Poll: Game stop, who hates it?

[manaman]

Someone needs a list of all the trendy things to hate. I feel like I am falling behind.

Or wait, is this a movement to hate them for things other then their used gamed trade in policy?

The one good thing about a non-corporate shop is that you can at least be friendly with the person actively fucking you over.

I used to work in a comic shop and you're constantly getting people bringing in collections to see what they can get for it. Usually it's just standard issue crap and you give them next to nothing for it... but every so often there's two or three books in there that you can turn around and sell for a hundred or more... and you still pay them next to nothing if they're not aware that said books are worth anything.

The corporate mindset is maddening, but in a lot of ways it just creates an acceptable level of ripping you off. Selling a game for twice the amount they paid for it... standard practice at all the used book stores I've ever dealt with. The comic shop I worked at bought new comics from the distributors for roughly half the cover price. Yup, a 100% mark-up is fairly common when you're dealing with a non-returnable product.

The thing I find a bit odd in the video posted up-thread is that they give you a set price for a game regardlessly of condition. Now, for disc condition, this actually makes a bit of sense, as most employees will either not be qualified or not be willing to judge the quality of a disc. This is the sort of idiot-proofing that corporations specialize in. But it seems odd that they wouldn't have firm rules in place governing the purchase of games that don't have a case, cover, or manual... since all of these things can be easily verified by an employee with the sense of sight and all affect customer satisfaction. Seems they could easily pay less and charge less for such games. Seriously, I'd pay an extra $5 for a new copy if it means I get everything I'm supposed to get (and it should actually work), then take the measly discount. I only buy used these days when new isn't available, because the $5 saving simply isn't worth the potential aggravation.

I don't know about a 100% markup being common, but a 50% one is. I suppose it all has to do with volume and price point. If you are selling something in the $1000 range and selling quite a few of them then a 100% is a bit extreme, but if you are selling comics or books where most of the product is going to be in a $2-$5 range a 100% markup isn't so extreme.

I sort of worked in a collectible shop off and on again one summer. We had a policy on most things (aside from a list high turn over items or highly damaged items) to buy for half the listed high value, and sell for the low value. Usually the markup was around 30 - 40%

 

[likalaruku]

1)They don't sell PC games.
2)They're like the Starbucks of game stores, buying out all the smaller better stores.
3)About as good as Halfpriced Books at buying used games for pennies on the dollar & then reselling them at half their original market value. You have a better chance on Amazon Marketplace or eBay, if you're willing to wait a year for them to sell.
4)I read on the Escapist not long ago about a guy who caught them selling a discontinued MMO. Any sucker who bought that would have ended up with no game & then GameStop would have refused to refund it.
5)They don't sell PC games.

 

[tthor]

i don't understand what all the hate for gamestop is about, i have no problem with them

 

[Vivace-Vivian]

No one, I repeat NO ONE hates gamestop more then the people who work there.

 

[HonorableChairman]

I generally use either GameStop or Amazon.

I've had fairly good experience with GS, though. This one guy who works there knows what games I like and only asks me to preorder things that fall into that category. Nice fellow.

 

[LaPetite.Siren]

I work at GameStop... but before I was hired, I never really bought from there. xD I typically got my games from Best Buy. I DID like trading in my games @ The Stop, though. I can't say I love our chain, or even our store, but I get an employee discount and we have a very nice selection. Our deals like Buy 2 Get 1 Free are pretty awesome.

 

[jaketheripper]

myself, i hate gamestop, what about all,yall? there pre order crap, high prices and really bad sales prices

k think about this. buy a preowned game, dont like it, take it back before seven days, get a full refund. i love gamestop, also they get payed by the hour so they dont just recommended the most expensive stuff, and they are all gamers.

 

[Baralak]

The GameStops around here have a rack set up for PC games...Even have PoP2008, Assassin's Credd, and Bothers in Arms: Hell's Highway for $8 each...

Anyway.. I've had good and bad experiences, but I would rather use my local store for buying, and Best Buy for trading in, when possible.

 

[Defense]

I don't hate Gamestop, but I do go out of my way to go to other stores like Play N Trade for my games.

 

[OneOfTheMichael's]

Yah i just don't like the prices they put on games and trade in games.
I'm starting to go to a new 'advanced games' by my corner store.

 

[Macgyvercas]

I've always had good experiences with GameStop.

 

[Son of Detroit]

I learned my lesson about gamestop the hard way. Lose that black card they give you? You also lose all the store credit they owe you even if you still have a receipt with your account number on it.

 

[William Dickbringer]

I go to gamestop once in a while I find the staff seem to know about games (at the one I go to) I'm getting and that and we'll even strike up a conversation about games I talked to a guy who worked there about resident evil 5 and when I went there before that I talked to a girl who worked there about fallout

 

[TheAbominableDan]

The comic shop I worked at bought new comics from the distributors for roughly half the cover price. Yup, a 100% mark-up is fairly common when you're dealing with a non-returnable product.

That's not a mark up. That's selling a product at retail price. Of course retailers get things at a lower price. Otherwise it'd be impossible to make money. I used to work in a comic shop too, and I've frequented my fair share of them as well. I've never seen books sold below cover price when they weren't on sale.

Just to stay on topic. I have no real problem with Gamestop. I don't buy from them much because there's an independent game store closer to my house. But I have nothing bad to say about them.

 

[WayOutThere]

GameStop is a monopoly. That's unfortunate for the industry but you can hardly blame them. Companies are supposed to work towards monopoly status by definition.

GameStop has never wronged me personally, I just wish they had some real competition.

 

[NoCure]

Personally never had a problem with my Gamestop. I go in, I buy my game(s) and then I leave. If I feel like talking I will, and if not I'm not required to have a conversation with them.