Wow... My eyes have truly been opened about Gamestop...

Recommended Videos

Jitters Caffeine

New member
Sep 10, 2011
999
0
0
Krion_Vark said:
Jitters Caffeine said:
Krion_Vark said:
Jitters Caffeine said:
Krion_Vark said:
Jitters Caffeine said:
Krion_Vark said:
Jitters Caffeine said:
Satsuki666 said:
Jitters Caffeine said:
From what I hear, there's a good chance that they HAD enough coming in, but they had employees and Managers call "dibs" on systems during the first shipment. I understand it happens quite a bit. So much that customers can't pick up new games because employees have squirreled away copies for themselves.
Well that does make sense. I mean when there is only going to be a limited supply and its a first come first serve it only makes sense that the guy who works there would pick up his copy first since he would be the first to pay for it. Just because they work there does not mean they are not allowed to buy anything from the store.
But this is when their SUPPOSED to be filling preorders made by customers who have paid their games in full, then can't pick it up because they're holding them for themselves.
What happens if said employee preorders and pays in full before a lot of other people? Does that still make it wrong for him to pick up his preorder on launch day before anyone else simply because he works there?
Well now you're arguing with hypotheticals. I'm saying that holding copies of games or new consoles when customers are WAITING for the product they paid for isn't right. Most places don't let employees take sought after merchandise like REALLY popular games like at Gamestop or maybe even TVs at a place like where I work until after a certain amount of time has passed. I'm saying SPECIFICALLY that employees squirreling away games and consoles when they have customers WAITING is simply wrong.
The funny thing is that you are saying that I am arguing Hypotheticals while you yourself are also arguing hypotheticals. Yes it does happen SOMETIMES but so does mine. Its actually well within the rights of the places to do. I mean it could be a perk for that store to be able to get first dibs on something or like you said the store could also have a hands off approach. Neither is really right or wrong because say you are really looking forward to something and get ready to buy it from the store you work at only to be told that 2 days prior to its release that you can't? Yeah people would probably speak out against that too.
Geez, I specifically said this was something my friends who are former employees saw this happening, and if I didn't I certainly meant to.
then tell them to read their contracts better then. Because if it specifically says that you cant do this then they can do it doesn't matter if you think its morally right or what.
The problem is it ISN'T said they can do that. It just IS done.
You don't seem to be getting what I am saying so I will say it clearly this time.
IF IT DOESN'T SAY THAT THEY CANNOT DO IT THEN THEY ARE IN THEIR RIGHT TO DO IT DOES NOT MATTER WHETHER OR NOT YOU THINK ITS MORALLY RIGHT OR NOT. Hell there are a lot of places that have weird morals when it comes to how to run their business but apparently the only place you seem to care is gamestop.
You don't have to get shitty. Unclench yourself and calm down.

Simply NOT saying YOU can't do something is a really lousy excuse. That's like me going into work, grabbing the PA system and telling the whole store to go fuck themselves. I've read the employee hand book cover to cover because I'm a good employee and want to keep my job, there wasn't a thing that said we couldn't do that. But I know for a fact I would be fired if I did.
 

Jinx_Dragon

New member
Jan 19, 2009
1,274
0
0
krazykidd said:
Yeah so? If the employees really mind they wouldn't work for gamestop . Either that or they would sue them . If the employees are not aware of these laws , then it's their own fault , ignorance is not an excuse . Say what you want about gamestop but , it's the employees fault for not contestig this or working for them. I blame gamestop for nothing.
Maybe you have not had to work a shitty job before, but you do them because there is no other choices at that moment.

Game stop is what they know as a company with retention problems, because many workers won't stand for it for long periods of time. You know how they deal with that? They don't! Many companies like when they have an issue with retention because it is a damn good excuse to cycle employees without needing to focus on why they are leaving. In a 'entry level' position, or any job that requires no education, there is always someone to replace you in the wings. This means if someone does create a fuss you can fire them and have someone working their shift the very next day. This has led to a situation where fear is predominate in the workplace: Knowledge you are replaceable is a good silencing tool.

Unions formed because of situations like this one, but unions are a bad word in the states as they have been indoctrinated to view anyone offering to help as some sort of threat.
 

Jinx_Dragon

New member
Jan 19, 2009
1,274
0
0
overpuce said:
So here's my gripe with Gamestop and the reason why I haven't gone back since the release of Gen 1 X-Box 360.

Sometime during the year prior to the 360 release, I had pre-ordered it through my local Gamestop. 5 dollars and I get a guaranteed 360 on release day. That sounded good in theory.

The few months following up to the release, I was told that they weren't going to be getting enough 360s on release day to cover all their preorders. What? They further said that people who paid in full first would get their system first. I didn't have to pay any bills at the time and had a great job... so I put down the cash.

After paying in full, I found out that I had paid JUST IN TIME to get their second shipment... arriving after Christmas.

Now that was annoying but this is what takes the cake. It was the day I was supposed to get my 360. I went up to the counter and showed them my receipt (which I kept luckily). Now this is the shit that takes the cake and made me want to punch the clerk in the face. They told me, sir we gave you a refund on your payment last month.

Turns out, some other guy who has my same lastname, went into the Gamestop and asked for a refund. Instead of getting the $50 that he put down, he got a lot more $400 ( I think that was the price). So instead of getting my shiny new 360, I was told... well we have to clear this up and talk to the guy and get your money back. WFT?!?!

I asked for the store manager, who wasn't there, and was told... he'll be here at 3:00. I called the store and finally the manager said that I could pick up my 360 because they F'd up. Thank GOD!

Needless to say, I never shopped there EVER again.

Must say I had to love the line about them hunting down the guy and finding out what he did with your money. You know, as if it wasn't their fault for giving a complete stranger a refund in your name. No, you have to wait around while this is fixed because it clearly was your fault in trusting them in your first place.
 

Jitters Caffeine

New member
Sep 10, 2011
999
0
0
NameIsRobertPaulson said:
Jitters Caffeine said:
In the last few days, I have heard about and subsequently researched horrible things Gamestop has been accused of doing. Now I'm not talking about whether or not the "used games market" is stealing money from publishers, I'm just talking about business practices of the stores themselves. But from what I hear, Gamestop is guilty of acts that are LITERALLY illegal in the state of California, such as not giving employees breaks, forced searches on employees before their lunches and at the ends of shifts, and damn near stealing money from employees with something called a "Comdata" card that the store signs you up for when you're hired. It was also brought to my attention that in some, not all, that employees actually run criminal record scans on customers without notification. Even the police at least TELL you that their doing it. Now this is FAR from everything that I've been told, but I would really like to know if anyone else had heard anything like this. I would especially like it if current or former Gamestop employees would speak up, because those people would have been on the front lines so to speak.

Now I have no idea how "up to date" my information is, but I will be glad to link the videos I was shown that really bothered me.

Please do not misunderstand me. I fully supported and even defended Gamestop until just recently, so this isn't just some "I hate how they steal money from publishers" thing. I am speaking on Gamestop's apparent treatment of employees as expendable numbers that can be replaced in an instant, and customers as walking sacks with dollar signs on them ripe for the pillaging. I am genuinely interested in any information people have about their experiences.

EDIT:
I realize I probably should have included these in to begin with:

Please do not immediately disregard these videos because of the format, these were all done by former employees who were witnesses and victims to these treatments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHVepwrFTLA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh5dGE5eZ0A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxApoyEePfU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FZuneF_Yt0


Another mindless attack on GameStop.

Feel free to hate it. And this time youtube videos as sources! Fantastic.

Some people have bad experiences at GS. Most people hate it because they wouldn't get $20 in trade for their Madden 2004.
I was asking if anyone had heard accusations like these you dick. Don't just disregard something just because you're a dedicated Internet asshole. People have legitiment compaints about them. Those videos were pointed out to me by former employees who experienced similar problems and they were asked for by people who commented. No one was complaining about not getting full price for their 4 year old games. All of these were about poor treatment of customers and employees, and their questionable business practices.

So curve your swerve and maybe stop being an ass when people are trying to educate themselves.
 

Metaphysic

New member
Jul 1, 2011
77
0
0
ITT: I'm going to viciously attack Gamestop specifically for standard retail-industry-wide problems!

Most complaints in this thread are, unfortunately, standard in retail, and just because certain Gamestops (or Best Buys or Wal-Marts) treat their employees like shit, doesn't mean all of them do. I have friends at Best Buy and Gamestop, and they quite like their jobs. I work at Wal-Mart and, while I don't want to do it for the rest of my life, it's the best job I've had in two or three years. Alternatively, some of you may know people who have had bad experiences working with these same companies, or have had them yourselves.

And to the 'Grow a pair and get a different job' crowd, easier said than done. I got fired two days after my (large) year raise at my previous job after getting a great review from my assistant manager, and a good one from my manager for absolutely no reason (perfectly legal here in the shit-hole that is Missouri). Took me two months and all of my savings to find another job, and I only got this one because I had a friend who works there.
Grow a pair, quit your job, get a new one within a week (without having applied elsewhere previously), and tell me it's easy.
 

Ariyura

New member
Oct 18, 2008
258
0
0
Jitters Caffeine said:
LadyMint said:
I'm not out to defend Gamestop, but in all honesty this all sounds like typical things at workplaces not being properly kept in check by their employees. Except for the card thing. That I've seen at practically every job I've had and only one of those was in retail. In the event that you just can't or don't want to have a bank account, they offer that card to you because overall it makes it easier for them to do monetary transactions. My only recommendation to people who don't like banks is to try community credit unions. I hear nothing but good things about those and am personally thinking about switching.
I actually didn't know that. I've never dealt with anything like it because I've ALWAYS had a bank account or was given cash directly.
I've worked for Gamestop and the card is just an alternative. They will still cut you a check or directly deposit it in your checking of savings account. As for the searching well most employers in retail do this now a days. When I worked at Borders it was a mandatory bag check even if you came in during your off days.

Now I do agree about the searches are a pain in the ass on the other hand because usually they were only two to three people working so if it was busy and you wanted to go on your break then you had to wait until the manager or supervisor was free before you could leave.
 

Jitters Caffeine

New member
Sep 10, 2011
999
0
0
Larva said:
Jitters Caffeine said:
I know I can't be the only person who's heard stuff like this...
Nope. I've heard most, ran into a few of them personally. They also got in trouble a while back for re-selling used games as "new." (I didn't read close enough to see if that was already listed.)

That's part of why I don't shop there; their prices aren't very good, their trade-in value usually less than a quarter of what I can get on eBay or Amazon, and they're just kind of dicks from a business standpoint. (Though many of those kind of complaints are incredible common... retail just sucks.)

(And thank you for not going full retard with another "used games are piracy" derpfest. Seriously. There are more than plenty of reasons to hate GameStop without the utter ignorance typically spewed about the industry on these forums...)
I didn't bring it up in my OP, but it was hammered home pretty hard in those videos
 

Bamkills

New member
Nov 6, 2011
6
0
0
Gamestop sounds like a bloody paradise compared to the crap I went through at a Sonic Drive-In, now that my friends, was a shit-tastic job. But you work through it, take that paycheck home every week or two, and look for a job on your days off, cause its MUCH easier to find a job while already employed.

P.S. Also wanted to add that if I worked at gamestop, I would soooooooooooo dib first releases, and I expect anyone here would too.
 

Jitters Caffeine

New member
Sep 10, 2011
999
0
0
Bamkills said:
Gamestop sounds like a bloody paradise compared to the crap I went through at a Sonic Drive-In, now that my friends, was a shit-tastic job. But you work through it, take that paycheck home every week or two, and look for a job on your days off, cause its MUCH easier to find a job while already employed.

P.S. Also wanted to add that if I worked at gamestop, I would soooooooooooo dib first releases, and I expect anyone here would too.
I'm just saying you shouldn't HOLD merchandise when you have preorders to fill.
 

Eve Charm

New member
Aug 10, 2011
760
0
0
I kind of wish I didn't read this most of it before posting cause this is more of a " they check you that's evil hurpderp or moneys on a card" then anything else

Ok as current there, they want you to turn your pockets, lift your pant legs, check your coat, bags and purchases. We aren't talking strip search here. They do it because it's retail, and you can easily smuggle out small stuff. It is in the handbook and you did agree to it to work there.

The kicker though is it isn't the manager's job to check the employee, it's the employee's job to tell the manager to check them before they go, cause if they leave before getting checked, it's on them.

Comdata on the other hand does suck, they charge you to take your money out at a atm, and even then you can't get all of it out, or you can use it at accepted places for free. That's why it's easy to get direct deposit, and they recently started using mastercards for new hires.

And for the last, whining about their trade prices and used game prices, you'd never under stand it unless you worked for the company or another big used place like cds, movies or hell even cars. because they don't test the games, can't say when and if the game will actually sell if they buy, they might have a lot of copies of the same game, and even tho they pay to take in your newer games, they still pay to buy people's crappy ps2 and gamecubes they most likey they won't sell all of, and end up getting destroyed like xbox games recently did. That's just a few reasons they can't pay top dollar for things. the company would fail if they paid what you could get on amazon or ebay.

Your also going to see everyone else that's jumping into the used business to follow gs and see their prices go down the same way when they get more and more stock they just can't sell.

And no I'm not even really pro gamestop either, i secretly think everyone is stupid that goes out of their way to buy a game to only want to sell it for less money the second they think they are done with it. Keep your damn games, you never know when you want to go back and play something you found good again.
 

Jitters Caffeine

New member
Sep 10, 2011
999
0
0
Eve Charm said:
I kind of wish I didn't read this most of it before posting cause this is more of a " they check you that's evil hurpderp or moneys on a card" then anything else

Ok as current there, they want you to turn your pockets, lift your pant legs, check your coat, bags and purchases. We aren't talking strip search here. They do it because it's retail, and you can easily smuggle out small stuff. It is in the handbook and you did agree to it to work there.

The kicker though is it isn't the manager's job to check the employee, it's the employee's job to tell the manager to check them before they go, cause if they leave before getting checked, it's on them.

Comdata on the other hand does suck, they charge you to take your money out at a atm, and even then you can't get all of it out, or you can use it at accepted places for free. That's why it's easy to get direct deposit, and they recently started using mastercards for new hires.

And for the last, whining about their trade prices and used game prices, you'd never under stand it unless you worked for the company or another big used place like cds, movies or hell even cars. because they don't test the games, can't say when and if the game will actually sell if they buy, they might have a lot of copies of the same game, and even tho they pay to take in your newer games, they still pay to buy people's crappy ps2 and gamecubes they most likey they won't sell all of, and end up getting destroyed like xbox games recently did. That's just a few reasons they can't pay top dollar for things. the company would fail if they paid what you could get on amazon or ebay.

Your also going to see everyone else that's jumping into the used business to follow gs and see their prices go down the same way when they get more and more stock they just can't sell.

And no I'm not even really pro gamestop either, i secretly think everyone is stupid that goes out of their way to buy a game to only want to sell it for less money the second they think they are done with it. Keep your damn games, you never know when you want to go back and play something you found good again.
Yeah, it did get a little out of hand. But I guess those were the topics people felt the strongest about.
 

Memoriae

New member
Mar 7, 2010
80
0
0
DragonLord Seth said:
This is about the... I think fifth time I've heard about people bitching about Gamestop. Am I REALLY the ONLY person on this entire fucking site that has a gamestop with awesome people?
Christ, there are three things I'm sick and fucking tired of. There are three things that keep being brought back up. Can we agree that Half Life 2 is good, but people who play it now might not think that? That Yahtzee can't be taken seriously? And that Gamestops are hit and miss?
This, good lord, this.

It's large chain retail, you're going to get some awesome places, that treat their workers far better than the "average" place, and you're going to get some really shit ones.


That said, mandatory bag searches? Welcome to retail. Christ, I used to work in a bank, and we'd get random searches, that we couldn't refuse. Read your contracts the next time you find them, you'll most likely see something in there notifying you of them. Ignorance isn't an excuse when it's in black and white in front of you.


Comdata cards? Can't say I've heard of them, but if they're paying you on those when you don't have a bank account for them to pay in to, then that's your issue, and not theirs. Sort out a bank account, and get paid into that.

And criminal record checks on customers? Bring us proof, or this goes in the "Waa, capitalist businesses are EVUL" pile.
 

Jitters Caffeine

New member
Sep 10, 2011
999
0
0
Memoriae said:
DragonLord Seth said:
This is about the... I think fifth time I've heard about people bitching about Gamestop. Am I REALLY the ONLY person on this entire fucking site that has a gamestop with awesome people?
Christ, there are three things I'm sick and fucking tired of. There are three things that keep being brought back up. Can we agree that Half Life 2 is good, but people who play it now might not think that? That Yahtzee can't be taken seriously? And that Gamestops are hit and miss?
This, good lord, this.

It's large chain retail, you're going to get some awesome places, that treat their workers far better than the "average" place, and you're going to get some really shit ones.


That said, mandatory bag searches? Welcome to retail. Christ, I used to work in a bank, and we'd get random searches, that we couldn't refuse. Read your contracts the next time you find them, you'll most likely see something in there notifying you of them. Ignorance isn't an excuse when it's in black and white in front of you.


Comdata cards? Can't say I've heard of them, but if they're paying you on those when you don't have a bank account for them to pay in to, then that's your issue, and not theirs. Sort out a bank account, and get paid into that.

And criminal record checks on customers? Bring us proof, or this goes in the "Waa, capitalist businesses are EVUL" pile.
Geez, that last part was entirely uncalled for and baseless. The point of this was I wanted to see if anyone had hear these accusations. I hadn't until just a few days ago and was hoping other people had any more detailed sources than mine. You're just trying to be difficult and start arguments.
 

Memoriae

New member
Mar 7, 2010
80
0
0
Jitters Caffeine said:
Geez, that last part was entirely uncalled for and baseless. The point of this was I wanted to see if anyone had hear these accusations. I hadn't until just a few days ago and was hoping other people had any more detailed sources than mine. You're just trying to be difficult and start arguments.
It's hardly unreasonable to ask for some form of proof for an allegation that I'm pretty sure is illegal, even in the USA.

And given the amount of GS-bashing that happens around here, I'm not entirely surprised that someone would throw that kind of heavy allegation around without the smallest jot of proof, no matter how circumstantial.
 

boag

New member
Sep 13, 2010
1,623
0
0
Jitters Caffeine said:
In the last few days, I have heard about and subsequently researched horrible things Gamestop has been accused of doing. Now I'm not talking about whether or not the "used games market" is stealing money from publishers, I'm just talking about business practices of the stores themselves. But from what I hear, Gamestop is guilty of acts that are LITERALLY illegal in the state of California, such as not giving employees breaks, forced searches on employees before their lunches and at the ends of shifts, and damn near stealing money from employees with something called a "Comdata" card that the store signs you up for when you're hired. It was also brought to my attention that in some, not all, that employees actually run criminal record scans on customers without notification. Even the police at least TELL you that their doing it. Now this is FAR from everything that I've been told, but I would really like to know if anyone else had heard anything like this. I would especially like it if current or former Gamestop employees would speak up, because those people would have been on the front lines so to speak.

Now I have no idea how "up to date" my information is, but I will be glad to link the videos I was shown that really bothered me.

Please do not misunderstand me. I fully supported and even defended Gamestop until just recently, so this isn't just some "I hate how they steal money from publishers" thing. I am speaking on Gamestop's apparent treatment of employees as expendable numbers that can be replaced in an instant, and customers as walking sacks with dollar signs on them ripe for the pillaging. I am genuinely interested in any information people have about their experiences.

EDIT:
I realize I probably should have included these in to begin with:

Please do not immediately disregard these videos because of the format, these were all done by former employees who were witnesses and victims to these treatments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHVepwrFTLA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh5dGE5eZ0A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxApoyEePfU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FZuneF_Yt0
This was thouroughly entertaining, thank you so much for sharing.
 

RoBi3.0

New member
Mar 29, 2009
709
0
0
Okay First off ragging on Gamestop for buying their used games and having the balls to try to make money on them is stupid. That is called capitalism. They are a business and are out to make money. It is like getting pissed of that the Olive Garden pays roughly 15 cents for the ingredients it uses to make one plate of Spaghetti then sale that plate to the general public for around 7 dollars. I would love to see some internet videos complaining about profits gained by restaurant. Hell the restaurant I run spends 10 cant on a serving of French Fries and sales them for 2 dollars. Businesses are out to make money if you think they are their to do anything else you are a moron.

That being said I don't trade games to them because the returns suck and I don't mind selling on the internet in order to make more money when I do sell a game, which is rarely as I am a collector type personality.

Also your videos are out of date almost to the point of irrelevance Gamecrazy doesn't exist anymore. Gamestop will not take unopened new games I doubt the ever were supposed to. In fact my bother worked as seasonal help at Gamestop a year ago will he was in College and they were told that if they even suspected that they stuff a person was trying to trade in was stolen they were to refuse to take it point blank. Situations like a guy walks in with two opened, but obviously never removed from the case Xbox copies of Skyrim, were meet with sorry We can not take these games -insert fake reason-. Then they would call the other stores in the area to warn them about the guy. They also keep a black list of individuals that have made fishy but not obvious stolen trades once you make to many fishy transactions you end up on that list and they refuse to do business with you. The Gamestops in my area at least take the purchasing of stolen goods very seriously.

Overall my brothers experience with working for GameStop was enjoyable he has told me several times if he didn't graduate with the ability to get a job making twice what he made at Gamestop he would still work there. Not every Gamestop is the same.


Also why is this guy trying to Vilify Pawn Shops like all Pawn Shops are evil, that simple isn't true. Sure like everything there are and will always be bad Pawn Shops but in general they are not evil.