Positive EB experience:
I preordered MGR: Revengeance from both EB and Future Shop; EB had the promotional artbook, and FS had the lower price. I wanted to keep the artbook, but didn't want to pay the premium for it, so I went to EB to return it. When asked about the artbook, I told them I tossed it thinking it was just an ad catalog. There were two individuals working the counter, and while one of them processed the return, the other went to the back room and came back with an artbook + pre-order DLC card in a bag and handed it to me.
I was returning a game I had purchased at a competitor, and they were rewarding me for it. Reasoning? "We hope that you'll buy from us next time." If I had been honest and returned it with the art book, they most likely would've let me keep it.
So now I have two art books, and both remind me of that time I told dirty, dirty lies.
Initially negative EB experience turned positive:
EB was having a trade-in promo where they were offering $50 additional credit if you were trading in an old console toward a new one, and more money per x games traded in along with it (I don't remember the details of that one). So I traded in the 360 I wasn't using, along with a handful of old PS3 games that I was done with. Everything added up to about $170 in credit, and I put it toward a Vita pre-order.
When the Vita came out, my hype levels had dropped significantly and I decided to take a wait-and-see approach to the handheld, allowing the pre-order to sit.
It sat there for damned near a year, and it became clear I didn't want one anymore. So I went to the EB where I'd made the preorder and told them I wasn't interested in the Vita and would rather just take the cash. No dice. If I wanted cash, I wouldn't get the promotional credit (understandable), but also the credit from the games would be re-evaluated based on their value to date, which had obviously gone down in the 7-8 month time period since I'd originally traded them in (u WOT). When all was said and done the original $170 trade-in credit diminished into just under ~$70. I had to put it toward a console to get the original credit amount. Problem is I didn't want any consoles; I had a PS3 and Wii, and I wasn't about to buy another 360 after having traded mine in.
Then I noticed the new batch of Wii U Deluxe units to the side of the counter. "How about those? Are those spoken for? Do they even qualify?"
"Yeah, as long as it's a console. You're lucky, because these just came in this afternoon and they're up for grabs."
"Let's do it, then."
This was right around the time of the Wii U's release, and it was relatively difficult to find. Moreover, at the time of the trade-in promo, I don't think the Wii U was even a thing (they weren't taking pre-orders for the Wii U then, that's for sure). Anyway, I wound up selling the U for a small profit and was quite happy with the turn of events. I really don't think they were supposed to allow it, but for whatever reason they did and I came away happy.
So yeah, EB isn't all that bad. I'd still rather order from Future Shop/Best Buy, though.