoy taking trade-ins on massive piles of shit (all of which you are required to test)

EDIT: oh, and hope you like babysitting. Every parent who wants to shop elsewhere assumes GameStop is a daycare service.

 

[MotionBlue]

Gamestop is one of the most soul crushing retail jobs I've ever had.

Every day you will meet people who hate you.

There are the "GAF" people, who think you are the scum of the earth for selling them a game they want, regardless of the condition it is in.

The "neckbeards" who will try to argue with you for 2 hours over stupid shit you didn't even comment on.

The teenagers/tweens who think your minimum wage obligates you to clean up after them, and that they should be allowed to play mature rated games because of money.

The stoner dude who will spend 5 minutes trying to find the wallet he has in his left hand.

The naive submitting their resume for the umpteenth time, because they believe the rumor that we get to play all the new games we sell.

The mother who doesn't give a fuck what they buy their child. Then act offended when you remind them that a 10 year old shouldn't be playing GTAV.

The mother mad that you didn't warn them that GTAV was inappropriate for their child.

10 year olds that will tell you to shut the fuck up, or they'll get you fired if you don't sell them GTAV.

The person angry that his 2 year old, damaged game is only worth 5 dollars. Or that his 5 year old non functioning console is worthless.

Your next shift, you will likely get an email or phone call from your manager. They are mad you didn't sell enough warranties/consoles/member-cards/UPT or that your surveys/return/paperwork/trade-ins aren't as high as they need to be. Don't worry though, they 'fought for you' and you're still getting your 50 cent raise. Too bad the state mandated minimum wage increase is larger than your wage increase, so you'll be working minimum for another 12 months.

Oh, and you can't pick up your preorders first. Customers get priority on CEs/Consoles.

 

[kittens]

The mother who doesn't give a fuck what they buy their child. Then act offended when you remind them that a 10 year old shouldn't be playing GTAV.

I mean, that really isn't any of your business. You can make sure they know the game is M Rated, but that's really as far as your role should extend.

Edit : Otherwise, your post totally nails the Gamestop employee experience imo.

 

[Forgottonone]

Gamestop is one of the most soul crushing retail jobs I've ever had.

Every day you will meet people who hate you.

There are the "GAF" people, who think you are the scum of the earth for selling them a game they want, regardless of the condition it is in.

The "neckbeards" who will try to argue with you for 2 hours over stupid shit you didn't even comment on.

The teenagers/tweens who think your minimum wage obligates you to clean up after them, and that they should be allowed to play mature rated games because of money.

The stoner dude who will spend 5 minutes trying to find the wallet he has in his left hand.

The naive submitting their resume for the umpteenth time, because they believe the rumor that we get to play all the new games we sell.

The mother who doesn't give a fuck what they buy their child. Then act offended when you remind them that a 10 year old shouldn't be playing GTAV.

The mother mad that you didn't warn them that GTAV was inappropriate for their child.

10 year olds that will tell you to shut the fuck up, or they'll get you fired if you don't sell them GTAV.

The person angry that his 2 year old, damaged game is only worth 5 dollars. Or that his 5 year old non functioning console is worthless.

Your next shift, you will likely get an email or phone call from your manager. They are mad you didn't sell enough warranties/consoles/member-cards/UPT or that your surveys/return/paperwork/trade-ins aren't as high as they need to be. Don't worry though, they 'fought for you' and you're still getting your 50 cent raise. Too bad the state mandated minimum wage increase is larger than your wage increase, so you'll be working minimum for another 12 months.

Oh, and you can't pick up your preorders first. Customers get priority on CEs/Consoles.

You deserve way better than that. Makes me upset how shitty employees are treated for places that rake in money of games kids trade in.

 

[BlackBuzzard]

Surprised somebody hasnt posted this yet.

 

[Abandapart82]

I wanted to work there in the early 2000's because of my love for video games. The guys at my babages where really cool and knowledgeable. After knowing what retail is all about I'm glad I never got hired.

 

[hydruxo]

Don't do it. Working at places that you think would be interesting because you're into what they sell, usually aren't. That's just my experience with retail jobs.

 

[Dezzy]

Don't do it. Working at places that you think would be interesting because you're into what they sell, usually aren't. That's just my experience with retail jobs.

Yeah, and you'll probably end up hating video games because they remind you of your crappy job that you hate.

 

[PeregrinSe7en]

Surprised somebody hasnt posted this yet.

wow

that is ridiculously shameful

sorry you had to work in that kind of situation.

 

[Omega]

I mean, that really isn't any of your business. You can make sure they know the game is M Rated, but that's really as far as your role should extend.

Edit : Otherwise, your post totally nails the Gamestop employee experience imo.

You're kind of supposed to let them know "this is a mature rated game" and then they get offended. I assume that's what he means.

but I wouldn't even bother. If someone is stupid enough to buy their 10 year old kid a game that's name after a felony, I'm not going to waste my breath.

I've had people want to buy games M rated games, and they're worried about the cursing. When I say something like Halo doesn't really contain those and is just violence, they say oh ok, i'll get it. Really? So shooting is fine, but cursing is a big no. Come school shooting time, everyone wants to blame games.

Maybe next time don't be a fucking idiot and prioritize cursing over violence. Last time I checked you can kill someone by saying fuck/shit/ass/bitch

 

[DR2K]

Take your pile of games, throw them around your house, spend hours alphabetizing them, rinse and repeat.

 

[SRTtoZ]

Being yelled at because you didnt sell enough reservations. Dealing with customers that say "thats all I get???" when trading in sega saturn games. Enjoy.

 

[Pyroclastic]

Are there any employees of game in the UK who could compare their experiences to the ones in this thread? because if they're similar then I probably won't be so keen as to apply there. I think our employment laws are a bit better though even if zero hour contracts are more common these last few years.

 

[Calibus]

Depends on what position at GameStop.

If you go in as a regular SA (Sales Associate) you get low hours, abused by both customers and management, worked like a slave, forced to push useless add-on items, and may find yourself let go on a moment's notice. But hey, at least you get a game check-out policy.

If you are management, you get to order your SAs around, disappear into the back, get medium-ish hours, get abused by district managers and customers, forced to push useless add-on items, and may find yourself let go from the company at a moment's notice. But hey at least you get a 401k and game check-out policy.

BTW, I was an assistant store manager at a GameStop for almost 5 years. It may have changed a bit since the past 6-ish years, but brick-and-mortar game specialty stores are a dying breed. They are getting swallowed up by both online and retail competition who offer more variety of goods.

TLDR: Don't bother applying there unless you are a hardcore game enthusiast who genuinely likes to help others with buying games.

 

[RobbieNick]

Worked at EB Games from '96-'99 and it was a great experience and pretty fun actually.

Then I went to Wal-Mart full time. Not nearly as bad as some have led on. I was getting about 40 hours a week, health insurance and above minimum wage. Of course, this was also back when we had a good size staff and some another small benefits that made the work experience okay.

I befriended a GameStop manager who liked me and hired me as a full-time assistant manager. This was in '94 when Magazine sales, pre-orders and discount cards were in full effect. Outside of putting the cash in the bank at the end of the night, it didn't really feel like I had any management duties. The only perk was borrowing new games for a day (which we then sold back as "new" as well). But just about anything and I mean ANYTHING can get you fired.

Don't sell enough pre-orders? Fired.
Don't sell enough Magazines Subs/discount cards? Fired.
DM doesn't care for you for some odd reason? Fired.

Customers kept thinking we were pressuring them for commissions when it actuality, it was to keep our jobs.

The last is what happened to me. Three months into my job, the DM came into the store. I didn't recognize her, but the main store manager saw her and greeted her before I could get a chance to. Since she was greeted by a co-worker, I went along my merry business of organizing the magazines/Strategy guides. Two days later, the store manager says he has to fire me because the DM said I didn't immediately greet her when she walked in. The store manager was a pretty cool guy and offered me to work the rest of my shift instead of letting me go immediately..

It worked for the best. I ended up back in my old position at Wal-Mart (it was never filled) and I got a bit of a raise to go with it because a new policy came in that starting wages were higher or lower depending on your position and I was apparently in one of the higher positions because I dealt in locked-up merchandise.

Long story short. Wal-Mart has been a much better work experience than Gamestop. That should tell you a lot right there. DON'T WORK FOR GAMESTOP!!.

Also, EB Games/Gamestop were much more fun/relaxing places to work at before all these fucking Magazine/Pre-Order quotas came in.

 

[MotionBlue]

I mean, that really isn't any of your business. You can make sure they know the game is M Rated, but that's really as far as your role should extend.

Edit : Otherwise, your post totally nails the Gamestop employee experience imo.

The one below it was supposed to be a tongue-in-cheek joke. The amount of parents who justify purchasing mature games for young children is astounding, the apathy they have for what their children are exposed to is depressing.

 

[rocketskates]

I think the experience working at a gamestop would be fun.
Talk about what i love and give some unbiased information.....actual info when asked.
Dunno how many times i walk in their and hear garbage comin out they're mouths.

Id work their for free. lol
Sure as hell wouldn't be for the money..

For free? What the hell is wrong with you?

I could never do it. Pushing people to preorder things and buying used games over new are things that I wouldn't feel right doing. I also think I'd be too honest with people and if they were about to make a shitty purchase I'd probably suggest something else

What's wrong with them suggesting used over New? I've had some employees actually watch out for me and let me know that the new copy unwanted to buy was available used, like $7 cheaper, and came with the original case and manual so it was a no brainer for me. What's wrong with that?

I have the opposite problem. I'm basically being forced to apply there, but that is the one place where I'm not willing to work. Anywhere but there. Working at a GameStop just sounds like pure hell to me. I don't want to have to tell people to preorder a game that I feel will be shit. My conscience just couldn't take it.

Basically, I need to figure out how to subtly sabotage my application. GL if you really do want to work there for.

What's up with this story? How are you being forced?

 

[LOLCats]

Bran is good for your digestive track.

 

[Shadownet]

Store closings, these days.

I work there right now. and this is pretty much it. Plus, days when your superiors come to visit.

if you have any question. send me a message.

 

[Shadownet]

I hope you like handling games that receive regular cat piss baths. Go into a GameStop, ask an employee to run a box cutter or tough paper through the gaps in a used 360 controller and see if you still want to work there.

complete hyperbole ^^

and some controllers are dirty cause those customers who traded them in are pigs. it's not like the employee don't make an effort to clean them before bagging them.

 

[Persona7]

when you leave the store your personal belongings and pockets have to be checked

 

[Shadownet]

hearing all these complaints, make me feel a bit happy that my store is one of the good ones and my manager is awesome.

 

[Aurean_Mentat]

Honestly, something to keep in mind whenever you're working at Gamestop :

You are not in the games industry!

So many people that I knew thought Gamestop was kind of their foot in the door to the games industry in general. It is not. The only real benefit to working at gamestop is a slight discount on games, and the ability to 'check out' a game for a few days if the store has a ton in stock. For the most part, nothing will ever be free (managers and up usually get freebies, and even that's not a guarantee). It is just like any other cashier or basic associate job at any store, like WalMart.

The length of your 'career' at Gamestop will be percentage based. How much percentage of used you sell vs. new, how many preorders you get, how many subscriptions, so on, and so forth. Prepare to have metrics run your life and determine how many hours you get. Prepare to see people trade in a bunch of the games they have obviously liked, find out that its not enough to get a decent game from the store shelf, and have them get mad when the amount of credit it so low. Prepare to have people you don't know come in and talk to you for a couple hours about how Game X is better than Game Y. Prepare to have management breathing down your neck, pressing you to sell more of everything. Prepare to have to be the guy asking about preorders, subscriptions, warranties, and whatever else that a lot of GAF dislikes.

In short, my advice as far as getting a job at Gamestop is: DON'T.

Source: I worked at Gamestop for a few years, and my brother was an assistant manager at another one (and knew several managers).

 

[FoxMcCloudDS]

So much stuff being said that may have been true in the past, but isn't as much anymore. At GameStop if you enjoy games, talking about them (you are on gaf, so I am guessing you do), enjoy making personal suggestions, and are not scared to sell stuff that you personally may not enjoy - GO FOR IT!

It's a decent part time job, and it beats working for walmart. The nice thing about gamestop is that it is a small enough environment where you meet customers and become friends with people daily. It isn't a job for someone who is really introverted - so be warned. You will spend plenty of time socializing with employees too, so make sure you like the staff. I've met a lot of great people in my days there, and we are basically a big family.

Don't worry about the 'numbers' aspect too much. As long as you ask the customer if they have a power up card (many of which do) you will be fine. Most people enjoy the discounts gamestop offers and like the dedicated staff and "family" environment. Hope you get the job! Good luck!

Edit - Check out the post above mine, and see what the general outlook for gamestop is. It's just not like that at all, at least not where I am from. Yes, you get annoying customers sometimes, but 90% of the time you are helping people who want to be there because they like your store. The issues people have with numbers I just don't get. I have never heard of 1 employee in my entire district in the decade I have been with the company get fired because of a lack of "numbers". A lack of motivation, maybe. But if you like games, and don't mind talking about new games all the time, you will love working there. The hours (especially in the summer) can get rough depending on the type of store you are at. Don't worry about it though, give gamestop a shot. There is a reason most of the employees work at gamestop for years - it's a damn fun job. I have done my time with a lot of crappy companies and I would put gamestop at the top of my favorites list. After college I'll be moving on, simply because my major isn't going to work with a position in the company, but I will likely keep a part time position just for fun.

No sense in not going and trying it out for yourself! Give it a whirl!

 

[dekline]

I tried getting a job at GS twice. First time nothing. The second time I got an interview but I had to do it along side another person that wanted the job. Everything was going fine until the interviewer told us that we needed to sell him something of his choice. He gave me a mobile phone case and the other guy duct tape....How the hell is that fair? Duct tape practically sells itself. Needless to say I didn't get the job.

 

[CA1619GUY]

Confused parents thinking a Wii is a Wii U.

 

[antitrop]

Greatness Awaits.

 

[Shadownet]

Working at GameStop boiled down to these things. in this order.

If you can stand working a little bit above minimum wage, then good. You would get paid more if you have some experience in retail.

If your manager is awesome, nice and actually do his job then your job would be a lot easier. if not, then transfer out as quick as you can or quit.

If you don't mind pushing sale, pre-order and warranty at least 40-50% of the time. then you should be fine. You just gotta pick your battle. I only mention pre-order or warranty if the customers look like they might be interested in. If they say no, I just drop it immediately.

If you don't mind doing repetitive craps like constantly putting games back on shelves and answering stupid questions then you'll be okay.

honestly, i've been working there for 6 months. I'm on my 2nd manager now. ( the 1st one got transferred cause he wanted a less busy store, so he switched with my current one.)

Both are amazing managers. They do their job, treat employees like family, and actually hang out with us after work, even give us a break if we screwed something up. Plus try to keep your store clean, wipe the counters, the glass, and stuff once a week or something. my store is cleaner than most store despite it being in a mall with a lot of traffic.

I once accidentally short change someone $20. and the 1st manager covered it with his own money, instead of taking it out of my paycheck, and didn't even mention it to the regional manager.

But if you have crappy manager, and coworker. your life is going to be hell. like a friend of mine was, who work at a gamestop just 5 mins away. (lucky for him, his manager got fired, and his new one is a good one)

PS.

if someone ask you if a game is good or not. and you know for sure it's a shitty game. just tell them the truth. It's better to recommend something good then bad just because you need to make a sale.

EX: someone asked me if the Walking Dead Survival Instinct was good. I told her no, it was crap. and she should give the Walking Dead game by TellTale a try instead, sure it's not an action game but more point and click. But it's so much better.

Working at GameStop isn't the worst retail job in the world, sure it got some crappy stuff like (pocket checks, working like you're doing commission, but you don't get any, bad customers) but you get to meet some really cool and awesome people. Customers and Coworkers alike. once again, it's all depends if the people you work with is crap or not.

Trust me. it make a world of a difference.

 

[rokkerkory]

Tell each customer about gaf

 

[Ban Puncher]

I did nearly a decade at Electronics Boutique.

I've seen some shit...

 

[kirby145]

There's better jobs out there

 

[ArcaneJoker]

I've always had this morbid curiosity of working at gamestop. I've seen how stupid some of their salesmen can be. I mean anybody with a brain outranks those that have no bran. But I've always had this alter fascination with being the Al Bundy of Gamestop and having many stories to tell about Gamestop much like my time at Der Disnay.

Anyone work at gamestop or has worked at gamestop to tell me what I should expect?

Right now is not a good time to be there the company is going through a huge transition and they keep pulling shit out of their perverbial ass to make there store employees lives more difficult on a daily bases.