Insider secrets from a retail video game salesman

by Blake Snow { Feb 27th 2007 at 4:10PM }

The Consumerist talks with an anonymous salesman (presumably from either GameStop or EB Games) to get some insider tips on how things work at the gaming boutique. Here's a few things to know:

1) Don't waste your money on extended warranties, however tempting "protecting your investment" may seem at checkout. Most lemons break before the default one-year warranty anyway. 2) Everything's subject to change, even reserves. 3) Make a fuss to get an edge on a product, i.e. call customer service for perks. 4) Most stores honor misprinted signage. Again, make a fuss if you must.

Read on for some interesting insight including the full list of nine tips from inside the belly of the beast. You stay savvy, gamers.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

kevinski @ Feb 27th 2007 4:21PM

01) Actually, "extended" warranties usually allow you to get your product replaced much quicker. If you don't mind being without your beloved game console for weeks, though, then - by all means - don't pay the minor cost for the convenience.

02) Considering the fact that this is probably coming from a GameStop employee, should we even be surprised?

03) Yeah, this'll usually get results, and the employees will immediately talk about how much of a dick you were as soon as you leave.

04) It depends. This wouldn't apply if the store would happen to take a large margin hit, however.

Crono @ Feb 27th 2007 4:29PM

"Yeah, this'll usually get results, and the employees will immediately talk about how much of a dick you were as soon as you leave"

What do I care about what some pimply faced teenager at EB/GS thinks about me. I make 4 times his income. He is a peon to me.

Revolution @ Feb 27th 2007 4:36PM

Yeah. Shoot me in the head if I ever give a shit about what a retail employee thinks of me. Having said that, screw The Man any chace you get.

venk @ Feb 27th 2007 4:40PM

I wonder how this jives with the guy who get 7 broken XBOX 360s or all those people with the "Dirty Laser" PS2 problems. Think they regret not ponying up for the extra $30 warranty?

venk @ Feb 27th 2007 4:41PM

On top of that, none of this is really INSIDER information. It is pretty common knowledge to most people who have ever stepped foot inside of a GS/EB.

Jake @ Feb 27th 2007 4:42PM

The extended warranty on my 360 allows me to trade a lemon for a brand new system right in the store rather than have to wait 1-3 weeks for somebody to fix my machine and send it back. That is probably worth $40. But, it is $40 wasted if your system never breaks, which is the most likely result.

OrganicShadow @ Feb 27th 2007 4:45PM

He fails to mention that those warranties often cover "normal wear and tear".

I can return my stuff to BestBuy and get a replacement for no good reason. I have even tested this by telling them "ehh, just wanted a brand new one- this one's getting old". They never ask me what my reason is in the first place.

DS/PSP getting scuffed up? Pixels dying? 360 red ring of death? PS3 crapped out? Just bring it back and they hand you a new one without saying anything. Takes 5 minutes. Worth the $ to me.

notsonic @ Feb 27th 2007 4:50PM

"8. Employees are ranked. Companies often rank employees by various metrics: the number of membership cards they sell, the number of games they convince customers to reserve/preorder, the number of extended warranties they can sell, their "attach rate" (adding accessories, strategy guides, and other profitable items to games and systems), their ratio of new to used sales, and (especially during the holidays) the number of gift cards they sell. Management will use these numbers to determine job performance, and they can influence raises/promotions/threats of being fired. Some of these items are even commissioned."

totally un-true. just like any other job youre ranked on your ability and it at most will affect if you get a 10cent raise or a 15cent raise.

there is also no commission on anything. and since eb/gs pays minimum wage, you can understand why most people working there arent terribly thrilled to be there.

"What do I care about what some pimply faced teenager at EB/GS thinks about me. I make 4 times his income. He is a peon to me."

thats great that youre making a whopping $20,000 a year.

freakish_beast @ Feb 27th 2007 4:53PM

lol, extended warranties saved my life. my 360 just died on me 2 days ago and luckily i got the extended warranty because my year warranty with xbox expired about 1 month and a half ago. Warranties are worth it.

JodyAnthony @ Feb 27th 2007 5:00PM

no notsonic, he makes six digits. everyone here on joystiq does, didnt you know that?

Jonathan Tran @ Feb 27th 2007 5:05PM

LOL @ 8 . really funny

too bad the math is wrong but I still had to hide my laughter here

Crono @ Feb 27th 2007 5:08PM

No jackass, full time minimum wage is about 10k a year.

Can you do the math now?

My buddy works at EB. That #8 quote is EXACTLY how he is rated. They used to get commission until GS bought them out. Now they are stuck making minimum wage.

Sucks to be them. Glad I'm not a peon.

Laura Palmer @ Feb 27th 2007 5:15PM

It really works! Years ago, when I was paranoid about using my credit card online, I bought an XBox (sorry Kyle, that's how I spell it...) at EB, and got it all set up at home. I was about to use my 1-year Live card when I was prompted to enter a credit card number. There was no way around this, even though I had a live code for a free year. At the time, I hated the idea of my credit card being on file for any recurring subscription. Anyway...

I took it back to the store, and the clerk refused the refund (as was his duty according to policy - the live code was scratched off and the box was fully operational). I refused to leave, made a pest of myself, and eventually, got the refund, which I probably spent on weed and/or tacos.

The lesson is twofold: 1)Don't be afraid to assert yourself, and 2) EB employees can be pretty cool, even though none of them has ever had sex ever.

notsonic @ Feb 27th 2007 5:16PM

thats great if minimum wage will get you 10k a year full time, but who in their right mind would work full time for minimum wage?

$40k is hardly any amount to be bragging about bro.

RUSKULL @ Feb 27th 2007 5:22PM

They also recommend you not wear a helmet when riding your bike in the city, cuz, you know, what are the odds something will go wrong?

In other news, seat belts are for losers! :P

IvanGirderboot @ Feb 27th 2007 5:27PM

4) Most stores honor misprinted signage.

This is actually law in some states, though usually with a maximum price difference cap (so you cant get a car for $10 if it's mis-printed, for example, but you could get a Wii for say $49.99 with a misprinted ad.)

Shagittarius @ Feb 27th 2007 5:33PM

^13

Just think of what kinda deals you could have got if you had sex with the employees Laura!

StevO @ Feb 27th 2007 5:37PM

@15 RUSKULL

Pretty close analogy except it costs you nothing to wear your seatbelt because its included free for the lifetime of the car, and a helmet costs very little and lasts for quite a long time as well.

Also, your health isn't exactly threatened if your X360 gives you the red ring o'death

JodyAnthony @ Feb 27th 2007 5:44PM

"and a helmet costs very little and lasts for quite a long time as well."

Actually a helmet is only good for one good crash.

hegemonyhog @ Feb 27th 2007 5:44PM

Christ, can we ban:

A.) Politics

B.) Economics

C.) Social Issues

from ever being discussed on videogame blogs again?

gtpunch @ Feb 27th 2007 5:59PM

My tip would be 5) If you have a decent case and aren't getting anywhere, take note of the dates and employee names of all conversations you've had (including with the manager), and go straight to their national customer support line. It's great to have the manager call you up to apologise and invite you in for a refund/exchange/etc.

Ironhide @ Feb 27th 2007 6:14PM

This beyond sad. I've worked retail electronics for years before my game career took off. Hole poking to commence:

1. As my esteemed collegues above have stated, it's very much worth getting an extended warranty. What a consumer should do is have the product serviced under manufactuer's warrantee first (unless the extended warranty is an unlimited exchange for the duration) rather than using the replacement warranty during the first year. Most of these prp tend to beone shots. You enchange and then the contract is done.

2. Reserves should be based on who reserved it first. Not first come first serve on the list of reserves.

3. There it is folks. Complain until you can'ts complains no more. Today people also expect something for shopping somewhere. What's in it for me is the key phrase. What can you throw in for free? Fuck a store barely makes even with a game they sell you, and now you want more? Go piss up a rope.

4. Actually if the store is smart, there is always something on the signage that states what the price is for what the sign is for. A sku, a model number, or a game title. If the glove don't fit, yadda yadda yadda...

5. This practice is questionable at best, illegal at worst. A comapny cannot force you to buy more than you want.

6. I generally buy new. It's better for reliability, plus if there are problems I can usually exchange it.

7. Membership cards for used games are somewhat worth it if you buy enough.

8. This is true enough. Commission are often based as a spiff or a flat amount earned per extended warranty. The higher the attachement rate, the more profits and often more commission the employee can make, depending of course on whether the employee is in fact commission based.

9. Return policies differ from store to stroe. During my time as an EB retailer, I had a guy use the generaous return/exchange policy to replace a game with a different one up to 5-6 times. We caught on the moment he returned a copied disc of a game instead of the original. Hence the draconic return policies now in place almost everywhere.

Matt @ Feb 27th 2007 6:24PM

If you throw a fit and still don't get your way, the single best ammunition you have against EB Games/Gamestop, in particular, is threats. Ask for the name and phone number of the store's District Manager, and chances are good things will turn around for you, quickly!

Shane @ Feb 27th 2007 7:17PM

Um, this is news?

Roflgoat @ Feb 27th 2007 8:51PM

Ah, I see what you did there. Anchorman. Clever.

soul4sale @ Feb 27th 2007 9:52PM

"As my esteemed collegues above have stated, it's very much worth getting an extended warranty."

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *gasp* HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Dave @ Feb 27th 2007 10:06PM

Well, I suppose this is probably from EBGames/Gamestop, because a lot of this has nothing to do with any of the retail stores I've worked at.

To start things off, most major retailers (especially ones hiring those of the "younger persuasion") are NOT on a commission basis. So if you go into Target/Walmart/Circuit City/Best Buy and they offer you an extended warranty/accessory/extra game/whatever, it's not because they make more money if you buy it...it's probably so they don't have to deal with you coming back angry because you were too cheap/stupid to buy what you needed in the first place.

Second of all, extended warranties on electronic devices are probably the smartest purchase you can make. I went through 3 PS2s, 3 Xboxs, and I'm more than likely about to come up on my 3rd 360 (it takes way too long to load and is locking up). I take care of my things...they sit on their open shelves, they don't get moved around/throw/whatever. While the 360 hasn't been around long enough to make this claim, I had my first issues with my PS2 and Xbox at the end of the 2-year warranty I had purchased...so I would've been hosed without them. Go ahead and try and get some help from a store if you didn't purchase the warranty...after 30 days you're totally on your own, and it's fun as hell to remind you that you had the chance to save your sorry ass and you said you'd "never need it". Also, as pointed out, most stores cover "normal wear and tear" where a manufacturer's warranty covers "defects", so it has to be something they decide they did wrong while making the product. Couple that information with the knowledge that the spinning of a disc (be it CD, DVD, BluRay, whatever) causes more electrical interference than a power drill, and it's a pretty safe bet that even if you're defect free, that sucker is gonna give you hell down the line. I know this is rambling, but there are so many things wrong with things said here it's crazy. Keep in mind that a manufacturer (like the retailer) is making these products to make a profit...they want to have to fix as few problems as possible, which is why their warranty (usually) only lasts one year. The longer you have that product, the more likely you are to have problems with it, which is why they aren't gonna cover you any longer. (Besides, if these things were totally worthless, they wouldn't exist!)

Third, I wonder how many of you realize that the more pissed off/angry you get, the less likely the associate you're dealing with is going to be willing to help you? Retail workers may be "peons" and you may want to be "shot whenever you worry about what they think" but you're the jackass making a scene in a big box store. Remember that although most people working retail may not be millionaires, they're still people (and you yourself had to start somewhere) and they hold the power to make you happy. Stores are not required to bend to your will, and if you're loud and a jerk, more often then not I will tell you that you need to leave. (And if you don't, we can have you arrested! Horray!) Many stores have a phone number you can call, but I've called one once...and ended up talking to the same person I had an issue with in the first place, and nothing happened (Circuit City, for those interested). Yelling and being an ass is not guaranteed to get you anything but an uncanny ability to be unable to find anyone willing to help you ever again. (Now, if you are polite, willing to work with the normally-rediculous systems that retail stores have in place, and understanding that retail workers aren't your slave, most of them will go out of their way to help you...being nice pays off.)

I will agree that a lot of stores will honor misprinted signs, because it is law in most places. However, the sign DOES need to be for the same product (so you can't move one thing to another peg and claim that your 360 HD-DVD is the same price as the Rechargable Battery). You usually will not have to make a fuss about this...just point it out. If it is extremely unreasonable, the retailer may not be required to honor it (ex: don't expect to pick up a laptop for under $100). Knowing how these laws work can keep you from looking like a giant toolbox (remember, it's not just retailer workers around you, there's other people shopping there too, and they ALSO think you look like a twit)

As far as reserves go, I will refuse to put money down on a product if the company can't guarantee that there will be one for me when it's supposed to be there, certain issues (weather, broken trucks, etc.) aside. I suppose that's just a personal opinion, but if a company doesn't know how much of a certain product they will recieve, a preorder isn't something they should be doing. That's just bad business (and why EBGames/Gamestop have such bad reputations, imo).

yeah @ Feb 28th 2007 12:01AM

I work at GameStop and we definitely do not make commission by selling PRP's, GPG's(Game Product Guarantee), discount cards, or by getting reserves. It just keeps the threats of being fired away, though I've been threatened several times for not offering a discount card to a mom who buys video games about once every other month which does not make it worth it. The discount card is worth it if you trade-in tons of games or buy a lot of used games. Also with the PRP's you can come in saying you stepped on your system and we'll give you a new one or at least at my store we do. I try to not screw customers over at my store but again thats when the threats start.

smik @ Feb 28th 2007 4:39AM

"Don't waste your money on extended warranties, however tempting " unless you are the kind of jackass who buys a "cheap" console that breaks down in 20% of units (you know which one I mean)
http://kotaku.com/gaming/xbox-360/rash-of-yearold-japanese-xbox-360s-crapping-out-237722.php

Goober @ Feb 28th 2007 9:12AM

Re: #4

"I wonder how this jives with the guy who get 7 broken XBOX 360s or all those people with the "Dirty Laser" PS2 problems. Think they regret not ponying up for the extra $30 warranty?"

Actually this guy would have had his FIRST defective 360 replaced and then the remainder of his warranty would be voided as per the warranty agreement. He still would have had to have the other six repaired or replaced on his own coin.

Austin @ Feb 28th 2007 9:40AM

For those of you who consistently go through multiple systems in each generation, its you not the system. Its a statistical anomoly to get 3 in one generation much less in three systems from two different manufacturers. Then again i have a working NES so I'm probably a better person than you.

If you want to extend your warranty pay with a credit card that has this service. Most major card companies have these services with many cards so bust out your magnifying glass and comb through the small print. Many will go as far to double the manufacturers warranty. Do you think visa is going to take sh1t from gamestop or sony?