Awkward and cringed is kinda what training videos are all about. You get a person who has probably never directed before and a person from HR to write a script and you search craigslist for an actor and you have the perfect storm for an awkward video.
-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Gamestop's training video on how to deal with female customers
- Thread starter Wag
- Start date
Awkward and cringed is kinda what training videos are all about. You get a person who has probably never directed before and a person from HR to write a script and you search craigslist for an actor and you have the perfect storm for an awkward video.
Beelzebufo
Banned
While lighthearted, it surely shows how women were perceived in the games industry around Mario Kart Wii's launch. We shouldn't be mad at the makers of this video, since like you said I think they were just trying to make a fun video, but it's definitely troublesome. Watching this, you can easily see why things like #GamerGate exist, considering just a few years ago women seemed that alienating.
This is kind of like that old Flinstines commercial, but with subconscious sexism instead of cigarettes.
It's an Australian accent. It's trying to play off the whole Crocodile Hunter thing (even though he was already dead by the time they filmed this, given the Mirror's Edge display).
It's also really dumb.
Skipped to the end and wow. The wooden acting. The drawn-out cringey analogy.
"...an additional purchase she wouldn't have made if Andrew hadn't drawn her in like he did!"
*AWKWARD SHAKY ZOOM to model employee Andrew*
It's walking a thin line between the "gotcha! wink wink" self-aware shtick and like genuine earnestness. 'The Room' of training videos.
block tower
Member
why is this like a fkn safari video lmao!
Lone Wolf
Member
I think the idea is that she is a foreigner visiting a strange all male land. At least that is what I got from it.
Beelzebufo
Banned
Because their employees might be as awkward in real life as they are in the video haha
OsirisBlack
Banned
If you all think that's bad you should see the old sexual harassment video.
Fbh
Member
Wow that was bad.
And I just hate this corporate way of interacting with consumers. It's why I generally preffer to buy stuff (not just videogames) at smaller local stores than big chains, even if it's a bit more expensive. I don't really care about "supporting the small guy", it's just that I want to buy something without having to hear about the 250 active promotions and special offers.
I purchased a latptop for my mom a few months ago and for some reason decided to go to a "Best Buy" type of store (or the equivalent in my country) and it was just terrible
-"Hi, I'd like to buy this"
-"Of course, but did you know we also have bla bla bla bla"
-"No thx, I just want to buy this"
-"We also have a promotion of another laptop of similar features (according to the box) and for only a $30 extra you can add a mouse and a 16gb flashdrive to your purchase"
-"No thx, I like this brand, I just want to buy this"
-"Sure, but did you know you can also get an extended warranty and we will replace it in case of bla bla bla"
-"No thx, I'm fine with the 1 year default warranty, I just want to buy this"
-"But imagine if in a little over a year you accidentaly drop it, with this warranty you'd just have to bla bla"
-"No thx, It sounds useful but I'm not interested, I just want to buy this"
-"Ok then. How do you wish to pay"
-"With my debit card please"
-"Oh but did you know that if you use our credit card you could get up to a $20 discount in your next purchase"
-"I don't own your stores credit card. I just want to buy this with my regular debit card please"
-"But if you are interested in getting the card we could get you one right now, it will only take 15 minutes"
-"No thx, I'm not interested. I just want to buy this please"
-"Are you absolutely sure? It will only take a little bit of your time and you could use that $20 credit to get this wireless mouse we have on sale and it would only cost you $10 rather than $30"
-"No thx, I just want to buy this"
-"It's a really good mouse from one of our top brands. The regular price is $40 and by getting our card you could buy it right now for $10 and it would make a nice complement to that laptop"
-"No thx. Look, I know you are just doing your job but I REALLY just want to buy this with my debit card an be on me way. Can we do that"
-"Ok them, it will be $xxxx please"
And I just hate this corporate way of interacting with consumers. It's why I generally preffer to buy stuff (not just videogames) at smaller local stores than big chains, even if it's a bit more expensive. I don't really care about "supporting the small guy", it's just that I want to buy something without having to hear about the 250 active promotions and special offers.
I purchased a latptop for my mom a few months ago and for some reason decided to go to a "Best Buy" type of store (or the equivalent in my country) and it was just terrible
-"Hi, I'd like to buy this"
-"Of course, but did you know we also have bla bla bla bla"
-"No thx, I just want to buy this"
-"We also have a promotion of another laptop of similar features (according to the box) and for only a $30 extra you can add a mouse and a 16gb flashdrive to your purchase"
-"No thx, I like this brand, I just want to buy this"
-"Sure, but did you know you can also get an extended warranty and we will replace it in case of bla bla bla"
-"No thx, I'm fine with the 1 year default warranty, I just want to buy this"
-"But imagine if in a little over a year you accidentaly drop it, with this warranty you'd just have to bla bla"
-"No thx, It sounds useful but I'm not interested, I just want to buy this"
-"Ok then. How do you wish to pay"
-"With my debit card please"
-"Oh but did you know that if you use our credit card you could get up to a $20 discount in your next purchase"
-"I don't own your stores credit card. I just want to buy this with my regular debit card please"
-"But if you are interested in getting the card we could get you one right now, it will only take 15 minutes"
-"No thx, I'm not interested. I just want to buy this please"
-"Are you absolutely sure? It will only take a little bit of your time and you could use that $20 credit to get this wireless mouse we have on sale and it would only cost you $10 rather than $30"
-"No thx, I just want to buy this"
-"It's a really good mouse from one of our top brands. The regular price is $40 and by getting our card you could buy it right now for $10 and it would make a nice complement to that laptop"
-"No thx. Look, I know you are just doing your job but I REALLY just want to buy this with my debit card an be on me way. Can we do that"
-"Ok them, it will be $xxxx please"
The guy's face is gold! lol
Trust me. Us employees hate doing that as much as the customer hates having to deal with it. Unfortunately it does work on some customers and corporate gets this idea that we're too stupid to figure out when it's turning a customer away and when they might be interested so requires the employee to ask all customers and even will give metrics that if you didn't ask so many customers that you aren't doing your job. And honestly, the metrics are more like you have to sell to so many customers and damned if you end up chasing customers away permenantly long as you reach those metrics.
HawthorneKitty
Sgt. 2nd Class in the Creep Battalion, Waifu Wars
Yeah, I'm ready to make a symbiotic relationship now.
DoktorEvil
Banned
LonelyGreyWolf
Banned
That really looks like a parody; almost something that CollegeHumor or Smosh would cook up. The scenes, the acting, the everything. It's so bad.
StrangeTaco
Member
Lasted longer than I did, got to about 1:30 before I skipped to the end just to make sure this wasn't a joke.
I've worked for the company for 8 years and I have never seen this video. 
I've come to the conclusion that there is reason why GameStop breaks things down for the employees like children. Because seven of out ten times the employees act like children. The amount of SMs, DMs, GAs, employees I have seen in my time here that act like and work like children is astounding.
Sometimes, it truly does reflect the industry and its audience though. =/
I've come to the conclusion that there is reason why GameStop breaks things down for the employees like children. Because seven of out ten times the employees act like children. The amount of SMs, DMs, GAs, employees I have seen in my time here that act like and work like children is astounding.
Sometimes, it truly does reflect the industry and its audience though. =/
Funyarinpa
Member
Did I get it wrong
or did the video literally just present women who buy games as "a mysterious species unknown to man"?!
Was about to post this, it was amazing.
OdysseusVA
Banned
lol
This is great
This is great
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
I can't take this seriously, I'm 30 seconds in, and I love how with the Safari music, map, and then the transition to the elephant, I can't get it out of my head of GameStop's opening in African Jungles to try and sell games to Elephants. XD;
DannyDanger
Member
Honestly
I expected worse...
I like the fact that they want the associates to avoid a condescending tone.
Even though that's the exact tone I witness most of the time I go
I expected worse...
I like the fact that they want the associates to avoid a condescending tone.
Even though that's the exact tone I witness most of the time I go
Fbh
Member
Oh yeah I know.
It's really why, unlike other people, I don't get angry or agressive with the person. I know he is just doing his job and saying all that BS is what's expected of him.
I was lucky enough to work in a place that cared more about making customers feel they got a good service rather than just bombarding them with a list of promotions and special offers. Managers trusted us with knowing which promotion to offer (if at all) and we generally only mentioned them if in our interaction with the consumers we felt they might actually be interested. Getting good comments on social media or by email (you know "I went to the store located in this mall today and the service was great") got you more benefits than selling X number of promotions every day.
I mean, of course they also cared about sales and there was a range every store was expected to reach every month. But the way in which we were told to interact with consumers was great and much more enjoyable for both us and the people that came to our store
I know they are doing their job. Which is why I don't have an issue with those people and I'm allways respectful and nice to them.
My issue is with the higher ups of these companies that come up with these BS sales tactics
CyanideFuse
Member
I managed 29 seconds. Where is David Brent and his guitar when you need him.
NipplesAndToes23
Member
This shit is stupid and not funny.
7DollarHagane
Banned
Nothing is more cringe worthy than retail employee training videos.
I had one at subway years ago that was about food safety and it was all themed after the legend of Zelda.. Wonder if that is online anywhere..
After a quick google search it seems like it isn't..
It tried to position food safety and avoiding spoilage and contamination like battling enemies in Zelda.. It was really strange because it very clearly had a zelda-like motif and music and visuals.
Really wish I could find that somewhere.
I had one at subway years ago that was about food safety and it was all themed after the legend of Zelda.. Wonder if that is online anywhere..
After a quick google search it seems like it isn't..
It tried to position food safety and avoiding spoilage and contamination like battling enemies in Zelda.. It was really strange because it very clearly had a zelda-like motif and music and visuals.
Really wish I could find that somewhere.
gamechanger87
Member
Do the instructions include removing your fedora prior to talking to women out of courtesy?
Red Liquorice
Member
Do the staff really come up to you and badger you in Gamestop?!
double jump
you haven't lived until a random little kid ask you "how do you make love".
while some parts of the video are cringe worthy I think it's effective at teaching people how to make a sale in that environment.
matrixman92
Member
I dont think I have gone into the store once without having an employee come up to me and ask me what im looking for. I always say "just looking"
Then when you check out, they always hammer on with trying to sell preorders. Even had some employees question me why I wasnt buying a certain game before.
Here's how I used to deal with female non-gamers:
"Hey, what's good? What can I help you with?"
"I'm here to like...pick up some game for my boyfriend? Call of Duty?"
"Yeah, That's the one that came out today. Did he preorder?"
"No I don't think so?"
"It's cool. PS3 or Xbox?"
"X-box I think?"
"Okay, if that's the wrong copy just return it and we'll get you the right one. Your total is 64.79."
"Thanks for your help!"
"No problem. Have a good one."
"Bye!"
*she walks away*
....
"Plz respond."
"Hey, what's good? What can I help you with?"
"I'm here to like...pick up some game for my boyfriend? Call of Duty?"
"Yeah, That's the one that came out today. Did he preorder?"
"No I don't think so?"
"It's cool. PS3 or Xbox?"
"X-box I think?"
"Okay, if that's the wrong copy just return it and we'll get you the right one. Your total is 64.79."
"Thanks for your help!"
"No problem. Have a good one."
"Bye!"
*she walks away*
....
"Plz respond."
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
A couple years ago my daughter was picking a game up for me at GameStop, and the employee treated her like poorly. He even suggested she not pick up my game and instead buy some other game for herself.
I wrote a nasty email, and then got a call from the district manager. Supposedly the problem employee was sent back to sensitivity training, and transferred to another store.
I wrote a nasty email, and then got a call from the district manager. Supposedly the problem employee was sent back to sensitivity training, and transferred to another store.
DoktorEvil
Banned
Maybe a long time ago. Very rarely does the staff come up to me and ask me if I'm looking for something. Most of the time I scan the used racks for anything rare.
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
Pretty much.
The only good line? "The only difference with women is we're not men."
John Harker
Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
cringe worthy for sure, but this is why digital still has a long way to go and retail is still critical.
you don't have someone to upsell and push promotions on digital storefronts like you do at GameStop. A large portion of video game 'shoppers' are simply not as well informed as 'players' are - so they rely on this interaction. And major publishers rely on it it too. They get lost on digital store fronts because not a lot of them offer ways to merchandise for awareness like you can in-store.
I've talked about this before, since it's a big subject.
but store fronts and UI's on digital need to be totally re-imagined to hit those big mainstream numbers.
you don't have someone to upsell and push promotions on digital storefronts like you do at GameStop. A large portion of video game 'shoppers' are simply not as well informed as 'players' are - so they rely on this interaction. And major publishers rely on it it too. They get lost on digital store fronts because not a lot of them offer ways to merchandise for awareness like you can in-store.
I've talked about this before, since it's a big subject.
but store fronts and UI's on digital need to be totally re-imagined to hit those big mainstream numbers.