Topic: 28 Confessions Of A GameStop Shift Supervisor

[idolminds]

Interesting

Some interesting info and insight. Though, the gutted games section still sucks. I wouldn't care if they gutted ONE game for display, but it seems every game I go to buy there "new" has been gutted. All of them. And while I wouldn't care so much for consoles games, it really sucks for PC games. I've gotten wrong discs, or missing discs, or most important missing CD keys!

Maybe thats a local thing and not all gamestops gut every game, but generally I try not to buy things there unless its really cheap (ie, $10 Prey collectors edition)

[Cobra951]

That was an interesting read alright.  My gripes with that business remain unchanged after reading, though:  (1) Used games are sold at 90% of the retail price of new, and they are pushed on you aggressively.  You know that whoever traded them in got a mere fraction of that, and I can't stomach the idea of paying much more than half of the new price for used.  (2) Opened and sometimes employee-used games are sold as new.  One time I even found a game save on a cart I bought.  When I took it back to complain, I got attitude from the store clerk.  I gave the guy the choice of exchanging it for a real new copy, or refunding the difference between the new and used price.  I got a sealed copy, but not before some glares that would have resulted in a fistfight out on the street.  This guy was a sweetheart.

The funny thing is that I used to give places like Babbage's and Electronic Boutique preference when buying games.  Now EB/Gamestop is the last place I'll visit when searching for a game.

Edit:  What are "reserves" (in the context of the article)?  Advance game orders?

[idolminds]

Yeah. Preorders. Put $5 to reserve a game! Yay! They push that shit HARD. I've walked into one GS and as you enter they ask if you've brought in anything to trade or if you want to preorder. Though, now I see why they were doing that because they get fired if they dont.

[Cobra951]

Some businesses make hard-selling tactics mandatory on their people.  My brother quit a place called Steinberg's over their policy to push the worthless additional warranties on electronics.  He was too honest to work there, basically.  I think they're no longer in business (at least not here).

[Pugnate]

I really enjoyed that read.

[scottws]

Since Gamestop is basically run by its used games business, I'm surprised they are still in business at all.  Who are these people that buy $55 used games and then trade them back in for a "great" $15?

[Quemaqua]

Idiots.  Surprisingly, the world is full of them.  Almost every time I go into my Gamestop I see somebody trading in a stack of games just to get one or two new ones, and it rarely covers the full cost.

[idolminds]

I'd be the worst employee there. I'd offer cash and buy the awesome trade-ins personally and I'd never bug people about preorders, trade ins, or that stupid magazine subscription.

Yes, people would love me at the store for the week I work there before being fired and blacklisted.

[gpw11]

Idiots.  Surprisingly, the world is full of them.  Almost every time I go into my Gamestop I see somebody trading in a stack of games just to get one or two new ones, and it rarely covers the full cost.

I rarely go to these places to buy games, but I actually trade shit in somewhat often when I do.  A game I'm never going to play again is worth absolutely nothing to me.  In fact, I'd say owning it not only doesn't provide any utility, but there is a disutility involved simply because they take up space and clutter shit up. 

For instance, I went into EB the other day to pick up Orange Box.  I didn't actually know if they still took used games when I went in there but I traded in like four of them.  I believe they were: FF12, Sly Cooper 3, and two of the Xenosaga games.  I believe for those four games I got just over $30 or something like that.  It might seem low, but it's $30 more then when I'd otherwise inevitability throw them out in the trash or give them away for free. 

The other option is Craigslist or ebay.  I checked the going prices of the Xenogears games on ebay first, and they weren't all that much more then I traded them in for.  I mean, sure it'd be great to get an extra 4-6 dollars for each, but that's 4-6 dollars each to put up a fucking auction, monitor it, figure out my paypal info, transfer money into my account (minus whatever fees), go to the post office and ship all them out. 

So, no I'd argue that I'm not an idiot at all for taking something with absolutely no value to me and initiating a transaction which then gives said items transferable value. 

[Pugnate]

I am with GPW on this.

They are a business. Obviously they aren't going to give resellers an unbelievable deal.

[scottws]

I would definitely sell on eBay vs. go to Gamestop.  I sold Disgaea for $40 years after its release, Crackdown for $30, Lost Planet for $35... I wouldn't have gotten anything close to that at Gamestop.

[gpw11]

It depends entirely on the game and how much effort you put into it.  Like I said, I checked for the games I was selling and the difference in the money I would have received was not adequate compensation for the effort and time I'd have to put into it. 

[Pugnate]

I think if they are giving you anything for old sports titles, it is more than what you are expected to get online.