Best Buy building out game departments with new sales desks and trained employees

@HybridPara

Exactly. I shop at BestBuy because it isn't GameStop. If I want to be judged on my game purchase by some snobby JRPG dork, get ripped off on used games, fight off bratty kids in a very enclosed space, get hounded to pre-order games that don't need to be pre-ordered, be given a "new" game that is opened, and avoid some creepy guy who hangs out there all day I would just go to GameStop.

@FriedConsole

Oh that's the biggest thing that irks me about gamestop. I hate how I bought a "new game" when its already been opened. That severely kills the charm for me

@FriedConsole

I live in a mid-sized city in South Florida and the gamestop near me has absolutely no problems at all. The store is usually empty (just me and maybe another customer or two) and the store workers actually know their stuff. For example, not too long ago when I went in to look at Crysis 2 for PC, the employee told me about rants about the game (console port, no DX 11, etc). He helped me pick up another game and even told me the metacritic score. Maybe because the store I go to doesn't see much customer traffic, the employees are more friendly. Also, I'm the kind of person that likes clean covers, so whenever I buy used games, the employees help me find one with a box that's in the best condition.

As for preorders, the employees always ask me if I want to pre-order anything, and I say "no thanks" and that's that. No pestering. Also, I have no idea what you mean by opened "new" games? How is a game that is opened considered new? Is that even legal? The gamestop I go to always gives me new games in the shrink-wrapped package like every other store.

I guess I was magically blessed with a good GameStop. Maybe it's a franchise. Actually, I really do wish I could relate to the anti-gamestop trolling. One day, I'll take a road trip to some big city and visit the GameStop. I will travel across the land, searching far and wide, for me to understand the snarkiness that's inside. Then, I too can flame GameStop on the internets and make comments that get upvoted.

(no sarcasm intended)

@killerjuice
I agree. All the GameStop's I've ever been to they're really cool, down to earth, nice, even helpful at times. Typically, I usu. never get asked to preorder anything. If I do, I just say 'no' and that's that. Not that I don't believe ppl who say otherwise, I've just never experienced that before. If anything, I hate it when I go to my local Best Buy just to look at gadgets 'n stuff and they have those annoying third parties trying to get you to sign up for DirectTV and similar stuff.

@killerjuice

I am not trolling. I seriously was a frequent GameStop customer. I have a lot of games with GameStop stickers piled 5 high that do not come off from the era of 1998-2004.

My only good memory of GameStop is taking a crap to their magazine they would send you. It wasn't bad if you got it free.

@FriedConsole

oh please get over yourself, you sound like a egotistic douche bag, i'm sure the employees don't even wanna talk to you half the time, to bad its called WORK and their salary comes from pitching and selling DLC and pre-orders to you, thats why they always target moms and young teens because they know they will get a sale from them... not from you, the egotistical gamer as$hole who doesn't have time to be bothered by a fellow gamer who happens to prefer a RPG over a FPS, but even if it wasn't a gamer you would still find his or her lack of video game knowledge disgusting and wonder how they even got that job in the first place. there is no winning.

basically what you said in your rant is nothing but a bunch of bullsh!t thats been over dramatized all rolled into one store that happens to be near where you live. I have like 5 gamestops near me and they are nothing like that, except besides trying to do their jobs. I also don't see what the difference between GameStop and Best Buy is with you, like if Best Buy is the one retail place where they don't shove unknowledgeable sales men in your face.

@FriedConsole
Taking a crap...wtmi: way too much information.

@FriedConsole

With any retail store there are chances of an unsatisfactory service/ employees. You say you rather go to Best Buy, thats your choice but If you ever visit NYC, try some of the Best Buys out here in major locations like 45th and 5th ave. ( I mentioned that because its in an area where people have and spend plenty, you'd think you'd have a proficient staff).

90% of the staff are students who really just want commission and have marginal knowledge on the products they are eager to coerce you into buying. For example:

Me: "I'm looking to buy a gaming PC but nothing over the top, just about 4-6 gigs of RAM and a decent vid card."

Them: "Suure thing, this one here has *leans in to read the specification tab along side you* and its an HP; HP's are reaaally good. Dell's too, they are pretty good."

Me: "Riiight, ok, I'm going to continue browsing, I'll let you know if I see anything that catches my eye."

@Negatron

Best Buy employees don't work on commission. Look it up.

@FriedConsole

Noted, and fyi i read your previous post and am not pro GameStop or Best Buy for that matter, just bringing up a personal observation. I'm sure we've all had that "experience" shopping at one point or another. You have an idea or know what you want, knowing more about the product than the person trying to aid you.

@HybridPara - For as long as I've worked at Best Buy, I've been talking about making gaming a dedicated section to give GameStop a run for their money, and they're finally doing it.

I just hope things turn out better than how GameStop does things.

@Negatron

" I'm sure we've all had that "experience" shopping at one point or another. You have an idea or know what you want, knowing more about the product than the person trying to aid you."

Story of my life. That's why I normally just do my research and order online by myself. I tried asking a Best Buy employee once a slightly technical question (slightly technical as in the information wasn't on the specs sheet., but just as basic)? Here's how the conversation went down:


Me: Hi, I'm looking at that laptop down there, but need a little bit more information. Can you help me out?

Employee: Sure. *walks over* Yeah, this is an excellent machine made by HP. HP has been making great laptops recently.

Me: Right. Now, what's the RPM of the hard drive?

Employee: RPM?

Me: Yeah, you know, rotations per minute.

Employee: *he pauses and then says in a soft tone as if he was trying to correct some deeply rooted misconception* Uhmm... Sir, hard drives are measured in gigabytes.

Me: *Facepalm*

At least he did't say something stupid like "this is computer, not a car."

@HybridPara

Every Gamestop I've ever been in has smelled terrible, and has been filled with annoying kids and weird people. Best Buy is cool, clean, and has nice service, and doesn't rip you off as much.

@Gandalf the Grey

"I will travel across the land, searching far and wide, for me to understand the snarkiness that's inside."

am i the only one who saw what you did here?

@Subarub

You've been saving that one haven't you?

@DeadInside

Of all the gamestops i've been to, I have similar annoyances that other people describe. I used to go to best buy, but they frequently didn't have some of the older games that I'd hear about and wanted to try.

Now i just stick with Amazon. cheaper prices for new games, better options/prices/conditions for used games, and free prime shipping. no tax pays for my prime. People are overrated. only pestering i get is from ads which I block anyway. less time running around to stores, more time eating snacks at my desk while actually playing games. laziness ftw!

@Shadowbender MK9, Portal 2, SOCOM 4 .... JIZZ IN MEH PANTS XD

@Cadattack123

And for us PC gamers out there, Alienware is releasing M11X R3, M14x, and M18X tomorrow as well. (presumably)

@Shadowbender
It was $35 pre-order with a free $10 gift card. Still is if you hurry.

@Engerz

A job's a job!

@Engerz
At least the blue shirts look ok.

@Engerz
That was exactly my first thought. I need a job and this would be perfect for my 20 years of video game experience.

@Engerz It gets annoying wearing the blue shirt everyday, but cool thing is it's Gamestop without the bullshit. Oh you couldn't sell the warranty with the game system? That's ok.

Pre-orders are all handled by a touch screen machine. Less work for employees, less hassle to customers.

@Engerz

Well, the good gamestops are that way because of the employees. It could be the same way here for you. No matter what the business practices of a particular company are, its how the employees translate those practices into customer interaction that make a particular store good or bad.

I worked at a BestBuy for a little while back in '03 and one of my roommates just stopped working for them after 8 years. I can attest that it's a good place to have a job, even more so if you actually enjoy selling things and interacting with people. There's always goals to meet, things to do, people to talk to...you get the most out of working there if you actually enjoy and participate in being excited about sharing knowledge to customers and helping them. There's also room for growth in the company but the higher you go, the more corporate drama you encounter. Also, working at a Best Buy is similar to working in a restaurant in that you make a lot of friends quickly and start hanging out a lot.

I say go for it.

@Raffi256

Absolutely. Best Buy is just ridiculous for making stuff up. I remember being in line for the Xbox 360 wayyyy back in the day. And some employee was lecturing all of us in line about how Halo 3 was coming out on the same day as the PS3 and it was going to be the biggest price battle ever. People were looking at him like he was some kind of gaming prophet because he had this vast knowledge. This was after MS had said two weeks earlier that it was a false rumor. I let him have his moment.

@EazySCT
This doesn't apply to everyone, this is actually true for most retailers, you always get someone that bullshits. There are places that exist that have gamers in their department that know what they're talking about and don't believe in rumors.

@Gaddes

except for portal 2 for 45 and 35 bucks tomorrow. Amazon does not have that

@Gaddes
I agree...and their trade-in value on video games is usually pretty good. Even better, you can buy so much more than just overpriced games and accessories with the credit they give you.

@lessthankris

Actually, Amazon DOES have that... right now you can preorder and get a $20 amazon credit.

Gyah, don't take the hit out of the music department! They're about the only good choice left for a decent music selection, and it's been hit enough over the last couple of years. It's really going to be impossible to buy anything but Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift unless you go Amazon.

@Gaddes
You are aware Best Buy is one of the few places that price matches right? They also have the Reward Zone gamers club that gives you a $10 certificate for every $150 you spend in gaming, not to mention coupons. Plus, what games are overpriced exactly? Is it fair comparing a retailer to Amazon rather than an actual competitor like Gamestop, Target or Walmart?

Though as another user said, their trade in values are far better than Gamestop. I bought Batman Arkham Asylum there on sale for $20, the trade in value for the game was $15.

@Nolan North I've had mixed success with price matching, it's very frustrating how sometimes they wouldn't match prices... once I was told it was done at the discretion of the particular location. I'd rather not waste my time heading over there with a 50/50 chance of matching a price when I can just order it from Amazon. And I only got one $10 certificate because the bastards kept resetting my points before I accumulated enough.

@Will96

Stephen Colbert... annoying? o__O

@Gaddes
Gamers Club points don't expire, you're thinking of the regular Reward Zone. You have to join the Gamer's Club on the Reward Zone site, its free, and has more advantages than the normal Reward Zone program.

Reward Zone: 250 points = $5 certificate that does expire after a few months
RZ Gamers Club: 150 points = $10 certificate that doesn't expire

@jedivulcan

hmmm... i know a bit about games... and i like to annoy/screw with people... i may just have to apply...

@jedivulcan

i'd bet they don't have drug screenings. most companies don't.

@Gaddes
Dude you really need to change your picture. I dont know why but that guy just looks annoying.

@(Unverified) I am with you unless you need to buy a pc with 30 minutes because your OS died or you buy a cell phone service plan. In that case, best buy is a huge mistake because their employees are some of the worst in retail. they just wander around and talk with other. i dont blame them i guess it would be nice to get paid to do nothing.

@Jack Kevorkian

Yeah what is the deal with that? Best Buy employees are always there bothering when you don't need them but when you need one - you are screwed. Every time I try to buy an appliance I can find 3 guys in video games who are looking to give advice on games to soccer moms that are probably not appropriate for their age group of their kids but I need a damn refrigerator. That 8 year old kid is going to be bored by Okami why don't you schedule me a fusking delivery of this Maytag.

@FriedConsole

Remember to slap the child who does not like Okami, they dont know what amazing is.