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Gamestop/EB: No PS3 reservations til October!

sonycowboy said:
Sorry. I saw you say it earlier, but you worded it awfully strange.

And, I feel sorry for the employees. The metrics they push on folks in terms of warranties per sell and used game percentages are just horrible. I know they need it to stay in business vs the WalMarts/Best Buy/Targets who make profit on other areas and can offer games at discounted prices, but it still sucks.

And they get a ton of abuse from folks when then ask the fateful questions: "Would you like a $3 protection for your game?" or "For only $5 less you can get it used".

99% of the time, people just give the look like, what the fuck do you think?
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Sorry for the miswording.

I agree it sucks and its horrible. I do feel sorry for the stores, thankfully I don't have to do that for GameStop/EB :)

Though I will say that moms who buy for there kids suck up warranties on games and systems like no other. I mean they all experience there kids screwing up a game or 2 in there lives that they had to repurchase.
 
sonycowboy said:
Sorry. I saw you say it earlier, but you worded it awfully strange.

And, I feel sorry for the employees. The metrics they push on folks in terms of warranties per sell and used game percentages are just horrible. I know they need it to stay in business vs the WalMarts/Best Buy/Targets who make profit on other areas and can offer games at discounted prices, but it still sucks.

And they get a ton of abuse from folks when then ask the fateful questions: "Would you like a $3 protection for your game?" or "For only $5 less you can get it used".

99% of the time, people just give the look like, what the fuck do you think?
Click to expand...


Dont feel sorry for us, people in retail know what they are getting themselves into when you take the job. Its all about the add on's. Yay UPT & DPT!
 
sonycowboy said:
Sorry. I saw you say it earlier, but you worded it awfully strange.

And, I feel sorry for the employees. The metrics they push on folks in terms of warranties per sell and used game percentages are just horrible. I know they need it to stay in business vs the WalMarts/Best Buy/Targets who make profit on other areas and can offer games at discounted prices, but it still sucks.

And they get a ton of abuse from folks when then ask the fateful questions: "Would you like a $3 protection for your game?" or "For only $5 less you can get it used".

99% of the time, people just give the look like, what the fuck do you think?
Click to expand...

Launch isn't too bad though. Just hectic. Warranty is easier to push nowadays and most people are getting SOMETHING. Be it a controller, a game or other accessory.

This might be tough for me to pick up my second console to sell on ebay though. I'm wondering if I should even bother now. Though if I don't I might not have enough to pick up a Revolution and Zelda.
 
sonycowboy said:
Sorry. I saw you say it earlier, but you worded it awfully strange.

And, I feel sorry for the employees. The metrics they push on folks in terms of warranties per sell and used game percentages are just horrible. I know they need it to stay in business vs the WalMarts/Best Buy/Targets who make profit on other areas and can offer games at discounted prices, but it still sucks.

And they get a ton of abuse from folks when then ask the fateful questions: "Would you like a $3 protection for your game?" or "For only $5 less you can get it used".

99% of the time, people just give the look like, what the fuck do you think?
Click to expand...


I do get that look sometimes, but alot of people actually get the "protection" Whoever said that moms jump at the chance for these warranties is right on the money. I can guarantee that come this November just about everyone is gonna get that warranty for their launch PS3.:lol
 
PezRadar said:
Sorry for the miswording.

I agree it sucks and its horrible. I do feel sorry for the stores, thankfully I don't have to do that for GameStop/EB :)

Though I will say that moms who buy for there kids suck up warranties on games and systems like no other. I mean they all experience there kids screwing up a game or 2 in there lives that they had to repurchase.
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Took the words right outta my mouth, Pez. You have to be able to read people. Judge their reactions and don't be afraid to occasionally geek out about something cool or tell them a game sucks if you know they're going to hate it. But don't force your opinions on people if they don't want them. Parents tend to respond to a lot of the "typical approaches" better then your average gamer would.
 
PezRadar said:
James: no one has money down.. there arent even preorder SKU's available for the systems.
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EBGames and Cambridgeside Galeria Mall near Boston had a paper sign a few days ago that said "Preorder a PS3 with $50 down".
 
PezRadar said:
Im amazed there are so many GameStop/EB Store employees on this forum.

Kudos to you all !
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Yeah no kidding. I wish the guys at my GS/EB were as knowlegable as the average GAF poster. I might actually go more often :)
 
Marconelly said:
EB in Canada apparently won't have any preordering on PS3. First come first serve basis they say.

Not sure if it will be possible to preorder it in Canada. ToysRUs maybe?
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ToysRUs have been taking preorders for PS3 and Wii since February. If you are in Canada go get on a list as it hasn't been advertised well at all.
 
jamesinclair said:
EBGames and Cambridgeside Galeria Mall near Boston had a paper sign a few days ago that said "Preorder a PS3 with $50 down".
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Go ask them again and pin them by saying "Why are you the only store in the corporation taking preorders on the PS3, when clearly your Store Informers in your daily e-mails tell you that preorders arent available. Not to mention you do not even have a PS3 preorder SKU that is in existence in your company.. Maybe I should call the customer service line about this to confirm?"

Theyll be scared.

That sign was also store made, and not in compliance to Marketing..
 
PezRadar said:
Go ask them again and pin them by saying "Why are you the only store in the corporation taking preorders on the PS3, when clearly your Store Informers in your daily e-mails tell you that preorders arent available. Not to mention you do not even have a PS3 preorder SKU that is in existence in your company.. Maybe I should call the customer service line about this to confirm?"

Theyll be scared.

That sign was also store made, and not in compliance to Marketing..
Click to expand...

I have no idea if it's still up today or not. Thats why I wanted to know what happens to the people that put money down at the request of the handwritten sign on the door.
 
jamesinclair said:
I have no idea if it's still up today or not. Thats why I wanted to know what happens to the people that put money down at the request of the handwritten sign on the door.
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There was no sku so they probably stuck it on some generic preorder SKU.. which means it doesnt even affect any type of allocation that the store will get..

A few customers just got screwed in other words. The only way it wouldnt is if they rolled them over to the preorder SKU's when they come up after this store managers conference, but then you either rely on them doing it the day sku's go up. Then if you are a customer who comes in that day the preorders comes up and you go to that store and lets say they did roll those over... your chances are screwed..
 
Well shit. I guess we can call this confirmed now? Deep down inside, I was kinda hoping I was wrong.


As for taking names and numbers, I had this conversation with my ASM today. I don't agree that we should take names and numbers at all for a few reasons:

For one, lists get lost, thrown out, etc. A fellow employee started taking names the day after the Sony conference; That sheet was thrown away by another employee before the end of the day. The old store I used to work at was taking names months ago. Same thing there as well. Today, the same exact thing happened. There is hardly any way to responsibly keep such a large tally on names and numbers with pen and paper. A high volume store doesn't have time to make possibly hundreds of phone calls the day reservations become available. It just shouldn't be done.

Two, customers will throw shit fits when they don't get their phone calls due to either lists being thrown out, calls not being received, etc. If an employee calls you to let you know that they're taking reservations and you don't answer your phone, you're gonna be shit out of luck when you show up and reservations are full.

And three, a list is only that: A list. Just because you're the first name on that list, doesn't mean that the store isn't going to let anyone reserve it until you've gotten your reservation down. You can be the first three names on the list, but if 50 people are in the store to reserve the system before you show up after your phone call, again, you're out of luck.

I've had multiple customers ask why I won't put them on a call list and I've told them exactly these reasons. It just doesn't make sense to take a number list.
 
Randam_Hajile said:
Well shit. I guess we can call this confirmed now? Deep down inside, I was kinda hoping I was wrong.


As for taking names and numbers, I had this conversation with my ASM today. I don't agree that we should take names and numbers at all for a few reasons:

For one, lists get lost, thrown out, etc. A fellow employee started taking names the day after the Sony conference; That sheet was thrown away by another employee before the end of the day. The old store I used to work at was taking names months ago. Same thing there as well. Today, the same exact thing happened. There is hardly any way to responsibly keep such a large tally on names and numbers with pen and paper. A high volume store doesn't have time to make possibly hundreds of phone calls the day reservations become available. It just shouldn't be done.

Two, customers will throw shit fits when they don't get their phone calls due to either lists being thrown out, calls not being received, etc. If an employee calls you to let you know that they're taking reservations and you don't answer your phone, you're gonna be shit out of luck when you show up and reservations are full.

And three, a list is only that: A list. Just because you're the first name on that list, doesn't mean that the store isn't going to let anyone reserve it until you've gotten your reservation down. You can be the first three names on the list, but if 50 people are in the store to reserve the system before you show up after your phone call, again, you're out of luck.

I've had multiple customers ask why I won't put them on a call list and I've told them exactly these reasons. It just doesn't make sense to take a number list.
Click to expand...


October isnt a confirmed date.

Your store must have horrible management or organization. A Binder is not that big of an investment, and its not hard to keep those in there. Ive seen well over 10 stores with just binders of tons of phone numbers. You will also find some are so illegible/repeats that it just drop the number of calls you will have to make drastically.. Call once, dont call many times, I reccomend warning people to give you a voicemail # because its just 1 call not numerous. Not to mention you will be prewarned on some sort of reservation rollout going out, thus allowing for proper scheduling and more then likely leaving 1 dedicated person on 1 line in the morning.

I would HIGHLY reccomend you do not stop taking numbers on a call list.. HIGHLY <== Let me emphasize that some more for a hint ;)

:lol
 
PezRadar said:
October isnt a confirmed date.

Your store must have horrible management or organization. A Binder is not that big of an investment, and its not hard to keep those in there. Ive seen well over 10 stores with just binders of tons of phone numbers. You will also find some are so illegible/repeats that it just drop the number of calls you will have to make drastically.. Call once, dont call many times, I reccomend warning people to give you a voicemail # because its just 1 call not numerous. Not to mention you will be prewarned on some sort of reservation rollout going out, thus allowing for proper scheduling and more then likely leaving 1 dedicated person on 1 line in the morning.

I would HIGHLY reccomend you do not stop taking numbers on a call list.. HIGHLY <== Let me emphasize that some more for a hint ;)

:lol
Click to expand...

If the manager's conference isn't until September, then I'd say that a September/October date minimum for preorders is pretty confirmed by tonight's email.

As far as my store's organization goes, I've worked for 2 Gamestops and 1 EB Games in the past three years, and yes, my current store is the most unorganized store I've ever seen. Other than the store manager and myself, most of the employees would be seen as the typical gamestore elitist pricks who think of the customers as nothing more than an annoyance in their daily lives. But that's a whole other story. :lol

Still, my personal opinion about phone lists stands. As said before, a high volume store doesn't have time to call everyone on a list, even if the list is kept. And a phone call isn't as "set in stone" as a reservation itself. Now, on the other hand, I would NOT be opposed to taking names and numbers in the computer if they were to receive an automated call from corporate. That, IMO, would be logical.
 
Randam_Hajile said:
If the manager's conference isn't until September, then I'd say that a September/October date minimum for preorders is pretty confirmed by tonight's email.

As far as my store's organization goes, I've worked for 2 Gamestops and 1 EB Games in the past three years, and yes, my current store is the most unorganized store I've ever seen. Other than the store manager and myself, most of the employees would be seen as the typical gamestore elitist pricks who think of the customers as nothing more than an annoyance in their daily lives. But that's a whole other story. :lol

Still, my personal opinion about phone lists stands. As said before, a high volume store doesn't have time to call everyone on a list, even if the list is kept. And a phone call isn't as "set in stone" as a reservation itself. Now, on the other hand, I would NOT be opposed to taking names and numbers in the computer if they were to receive an automated call from corporate. That, IMO, would be logical.
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That would clog ARN more then 2x Halo 2. BTW the phone lists are fairly enforced by corp. They do tell all the cust serv people to say that all stores do take #'s and to have a customer be told that and then head to your store then hear something else just will lead to your store earning a store complaint thus involving DM / Store Issues Team / RM possibly.

sp0rsk I already answered that =[
 
oh haha

Working for gamestop is shit btw. 5.15 an hour is not worth the kind of work i had to do. Your company treats its employees with no respect and i hope wal mart crushes them.

Yes, i am bitter.
 
sp0rsk said:
oh haha

Working for gamestop is shit btw. 5.15 an hour is not worth the kind of work i had to do. Your company treats its employees with no respect and i hope wal mart crushes them.

Yes, i am bitter.
Click to expand...


I believe the pay scale changed as of the past few months.. But not by much but at least it isnt 5.15!

=]
 
I'm not saving up for a PS3, I'm saving up fo an HD tv, receiver and surround sound. ^_^
My credit card will be going ka-ching when the PS3 is released.
 
sp0rsk said:
oh haha

Working for gamestop is shit btw. 5.15 an hour is not worth the kind of work i had to do. Your company treats its employees with no respect and i hope wal mart crushes them.

Yes, i am bitter.
Click to expand...

I'll have to agree with you, and that's as far as I'm going with that. :D

That said, I do love my job. It gives me a chance every day to talk to the average game consumer with an unbiased opinion and help them to make their own decisions about what they'd like to play. Too many times do I see an employee make a decision for a customer that wasn't theirs to make.

It's a really fun job sometimes, even if the company takes advantage of the fact that (no matter what the consequences) people will always want to work in a game store.
 
Randam_Hajile said:
I'll have to agree with you, and that's as far as I'm going with that. :D

That said, I do love my job. It gives me a chance every day to talk to the average game consumer with an unbiased opinion and help them to make their own decisions about what they'd like to play. Too many times do I see an employee make a decision for a customer that wasn't theirs to make.

It's a really fun job sometimes, even if the company takes advantage of the fact that (no matter what the consequences) people will always want to work in a game store.
Click to expand...


My city was hell, everyone was miserable including my manager
 
jamesinclair said:
EBGames and Cambridgeside Galeria Mall near Boston had a paper sign a few days ago that said "Preorder a PS3 with $50 down".
Click to expand...

Yeah, my local EB has the same and has been taking pre-orders for months.
 
gutter_trash said:
I'm taking the Wal-Mart strategy,, or even better,, the Zellers strategy (Canada's cheapO department store)

doors open at 8am, eveyone will be at best buy and EB.
Not me,, i will be ready at Wal-freakin-Mart :P
Click to expand...

K-MART FTW!! I got my PSP on launch with no preorder! :lol
 
I know this is going to sound fanboyish as hell, but does anyone else think that because all these retailers aren't going to be taking reservations until late September/early October that we could take it was a sign that Sony is considering using TGS as a place to announce potential pricing/hardware revisions? I'm not counting on it, but the timing just seems interesting to me, and the thought had crossed my mind before, because it'll be the last big event we'll see the system at before the launch.
 
typhonsentra said:
I know this is going to sound fanboyish as hell, but does anyone else think that because all these retailers aren't going to be taking reservations until late September/early October that we could take it was a sign that Sony is considering using TGS as a place to announce potential pricing/hardware revisions? I'm not counting on it, but the timing just seems interesting to me, and the thought had crossed my mind before, because it'll be the last big event we'll see the system at before the launch.
Click to expand...

:lol :lol :lol :lol no. I've never worked in retail, but it doesn't seem to be a function of Sony, but rather the retailers not wanting a repeat of the 360 madness with preorders versus actual units they get allocated.
 
typhonsentra said:
I know this is going to sound fanboyish as hell, but does anyone else think that because all these retailers aren't going to be taking reservations until late September/early October that we could take it was a sign that Sony is considering using TGS as a place to announce potential pricing/hardware revisions? I'm not counting on it, but the timing just seems interesting to me, and the thought had crossed my mind before, because it'll be the last big event we'll see the system at before the launch.
Click to expand...


No that is just speculation.

And I will warn everyone, do not preorder from an EB/GS Store until you hear it from GAF or the store itself. These store made signs do not seem real. I reccomend calling 1-800-883-8895 and asking them to confirm it or ask them to call the store themselves maybe.
 
PezRadar said:
No that is just speculation.

And I will warn everyone, do not preorder from an EB/GS Store until you hear it from GAF or the store itself. These store made signs do not seem real. I reccomend calling 1-800-883-8895 and asking them to confirm it or ask them to call the store themselves maybe.
Click to expand...

Don't you have some Gamestops that are franchises and not corporate stores? I know the former funcos in my area operate much differently than the ones that were original gamestops/EBs. Couldn't it just be that the stores taking money for preorders are not fully controlled by corporate? Or has that all changed since the merger?
 
levious said:
Don't you have some Gamestops that are franchises and not corporate stores? I know the former funcos in my area operate much differently than the ones that were original gamestops/EBs. Couldn't it just be that the stores taking money for preorders are not fully controlled by corporate? Or has that all changed since the merger?
Click to expand...


All stores are corporate owned. Each store has different layouts depending on store and size.
 
I wouldn't trust the local Eb store to preorder anything anymore anyhow. They had Kingdom hearts 2 on release date and almost wouldn't sell it to me becuse the manager said not too becuse he was afraid of breaking the street day.

They also may have had new super mario bros and if they did they wouldn't sell it to me on the relese date for the same reason.

Their a bunch of idoits and I wouldn't be suprised to go their on launch date for a system only for them to not sell it to me on that day even thought they had it becuse of their paranoia.
 
I'm really looking forward to the launch games I'll be playing after I spend 24 hours and upwards of $800 to get my PS3. I'll be playing... um, Metal Gea... Final Fanta... Devil May Cr....

Um, what will I be playing? With my Wii?
 
antoniogaud said:
I'm really looking forward to the launch games I'll be playing after I spend 24 hours and upwards of $800 to get my PS3. I'll be playing... um, Metal Gea... Final Fanta... Devil May Cr....

Um, what will I be playing? With my Wii?
Click to expand...
Ah, you're one of "those" gamers...

The type that only plays popular, "brand name" games. You're the reason why so many truly great, but unknown, games have failed. Thanks. We really appreciate it.
 
dark10x said:
Ah, you're one of "those" gamers... The type that only plays popular, "brand name" games. You're the reason why so many truly great, but unknown, games have failed. Thanks. We really appreciate it.
Click to expand...

Er, no I'm actually one of the gamers that uses sarcasm that other people aren't astute enough to comprehend. I appreciate that.
 
antoniogaud said:
Er, no I'm actually one of the gamers that uses sarcasm that other people aren't astute enough to comprehend. I appreciate that.
Click to expand...
Think about what you just posted for second... ;)
 
Two, customers will throw shit fits when they don't get their phone calls due to either lists being thrown out, calls not being received, etc.
Click to expand...

Double post. Hey, that says edit/del over there. How do i activate the "del" part of that, anyway?
 
Two, customers will throw shit fits when they don't get their phone calls due to either lists being thrown out, calls not being received, etc.
Click to expand...

Well, if you're expecting a call and don't get one, you don't know what to think. I didn't get a call for NSMB, and assumed that I was second shipment. I went anyway, and it turns out that they must've put my info in the computer wrong, because I got my copy launch day. I wasn't mad or anything, just confused.
 
I cant I'm not astute enough to comprehend it.

My point was, and still is, that at launch there will be crap available for PS3. That renders the beyond-bizarro amount of money Sony is asking from its fans the equivalent of extortion for a Playstation fix.

I guess I'll have to watch them really in-demand BluRay movies.
 
My DM told me that we aren't taking reserves till September. So it sounds like this is the case.
 
TheJollyCorner said:
didn't 360 reservations start in mid-June or so?

also, what other alternatives do we have? Damn... I wish BestBuy did reservations. :(
Click to expand...

they started the day after the mtv announcement which was beginning to mid may. but maybe no one told you about the debacle of a 360 launch the retail stores had since the allocations were very low all over.


Well atm, the store manager conference is set for september tenativley, but a date should come right after that.
 
Not taking orders until September when PS3 hype is in full swing.
this sounds like a recipe for disaster. I can see myself camping out just for a preorder.
 
Count Chocula said:
Not taking orders until September when PS3 hype is in full swing.
this sounds like a recipe for disaster. I can see myself camping out just for a preorder.
Click to expand...


More like a fix for a disaster called the 360 launch.

With allocation numbers being so horribly small on launch w/o knowing until far after preorders.. yea.
 
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