Game Crazy owner facing massive financial problems

I had a pretty bad experience at my local Game Crazy. At this point I feel really good about this.

Heres to looking forward to a out of business sale.

As someone that currently runs a game crazy store I can safely say that yes, the company did close some stores.. all of which were unprofitable stores. Now they're done doing that and it's business as usual. I take pride in my store and can't believe what I've read about how some of the other Game Crazy's are ran. Frankly it just makes me all the more proud of my store and of my team.

Sure, it's like any other sales driven corporation. The company wants to make money and it can't do it by just selling video games. But the way I look at it..I"m saving that person the extra trip in my store by asking them right there if they need a memory card or extra controller. Yes, there are a lot of things to ask guests in our stores.. like about pre-ordering, our MVP program, or game guarding their game; but if executed properly it's doing those things over the whole time they are in our stores.. not all at the register. The company goal is mainly customer service and I will, in my store, continue to drive the brand name of Game Crazy and hope to see you all!

Reply

Crap. I've never stepped foot into a Game Crazy, I suppose they don' have stores in North NJ, but I'm sure they can't be worse than GameStop. Just what we need, MORE GameStops...

My brother works at the Game Crazy in Stanhope. It's in Sussex County.

Reply

These stores are annoying to go into 90% of the time simply due to the employees thinking they are "1337" because they work at a video game store. Yet you ask them a question and they will just give you a fanboy drenched answer with little to no facts to back it up. I always walk out thinking "This store is full of dumbasses" No matter which store it is.

Does anyone actually shop at Game Crazy? I only did once because it was the only place I ever found with a brand new copy of Steel Batallion.

Game Crazy is the only video game store that has shops open in the ghetto's too. I don't have to drive out of the city to whitesville to pick up a game, it's really nice not to have to step foot in suburbia.

Haha true! Its called Crackerland not Whitesville thankyou very much! lol!

Reply

I don't want to be insulting, so Whitesville will do. They moved into the sprawl to get away from us ethnics, I don't want to violate their space.

I understand completely, I forgot to turn my car alarm on last night and when I got to my car, my amp and sub were missing. They didn't take my box of motor oil or my jack, so I only kicked my car and screamed for like a minute. They also didn't take my two mids, which are probably worth more than either of the items they took.

Reply

uhh, okay, if you want to be racist against white folks, that's fine, but doesn't that make what you call "ethnics" what I call "hypocritical"?

It's also quite racist to imply that white people don't have any ethnicity and that only colored people are "ethnic". I'm quite "ethnic", my parents were from Poland and Greece, my family has had plenty of racial hate from Nazi Germany. I think we've had our fair share.

White people are trying so hard to be politically correct and accepting and this is the s**t we get? "whiteville" and "crackerland"? I do technology seminars for predominantly foreign graduate students and this is what I get?

If I came on these boards saying the city was n****rland, I would be banned immediately. Why aren't you being banned? Why aren't you growing up?

Of course Game Crazy is the only city game store around. Suburbia requires video games - there isn't much going on there. Cities have a lot of things to do besides playing games.

This is the United States here. We are all here for the same reason - to blend and become one strong national "race". To share the best of our cultures with one another. I think your comments are just taking us all a step backwards.

Reply

uhh, okay, if you want to be racist against white folks, that's fine, but doesn't that make what you call "ethnics" what I call "hypocritical"?

It's also quite racist to imply that white people don't have any ethnicity and that only colored people are "ethnic". I'm quite "ethnic", my parents were from Poland and Greece, my family has had plenty of racial hate from Nazi Germany. I think we've had our fair share.

White people are trying so hard to be politically correct and accepting and this is the s**t we get? "whiteville" and "crackerland"? I do technology seminars for predominantly foreign graduate students and this is what I get?

If I came on these boards saying the city was n****rland, I would be banned immediately. Why aren't you being banned? Why aren't you growing up?

Of course Game Crazy is the only city game store around. Suburbia requires video games - there isn't much going on there. Cities have a lot of things to do besides playing games.

This is the United States here. We are all here for the same reason - to blend and become one strong national "race". To share the best of our cultures with one another. I think your comments are just taking us all a step backwards.

Reply

sorry for the double post

Reply

Do black people REALLY think white people find "cracker" insulting? Many types of crackers are very very tasty, and most white people aren't even aware of the term being used in a racial sense anyway. And for that matter, "honky" isn't very insulting either: "227" was way too funny to take anything that came from it harshly.

And besides that, if we went around calling ourselves "my whitey" or "my cracker" or "my honky", we still wouldn't be racist enough to suddenly start bitching whenever a black person said it.

And don't even try to play the "slavery" card, for two reasons: 1. Northerners like me and my ancestors didn't have slaves. In fact, we went to war to help free you. and 2. If you look into the history of Europe, you'll see there's been plenty of white-on-white slavery.

Sheesh, I'm really damn tired of having to tiptoe around just so some nut on a short fuse doesn't scream "racist".

Reply

Woot! My tip was posted! 8*)

Seriously tho', I did at one time like Game Crazy. It was lower pressure sales than EB/GS was. Now it's just a clone, non-stop pushing for preorders and MVPs.

Spend your store credit soon, no telling how long it's going to last.

i live outside of DC and there are a few hollywood videos around here. one has a gamecrazy and it's a pretty budget-looking place, but they gave me 70 bucks trade in for my old ps2. So I ended up paying 430 for a 60 gig ps3, plus i got 12 free rentals (one per month for 12 months). the free rentals thing comes with the purchase of a new console. so since i don't have time to play much, free rentals are pretty sweet (i don't buy many games).

So yea, gamecrazy was OK because of the decent trade-in, and 12 rentals free. basically, it was cheaper than anywhere else. i hope they don't close so I can keep getting my rentals haha.

What are you going to do with a PS3 and 12 free game rentals?

OK Ok Im just kidding, sorry.

Reply

haha yea u gotta rent the same game a couple of times rite now. im happy i played resistance, and didnt buy it.

Reply

Freakin zitty nerds working at these places are idiots. They review games based on the box art. Walmart works fine for me, and the return policy... well you know:)

I've stepped foot inside one Game Crazy, just to check it out...the store was about twice as big as it should be (looked like it had no games), and the employees were talking to their friends about another friend who took cocaine and passed out. I promptly left. Good riddance!

I'm going to take advantage to express my deep hate towards Eb/gamestop, I don’t how is the owner of EB/Gamestop but stop hiring assholes.

Really I want to buy a Videogame without some idiot clerk giving me his opinion or saying shit like "Hey are you going to buy something" when I’m checking all the new releases because if I go to a Videogame store obviously is because I'm going to buy something gosh retards.

Also I found sometimes better prices at Best Buy so the only way I'm going to a Eb/gamestop again is if the fire all their employees and hire girls or people with good attitude.

Service at EB and Gamestop is shit.

I meant "who is the owner" damn you spellcheck button damn,you.

I had it I'm using babel fish.

Reply

Agreed. EB and Gamestop have HORRIBLE employees around where I live, so I just go to Game Crazy now. That way I can actually get a factory packaged game, without it being opened and having the cd in plastic wrap at EB and Gamestop.

Reply

The Game Crazy in my area (Hackensack NJ), also sells classic games/some consoles, (32x's, Saturn games, NES, SNES, Genesis, and Dreamcast). I hope it stays open, but if they go out of business I'll be first in line to get great deals on the classic stuff. =)

Seriously,I have been looking for a Dreamcast long ago,hell also the Saturn.

Segata Sanshiro FTW.

Reply

Luckily, the game shops on Ventnor Avenue and Marvin Gardens (near the B&O railroad) are still around; because heaven knows it's too easy to monopolize the ones on Baltic and Mediterranean avenues.

horf, horf. :B

Ha ha ha.. that's a plus!

Reply

I like the logo...too bad we dont have any of these in canada...EB has pretty much a monopoly...

"Service at EB and Gamestop is shit."

I simply tried to buy a Game Informer magazine at Gamestop, only to be told I couldn't buy it separately, but only with a subscription/game purchase! I guess a shoulda known, since they own/publish it...

Seriously?.

I didn't know that since I dont buy Magazines not named "Shonen Jump" anymore.

Reply

They used to sell the magzines indiviually. Now if you want one, you have to subscribe.

Reply

Maybe I'm just weird, but all my GameCrazy experiences have been extremely positive, especially in contrast to EB. I'd hate to see it go.

I totally agree! I have a GameCrazy right across the street from where I live, and man, they've always helped me out. I love that they even hold stuff for me without pre-ordering, and I like their service so much I ended up getting the whole MVP thing just to help them out.

Plus, anyone who sells me a 360 Premium for about $230 is awesome!

Reply

I've probably seen more FYEs than Game Crazies.

If they're having finacial trouble, why not inflate the prices of Xbox peripherals, it's all the rage nowadays ;)

I used to work at Game Crazy while in college in '99-2000....it was really cool back then. The store by my house has the coolest, most knowledgeable crew I've ever seen in a game store. When I'm absolutely bored, I go down there and shoot the shit with those guys for a coupla hours, having the types of conversations you would only otherwise have here or at E3.

My girlfriend calls the place Cheers, cause everybody know my name haha!

And they're always glad you came. =)

I get the same reaction. Game Crazy is awesome...really hope they pick up out of this mess...

...or have a MASSIVE clearance sale...y'know, whatever.

Reply

There's Game Crazy nearby where I live, and I used to shop there. In fact, I'd drive a few blocks past a GameStop to get there. I got sick of their high pressure sales approach and ended up back at GameStop.

I can only hear "You should really get a guide with that game" and "Are you sure you don't want to preorder XYZ?" so many times.

GameStop's not much better, but it's local and it'll do for those times when you you've gotta have it in your hands now. For the rest of those times, I'll shop on the 'net thank you very much.

Look, that was our job. We have to say that. If we didn't you could have lost your job. Just politely say no and buy your stuff. Sometimes people do want to.

In my opinion if you're planning on getting a game why not pre-order? I mean shit, it doesn't cost you any more and you get something free.

Actually you're right, screw them! Lets tell them off when they offer you a something they're required to do. ESPECIALLY when it's something that helps me from complaining why they're out of stock of something!

Reply

Sky mile is right,Is their Job.I respect that,In fact I like when they ask me that stuff since I'm interested in games.

Sometimes I like to Pre-order games like Medal of honor for the PSP and stuff like that.

The thing is when well,look at my post below,they treat you like crap for no good reason.

I wish I stepped into a gamecrazy instead of that crappy EB games store.Sounds like a cool place.

Reply

I'm not suggesting that anybody tell them off. I can appreciate that it's their job. I don't fault their employees for their behavior. Quite the contrary, I fault whoever wrote the training manual instructing them to act this way.

I've got nothing against pre-ordering games, btw. I've pre-ordered a few games from them. That wasn't my point at all.

I'm not just nit-picking over getting asked a single question. It's their high-pressure sales approach that I find pretty annoying.

Put simply, it's something I prefer not to deal with. I'm not attacking any employees, but I'll take my business elsewhere nonetheless.

Reply

I have no sympathy for the people saying "But I was just doing it because my boss told me to!"

Know why? Because if nobody was enough of a tool to be willing to harass customers like that, then there would be absolutely jack-shit the managers could do about it. The managers would be forced to either knock-off their asinine orders, or go out of business from an inability to find any sheep to hire.

So it's exactly people like that who give asinine managers the power to make asinine demands in the first place. So don't expect any sympathy from me.

And besides, if a boss wants to fire you, they don't need a good reason like insubordination. Crap, I've been fired for things that flat-out weren't even true. So don't be fooled into thinking blind obedience gives you any more job security than following your own good sense, because it doesn't.

Reply

this place sucks a lot less than EB/Gamestop. a lot.

I always, ALWAYS, go to a Game Crazy before I step foot inside of an E.B. or a Game Stop. When I walk in to Game Stop, easily 90% of the time I end up with a staff member who is a) currently playing the Guitar Hero demo stand, b) currently telling someone else how great madden is, c) saying hello, and asking me to preorder XYZ game, or d) trying to tell me how great madden is.

The Game Crazy's I've been to have had decent service, or they've quite simply not served me at all. That's a blessing! A simple, "Need help finding anything?" and a nice "Nope. I'll find my way around." is great. I don't get that at a gamestop or e.b.

Leave me alone, if I want the game, you'll know. Because I'll call it by name. Not the dude in front of you that says, "You know the one with fire where you're shooting and there's like army dudes but not quite army dudes because they're evil? That shit is tight, you guys have a copy?"

Tight, indeed.

I'm glad to hear about this. The Store Manager at the local GameCrazy is a complete tool. Not only is he a total Sony fanboy (he does everything in his power to get cutsomers to NOT purchase a Wii or a 360... He has even started to tell customers that the 360 is being phazed out and Halo 3 will be the last game ever made for it)), but also, after a customer has left, he will take their left over store credit and reserve games for them to pad his numbers.

Yeah, I absolutely love GameCrazy and would be really disappointed if they went out of business or (worse!) got bought out by GiantStop corp.

They've been dropping like flies around here, and I only know of 2 still open, about 30-45min away. Even so, I make the effort to drive out there when there's something I want that nobody else has (i.e. DS lite on day one, SNES games, Dreamcast games, etc.) or when they have one of their AMAZING 3 for $15 sales on their entire retro library. It's really one of the few places (if not the only place) around here to get classic games, even if the rarer RPGs and AAA games aren't in that often. We have one local retro games store, but they don't get shipments of new games, and they overprice like hell since GameCrazys and other classic stores are so few and far between. GC gives great trade-in values-- I got a DS lite for $60 with my DS fatty. They often take MORE than $5 off of used games, their prices drop more quickly than GS or Target, and they're one of the few places that actually competes with GS for the gamer crowd. Some people think the atmosphere is ghetto, but I like it-- it's a refreshing change from EB/GS's drab, boring, corporate crap. The people have been nothing but friendly, and I love love LOVE that they'll let you try ANY open game if they have the system for it working (which is most of them). Basically, I'd go there all the time if there was one nearby... though, no gamestores are within 25 minutes of my house, anyway...

He has also trained his employees to trick customers into buying the MVP cards by selling them promotional items sent to the store that just so happen to include a year renewal on their MVP card.

Why don't you people support small local videogame stores? That's one thing I'll never understand. People always bitch about the corporate stores but then constantly frequent them.

Sadly they have more games at decent prices.

Small Videogame stores have a small amount of games and sometimes higher prices. For example there is a store called Games world but they sell games at outrageous prices.(Metal Gear Solid DGN for the PSP in 60$)
Sometimes they get stuff from Japan like the special Metal gear PSP but at 400$ and so.

Also some of the games were on a bad condition; they could be selling you a used game at the price of a new one.

The good things about small stores are the attention, sometimes they got old games for the PSone and other systems and sometimes you can trade videogames there.

They also got stuff that is really hard to find like Wiis but at high prices.

Reply

I forgot something,Also people rather go to a gamestop/Eb and be treated like crap by the morons that work there than paying 10$ to 20$ extra bucks in a small store with a good coustumer attention.

Well some of those stores are also creepy.

Reply

I always go to my small local ones before the big ones. (Unfortunately, about half of them have closed down in the last few years.)

Reply

employees selected by machines = people who know shit about gaming .. and i mean shit .. 4 out of the 6 that work at my local game crazy still dont know what Playstation Home is .. not to mention it was corporate policy to not display that they SOLD the ps3 for 6 months after launch .. they also have a bad habit of buying ANYTHING, including RROD'd xboxs which not one but 3 friends of mine bought .. i will be glad to see these chumps go out of business .. we need a TRUE specialty game store to compete with EBSTOP ..

Game Crazy owner facing massive financial problems

Reader Comments (77)

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 11:51AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Oct 10th 2007 3:52PM MtDewChick said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 11:51AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 2:59PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 11:51AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 11:53AM dv8withn8 said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 11:59AM Assmar said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:18PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:25PM Assmar said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 1:01PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 1:03PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 1:04PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 2:57PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:08PM TMGChuck said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:04PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:08PM bearattack said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:13PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:05PM bearattack said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:11PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:11PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:14PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 4:10PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:12PM darthdavid said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:17PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:18PM foxhound said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:26PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:20PM DjDATZ said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:21PM R0ck said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:28PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 21st 2007 1:59AM PhydeWice said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:27PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 1:43PM jorojoserojas said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:27PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:33PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 1:54PM jorojoserojas said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 12:38PM brad77 said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 1:33PM Skatastrophe said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 2:14PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 2:35PM brad77 said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 6:38PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 1:07PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 1:11PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 1:14PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 1:16PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 1:16PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 1:19PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 1:46PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 1:51PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 11:55PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2007 1:20PM (Unverified) said

Info

Description

MSRP

Release Date

Genre

Developer

Publisher

Rating

Breaking News

WB conjures up Harry Potter for Kinect this fall

Featured Stories

Game Of Thrones and the paradoxes of adaptation

Super Joystiq Podcast 004: 38 Studios meltdown, Gravity Rush, Civilization 5: Gods & Kings, Dragon's Dogma

Next-Gen Starts When We Say It Does

Engadget

TUAW

Massively

WoW