Why all the Gamestop hate?

[Bleidd Whitefalcon]

I've seen a lot of hate for Gamestop around the net. However, most of it wasn't really explained and I don't really get it. I've never had anything but exemplary service from the store I go to, so I'm hoping people can give reasonable and civil explanations (PLEASE no flame wars).

Also, I apologize if this is a repeat thread.

 

[Strain42]

I imagine most people who hate GameStop have had their own negative experiences with the chain, or perhaps just the employees that they've had to deal with.

I myself have never had any major problems with GameStop, outside of often some of the smaller titles I pre-order don't arrive until the day after they come out.

These days though, I personally don't go to GameStop. Not for any real hatred of the store, but just because it's often easier and most cost effective for me to order games online (free shipping over $25 and I don't spend gas going to the store) I only pre-order a game from GameStop if their offering a worthwhile bonus for doing so.

 

[Fishyash]

One of the complaints of gamestop (I personally don't use physical retailers, although not for this reason) is that it actively pushes used sales. It's a more tangible form (compared to piracy) of a 'lost sale' in the developer's eyes.

I don't think used games are evil per se, but retailers like gamestop and GAME (UK equivalent) like to pretty much blatantly pressure you purchase a used game rather than a new one. If you bring a new game to the counter, the receptionist could ask you if you wanted to purchase a used copy instead. Why wouldn't you? It's cheaper, and is probably going to work exactly the same anyways.

So that's one of the main reasons gamestop can get some flak for it. But it must be pretty annoying for developers and publishers knowing that gamestop/game employess can pretty much statch sales royalties right from the counter. People feel sympathy towards these people because of this.

 

[Rawne1980]

Gamestop ate my hamster....

They are evil .... PURE EVIL I TELL THEE.

 

[Bat Vader]

I don't hate GameStop. That is pry because the one I shop at has some very awesome employees. They are all really nice people.

 

[TehCookie]

They're like the walmart of game stores. They're cheap, everywhere, and use extremely shady tactics. They make a profit from used games and the devs/publishers don't see any of that money.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Maybe because customer harassment is company policy, this isn't a joke here if you got a decent service in their shop then the employees weren't doing their job right, they would be fired if the big wigs got wind of it.
I mean jesus christ I've seen people pretend they don't speak English just so they could buy games without the bullshit... you really haveto wonder what kind of place they are running when people treat it like a back alley pusher.

And then there is the general customer and developer screwing on second hand sales, and if they weren't harassing you to buy/sell second hand every time you were in there they again were not doing their job.

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

Well, there was that whole controversy when Deus Ex: Human Revolution came out. GameStop employees were ordered to remove and discard coupons that came with the game. I guess the-powers-that-be at GameStop didn't like the game coming with a coupon that promoted a competing digital distribution service, so they opted to just have their employees throw them out and not tell the consumer.

And speaking of employees opening up games that they then proceed to sell as new, there's the whole controversy about their employees opening up games and proceeding to sell them as new.

Also, did you know that GameStop employees are allowed to borrow new games to take home and play? Yeah, it's awesome, right? Employees in sales that will actually know a thing or two about a product before they sell it to people! That's a great business practice! Except for the part where the copy of the game that the employee took home to borrow is brought back to the store then sold to you, the consumer, as a brand new game at full price. Call me crazy, but generally speaking when someone takes a brand new item and uses it, that means that the brand new item is actually now a used item... and used items don't sell for full price. But have no fear, consumer! They just won't tell you whether or not the copy of the game you're paying full price for was played already, so there's still a pretty good chance that the game in your hands is new! Maybe!

Oh yeah... and that tiny little "screwing publishers and developers out of money thing" - that's an issue some people have, too... I guess.

 

[RipRoaringWaterfowl]

They kicked my puppy!

No, not really. They're not here in the UK anymore, anyways, so I have to rely on GAME, which is sick in the *achoo!* kind of way right now.

Never had a problem with those Gamestop guys.

So basically I'm clingy and I miss Gamestop. WHY!?!?

[sub]But I'm not.

YES I AM!

NO I'M NOT![/sub]

 

[twistedheat15]

I've been shopping at gamestop since their inception and have never once been asked if I would rather buy a used copy of a game. The salesman at your shop is clearly ignorant and has no real concept of what their company wants lol. Why in gods name would a sales person try and push a cheaper purchase onto the consumer? That is some bass ackwards salesmanship. I'm just saying man! Only problem I've ever really had with gamestop is that I will sometimes come across a sales person who knows a little bit more than nothing about video games and they clearly don't belong in the store hehe.

One of the complaints of gamestop (I personally don't use physical retailers, although not for this reason) is that it actively pushes used sales. It's a more tangible form (compared to piracy) of a 'lost sale' in the developer's eyes.

I don't think used games are evil per se, but retailers like gamestop and GAME (UK equivalent) like to pretty much blatantly pressure you purchase a used game rather than a new one. If you bring a new game to the counter, the receptionist could ask you if you wanted to purchase a used copy instead. Why wouldn't you? It's cheaper, and is probably going to work exactly the same anyways.

So that's one of the main reasons gamestop can get some flak for it. But it must be pretty annoying for developers and publishers knowing that gamestop/game employess can pretty much statch sales royalties right from the counter. People feel sympathy towards these people because of this.

They push used because they make more money off it. You buy new they'll make a couple dollars for stocking it but buying used, they bought game from someone at a cheaper price and selling it for profit. Either way with devs having money leeching tactics, charging ppl a ton in dlc just for costum color swaps and drm that makes you shove a pineapple in the ass before you play, they brang it on themselves. Hard to defend companies when they just see you as a sales number.

 

[Rawne1980]

They're like the walmart of game stores. They're cheap, everywhere, and use extremely shady tactics. They make a profit from used games and the devs/publishers don't see any of that money.

I like you Cookie so i'm not going to flame you (plus I still want your hat)....

However you are saying words that sound like a defence of Satan and his army of evil publishers.

Say it aint so Cookie, say it aint so.

 

[TehCookie]

They're like the walmart of game stores. They're cheap, everywhere, and use extremely shady tactics. They make a profit from used games and the devs/publishers don't see any of that money.

I like you Cookie so i'm not going to flame you (plus I still want your hat)....

However you are saying words that sound like a defence of Satan and his army of evil publishers.

Say it aint so Cookie, say it aint so.

I just was saying why people hate them (and it does sound like that doesn't it?). I love them for being convenient, cheap and all the ones near me have great service. I'm not one of those people who are trying to "move the medium forward" I just want to enjoy the games. And you're still not getting me hat.

 

[StriderShinryu]

I am not a big fan of some of their recent business decisions (like shelving used games and new games mixed together) and I really dislike their parasitic used game pricing model. I, however, have no issue with the actual stores themselves, including their staff, and often go there first if I`m looking for a game.

 

[Rawne1980]

And you're still not getting me hat.

Your words, they wound me.

 

[Fishyash]

I've been shopping at gamestop since their inception and have never once been asked if I would rather buy a used copy of a game. The salesman at your shop is clearly ignorant and has no real concept of what their company wants lol. Why in gods name would a sales person try and push a cheaper purchase onto the consumer? That is some bass ackwards salesmanship. I'm just saying man! Only problem I've ever really had with gamestop is that I will sometimes come across a sales person who knows a little bit more than nothing about video games and they clearly don't belong in the store hehe.

Maybe I misunderstood. I have however been pushed to buy used games at GAME in the UK. I would have assumed Gamestop would be having similar selling practices.

Why would they? Obviously, Gamestop gets to keep all the money... None of the money will need to go to the developers, so they get more money out of a used sale than a new one.

If this wasn't the case, then the practice of used sales in these stores wouldn't exist at all.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

I've been shopping at gamestop since their inception and have never once been asked if I would rather buy a used copy of a game. The salesman at your shop is clearly ignorant and has no real concept of what their company wants lol. Why in gods name would a sales person try and push a cheaper purchase onto the consumer? That is some bass ackwards salesmanship. I'm just saying man! Only problem I've ever really had with gamestop is that I will sometimes come across a sales person who knows a little bit more than nothing about video games and they clearly don't belong in the store hehe.

Have you ever traded in a game at gamestop? You go in with an almost brand new game, one which you may have paid $60 for just a week ago, and when you sell it back to them they give you back $15, then they put that game back on the shelf at $55 as "used." $55-$15 is $40 of pure profit for Gamestop the next time someone buys that used copy from them.

On the other hand, when Gamestop sells a brand new copy of the game for $60, it's actually less profitable for them, because they originally ordered the game from the publisher for $35, meaning that when they make a sale they make $25 of profit on it.

Since they make a greater profit on the used game sale then they want to push the used games as much as they possibly can. See, even though the new game costs more to the consumer to purchase Gamestop doesn't make quite as much money on it because they pay out more to the publisher to buy the game from them than they pay their customers when those customers want to resell their games. That's actually a vast part of the animosity that customers have for Gamestop, because it buys back games at such cheap prices, and ultimately rips off customers when they then turn around and resell the game at almost a 300% mark up.

/econ lesson.

 

[Jitters Caffeine]

I've heard some horror stories from former employees about how the company treats them. Forcing them to work over an hour off the clock, denying the legally required 30 minute lunch breaks, being "graded" on things like preorders and used sales and actively being punished if someone isn't aggressive enough in pushing them on people. Things like that. I have issues with their business model and practices, but I'm more than aware that there are exceptions to the rules.

I had one instance where an employee flat out refused to cancel my preorder because it would "make him look bad". Had to literally demand to talk to a manager before it happened. I don't know if this particular guy was just a belligerent person, or if the company really does put THAT much pressure on their employees, but it certainly tarnished their reputation in my eyes.

 

[Gorilla Gunk]

>Buy new game the day it comes out for $60
>Trade it in the next day and get $20 back
>Visit store next day, see your game being sold for $60