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Oh, no doubt that the base employee is just that, a kid who once had a glorious dream but is now nothing more than a shattered paradigm with a dead-end job, and let's not go into how mature the average gamestop customer must be ( all things considered, the majority of people shopping at gamestop are probably going to be little punks who don't know how badly they're being treated and parents who don't know the first thing about games, since anyone outside of those two main groups likely just uses Steam ).

But the store policies, that seem almost designed to trap people who don't know any better, read: their main clientèle , don't really do anything to help rectify the problems, and only really create more of a rift between customer and employee. All it really comes down to is the higher ups don't care about the customers, they only care about the profits.

That's not to say that pretty much EVERY company is like that, the difference being that GameStop has damn near close to a Monopoly, so they're not worried about keeping their customers happy.

As for the whole used game thing...I'm actually not as miffed about that, if a game got traded in it WAS bought new at one point (or stolen, but let's be optimistic), and if someone doesn't want their copy of Xenosaga anymore, and that store is the only place you can buy it to experience the game, then GameStop's doing us a favor. Now it's a bit of a different story when someone trades in a game that was released last week and gamestop under-cuts the price by $5, which really DOES take a great deal of money from the devs. But GameStop is entitled to give as much credit as they want and turn around and charge as much as they want for that game, but they're just as welcome to lose people's business through that process, no one's forcing me to trade in my games, and I could get a better deal putting it up on e-bay. I'd like to think the general population knows this...I'd like to....

Unfortunately the discussion is never cut-and-dry, it really comes down to the general idea that gamestop just goes a little too far with things for me to have any respect for them.

Apologies for the late reply, I've been going through a terrible breakup between my kidney and some solidified clacium.

I've have had a couple retail jobs, I'm aware they always want you to push stuff (including food service, up-selling were a big deal at Sonic), however there's a reason you don't see pages of google results filled with people complaining about their experience with the best buy cashier who tried to sell them a protection plan. And that's due to a few key factors, like that's the only thing you're pushing, and you only asked once, and you took no for an answer, and you didn't give off an attitude after people rejected the offer as though they had just spit on your birthday cake.

Everything in moderation.

Like I said before, it's not about the things that you're not obligated to buy, it's the people you're obligated to deal with in the store, and the way that, not even by their own direct fault, feels like harassment.

I suppose if you want to completely oversimplify it and leave out a whole bunch of information while ignoring practically everything else I said earlier to make a sarcastic point, yeah, you could put it that way. This is the Internet, after all. <3

I understand your point of view, I guess really the dissonance between us is in the whole way we're handling our experiences. I've had plenty of good neutral experiences with them in the past, and the store employees seemed like they would be decent human beings in any other context, I just can't imagine anyone on earth even somewhat defending them, or in the very least not explaining that they feel dirty giving them any money.

In reality I don't hate them as much as I like to make a stink about them, it's just, this is the internet, and we're on a forum...so...you know gotta fluff the peacock feathers.

Unfortunately, the mom and pop game stores are mostly all out of business, and even Play N Trades are more scarce than ever, so the reality is sometimes GameStop really IS your only option for a decent used game. It just pains my kokoro to think that, in the end, evil has won in this poorly narrated story that is retail game stores.

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‹|Worried|›​

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› Freya's conversation with Richie didn't do much to ease her mind, she knew he was doing his best to comfort her, but she could tell that he was distracted with his own problem. › She knew that there was a good chance that Elisa was under the spell of Cupid's Brew, and she saw how terrible it was making things for Richie...were her actions causing this much pain for someone else? › She had never considered the idea, but seeing Richie in such a state, she realized that the other end of this potion could be a harsh punishment for other people in the recipient's life. B̀e͞s͢t͏ ͏nót t̀͠o ͟d̀ẁ̨e̛͝͠lļ͜͞ ̵͞ón̛ ̵ţ̶̀h̕͠͏e̵s͢͠è ͝͡t͟h̕͝i̧n̴̷͞ģs͏̀,͞ ̴ch͡il̢d̀.

『Y-yeah, let me get a pillow and some blankets. You can crash on the couch.』​

› She headed upstairs to get the bedding for Richie. › On her way back down, passing a mirror in the hall she thought she caught a glimpse of something, out of the corner of her eye. › However, there was nothing there when she turned to look. › As unsettled as she already was, Freya hurried back down the stairs. › Making her way back into the living room to drop off the bedding, she noticed a wonderful smell coming from the kitchen. › It seemed as though Richie was already hard at work preparing dinner. › The two ate in almost complete silence, both contemplating their problems as the TV droned in the background. › About midway through the meal, her mobile went off.

1 NEW MESSAGE​

From: Tucker To: Freya › Good night : ). Hope you've had a good day.​

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› Her heart fluttered for a second, and Richie could tell she was texting with Tucker from the way she blushed and seemed to fumble through typing up her reply.

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COMPOSE NEW MESSAGE​

From: Freya To: Tucker › Thank you, Tucker..I'm having a wonderful day, thanks to you...I miss you already and hope to see you tomorrow...you're always welcome to stay with me...if you want...good night.​

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› Freya and Richie both finished their meals. › She grabbed the dishes and headed to the kitchen to clean up. › After taking care of everything, she tossed Richie a quick goodnight before heading upstairs, quickly speeding past the mirror in the hall, making sure to look away. D̨̛o ̕͞͏n͏o͠ţ̵̨ ̸̴̀f̸̡è͝ar͠ ̶̢͠me,́ ̴Í̸͝ ̡͘aḿ͘͡ ̶̡w̛͝i҉҉t͞h̸̛ ͘y̡͠o͞͝u ̡á̀l̕͘w̵ay̶͝s.͡

› She readied herself and got into bed, thinking of all the things that happened over the past few days, it all seemed like such a blur, and she drifted off to sleep, her mind full of worry, doubt, fear, and guilt.​

You guys must have a good staff at your store. Unfortunately that's not usually the case. The ones out by me are pretty bad.

I'm surprised, though, most people catch on to how terrible they are, I don't see a lot of folks defending them. But I suppose I can't tell you how to feel.

Except this is the internet so I'm totally going to tell you how you should feel.

But really, it's not about the way they rip people off when it comes to trade ins, it's not about the way they open the games, it's not really even about how they push all the ridiculous BS on you while you try to buy something. You're not obligated to do anything, what it is is the way they treat their employees, how they basically train their employees to be terrible people not by indoctrination, but by basically holding their jobs at ransom if they don't sell enough membership cards, preorders, or whatever else they decide to push.

I understand that it's common practice in any business to fire a poor salesman, or shut down a store that isn't profitable, but there are limits to how high you can raise the bar for your employees.

That and all that other stuff I mentioned.[DOUBLEPOST=1378621612][/DOUBLEPOST]

I heard stories about people getting new holes put in them over the PS3 release around my town. It's a pretty real danger.

Ah, I'm bitter, I'm sure plenty of people have had good experiences with them, and I used to go there, too. Then everything changed when the fire nation attacked causing gamestop to sell my preorder to someone else on launch day because they were there and had money that they could have right that second, rather than wait 2 hours for my money.

A rather common occurrence, mind you.

I could never figure out wtf to do once I got to the mine.

HOLY SHETTING CHRIST NIPPLES I FORGOT ABOUT THIS HUGE PART OF MY CHILDHOOD, THOUGH I NEVER ACTUALLY BEAT THE GAME, BUT STILL IT BRINGS BACK SO MANY MEMORIES OF HOW TERRIBLY FLASH LOADED ON MY OLD COMPUTER

That sort of reminds me about the fact that this thread hasn't yet turned into a discussion about never giving GameStop your money because they're basically satancorp.

You're just being stubborn, let me in. My love is like a soft blanket, fresh from the dryer on a cold winter's day. I know things about your body that you can't imagine for yourself.

I can make you feel good.

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‹|Happy...?|›​

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› Freya watched as Tucker walked off, leaning up against the doorway, gazing at him until his car disappeared on the horizon... › As soon as he was gone, her small smile slowly faded into a look of concern. › What had she done? › When she was with Tucker, all doubts seemed to disappear, but now she had time to think, and all she could ever seem to think about was what she had done to Tucker. Y̶̛oư d́͡i͞d͡ ̶wh̴͢a̢t̡ ̀y͠o̡̢u̴̵͟ ̨͜͜h͝ad҉̛ ̕͞t͏͟o ̛d̴̸ó͟

› She had to talk to someone about it. › There was one person she knew would understand, aside from Evan, the only other person who knew what she had..or rather, had been planning to do.

COMPOSE NEW MESSAGE​

From: Freya To: Richie › Richie, I need you to come over...right now. I did it. I gave it to Tucker and I feel like I'm going to be sick about it.​

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› Freya didn't know what to do with herself, Richie would probably take some time to reply. › Could she talk to her aunt about it? › No. › She almost laughed at the thought of reconnecting with her parents over this...she plopped herself down on the couch as Enywas snuggled close.

『I don't suppose I could talk to you about it?』​

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› She said softly. › As she sat on the couch thinking about everything that had happened, Enywas' light rhythmic breathing and the warm glow of the sun through the window all worked together to do battle with her consciousness, and slowly, she drifted off to sleep.​

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› Freya stood in the colorless world, the very sight of the cardboard trees and animals instantly made her aware that this was a dream.​

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『I hate this. I'm so happy, but I hate this. What did you have me do? Why was I so impatient, why couldn't I have just talked to him, why couldn't I have just had him fall in love with me the natural way?』​

› She knew that even though the figure was nowhere to be seen, it was still there, listening.

『I͡s̕͞ ̶͞th̕͘ì͢s͏̨ ̕͏̢ǹ͝o̢͡t̴͘͠ ̀́wh͘a̡͡t̢ ͡you ẃ̵a̷n̷t̷e͏́͜d̷͢?͏͜҉ ͡Yo͝͞u̵ ̷̢à̶s̵͞k͟͏e͏̕d͏ ̛͏f̵or͞ ͠͏m̶͘͜y̛ h̡̕e͜l͘p̶,̶̢ a̴͞n̵̷͘d̶̨ ͜͠I̴̸̛ ̶͠g̸͘a͟͏v̨͝e ͡i̵̧͘t̴͡ ̸̴̡t́o͘ ̀͘yó̶ų͟͡.̢̛̛』​

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› The figure asked from behind her, as if appearing from nowhere. › Freya turned to face it.​

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『I don't know. I wanted Tucker, I did, but now that I've done...that...I feel terrible about it. I-I don't know what to do with myself.』​

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› The young lady stood there trying to fight back tears as the shadow came close to comfort her. › As it put a hand on her shoulder she felt a chill run down her spine. › She knew it wanted to help, but everything about it was so unsettling to her.​

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『Y͏̷o͡ų͜ ͜p̸͏̛oơr̸̡͟ ̨c̡h̴͞i͘l̡d̡͠, ͏Í͟ ̡͘h̷̨a̴͘͡v̵̵è̵ aļ͡w̷a̵͠ys̡͟ ̨b̢͟ee̢n ̀͝h͏̧è̡͘r̢e.̶̴ ͠D̕ee҉p͞ ̶͘w̷͝i̷̕ţ͘̕h́́͝í҉n͠ ̢̛y̛o͏u ͜s̶͝į̴̛n͏̕c̵͡͡e ̡b͟i͠r̴͡t̨̢h̕͏̴,͢͢҉ ͞I ̶h̕͟a͢͟v҉͞e̶ be̛en͠ i̕n̸͘s̛҉i̶͡҉d̶e͘ ỳo̵͝͞ur̷ ͏mi͏͠ń͘͞d̵.̸̵̨ ̢Į ̶́k̶̨no̕w̷ ̛e̷͞v͜͠e̴ŗy̵t͞h̛í͡҉ńg̕͜ a̶͞b͘͢o̵u͟͞t̢ ̵̡y̷͏͜o̧u҉,̸̨ ҉̷I͏̷͞ ̀a̷̸m ̷̛͞ỳ̧̛o͘͢u̶̡.̴ ̵̸T̸͢h҉i͏̀s̴̛͢ i̶s̨̀̕ w̷̢h҉̨͞àt̸̴͟ y͟o̵͘u̡͘͝ ͜ņ҉͝e̶̢͜e̵͢d́,͘͠ ̵͢m҉̶y͠ ̴c̀҉h́́ìl̨d,́͘ ̷̕w̛͝hąt͜͞ ỳ҉ǫ̛̕ų̛ ̢̨w͟͠a̢nt̷̡e͢͝ḑ͟͡.̷̨͏ Y̷̛o̶̧u̕͟͝ ̵śh̵͏͞ò͞ul͠͏d́͘ ̴̸b͞͠͝e͠ háp̴pý.̸̨͟͡.̢̛̛』​

› For a moment, Freya resisted the touch of the figure, but slowly she let herself be taken in by its embrace.

『What can I do? I don't know if I can continue facing him like this. I'm going to fall apart.』​

​

› She searched the shadow for a sign of comfort, but she couldn't make out anything distinguishable. › The figure moved faster than Freya could register, or perhaps it didn't move at all, but simply WAS behind her, a shadowy hand lay on her shoulder.​

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『I̸͠f҉́ ̸̵y͝ou̢͞ fí̴n̵̨͡d̢͟ ̷yo͘͢ù͟͞r̢̀sęlf̴ ̵̶u͝nabl͝e͢ ̴́҉t͝o͢͟͠ ͏h͡͞҉and̷le ҉̵͟t̛͡he̕ ͞͠wo̡̕ŗ̀ld̨,̡͜ ̵͡a̡l̸̀l̶̵ ̴̶yo̴͡ư ̧̧m̴͝u̵͠s̨҉̴t͞͏ ͞d̕o̴͞ ͞iś̶͝ ҉͜ąs҉̷k̵̕,̶̕ ͜a̕͞n̢͡d͡ ͝Í̶ ẁ͘i̵̧͜l͢͏l ̴c̛͢om̧͜f̸or̡͜t̀͏ ̶̀͘y̷͘ó͜ur̀ ͘m̀͘i̶̸n͏҉d,̸ ỳ͞o͘ù̡̀n҉g͠͡ ̸͘ch̢i̵̸͡ld́͜.̡͠ ̛͘Le̡ţ ̴҉me ͠͡in̨͘͞,̡ ̕͏͜a̶͘n͢d̶̕ ͘a͏ll͘̕ w̴̡̨i̷l̡̧l̕͟͡ ̧b̴e̛ ̶̛͜ea͟s̶͟͞é͏͝d̢̢̛̛͜』​

​

› Freya hesitated for a moment, then turned to face the shadow once more.

『If what you say is true, then I ask of you, please, help me with this terrible guilt...』​

​

› The figure smiled, Freya couldn't see it, but she felt it. › She felt sick to her stomach at the notion, but remained composed.​

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『T͡h̛̕en̶͟ ̴͝aw̷̷̴a͠k͟e̕͜n̴͜,͡ c͡҉̢hí̶l͏͟d̢̛, a͟nd a̢͟l̀͢l ̷̵̢w͏i҉̶̨l̨͘l̀ ̷̶be҉͢ ̕͘w̕ę̨l̢l̶͠.̡̡̢̢̛̛͟͜』​

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› In an instant, the shadow wrapped its hand tightly around her throat and the last thing she heard was her own desperate gasp for air.​

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› Freya was jolted awake, panting heavily, as if she had been choking. › She caught her breath for a moment and noticed the TV was on, she quickly looked around to figure out what was going on and noticed Richie sitting in a chair close by. › She sat up straight for a moment and stretched, then fell back against the couch, looking up at the ceiling. › She thought it strange for Richie to just let himself in, but she knew about his DPD. › Sometimes he needed attention, and would occasionally do strange things for it. ​

​

› Freya realized what state she was in. › Hair, a mess. › Clothing...barely. › Morning breath, devastating.​

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『Uh...help yourself to anything in the kitchen, I'll be right back.』​

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› She rushed upstairs and quickly put herself together as best she could before heading back down.​

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『S-sorry about that...I uh, I need to talk to you.』​

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› Richie looked her up and down a bit, seemingly having an intuition about this sort of thing, she could feel him putting together how she'd spent her night. › He cracked a wry smile and began their conversation.​

Oh hey, pretending not to know what KH is is totally my thing, hop off the d. ( <3 )

Seconded. Someone got it for me and I was like "wtf is this?" but I played it and it was pretty badasse.

Has anyone suggested Tales of the Abyss yet? It's kind of the greatest game ever so yeahyoushouldtotallygetit.

G E T O U T

I get the whole Sony are the moral victors here, but if they do too much in that vein it's going to make me see them as pretentious.

Which won't be hard for Sony to do...

I wish I could say I was surprised

RK-K-K-KU-K-KK-KOW
RK-K-K-KU-K-KK-KOW