Is Gamestop Evil? The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

[the King]

Blowing Rock is mental. Talk about the lords of the manor surveying the peasants. I need to get back down to Boone, have lots of family in Watauga County.

Must sees:

Waterfall Road on 321 going to Blowing Rock.

Richlands Road, near Cheeks Crossroads.

Indian Grave Road, 321, near Blowing Rock.


Indian Grave road looks exactly how you would picture it in your mind. One lane, unpaved road, tons of cemeteries and trailers that tout hundreds of dangling animal skeletons hanging from nearby trees. Place is straight out of a King horror novel that isn't set in Mass. Even on a sunny day the place is creepy as all get out.

But have you been by the coffee cup house on Johns River rd?

[Ack]

It's not a question of not wanting and not buying. It's a question of wanting but not being able to buy anywhere else even when you dislike the practices of a business.

What?

So Gamestop is the ONLY place to buy games now?

Plus, people don't NEED to buy a game. Like hookers, don't like the condition, don't fucking buy them (I've never bought a hooker).

Look between shit and syphilis if you're upset at a store for selling you something you didn't want to buy. It IS that simple.

Yes, I agree. I haven't bought a game at launch since...2009. And I haven't shopped at a Gamestop in over a year. I don't care for their business model, so I take my business to other places. Where I live, there are only three places to buy games: Gamestop, Target, and Best Buy. All other game stores died in the recession and have not come back, and there isn't a Walmart within several miles. The closest retro gaming store is nearly fifty miles away. Best Buy keeps their prices too high for my taste, Target lacks a large selection, and I dislike Gamestop practices, so nowadays I buy online or directly from friends or other collectors.

But a lot of guys don't necessarily realize how easy it is to get games through other sources, or want to be able to make purchases based on serendipity in brick and mortar stores. And so they believe they have to buy their games from retailers like Gamestop, which offers a wider array of titles than places like Walmart, Target, or Best Buy. I'm not saying it's accurate, but it is what they think.

[Fragems]

Only thing that really turns me off at gamestop is their practice of putting the best used copy out on the floor and then doing a bait and switch at the counter for a disc only copy.
As long as you are a cautious consumer and watch what they are doing they will usually do right by you.

If they try to give you a "new" unsealed copy ask them if they have any sealed copies or if their is a discount(seriously store policy at the gamestops near here is 10%+ off store copies of new games).

To avoid the bait and switch just call them out on it if you see it. At most they will huff and puff a bit, but they will always give you the case/manual you choose if you ask.

If a clerk is a complete twat you can always just leave or write a nasty review on their feedback site later. You don't have to buy there.

[MrNash]

Gamestops are still EB Games here in Canada, but their business practices aren't so much the problem for me (and I've not been so down on them since they changed the price stickers they put on used games). For me, the issue is that the stores are losing relevance. New gen systems hold no interest, most of the newish games I want now are on the 3DS and often can be had at major electronics stores, or they're digitally available on Steam or PSN. I'm still poking my head in for a few 360 and DS games that I want, but as those sections of the store diminish, I have less and less reason to step into an EB.

[oxymoron]

Yes, because it would be the fault of the regular employee, not the manager or suppliers up the chain.

You know, if you keep having reasonable reactions we're going to have to take your moderator card from you.

GAMESTOP FORCES ME TO BUY GAMES!!!

Has there been a valid complaint yet where buyer beware doesn't apply?

This thread should be titled "I'm not that smart and don't understand how retail works, and lemme explain why I'm dumb-ish".

Please tell me of a better way to react. It's pretty obvious that going ape shit on a employee is not the right answer but on other hand I don't think a angry letter to the supplier will do anything either.

[Ack]

Please tell me of a better way to react. It's pretty obvious that going ape shit on a employee is not the right answer but on other hand I don't think a angry letter to the supplier will do anything either.

The best way to react is simple: shop somewhere else.

Seriously. There are all kinds of online outlets now, both for physical copies or digital downloads of PC titles. And all consoles have some kind of digital distribution system now.

[oxymoron]

Please tell me of a better way to react. It's pretty obvious that going ape shit on a employee is not the right answer but on other hand I don't think a angry letter to the supplier will do anything either.

The best way to react is simple: shop somewhere else.

Seriously. There are all kinds of online outlets now, both for physical copies or digital downloads of PC titles. And all consoles have some kind of digital distribution system now.

I'm talking about the specific situation I mention which hobie snipped. Let's say I preordered a CE that's sold out everywhere else as COD CE often are.

[the King]

Please tell me of a better way to react. It's pretty obvious that going ape shit on a employee is not the right answer but on other hand I don't think a angry letter to the supplier will do anything either.

This happened to me at the launch of the Wii. I got a hold of the district manager. Politely explained the situation and how disappointed I was. Guess what? He found me a Wii.


That's the most recent console I own. I mostly purchase retro games now and thus don't really shop at Gamestop anymore because they don't carry retro games.

[MrPopo]

Please tell me of a better way to react. It's pretty obvious that going ape shit on a employee is not the right answer but on other hand I don't think a angry letter to the supplier will do anything either.

The best way to react is simple: shop somewhere else.

Seriously. There are all kinds of online outlets now, both for physical copies or digital downloads of PC titles. And all consoles have some kind of digital distribution system now.

I'm talking about the specific situation I mention which hobie snipped. Let's say I preordered a CE that's sold out everywhere else as COD CE often are.

Preorder your CE online. Amazon does release date delivery for most games these days. There's really no reason to buy current-gen stuff in the wild. You can make a case for bargain hunting for retro stuff due to them potentially having cheaper prices/better condition than the random ebay/Amazon listings.

[the King]

Please tell me of a better way to react. It's pretty obvious that going ape shit on a employee is not the right answer but on other hand I don't think a angry letter to the supplier will do anything either.

Or how about you make the employee an alley in finding you a copy? He can let you know when the next shipment is. If another store has one or if he can put you in touch with a manager. Cause you know who he's not going to help? The dickwad that just yelled at him. You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar and going through life going off on people over a videogame you might have to wait an extra week for isn't worth it.