(Marike79)
Did you know that GameStop is a membership-only establishment, like a warehouse club? You’re only allowed to shop there if you have their rewards card. I didn’t know that, and neither did Jeff. He tells Consumerist that he foolishly tried to purchase a game, but refused to join the rewards program or give the cashier his phone number. The cashier, in turn, refused to sell anything to him.
He writes:
Seriously! The gamestop in [redacted] was busy this past Saturday afternoon.
After waiting in line the saleslady asked me if I wanted to join their rewards program. I respectfully declined, as I do at most retail establishments.
She seemed annoyed, “I don’t understand why anybody wouldn’t want to save ten percent.” After which she asked for my phone number.
I told her I did not want to give my phone number, as I just wanted to pay for my game and be on my way. She then told me she needed my phone number.
I asked her if she was able to sell me the game without my phone number, in which she responded that she would not. I put the game down and walked away while she
said , “ok, whatever” or something along those lines.I understand that retail stores are pressured to sign up as many people they can to these rewards programs, but I hope they realize that these programs are simply not for everyone. I find it interesting that Gamestop would forfeit a sale in this regard. Especially considering the game was used, which from my understanding is where Gamestop makes a majority of their revenue. Nevertheless I left the [redacted] Mall Gamestop without a game in hand, a game I was ready and willing to pay for.
I wonder how many rewards the phone number 867-5309 has racked up by now.
Try calling the store manager at a slower time for a retail establishment (say, a weekday.) Of course, this may be futile if the store manager is the one who set impossibly high targets for rewards sign-up and/or phone number collection.
She seemed annoyed, “I don’t understand why anybody wouldn’t want to save ten percent.”
I’m sure people would love to save 10%, they just don’t want to spend $15 to do so.
This isn’t GameStop, this is a bitchy cashier.
GameStop has these new FREE membership cards in addition to their paid ones which save you 10%. You get points for your purchases. I don’t get why she would just ask for his phone number though, because you need the person’s e-mail address too, and I’m pretty sure if she already irritated the customer about the phone number he definitely wouldn’t get the dude’s e-mail address either.
http://www.poweruprewards.com/Home/Benefits
Personally, I don’t get why anyone would decline the free card that gets you points, but hey, whatever floats your boat.
Missed a step. Consult manager, then if not satisfied, complain to Consumerist. Jeez. Tired of these “cashier was mean” stories without even a manager’s statement to go along.
I give the main number of my cable company. It’s only two digits off of my real number so, in the extremely rare case I get screwed for giving out the fake, I can claim it was an error. That number has gotten me out of many a mess.
This is false information. After doing the one thing most of you should have done, call the local Gamestop, I found out the only reason you would need a phone number is to look up your Power Up rewards card. You do not NEED to sign up for anything or give a current phone number. This person must have gotten someone who is A: New or B: bad at their job. Gamestop is NOT a membership only store, never has been and never will be.
It’s pretty easy to formulate one for them. Just take the
(number of people waiting in line) / (the cashiers working) + (the cost of your game – how many minutes you’ve been waiting.)
There’s tones of time to figure it out.