How NOT to run a game store

[Scooter]

The local used game stores I frequent the most are part of a small chain found only in Nebraska and Iowa. They still have some older stuff and if I can't find what I want in the stores I can e-mail the central office and they will check their inventory and all the stores in their chain (around 10 stores overall). Of the five different stores of theirs I've been in, the experience is pretty much the same. No matter how busy it is someone who works there greets you with a "Welcome to Gamers!". If you need any help they are ready to help you. My only complaint is that occassionally I'll find a game on the shelf that I want yet they are unable to to locate the disc or cart that belongs with the case. This has happened about 3 times and it was always a game I really would have liked to buy. Oh well, small complaint.

So yesterday I was driving through a part of town I'm not in all that frequently and I have a little time to spare. I pull into the Play N Trade to see what kind of retro they might have. When I walk in the store, both employees behind the counter are so engrossed playing a game with two patrons, presumably friends of theirs, that they entirely fail to acknowledge I've entered the store let alone ask me if they can help me, hell, THEY DON'T EVEN LOOK UP. As I browse around looking for retro games, the "in charge looking" employee goes around to the other side of the store, I thought he might inquire if he could help. He doesn't even make eye contact, starts up a game on another machine and continues to ignore me!

Further browsing confirms that the most "retro" they have are some PSX sports titles in horrible shape. They had about half a dozen Genesis games as loose carts but even those were in a drawer behind the counter so I couldn't even tell what they had. While I was disappointed with their inventory, what really stuck with me was the utter lack of regard for a potential customer. And of course, I left without saying a word or, more importantly, without BUYING anything.

If this store doesn't become a victim of the current economic crisis I don't know who will, nor do I know would be more deserving of failure.

[lordofduct]

The sadest part is it these practices probably won't hurt them at all.

I've noticed in this nation that ever store I walk in I am not greeted by happy customers offering assistance. It's all grumpy people staring into space and getting VERY upset when you enter their little bubble. That feel like you are some foreign subject who's mere existence might cause them some damnation or something.

And nobody complains!

It's like we all just brush it off to "what ya gonna do???"

Ummm... how about bitch. Boycott their shit. Make it known to the manager that you are never shopping there again and you're going to tell your friends and family not to either. Take said warnings from others who do the same.

My mom works retail, she loves it. She loves serving people. It just puts this giant smile on her face. That's the kind of person she is. And she's not the only, there are TONS of these people around. They should hired, and these other lacky sons of bitches fired.

But what aggrivates her so much is that when she goes to work at T.J. Maxx, one of the places she works part time because they won't give her enough hours, and she is ridiculed for being so nice.

Now I don't know if you've ever been to a T.J. Maxx, but usually you walk into this bargain store and you are confronted by 6 or so teenagers who hate the world. The store is in shambles with half the merchandise on the floor. And all the really fun stuff!

You walk into hers and the customers are elated, she's always happy, she cleans up the merchandise, all the stuff that should be done. Yet her manager doesn't bother to recognize it and doesn't give her more hours.

Why might you ask? Well that is easy. He's never there. He gets his intel from the floor manager. A stupid bitch who's buddy buddy with all the teens and 20 something year old punks who hate the world. They get annoyed by my mother's all around pleasantness and make fun of her all day. They then report my mother when they push her to far and she gets upset.



that's why I shop online out of my house. I'm not gonna give my time or money to these fucking people. I hope they burn!

Freemarket is supposed to put the power in the hands of the customer. So people... use it... let them know you aren't going to put up with their shit.

Oh and when you've had a pleasant and nice employee of a store help you. Let them know. I bet it'll make there day... their manager certainly isn't giving them any attaboys!

[lordofduct]

So hell yeah Scooter, walk the fuck out.

I hope you never go back there.

You should of said something... though the last time I did I almost beat the crap out of the guy.

Sorry I don't want some non-english speaking fucker telling me, "Welcome ta Uhmarica, ooh no like that, den goes home ooh cock sucker" because I said I'm going elsewhere because 2 hours for an oil change is ridiculous... when I'm first in line.

Man you should of seen everyone at that station. The entire lot literally stopped, crickets were chirping, and all you saw was one bald angry guy with my hand wrapped around some foreign pricks neck and screaming:

"Mother fucker, if you open my car door one more time to tell me I'm a fucking waste of space I'm going to shove my foot down your throat so far you're going to be shitting leather until the cows come home."

The lady parked behind me blocking me in got in her car fast as can be and blew off down the road at like 50 terrified.

YEY FOR LA!

[Hatta]

Gamers is pretty awesome. We have one here in Omaha, right next door to a GameStop. The Gamers is always packed, with at least 4 people behind the counter. If I ever go into the GameStop, I probably won't even see another customer.

I feel bad I don't spend more at Gamers. They're the only game company I know that even cares to carry retro stuff anymore.

[tucsonsduke]

Just something to note, Play N Trade is a franchise, and each location is individually owned by someone local to your community. There are several Play N Trades where I live, and I frequent one because of the service I recieve there, and will not go to another for the same reason. If you boycott one where there is bad service, you won't necessarily be hurting the others, and on the flip side of that coin, if one gives you bad service, it is not necessarily the company as a whole, but that location that is giving you trouble. Just my 2 cents on that.

[shallowgamer]

Freemarket is supposed to put the power in the hands of the customer. So people... use it... let them know you aren't going to put up with their shit.

Free market also dictates that lower paying positions will be filled by kids that don't care, rather than professionals who take pride in their work.

There are of course exceptions. Older employees, like your Mom, know the value of hard work, and know that having a job is a privelege.

That's not to say that all young employees are punks. But I will say that their expectations for pay and promotions are much higher going into a position.

[Jrecee]

I have 4 play n trades near me. 3 of them are great. 1 of them sucks. The employees really make or break a place, but it also helps that the one with not so great employees also has a crap selection of classic stuff.

[Metalcrack]

The same can be said of 2 Gamestops near me. One was an EB games that was rebadged to Gamestop, and always had great people working there. One guy in particular was very knowlegable, and loved videogames, and you could tell with the passion and regard he spoke of his favorites. The other Gamestop is next to Best Buy, always have pricks working there, and guess which one will be staying open??? Yeah, the good one is closing.

In the Cleveland area, there is a small chain of stores, called "The Exchange" which has retro games, vinyl, and the other things you'd expect from a used merchandise place. There is another regional store, called "BuyBack$", which usually has the best priced Xbox 360 games around, and has some rarer games like Sniper Elite, MGS3: Substance, MGS: Twin Snakes etc.

There is only one true retro store around though, that has Atari, Coleco, Virtual Boy, and 3DO/CDi in stock. Their prices are so-so, but it's always fun to look.

[Caleb]

I have seen game stores that have decent customer service and game stores with shitty service. If the employees ignore you than that's one thing. I don't mind asking them where shit is.

These are the things I dislike:

I freaking hate the arrogant clerks who talk shit about your purchases. I mean shit dude. I just want to buy this game because I know I can ebay it for 4 times what you are selling it for. Don't freaking judge me.

Or this was this one time when I went into a Game Craze with a beat up copy of Chocobo Dungeon and I wanted to get it cleaned and the asshat clerk wouldn't run it through the cleaner for me. I mean I am PAYING this piece of trash to clean my disk and he won't do it because he thinks the disk is a lost cause. I went back to the same store the next day and got the disk cleaned. AND IT WORKS FINE NOW. Don't freaking try to tell me if a disk is a lost cause or not.

Personally I got more stuff from Salvation Army stores and Thrift stores than gaming stores and the clerks there are generally nicer. You can always find a decent retro video game store where the people are knowledgeable and nice. Give your business to THOSE places.

[racketboy]

I can't find any good places around here. Not that I've tried super hard, but I haven't encountered any.
If I don't enjoy going to a place, I just stop going. Not because I'm trying to make a point -- I just don't feel motivated to go.
I used to stop into Gamestop every now and then when shopping in the mall with my wife (a good break from looking at clothes/makeup), but now I don't even bother. It's not even always about the service -- more about price/selection/condition.

Buying online (whether here or on eBay) makes so much more sense to me.