I think it is still acceptable to say that woman and men are different... but this is a tough one. I mean, what if they made the same video for black customers, or homosexual customers? It would be totally offensive. If at the end of this, Gamestop is essentially suggesting to treat women differently than men in terms of selling, then I'd say this is a bad idea.

i remember distinctly after being "corrected" on something i was not wrong about at EB Games, telling the small nerd "just because i have tits does not mean you can talk to me like that" and walking out.

Her accent is dreadful. Where's the button for that?

If you think about it, most of the Gamestop employees probably have never spoken to someone of the female gender (other than their mom) anyways...

Whenever I want a good laugh at how women are marketed too I watch Sarah Haskin's videos.

Hilarious.

[current.com]

Eh, I'm not offended. As a female gamer, former retail worker, and zoologist, I actually enjoyed this video for quite a few reasons. I'm sure someone's going to get their panties in a twist about it, but having dealt with women who were *exactly like those stereotypes* (very very few men who fit into those same subsets, incidentally enough), I bet the video was helpful to newbie employees.

On the one hand, I'm glad they're pointing out to their employees that women buy video games too and I'm actually NOT in the store to buy something for my boyfriend/husband or to enable their boob-staring needs. And once we get to the part where they believe me I want a video game, that video game is not Harvest Moon, I promise, and I actually do know how my console works.

On the other hand, this is kinda ... I don't know, annoying? Toolish? Philmin has a good point about what if it were "selling to gays" or something.

But I suppose when it's so clear at many of the stores that the employees really DO need to be told "Women are people too, swear!" anything helps. Maybe.

I have to agree that this video (in some form) probably is necessary in a Gamestop. I mean it's not a stretch to guess that they have more virgins per capita than any group other than Mormon missionaries.

Not offensive at all.
I remember when I worked at best Buy and they introduced all of the different lifestyle groups (male and female shopper archetypes based on income and shopping habits), they showed similar videos with bad acting. As stupid as it looks, customers almost always fall into these simple groups in some way, and it helps the employee AND customer in the end.

Well... considering that half the clientele of Gamestop doesn't even know not to STARE at a womans' boobs - or how to bathe regularly, I would say that their employees may not necessarily know how to sell to them either.

I was the only female on staff at the Gamestop I worked at for over a year, and after I quit I never saw a girl working there for at least another year after that.

@philmin: I think your point is incredibly valid. But, I'm a woman, and a gamer (not casual) and I've worked in marketing. It's true, women in general have a different mental process when it comes to shopping. However, as a gamer, and a hard core gamer at that, I find it offensive. I want to be treated the same as a guy when I go in to get my next copy of GTA IV or peripherals for Rock Band. I don't want the guy behind the counter asking my husband all the questions, when it's MY money that I'm spending. I dunno... I don't think Gamestop can really win with this one. Every company makes stupid videos like this... most just don't see the light of day.

@12-Inch Idongivafuck Sandwich: ZING!

@12-Inch Idongivafuck Sandwich: Well, they've possibly spoken to the older women who come into the stores with their young children, but yes, you are probably right.

@philmin: I think its a joke.

@h3llc4t: Were you the anonymous girl gaming blogger???

Put most men in a lingerie store or shoe store and *poof* pretty much same stereotype reversed.

Each gender likes/avoids different things. And thank god.

Women are easily frightened and confused seems to be the message.

@12-Inch Idongivafuck Sandwich: I really don't like how people into video games, role playing games, Star Trek, and so on are always portrayed poorly. Couple of myths to clear up:\
1. There is no such thing as a girls on the internet.
False: Girls play video games, just as often as boys do. I speak from experience.
2. Geeks never get laid.
False! Girls do find geeks attractive and fun, just ask my fiance.

A couple of general thoughts.

1. Why was she looking at a map of Cuba?????????

2. I figured out why she was so perky at 6:22 - she does a good big sniff of the marker.

.... I think the ideas of selling were good, but think they should not just target women with it. Heck, I know when I go into Gamestop (Male), I do some of the same things that women do... of course I don't think I'll fall for the same things as the people in the video do.... but I think they are limited their options with just targeting women.

@Eyebrows McGee: Agreed.

The best thing GameStop employees could do to attract women shoppers is:

1. Bathe
2. Shave their bearded necks
3. Not sell opened games as new (women hate that)

@Eyebrows McGee: Having worked there for a while, I can say that most of the guys I worked with were fairly immature and fun-loving, but when it came down to doing their jobs they were pretty serious. It's the other customers you have to worry about ogling your boobies - oh and that smell - that's the customers too.

@Oranges w/ Cheese: @philmin: I am assuming it is a joke. I am a girly gamer, and I have been getting along a-ok at my local gamestop.

Haha oh man this video is terrible. My favourite part is that really all these tips are things you should be doing with every customer, not just female ones. The magazine subscriptions are hilarious too. I lost it at "Good Housekeeping." They should just go all out and provide them with "How To Keep Your Man Happy."

But take heed of Ima Sartane! She's the Director of Womanly Studies at GAMESTOP UNIVERSITY!

@Hertzey: #2 is a fallacy. Hell myself and my ex-boyfriend are nerds / geeks and we laid each other on a regular basis.

You can probably justify that a large portion of geeks / nerds may not, but I'm sure it isn't disproportionate to any other subset of the population. From experience, I can say that probably 50% of the people I met on WoW were virgins.

Just put a sign on the door that says "no girls allowed" problem solved.

@cuchanu: Oh dearie, dearie me! *wrings hands*

I kind of hate going to Gamestop or EB or whatevs because when I'm in there, Im mostly shopping for my stepdaughter, which means that yes, I am in there to get Harvest Moon for DS or whatever veterinary game is out and decent (which is a whole other rant -- is it SO hard to make a veterinary game that doesn't completely suck/lack logic?!).

However, most of the clerks I have met are extremely decent to me once I make a crack about God of War 3 or whatever. Er...so maybe if you don't wanna be treated like a girl, don't act girly?

@kityglitr: But you can get a FREE subscription to GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

why isn't there a "funny and clever" option? i could see Daily Show or even the Onion doing this.

@Eyebrows McGee: Good point. I have not had a problem as a female gamer at gamestop, but at other retail stores it takes quite a bit of time to convince people that a) I know what a game is, b) I am buying them for myself, and c) I am not lying about a or b.

This story was already ran on Kotaku and is fake.

@kityglitr: Your points are valid too, but just as there are men who are not hardcore gamers, many women are not either. They cannot assume to treat everyone the same just because they're in the store - and while a younger female should probably be assumed to be the gamer, an older woman (30's up) probably isn't and will be intimidated by "gamer jargon overload" as they put it. Its better, IMO, for them to greet their customers the same, ask a few general questions - if the girl starts talking back with similar terms, they can respond in kind, else they will probably have to guide them to options, as in the video.

Having worked there, but not being a serious gamer, I would be able to handle myself, my mom, on the other hand would be totally lost.

@Aidan Roche: Also echoing the comments that if this video was aimed at an ethnic or sexual minority it would be certainly unacceptable.

@Onion_Volcano: The employees are generally well behaved. Its the customers I think you are referring to.
I never encountered a fellow employee that smelled anywhere CLOSE to some of the customers.

Women playing video games? Next they'll be wanting to vote and get equal pay! Their boobs get in the way of the controller! The time they spend playing video games is better used to cook, clean and make babies! Now shut up and make me sandwich! (end of sarcasm)

If this is real, then it's sad. At least the American GameStops don't use it.

If only there was a training video for male customers on how to interact with female workers...

"Do not stare at their breasts. Do not assume that because they are being nice to you, they want to go out on a date with you. Please do not ask them if they 'play video games or just work here'. Again, do not stare at their breasts. Do not try to smell them or touch them."

The video is cheesy, but not offensive. I'm wondering how it differs from those DSW commercials from a few years ago?

@kityglitr:

I used to host a roundtable at the annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) held in the Bay Area every year, and this is one of the topics I'd cover on a regular basis. It was always a hoot to hear the discussion - there was a lot of ripping on the retail outlets, but a lot was also directed towards publisher marketing and sales departments, as well.

Before each conference, I used to take an informal, non-scientific poll of my female friends who were hardcore gamers like me, and their opinions of places like Gamestop, EB Games, etc. Universally, they HATED going into these stores - they always felt like the staff was condescending towards them. One woman told me that anytime she'd ask a question about a new game at her local store, the staff would ask whether it was for her boyfriend or not. It didn't matter that she'd tell them repeatedly that the game was for her, it was simply a concept they couldn't grasp. Go figure.

I'm sure this was meant to be humorous but I find it off-putting, personally. Overall, I think that things have gotten a bit better in terms of the way the industry thinks of female gamers but there's still some room for improvement.

@kityglitr: Unless you look like a middle-aged mom-lady, I don't think your point has any merit. While the video may have been a little insensitive, it did lean toward a specific subset of women. On top of that, it made a point to make sure the employees could identify and help confused or overwhelmed customers. That's not a bad skill to have no matter who your customer is.

I don't like going to Victoria's Secret alone (makes me feel pervy), but when I do (OK, I'm a little pervy), I appreciate the kid-gloves approach to the service I get.

@SpiderJerusalem: Er...so maybe if you don't wanna be treated like a girl, don't act girly?

*boggles* So when someone is discriminated against for their color, you just tell them to "just don't act black?"

My god. That's a whole back of dicks of sexism, blame the victim and misunderstanding of the situation.

@pb5000: That video you posted isn't actually saying women need to be dealt with in a specifically different manner than the GameStop video. It's a joke.

The GameStop video makes the same joke, yes. But then runs with it into reality.

@Hertzey: I used to tell all my single friends that if they wanted the perfect husband, marry a game developer or computer nerd. They're funny, usually make good money, and are happy if a girl talks to 'em.

@Oranges w/ Cheese: As a friend of mine once said, "who ever said geeks can't get laid has never been to a Con." I cannot speak for the online gamers, because I have no interest in it. Not that they are bad, just not for me.

That video was just painful to watch. Not because of sexism or anything, it just was awfully produced. Kudos to those of you who could actually stand watching it all the way through.

This reminds me of something I was going to send in, only I wasn't sure it was newsworthy. I want to be able to buy my own home within the next two years. I was searching for custom builders as opposed to pre-built homes because I have very specific needs.

One of the builders I visited offers "Woman Centric" designs. The 10 "rules" sound great until you realize they are basically implying that all women care about is entertaining guests and not having to do yardwork.

Five years ago, this would have been on target. Today I believer it's behind the times. Many women already have a grounding in electronics and games.

I'd love to see a video training Managers to hire women and expand their salesforce to be more inclusive.

that first female customer looks like she was high on meth or something.

Yeah... the video's just lame. And it is a generalization too, but moreso, just lame.

And note: despite being a woman, I'm quite often known to utter the word "dude" in many ways.

@jamesdenver: +1 For mentioning Target Women.