What is it like to work in a game store?

[Don Maddox]

Ever wanted to know what it is like to work in a game store? Games Rader has an interview with store employees and managers to get their take on it.

Games Radar - XBOX 360 news - Xbox 360 - Game shop employees tell their real stories - the good, the bad and the unbelievably horrific (http://www.gamesradar.com/gb/xbox360/game/news/article.jsp?sectionId=1006&articleId=2007040314469812037&releaseId=20060310114456640079)

[Aries]

That all sounded predictable but likely true.

I've 4 years in a corner store, aside from the fact it was smokes pop munchies milk and coffee to the morning mob, it is largely the same experience.

Real friends don't let friends fill out job aplications for game stores :)

[jayedub7423]

i started working at gamestop back when it was software etc, babbages and funcoland, and was a store manager there as well, and worked for hollywood videos version called gamecrazy. so needless to say i was interested in reading this.

there were a few things i agreed with, but most of it i found to be the mindless dribble of a group of morons. i find that complaints about a dress code, or no playing games while at work to be a bit childish.

but i did however agree with the complaints about pushing reserves and subs, and dealing with a-hole district managers.

funny thing is, while reading this article, this was one of the answers to the question what is the absolute worst behavior you've seen from a customer at your store?

#8: Well, how about a gun being pulled on you... a car running through your store... someone pulling a Mission: Impossible act through the ceiling at your store... a knife being pulled on you... and being stunned my a stun gun. I think that's enough said there.


i believe this guy worked at the gamestop in stockton, ca, cause that did happen to that store while i was working for the company. it could be anywhere really.

[Aries]

"there were a few things i agreed with, but most of it i found to be the mindless dribble of a group of morons. i find that complaints about a dress code, or no playing games while at work to be a bit childish."

Without wanting to sound derogatory, but considering most of the average employees for these stores tend to be only 1 or 2 steps into adulthood in the first place, it tends to make complaints about looking like a mature adult understandable :) It's still new to them :)

You have to be either completely desperate to work this sort of job past 25, or willingly able to admit, yeah I'm in my 30s, don't have a girl let alone a wife, and I live at home still because I have no reason to get my own place and the drive to find a real job.

The only reason I worked those 4 years in the corner store was you guessed it, I was desperate at the time :) (bills have to be paid).

[jayedub7423]

i'm thinking that a corner store is like a liquor store or mini-mart here. those i dont find too bad, but i can see your point, kind of hard to live of of a market job wage. i did work at a market job once, had a great boss even.

[Blackcloud6]

A friend of mine, who passed away last year, owned a hobby store. It sold mostly plastic models, wargames and Warhammer like stuff.

Whenever it rained hard he would get glum. One day I asked him why. He said, “because basements flood." I said "So? Does your basement flood?"

He replied "No", but other people's do."

And I was perplexed because no way would he care about someone else's basement.

I again replied with "So?"

He said "Well old ladies' basements flood, that is what bothers me."

Now I was really confused.

He kept going: "Then their 30-45 year old basement dwelling sons have to come up put of the basements. They have nowhere to go so they come here and hang out until the rain stops. Did you know that basement dwellers hardly ever shower?" :surprise: :surprise:

And as soon as he said that three overweight, scraggly bearded, oily headed, 30 something basement dwellers walked through the door and headed to the Warhammer supplies. It was simply amazing, they stayed for hours.... :OHNO:

;) :p

[Aries]

It's interesting, that now that our town has a genuine gaming store, I get to actually see and or hear about these sort of things in person.

Was checking on if a DS game was in stock yesterday. The clerk was commenting on a woman that had been vexing him just recently.

Well you see, she had bought an X-Box game (I think 360 type) and it no longer worked (that was her conclusion). She was adamanant that she wanted a complete refund (didn't want an exchange I think).

Well the item in question needed an update (I have no real experience with the process of an updated console game though by the way).
But the lady I guess was too dim to understand that explanation.

The guy told her it would be better if she brought in the game so he could check it. Nope she wanted that refund. The guy also wanted her son to bring the game in (so he could at least talk to someone that had a clue about games, son is 17).

Not sure how it will end, but needless to say, would have liked to be a fly on a wall. Nah, actually because I wouldn't have been an employee, I likely would have just told the dumb ass to send her son to the store, as she was not competent enough to even discuss the matter in the first place.

Thank god I am at least not the sort of individual that would act the way those sort of people do. You get more with honey than vinegar.

[Mantis]

I was manager of a very popular local video game store. (I was 18... :laugh: )

We got to play games when we weren't busy. As a matter of fact, it was encouraged. The units were on display right at the entrance to the store, so we were almost standing out in the mall when we gamed. It attracted alot of attention.

Some odd things went on... This was in West Edmonton Mall, and there were a couple family owned stores right down from us. One was an Edo Japan (for fast food, this is the best I have ever had), another was one of the specialty junk food stores, with a zillion types of ice cream, cotton cnady, etc etc etc. Well, I don't know why their kids weren't in the school system, but they weren't. They were at the stores all day long, from open to close. Well now. A little boy (7 - 8) from each store, bored to tears, and a video game store a few doors down...

The short of it is that the parents were very happy for the time I would allow their kids to amuse themselves playing Sega/Nintendo. I let them do it during the busy hours, as it attracted alot of traffic and I/we were too busy to be playing ourselves at the moment. We got commission on items, and the boys playing away helped us earn a bit more. And for the daily babysitting service, I was given lunch, treats, pop, ice cream....

:laugh:

There are many other stories...

[jayedub7423]

yes, i remember working in the mall, and dealing with kids who were just dropped off there bt their parents. i hated working weekends, and it got worse during summer!

[Aries]

It's not just gamestores though.

In looking at the thread, I can recall, that parents would have their kids join Scouting as it was cheaper than a babysitter. Really, I've done the math. Once a week, for 2 hours, the parents can get rid of their kids.

Unfortunate, but really true in too many instances. And the kids were almost impossible to entertain, and we had a nearly non existent budget too.

I had my son in for a few years, but I gave it up because really, I am not interested in under funded daycare work. Not to mention I didn't get paid or anything. If I'm going to be a daycare worker, I want to at least get offered some sort of payment eh.