Evilbore Exclusivo: Best thing GameStop has ever done - open a new store!

[The Fake Shemp]

... the ultimate store that is!  The company is opening up a new tournament store in San Jose on Wednesday, and here's a first look at what I hope they eventually do for the entire company (pipe dream, I know!).  There are like a billion LCD screens in the back for tournaments and the layout of the place is the best I've seen out of any GameStop.  Sheer brilliance!













I'm totally jealous.

[zeergoth]

If someone told you you could manage that store for the rest of your life in exchange for your first born son would you do it?

[The Fake Shemp]

Totally.

I actually e-mailed all the guys in my district after we got these pictures from our DM that I had discovered a new emotion: store envy.

I think for you guys, and gamers, it's pretty cool that such a corporate entity is actually supporting tournaments and the like - even going as far as building a store around the concept.  There must be at least 30 or so LCDs in the back there.

[bork]

They might as well put up signs welcoming robbers.  "Come and steal our games at the newest Gamestop-- Now with LCDs for you to steal too!"

[Sho Nuff]

I bet they will be happy to sell you demo copies

USED demo copies

[The Fake Shemp]

I'm sure the security for this location will probably be even better than the security at mine (which has been a high risk store for quite some time).  And quite honestly, with all the security I have, I'd worry far more about internal theft than external.  Just this week I had a break-in thwarted by security.  GameStop will shell out serious cash for security systems on stores that are worth it.

[brawndolicious]

hey that's not that far from me.  how do we find out what tournaments they have?  prizes at these?

[The Fake Shemp]

You have to go to the store.  And yeah, there are always prizes.  GameStop and vendors always have swag to give away to participants at these things (faceplates, t-shirts, lanyards, first-party games, etc.).  I ran a Madden tournament this year where we rented a big screen HDTV and gave the winner a free copy of the game.  I'm going to be running a Super Smash Bros. Brawl tourney in late January where I hope to do the same.

[Mupepe]

i applied at a gamestop today.

[BlueTsunami]

The whole store is probably a giant metal cage. Anti-Theft!

I would visit a mega Gamestop if they built one in the area. Looks real cool.

[zeergoth]

You have to go to the store.  And yeah, there are always prizes.  GameStop and vendors always have swag to give away to participants at these things (faceplates, t-shirts, lanyards, first-party games, etc.).  I ran a Madden tournament this year where we rented a big screen HDTV and gave the winner a free copy of the game.  I'm going to be running a Super Smash Bros. Brawl tourney in late January where I hope to do the same.

I thought it didn't come out till February

[zeergoth]

i applied at a gamestop today.

Unless it's the megastop or where wilco works I'm sorry :'(

[GilloD]

And nothing in there is new!

[brawndolicious]

well I guess I'd better go there if it's a dedicated tournament store.  there's a few big games I'd be willing to compete in.

[Beezy]

Stick one of those in NYC please.

[Mr. Gundam]

So Will, how are they planning on preventing this store from becoming a giant daycare center?

[The Fake Shemp]

All employees will be equipped with firearms!

[Ichirou]

Just looking at pictures of a Gamestop gives me bad flashbacks.

[APF]

RESPECT
THE
RATINGS

[Barry Egan]

Wow gamestops are so fucking ugly. 

[Ichirou]

Yeah, looking at those pics makes me want to never go to a Gamestop ever again.

[Christopher]

That looks really cool actually, but just imagine cleaning up that store after mom and child come in there and knock everything here and there. 

By the by Willco how was Black Friday in your store?  crazy?  Apparenlty on GAF no one purchased a PS3, Wii sold out in minutes, and the DS craze continues.  How was your store?

[The Fake Shemp]

We had 36 Wii units in stock and they sold out before I arrived at 10 AM.  My guess is they evaporated shortly after letting folks through the door.  We moved a good bit of used consoles, PS2s and Xboxen, thanks to the FSI sale.  Folks purchased a crap load of used games (Buy 2, Get 1 FREE 'till today).  A handful of Xbox 360 bundles were sold (Elite and Pro bundles are gone, Arcade stock is dwindling) and a couple of PS3 units (I think two or three over the whole weekend).  Sony way, way overstocked us with PS3s.  My guess is they'll be clogging our backroom 'till Spring now.

But, yeah, the real winner was Nintendo - we sold out of Wii, moved DS Lite units at a brisk pace, the accessories are all but gone and the first-party stuff was bought in large quantities (Super Mario Galaxy, Wii Play, Phantom Hourlgass, etc.).

Also, Harmonix seized the day.  We were lucky enough to get a second, rather large shipment of Rock Band bundles and they were sold out by Saturday.  Folks were gobbling them up.

Only problem was dealing with two defective product problems.  One customer refused to go online and submit information so EA could help them, and then threatened to contest his credit card charge in the store because the faulty hardware he bought was fraud (so he says!).

[Ichirou]

Why didn't he just return/exchange it if it was faulty?

[The Fake Shemp]

Best "dumb" customer problem:

A rather irate customer who traveled maybe 30 miles, because another GameStop location informed him we had "tons" of Xbox 360 Pro bundles.  We did have a couple, not "tons", as I told him and he was just like, "Well, you better have them, I traveled all this way for that Xbox 360!"

I asked a staff member to get a serial number sticker so we could ring up his purchase, and I repeated his order (I do this with all customers), that he wanted a Xbox 360 Pro bundle.  That's when he starts off this bit of lunacy by telling me:

"Yeah, that's the 60GB one."

"Uh, there is no 60GB model.  There is a 20GB model in the Pro Bundle, which you are about to purchase and a 120GB model which we are all out of stock."

"No, there's a 60GB model.  I don't want that big one - it's not all the way backwards compatible."

"Oh, I think you're mixing it up with the PS3 - there was a 60GB PS3 model, which is obsolete and out of production.  The 80GB model of the PS3 is pretty much backwards compatible with PS2 games and the 40GB is not."

"No, I know what I'm talking about - the Pro should have a 60GB hard drive!  It used to have a 20GB HD but they don't make it anymore!"

"They never made a 60GB HD, but Sony used to make a 20GB PS3.  Are you sure you don't want a PS3?"

"I know what fucking machine I fucking want man - and I want that 60GB Xbox-fucking-360!  I traveled 30 miles for it and they said you have it!"

"Sir, we do have the Pro Bundle, but I'm sorry, it's only 20GB hard drive capacity!"

"Then I don't want it!  If you won't sell me the right one, I will just go to Target or Best Buy!"

And he walked out angrily.

[The Fake Shemp]

Why didn't he just return/exchange it if it was faulty?

You can't return/exchange Rock Band hardware at retailers.  You have to handle it through EA.

[demi]

EA is doing 2-day shipping too apparently, I'm gonna see what the consensus is on what replacement they give you before I go with it. I bought a replacement plan at Toys R Us too just in case, but I'm not sure if it even covers any of the hardware.

[Ichirou]

Why didn't he just return/exchange it if it was faulty?

You can't return/exchange Rock Band hardware at retailers.  You have to handle it through EA.

Do you tell that to people before they buy it?  I'd be pissed off too, if I bought something as huge as that and it turned out to be faulty and I had to send it to EA.

Do you actually still get 60 gig PS3s, btw, or are those suckers long gone?

[bluemax]

So Will, how are they planning on preventing this store from becoming a giant daycare center?

This reminds me of the Acts of Gord. I wonder if Willco has read the Acts of Gord.

[Ichirou]

I always imagined Gord being the real-life version of the Comic Book Store Guy from The Simpsons.

[The Fake Shemp]

Do you tell that to people before they buy it?  I'd be pissed off too, if I bought something as huge as that and it turned out to be faulty and I had to send it to EA.

You don't need to, there's a bright, neon paper that is thrust in your face upon opening the merchandise that tells you this.  I think it even says "STOP: READ THIS!" and it looks menacing and fearsome!

EA is handling the returns and as demi said, it's not even that long of a wait or a big deal.  I'm not quite sure why two days should be a problem for most folks, but that's how EA rolls.  They chose to not strike a deal with retailers that'd allow them to return defective merchandise.

Do you actually still get 60 gig PS3s, btw, or are those suckers long gone?

New 60GB units have been gone for a long time.  Tracking down a refurb unit is still possible, but since most of the GameStop customers are pretty Internet savvy, folks who put a premium on backwards compatibility are going out of their way to buy them.

As for the guy confused about his mysterious 60GB Xbox 360 SKU - I deal with it all the time.  I don't mind customers being confused or misinformed, but when they become angry when you try to educate them on the various SKUs, that's when I scratch my head. 

Although, if Microsoft and Sony chose to just sell one machine (unfortunately, I think those days are long gone... multiple SKUs are here to stay), it'd make all of our lives easier.  On the other hand, despite Nintendo peddling one SKU for the Wii from the start, I still get ask about the various Wii "bundles" and if it has "sports games inside".

[Bloodwake]

About the same on the east coast in terms of sales: Wii's sold out in under ten minutes in London. I sold only one PS3 at my time working, even though there's a back room full of both the 80GB and the 20GB model.

However, I sold plenty of 360s (Arcades, Premiums, and Elites) and even more DS Lites. There was one customer that ended up purchasing three DS Lites of different colors for her children. The store is still decently stocked on them, but they were going faster than I have ever seen DS Lites go out that door. Nintendo is making a killing this holiday, Wii shortage or no.

The 360 love is still abounding though. Assassin's Creed is selling very, very well, even better than Rock Band by itself. Call of Duty 4 was sold out upon my arrival on Thursday. Not that much of a purchase rush for Halo 3. In fact, we took in several used copies that were still in the store when I left Saturday.

Lots of good business for GameStop.

[T234]

About the same on the east coast in terms of sales: Wii's sold out in under ten minutes in London. I sold only one PS3 at my time working, even though there's a back room full of both the 80GB and the 20GB model.

However, I sold plenty of 360s (Arcades, Premiums, and Elites) and even more DS Lites. There was one customer that ended up purchasing three DS Lites of different colors for her children. The store is still decently stocked on them, but they were going faster than I have ever seen DS Lites go out that door. Nintendo is making a killing this holiday, Wii shortage or no.

The 360 love is still abounding though. Assassin's Creed is selling very, very well, even better than Rock Band by itself. Call of Duty 4 was sold out upon my arrival on Thursday. Not that much of a purchase rush for Halo 3. In fact, we took in several used copies that were still in the store when I left Saturday.

Lots of good business for GameStop.

Ain't that the one with good BC? And how much are you selling it for?

[hyp]

hey willco, where in san jose is this new store located?

[The Fake Shemp]

hey willco, where in san jose is this new store located?

I'll ask my DM for the exact address during our conference call today.

[T234]

About the same on the east coast in terms of sales: Wii's sold out in under ten minutes in London. I sold only one PS3 at my time working, even though there's a back room full of both the 80GB and the 20GB model.

However, I sold plenty of 360s (Arcades, Premiums, and Elites) and even more DS Lites. There was one customer that ended up purchasing three DS Lites of different colors for her children. The store is still decently stocked on them, but they were going faster than I have ever seen DS Lites go out that door. Nintendo is making a killing this holiday, Wii shortage or no.

The 360 love is still abounding though. Assassin's Creed is selling very, very well, even better than Rock Band by itself. Call of Duty 4 was sold out upon my arrival on Thursday. Not that much of a purchase rush for Halo 3. In fact, we took in several used copies that were still in the store when I left Saturday.

Lots of good business for GameStop.

Ain't that the one with good BC? And how much are you selling it for?

I, too would like to know this.

[The Fake Shemp]

I think he meant 40GB.  The 20GB models have long left the retail channel.  Only chance of getting one is used.

Besides, you'd rather want a 60GB model.  It has full backwards compatibility and built-in WiFi, which the 20GB unit does not.  Also, you can still find a 60GB model refurbed for $429 if you look hard enough.

[T234]

I thought the 20 gig had full BC?

[balikeye]

You don't need to, there's a bright, neon paper that is thrust in your face upon opening the merchandise that tells you this.  I think it even says "STOP: READ THIS!" and it looks menacing and fearsome!

But is it in Comic Sans!?!

[zeergoth]

I thought the 20 gig had full BC?

it does.

[BlueTsunami]

"Then I don't want it!  If you won't sell me the right one, I will just go to Target or Best Buy!"

Man, I feel bad for whatever rep he had to talk to at Target or Best Buy. More so if that person is also uninformed (IE not being able to handle the pure anger of this dood with logic and reason)

[The Fake Shemp]

He will probably go to Best Buy or Target, and burn the whole place to the ground!

[border]

Just out of curiousity, what did your store do with all the busted-up Halo 3: CE discs?

I went to Best Buy and they were selling them as "Open Box" items

[Mr. Gundam]

So Will, how are they planning on preventing this store from becoming a giant daycare center?

This reminds me of the Acts of Gord. I wonder if Willco has read the Acts of Gord.

I remember reading Acts of Gord back in college. Are they still being updated?

[The Fake Shemp]

Just out of curiousity, what did your store do with all the busted-up Halo 3: CE discs?

I went to Best Buy and they were selling them as "Open Box" items

GameStop had the best policy for folks who bought it.  You could return the LE and keep the case and bonus swag, we'd crack open a regular Halo 3 game and give you that disc in exchange (on account of all the LEs being fucked up).  I heard a lot of retailers just kept giving people LEs until they ran out, despite the fact that it was a widespread problem and not isolated.

[disgruntled_jojo]

I hope this company goes down in flaming heaps.  I hate their policies more than I hate black licorice.

[The Fake Shemp]

Their only policy that does legitimately suck is gutting copies.  I mean, what could you possibly hate about GameStop that doesn't apply to all brick and mortar stores outside of guts?

[Mr. Gundam]

Their only policy that does legitimately suck is gutting copies.  I mean, what could you possibly hate about GameStop that doesn't apply to all brick and mortar stores outside of guts?

Maybe these issues are isolated to the Seattle stores, but cleanliness/hygiene and employees with God complexes bug me. Doesn't stop me from buying games there, but if both of these were taken care of, my view of GS would improve.

[bluemax]

So Will, how are they planning on preventing this store from becoming a giant daycare center?

This reminds me of the Acts of Gord. I wonder if Willco has read the Acts of Gord.

I remember reading Acts of Gord back in college. Are they still being updated?

Nah, he sold the store and went to Korea or something. The site is still up and there were forums where he talked about whatever it was he was doing but those hadn't been updated in like a year last I checked.

[The Fake Shemp]

Cleanliness is an issue for some spots because GameSpot won't spring for any kind of janitorial contractors or give extra hours to clean - it's just mandatory.  That said, our regional director is so hellbent on presentation that I can't fathom anyone having a messy store.  I guess it varies on region.  Same goes for hygiene.  If my employee reeked - I'd send them home.  One day I had a fever and I was sweating something awful, and I actually went home to clean up.  I won't allow that in my store.

I haven't met a God complex manager, yet.  I'm sure they exist.  I think a lot of this boils down to your regional management, because they're in charge of maintaining store behaviors and hiring store managers.  If you have a set of mediocre district managers run by a barely competent regional manager, I could see the experience not being too fun.

[thekavorka]

bullshit

I live in the area where Gamestop is based. How come we don't get shit like this? 

[The Fake Shemp]

Because the Bay Area is probably the pride of the company - it gets great numbers, leads in customer service, is constantly expanding and has the base to support a mega GameStop.

Texas sucks.

[Mupepe]

Texas is the shit Willco.  Don't make me spank you

[Ichirou]

Back when I was working in PR, they told us it was the pride of the company, one of the biggest selling areas, and the shopping center I worked in had one of the biggest GameStops in the country.

I wonder if they tell that to every area to build up their pride or whatever.

[border]

GameStop had the best policy for folks who bought it.  You could return the LE and keep the case and bonus swag, we'd crack open a regular Halo 3 game and give you that disc in exchange (on account of all the LEs being fucked up).  I heard a lot of retailers just kept giving people LEs until they ran out, despite the fact that it was a widespread problem and not isolated.

Errrr....so what did you do with all the regular editions that had scratched CE discs inside?  I know the problem was widespread, but I never heard what Microsoft did to fix the issue with retailers (who burned through a lot of good copies to satisfy customers).    Obviously a lot of units were sacrificed -- did you get reimbursed monetarily, or did they just send free copies to replace the ones you burned?  Best Buy's firesale on scratched CEs would leave me to believe that a lot of major retailers were left high and dry...

[hyp]

you ever get the address willco?  this gs is literally in my backyard somewhere.

[The Fake Shemp]

Errrr....so what did you do with all the regular editions that had scratched CE discs inside?

We just defected those units and sent them back to corporate.  Where they go from there, nobody knows!

... I didn't attend the call, hyp.  I'll ask this week.  It's kind of a crazy week.

[Van Cruncheon]

[Bloodwake]

About the same on the east coast in terms of sales: Wii's sold out in under ten minutes in London. I sold only one PS3 at my time working, even though there's a back room full of both the 80GB and the 20GB model.

However, I sold plenty of 360s (Arcades, Premiums, and Elites) and even more DS Lites. There was one customer that ended up purchasing three DS Lites of different colors for her children. The store is still decently stocked on them, but they were going faster than I have ever seen DS Lites go out that door. Nintendo is making a killing this holiday, Wii shortage or no.

The 360 love is still abounding though. Assassin's Creed is selling very, very well, even better than Rock Band by itself. Call of Duty 4 was sold out upon my arrival on Thursday. Not that much of a purchase rush for Halo 3. In fact, we took in several used copies that were still in the store when I left Saturday.

Lots of good business for GameStop.

Ain't that the one with good BC? And how much are you selling it for?

My bad, 40 GB

[T234]