Puppydogs and Unicorns

[lordofduct]

ok, so mod_man works for GameStop I'm assuming...

and anything that gets really fishy and annoying mod_man throws off as, "sorry, that's store policy".

Doesn't mean store policy is GOOD policy.




Here's my direct opinion, and it's what I've done for several years now. We live in a free market society, but we seem to forget one key part of the freemarket. See the freemarket is there to give purchasing power to US the buyer... how do we get that?

Don't fucking buy from them if you don't fucking like them. If you continue buying from them, they assume you don't mind their horrible, shitty, and down right BAD store policy.

So if it pisses you off.

BOYCOTT GAMESTOP!

I have not traded to, purchased from, or anything with Gamestop in years. Why? Because after the stupid shit that happened with two pre-orders I was done. Both my pre-order of "Panzer Dragoon Orta" and purchase of "Grandia 3" (this was a few years ago) came opened and looked used... on the day they were released. I demanded a sealed copy and they said they had none (with the same "we have to have display cases" bullshit, which hey, you don't need to open ALL of them for that... let alone the fact this copy was already paid for, that's what pre-order IS). Furthermore with Grandia 3 they attempted to sell me it used (well yeah they make more profit that way), I was surprised they had them used after 5 days of it being out (well a bet a lot of people didn't like the game), but at a 4 dollar savings I opted new so "Game Arts" would earn my money as I really like them and want them making MORE GAMES. The guy snarked at me and again gave me an opened scratched disk despite the new price. I again bitched got a sealed copy instead and never went there again.


Some people may have excuses for it. I don't care about excuses. Because no matter the excuse, it's practices I don't agree with. And thusly my patronship will be going to a store that treats me better. It's the same reason I don't buy Best Buy, Winn Dixie, oh and why I will be changing bank accounts away from Wachovia. These places get a way with being douchebags with bad store/corporate policy, because we the customers LET THEM.

That's the thing though, a boycott isn't effective unless everyone goes. And everyone just shrugs at the boycott and figures they take a little in the ass for the convenience... all because not enough people are boycotting anyway and GameStop will just keep on going. But it's that mentality that doesn't get a boycott going. Similarily why 3rd party doesn't win in election. It's that "well it'll never win, so why bother" mentality, it won't win if you don't fucking try.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

ok, so mod_man works for GameStop I'm assuming...

and anything that gets really fishy and annoying mod_man throws off as, "sorry, that's store policy".

Doesn't mean store policy is GOOD policy.

Trust me I hate gutting games and I hate stickering shit (although we either leave those on the wax paper backing or sticker the outside of the case) but most of the fishy and annoying stuff really is store policy created by a bunch of retarded corporate suits.

Now does our store break policy to keep everyone happy and make sure that it doesn't turn into a pile of shit, yes. The day we start fucking things up like other stores is the day I quit, if someone wants a sealed copy we'll find them one and if all of our copies of some used game are somehow in shitty shape we'll bust our asses to get them a mint one with a case and manual. That's why I haven't just left and given up on the company, I just guess I got lucky somehow but I won't just let my store go downhill if I can help it.

[Niode]

The worst is Game in this country (owned by the same company I think) who now 'seal' used games with the caveat that they will refund the game if the seal isn't broken. This is on a USED game. So if the game is scratched to shit which I discover AFTER breaking the seal I'm up shit creak and can do nothing about it.

I know I can use the whole statutory consumer rights and get a refund within 14 days regardless, but I don't want to have a spitting match with the manager over returning a game because it's against store policy (which means exactly fuck all to me, I know my rights, STFU and give me my money back if you don't have a suitable replacement).

I never have and never will trade any games into any game store full stop. People who use the used game system are no different to pirates in my opinion. In fact, I would prefer if everyone pirated games if they aren't going to buy them new since I hate to see these cock-sucking retailers making money hand over fist and giving absolutely fuck all to the developers.

USED GAME TRADE IS PIRACY

(obviously this doesn't count for non-current gen systems since the devs don't gain any money from sales at that point anyway)

[fastbilly1]

Also your pre-orders will remain factory sealed GUARANTEED.

Perhaps that is corporate policy, but the last game I reserved from them was given to me open, and I worked at the damn store at the time.


Now I only visit Gamestop for used titles my other stores dont have, or if I really need a new title (ie for a gift or if it is impossible to get). The smartest move I ever did revolving around games was make a racket for Wiis. If someone wanted one I approached the gamestop managers I kinda knew and offer them two to four reserves, in their name, if they would hold a Wii for me on their next shipment. Dirty, yes, shady as hell, yes, did it work, yes. I was given a finders fee of $25 - 50 and did a total of ohh thirty minutes of work total for the twenty or so Wiis I bought. Stores looked good, they got reserves for every game they wanted, and I made alot of people happy Christmas morning (I also made others really sad, but we dont think about that side of it).

[Peachy Gaming]

I have never liked gamestop. I walked in and I go to buy something I ask about the membership since It was pretty much my first time shopping there and he practically told me If I trade in every game I own I could have his $15 membership. Later on my brother emails me about a psp game he ordered online and when he received it the UMD shell on the game was broken and he has to hold it a certain way or something to get it to play in his psp. He talked to gamestop about it and they told him they couldn't help him as long as the game worked lol.

Fact is they are so disorganized I seen a used copy priced higher than a new copy of the exact same game. Yet drones of people are GIVING away their games to these people so they can play the latest and greatest. I dunno to me that isn't all that smart. I think they would be better off to subscribe to a rental service or something than constanly wasting money like that.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

Also your pre-orders will remain factory sealed GUARANTEED.

Perhaps that is corporate policy, but the last game I reserved from them was given to me open, and I worked at the damn store at the time.


Now I only visit Gamestop for used titles my other stores dont have, or if I really need a new title (ie for a gift or if it is impossible to get). The smartest move I ever did revolving around games was make a racket for Wiis. If someone wanted one I approached the gamestop managers I kinda knew and offer them two to four reserves, in their name, if they would hold a Wii for me on their next shipment. Dirty, yes, shady as hell, yes, did it work, yes. I was given a finders fee of $25 - 50 and did a total of ohh thirty minutes of work total for the twenty or so Wiis I bought. Stores looked good, they got reserves for every game they wanted, and I made alot of people happy Christmas morning (I also made others really sad, but we dont think about that side of it).

Yeah, GS has slammed down on almost any and all instances of that in the last year and a half that I've worked there, plus if customers can't make it during the 48 hours that corporate guarantees we hold your copy we'll honestly hold on to that title at our store for a week or so (if we don't hear from you at all) or until forced to sell it (due to stock constraints) and notify the pre-orderer (via a phone call) that they need to either come in and request us to order them another copy from another store or cancel/roll over their pre-order for a refund or other upcoming game.

[lordofduct]

ok, so mod_man works for GameStop I'm assuming...

and anything that gets really fishy and annoying mod_man throws off as, "sorry, that's store policy".

Doesn't mean store policy is GOOD policy.

Trust me I hate gutting games and I hate stickering shit (although we either leave those on the wax paper backing or sticker the outside of the case) but most of the fishy and annoying stuff really is store policy created by a bunch of retarded corporate suits.

Now does our store break policy to keep everyone happy and make sure that it doesn't turn into a pile of shit, yes. The day we start fucking things up like other stores is the day I quit, if someone wants a sealed copy we'll find them one and if all of our copies of some used game are somehow in shitty shape we'll bust our asses to get them a mint one with a case and manual. That's why I haven't just left and given up on the company, I just guess I got lucky somehow but I won't just let my store go downhill if I can help it.

You keep saying this, I know it's store/corporate policy. That's just an excuse of some sort... most customers don't agree with it.

Furthermore, you've said YOUR store doesn't do a lot of these things, and instead does others. Whoopidy doo, you're one store miles upon miles away from me and everyone else here, we don't shop at your store, and just because one store tries to act a little better as a franchise, doesn't mean GameStop is saved. GameStop still has this policy! You keep going, you keep attempting to do the right thing. I'm still going to boycott the shit out of all GameStops, including your own.

[noiseredux]

oh brother. I regret even starting this thread. I'm gonna change the title.

[Niode]

Fact is they are so disorganized I seen a used copy priced higher than a new copy of the exact same game. Yet drones of people are GIVING away their games to these people so they can play the latest and greatest. I dunno to me that isn't all that smart. I think they would be better off to subscribe to a rental service or something than constanly wasting money like that.

This happens all the time in Game. I see games that are more expensive used than they are new. WTF? They ALWAYS have some bullshit offer on such as these recent ones.
"Trade in Need For Speed: Shift and get Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising for £10"

They are always 'trade in this game that came out last week and get this game that came out this week for £10'. I'm sorry but that definitely isn't a good deal. If you are going to buy a game and then trade it in a week later then you really shouldn't be wasting your money and should go and buy a games rental subscription for £5 a month. Hell get the £10 a month one and rent 4 games a month. You would be making one hell of a saving.

I honestly don't know how people work for these companies. If I was working there, I would seriously want to slap every single dumb motherfucker that came in doing these idiotic trades for the latest games. Last week I saw somebody trade in Batman:AA AND Dirt 2 for NFS:Shift and still paid £5. I seriously should have just given him £40 for both of those games and saved him the £15-20 he lost in that trade.

[pepharytheworm]

I thought I would post here since I was a store manager of a Gamestop in Atlanta. I will let out as many dirty secrets as I can and clear some myths.

1. Gamestop guts at least one of every new game but on hyped games usually 5-8 gutted copies.
2. Gamestop gets tons of game art for upcoming games for promotional use. At least 70% of all new game inventory you can use these instead of gutting a game but most store don't because they don't care and throw away all access ad sleaves after the Ad set. I personally would try to pervent as many gutted copies as I could.
3. Gamestop wants all associates to push used more then new.
4. When a new games gutted case is missing or stolen we still have to sell the disc as new. I would try and find the best used case if I had to do this.
5. Gamestop after awhile of inventory sitting on shelves usually strategy guides and swag, does whats called pennied out SKU's. We take the pennied out merchadise ring them up like someones purchasing them then throw them away. Most stores will let their employees get what they want out of the pennied out sku's before they throw them away. The company dosen't even try to lower the price on strategy guides to see if they sell first.
6. Now this isn't company policy its actually against it but it happens through out the company. The give away's for preordering certain games are given away a lot of time for pre-ordering anything or getting an edge card. If they say they didn't have your freebie this is usually why, plus some stores let employees take them. My district and regional managers said doing this is okay.
7. Every Gamestop can order any game for you even used and check which stores have a copy. Store to store tranfers are done on a daily bases.
8.If one store messed up and you return it to another storem, all they have to do is adjust inventory. They don't have to send it back.
9. too be continued........