An Encounter With Gamestop

Okay, so a slight delay on getting the next episode of Mighty Max through, but here's the story.

Gamestop is having a special deal right now as they prepare for the newest system releases, and they're selling all used XBox 360s for $99 (I believe) and all pre-owned PS3s for $150.  I contacted the one down at the local mall today to ask if they had any of the 500 gig PS3s left, and they said they had one in stock.  I asked if they could set it aside, and the charming woman who answered the phone took my name down and promised it would be there that evening.  My sister has been looking forward for a long time to own her own PS3 (almost solely to play Kingdom Hearts games), so this is her big opportunity.

I picked her up after work and drove her down, where we waited until the line in the store died down, then approached the counter.  I said I had called earlier that day regarding a PS3, the man behind the counter recognized my name, said that the morning shift woman had clarified that the PS3 was not to be sold until I arrived, and went into the back to get it.

I have to say, this is much better service than I'm used to from Gamestop.  The primary other store I go to in a nearby shopping complex seems to be more determined to act smug and push product than provide quality customer service.  Questions are answered at the barest possible minimum, and I one guy's response to a father asking, "do you think Grand Theft Auto V would be okay for my thirteen year old?" with a disinterested "if you think he's mature enough" instead of either a) looking at updates after it came out and the upset about a (taking the commentator's word on it here) "rather brutal torture sequence that occurs during it" or b) "No, that's why it's rated M."

Anyway, back to the story.  The man searches around the store and then looks on the computer system to confirm it's there.  He frowns a bit, and reaches for the phone saying he's going to contact the woman who worked there earlier to see where she put the PS3.  After a conversation with her, he comes back to me and apologizes, stating that they had a "game adviser" there that day (read: retail clerk, near as I can tell) who apparently sold it despite the fact that a) the woman who ran the morning shift told him not to, and b) the guy working the evening shift confirmed with the woman that it shouldn't be sold, c) IT HAD A NAME ON IT.

So, yeah, real turd in the punch bowl there.

However.

The man working there apologized profusely (fifteen times!) for the mix-up.  He offered to order one from another shop, have it shipped to the store at the mall, and provide a further ten percent discount on it for the inconvenience.  He then personally called a store in New Hampshire, had them take a white 500 gig PS3 off the shelf, put a note on it with my sister's name, and the manager of that store said he would personally hand it to the UPS guy the following morning to try to have it in by the end of the week.

So, while I am a bit frustrated about having driven down for nothing, I think that ten percent discount actually makes up for the gas I used driving down there.

I think Gamestop really needs to work on a bit of its image (especially in particular stores where you can tell the people who work there don't care at all about customers), but I encountered two people today (one by phone, one in person) who really seemed to care about good service.

Plus, I take comfort in the fact that a "game adviser" is going to get yelled at by two assistant managers and a store manager tomorrow.

Expect a Mighty Max episode review tomorrow!