EB Wouldn't Sell Me what I tried to pay for

[Darkprime]

I'm not sure if the topic title is the most eye grabbing, but here's what happened. Over a week ago I went to my local EB at the mall looking for old PS1 Beast Wars Games and a Taiko Drum by Red Octane (I got a Taiko Drum Master from Game crazy and I love that game). Anyways, about the drum, I had read on this site not too long ago that various stores were clearancing out this item. I have been checking all the game sites in my region for one and was really excited to find this EB having 3 of them in stock. In fact, they were all sitting out along a top shelf above the PS2 games. I had said I wanted two of them (one for me and one for a friend who also got the Taiko Game) and wanted to know if they were on clearance there (if not, I was going to wait for them to clearance it because I didn't want to pay $30 for one). Well a girl working there got them down and price checked them for me. As soon as the first one rang up at 1 penny she flipped out at me yelling about how I am trying to rip them off by knowing about a clearance and how she must destroy the drums and will not sell them to me. She then acted like she was calling a manager who allegedly told her not to sell them to me. At this point I was no longer welcome in the store (although not specifically told to "GET OUT").

At the request of my friend, I went to the other EB in town, told them my story (they said they knew of problems with this girl at that first store) and they gave me the district manager's phone number and customer service. I called the DM and left a message. I then called CS and reported the incident and was told that the DM would contact me later. Fast forward a week and nothing has happened. No call from the store, CS, or the DM. My questions are should anything have happened, should I have gotten a call from the DM, and should EB have sold me 2 of the 3 drums they had on the floor?

[PenguinMaster]

What I don't understand is why they won't give something away (or sell it for a penny) instead of destroying it. They are obviously trying to get rid of it, why not let you take it off their hands?

[kakomu]

Call the DM a bunch of times. Don't just leave a single message.

OH yea, if it's not too much of a hindrance, go to the store over and over again, and try buying the item again and again, until she relents.

[Darkprime]

Well i went back there about an hour after i first left and all 3 were out of sight. The other EB said that they should not have been on the floor and were supposed to be destroyed because they didn't want store employees sellign those items to friends or themselves for fear of them turnning around and selling them to others at a big mark up, ala ebay. That other eb did say though that they should have sold them to me because they were on the floor.

[Level Jumper]

Gamestop/EB actually just realigned districts, so you may have to call a couple of times to try to catch the DMs attention at the moment since they're dealing with trying to get to and meet their new employees, etc. Now would be a good time to get ahold of a DM though assuming they got a different DM. That would not be a good first impression for her.

[dtcarson]

Many stores have a policy, either their own or agreed upon with the distributor of the item, not to sell those 1 cent things, because that could lead to fraud [Oh look! *Here's* that case of Steel Battalion controllers! Whoops, I guess I'll buy all of them now that they're a cent".] And they have to have some 'value' so they can be inventoried and counted in the computer.

Definitely keep calling, and I would actually follow up with a snailmail letter as well. At the very least, the girl's CS skills were, well, nonexistent.

[terribledeli]

At the request of my friend, I went to the other EB in town, told them my story (they said they knew of problems with this girl at that first store) and they gave me the district manager's phone number and customer service. I called the DM and left a message. I then called CS and reported the incident and was told that the DM would contact me later. Fast forward a week and nothing has happened. No call from the store, CS, or the DM. My questions are should anything have happened, should I have gotten a call from the DM, and should EB have sold me 2 of the 3 drums they had on the floor?

Good luck on trying to get ahold of a the DM or getting anywhere with CS. I called and complained about the whole credit card reciept fiasco and the CS person just tried to make excuses for the store employees rude behavior. Then he claimed the DM would be calling me within 2 business days. Its been over 2 weeks.

Oh well. I just wouldn't shop at EB from now on.

[Grave_Addiction]

Burn the store down!!!!!!!

[thorbahn3]

Yeah those things were put in the trash after your encounter. Most people would just give it to ya but this lady's a bitch. My advice is this: find out were they chuck their "trash" and check their dumpster. You'd be surprised at what ends up in one a store uses. I haven't done it but my sister who worked at a mall would bring home stuff every once in a while that she saw in their store's dumpster. It always puzzled me. Why not donate it to Goodwill at least.

[kakomu]

Why not donate it to Goodwill at least.
Typical corporate policy: If they can't make money, NO ONE can make money.

[Chacrana]

I'd just wait for a different employee and try it again and give them a lot of shit about it if you have a problem. The girl was clearly menstruating like no other so perhaps somebody else wouldn't be such a bitch about it.

[thorbahn3]

Typical corporate policy: If they can't make money, NO ONE can make money.

Well they would get tax credit.

[Graystone]

Typical corporate policy: If they can't make money, NO ONE can make money.

QFT, I worked next to a Pizza joint and if someone mess up a order they would throw the food out. However the jacked up thing about that was we had a lot of homeless around their. So instead of laying the pizza outside the back door, or laying in the trash nicley they would throw it into the dumpster with no box.

I think the lady should of sold them or at least been nice about it.

[thorbahn3]

QFT, I worked next to a Pizza joint and if someone mess up a order they would throw the food out. However the jacked up thing about that was we had a lot of homeless around their. So instead of laying the pizza outside the back door, or laying in the trash nicley they would throw it into the dumpster with no box.

I think the lady should of sold them or at least been nice about it.

Then you'd get homeless people ordering obscure pizzas like mushrooms and onion. When nobody shows up for, it is there for him in the back.

[rodeojones903]

That is what they are supposed to do though. The reason they are pennied out is to throw them away. They are told not to sell them and to destroy them. You won't be hearing back from the DM or from CS, because the clerk did what she was supposed to do.

[Dr Mario Kart]

is there a technical reason why it would be .01 and not .00 if they are just trashing them?

[kakomu]

QFT, I worked next to a Pizza joint and if someone mess up a order they would throw the food out. However the jacked up thing about that was we had a lot of homeless around their. So instead of laying the pizza outside the back door, or laying in the trash nicley they would throw it into the dumpster with no box.

I think the lady should of sold them or at least been nice about it.
What's even worse is that messed up orders are prime for ready made pizzas sold by the slice.

[Roufuss]

is there a technical reason why it would be .01 and not .00 if they are just trashing them?

Because .01 is the "retail code" that lets employees know they are supposed to trash them. She should have just given the drums to you, I bet you would have gone back into the EB plenty of times after that to spend your money, right? Technically, yea, she was in the right, they aren't supposed to sell things for .01, I think that's why most of the EB / Gamestop's just give me the penny guides instead of actually ringing them up.

I've been lucky, every time I've recently gotten penny guides from EB they've let me have them since they were on the floor (their mistake), or they just didn't care.

You know what's really messed up is that my friend on this site, lpj8, found an EB with a TON of penny guides on the floor for sale - dude refused to sell them, cited all the corporate BS, so my friend left. He went back a few hours later, and the guides were BACK ON THE SHELF!!! He tried to get them again, same thing... he goes back a few weeks later, they are still on the shelf.

[kakomu]

Because .01 is the "retail code" that lets employees know they are supposed to trash them. She should have just given the drums to you, I bet you would have gone back into the EB plenty of times after that to spend your money, right? Technically, yea, she was in the right, they aren't supposed to sell things for .01, I think that's why most of the EB / Gamestop's just give me the penny guides instead of actually ringing them up.

I've been lucky, every time I've recently gotten penny guides from EB they've let me have them since they were on the floor (their mistake), or they just didn't care.

You know what's really messed up is that my friend on this site, lpj8, found an EB with a TON of penny guides on the floor for sale - dude refused to sell them, cited all the corporate BS, so my friend left. He went back a few hours later, and the guides were BACK ON THE SHELF!!! He tried to get them again, same thing... he goes back a few weeks later, they are still on the shelf.
There appears to be a healthy balance between adherence to the rule and lenience that most employees just don't have.

[niceguyshawne]

You know what's really messed up is that my friend on this site, lpj8, found an EB with a TON of penny guides on the floor for sale - dude refused to sell them, cited all the corporate BS, so my friend left. He went back a few hours later, and the guides were BACK ON THE SHELF!!! He tried to get them again, same thing... he goes back a few weeks later, they are still on the shelf.


He ought to go in there and start destroying them himself. When they question him, he could pitch them a dime to pay for what he tore up.

[Strell]

20 posts and no one has said kick down the magazine rack.

I am disappointed.

[Brak]

It's a weird thing that women in retail try to be defenders of thy store. When I used to work at Kmart, female cashiers and floor help would do this shit all the time. Hell, it's happened to me at other stores -- never with men, though... they always seem to think it's hilarious when something rings up for a penny. The women always call their manager.

If I worked there, I'd gladly sell a customer a stupid-ass bongo for a penny. I'd think it was hilarious; in addition to getting a secret erection to stickin' it to my employer.

[SilverPaw750]

20 posts and no one has said kick down the magazine rack.

I am disappointed.
QFT. Do it as a rebuttal to whatever the store person says...

"Sorry sir, we can't sell you those"

"Well...well...(kick down magazine rack and run)"

[praystation]

I hate both ebgames and gamestop. You guys still deal with those crooks? They are the only arrogant stores in USA.

[Megalith]

Should have hit her over the head with the Guitar Hero controller.

[Chacrana]

It's a weird thing that women in retail try to be defenders of thy store. When I used to work at Kmart, female cashiers and floor help would do this shit all the time. Hell, it's happened to me at other stores -- never with men, though... they always seem to think it's hilarious when something rings up for a penny. The women always call their manager.

If I worked there, I'd gladly sell a customer a stupid-ass bongo for a penny. I'd think it was hilarious; in addition to getting a secret erection to stickin' it to my employer.

Actually, I've noticed that at stores like Best Buy, I have only taken shit from women cashiers when trying to use a borderline legit coupon. A sexist view perhaps, but apart from sex, I have no use for women.

[Storamin]

Stick it to the man and sell it for a penny or give it away for free, damnit.

[Roufuss]

Actually, I've noticed that at stores like Best Buy, I have only taken shit from women cashiers when trying to use a borderline legit coupon. A sexist view perhaps, but apart from sex, I have no use for women.

Its been the opposite for me... most women (aka college girls just doing the job for extra cash) really don't care what goes through, as long as it dosen't mess up the register and they can ring me out quickly.

Its been most guys who ALWAYS think something is up, who want to inspect everything, who generally give me a hard time unless I send my girlfriend to use a coupon / price match for me (sexist, but it works).

Now... older women? They give me a hassle whether it's me or my girlfriend... luckily there is an older cashier at best buy / circuit city once out of every 30 trips.

[Monsta Mack]

I would have told them since it was on the shelf they would have to sell you the item. Obviously it's their fault for not recalling the product as soon as they were given the notice.

Then tell them to sell it to you or you will camp there infront of the registar till you are escorted out.

or knock all the games off the shelf and run.

or ask the employee to sell you the product over and over again till her head explodes.

[DuelLadyS]

Its been the opposite for me... most women (aka college girls just doing the job for extra cash) really don't care what goes through, as long as it dosen't mess up the register and they can ring me out quickly.

Ding ding ding!

As a female cashier, I can safely say this is true for me. I don't give a rat's ass what you're buying, why, and if you've got an 'on the fence' deal going on- just set it up to get yourself out fast, And I'll give you no trouble. But screw up my day with some ridciculous time-consuming thing, and I'll screw you over if I can.

As for the penny drums- yeah, she's not allowed to sell them to ya. They destroy the inventory, send the info to the company, and they some rebate or another for it- certainly more than that penny.

The penny cost is simply so it easier to count the merchandise being destroyed- you can use the POS system.

What's NOT cool is being bitched out for it. A simple "Sorry dude, too late on that clearance" was all that was needed. Keep pestering the DM, but focus your complaints on the poor CS, not the lack of sale.

[Roufuss]

As for the penny drums- yeah, she's not allowed to sell them to ya. They destroy the inventory, send the info to the company, and they some rebate or another for it- certainly more than that penny.

The penny cost is simply so it easier to count the merchandise being destroyed- you can use the POS system.
.

But it's just as easy to say the item is "destroyed", and give it to a customer, whether then destroying it for no reason at all. You might as well build customer loyalty while you're at it.

Chances are, someone already marked all the items as destroyed for the store anyways out of laziness. I mean, this is why I figured that EB / GS has never charged me for a penny guide - someone has already marked them as destroyed and did the procedure for it, so ringing it up after the fact would be a big no no.

Instead of that EB gaining a potential long term customer, the CS has alienated the customer from the brand altogether.

[Graystone]

Then you'd get homeless people ordering obscure pizzas like mushrooms and onion. When nobody shows up for, it is there for him in the back.

Homeless people have phones now. ;)

[zionoverfire]

I never really understand why they penny things out or destroy them rather then put them on 75% off sale, at least that way they'd make some money back.

[alonzomourning23]

Then you'd get homeless people ordering obscure pizzas like mushrooms and onion. When nobody shows up for, it is there for him in the back.

I've seen that pizza before. One of the most popular pizzas around here is onion pizza. In another region once I remember having to repeatedly explain to them I wanted an onion pizza, just onion. No pepper, no sausage, just onion. The guy acted like I asked for peanut pizza or something, he said he'd never heard of anyone ordering an onion pizza.

[Roufuss]

I never really understand why they penny things out or destroy them rather then put them on 75% off sale, at least that way they'd make some money back.

I guess the credit they get back from destroying the items is substanially larger then what they get on a normal clearance.

When its pennied out, apparently they get credit for the ones that are destroyed, so its not like all these stores are just swallowing a huge loss.

[Farny]

I've been shot down from purchasing penny guides in the past. Sometimes I get the "You can only have 1" deal, which is alright with me. Yet, they toss the rest of them in the trash.

I thought they could've at least done me a favor and given them to me after I had located all of them on their rack and made them easier to dispose of.

[blackjaw]

back in the day when i was working at EB and we saw a list of .01 items that were to be "destroyed" we just took them home...guides, mad catz shit, old toys, etc

[DuelLadyS]

But it's just as easy to say the item is "destroyed", and give it to a customer, whether then destroying it for no reason at all. You might as well build customer loyalty while you're at it.

I know When I get the penny items, it depends on the item/situation... if it's small enough to throw in the bag, and no one's around, I usually toss it in and give the customer a 'shh' gesture. On the other hand, if it's big enough someone's gonna see them taking it/notice it's gone, I usually actually destroy it to keep my job.

I'm guessing either she had to do that to prevent a manger from going "Oh, someone bought all 3 drums? How much did that make us?" and getting caught. Or- the cashier girl was pissed about having to pull product down from the top shelf, and didn't feel like sneaking around policy anymore. One of the two. :D

[botticus]

Has anyone else's EB (or GS) had some out of place older gentleman sitting around in the store when you go? The last two times I've gone to EB a graying man has been sitting on a chair kinda behind/off to the side of the counter. I dunno if maybe he's a DM or some other corporate type observing the store or what. If so, that could be a big reason I was denied penny guides the second attempt I made.

[Chacrana]

Has anyone else's EB (or GS) had some out of place older gentleman sitting around in the store when you go? The last two times I've gone to EB a graying man has been sitting on a chair kinda behind/off to the side of the counter. I dunno if maybe he's a DM or some other corporate type observing the store or what. If so, that could be a big reason I was denied penny guides the second attempt I made.

That guy probably owns all the people who work at EB. They told you slavery was over, but it's not -- he bought those workers and the reason that they have no soul is because he sucked it out of him. That's why he's lived for hundreds of years. Such is the district manager.

[Mookyjooky]

In my experiance, I'd say your ugly.

Cause personally, I would just said something like "Well if you sell them to me, maybe we can Taiko jam, after work sometime? Tell you what, I'll buy 2 for myself, and I'll buy the third drum for you."

Even though you'd probably never call her, you would of got them for a penny easy.

I dunno, most women here would say thats lame and would never work, but if you're fairly attractive, its "cute".

[AlanSaysYo]

But it's just as easy to say the item is "destroyed", and give it to a customer, whether then destroying it for no reason at all. You might as well build customer loyalty while you're at it.

Isn't it obvious why they don't (and shouldn't) give $.01 items to customers? If the customer knows the item will eventually drop to a penny, they'll just wait until it does and get it for free instead of actually paying for it earlier. CAG already has a huge thread about penny guides because people KNOW that guides will drop sooner or later. If every EB and GS just gave out all their penny guides, no one in their right mind would buy them at full price, or any price, because they could be had later for a penny. You'd have idiot children coming into the store daily and asking the cashier to scan everything in hopes of finding something for a penny that they'd expect to be given to them for free.

Now I don't see why the store couldn't just raise the price from a penny to sell the guide to someone who really wanted it and came into the store willing to pay for it. Maybe charging something like the last clearance price or 75% off would be appropriate (or charging whatever they get back from the publisher for destroying it). That would be a decent way to build customer loyalty. Otherwise they're just breeding leeches.

[alonzomourning23]

Isn't it obvious why they don't (and shouldn't) give $.01 items to customers? If the customer knows the item will eventually drop to a penny, they'll just wait until it does and get it for free instead of actually paying for it earlier. CAG already has a huge thread about penny guides because people KNOW that guides will drop sooner or later. If every EB and GS just gave out all their penny guides, no one in their right mind would buy them at full price, or any price, because they could be had later for a penny. You'd have idiot children coming into the store daily and asking the cashier to scan everything in hopes of finding something for a penny that they'd expect to be given to them for free.

Now I don't see why the store couldn't just raise the price from a penny to sell the guide to someone who really wanted it and came into the store willing to pay for it. Maybe charging something like the last clearance price or 75% off would be appropriate (or charging whatever they get back from the publisher for destroying it). That would be a decent way to build customer loyalty. Otherwise they're just breeding leeches.

I wouldn't buy guides for more than 5 bucks. I think I've purchased a total of 10 normal guides for full price (normal excludes buying a disgaea guide for 15 bucks, while it's worth 50 on ebay, and similar purchases), all but maybe 1 (mario sunshine) were purchases in the snes/saturn/early ps1 days.

Honestly the only reason I go to game stores is to see if I can find rare stuff well below ebay value. So, since eb's rare game and ps1 selection is absolutely horrible around here (unlike gamestop), I stopped going into eb until I discovered the penny guide thing. I've bought some stuff since then, but not a lot.

[xrickyb86x]

they were not supposed to sell those to you (you should not have even seen them). they should have been in the trash.

BUT. BUT. BUT.

if they are on the sales floor... they're all yours.

i've never liked doing any business at EB games stores in my area. ever. i only go to one gamestop (the one a few of my friends work at) so im always treated well.

we have an EB games in a mall here and 99% of the employees do not know what you're talking about. typical conversation with an emplyoee there... (this is a real convo i had)

me - "do you guys have anymore dreamcast games?"

employee - "it comes out next week"

me - "wait what comes out next week?"

emp. - "yeah next week."

me - "????????????"

that just made it clear that i would never shop there again.

[laundrymatt]

I hate both ebgames and gamestop. You guys still deal with those crooks? They are the only arrogant stores in USA.

I agree. They are the most ridiculous stores in America, yet they stay in business and make a killing because there is always going to be some crackhead who has no other means to sell something. I mean, honestly, to buy a game for 50 and take it to Gamestop 2 weeks later for only 15 bucks (if that), you would have to be a crackhead (or just plain retarded).

[Roufuss]

Isn't it obvious why they don't (and shouldn't) give $.01 items to customers? If the customer knows the item will eventually drop to a penny, they'll just wait until it does and get it for free instead of actually paying for it earlier. CAG already has a huge thread about penny guides because people KNOW that guides will drop sooner or later. If every EB and GS just gave out all their penny guides, no one in their right mind would buy them at full price, or any price, because they could be had later for a penny. You'd have idiot children coming into the store daily and asking the cashier to scan everything in hopes of finding something for a penny that they'd expect to be given to them for free.


While I agree with that, pennying guides out at EB / Gamestop is nothing like it is, at say, Best Buy. With Best Buy, they do things systemtically for the most part... you can predict when a specific guide will drop and why, based on the time its been in the store.

At EB / Gamestop, penny guide drops are done randomly... if you really want a guide bad enough, you'll pay full price for it, because you could be waiting YEARS to get a guide for a penny. Hell, Shining Tears's guide just pennied out, and that game is what? 2 years old? Plus the fact that EB / Gamestop never stocks alot of a particular guide anyways (unlike BB, who usually does 8 + of a guide), and that guide may be long gone by the time it pennies out. For instance, I will probably buy Animal Crossing: Wild World at full price, since when it pennies out it will be a bitch to find.

If they left it on the store floor, it rings up a cent and the customer sees / knows it, they need to not be a dick and hand it over for the price on the register. It is either their, or something else's in the store, own fault, so they just need to own up to it. From reading the penny guide thread, they get little memo's of what to pull, its not my fault if they don't want to do their job and I happen to catch them on it.

Most EB's just give their penny stuff to me, and I wasn't an asshole about it. Two EB's admitted that they must have missed some, and since they were still out on the floor I was welcome to have it and any other guides I might have found. Another EB just told me they never got around to pulling them, they didn't care.

I assume its the same with the Taiko Drum... this has been pennied out forever, in plain view of the customer, its really bad form to refuse a sale (even if its for a penny) on something that should have been destroyed months ago. Its like the girl in the OP was just trying to cover her own lazy tracks.

[Magehart]

Yeah those things were put in the trash after your encounter. Most people would just give it to ya but this lady's a bitch. My advice is this: find out were they chuck their "trash" and check their dumpster. You'd be surprised at what ends up in one a store uses. I haven't done it but my sister who worked at a mall would bring home stuff every once in a while that she saw in their store's dumpster. It always puzzled me. Why not donate it to Goodwill at least.

Toys R Us always threw away the big lego displays once they got a new model in. It was such a waste. I ended up taking home the nice Enzo Ferrari display.

[dracula]

Its been the opposite for me... most women (aka college girls just doing the job for extra cash) really don't care what goes through, as long as it dosen't mess up the register and they can ring me out quickly.

Its been most guys who ALWAYS think something is up, who want to inspect everything, who generally give me a hard time unless I send my girlfriend to use a coupon / price match for me (sexist, but it works).

Now... older women? They give me a hassle whether it's me or my girlfriend... luckily there is an older cashier at best buy / circuit city once out of every 30 trips.


exactly! it is the really old blue hairs that give me a hard time at best buy, "no copies means NO COPIES" heh . the younger cashiers are all pretty lenient.

as for gamestop/eb selling pennied out guides/accessories, i would suggest buying some legit items along with your penny items, your average gamestop/ebgames reg monkey wont even notice.

[Roufuss]

as for gamestop/eb selling pennied out guides/accessories, i would suggest buying some legit items along with your penny items, your average gamestop/ebgames reg monkey wont even notice.

I've tried it this way, and they always seem to notice it, because the total never adds up... EB / GS guys are usually sharper then BB / CC cashiers.

I just grab the guides by themselves now.

[Radioactive_Man]

Cry me a river.

BTW I know that silly pun has been said before I just don't give a shit

[thorbahn3]

Homeless people have phones now. ;)


Yeah, a payphone.

[nosuchsoul]

What do you mean you tried to pay for it? You tried to get it for a penny! Stuff like that is supposed to be destroyed since it is a business loss and must be destroyed for tax reasons.

And employees "ALWAYS" get first crack at the penny stuff. No matter if you saw it or not. We do not care if you do not come back, we really don't.

Sorry buddy.

[chakan]

^I mourn the loss of the idea of customer service. A penny is legal tender, and it was your lazy ass that didn't pull it from the shelf.

Does it hurt you to give something away? Heaven forbid your customers have a reason to return.

[nosuchsoul]

Um, no.

See, the guy was there for the penny drums and the penny drums only. We are used to seeing these guys who come in for this sort of deal very often. We also know that these guys are the same ones who would not come back to make purchases no matter if we gave it to them or not.

Why would we provide "good customer service" for someone we are dang sure is not a "real" customer.

However, there was once that guy, five years ago, who did come back. I think it was because he had a fever or something. :bouncy:

[Demolition Man]

Why would we provide "good customer service" for someone we are dang sure is not a "real" customer.

And how are you going to make a real customer if you don't provide them with good customer service to begin with?

[chakan]

Well, I sort of see your point. I hope you would at least give the guides to what you cosider a "real" customer.

I look for bargains like that, but I also end up spending at least $1000 a year on games, systems, accessories, etc. I wouldn't go back to a store where I was treated like the guy in the first post.

[Josef]

What do you mean you tried to pay for it? You tried to get it for a penny! Stuff like that is supposed to be destroyed since it is a business loss and must be destroyed for tax reasons.

And employees "ALWAYS" get first crack at the penny stuff. No matter if you saw it or not. We do not care if you do not come back, we really don't.

Sorry buddy.

So why would employees want first crack on destroyed merchandise? You did say that stuff is supposed to be destroyed at a penny, right?

If you're not destroying it then it should be up for grabs to whoever finds it first. And I believe you have an advantage because you actually get a list of what dropped to a penny on that day. If someone goes into your store two weeks later and finds a penny item still on the shelf, then he should have rights to it if it's not going to be destroyed.

[camelking6969]

Um, no.

See, the guy was there for the penny drums and the penny drums only. We are used to seeing these guys who come in for this sort of deal very often. We also know that these guys are the same ones who would not come back to make purchases no matter if we gave it to them or not.

Why would we provide "good customer service" for someone we are dang sure is not a "real" customer.

However, there was once that guy, five years ago, who did come back. I think it was because he had a fever or something. :bouncy:
what a freakin dumbass thing to say, people like you are why most people hate eb and gs, blast me if you want i dont give a shit, but word of mouth is deadly, so you treat that one custmer like shit cuz u say he wont be back, but they way u act he tells other people then becomes a snow ball effect. so think before you act

[Strell]

what a freakin dumbass thing to say, people like you are why most people hate eb and gs, blast me if you want i dont give a shit, but word of mouth is deadly, so you treat that one custmer like shit cuz u say he wont be back, but they way u act he tells other people then becomes a snow ball effect. so think before you act

Now hold up.

How do you know they'll tell other people? How do you know those other people will listen? How do you know he doesn't only tell people just like him looking for penny deals?

If we're going to make up slippery slope possibilities, you might as well consider all of them.

In other words, there is really no right or wrong answer here, so let's consider the very first part of the equation: EB/GS employees are told to not sell penny merchandise and should destroy it. That is the bottom line - nothing should be considered after that.

Does that suck? Yes, especially when people are so willing to have those items AND when it would be no trouble at all for the employee to give it to the customer. AND it would be good customer relations. Almost all around win-win.

BUT, EB/GS want their books to look good and are under an obligation to do so, unless they want to closef or be downsized. A customer, on the other hand, just wants the item for cheap. Whether or not he gets it hardly makes any impact on anything, except that he MIGHT stop shopping at those stores. However, the chances of that happening are slim purely based on the fact that specailized game markets are few and far between, and EB/GS have a huge controlling stake in it. And EB/GS will play that bet everytime because the odds are overwhelmingly in their favor. They are happy to take the risk, because in most cases they are right - that person will shop at their store at some point in the future.

It doesn't matter what we, as customers, think compared to what EB/GS corporate does. If their employees half ass their job - in this case, not selling something - that sucks balls, to the point where it is aggrivating to deal with the stores. What we want to happen (and what probably SHOULD happen) in a penny item case is that we get it. But EB would rather get the ...what, x-percentage refund or something (because I doubt it is 100%)? And I think we all agree that is retarded.

Hmm, now what does that sound like? Do you know?

Right, people trading in games for a fraction of the price they paid in order to save a few bucks on the next game they buy overpriced.

It's stupid every time it happens, man. And it's just the same thing thousands of people do everyday to keep these places in business.

The best offense is to be smart about it, hope for the best, and attempt to get EB/GS to realize how retarded the destruction tactic always is and always has been. Can you imagine how much it would squeeze their balls if EVERYONE who purchased games there did trades (a la CAG) on a grand scale? I mean, shit, I can trade a game on here for a game I want instead of getting 4 bucks for it at EB/GS. Thank god. And unfortunately it would take a massive cooperation on the part of everyone to get EB/GS to bend to our will.

I'll be first on board that, should something ever happen, that we get them to change their policies regarding a number of things. For instance, giving trade-in credit based on condition of item in question.

But now I'm just dreaming.

Note: I am not endorsing it or sticking up for them. I'm looking at this as logically as possible.

[dtcarson]

The only thing EB did wrong, unless the clerk threw attitude at a customer, is leaving an item on the shelf that they had no intention of sellings.
However, this could be chalked up to laziness, or pure accident. Maybe they got the list of pennied out stuff in the computer. Maybe the clerk went to the shelf, took them off and took them in the back to do whatever. Maybe one copy wasn't in the "D" section where it was supposed to be, but was down in the Rs, and was missed. Later on another clerk or even a decent customer found itand put it in the D section.
I can see how it could be missed, and that's at least as likely as the option of them, or a certain clerk, being lazy and not doing his job correctly--which is not at all limited to video game stores. Customer service and work ethics are a dying set of skills nowadays.

"people trading in games for a fraction of the price they paid in order to save a few bucks on the next game they buy overpriced."
Also not limited to video game industry. Judging by the responses in the 'how old are you' thread, the answer to this question is probably 'no,', but I'll ask anyway. Ever buy a new car? The minute you sign the papers it depreciates 5-30%. Trade-in value of 90% of cars is not too different from trade-in value of games, and of course you can make more, in most cases, selling directly to another end user rather than trading in to a retailer.

"What we want to happen (and what probably SHOULD happen) in a penny item case is that we get it. But EB would rather get the ...what, x-percentage refund or something (because I doubt it is 100%)? And I think we all agree that is retarded."

I don't agree that that is 'retarded'. Some publishers do give 100% credit on unsold books. And even if not, even if the credit is 50%, I'd rather return a book for 50% credit, than sell it for one penny.

I do agree that 'negative feedback' on a retailer is much more powerfu and quick-spreading than 'positive'. I don't think, however, that the customer is always right. Sometimes the customer is wrong. This, as stated in the OP, "she flipped out at me yelling about how I am trying to rip them off by knowing about a clearance and how she must destroy the drums and will not sell them to me. She then acted like she was calling a manager who allegedly told her not to sell them to me," is certainly unacceptable, and if I were her manager, I would at least write her up. Not for saying she couldn't sell it, but how she said it.

No copies does mean no copies, and technically trying to use that edited or reprinted coupon could be considered coupon fraud [of course they'd probably need to prove intent].

A penny is legal tender, yes, but a private company is under no obligation to sell something to a person, as long as their decision is not based on race/gender/etc [ie, discrimination]. That penny is legal tender only in support of a purchase agreement, which was not made in this case, since the seller didn't agree to sell the item.

I don't "endorse" them, but I will stick up for them, because I don't think they did anything wrong, with two exceptions:
1. an employee should *never* throw attitude at a customer or potential customer, regardless what s/he is buying; and
2. someone either made a mistake or was lazy in not removing the 'destroyed' item from the shelf. If it was laziness, then that employee's slackitude is harming the company; if it was a mistake, well, mistakes do happen, how it is handled is then the important issue [and it wasn't handled right, see point 1.]

[IcyDeath]

I was terminated by GS for taking home 3 .01 guides for personal use because it was in violaton of their policies.

[jimbo12457]

Homeless people have phones now. ;)

lol :lol:

[Rozz]

My EBGames was nice enough to give me a whole box of penny guides once. They said they were going to just throw them out anyway, so they're like "take it".

And I usually go back to the stores with the better customer service like that. So they may have been nice enough to give me some stuff for free, but in the end they made it up with my tons of gaming sales over the year.

And guides are a rip-off. The prices have been raised on again. In 1999 the average guide was $12.99, then later it went up to $14.99, and now alot are going for $17.99, even though the quality hasen't improved. If they want my sales they better put out good guides. Hell, mostly everything in the Animal Crossing Prima Guide is wrong. I'd rather buy shit in a bad for $15 than a crappy guide.

That girl at the store was being an ass.

[camelking6969]

Now hold up.

How do you know they'll tell other people? How do you know those other people will listen? How do you know he doesn't only tell people just like him looking for penny deals?

If we're going to make up slippery slope possibilities, you might as well consider all of them.

In other words, there is really no right or wrong answer here, so let's consider the very first part of the equation: EB/GS employees are told to not sell penny merchandise and should destroy it. That is the bottom line - nothing should be considered after that.

Does that suck? Yes, especially when people are so willing to have those items AND when it would be no trouble at all for the employee to give it to the customer. AND it would be good customer relations. Almost all around win-win.

BUT, EB/GS want their books to look good and are under an obligation to do so, unless they want to closef or be downsized. A customer, on the other hand, just wants the item for cheap. Whether or not he gets it hardly makes any impact on anything, except that he MIGHT stop shopping at those stores. However, the chances of that happening are slim purely based on the fact that specailized game markets are few and far between, and EB/GS have a huge controlling stake in it. And EB/GS will play that bet everytime because the odds are overwhelmingly in their favor. They are happy to take the risk, because in most cases they are right - that person will shop at their store at some point in the future.

It doesn't matter what we, as customers, think compared to what EB/GS corporate does. If their employees half ass their job - in this case, not selling something - that sucks balls, to the point where it is aggrivating to deal with the stores. What we want to happen (and what probably SHOULD happen) in a penny item case is that we get it. But EB would rather get the ...what, x-percentage refund or something (because I doubt it is 100%)? And I think we all agree that is retarded.

Hmm, now what does that sound like? Do you know?

Right, people trading in games for a fraction of the price they paid in order to save a few bucks on the next game they buy overpriced.

It's stupid every time it happens, man. And it's just the same thing thousands of people do everyday to keep these places in business.

The best offense is to be smart about it, hope for the best, and attempt to get EB/GS to realize how retarded the destruction tactic always is and always has been. Can you imagine how much it would squeeze their balls if EVERYONE who purchased games there did trades (a la CAG) on a grand scale? I mean, shit, I can trade a game on here for a game I want instead of getting 4 bucks for it at EB/GS. Thank god. And unfortunately it would take a massive cooperation on the part of everyone to get EB/GS to bend to our will.

I'll be first on board that, should something ever happen, that we get them to change their policies regarding a number of things. For instance, giving trade-in credit based on condition of item in question.

But now I'm just dreaming.

Note: I am not endorsing it or sticking up for them. I'm looking at this as logically as possible.
all i am saying is i can gives a rats ass if he got the drums for .01 or not, i was commenting on the guy attitude. and you know people talk, when i was in sales no matter what kind of ass they were to me i grinned and took it, cuz with no customers no job. and gs/eb/ryno/gamecrazy, they all suck imo, and i feel like that because 90 % of the time you get an asswipe that will help you, kinda like nosuchsoul, i was just commenting on his post and it was my opion

[mastertard]

What I don't understand is why they won't give something away (or sell it for a penny) instead of destroying it. They are obviously trying to get rid of it, why not let you take it off their hands?

a lot of companies do this because "it is expensive to give things out for free", as in, they dont want to deal with it basically (the resources, etc.). happens all the time.... food places with food leftover that could feed over 50 people get tossed

so instead... they destroy it. yep, it's pretty dumb

but in general... GS and EB have some of the most retarded customer support systems of all time

[Blackshear]

happens all the time.... food places with food leftover that could feed over 50 people get tossed

so instead... they destroy it. yep, it's pretty dumb

Heh, this is getting off topic but that reminds me of somthing I saw on my 1st job about 6 yrs ago; I worked at a Bennigans that had just been built, the trainers would show the hired cooks how to cook everything on the menu over and over then toss it in the trash (steaks, seafood, etc.), they did this for several nights until the place opened... it was the most wasteful thing I've ever seen in my life, the amount of food they threw out was obscene.

[SaraAB]

I think they should have a sign posted in the store that they are not allowed to sell penny items to cover themselves, if this was the case then no one here would be able to question this policy cause its in plain view. But if a policy is not in plain view of the customer then you should act like you dont know the policy even if you do :)

It should be something like "please note, if an item rings up in the register as a penny, we are not allowed to sell it to you".

This also goes for all stores that operate on a destroy if its a penny policy.

[DuelLadyS]

I think they should have a sign posted in the store that they are not allowed to sell penny items to cover themselves, if this was the case then no one here would be able to question this policy cause its in plain view. But if a policy is not in plain view of the customer then you should act like you dont know the policy even if you do :)

It should be something like "please note, if an item rings up in the register as a penny, we are not allowed to sell it to you".

This also goes for all stores that operate on a destroy if its a penny policy.


The number of people who don't know the penny code rule is staggering. Better to not alert people to it and get them to start looking for penny items to see if they cna talk the cashier into 'looking the other way'.