Starting to get suspicious about GameStop...

[Parler]

So I walk into GameStop on Thursday, looking for Halo 3 figures. The only ones on the racks are a Cortana, a red Mark VI, and a Brute Chieftan. I walk up to the cashier and ask her if she has any other figures in the back, and she tells me "All I have is what's out." I leave.

Then, I come back in the very next day around noon, and on the racks are a Cortana, a Brute Chieftan, two Steel CQBs, a Jackal, and a Master Chief. (What?!?) I buy the Master Chief, both CQBs, and a Jackal. I ask another cashier when he thinks he'll get more, and he just tells me "I'm not sure, but what's out is all I have."

I come back in two days later, and there's MORE figures on the shelf!! At least five more. I find a red EVA and a white Mark VI and buy them. I don't bother asking the cashier about any more.

....So is it GameStop's policy to not let customers know what they have in the back? Or is this just a bad coincidence? I'm just getting tired of having to keep checking back again and again instead of just asking.

[MikeK]

GameStop is probably out of practice. They haven't sold action figures in a few years. The GameStop I was at yesterday didn't even have Halo figures.

[magman3]

Ummm, they could have just gotten shipments in on those days, that would be my guess. I know that my local Gamestops are getting Halo shipments in about every two days from what I can gather. As hot as these things are, I don't think they have any reason not to have them on the shelves or let the customer know about more in storage when asked.

[BeefEaster]

what's gamestop?

[avcprime]

what's gamestop?

over priced store, my friend.

[Avatar_of_Chaos]

There's 2 stores here that are only pulling out stock from the back if people ask about them and 3 that not only put out all that they can fit all over the store but they'll check the back for you with no problem.

There's also 1 store that laughed and said that they don't carry figures and never have (which is a lie considering that I bought my Alien and Pred refresh sets there)

[Jin-Saotome]

That will depend on how many GameStops there are in the immidiate area. Here in Lancaster/Palmade there's FIVE within a mile of each other. It's insane! They share stock so I had to go to each one and see what Halo figs they had. But they do get in shipments regularly. Their stockroom is indeed tiny so they don't hold anything (usually) so what you see is what you get.

[Brick.Top]

I think that you were a victim of is the 'minimum wage power trip'.
Very common with retail sales people know they have inventory that
many customers are looking for.

[BiBLE]

So I walk into GameStop on Thursday, looking for Halo 3 figures. The only ones on the racks are a Cortana, a red Mark VI, and a Brute Chieftan. I walk up to the cashier and ask her if she has any other figures in the back, and she tells me "All I have is what's out." I leave.

Then, I come back in the very next day around noon, and on the racks are a Cortana, a Brute Chieftan, two Steel CQBs, a Jackal, and a Master Chief. (What?!?) I buy the Master Chief, both CQBs, and a Jackal. I ask another cashier when he thinks he'll get more, and he just tells me "I'm not sure, but what's out is all I have."

I come back in two days later, and there's MORE figures on the shelf!! At least five more. I find a red EVA and a white Mark VI and buy them. I don't bother asking the cashier about any more.

....So is it GameStop's policy to not let customers know what they have in the back? Or is this just a bad coincidence? I'm just getting tired of having to keep checking back again and again instead of just asking.

Since you go there every day, they are messing with your head.

[Love_The_Spawn]

We have two Game Stops here, both within about 20 yards from one another.

[Stygian]

Things like this are often a perfect storm of factors colliding at once: ill-informed clerks, shipments timed for days when you're checking back, and other reasons I'm probably missing. As someone else said Gamestop are not action figure sellers by business model, so the selling of that product is not second nature, as it would be at say the Spawn Store. They do pretty good though, as I haven't run into any major problems when purchasing figures there recently. Sorry you ran into some roadblocks though.

[White Terry]

I actually have a friend who works at GameStop. I'll ask him today if it's actually practice to tell the customer "that's all we have" but I'm willing to bet that it's more towards them being out of practice, when it comes to selling figures.
But yeah, what's up with GameStop being like, the Star Bucks for dorks? Maybe it's just where I live, but just about every shopping center has at least three of them. I mean, I understand some of them used to be EBGames, but still, seems kind of ridiculous.

[LB75Player]

The local Gamestops have them out on the shelves, but their computer system still says that they don't exist.

[Avatar_of_Chaos]

I actually have a friend who works at GameStop. I'll ask him today if it's actually practice to tell the customer "that's all we have" but I'm willing to bet that it's more towards them being out of practice, when it comes to selling figures.
But yeah, what's up with GameStop being like, the Star Bucks for dorks? Maybe it's just where I live, but just about every shopping center has at least three of them. I mean, I understand some of them used to be EBGames, but still, seems kind of ridiculous.

don't expect that to last for long, they're still trying to transition out a lot of the redundant stores except in cases where they get a better bang for thier buck by having 2 or more locations. they're just taking a lot longer to do it than Transworld did when they bought out Musicland and had a Suncoast, Sam Goody and FYE all in the same mall.

[White Terry]

Man, I'm still sad about that. I used to have a ton of Suncoasts around, and those would be my primary figure stops.
That makes sense, though. But I can see how tons of GameStops make more money than tons of Suncoasts. . . what with any trade-in sales being pure profit.

[lee_dm]

I had a similar experience at my local GameStop. Went looking for their C.Q.B. Spartan a few weeks back and was told that they received the regular figures but could not sell them till June. If that in itself was not funny enough I was told that they didn't receive any C.Q.B. Spartans either. But as I was talking to the clerk I spied a minty fresh McHalo C.Q.B. exclusive box behind the counter and pointed it out. The clerk got all nervous and gave me the 'these are not the figures you are looking for' speech. He then preceded to tell me that I could order the figure online. So that's what I ended up doing.

[Jin-Saotome]

Oh! The 3rd Gamestop I went to we were all talking about that very thing, how GameStop is suddenly back into action figures. One clerk was all excited about that, he bought a Cortana and the other guy was like, "Dude, you buy figures, what's up with that." So we got on his case, grr! The kicker came when the collector clerk was like, "Let me show you my Cortanas!" and how she lights up. He goes to the back, takes it out of the package, and finds out she doesn't come with batteries! Kinda blew the moment.

[Avatar_of_Chaos]

I had a similar experience at my local GameStop. Went looking for their C.Q.B. Spartan a few weeks back and was told that they received the regular figures but could not sell them till June. If that in itself was not funny enough I was told that they didn't receive any C.Q.B. Spartans either. But as I was talking to the clerk I spied a minty fresh McHalo C.Q.B. exclusive box behind the counter and pointed it out. The clerk got all nervous and gave me the 'these are not the figures you are looking for' speech. He then preceded to tell me that I could order the figure online. So that's what I ended up doing.

here's the dish. you can't reserve any of Series 1 or the Steel CQB anymore since they've already hit, so that employee was incorrect. you can buy them online with no problem and they'll ship to you in a few days. as for the store, they absolutely can sell them and the June listings are for Series 2 and thier Steel ODST which they can take pre-orders on now.

[Doc Xenith]

I had a similar experience at my local GameStop. Went looking for their C.Q.B. Spartan a few weeks back and was told that they received the regular figures but could not sell them till June. If that in itself was not funny enough I was told that they didn't receive any C.Q.B. Spartans either. But as I was talking to the clerk I spied a minty fresh McHalo C.Q.B. exclusive box behind the counter and pointed it out. The clerk got all nervous and gave me the 'these are not the figures you are looking for' speech. He then preceded to tell me that I could order the figure online. So that's what I ended up doing.


I'm confused.

Did you fall for the jedi mind trick or not? :confused:

[lee_dm]

I'm confused.

Did you fall for the jedi mind trick or not? :confused:

No. I knew the C.Q.B.'s were in the box and got the feeling that the clerk was trying to be sneaky or something. I just didn't feel like getting into an argument with him so I dropped it and ordered the C.Q.B. online.

And thanks Avatar_of_Chaos, I know that Series 1 is available now, I just thought it was hilarious that the clerk thought that he received product that he couldn't sell for 3 months...but after his response to the C.Q.B. case maybe he was holding onto them for himself or another customer or something...

[Hempy]

So I walk into GameStop on Thursday, looking for Halo 3 figures. The only ones on the racks are a Cortana, a red Mark VI, and a Brute Chieftan. I walk up to the cashier and ask her if she has any other figures in the back, and she tells me "All I have is what's out." I leave.

Then, I come back in the very next day around noon, and on the racks are a Cortana, a Brute Chieftan, two Steel CQBs, a Jackal, and a Master Chief. (What?!?) I buy the Master Chief, both CQBs, and a Jackal. I ask another cashier when he thinks he'll get more, and he just tells me "I'm not sure, but what's out is all I have."

I come back in two days later, and there's MORE figures on the shelf!! At least five more. I find a red EVA and a white Mark VI and buy them. I don't bother asking the cashier about any more.

....So is it GameStop's policy to not let customers know what they have in the back? Or is this just a bad coincidence? I'm just getting tired of having to keep checking back again and again instead of just asking.
Gamestop are liars which is standard these days. They tell you that is all they have so they can get rid of them better. If they put out all the good ones at once people would just keep taking them all & leaving the not so well selling ones. Many stores do this just normal practice. The store has alot of bad practices that caused class action lawsuits against them. I love when they get used game trade ins then resell & sell full new price. One lawsuit they had against them. Got to love finding dead roaches in used consoles now that is priceless!

[Avatar_of_Chaos]

No. I knew the C.Q.B.'s were in the box and got the feeling that the clerk was trying to be sneaky or something. I just didn't feel like getting into an argument with him so I dropped it and ordered the C.Q.B. online.

And thanks Avatar_of_Chaos, I know that Series 1 is available now, I just thought it was hilarious that the clerk thought that he received product that he couldn't sell for 3 months...but after his response to the C.Q.B. case maybe he was holding onto them for himself or another customer or something...

did you use the coupon for free shipping?

[lee_dm]

did you use the coupon for free shipping?

Yes

[Felmat]

When I was looking at GameStop, I stopped at Software, Etc. first, as it was closer. They had a few figures out, and when I asked if they had any in back, both clerks gave a quick negative reply, almost in unison. I figured there were a ton of the things back there. Went to Gamestop across town, and the guy said he didn't have any in back, but asked if I'd been to the other stores in town. I was only aware of the software etc location, so he told me about a new store that had once been EB Games, and then he called up the other store to check and see if they had the EVA for which I was looking. They checked at the other store, and didn't have it, but I decided to head by on my way out of town to see what else they might have, and sure enough, they had a red EVA. When the guy saw me grab it, he said something to the effect of, "oh, were you the one who just called? Is that what you were looking for? I'm sorry, I guess I just didn't recognize it." His apology sounded genuine, and I'd imagine it'd be pretty easy for a non-figure collector to get confused about which particular variant in a line of similarly armored figures some obsessive nut is looking for. Anyway, at two out of the three Gamestops I went to, I got great service, at least considering that it's not a product they normally carry.

[toyslooney]

Does anyone know if some of the Gamestop in orange county still have the exclusive figures left? I know this is somewhat related to this post, but I just wanted an answer.
:D:confused::):D

[I Ace I]

Gamestop sucks.

EDIT: So just out of curiousity I called my gamestop to see if they had gotten anymore in. He told me they'll be getting series 2 in June, and they won't be getting anymore series 1. And if I did want series 1, I'd have to reserve the specific characters I wanted. Oh those sly bastids.

[Esponcito]

They are protecting the Steel CQB's from you...

[Muramasa]

I guess Gamestop only has action figures again because they're Halo action figures?

[Hempy]

When I was looking at GameStop, I stopped at Software, Etc. first, as it was closer. They had a few figures out, and when I asked if they had any in back, both clerks gave a quick negative reply, almost in unison. I figured there were a ton of the things back there. Went to Gamestop across town, and the guy said he didn't have any in back, but asked if I'd been to the other stores in town. I was only aware of the software etc location, so he told me about a new store that had once been EB Games, and then he called up the other store to check and see if they had the EVA for which I was looking. They checked at the other store, and didn't have it, but I decided to head by on my way out of town to see what else they might have, and sure enough, they had a red EVA. When the guy saw me grab it, he said something to the effect of, "oh, were you the one who just called? Is that what you were looking for? I'm sorry, I guess I just didn't recognize it." His apology sounded genuine, and I'd imagine it'd be pretty easy for a non-figure collector to get confused about which particular variant in a line of similarly armored figures some obsessive nut is looking for. Anyway, at two out of the three Gamestops I went to, I got great service, at least considering that it's not a product they normally carry.
With doing that daily anyone would act like they really am sorry.

[Bigsauce]

Mine was weird as well. I went there day one and they didn't have the Green, but they did have both Red's, White, and Steel. I only bought the White because I thought I could get the Reds at a cheaper price (wrong) and had already ordered the Steel from their online dept. But when I went back for the Reds I asked if they had a Green and the chick went to the back room and got it for me. They didn't have any out on the shelves. Very weird indeed. Owell, they were very helpful to say the least.

[TanukiNeiri]

I used to work for a Gamestop (technically I still do). I went there to get some Halo figures but they didn't have many out. I was talking to one of the guys that work there and he let me go to the back where there were plenty more figures. Needless to say, I got some good ones.

[SerpentSatellite]

Yes, most stores "lie" about the figures they have in back. It's standard practice. The stores that do so are supposed to put out new figures from the back as stock sells down, several times a day. Meaning, the pegs should be full (esp in the morning when they open.)
I've worked for two store chains, and that was the practice at both of them.
Honestly, if they didn't do it this way, no one would ever find a good figure in a store. I have never worked for, nor been in, a store where there aren't old guys waiting out front in the morning to buy up all the good figures, and if they could simply ask for figures they would do so and get every single good figure in one haul.

So yeah, the stores do it to bump sales... but really... not having good figures on the pegs isn't going to make anyone buy the crappy ones instead.
Mainly they do it to discourage resellers from buying all the stock, because that's not exactly good for business.
That's also the reason a lot of stores won't let you return "collectible" toys, like TRU. So someone can't buy all the items, wait for a restock, and return everything they didn't want.

I'm not defending Gamestop, though... of the two in my area, the second one actually withholds pre-order bonuses from you (after telling you that it will come with your game when you pick it up) and then the employees sell them on eBay instead of giving them to customers, if they're worth anything.