Current Events > so customer's Social Anxiety and Laziness killed GAMESTOP

(+) Yeah! (+)

God forbid you have to interact with another person for 1 minute

Probably the same people who are pro self serving machines
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Gamestop overdid it with the upsell stuff. It was too much
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well maybe the workers shoudn't have been so pushy. aggressive salespeople don't mix well with shy customers who have social anxiety. they stop going back and the store loses money.

More like crappy prices. They have no real discount system for new games like Best Buy did and Amazon has plus no free shipping option for online orders most of the time.
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Not mention their business model relies heavily on the secondary market, which is quickly becoming nonexistent
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M_Live posted...

I do find all the GameStop whining funny. It takes 5 seconds to say "no I'm not interested in the warranty/preordering" and every store asks similar questions anyway.

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The stories of how they sold used games as brand new is what really killed them for me. If I spend for brand new I want brand new.
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M_Live posted...

I do find all the GameStop whining funny. It takes 5 seconds to say "no I'm not interested in the warranty/preordering" and every store asks similar questions anyway.

What other store bothers you with preordering something every single time you try to buy something? And wont shut up about it half the time even after you said no?
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Digital games are killing it. Why drive to your local strip mall when you can just download your game, go mow your lawn, and then any said game.
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Sure thats not the convenience of things like Steam, the eShop, and ordering online?
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They are not dead yet. Just a zombie.
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creativerealms posted...

They are not dead yet. Just a zombie.

They have a late in life Blockbuster Video feel to them imo
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Vyrulisse posted...

creativerealms posted...

They are not dead yet. Just a zombie.

They have a late in life Blockbuster Video feel to them imo

Agreed.
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Also, the last time I purchased a brand new game from them, they had already opened the case. That's where I drew the line. Openeing a new game, fighting with the wrapper, smelling the cellophane, and hearing that satisfying *click* when cracking it open is part of the new game ritual that must not be interfered with.
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Been awhile since I checked but even though Gamestop added digital versions of their stock I always thought it was weird how that option was somehow more expensive than physical copies... it's like they were too stubborn to fully embrace the future.
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Although I do agree that a lot of people tend to overblow the GS employees asking questions, it still can be annoying constantly being questions. Most of the time I just want to shop in peace without being bothered. Nothing to do with social anxiety or anything like that.

That being said those types of question happen at most retail stores. For example, most clothing stores have credit cards / member rewards systems that they are going to bug you about when you checkout.
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kewldude475 posted...

LightHawKnight posted...

M_Live posted...

I do find all the GameStop whining funny. It takes 5 seconds to say "no I'm not interested in the warranty/preordering" and every store asks similar questions anyway.

What other store bothers you with preordering something every single time you try to buy something? And wont shut up about it half the time even after you said no?

My usual GameStop interaction:

"Hi I'd like to buy [insert game here], and here's my rewards card number"

"Okay, no problem, is there anything you would like to preorder?"

"No thank you"

"Okay, have a great day"

And the one I used to go to:

"Hi I'd like to buy [insert game here], and here's my rewards card"
"Would you like to predoer [insert game here]?
"No, just what I am buying now."
"How about [insert game here]?"
"No."
Rinse and repeat till I get my game and receipt and leave.
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SaccharineSmile posted...

God forbid you have to interact with another person for 1 minute

Probably the same people who are pro self serving machines

that seems like gamestop's problem not their customers' problem

after all, we can still buy video games, but they can't sell them anymore

imo what killed them, like most brick and mortar stores, was amazon.
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I stopped going to Gamestop when one of the employees basically called me stupid for not ordering the deluxe edition of Halo 2.

I went in to preorder it. He asked if I wanted the deluxe edition. I told him no, I didnt care about the [i think it was a statue or figurine or something.]

The employee turned to his co-worker and said Im going to laugh at all these people ordering the basic game when it comes out that there is in game content for deluxe edition.

After that I never bought anything at GameStop again.
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Goats posted...

I see people gripe all the time about how they miss being able to go to blockbuster and pick out a movie.

i do not. bb didnt get new movies any more reliably than netflix. and netflix removes the need for a trip, while simultaneously costing less.
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Shopping at Gamestop is like having pop-up ads in real life
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Asherlee10 posted...

LightHawKnight posted...

M_Live posted...

I do find all the GameStop whining funny. It takes 5 seconds to say "no I'm not interested in the warranty/preordering" and every store asks similar questions anyway.

What other store bothers you with preordering something every single time you try to buy something? And wont shut up about it half the time even after you said no?

SAMs Club. I wish I could set a preference to permanently say "NO I DO NOT WANT TO UPGRADE TO A BUSINESS ACCOUNT"

They ask every single time and immediately go into the pitch about the benefits.

Good thing I don't go there than. So two stores verses every other store seems to be every other store. I mean they might strike up some friendly conversation, but bother you with pointless preorders? No.
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I only go there maybe once a year now, but all of my recent experiences and those in the past when I went more often were pretty positive.

I can see it being an issue for people with social anxiety, but you just need to control the conversation. Everybody working there has a good knowledge of games, so it's a great opportunity to talk with someone about what you're buying or about anything that is ridiculous at that time like the scarcity of those classic nes's.

I can't imagine that anyone who was put off by GameStop does any better at any other type of store. The thing that killed GameStop is the rise of release day shipping, and digital downloads. They've been on life support for awhile, and they didn't pivot far enough. If they had embraced something else, like also carrying board games, they might have lasted a bit longer, but no matter what they do, they were destined to die out. It's just the direction commerce is heading.

PoopPotato posted...

Also, the last time I purchased a brand new game from them, they had already opened the case. That's where I drew the line. Openeing a new game, fighting with the wrapper, smelling the cellophane, and hearing that satisfying *click* when cracking it open is part of the new game ritual that must not be interfered with.

And they would steal DLC and Club Nintendo codes from the cases. And they would open up collector's editions and steal pieces from them.
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eston posted...

Not mention their business model relies heavily on the secondary market, which is quickly becoming nonexistent

Oh, it exists, just not in any form that's useful to Gamestop.
While a large portion of the audience is increasingly abandoning physical media, and another portion is increasingly hoarding it, there's still a significant portion of the audience who has fully embraced disposable annualization and uses Gamestop as a sort of library.

That's why the front of the store is dogpiled with old shooters and a decade or more of Madden that they can't ever seem to sell.

"How dare people not support business models that don't suit their needs!"

That's the TC.
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Let's all stop for a moment and bask in the fact that TC's premise of this topic is the same premise as Troy McClure's self-help video Get Confident, Stupid!
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Nomadic View posted...

I stopped going to Gamestop when one of the employees basically called me stupid for not ordering the deluxe edition of Halo 2.

I went in to preorder it. He asked if I wanted the deluxe edition. I told him no, I didnt care about the [i think it was a statue or figurine or something.]

The employee turned to his co-worker and said Im going to laugh at all these people ordering the basic game when it comes out that there is in game content for deluxe edition.

After that I never bought anything at GameStop again.

This kind of story is why I don't get the "social interaction" complaint like GameStop is some kind of hangout for cool people.

Their employees are very often people who make awkward comments like that and smell bad.
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Not that I'd ever do it, but Gamestop could probably benefit from a lounge-type setting where they've got a couch and some multiplayer games set up you can play in store with other customers, or a demo area where you can request to play a trial of a game before you buy it instead of flooding the store with over-priced toys and "gamer" stuff. They could also host tournaments or screening events for things like GDQ to encourage people to stay in there for awhile.

They've also got to cut way back on the aggressive pitches and the unreasonable trade-in/used game prices. I'll pre-order a game only if it has a nice perk, otherwise there's almost no chance that it's going to be any better than just popping in a Walmart and picking up a copy day-of.

Someone said it has the feel of late-stage Blockbuster and I agree.
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Gamestop's aggressive counter tactics, while scummy, are not why they're going under. They're not even going under because of the scumbag practice of opening new games and still selling them as new, or the shit trade prices. While all of that combined may play a part, the major problem is that fewer and fewer people buy physical media, and those that do have easier and often cheaper outlets in Amazon or the like. That's why they're stuffing their shelves with toys and comics now.
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tbh i am willing to pay a bit more per item to skip the shopping trip

but for items like video games typically amazon costs less not more

when you need to sell an item for more than it costs to be delivered to a customer's house without them spending the gas to drive to you, your business model is fucked.

you have no reason to exist if that is the case
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Goats posted...

Nope. Not adapting to a changing environment killed gamestop. You folks have been whining about millenials for years, yet all these companies keep "suddenly" failing because they don't know what we want. Sounds like it's the failing companies that are lazy and don't want to learn how to service millenials. The circle of life crap from last year was just a continuation of years of failed policies that didn't hit the mark. These companies have too many boomers in command. Steam, online shops, amazon, netflix. They know what we wanted and supplied it. Gamestop and toys r us refused to change and got left in the dust lurantis.

Asherlee10 posted...

LightHawKnight posted...

Asherlee10 posted...

LightHawKnight posted...

M_Live posted...

I do find all the GameStop whining funny. It takes 5 seconds to say "no I'm not interested in the warranty/preordering" and every store asks similar questions anyway.

What other store bothers you with preordering something every single time you try to buy something? And wont shut up about it half the time even after you said no?

SAMs Club. I wish I could set a preference to permanently say "NO I DO NOT WANT TO UPGRADE TO A BUSINESS ACCOUNT"

They ask every single time and immediately go into the pitch about the benefits.

Good thing I don't go there than. So two stores verses every other store seems to be every other store. I mean they might strike up some friendly conversation, but bother you with pointless preorders? No.

Just about every retail store I go into gives me a pitch to join their rewards program. Some are trying to get rid of particular items and will push it at the register.

Furniture stores and electronic stores almost always try to sell extended warranty.

This is a very common and annoying tactic that brick-and-mortar stores do. It probably contributes to people shopping more online.

Name em? Though I rarely ever go to a furniture store, and the only electronic store I go to these days is Bestbuy and I don't get any warranty stuff. Though I tend to buy stuff that doesn't really need it.
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LightHawKnight posted...

Name em? Though I rarely ever go to a furniture store, and the only electronic store I go to these days is Bestbuy and I don't get any warranty stuff. Though I tend to buy stuff that doesn't really need it.

bobs
roomstore
ashley furniture

three that i have experienced this with, become disgusted, then walked out of and bought on amazon instead
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M_Live posted...

I do find all the GameStop whining funny. It takes 5 seconds to say "no I'm not interested in the warranty/preordering" and every store asks similar questions anyway.

Those are the only questions I get asked, but people here are saying they get asked 20 questions. What are these other 18 questions?
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LightHawKnight posted...

Though I rarely ever go to a furniture store, and the only electronic store I go to these days is Bestbuy and I don't get any warranty stuff. Though I tend to buy stuff that doesn't really need it.

Well that explains why you don't get asked those type of questions lol.

Try to buy a game system, washer/dryer, tv, etc from BB and you are almost guaranteed to be bugged about a warranty.
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voldothegr8 posted...

That's why they're stuffing their shelves with toys and comics now.

yep. board games, too.

i found my copy of star wars rebellion at a gamestop, of all places. way below market price for some insane reason.
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Holy shit I didn't even realize people would bite so hard

50 replies in half an hour, no TC assistance required?

Well done
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