FLGS sucks

[smootrk]

My local game store just lost the last bits of my patronage!!

So I drop by today after a long hiatus to check out what I have been missing out on, and to get a look at the other 4e books (because I had only ordered the PHB anyhow). First, the owner and employees are facing computer screens containing WoW games and I only get a quick 'hello' as I enter the store (devoid of other customers, mind you). I do a bit of browsing around the minis that dominate three quarters of the whole retail space, then I move over to the shelves that contain the actual role-play books....

... I was shocked to find that the store had shrink-wrapped every single book... even the old stuff. That was the last straw for me. I left without buying anything or even saying a word to them. I guess allowing a prospective customer to actually peruse the stock is just too much for them. I might as well do my shopping at Amazon exclusively now... I at least get a steep discount over MSRP for the materials that I cannot look at physically.

 

[Scribble]

Yeah... A lot of stores do this now. It's annoying.

I think it's to combat the people who: Go toa brick and morter store, ask the employees all kinds of questions, look the product over thouroughly, leave, and go buy it on the internet.

I guess the idea is that only the oens who want to buy it will buy it?

I think it's pointless, and frustrating.

 

[Ander00]

I can empathise. The first FLGS I was a regular at turned out to be not so friendly after all, but I didn't know of any others at the time. They were really paranoid. At some point, they installed mirrors in every corner, you had to put everything you were interested in buying into special baskets and there was always one of the employees breathing down your neck while you were browsing. The straw that broke the camel's back was when they insisted on searching my pockets (mind you, I had been a regular customer for quite a while by then). It was winter, I had a cold, and they were full of used handkerchiefs, so at least the guy probably enjoyed it about as much as I did when I complied.

The store I went to after that kind of detoriated over time as well, but the one I'm frequenting now actually earns the F in FLGS. Also, I was pleasantly surprised it had the 4E books on time, was able to offer them for less than Amazon's price and participated in the D&D Game Day.


cheers

 

[pogminky]

The wretched state of FLGSs is part of the reason why TT gaming is doomed to being replaced exclusively by PC gaming.

And remember children: My opinion is fact, my word is law and in a recent poll the entire population of the universe said you were wrong.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

[/failed will save]

So.. let me get this straight. You goto a store that you haven't been a 'regular', with the intent to learn more about the 4e books.
Once inside, you wander around the mini's displays {where most gamers really don't have any questions} for a while before approaching the RPG shelf. Seeing shrink-wrapped products, you lose interest and walk back out... to post on this board how unhelpfull the 'FLGS' is and how it has lost your patronage.


Compare to:
Sunday evening, 5 minutes from closing, I make it to the FLGS where I run a monthly game. The place is empty and the owner, who hadn't met me yet, is turning off the lights and wrapping up to head home. I make a bee-line to the book shelf and don't see any 4e books anywhere. So I turn to the owner who says they sold out already...but wait! He has a stack of pre-orders and an unopened box behind the counter. He double checks and finds that one is not already held for another customer, opens the box and offers to let me flip through his copy if I want to check out the material before buying......

Is the difference in the FLGS staff or in the approach the customer takes... or do both impact on the impression of the store?

For those of us who have worked at a game store, for every 1 purchase there are about 25 people who come in and browse the minis...and leave. I have done it myself on a number of occasions.

My suggestion? Don't give up on your FLGS. It can be a portal to the local gaming community where you can meet fellow gamers and potential freinds. Instead of griping on the boards.. approach the owner and say what you feel. There are pretty good odds that they have a copy of 4e that you could flip through if you wanted.

Don't harsh on them for trying to protect thier business...after all, it is a business and they have some pretty nasty competition.

pogminky, in my experience, game stores become less freindly when thier 'patrons' turn out to be theives and merchandise wanders off without payments. Its hard to pay the rent when your valuable goods keep getting stolen.

 

[Grimstaff]

Sorry, but there is no, absolutely NO acceptable reason for a retail store's staff to be playing video games while a customer wanders around unassisted.

It is certainly not the OP's fault he got crap service.

 

[noretoc]

I look at it his way. Why do we buy from a local store.

1. Get to look through the products to see which one I want the most.
2. Get to converse wioth other players, maybe get in on a game.
3. Enjoy talking "shop" with the owner.
4. Support a local shop so I can do 1-3

Well, judging from the poster, I can't do 1-3 here. That makes
4 support a local shop so... no reason. That is called charity, and I would rather give to the united way.

If you customer comes in and you continue playing your video game, and don't try to get involved with what he is doing, you are not doing your job. People may moan and complain about the storekeeper not leaving them alone in any store they go to, but watch how much more angry they get when they do need somone and there is no one right there.

Oh, and this store didn't do it for security, otherwise the worker would have been right there while the poster was checking out minis. $4-6 a pack, and easy enough to fit in a pocket.

 

[Scribble]

[ Is the difference in the FLGS staff or in the approach the customer takes... or do both impact on the impression of the store?

The FLGS is a business, not a relationship. The motive is on the business to keep its customer, or said customer will go elsewhere.

It's also much easier to keep a customer, then it is to reclaim one or get a new one.

So again the store's best interest is to promote good customer service.

Playing a video game while you have a customer is bad customer service.

For those of us who have worked at a game store, for every 1 purchase there are about 25 people who come in and browse the minis...and leave. I have done it myself on a number of occasions.

That still doesn't excuse bad customer service. At the very least the employees should have paused their game and been attentive in case he DID have any questions.

My suggestion? Don't give up on your FLGS. It can be a portal to the local gaming community where you can meet fellow gamers and potential freinds. Instead of griping on the boards.. approach the owner and say what you feel. There are pretty good odds that they have a copy of 4e that you could flip through if you wanted.

Yep, but ata the same time the FLGS's need to look into improving their service.

If the store has copies to flip through they should be more apparent.

Don't harsh on them for trying to protect thier business...after all, it is a business and they have some pretty nasty competition.

I agree, but at the same time, protecting your company shouldn't make your customer feel uncomfortable... Especially when they can have a more pleasant experience somewhere else.

pogminky, in my experience, game stores become less freindly when thier 'patrons' turn out to be theives and merchandise wanders off without payments. Its hard to pay the rent when your valuable goods keep getting stolen.

True of any business... But at the same time, good customer service is in the stores ultimate best interest. I know it's hard to keep feelings and emotions out of business, but if for every thief you're protecting yourself from, you're also eliminating one non-thief good customer that just has a neghative experience... what's your net gain?

But ultimately I agree he should give it another go, and maybe let the owner know the shrink wrap is annoying, and the customer service was non-existant.

 

[smootrk]

First, my hiatus had nothing to do with games, gaming, books, or otherwise. It was work/college/kids/getting enough sleep sort of reasons that kept me from the hobby in general.

Second, my intent was to browse and then buy something... not simply a fact-finding mission as you decided to state my objective as 'intent to learn more about the 4e books'. My time spent amongst the minis was because the books were near the rear of the store, and I did not simply run to that area. I casually headed in that direction, looking at what was displayed as I went.

Third, they (owners and other staff there) did not even care to ask me about my displeasure. They were (all) too wrapped up in their computer game playing to worry about me.

I may not have worked in a gaming store, but I have worked retail, and even studied customer service and marketing to apply to the company I worked for.... and I can assure you that they were not applying any form of good customer service.

I am glad you have had better experiences, but please don't condescend. Because after living in several US locales and checking out basically every FLGS each city/region had to offer, the industry appears to be in a sore-state by my estimations... on par with the average mom & pop army surplus store. I have had better customer service at a local livestock feed store where I happen to get dogfood in bulk once every few months.

 

[Glyfair]

They were really paranoid. At some point, they installed mirrors in every corner, you had to put everything you were interested in buying into special baskets and there was always one of the employees breathing down your neck while you were browsing. The straw that broke the camel's back was when they insisted on searching my pockets (mind you, I had been a regular customer for quite a while by then). It was winter, I had a cold, and they were full of used handkerchiefs, so at least the guy probably enjoyed it about as much as I did when I complied.

Are you sure they were paranoid? Perhaps they had a major shoplifter issue.

I haven't worked in a FLGS, but I have friends who own them. I also have worked in retail. Shoplifting has, at times, been a serious issue at the gaming stores. I know MtG singles have been major targets (at least one case where someone got a hold of one of the more expensive cards when the employees were dealing with other customers).

Mirrors on the corners are very defensible. Following you around? Hard to say. There is a right and wrong way to keep an eye on customers on your store. I admit, most gaming store employees (and even owners) probably don't have the training to learn the right way.

So you were wandering the store with bulging pockets and were suprised they were suspicious? While the approach was wrong, I think being suspicious of you (regular or not) was appropriate assuming they didn't notice the bulging pockets when you came in.