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So I was told to lie to customers...

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  • So I was told to lie to customers...

    Anyone who knows anything about how most game stores work knows thy make most of their money on used games.

    Apparently atvmy company used sales have been suffering a bit lately so my managers have decided we are going to start doing things a little differently.

    Now if a customer asks if we have a game we are supposed to look for the used version only and give them that price. If we only have it new we are to say we are sold out. If they bring up a case for a new game we are supposed to say it is just a display case and we dont have it. I voiced my concern with this but my managers brushed me off.

    I have decided to continue being honest with my customers. If that gets me fired so be it.
    "If we refund your money, give you a free replacement and shoot the manager, then will you be happy?" - sign seen in a restaurant

  • #2
    Quoth CrazedClerkthe2nd View Post
    Anyone who knows anything about how most game stores work knows thy make most of their money on used games.

    Apparently atvmy company used sales have been suffering a bit lately so my managers have decided we are going to start doing things a little differently.

    Now if a customer asks if we have a game we are supposed to look for the used version only and give them that price. If we only have it new we are to say we are sold out. If they bring up a case for a new game we are supposed to say it is just a display case and we dont have it. I voiced my concern with this but my managers brushed me off.

    I have decided to continue being honest with my customers. If that gets me fired so be it.
    I think that's a good idea. I don't always like buying things used: you never know what problems you are buying.
    They say that God only gives us what we can handle. Apparently, God thinks I'm a bad ass.

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    • #3
      So let me get this straight.

      If you have the game in both new and used, you are only allowed to sell the used game and turn down the sale if they want it new.

      If you have the game only in new, you just outright refuse the sale.

      So if you can't sell it used, you don't sell anything at all.

      Did I miss anything?
      Life is too short to not eat popcorn.
      Save the Ales!
      Toys for Tots at Rooster's Cafe

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      • #4
        Used PC games don't work. The game itself is worthless, its the product key that allows you to play the game. No product key, no gameplay.

        Also, I <3 Steam, even though it pillages my wallet on a regular yet random basis.

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        • #5
          Quoth Hyndis View Post
          Used PC games don't work. The game itself is worthless, its the product key that allows you to play the game. No product key, no gameplay.

          Also, I <3 Steam, even though it pillages my wallet on a regular yet random basis.
          Depends on the game. I bought Neverwinter Nights Diamond on a secondhand basis and the product key still worked for me. The Sims expansions? It was a case of hit and miss.
          The best professors are mad scientists! -Zoom

          Now queen of USSR-Land...

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          • #6
            Yeah, it sounds like your management is about as sharp as a sack of wet mice.

            While stores MIGHT make the highest profit from used, only a total moron who has been huffing spray paint would decide to lie about having a product in stock to try to force customers to buy used when its available as new and worth a lot more money in the sale as such.

            That said, I would NEVER buy used software. Console games, sure. But PC software that can be pirated and run off the legit CD Key leaving me with a nice set of coasters? I don't think so.
            Something kind of sad about the way that things have come to be.
            Desensitized to everything, what became of subtlety?

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            • #7
              So..they would rather get no sales then sale used? Man if they dislike money so much, let me run the store. I LIKE money.
              Engaged to the amazing Marmalady. She is my Silver Dragon, shining as bright as the sun. I her Black Dragon (though good honestly), dark as night..fierce and strong.

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              • #8
                I generally refuse to buy used games, have had WAY to many problems, get half way through and find out that little scratch that looks like it won't harm a thing, is suddenly a big deal. Also, they don't give you enough for them. More often I trade and borrow of friends, or don't play games, not enough time.

                I guess I can understand trying to pushed used games, instead of the new ones but.... not out right refusing to sell a new one. that just gonna get plenty of bad PR. and NO SALES of any sort
                I'm sorry reading is not a new concept it has been widely taught in our nation for at least the past 100 years. Please, learn to do it CORRECTLY before you become contagious.

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                • #9
                  It's probably for the best I'm not a gamer.

                  Your employer is utterly dishonest. I'm sorry. And I thought I had it bad with some of the upselling and EPP-pimping we're expected to do at the swamp.
                  Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Study hard. Be evil.

                  "I never said I wasn't a horrible person."--Me, almost daily

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                  • #10
                    Methinks an anonymous call to corporate is in order.

                    I have bought a number of used games off eBay and half.com and all worked well, but I've never bought a used game from CrazedClerk's employer.
                    Labor boards have info on local laws for free
                    HR believes the first person in the door
                    Learn how to go over whackamole bosses' heads safely
                    Document everything
                    CS proves Dunning-Kruger effect

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                    • #11
                      Well.
                      PC games can be re-used. If they aren't central registered (i.e. STEAM which pisses me off but thats neither here nor there), you can usually get a second install, the "license" code merely confirms the setup is legitimate on the disc, usually doesn't tell the makers unless you online register. STEAM setups for games will pretty much kill the second hand PC games in the future.

                      Console games can be re-used, obviously.

                      On buying games second hand - Personally I don't have a problem with it, I know the store isn't going to take in a game scratched to hell and back, and likewise I ask to see the disc before buying. Worst case after all that? I have my own basic disc re-surfacer.

                      But your stores practice? Sorry dude, I'd stop shopping there, though I'd appreciate if someone did your option, and told me facts.
                      "On a scale of 1 to banana, whats your favourite colour of the alphabet?"
                      Regards, Lord Baron Darth von Vaderham, esq. Middle brother to mharbourgirl & Squeaksmyalias

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                      • #12
                        I assume this is due to the store getting pure profit from the used version as opposed to having to share profit with the publisher. I really have no idea how this breaks down though as to how much a store keeps from the sale of a new game and how much goes to the publisher. I guess I could see if the store gets almost no profit out of the new game then they wouldn't care about losing the sale but still, money is money.

                        I wonder if there is something more to this, maybe gamestore is trying to down play their sale of used games so that publishers stop having them carry new stock? Or they are trying to push the mentality that you only go there to buy used games so that they slowly imprint the mindset on customers that when you go to the store you are only going to buy used games.

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                        • #13
                          But still...even if they did have to share profits from a new game, they would still get some money for it. Basically they are saying they don't want more money because there will be folks who want nothing but a new game. Them's good business tactics, especially when lying to a customer to avoid a sale.

                          Maybe if you've been beaten in the head with a brick for your whole life, this logic makes sense. It eludes me, though.

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                          • #14
                            Quoth ShadowBall View Post
                            But still...even if they did have to share profits from a new game, they would still get some money for it. Basically they are saying they don't want more money because there will be folks who want nothing but a new game. Them's good business tactics, especially when lying to a customer to avoid a sale.

                            Maybe if you've been beaten in the head with a brick for your whole life, this logic makes sense. It eludes me, though.
                            It makes perfect sense to me, and I haven't been beaten in the head with a brick that I can recall: The OP's company is too hung up on profit margins.

                            When somebody trades in a used game, they probably give them some piddly amount like 5 bucks for it, then sell it for, say, 25. That's $20 into their pockets if it sells.

                            On a new game, the profit margin is not going to be as high.

                            Plus there's probably more profit in other things such as strategy guides. Say, I seem to remember the OP's company at one time trying to sneak strategy guides onto people's purchases, taking them off only if the customer contested the total. It's brutally sad and soulless, but evidently corporate seems to be out after every dollar they can get.

                            A sorta similar thing is happening in my company with regard to endcaps (which, for all you non-retail folk, are the shelves on the end of an aisle facing the main aisle. If we have a store choice endcap, or are re-setting a planogrammed endcap where the product has sold out, we're supposed to consider gross margin when deciding what merchandise to put out there. This is done by taking some number, subtracting some other number, and dividing by another number. Or something. How the hell should I know? I've been at the swamp 12 years now and never had to compute gross margin of anything.

                            Anyhoo, apparently now when doing store walks, the suits will take note of any endcaps which were store choice, and calculate gross margin on the product stocked there. Then, if there's a more profitable item in the back in enough quantity to put on the endcap, they'll question why you put out product X when you have more profitable product Y in the back.
                            Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Study hard. Be evil.

                            "I never said I wasn't a horrible person."--Me, almost daily

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                            • #15
                              Quoth csquared View Post
                              So let me get this straight.

                              If you have the game in both new and used, you are only allowed to sell the used game and turn down the sale if they want it new.

                              If you have the game only in new, you just outright refuse the sale.

                              So if you can't sell it used, you don't sell anything at all.

                              Did I miss anything?
                              Not precisely. Obviously if you come in on release day looking for a new game, you'll get a new copy, but in OTHER circumstances we are to offer only used. For example if a customer comes in look for Saints Row 2 on PS3 even though we sell it both new AND used, we are only permitted to tell the customer if we have a used copy in stock.

                              We don't do used PC games, so those will still be new regardless.

                              For those of you who avoid used because you sometimes get crappy discs, there's a reason for that: Stores are expected to bring in as many trade dollars as they can. In addition Managers can get a bonus if they consistently bring in more trades than the year before. As a result of this, there's every reason to accept practically every shitty trade that comes through the door regardless of condition. I personally check discs before I give them to people and if I think there's a good chance it won't work, I will let the customer know and refuse to sell them the game unless they specifically tell me they still want it. Usually they ask for another copy or a different game.

                              Also, there's a reason for this new "push used" plan too: Store Managers and District Mangers also get bonuses if used sales are high enough.
                              Last edited by CrazedClerkthe2nd; 03-30-2011, 04:51 AM.
                              "If we refund your money, give you a free replacement and shoot the manager, then will you be happy?" - sign seen in a restaurant

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