Well, when the store locator told me Kinsman Rd, it conveniently left out what part of Cleveland that was in. I've never been in that area before, so to go from University Hegihts to ghetto Cleveland in like 5 minutes is scary. I wasn't paying attention until I saw 114th St - if the street has 3 digits, you know you are in trouble.
Anyways, on to Willoughby. So I get there, and I think I got off on the wrong foot with the guy, because I note the gamestop across the street and say "Wow, the competition is pretty close over there" and he gets little person syndrome and says "THEY ARENT COMPETITION! WE ARE THE ANCHOR STORE IN THE AREA" - okay, fine. I find the Disgaea and check the disc, it's perfect. I then ask for some games behind the counter for the buy2get1, and he says "All the games for the sale are on that A-frame over there in the hollywood video". That obviously wasn't true, and the problem with the A-frame is that is was full already. Unfortunateky it was full of multiple titles of games, as I counted THIRTEEN
ING COPIES OF BARD'S TALE XBOX, ALL GUTTED. That's wrong on multiple levels. Anyways, of course the games I pick ring up as buy2get1, and as I'm paying the following conversation happens:
ME: I know this is a longshot, but do you have any copies of Metal Gear Solid 3? The Limited Edition?
Justin: The one with the red box?
ME: Yeah.
Justin: *pauses* Well, yes and no. I do have one. But its mine in my hold box and I'm buying it today, so you can't have it.
ME: Wow. You should enjoy it.
-Justin notes that I got my MVP card in Austintown, which is quite a ways a way
ME: Yeah, that's why I asked about MGS3, because I'm not in the area often.
Justin: Well that's too bad, because I have more coming in.
ME: Wow, that's pretty lucky. No stores I know of had a reshipment, most didn't even have enough to fill preorders.
Justin: *pauses* Yeah, well that's because mine are coming in from a different store.
ME: Oh really? Which one?
Justin: Maple Heights
ME: That's odd, I called them 2 days after it came out and they were already out
Justin *pause* Yeah, maybe for loose copies, but they had preorders that didn't get picked up.
ME: Shocking that they lasted, because you guys normally only hold preorders for like 3 days, and its been a few weeks...
Justin: *bead of sweat* ...they must have still been behind the counter...
ME: ...and they usually don't send new product like that to other stores. But anyways, has it shipped yet?
Justin: What?
ME: Well, I am going to stop by Maple Heights on the way home, so if they are still there I'll see if I can finagle one
Justin: Well, we really don't ship them. They get delivered
ME: Oh, that's right. Sometimes you give them to the DM while he is making the rounds
Justin: No, an ex employee who used to work at this store got them and will be dropping them off
ME: Huh. Well, if that's the case, maybe I can buy the one you have on hold since you have more coming in
Justin: NO, because they guy hs the day off and won't be dropping them off today (?), and I AM BUYING MINE TODAY.
ME: (now irritated) Just thought I'd ask, since I don't live around here AND SINCE YOUVE HAD IT ON HOLD FOR WEEKS, FIGURED YOU COULD WAIT ANOTHER DAY TO PLAY THE DAMN THING
Justin: *hands me stuff and walks away*
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not mad that I didn't get the game, as I knew there was about a 1% chance of success rate going in. I am dumfounded that he said "Yeah I have one, but its mine and you can have it", as anyone with a
ing brain knows you don't say that to a customer - the correct answer is "No, we don't have any". Then, I can't figure out why he just started tacking on a bullshit story when I wasnt pressing the issue. I just got off the phone with Rob at Maple Heights, who had a good chuckle and said "No, nothing has left my store, we get rid of preorders 3 days if they arent picked up, if anything did leave my store it wouldnt be some random person picking it up, we never had any MGS3 LEs, and I replaced that guy at this store and they sent him there, maybe shit like this is the reason". LOL. I'm gonna relate this story to my local stores and see what they think
Dave
