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Things you hate about gamestop?
- Thread starter PseudoKirby
- Start date
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
Gamble said:
Even with Amazon having release day shipping for most major games? You don't have to wait then.
- Their focus on used games is bad for the industry.
- Their used games are overpriced anyway.
- Their new games are MSRP, but that's still too much in Canada.
- You can't buy anything without being asked to buy or sign up for like five different things every damn time.
- Every used game I have from Gamestop/EBGames has two or three horrible patches of glue on the case. They look terrible in my collection.
- It smells like nerds.
- There are several independantly owned game stores within walking distance of my apartment and all but one have better prices than Gamestop for pretty much everything. (I don't know how the last one stays open. It must be selling drugs or something.
)
I would shop at Gamestop if it was my only choice. A couple of months ago, a new Gamestop opened in my area and I went in and bought a bunch of last gen games for like two or three dollars each. They're probably gone now, and other than those, I have no reason to ever shop there, so I don't.
Though, when I lived in my shitty little hometown, the only other option was Wal-Mart so when an EB Games opened an hour away, it was pretty sweet by comparison.
- Their used games are overpriced anyway.
- Their new games are MSRP, but that's still too much in Canada.
- You can't buy anything without being asked to buy or sign up for like five different things every damn time.
- Every used game I have from Gamestop/EBGames has two or three horrible patches of glue on the case. They look terrible in my collection.
- It smells like nerds.
- There are several independantly owned game stores within walking distance of my apartment and all but one have better prices than Gamestop for pretty much everything. (I don't know how the last one stays open. It must be selling drugs or something.
)I would shop at Gamestop if it was my only choice. A couple of months ago, a new Gamestop opened in my area and I went in and bought a bunch of last gen games for like two or three dollars each. They're probably gone now, and other than those, I have no reason to ever shop there, so I don't.
Though, when I lived in my shitty little hometown, the only other option was Wal-Mart so when an EB Games opened an hour away, it was pretty sweet by comparison.
UpperCaseN
Member
people get me gift cards for gamestop for holidays and bday. I usually use them to buy MSP/PSN points cards, games come from amazon, ebay, or the Buy/Sell/Trade thread here.Wario64 said:
The fact we changed from yellow (used) stickers to white to purposely trick people into picking up used copies thinking they were new. That was a terrible conversion. Also it was probably to save money so they didn't order 2 colors of stickers.
Oh and they fact they fired me after 6 years for nothing. Their lp department would rather blame employees for stuff instead of actually finding out who really did it.
Oh and they fact they fired me after 6 years for nothing. Their lp department would rather blame employees for stuff instead of actually finding out who really did it.
There are no benefits to shopping at Gamestop. Their selection is limited beyond recent releases, the setup has everything just lined up on the ground so you have to bend down to look at everything, and once you buy it you go home and find out you could have bought the game for the same price new online.
Deputy Moonman
Member
I've never seen a decently priced used game at Gamestop. Whenever I'm at a store, there will be a new copy and and a used copy of a game sitting right next to each other and the difference in pricing will be 5-10 bucks, literally. I'm not a big fan of Gamestop. I've always been able to pick up games the night they release from Walmart with no hassle, no wait, no preorder, and no silly questions.
Ivan A Nguyen
Member
This is a small list off the top of my head.
1) Gutting new games and selling them like new.
The only difference between a new game and a used game is the shrink wrap around it. The rest is just spinning in circles and light. Ideally, when they sell you a used game, it should be in a like new condition. If you get a game that has been opened, then it's used. I don't care if they claim it is the last in the store, it's open, don't charge me full price. Sometimes I'll buy a game and it sits unopened for a while. At least when I open it at some later date, I know it hasn't been fiddled with. DS games are worse because it's impossible to tell by looking at it, if someone has played it before. It would have to be really messy for me to know with out checking for a save file.
2) Selling a demo.
This isn't about getting a pre-order to get exclusive access to a beta. It's about selling demo disks and the magazine disks that all say they are not for resale. It says it on the package. If the store bought it, then it's their fault for taking on a bad debt, but those demo disks are not meant to be sold to the public. It's a crappy practice and it's not even full games.
3) Forcing their staff to upsell.
I'm not even blaming the staff. This is a corporate move that sickens me. Someone high up looked at the idea of upselling and understood that motivation was the only barrier to entry. If someone isn't motivated enough to upsell then it won't work. The general problem is, it's hard to constantly staff new people if you make upselling part of their job. That is, it would be, if you didn't have a huge pool of applicants who were willing to take their place. Instead of incentivizing success, they penalize failure. These are all unskilled positions that should have been replaced by RedBox style kiosks years ago. Upselling steals one of a person's greatest strengths, their dignity.
4) Pre-order bonuses
The company can pressure publishers and developers into giving them exclusive pre-order bonuses. They can do this because the publisher makes money based on the number of copies ordered, not necessarily the number sold. By promising a bigger order based on an exclusive bonus, then things are cut from the game, or something is added that others will not get a chance to have. It is possible that it could be sold later as DLC, but DLC was meant to add to the game, not be an avenue of selling the same game in smaller chunks.
5) Protection plans
This is an outright scam. It takes a service the company should offer, if something we sell doesn't work then you can replace it, and charges money for it. Most everything comes with a warranty, but the company tries to scare the uninformed into buying an extra one.
6) No cover art
I don't want to display a game in a black DVD case. I don't want it to be displayed with Gamestop branding on it either. If you can take the time to print out a game stop branded cover, then just print out the original. I know it costs money, but guess what, I'm paying for a product. I doubt it costs more than I paying. Gamestop is the one who accepted the game with out a box, that's their fault, not mine. It doesn't cost me any less to buy a game from gamestop no matter what kind of box it comes in, so I shouldn't be charged if you guys start printing out the correct ones either.
7) Accepting stolen goods
I've heard tales from gamestop employees who have processed trade ins from people who they know stole the games. Someone has 10 copies of unopened Madden and they want to trade them in? Fine by Gamestop. Even pawn shops have stricter rules than these guys. Gamestop can say that used game sales don't hurt the industry as much as piracy, but when they sell stolen goods, it's playing both sides of the fence. Employees should be given a right of refusal.
8) Their purchase database is worthless.
If I buy a used game and loose my recipt, it's done. There's no way for them to look it up by my credit card. For all the info they take down when I trade in a game, none of it is used to help better my experience. Lose that pre-order receipt that you paid in full for? Good luck with that. It wouldn't even be so bad if it were not for the fact that they use heat paper that will eventually wear out in just a few months time. You have to scrapbook those receipts if you have any hope of retaining the information.
1) Gutting new games and selling them like new.
The only difference between a new game and a used game is the shrink wrap around it. The rest is just spinning in circles and light. Ideally, when they sell you a used game, it should be in a like new condition. If you get a game that has been opened, then it's used. I don't care if they claim it is the last in the store, it's open, don't charge me full price. Sometimes I'll buy a game and it sits unopened for a while. At least when I open it at some later date, I know it hasn't been fiddled with. DS games are worse because it's impossible to tell by looking at it, if someone has played it before. It would have to be really messy for me to know with out checking for a save file.
2) Selling a demo.
This isn't about getting a pre-order to get exclusive access to a beta. It's about selling demo disks and the magazine disks that all say they are not for resale. It says it on the package. If the store bought it, then it's their fault for taking on a bad debt, but those demo disks are not meant to be sold to the public. It's a crappy practice and it's not even full games.
3) Forcing their staff to upsell.
I'm not even blaming the staff. This is a corporate move that sickens me. Someone high up looked at the idea of upselling and understood that motivation was the only barrier to entry. If someone isn't motivated enough to upsell then it won't work. The general problem is, it's hard to constantly staff new people if you make upselling part of their job. That is, it would be, if you didn't have a huge pool of applicants who were willing to take their place. Instead of incentivizing success, they penalize failure. These are all unskilled positions that should have been replaced by RedBox style kiosks years ago. Upselling steals one of a person's greatest strengths, their dignity.
4) Pre-order bonuses
The company can pressure publishers and developers into giving them exclusive pre-order bonuses. They can do this because the publisher makes money based on the number of copies ordered, not necessarily the number sold. By promising a bigger order based on an exclusive bonus, then things are cut from the game, or something is added that others will not get a chance to have. It is possible that it could be sold later as DLC, but DLC was meant to add to the game, not be an avenue of selling the same game in smaller chunks.
5) Protection plans
This is an outright scam. It takes a service the company should offer, if something we sell doesn't work then you can replace it, and charges money for it. Most everything comes with a warranty, but the company tries to scare the uninformed into buying an extra one.
6) No cover art
I don't want to display a game in a black DVD case. I don't want it to be displayed with Gamestop branding on it either. If you can take the time to print out a game stop branded cover, then just print out the original. I know it costs money, but guess what, I'm paying for a product. I doubt it costs more than I paying. Gamestop is the one who accepted the game with out a box, that's their fault, not mine. It doesn't cost me any less to buy a game from gamestop no matter what kind of box it comes in, so I shouldn't be charged if you guys start printing out the correct ones either.
7) Accepting stolen goods
I've heard tales from gamestop employees who have processed trade ins from people who they know stole the games. Someone has 10 copies of unopened Madden and they want to trade them in? Fine by Gamestop. Even pawn shops have stricter rules than these guys. Gamestop can say that used game sales don't hurt the industry as much as piracy, but when they sell stolen goods, it's playing both sides of the fence. Employees should be given a right of refusal.
8) Their purchase database is worthless.
If I buy a used game and loose my recipt, it's done. There's no way for them to look it up by my credit card. For all the info they take down when I trade in a game, none of it is used to help better my experience. Lose that pre-order receipt that you paid in full for? Good luck with that. It wouldn't even be so bad if it were not for the fact that they use heat paper that will eventually wear out in just a few months time. You have to scrapbook those receipts if you have any hope of retaining the information.
To me, Gamestop was only relevant when other retailers had not yet realized the size of the gaming industry. It used to be that certain retailers like BestBuy, Walmart, etc., wouldn't have games on their shelves or available as early as Gamestop, EB, Babbages. Now, every retailer has games available on launch day.
I don't shop at Gamestop, because it is a fucking hassle, ridiculously pushy sales people, sales people with attitudes/clueless, and their stores are usually filled with dregs.
Amazon release date delivery.
I don't shop at Gamestop, because it is a fucking hassle, ridiculously pushy sales people, sales people with attitudes/clueless, and their stores are usually filled with dregs.
Amazon release date delivery.
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
- No price matching other stores or even their own website
- New PUR card tries to spin using your points to buy a %off coupon as a perk
- Opened games being sold as "new"
Other than that I don't have a problem with them. And while used games may be "bad" for the industry, they're good for me, the consumer. What's bad for me is gaming companies trying to prevent me from buying a previously used copy. What's bad for me is game publishers wanting to sell me games I can't loan out or trade with other gamers when I'm bored with it. And if you think the difference between a new and used game is $5, you're doing it wrong.
- New PUR card tries to spin using your points to buy a %off coupon as a perk
- Opened games being sold as "new"
Other than that I don't have a problem with them. And while used games may be "bad" for the industry, they're good for me, the consumer. What's bad for me is gaming companies trying to prevent me from buying a previously used copy. What's bad for me is game publishers wanting to sell me games I can't loan out or trade with other gamers when I'm bored with it. And if you think the difference between a new and used game is $5, you're doing it wrong.
With the amazing wonder-store that is Amazon, I don't even understand why people go to Gamestop for used games at this point. I don't have to deal with over-the-counter bullshit or Game Informer-peddling.
Hell, next week I'm taking advantage of Amazon, I'm having free day-one delivery of Dirt 3 for $39.99 thanks to a $20-off coupon they gave me for pre-ordering L.A. Noire. I'm pretty much monogamous with it at this point.
Hell, next week I'm taking advantage of Amazon, I'm having free day-one delivery of Dirt 3 for $39.99 thanks to a $20-off coupon they gave me for pre-ordering L.A. Noire. I'm pretty much monogamous with it at this point.
Anslon said:
Something I've always wondered....who the hell are these animals who are selling used games to Gamestop without the box/art? Manuals I can sort of understand since they're easy to lose if you're a messy hoarder type person. But who are these people who are taking the whole case and discarding it and returning their scratched up naked disc to trade in? Judging by the almost 50% generic cases displayed on the shelves at my Gamestop, there's way too many animals in this world.
legacyzero
Banned
No. I dont want your STUPID EDGE CARD.
Ivan A Nguyen
Member
This policy must be new, because it wasn't that long ago I talked with an employee about this.Roto13 said:
Iwatas Magic Sports Coat
Member
I just don't like being asked to buy a magazine subscription and a pro membership card and if I want to preorder any games or any of that nonsense.
If the company didn't have their employees push those extras on me, I'd probably shop there a lot more.
If the company didn't have their employees push those extras on me, I'd probably shop there a lot more.
Anslon said:
Did you just run out of ideas and start making things up?
Either that or your local GameStop is some really shady shit.
@ 7 - My local GS won't let you trade in a sealed new game if you don't have a receipt. For example, when I bought my 2nd PS3 it came with some NBA game I didn't want anything to do with. The game was sealed and brand new. I went to GS thinking I could get myself a nice chunk of cash for a brand new game, and the guy said he can't accept it since he doesn't know if it was stolen or not since I had no proof of where I got it from.
@ 8 - This one really is BS. I have pre-ordered plenty of games, and I'd say about 5% of the time I actually bring my pre-order receipt in. 95% of the time I bring in nothing and say "Hi I have a pre-order for ________". The guy says "What's your phone number?" I say "555-555-5555". He says "Cool, I see you have it paid for in full, here ya go." And I'm all set....
I don't shop at GS anymore since Amazon pretty much makes things way more convenient, but I never encountered these two points of yours...
RoninChaos
Member
My gamestop is awesome. Even if I end up near one that has people that badger me, it goes with the territory. Most of those reps don't want to piss their customers off, but management is usually the one that's making the sales reps be assholes about shit because their jobs are on the line.
Goodacre0081
Member
Astrosanity said:For anyone complaining about the needlessly ugly stickers plastered all over pre-owned games, this stuff is a godsend:
regular lighter fluid works too
sazabirules
Unconfirmed Member
The only time I shop there now is when they have the B2G1 free promotions on used games. I buy most of my games online.
bobs...onGaf
Member
Gamestop only exclusives...
Eurgh
Eurgh
Hazelhurst
Member
I hate that they changed their name from Babbages to Gamestop. Now every time I say their name, I have to pause and make sure I don't say Gamespot.
My hatred for Gamestop centers on one personal anecdote. Last year, when Gamestop was taking old 360s for $100 toward a Xbox 360 Slim (a deal I'm still surprised they honored, even if for a short while), I apparently took advantage of the exchange when a semi-retarded fellow with pre-verbal issues was working behind the counter. My 360 was pre-HDMI, so it had the component cables with the little switch that toggled between HD and SD. At home, I had used component on an HDTV.
The employee wanted to test the system to ensure that it worked. Fine. So he plugs it into one of those crappy little 13" SD TVs they have back there on the counter, and it comes up a black screen. He begins to look perplexed. I begin to say, "You need to switch the SD to. . ." when he holds up an index finger as if to say, "Wait a sec." He powers down the unit and powers it on again. Black screen. Then he looks at me and says, "Dude, looks like it doesn't work." I say, "It does work. You need to toggle the component switch to SD." He scratches his head and says, "Never heard of doing that, dude. [The "dude" thing was by now getting to me.] I don't know about that, and I'm the only one here today." I said, "Call your manager."
So he does. He actually calls the manager and allows me to talk to the manager. The manager is completely empathetic and underhandedly suggests that I'm dealing with a moron that's about to be let go. He says, "Put him on the phone. I'll talk him through it." So he talks to the semi-retarded employee who ONCE AGAIN adopts that "I'm so perplexed look" whole vacantly staring down at my old 360. I then lose it and lean over the counter and switch the goddamned thing myself. It displays now on the SD screen and the guy just hangs up on his manager and says, "Oh, how'd you do that?"
The employee wanted to test the system to ensure that it worked. Fine. So he plugs it into one of those crappy little 13" SD TVs they have back there on the counter, and it comes up a black screen. He begins to look perplexed. I begin to say, "You need to switch the SD to. . ." when he holds up an index finger as if to say, "Wait a sec." He powers down the unit and powers it on again. Black screen. Then he looks at me and says, "Dude, looks like it doesn't work." I say, "It does work. You need to toggle the component switch to SD." He scratches his head and says, "Never heard of doing that, dude. [The "dude" thing was by now getting to me.] I don't know about that, and I'm the only one here today." I said, "Call your manager."
So he does. He actually calls the manager and allows me to talk to the manager. The manager is completely empathetic and underhandedly suggests that I'm dealing with a moron that's about to be let go. He says, "Put him on the phone. I'll talk him through it." So he talks to the semi-retarded employee who ONCE AGAIN adopts that "I'm so perplexed look" whole vacantly staring down at my old 360. I then lose it and lean over the counter and switch the goddamned thing myself. It displays now on the SD screen and the guy just hangs up on his manager and says, "Oh, how'd you do that?"
ILOVEASIANS
Member
The ignorance/pushiness/assholeness of the employees of everyone I have ever been to. Over hearing them explain games to soccer Moms, getting 40 things wrong, and claiming awful games are the best, just makes me want to vomit.
xenoflux2113
Member
I was fucking told by an employee of Gamestop that when they have a power sale they are required to open every copy of the game on sale and display the case. This is to make it more appealing as he put the disks for my newly purchased copy of Borderlands GOTY back in the case. WTF is that bullshit?
Starwolf_UK
Member
Person who was meant to change the prices couldn't find all the copies of the game to change the price on and/or was sidetracked by other tasks going on in-store (I know in the GAME stores here in the UK they massively cut the number of staff and so there literally no working time to shelving items in the store).seattle7997 said:
Sometimes it can work the other way too. If the higher price was correct depending on clerk behind the till you can haggle them to the lower one.
I didn't care when I was little, but it kind of bothers me now:
They obviously open my "new" copy of my game. I've only one new game this gen from this place and it was obviously opened before. The disc looked clean so that was fine, but I didn't like have stickers on the case that when peeled off left a mark on the case.
They obviously open my "new" copy of my game. I've only one new game this gen from this place and it was obviously opened before. The disc looked clean so that was fine, but I didn't like have stickers on the case that when peeled off left a mark on the case.
mclaren777
Member
I'd love to see members of the gaming press answer this question.Wario64 said:
funkystudent
Member
I HATE not getting a sealed copy of a game.
but now I only get a game from gamestop whens its part of some deal.
but now I only get a game from gamestop whens its part of some deal.
Mortrialus
Banned
woolley said:
This. I collect games and never sell anything. I like my games to be in as high of quality as possible. The amount of extremely difficult to remove stickers (Including the ones the put on the actual paper of the cover) was simply enough to get me to stop purchasing from them. The constant badgering from employees wanting to sell you some subscription sucks as well. When I buy used, there is a fantastic locally owned store called Rock 30 run which sells everything from Atari 2600 games all the way up to new PC and 7th Generation Console games. Their stickers are considerably easier to remove and don't leave any marks. The also don't put them on incredibly stupid locations, either. If something I want isn't available there, I go to Amazon and Ebay.
GrandHarrier
Member
I hate all the exaggerations and hate for hates sake. I mean, really, they are just a business and nowhere near as bad as people make them out to be. I'm on pretty good terms with some of the people that work for my local gamestops; You know what? They're just guys and gals, like the rest of us. Professional, but friendly when you get to know them.
I appreciate the chain, itself, for allowing me to purchase used or older games for a significant bargain; I'm not talking about your 54.99 day after special. But your 12.99, 17.99 a couple months down the line. Half of my collection is from these sort of deals.
I appreciate the chain, itself, for allowing me to purchase used or older games for a significant bargain; I'm not talking about your 54.99 day after special. But your 12.99, 17.99 a couple months down the line. Half of my collection is from these sort of deals.
Worst thing I'm aware of them doing is when the reprints of Digital Devil Saga were released, they bought up most of the entire first shipment, gutted them, and put them out on the used shelf for well over the MSRP because they knew full well what the game had been worth on ebay and that the first wave of buyers would think they were catching a lucky break finding a copy at $50 instead of $80ish. They didn't lower the price until new copies started showing up on Amazon for $30 and below. Tried to do the same thing with the reprint of Nocturne, but both Play Asia and Amazon got in copies of that one.
Nine times out of ten, I don't.
There's a mom and pop place a couple blocks from me that's been around for years. A Gamestop opened up literally one block away from them and it kind of pisses me off that so many people shop there now. There's literally no reason to do it. I bought my copy of LA Noire from a Gamestop because of the bonus case and I felt dirty doing it, but nearly every other time they're going to give you the same price on it new or used and the smaller place actually gives better value on trade ins sometimes. And when I spend my money there, I know it's going to people who actually live and spend money inside my own community, not out of state to Gamestop headquarters in Texas.
Wario64 said:
Nine times out of ten, I don't.
There's a mom and pop place a couple blocks from me that's been around for years. A Gamestop opened up literally one block away from them and it kind of pisses me off that so many people shop there now. There's literally no reason to do it. I bought my copy of LA Noire from a Gamestop because of the bonus case and I felt dirty doing it, but nearly every other time they're going to give you the same price on it new or used and the smaller place actually gives better value on trade ins sometimes. And when I spend my money there, I know it's going to people who actually live and spend money inside my own community, not out of state to Gamestop headquarters in Texas.
Wario64 said:
Prior to Amazon offering release day shipping (to the best of my knowledge, anyway), I only shopped at GameStop whenever I couldn't find a game anywhere else nearby. For some reason, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia was very difficult to find anywhere else in my area, but GameStop - of course - had it.
GrandHarrier
Member
Shurs said:
A quick, casual glance at Amazon and eBay has that at anywhere from $21.86 with $3.99 shipping for a goHastings 360 version to $100 plus for a sealed PC version on eBay.