Current Events > Went to gamestop recently.. wow

(+) Yeah! (+)

Hadn't been to one in years and stopped in at one to get my gf a copy of animal crossing for her birthday. The guy behind the counter was trying to get me to buy animal crossing plushies, trying to get me to sub to gameinformer, etc. I told him that I was only there for this specific thing and that I pretty much exclusively buy games digitally now. Then he tried to sell me some of those cards they have with currency for in-game purchases and whatnot. When that didn't work he tried to sell me a protection plan for the game. Somehow I made it out of there without buying anything but the game itself.

How are places like this staying in business? Actually, how? What does gamestop really have to offer? Are there really people going to a store to physically buy a piece of cardboard to use for digital purchases? Also, if you want to read gameinformer so bad, why not just go to their website? Who exactly is gamestop's market in 2021?

I honestly just feel bad for these dudes who get some lower management position at places like this and have to spend all day shilling this stuff. I know I couldn't do it.

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Is Gamestop this aggressive in the States? The Canadian equivelent (EB Games) that I've ever gone to, at most will ask if I want to pre-order something while I'm at the register buying something. Otherwise they just kind of do basic retail stuff.

Its pretty ridiculous how they push everything. Funny too, when their target demographic is people who dont want to interact with other people mostly.

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I'm old-school. I prefer physical copies of games but I buy almost exclusively on Amazon for this EXACT reason.

Bro I just want a game stfu and let me buy it.

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I've been to Gamestop literally dozens of times and to dozens of different stores and never encountered one even 1/4 as aggressive as the online world would have you believe.

Though I am a pro member with them, or was at least, and I'm usually not phazed by their spiels.

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Proto_Spark posted...

Is Gamestop this aggressive in the States? The Canadian equivelent (EB Games) that I've ever gone to, at most will ask if I want to pre-order something while I'm at the register buying something. Otherwise they just kind of do basic retail stuff.

I'm from the States, yeah. Obviously I can't speak for every gamestop ever but the whole thing did feel very American if that's what you mean. Like that whole aggressive approach is not surprising protocol for an American corporation

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_MorningStar posted...

I'm old-school. I prefer physical copies of games but I buy almost exclusively on Amazon for this EXACT reason.

Bro I just want a game stfu and let me buy it.

What? Too social inept to just say no to a few questions?

Pome posted...

What? Too social inept to just say no to a few questions?

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wackyteen posted...

I've been to Gamestop literally dozens of times and to dozens of different stores and never encountered one even 1/4 as aggressive as the online world would have you believe.

Though I am a pro member with them, or was at least, and I'm usually not phazed by their spiels.

Well if you're a "pro member" then they already won

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Dogshit company will always be dogshit company

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Also I hope everyone who hates Gamestop purchase spiels are complaining about stuff like Amazon offering you "products other people bought" or "products you may like" or "Please for the love God sign up for Credit Card"

Because that's literally the same thing but in text format

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MabusIncarnate posted...

Dogshit company will always be dogshit company

So much bitterness.
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The gamestop here is pretty cool about that.

You walk in and all they do is say "hey! If you need help, please let me know!"

We know everyone that works there so instead of trying to sell us shit we're just talking about games and shit while they ring us up

We just keep getting shafted on shipments lately

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New games have such small margin, they make barely anything selling a new $60 title. They have to do this to stay afloat.

I mean say no and move on, but if there wouldnt be companies to buy games from in person if they werent pushing other things that actually make money.

Dont know if you are a troll or just went to a crappy gamestop. I know the one by me has great employees. I actually know most of them by name and they know mine when i walk into the store. They always been really helpful with my purchases and with giving me their opinions on certain games i was browsing. By the way i have a pro membership.. Its 20 dollars for a whole year. The magazine subcription itself is like 15 dollars a year. And each month i get two $5 off coupons. Plus i trade games a lot and over the years have earned a lot more trade credit for many games by being pro member. I mean so many people come here and bash a gamestop, but i think you guys just have went to crappy stores if you can complain so much about the experience.

Also why are they still in business? Because theres many people who buy physical copies of games. And gamestop has the most used copies of games out of most chain stores. Its cool to browse and see what they have in stock. And if you are old enough to remember funco land, you'd hold a nostalgic place in your heart for the gamestops of today

Pome posted...

What? Too social inept to just say no to a few questions?

This is unironically what they're looking for though I think. They expect their customer base to be weak-willed people with poor social skills who will cave eventually instead of standing their ground. In which case, it just shows even more how out of touch gamestop is with the times. Video games are not an "outsider" thing anymore

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Try_Another___ posted...

Well if you're a "pro member" then they already won

*shrugs* used to shop there a lot it was beneficial.

Hell if you shop there 3 times a year and use the card you'll get your money's worth because they give $5 off coupons for any purchase. I walked away with a game for free once because of that.

It just seems silly and petty to bitch about a 5 second spiel. If you don't got 5 seconds to spare, then you got bigger problems than Gamestop spiels

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CosmicShadows posted...

So much bitterness.

Man it's been like 10 minutes since you made a new topic about your Switch coming in the mail, shouldn't you go make another one? Or do you think 10 is enough for today?

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/400-current-events?search=switch

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holy shit people STILL accuse you of being socially inept for not wanting to get badgered with nonsense? fuckin astounding, some of you

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Eyeratosthenes posted...

holy shit people STILL accuse you of being socially inept for not wanting to get badgered with nonsense? fuckin astounding, some of you

Do want X?
no thanks,
Okay but if youre interested this is what it does for you.
Ill still pass
okay here is your game. Have a good day.

If you cant get through the above without melting down, you have problems.

EricDraven59 posted...

And gamestop has the most used copies of games out of most chain stores.

This is what I do like about them. They have lots of used games and often sell them dirt cheap. The last time I had went to one before the time I talked about in the OP, I walked out with like 6 X360 games for less than $20


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_Marka_Ragnos_ posted...

Do want X?
no thanks,
Okay but if youre interested this is what it does for you.
Ill still pass
okay here is your game. Have a good day.

If you cant get through the above without melting down, you have problems.

if you're interpreting basic moaning about a retail annoyance as "melting down" your brains have been atomized by too much internet

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Imagine being such a basement dweller that you hate the thought of face to face conversation.

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Social inept gamefaqers at the grocery store:

Cashier: We have a promotion for chocolate bars, are you interested?
Gamefaqs: *inaudible murmuring*
Cashier: Okay would you like to donate $1 to the Children's Cancer Foundation?
Gamefaqs *uncomfortable noises*
Cashier: Cash or credit?
brb, goes home to complain on gamefaqs

MabusIncarnate posted...

Man it's been like 10 minutes since you made a new topic about your Switch coming in the mail, shouldn't you go make another one? Or do you think 10 is enough for today?

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/400-current-events?search=switch

yooo holy shit lmao

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bought a game there last December, and the guy was pretty low key about it.

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I hate going to Gamestop cuz every purchase is like this:

-Hi, I just want to buy a copy of Pokemon Sword plz
-Sure hold on and let me get it from the back
*waits a minute*
-Okay, you want a warranty for this game?
-No
-Do you want to subscribe to Game Informer? It's only $___ a year
-No
-Do you want to sign up for a credit card? You get __% off this purchase if you do!
-No
-Do you want to enter your phone number and email so that you get alerts every time a deal pops up?
-No
-Alright, that'll be $60

Like Jesus Christ! This is why I buy games at Best Buy and Target! I can feel my life wasting away as they ask me 20 questions before I buy a game >_>

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My two local ones are both 90% pop figures I hate it.

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NeonOctopus posted...

-Okay, you want a warranty for this game?
-No
-Do you want to subscribe to Game Informer? It's only $___ a year
-No
-Do you want to sign up for a credit card? You get __% off this purchase if you do!
-No
-Do you want to enter your phone number and email so that you get alerts every time a deal pops up?
-No
-Alright, that'll be $60

Like Jesus Christ! This is why I buy games at Best Buy and Target! I can feel my life wasting away as they ask me 20 questions before I buy a game >_>

I've never seen a gamestop do that or be that aggressive lol.

Even when they first came out with the credit card, I never got asked about it. Or if i did it was once.

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wackyteen posted...

Also I hope everyone who hates Gamestop purchase spiels are complaining about stuff like Amazon offering you "products other people bought" or "products you may like" or "Please for the love God sign up for Credit Card"

Because that's literally the same thing but in text format

That's why I said "places like this" at the end of my original post too, it's everywhere. Another good example is trying to order a domino's pizza online and getting constantly interrupted by pop-ups imploring you to add some parmesan bites or whatever

_Marka_Ragnos_ posted...

New games have such small margin, they make barely anything selling a new $60 title. They have to do this to stay afloat.

I mean say no and move on, but if there wouldnt be companies to buy games from in person if they werent pushing other things that actually make money.

I mean, by the rules of the free market shouldn't that mean that they've overstayed their welcome then?

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They do these things because they are told to by people who much higher up they probably haven't even seen a customer in years. And the truth is these things do work. Think about a mom going in there to get a present for her kid and the guy is like 'OH yeah you are going to need a warranty for this. Your kid will love this plushie thing.'

And just as there exists people who this kind of thing works on, there also exists people who would be annoyed by even being asked additional questions. Which is something they don't take into account when following a generalized order down from the corporate offices.


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You just got an overzealous ass of an employee.

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Try_Another___ posted...

my gf

is this relevant to the story or are you just bragging about having a gf
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Try_Another___ posted...

That's why I said "places like this" at the end of my original post too, it's everywhere. Another good example is trying to order a domino's pizza online and getting constantly interrupted by pop-ups imploring you to add some parmesan bites or whatever

It's annoying but it works.

Even if it works only 1/10 customers, it works.

Though I only order Pizza Hut. They do similar though "Do you want to add X?" No. <_< I want my $5 power lunch

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wackyteen posted...

I've never seen a gamestop do that or be that aggressive lol.

All the ones in my area are that aggressive. It's really annoying >_>

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@Try_Another___ yes they have great used prices. Usually they are the chain store where a new release will have a price drop before most other stores. And in terms of used games, many are great prices. Cheaper than maybe even amazon or walmart websites. I just got Recore Definitive Edition used for $10. Most games that are a year old or more can be found for $20 or less. I just find it more fun browsing the shelves than browsing a digital website on my phone

Eyeratosthenes posted...

holy shit people STILL accuse you of being socially inept for not wanting to get badgered with nonsense? fuckin astounding, some of you

It's annoying but it's also their job.

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They do keep asking me if I want whatever service when I go but I go outside like once an year.

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Philoktetes posted...

is this relevant to the story or are you just bragging about having a gf

stands for 'gluten free' idk what you're talking about

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Pome posted...

What? Too social inept to just say no to a few questions?

What a crappy attitude

They are downright sleazy. I know there are gamestops where they take advantage of people who can't speak english well to tack on extra subscriptions. It's revolting and they deserve to fail.

Gamestop isn't a realtor, they're a crappy retailer and they shouldn't be forcing their employees to meet subscription quotas by harassing customers. If they can't survive without that, they don't deserve to exist.

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SquirtleSkwad posted...

You just got an overzealous ass of an employee.

Yeah but I can't help but feel bad for the dude especially when there are probably people who made more off of gamestop stock in a weekend than he makes in a year while toeing the company line and being a good little salesman

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To those of you who had good experiences with gamestop: good for you, my own experience doesn't invalidate yours, etc.

If there's cool people working at your gamestop, that's awesome, glad it can be a cool experience for you. But the thing is, at the corporate level they don't want the cool employee, they want the pushy employee. In terms of sheer numbers the pushy employee is outclassing the cool employee.

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bnui_ransder posted...

The gamestop here is pretty cool about that.

You walk in and all they do is say "hey! If you need help, please let me know!"

We know everyone that works there so instead of trying to sell us shit we're just talking about games and shit while they ring us up

We just keep getting shafted on shipments lately

This is more my experience. Friendly staff that actually like games I can chat with. I wonder where these bad gamestops are?

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Webbernet posted...

This is more my experience. Friendly staff that actually like games I can chat with. I wonder where these bad gamestops are?

I'm going to assume that there's no real rhyme or reason to it. A good gamestop this year might be a bad one next year too, and vice versa. Who knows? Seems like a chaos theory kind of thing. Depends on who's working.

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Wetterdew posted...

What a crappy attitude

They are downright sleazy. I know there are gamestops where they take advantage of people who can't speak english well to tack on extra subscriptions. It's revolting and they deserve to fail.

Gamestop isn't a realtor, they're a crappy retailer and they shouldn't be forcing their employees to meet subscription quotas by harassing customers. If they can't survive without that, they don't deserve to exist.

That was not what you described at all. It's standard for stores to ask customers if they want to buy additional features or services or extended warranty. Relentlessly pressuring customers or taking advantage of people is one thing but for the most part it's just a minor annoyance. Say no to a few questions and be done with it.

Pome posted...

That was not what you described at all. It's standard for stores to ask customers if they want to buy additional features or services or extended warranty. Relentlessly pressuring customers or taking advantage of people is one thing but for the most part it's just a minor annoyance. Say no to a few questions and be done with it.

i'm talking about stores where they downright abuse somebody's inability to speak english. Yes, it happens, no, it's not innocent, and sometimes it is driven by the managers of the stores specifically trying to prey on clueless people and people who don't know enough English to be able to understand what they are being sold.

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Last time I went to Gamestop was the day Street Fighter 5 released, February 2016. I went because they did a midnight release. I didnt have a pre-order. Here was the convo

Me: Can I get a copy of SF5? Thats all I need today.
Employee: Sure, have you preordered the DLC?
Me: No I dont really need it since you can get it with in-game currency.
Employee: Okay, well do you want the new SF5 arcade fightstick?
Me: No, I already have one that works with the PS4.
Employee: Have you considered getting the fightstick travel case
Me: ...

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Pome posted...

That was not what you described at all. It's standard for stores to ask customers if they want to buy additional features or services or extended warranty. Relentlessly pressuring customers or taking advantage of people is one thing but for the most part it's just a minor annoyance. Say no to a few questions and be done with it.

https://youtu.be/E5ZBm7VXKYY?t=263
here is an example

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