grandmastashi
Member
Amen brother.
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UK Retailer GAME is dead | Brera's Lament
- Thread starter CrunchinJelly
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Amen brother.
That's not true at all. I can't think of another shop that does this, short of checking if I have their loyalty card equivalent (and they don't try and push me one if I don't have one).
Oh believe me, it became your business' problem. The fact that you can't understand it is the very core of the issue. You don't understand a good proportion of your customers.
When it comes to till-point attachments I can offer some inside viewpoints as I used to work there and it was my job to improve attach rates
It began quite innocently and was in the interest of the customer. Someone buys a wireless pad, we tell them it's wireless and they need batteries but it's cheaper/better to buy a charge pack of some kind. If they buy a game that is DLC-heavy we tell them about points card. Xbox Live? Ask about wireless adaptors and message chatpads. For the majority of people these kinds of questions were fair and well received
But it quickly became a situation where we had to ask these questions EVERY time. Then the list of questions increased. Then we were told get at least two attachments on every sale, Then we were mystery shopped by our Area Manager (the same cunt I mentioned a few weeks ago). If we didn;t go through our list of questions during a mystery phone call we would have a displinary for it.
tl;dr - it started with good intentions. Got greedy. Pissed off staff. Game are clueless about what people want and how to treat staff
Awesome. I'd rather have 500 new indie stores than Game survive
It began quite innocently and was in the interest of the customer. Someone buys a wireless pad, we tell them it's wireless and they need batteries but it's cheaper/better to buy a charge pack of some kind. If they buy a game that is DLC-heavy we tell them about points card. Xbox Live? Ask about wireless adaptors and message chatpads. For the majority of people these kinds of questions were fair and well received
But it quickly became a situation where we had to ask these questions EVERY time. Then the list of questions increased. Then we were told get at least two attachments on every sale, Then we were mystery shopped by our Area Manager (the same cunt I mentioned a few weeks ago). If we didn;t go through our list of questions during a mystery phone call we would have a displinary for it.
tl;dr - it started with good intentions. Got greedy. Pissed off staff. Game are clueless about what people want and how to treat staff
Awesome. I'd rather have 500 new indie stores than Game survive
SuperEpicMan
Banned
Just to give a different view on this, I used to work at Game and I will admit that as a member of staff you were motivated to push sales quite a lot, you would be told to prioritise customers who were browsing the console sections (brings more money in than software) and were constantly having to ask customers if they wanted add on sales like console insurance, accessories and reward cards.
But you were always expected to put customer service first, so I'm inclined to say that these bad experiences are not reflective of the mass majority of Game staff and that as a business the problems exist within the higher management.
But you were always expected to put customer service first, so I'm inclined to say that these bad experiences are not reflective of the mass majority of Game staff and that as a business the problems exist within the higher management.
Really? We were told that it's it's bad customer service if they don't take insurance plans so we weren't doing our job properly if they said no.
grandmastashi
Member
This makes perfect sense. The related attachments I can perfectly understand the need as that's just good advice for people who may not know better; but as you say, they got greedy.
Meus Renaissance
Member
It's very rare to see a game priced 9.99 in store, even if it's pre-owned of a Classic. Is it a policy they have? You can buy Mass Effect 1 brand new from their website for 9.99 but in the retail, it's 14.99 pre-owned
SuperEpicMan
Banned
I usually just told the customer that we did game care, but said they had time to go away and think about it and just gave them the leaflet in the bag, that way I wasn't being overly pushy but still gave them all the info they needed.
I think you must have had a manager who was a douche, my manager was just expecting that you try, and not completely forget about it.
Terbinator
Member
Alright for you. I don't think their are any Indie's in/around Manchester city centre. My new game outlet will be HMV
My Manager was like that and was a great guy. His boss was a dick though. We were told to never tell them they had 30 days because (and I'm quoting) "it gives the customer a way to get out of buying it. If you say that you're just giving up on the sale"
As I said, he was a dick
grandmastashi
Member
I should just add that I've had plenty of great experiences of shopping at Game and Gamestation over the years, all the way back to the mid 90's when the former opened their store in Wrexham. I think I mentioned previously that before the stores all became copies of each other the place was like a treasure trove, with great staff who were extremely knowledgeable.
When I started working on the local paper in 2005 I started a weekly game review section called WreX-Box and the staff at Game were brilliant in providing review copies etc.
I used to love visiting the store, but pushiness mentioned by 123rl has been sad to see imo.
Alright for you. I don't think their are any Indie's in/around Manchester city centre. My new game outlet will be HMV
Manchester? Same here
There are so many GAFers from the North West.I have an indie where I live but he's the only one. The other one shut and moved to Ashton but I don't know if he's still going or not. It was called Intergames. There was one in the Arndale but they closed down. They were a bit crap though tbh. There's definitely the potential for a couple in the Manchester area though
SuperEpicMan
Banned
He is sort of right in saying that, but I would have thought making sure people become repeat customers was more important.
For a simple analogy, look at how many people try to push leaflets on you or try to get you to complete a quick survey when you walking down the high street, most people try to avoid them before they even know what they are offering lol.
toythatkills
Member
The mistake you make is assuming everyone is the same. Where one person gets pissed off at being offered insurance, another will take it and be happy that was offered because they'd have forgotten otherwise. There's no real guarantee of repeat business either way, but I imagine that in the history of time, nobody's actually boycotted a shop just because someone tried to sell them a warranty. At worst they'll bitch about it and then be back tomorrow for more cheap games.
GringoLOCOo
Member
Manchester? Same here
I have an indie where I live but he's the only one. The other one shut and moved to Ashton but I don't know if he's still going or not. It was called Intergames. There was one in the Arndale but they closed down. They were a bit crap though tbh. There's definitely the potential for a couple in the Manchester area though
theres 1 indie game store that i know of in Stockport
cant remember the name though, been a while since i was there.
Psychotext
Member
You'd be wrong. I personally know three people who wont go into Game because they get accosted by staff. Better to just order online and wait a day.
There's a not insignificant portion of the population who have difficulty dealing with people / social situations or are particularly shy. These are the sort of people who absolutely hate being hassled when all they want to do is buy something.
Wonderfully encouraging news. I've got an indy near me, and I'm always worried they're being pushed out of the market by the big guys.
Whatever, it's fucking annoying. Period. If I wanted anything else - loyalty card, preorders, sell used games etc, etc... I would ask. I'm at the counter with a sales assistant in front of me.
I don't go in a store to be hassled about things I don't want to buy. I don't get a bunch of questions in any other store I go in. The fact that so many people mention it in this thread (and others) should tell you something.
Cosmonaut X
Member
IIRC, I haven't been in GAME since Tingle DS came out in the UK. Taking that to the counter and getting a pitying look and a "what's that and why are you *buying* it" spiel before being pushed to sign up for their rewards scheme put me off going back again. The local GameStation was little better - a manky little cave where the staff stood around fannying about with whatever console they had plugged in to the telly behind the counter, blaring Audioslave at obnoxious volumes.
Terbinator
Member
Manchester? Same here
I have an indie where I live but he's the only one. The other one shut and moved to Ashton but I don't know if he's still going or not. It was called Intergames. There was one in the Arndale but they closed down. They were a bit crap though tbh. There's definitely the potential for a couple in the Manchester area though
The biggest surprise to me is that there isn't one on Oxford Road - you'd have thought someone would have tapped up the student market, i mean, there is a Kyoto Lounge there after all.
If it's one quick question that's fine...I was asked if I wanted to buy a disgustingly expensive gears 3 limited edition controller once (~£45) and I declined, followed by a "want any points?" which I also declined and that was fine.
As long as the assistant takes no for an answer and doesn't try to talk you into it I see no issue with this. It's the same as online stores pushing the "people who bought this often buy this" angle. Someone will always want to buy complimentary goods, so these things should be asked from a business perspective.
Also of note are special counter offers, chocolate is always being offered cheap(er) in WH Smith and previously in Woolworths, I'm sure some of you have indulged in that offer before.
As long as the assistant takes no for an answer and doesn't try to talk you into it I see no issue with this. It's the same as online stores pushing the "people who bought this often buy this" angle. Someone will always want to buy complimentary goods, so these things should be asked from a business perspective.
Also of note are special counter offers, chocolate is always being offered cheap(er) in WH Smith and previously in Woolworths, I'm sure some of you have indulged in that offer before.
Again he is not speaking about consumers.
Again MCV isn't going anyway especially the publisher intentMedia isn't going anywhere this will have minimal impact on their operations.
Somewhere near the Academy would be perfect. Prime location for students and within walking distance to the town centre. It would do more business than the ones (plural...sadly) in the Arndale
I see what you're saying but personally I don't think it's really the same. The online "similar products" section is most likely on the product page, and is just there - you can look past it, it's not shoved in your face. It's like Game having baskets by the counter with 3 or 4 extra products in - that's fine, it's not intrusive and you can browse the products only if you want to.
The questioning at Game would be more like if you pressed "checkout" and then got redirected to another product page "Would you like to buy this too?" click no, redirect... "How about this?" click no, redirect... "Maybe this?".
Haha yeah there is a definite limit to how much is reasonable but I can say no thanks a couple of times quickly without it ruining my transaction. Luckily most staff I've encountered seem to appreciate this regardless of the management's stance on the matter.
Regarding the complimentary products thing, Amazon have the related stuff on the basket page, I believe.
grandmastashi
Member
My sentiments exactly!
next gen will NOT be disc free, no worries there
SuperEpicMan
Banned
If Game manage to survive, I think it would be a good investment, given that the Wii U releases this year as well as the rest of the next gen consoles rolling out in the near future.
Visualante2
Member
The problem is when consumer advice, trends turns into scare mongering. "If he doesn't have the accessory/guide/special edition he won't get the most from the game". I went for an interview and the main thing they were interested in is my ability to cold sell. I was told they make very little profit on games and consoles, but up to 90% on accessories and used games. And that is what store managers instruct staff to push. Whether the consumer needs it or not.
I don't ever feel like any other store has done this to me except electronics retailers trying to sell me an extended warranty. And I feel online stores saying "users also bought this" is more akin to stores prominently placing items next to each other on a shelf, than cold selling as they do.
grandmastashi
Member
That's just reminded me that when GTA 4 came out, I popped into Game at the Trafford Centre to pick it up and was given the hard sell on the strategy guide, being told 'you won't be able to complete the game without it'. Despite saying i'd completed all the others without them and that i'd be ok, I had 'well you won't enjoy it as much'.
Also when I picked up Heavy Rain, I took a new copy to the desk and was asked if I wanted to buy it second hand for £2 less. I said I was ok and wanted the new copy, but again they didn't take no for an answer until I checked the disc he was trying to sell me and noticed it was scratched.
Looking through all the responses I think it's tactics like this that have left a sour taste in mine and a lot of other people's mouths.
Fuuuuk!! Fuck! FUCK!
why did I sell? WHY?
I used to have 12000 shares, now I have 5000. In an ideal world, I should have sold Friday, bought 25000 shares Monday and we quids in.
I'm in for 3.5 so stuck in. Friday should see a bump, will sell at closing time depending on profit.
Next week could go either way, especially if they announce something on a Saturday again...!
why did I sell? WHY?
I used to have 12000 shares, now I have 5000. In an ideal world, I should have sold Friday, bought 25000 shares Monday and we quids in.
I'm in for 3.5 so stuck in. Friday should see a bump, will sell at closing time depending on profit.
Next week could go either way, especially if they announce something on a Saturday again...!
The used for £2 less thing is something which did bug me quite a lot, I was also asked more than once about that before.
It is a questionable strategy, but as long as some customers remain interested and these areas remain the highest margin there is very little chance of them changing their ways.
I accept the online example was imperfect but to me they're similar in how I feel about them (again, assuming the staff aren't super pushy).
I've never had any of this hassle in an indie, but that's probably to do with them striving for a more friendly and personal shopping experience.
It is a questionable strategy, but as long as some customers remain interested and these areas remain the highest margin there is very little chance of them changing their ways.
I accept the online example was imperfect but to me they're similar in how I feel about them (again, assuming the staff aren't super pushy).
I've never had any of this hassle in an indie, but that's probably to do with them striving for a more friendly and personal shopping experience.
SuperEpicMan
Banned
I managed to get 7660 shares for 3.15 this morning, will probably see how they are doing tomorrow and depending on the news maybe sell
JennyTablina
Member
Selling is a bit of a balance, you have to give it a go but at the same time, you have to be careful not to upset the customer
I work in a similar position, and I'm expected to help facillitate sales, though the whole selling angle isn't really pressed upon me. I might ask a customer looking a bit lost if they want any help, and only turn on the sales spiel for a product if they express interest.
Some people take the whole selling a product thing, and go a bit nuts with it because of the pressure to perform. Some might totally disregard the bit in their training about paying some respect to the customer. I know where I work, I was told on my very first day to always be courteous to the customer, and be mindful because we don't know if they might of had a good or bad day.
Possibly one thing GAME might need to do (if someone does buy them out) is reevaluate their training on selling, and stress that while selling the likes of GAMECare are good, always be customer-savvy and be careful about pushing sales.
Pretty sure you wont lose the selling strategy from any GAME store regardless what happens, the assistants are there to sell so they sort of can't not do it. But they can find a better means of communicating to customers. The two remaining Cambridge branches have it down pretty good, the one branch that closed last year was always the more pushy of the three
Good lord, what do you do if they offer you Schools and Clubs Vouchers? D:
I work in a similar position, and I'm expected to help facillitate sales, though the whole selling angle isn't really pressed upon me. I might ask a customer looking a bit lost if they want any help, and only turn on the sales spiel for a product if they express interest.
Some people take the whole selling a product thing, and go a bit nuts with it because of the pressure to perform. Some might totally disregard the bit in their training about paying some respect to the customer. I know where I work, I was told on my very first day to always be courteous to the customer, and be mindful because we don't know if they might of had a good or bad day.
Possibly one thing GAME might need to do (if someone does buy them out) is reevaluate their training on selling, and stress that while selling the likes of GAMECare are good, always be customer-savvy and be careful about pushing sales.
Pretty sure you wont lose the selling strategy from any GAME store regardless what happens, the assistants are there to sell so they sort of can't not do it. But they can find a better means of communicating to customers. The two remaining Cambridge branches have it down pretty good, the one branch that closed last year was always the more pushy of the three
Good lord, what do you do if they offer you Schools and Clubs Vouchers? D:
Visualante2
Member
Brera tag fishing for a GAME tag so hard.
That's a common line, exactly what my mother got when she bought me Skyrim.
Manchester? Same here
I have an indie where I live but he's the only one. The other one shut and moved to Ashton but I don't know if he's still going or not. It was called Intergames. There was one in the Arndale but they closed down. They were a bit crap though tbh. There's definitely the potential for a couple in the Manchester area though
Warrington here
Haven't been in our GAME for years. And even with the current sales, between Lovefilm and my backlog I don't feel the need to now.
Shame, because in the early PS2 era they were great for PS2 and PC stuff.
grandmastashi
Member
Agree entirely with JennyTablina.
When I worked at MVC they were just starting their counter upselling policy, with DVDs at the counter for £5. We had a table of all the staff just outside the entrance to the stock room to see who was doing best; at the end of the month we got some kind of prize if we sold the most.
We were given a long script to refer to, stating why the customer was being offered the DVD, what the titles were etc. Trouble was you stood there reeling off your spiel and by the time you'd finished the customer was so bored they'd glazed over and wanted to leave. A friend realised that if he just said 'would you like one of these for a fiver' the customer felt less hard sold and more like you were offering them a good deal. We were all doing it pretty quickly!
When I worked at MVC they were just starting their counter upselling policy, with DVDs at the counter for £5. We had a table of all the staff just outside the entrance to the stock room to see who was doing best; at the end of the month we got some kind of prize if we sold the most.
We were given a long script to refer to, stating why the customer was being offered the DVD, what the titles were etc. Trouble was you stood there reeling off your spiel and by the time you'd finished the customer was so bored they'd glazed over and wanted to leave. A friend realised that if he just said 'would you like one of these for a fiver' the customer felt less hard sold and more like you were offering them a good deal. We were all doing it pretty quickly!
What? 3DS, Vita, and Wii U are already known to use media. There is more to gaming than the HD twins.
I quite enjoy having a chat with someone whilst shopping for stuff (that I actually want), but I don't like it when they push crap on me. I've had some really good conversations with the manager at GAME in the past week or so, he understands the position they're in quite well, and I think he appreciated someone who's not just coming in & trolling for a change (seen that quite a bit tbh). I said to him outright that I don't normally shop in the store, but from a gamer's pov, it's a good time to head in.
As for shopping online, I can safely say if I'm preordering a game, I'll go online to get it. The service from most retailers now (particularly shopto) is fantastic, and I've never had a game arrive late from them. I've had a couple of customer service queries with them too, and they've been dealt with smoothly and quickly. Can't fault them. The fact I can order a game right now from my mobile, and have it on my doorstep for tomorrow morning is fantastic, and the pricing is massively better than the retail shops.
Cosmonaut X
Member
...and this is the issue GAME - if they survive - or whoever comes after them have to address.
If online retailers have you beat on price and selection - as they do, in my experience - then you have to beat them on something they can't offer. For me, the difference between online retail and bricks & mortar should be in the quality of the service and staff - knowledgeable, helpful staff, and good retail environments that make people want to visit just to browse should be key.
I'm not talking about coffee shops in GAME (echoes of Borders...) or anything daft like that, but having a strong, educated staff, well-laid-out stores and some kind of free-play/demo zones in each shop where people can try out new retail titles would be a start.
frankie_baby
Member
And if x720 or ps4 are discless then ms and sony have commited them to irrelevance
Amen.
I have a special Withering Look I adopt if they try that sort of nonsense on with me. If they push it further, I break out the lethal line: "Why would I want to spend more money to make the game *shorter*?"
SuperEpicMan
Banned
They wont be. They cant be, simply because not everyone has an internet connection that can sustain a DD only model.
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