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[7DollarHagane]

I've been seeing a lot of complaining about this on the GameStop Reddit. (which mainly employee posts)

Quoting the GameStop Reddit:

COL is the circle of life, i.e. reservations, preowned sales, trades, and powerup rewards pro. Each store has to have a certain percentage of their transactions contain those items. For every percentage goal reached in each category, the store gets 25% of their COL score. So if an employee has 20% of their transactions contain a new reservation and the store's percentage goal is 15%, that employee's COL score is 25%. The rub is that the COL expectation set by the company is 75% so each employee has to meet ther percentage goal in 3 out of the 4 categories in order to meet the expectation.

The problem is that they have to meet a percentage of used product sales. That means if you walk in the store and buy a ps4 pro, 2 games, and a controller new for ~$700, that employee has to sell about $900 of used product that day to catch up and meet their goals.

This results in insanity like this happening:

Some stores lie about having new product and reject trades as well just to hit goals it's ridiculous.

I've see COL make people do some crazy shit. Pay out of pocket, re-up PUR without permission, crazy shit.

Had a guy tell me yesterday that some other store used his points for a renewal without permission. Had a lady tell me a few days ago that while doing a big purchase (PS4, games, etc.), that the associate snuck in a Pro membership without telling her.

So a regular came in tonight, He original xbone died and he wanted a Slim model for the 4k.

I made no attempt to try to get the sale and I was happy he didn't buy it because I knew it would have hurt my COL. You just gotta laugh sometimes when you're a salesperson and you do better not selling.

Or employees being actually annoyed that they are doing large sales transactions on consoles and games or worries they will be chewed out by management because of it. Essentially every new game sale is a potential of causing them to fail on a major metric that they use to give out hours and have people keep their jobs.

How are publishers not livid about this? GameStop is effectively punishing their employees for selling new games and systems. Someone who needs that job is going to pull every dirty trick in the book to make new games look bad or unavailable.

Just a few years ago we had all these drastic measures to reduce used game sales and now GameStop is firing employees who sell too many new games. Where's the publisher outrage?

 

[Mufausa The 3rd]

If you have them around you. Buy from Mom and Pop shops everyone. Fuck GameStop/EB Games.

 

[mocolostrocolos]

I know from first-hand that this also happens in GAME, at least in Spain.

Or at least something similiar, regarding not selling ceratin products they have in-store to get certain rates.

 

[Moobabe]

This isn't new, nor should it really be surprising.

I worked in gaming retail in the UK and it's all there:

Margin on pre-owned games is higher. That's just the fact of it.

I think I remember reading that the margin on a new game sale was like... £2-3? It's completely unsustainable on it's own. Whereas a pre-owned game could be anything from £5-20 depending on the game (and that's before you go into consoles/accessories etc)

Not defending it, I agree that it's bullshit, but this has been around for a long long time.

 

[cmChimera]

Gamestop is terrible.

 

[HammerFace]

Wait why did they reject a trade? That's a part of the COL? And it's one of the most difficult to get since it requires people to bring their stuff in to trade.

But yeah COL is annoying and I can see how it can lead people to doing ridiculous shit like straight up lying.

 

[sixteen-bit]

shitty practice imo

 

[yaffi]

Is this the case only in the US?

Probably not.

edit: The reason why I'm asking is because when I buy something at one of the two GS around here (semi big town in Germany), they don't try to push anything on me. They let me buy new and/or used without any hassle.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

If you have them around you. Buy from Mom and Pop shops everyone. Fuck GameStop/EB Games.

These stores are very rare for the same reason GameStop doesn't even want you to buy new products.

 

[Compsiox]

What in the fuck.

 

[noqtic]

One of the many many many reasons why I no longer purchase from Gamestop.

I always hated how employees would push you to buy pre-owned and buy subscriptions that you have no interest in.

 

[YuriLowell]

GameStop has always had shitty practices.

 

[georly]

They started implementing these things about 6 or 7 years ago, which is about the time I quit.

The company was actually fun to work for in the early 2000s. Still a priority on trades/preorders and selling used games, but not to the detriment of being anti-consumer and soul-draining on the employees. Once gamestop merged with EB/Funkoland (or acquired or whatever it was), things changed for the worst. I'm sure they make a lot more money than they did back then, but at the cost of employee morale and customer satisfaction, i'm sure.

But they don't care, because there are always dozens of young teens applying for positions. The employees are easily replaceable. And casual customers don't care enough to know they could do better elsewhere.

 

[SynthFetish]

I'd break my own arm before I'll ever spend money at a GameStop.

 

[J-Tier]

I personally didn't know this. This is a really shitty practice.

 

[Lunarwhale]

Explains why, upon getting home the other day, I noticed that they put a warrenty (without asking or telling me) on a goddamn $20 game that I bought. I didn't go back to complain because I don't want to risk screwing the guy out of a job - sneaking on a $3 charge is desperate as hell and I've heard the horror stories about the quotas - but this just gives me more reason to completely move my business elsewhere.

 

[im_dany]

They are absolutely ridicolous in Italy, and it's a shame they have such a monopoly here.

They put warranties on games/accessories without telling you, they tell you you need to pay for their card to trade in games/consoles (you don't, you can use the free one, the paid one is for higher tradein prices). Hell, I've been getting marketing calls atleast once a week on my phone ever since I gave it to them, and it's never happened to me before.

I'm happy they're slowly dying, I'm not happy for their employees but some of them absolutely deserve it.

 

[jrDev]

Damn, COL is still alive? I remember those old days working there...oy...

 

[bjork]

So they should start selling the wall copies as used and fuck over GS's entire inventory system.

This isn't new, nor should it really be surprising.

I worked in gaming retail in the UK and it's all there:

Margin on pre-owned games is higher. That's just the fact of it.

I think I remember reading that the margin on a new game sale was like... £2-3? It's completely unsustainable on it's own. Whereas a pre-owned game could be anything from £5-20 depending on the game (and that's before you go into consoles/accessories etc)

Not defending it, I agree that it's bullshit, but this has been around for a long long time.

It's pretty similar in the states, too. I feel like when we ordered new games for the anime shop, if they were $49 new, we paid $46.99 for them. Older reissued stuff was a little better, but not by much.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

Wait why did they reject a trade? That's a part of the COL? And it's one of the most difficult to get since it requires people to bring their stuff in to trade.

But yeah COL is annoying and I can see how it can lead people to doing ridiculous shit like straight up lying.

Probably if it's towards a new game or system and the trade-in value is a net loss for their metrics.

 

[Mega]

If you have them around you. Buy from Mom and Pop shops everyone. Fuck GameStop/EB Games.

Agreed. My local B&M is run by a nice group of guys who price things fairly and try to keep decent stock. They get almost all my business. Gamestop is a last resort after secondary options (BB, Amazon, ebay).

 

[_woLf]

Gamestop permanently lost my business when they blew 30000 of my decade-plus earned bank of reward points on 5 dollar off your next used purchase coupons without telling me or even emailing them to me.

Fuck gamestop.

 

[metsallica]

So, I guess this sucks or whatever, but we should be mad at the corporation for pushing its employees to do the thing that makes it the most money? OK.

 

[tmarg]

They are the worst way to buy games. They are also the worst way to sell your games, if you are in a position where you need to do that. I really don't understand why anyone shops there, except for blind loyalty from past decades when other options didn't exist.

 

[MaverickHunterX]

As customers, can't we complain about such practices on those surveys on their receipts?

I know a lot of great GS guys and gals, and they definitely don't deserve this treatment!

 

[Strangelove77]

Yup, I think this has always been known.
Most stores that sells preowned media does the same.
Most often the better you do the more hours they offer. That's the stupid incentive. If you don't meet those requirements most places will cut your hours like a mptherfucker. Like, less than 10 a week.

Actually, that's retail in a nutshell overall.

 

[kubev]

Jesus. As if I didn't already have enough of a reason to not want to shop at Game Stop. I guess I'm kind of glad that I pre-ordered my Switch from Game Stop online. Those poor employees.

 

[PSFan]

One of the many many many reasons why I no longer purchase from Gamestop.

I always hated how employees would push you to buy pre-owned and buy subscriptions that you have no interest in.

Yup, and also every single time I tried to buy a new sealed copy of a game there, they never had one and the gutted copy was always there "last copy" in stock. Fuck that shady company,

 

[23qwerty]

If you have them around you. Buy from Mom and Pop shops everyone. Fuck GameStop/EB Games.

Somehow doubt this is the case in EB Games. I've never had an employee push used shit on me.

 

[Okami Haundo]

Definitely a gross read, but not really surprising at all. I use and abuse Gamestop for their promotional trade credit values but otherwise I don't really shop there. Their heavy promotion of used games along with their failure to match programs like Amazon Prime really shows where their interests lie.

Pro tip: be a smart consumer. Don't do all your business at a store you hate, but also don't avoid stores entirely based on principle. Cherry-picking the deals and promotions between retailers works out better for you in the long run.

 

[Trogdor1123]

If you have them around you. Buy from Mom and Pop shops everyone. Fuck GameStop/EB Games.

I like to do this too, the service level is usually really good. The prices are about the same as well.

 

[Darryl M R]

Terrible for these employees. Gamestop's decision made me turn to Amazon, and now I'm just full digital and I hopefully can avoid ever going back into a Gamestop.

 

[jrDev]

They are the worst way to buy games. They are also the worst way to sell your games, if you are in a position where you need to do that. I really don't understand why anyone shops there, except for blind loyalty from past decades when other options didn't exist.

This is not always true, I can't look at any other big company that takes trades for games that provide more credit than Gamestop. Best buy wants to give me a $1 for my new 3DS for fuck's sake.

 

[10k]

I knew some of these things since I'm a regular at one store and they told me but I had no idea it was that bad. Holy shit.

So glad I did all my Switch stuff on Amazon.

 

[MikeHaggar]

I don't shop at GameStop often, but I was in one just a few days ago. It amazes how each time I go into one they look more and more like junk stores/pawn shops. The one I was in the past weekend I am familiar with and have been in it quite a bit over the last 10 years. I was amazed at how crowded and full of junk it was. And they push the used stuff so hard. It is not even a pleasant space to be in. This particular store used to be a really nice, clean store with a good layout. This was years ago though...

 

[moltonasty]

If you have them around you. Buy from Mom and Pop shops everyone. Fuck GameStop/EB Games.

no lies detected

I avoid them like the plague. When you can get 20 % off with Amazon and BB GCU what's the incentive? Bad prices, bad customer service, bad treatment of their employees, shit policies, etc etc

 

[rochellepaws]

Not sure if they do this elsewhere but they've often had this promotion in Ireland which seems designed towards punishing staff who don't pester customers about trades by forcing a transaction record of their transgression.

http://i.imgur.com/juLjWpK.jpg

 

[ALLseeingEYE]

I assume this goes for EB Games here in Canada too? This is cancerous behavior towards our industry. I rarely ever shop at Eb Games anymore because of the prices and their attitude.

 

[RPG_Fanatic]

That is a pretty horrible practice for employees. I shop at EB games in Canada pretty regularly and haven't run into any shady or desperate behavior yet. Just the usual do you want a warranty or anything else you want to preorder.

 

[_Rob_]

Not sure if they do this elsewhere but they've often had this promotion in Ireland which seems designed towards punishing staff who don't pester customers about trades by forcing a transaction record of their transgression.

http://i.imgur.com/juLjWpK.jpg

Is there any evidence to show this kind of aggressive sales tactic works? If anything it makes me want to visit less and shop elsewhere.

 

[Arkeband]

When BBY price matches them, there's really no reason to ever shop at Gamestop unless you're tits-deep in their (subpar) rewards program.

I had some used consoles I sold recently via Craigslist and doubled what GameStop would have given me. And their used game prices are utterly hilarious, sometimes being only a few dollars less than a brand new copy.

This is not always true, I can't look at any other big company that takes trades for games that provide more credit than Gamestop. Best buy wants to give me a $1 for my new 3DS for fuck's sake.

They give $70 for the XL version, which is still awful, but it sounds like you're trying to trade in a limited edition Pokemon console (which you should not be selling to retailers).

 

[DrZeus]

Use them before they use you. I only walk into a gamestop when i have a clear advantage becuz of some promotion or deal.

 

[Stiflers Mom]

If you have them around you. Buy from Mom and Pop shops everyone. Fuck GameStop/EB Games.

Most of them closed down soon after Gamestop arrived in town where I live.

 

[Pops Maellard]

This is not always true, I can't look at any other big company that takes trades for games that provide more credit than Gamestop. Best buy wants to give me a $1 for my new 3DS for fuck's sake.

Amusingly some random person on the internet is likely to give you significantly more for your 3DS/used games than both BB and Gamestop combined.

 

[BinaryBear07]

I am never buying from GameStop again. I had a horrible experience with them last night and them getting upset I didn't want to renew my Power Up Rewards account.

 

[Ryuukan]

the closest thing I've ever encountered like this in my many years of gamestop shopping was a dude asking me to renew my pro membership because it was about to expire. He said this to me every time I picked something up over the course of a month even though it was like 5 months off from expiring.

I complained on a survey and the manager called me personally and made that specific employee hand me a $25 gift card the next time I came in.

 

[Luminaire]

If you have them around you. Buy from Mom and Pop shops everyone. Fuck GameStop/EB Games.

Not likely when the mom and pop shops around me price gouge.

Amazon is the better choice, at least for me.

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

A Gamestop employee added a warranty to a game without asking me, I caught it when I was paying. I reported it to the company and reminded them that it was illegal on top of everything else, never heard back.

Don't shop at Gamestop unless you want to be surprised by how bad it really is.

Explains why, upon getting home the other day, I noticed that they put a warrenty (without asking or telling me) on a goddamn $20 game that I bought. I didn't go back to complain because I don't want to risk screwing the guy out of a job - sneaking on a $3 charge is desperate as hell and I've heard the horror stories about the quotas - but this just gives me more reason to completely move my business elsewhere.

Yep this is a thing.

 

[tmarg]

This is not always true, I can't look at any other big company that takes trades for games that provide more credit than Gamestop. Best buy wants to give me a $1 for my new 3DS for fuck's sake.

There are people looking for 3DSes right now in the GAF BST thread. Im pretty sure one of them will offer you more than gamestop.

 

[Mohonky]

They're a retail store, this shit just goes with the territory.