A disgruntled former employee of GameStop calling himself “WhistleBlowerZero” has created a 9-part YouTube video series which explains quickly, but in exhaustive detail, the many reasons why you, Dear Consumer, should not shop at GameStop. It’s modeled after the popular “Zero Punctuation” game reviews, a fact that will probably be lost on anyone who doesn’t already know the many reasons not to shop at GameStop.
The videos have slightly NSFW language. Here’s the first one.
(Thanks, David!)
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Now I know what fast-talking Spanish-speaking people sound like to other Spanish speakers.
GamsStop ripping people off while buying and selling property?!? Ever heard of pawn shops and car dealerships? Guess not.
/Nothing new here, except a white dude who talks like someone on Telemundo, only in English.
The GameStop system works out for the gamer who is only there for the sake of games that are a year or more past the release date. It absolutely doesn’t for the gamer trading in a game that isn’t in high demand or who wants to buy a used copy of a new game. For my own purposes, I abhor the institution that is eBay due to a series of failures of the PayPal fraud system, and CraigsList is so hit or miss that I can’t afford to spend an hour waiting on a meet up just to make an extra five dollars. GameFly works out, but requires much more effort, and you can’t inspect the games you get prior to purchase.
As for people who don’t like used games, what’s the problem? After the advent of the optical disk-based gaming system, aside from physical scratches or cracks, there’s no diminished quality to fear.
I heard him just fine – it’s called living with girls. But I’ll admit that it was difficult to listen AND read the text at the same time.
-Brett
I know too many people who have been burned by Ebay and Craigslist to trust them any longer. As for Gamestop the problem is mostly due to it being a huge chain store. Some stores will be good, some bad, and most will be mediocre.
I’ve personally never had a bad customer service experience beyond a mild preorder or club card sales pitch. When the game I want is out of stock, 90% of the time the guy will ask if I want him to call around to the other stores as there are. If he doesn’t it’s usually because the store is swamped with customers.
Of course a lot of this may be due to competition pressures where I live. Each Gamestop I’m aware of within a 20 minute drive of my home has at least 3 competitors within walking distance. Whether its rental places that also sell used games, other chain stores, or big box retailers and media stores.
Hell, the one I usually visit has to compete with an FYE and a KB Toys store in the same mall, a Circuit City and a Toys R Us next door to the mall, and in order going in the other direction down the road over a two mile stretch there is a Blockbuster, a Target, an EB Games, and a Walmart. There also used to be a Media Play and a Hollywood video.
As video games continue to go mainstream competition will keep increasing, and customer service will start mattering more and more.
For all those commenting about the speed of the speech of the video, this person is using the exact style/look of the “Zero Punctuation” video reviews, and those have the same insanely quick speech through the videos, except it’s done by a British fellow.
@MSUHitman: Mmm-hmm. I got through about five seconds of it before I rolled my eyes skyward and went to check out fun stuff in the Zero Punctuation archives.
Seriously, this is less homage/parody than it is practical theft.
Point of reference:
[www.escapistmagazine.com]
I think its a shame he went the “fast talking” route, because he nailed the animation so well, it just detracted from the whole experience.
He really goes into good detail about the operations and why its a stupid place to shop, but alas, it will be lost on 90% of the viewing audience.
i watched some of his other videos. i was surprised at the shady way that company pays its employees, nickle and dimming them even as they pay them.
I guess there’s a sucker born every minute
I am amused, I don’t care about the marbles in his mouth, it gives him character.
Kids would be better off donating their games to a local library and creating a free pool of mind numbing fun. I am sure the local librarians would embrace any effort to turn on the youth of america to free books and media for two weeks at a time.
I don’t see the issue with trade in values at gamestop. For example i took back GTA 4 a few weeks ago and got 35$ for it a game i paid 60 for about 4 months ago). That comes out to a cost of 6.25$ a month to rent the game which is a lot cheeper than any other way to rent the game i can think of (gamefly would be 12.50 a month and tie up one of my game rentals the entire time).
Granted i can see the problem if you only own a game for a week and take it back but that’s true for anything.
As for the rest of the videos it sounds like they just aren’t doing their jobs and other generic ‘retail sucks’ complaining.
So, now I’m not supposed to shop at GameStop, and there’s plenty of lamenting about Best Buy and Wal-mart on this site as well. As a gamer/geek/otaku, I have an addition to release dates. So I ask, fellow consumers, where the **** should I go to get zero-day games. I’m pretty sure we all have to just accept that retail chains suck, and shop there anyway, being sure to protect ourselves by being informed.
@YamiNoSenshi: Amazon, basically. Unless you’re into pre-ordering, GameStop sucks for release day games anyways.
@Erwos: when i preorder at gamestop (which is rare i usually get games at taqrget or somewhere) i do so the weekend before a games comes out. That way i know the game is actually coming and don’t ‘forget’ about it. Plus i know I’m not going to be out of town or unusually busy when it comes out and i can target the store i know I’ll be close to during the week so i don’t have to go out of my way.
I also pay the full amount when i preorder so they are damn sure to keep me a copy and i don’t end up with a open copy being sold as new.
If you take your new release in and get $25 on trade-in and turn around a buy another new release used for $55, you’re doing it wrong. You’re like the “angel” in Best Buy’s “angels and demons” customer breakdown. You want to be a demon.
Sign up for their newsletter, or simply check the forums at places like CheapAssGamer.com. They frequently have coupons for 25% off of a particular platform, which stacks with their 10% discount card (which can be purchased for $3 w/o the magazine subscription). A few times a year they’ll do a buy 2, get 1 free sale on used stuff. If you’re not getting a significant discount like those, simply don’t buy there.
Same thing with trade-ins. They frequently run promotions for extra trade-in value, such as $10 extra value or an the extra $15 for three 360/PS3/Wii games they’re offering now. I’m not much for trade-ins, but when I do them I usually manage to get near the orginal value of the game.
If you’re on a site like consumerist you’re probably making an effort to be a smart consumer. Arm yourself with the discounts and you’ll save a good bit of money there.
@Caswell: nailed it…
My only problem with Gamestop was that they wouldn’t take my first-day release copy of GTA: San Andreas. Due to all the Hot Coffee shenanigans, they can’t legally sell it. Actually, I was more amused than upset.
Other than that, I burn through way too many games to deal with cragslist or eBay. Gamestop may not give the best values, but when I buy a game, I don’t view it as an investment – I view it as a night at the bar. I don’t expect to recover any value from it, and if I do, great.
The YouTube video is gone.
I rarely shop at GS due to an actual case of false advertising (they has an entire display for a game in the window with each box marked one price, and then charged a higher price. The manager refused to even come out and talk to be about it), but I found this to be really enjoyable, if not at all surprising.
The part about customer behaviour sounded just like my experiences working for a toy store (customers insisting fictional products exist, using the store as a daycare, etc).
I’ve had both good and bad experiences at GameStop and it is totally dependent on the employees/manager. Because of that, there are some stores I won’t patronize again and others I will.
The video is gone, I really wanted to watch. BOOO!
@PrestonBerryworth: only the first one. if you look up the submitter (WhistleBlowerZero) it has the rest still available.
These videos = awesomeness
I love the “NO ALL MINE” picture of GameStop management holding the pile of money.
I don’t game much, but I’ve never had a problem there. I got all three of the last Myst games and just bought Deadliest Catch: Alaskan Storm. I always buy new.
I’ve been to three GS stores here and the people have been really nice. Maybe it’s just that I live in the urban equivalent of Mayberry.
Where am i supposed to get my video games? Gamecrazy is just as bad then there is walmart ,target and best buy.
Videos are no longer up
where they go?!
And so it begins.
Anyone mirror them before they went down?
The Gamestop in my town is staffed with friendly knowledgeable people, and the prices beat anything else in my town. Craigslist is nearly nonexistant (yes, in MY town) so all in all, I use GS all the time and have no complaints. They ARE generous with their trial period for games – not may other stores do that.
I was wondering how long these would be up. Dude, you need to make the same videos but have ‘Game Go’ or ‘Game S–t’ as the business name.
The only reason I go to frigging gamestop is because every other store keeps the games under lock and key and finding an employee to get one out of the lockup for you to take to the register is like finding the Holy Grail. I wish that one day Wal-Mart, target, Hastings (Reigonal chain), and all the other stores keeping games behind plate glass would just cut the crap and install a freaking vending machine that dispenses games.
At gamestop you grab the empty case off the shelf, hand it to the employee and he puts the disc in the case for you. No having to hunt an elusive employee down to go on a further fool’s errand to find the guy with the keys to the lockup.
Ok, Best Buy doesn’t keep their games in lockup (at least not my local store) but their selection for all three consoles extend to pretty much titles that have been released in the past 2 weeks, past three years of Madden, and Guitar Hero and Rockband accessories.
In case you can’t find it anymore on YouTube, you can still find it at one of the Consumerists sister sites….
[kotaku.com]
Sorry, use this direct to story link instead…
[kotaku.com]
I’ve had problems with faulty information from Gamestop in the past. Imaginary expansion packs and fictional in-game content. I’ve had problems with the price of used games changing somewhere between the shelf and the counter.
Recently I learned of their return/replacement policy. I bought a $200 Guitar Hero World Tour band kit from Gamestop. What did I receive? A drum kit with non-functioning cymbols and a guitar that misreads frets.
I boxed it all up and according to their receipt I luckly kept, I was eligable for a replacement within the first 30 days.
They refused to take it back claiming, “We can’t. Sorry.” Their manager is on his “day off” for the next 5 days. I could not get the instruments replaced, or refunded. I was stuck with $200 of broken equipment.
I had spoken to Activision, the makers of the game, prior to Gamestop. I was told of their no refund/no return policy and was instructed to go back to the store that sold me it. They sold me a broken kit, they replace the kit.
Well, Gamestop didn’t. Half an hour of me refusing to step away from the counter until my $200 stopped being a waste, I gave up before the cops they called showed up.
I talked to Activision again and demanded a replacement, I was sent to Red Octane where I spoke about replacing my Band Kit. They said Gamestop should replace it, but they will if I send it in, pay for shipping, pay a 15% restocking fee, and wait 30 days.
What?! I paid $200 for nothing, and have to pay MORE to make it work the way it was supposed to?
When the Gamestop manager comes in, I’m going to stand my ground again even if cops are called. I’ll show them the receipt’s terms and my issue.