Video game retailers

[ridgeracer]

It's the price you pay for working in the games industry

Sorry, I negged you on accident trying to scroll down on my computer. Sorry about that!

[Smitty]

Just had a classic frustrating Game experience.

If they're not finished yet they're at least playing Russian roulette. It's close.

[Timmo]

Just had a classic frustrating Game experience.

If they're not finished yet they're at least playing Russian roulette. It's close.

good story m8

[Smitty]

good story m8

Timmo, you idiot.

[Rob Rymond]

That's one thing I'm glad of, I worked in retail for 5 years (Not at game or gs) and when I did the cashing up the latest I ever got my guys out was 5.35. The amount of times when I was sales staff and I was out at 5.50 or 6. May not seem like much time to many but work that out over the month, year and you're 'working' a lot of unpaid time for nothing. It's in the contract that you may have to stay a little after your shift ends, but in my eyes when I stop getting paid for my shift, that's me done and dusted, most people will just say "Yeah, that's retail" but I still think it's pretty shitty as you don't ever get anything back for the extra time.

Now I have an office job and leave at 5 when my shift ends, perfect.

It does add up. When I was new to GAME, I always agreed to stay behind and help, thinking it'd help me out in the long term. I guess it did because I reached Senior Sales and could have become a Deputy Manager but the unpaid work is just mad. No retail....infact no job should go unpaid if you stay on. I know it is common but in retail, an extra half hours pay wouldn't hurt.

Like yourself, I feel weird now in a job in an office where I leave bang on 6am (I work nights), and start my shift bang on 10pm. No fucking about. I know for a fact the sales guys enjoyed me cashing up and thanked me for getting them out on time. It was a good feeling!

[SozzlyJoe]

Just had a classic frustrating Game experience.

If they're not finished yet they're at least playing Russian roulette. It's close.

We've been saying this a while, but the fact they still exist must mean they have some base level of custom that will keep them going.

I tried to go in on the day FIFA launched and the entire shop was the queue.

[angel]

Like yourself, I feel weird now in a job in an office where I leave bang on 6am (I work nights), and start my shift bang on 10pm. No fucking about. I know for a fact the sales guys enjoyed me cashing up and thanked me for getting them out on time. It was a good feeling!

and in turn they would work hard for you, cut you slack when youre in charge, and help get the place tidy to leave. Like a proper team..something I miss in more office based work.

[Rob Rymond]

Yep I agree, a great way to gain a good workforce. In my office job you lack the communication and banter sometimes that GAME had. It can be a sterile if less stressful environment.

[SeanR]

We've been saying this a while, but the fact they still exist must mean they have some base level of custom that will keep them going.

I tried to go in on the day FIFA launched and the entire shop was the queue.

not to mention sony partnering with them for the 20th anniverary giveaway...

[angel]

My office is more stressful, its ran by cunts. Retail was much more fun except for the tragic money.

[Down by Law]

agreed, the money in retail is absolutely woeful. As a store manager i was on 17K which after tax was just over a grand. Responsible for a store with 8 staff and a 2 million pound turnover. A joke really.

[angel]

I remember when I left my assistant manager post and got an office job 6 months later they asked me what salary I wanted, i had no idea so I put my old one down (13k but this was 9 years ago), then they offered me 15 and a half I was really suprised. Part of me would be tempted to get back into the management side but I've no idea what the wages are now. I'd certainly not want to go back for less than 20k.

[Smitty]

We've been saying this a while, but the fact they still exist must mean they have some base level of custom that will keep them going.

I tried to go in on the day FIFA launched and the entire shop was the queue.

They survive because they're sometimes your only option.

I had a poor experience with them yesterday but in the end I had to crawl back and buy a bundle from them anyway as I had no other good options.

I'm going back today to return a bundle because I want a different game (gta over the buggy MCC). To be frank I am expecting it to be a hassle.

They do the bundle in question on their website. Of course it would be much more convenient if I can just bring back the game I'm swapping (the bundles are identical otherwise) but i've already been told here they'll demand the entire thing back.

Customer fucking convience I guess. Brilliant service.

Anwyay fingers crossed they won't suddenly start pulling online only out of their arse. Sigh.

If anyone has any advice on how to best to handle this I'd appreciate it. I just want to get gta and not have it be a huge saga. It needs to be quick as I have stuff to do today.

Not confident but we'll see.

[ICECOLD]

I spent five years at GAME head office and as far as I remember we always left at 1pm on Christmas Eve.

This year according to someone on my Facebook they've advised staff that 2-3pm is when they should be leaving.

The company always had this mentality of being stingy and self-serving, while at the same time trying to convince you it was doing YOU a favour. Looks like if anything it's gotten worse.

[snowbind]

I remember when I bought my 360 package from Gamestation at Christmas, they didn't have the game I wanted for a 'pick any 4 games' bundle. So they let me take another game and then return it within 2 weeks for the game I wanted.

Gamestation used to be excellent around Christmas, with a different game half price every week.

Better times

[Smitty]

I remember when I bought my 360 package from Gamestation at Christmas, they didn't have the game I wanted for a 'pick any 4 games' bundle. So they let me take another game and then return it within 2 weeks for the game I wanted.

Gamestation used to be excellent around Christmas, with a different game half price every week.

Better times

What you describe is how it should be. I should be able to go in today with the receipt and MCC box and say I want gta as there is a matching bundle on your site.

But instead I will get told to bring the whole lot back and possibly told I can't do that swap anyway as they don't do that bundle in store.

For such a simple thing to be a faff gives me a very low opinion of game.

Another annoyance is that you can't see the Xmas opening hours of the stores on their website. I swear to God it's like they don't want the business.

[harlowlad]

I worked at Jakarta ☺️

[angel]

Another annoyance is that you can't see the Xmas opening hours of the stores on their website. I swear to God it's like they don't want the business.

They don't want your business, nope, they want xmas mums and kids business. Thats what theyre set up for, they dont want gamers. Its like someone like kwik-fit. They dont want mechanics or car experts, they want housewives they can fleece. Its a common misconception that GAME is for gamers.

My old manager used to tell me about his interviewees, all telling him this and that about games. He wanted someone smart who could deal with the public, the end. GAME know how to operate tills, shift stock, tidy shelves. The actual items could just aswell be dvds, or books. They dont want your business if you know how they work.

[Dudley]

I remember when I left my assistant manager post and got an office job 6 months later they asked me what salary I wanted, i had no idea so I put my old one down (13k but this was 9 years ago), then they offered me 15 and a half I was really suprised. Part of me would be tempted to get back into the management side but I've no idea what the wages are now. I'd certainly not want to go back for less than 20k.

I left Blockbuster on £15k as a manager in 2006.

I took a lowest of the low programming job (Admittedly in Greater London) for £22k.

Crazy.

[burntoutbanger]

Another annoyance is that you can't see the Xmas opening hours of the stores on their website.

http://instore.game.co.uk/festive-opening-times/

Though not as obvious as it should have been.

[Down by Law]

I spent five years at GAME head office and as far as I remember we always left at 1pm on Christmas Eve.

This year according to someone on my Facebook they've advised staff that 2-3pm is when they should be leaving.

The company always had this mentality of being stingy and self-serving, while at the same time trying to convince you it was doing YOU a favour. Looks like if anything it's gotten worse.

6am openings on boxing day this year!

They were always stingy though. At Kidderminster in 2009 it was only us and the local tesco open on Easter Sunday. I think we took about £200. Cost them more in staff costs.

[fat flatulent git]

My local is doing great business today, including a lot of preowned to me.

[Smitty]

Well that went about as well as you can expect from Game i.e. it went terribly.

''Hi, I bought X bundle yesterday, I wondered if I could swap it for this bundle [shows phone screen]''

''That's online only'' [WHAT A FUCKING SURPRISE]

''Right, right. So what can I do with one of the games I bought yesterday in my bundle, Master Chief Collection, i've heard it's still buggy. I'd like to swap it''

''You can trade it in''

''I meant what can I swap it with''

''You can't you can only trade it in''

''I must surely be able to get something of equivalent value at least''

''No it's set bundles. You can't have anything else''

I just left in silence.

HOW THE FUCK ARE THEY STILL IN BUSINESS? It's so frustrating! Not only are they completely inflexible, the service from the two guys (one I was talking to, and some manager butting in) was terrible. They both seemed uninterested in me being there. Neither showed any sign of being concerned by my problem. Neither smiled. Neither made me an offer. Neither apologised despite my problem and subsequent frustration - it's surely obvious if a customer turns and walks out in silence they're not happy. But they didn't say 'sorry we couldn't help'. Nothing. Their faces were blank and they obviously didn't care.

They just repeat a lifeless script. I know it's a totally different outfit but compare how you are treated in Marks and Spencer when you just want something simple like the location of the crisps. You're made to feel valued. Service is quick, friendly and helpful. In Game you might as well be choosing options on a touch screen .

It's just terrible. Fuck! And how does it make any sense for them? What, they'd rather I return the bundle and lose the whole sale than give me a similarly priced game? What the fuck is this bullshit?

[Nick R]

HOW THE FUCK ARE THEY STILL IN BUSINESS? It's so frustrating! Not only are they completely inflexible, the service from the two guys (one I was talking to, and some manager butting in) was terrible. They both seemed uninterested in me being there. Neither showed any sign of being concerned by my problem. Neither smiled. Neither made me an offer. Neither apologised. Their faces were blank and they obviously didn't care.

Perhaps their service really was that poor. But how busy was the shop at the time? Today might not have been the best of days to go in expecting them to have spare time to spend negotiating and being flexible!

[Smitty]

Perhaps their service really was that poor. But how busy was the shop at the time? Today might not have been the best of days to go in expecting them to have spare time to spend negotiating and being flexible!

Oh fuck that excuse. Now is exactly the time they need to up their customer service game.

What's the negotiating here? It's MCC, it's new and still worth normal money. At least give me a list of games I can swap it with. Offer me full money value back so I can BUY another game from with the money (from you!). Don't tell me to fucking trade it in so I lose money and you make it because of your terrible trade-in prices.

I remember Gamestation back in the day would swap games in bundles out, at least on a same-tier-of-value basis (if not any game, I forget the details). This is shit. It's shit both because you can't get what you want (not even from a limited pre-approved list) but how you're treated when you're being told to fuck off is pretty bad. I don't care how busy they are, it takes a second to say 'sorry' and that would make the experience a least a little better.

If their policy was different it would have been a very quick process.

''Ok choose a game worth up to £40/this list/any normal edition game'

'Choose'

'Selected'

'Cancel old receipt, do new one'

'Done'

Out of the door!

Fuck making excuses for this shit. I know they do this aggressive 'no subs' and 'online only' bullshit all year anyway.

[deerokus]

I really don't understand their 'everything is far more expensive in shop than on the website and than every single other competitor' business plan. At that point you are actively turning your shops into showrooms, surely? Not to mention the lack of a 'buy online and collect in the shop' service which even bloody Waterstones offer these days.

[Smitty]

I really don't understand their 'everything is far more expensive in shop than on the website and than every single other competitor' business plan. Not to mention the lack of a 'buy online and collect in sthe shop' service which even bloody Waterstones offer these days.

The thing is the bundles are surely of the same value!

It's

Bone + MCC + COD/AW + FORZA 5 D/L

vs

Bone + GTA5 + COD/AW + FORZA 5 D/L (supposedly online only, good luck finding that on the website)

So it's MCC vs GTA5. What the fuck can the price difference be there? Frankly I think I should be able to choose more games, but at least give me the opportunity to choose another set bundle if I don't want the game I have in another bundle.

But oh no, one of these is 'online only' and that shit is sacred. Fuck you, customer, fuck off back to our website. No you can't swap the game. No we won't give you vouchers or something. Just fuck off already, we've got grannies to rip off!

I know this is Game to a tee but I haven't had to put up with their bullshit in years because of the internet. This is the first time and I'm seeing again how shit they are. I can only translate it to a contempt for the customer. They just do their little checklist routines in a monotone voice and that's that.

[SweatyTravolta]

Oh fuck that excuse. Now is exactly the time they need to up their customer service game.

What's the negotiating here? It's MCC, it's new and still worth normal money. At least give me a list of games I can swap it with. Offer me full money value back so I can BUY another game from with the money (from you!). Don't tell me to fucking trade it in so I lose money and you make it because of your terrible trade-in prices.

I remember Gamestation back in the day would swap games in bundles out, at least on a same-tier-of-value basis (if not any game, I forget the details). This is shit. It's shit both because you can't get what you want (not even from a limited pre-approved list) but how you're treated when you're being told to fuck off is pretty bad.

If their policy was different it would have been a very quick process.

''Ok choose a game worth up to £40/this list/any normal edition game'

'Choose'

'Selected'

'Cancel old receipt, do new one'

'Done'

Out of the door!

Fuck making excuses for this shit. I know they do this aggressive 'no subs' and 'online only' bullshit all year anyway.

because the company would have bought more of the games they were planning to bundle so they could get them on a better deal from the manufacturers. Switching out to games not on the list would lead to less profit or even a loss.

[Smitty]

because the company would have bought more of the games they were planning to bundle so they could get them on a better deal from the manufacturers. Switching out to games not on the list would lead to less profit or even a loss.

It's fucking bundled online! Give me a voucher to get the game online later or something!

God damn it.

[denisb]

Smitty I thought they had a 30 day exchange policy for games unopened might be worth checking

Or get your mum to do it saying halo is unsuitable for your little brother

Know what you mean about em playing Russian roulette thats why when the idiots gave me free shares and cashed em in as soon as I was allowed

Netting me a ps4 Black Friday bundle drive club and last of us for £140 odd

Chappie behind counter got in right strop saying I couldn't spend points on a Black Friday deal lol