Why I don't support my LGS

[EditorBFG]

Well just went and bought minis for me and the Little Yeti at ours. Same great service as always.

Yeah, it is great having a good FLGS to visit. I'm only a few blocks from Endgame in Oakland now, and it is head and shoulders above any other gaming store I've ever been to (and I even helped run one). Employees are super-knowledgable, utterly polite, wear uniforms so you know they're on duty (and you don't have to worry about bugging someone who is there on their day off), and bend over backwards to help you get what you want. Having this kind of experience continuously makes stories like the original post seem pretty unacceptable.

And for the argument that the closer might have some place important to be, that is true. Parole officer, picking up a child, whatever. And since customers are human beings, you can let them know that. "Sorry, folks, I have to leave right at seven today, to go to my cousin's bar mitzvah, so I need to ring up any purchases you may have right now and then lock up. If you need more time, if you come back at <insert convenient time> I'll be happy to help you find what you're looking for."

It really doesn't take much.

But I don't blame the employee-- it is not his loss. His employer is the one who is losing money.

 

[scourger]

Yes, a trip to the FLGS can be bitter-sweet. But, you never appreciate the FLGS until you don't have one. That's why I shop at the one that's the closest thing to a game store in this city. There's just nowhere else to really see & handle new product.

(Plus, I kind of like the instant gratification.)

 

[Chimera]

In the OP, hassling customers who don't look like kids with no money about store closing in 20 minutes is a bad idea.

But assuming as much at any time is a bad idea.

Many years ago (late 80's?, early 90's?), Angel Sword (out of Texas) had a large booth at the local Ren Fest. Their wares at the time were in the $800-$1500 range for the kinds of things I wanted - cool swords.

Unfortunately, most of them were hanging so far back in the stall that it was impossible to get a decent look at them. I went around to the side and asked the man there if I could check out this one particular sword.

He rudely sneered at me, turned up his nose and said "you don't look like you have the money". Then he turned away and ignored me.

Huh?

That one moment of attitude cost them a customer FOR LIFE. I was a young, cash flushed computer programmer who happened to like wearing jeans and t-shirts on his off-hours, especially when tromping around a Ren Fest. HE MESSED UP.

I never have and never will buy ANYTHING from Angel Sword as long as I live.

Oh yeah, like they say: Make someone happy and he might tell a couple of people about it (word of mouth advertising). Make someone UNhappy and he'll tell the world.

 

[VirgilCaine]

That one moment of attitude cost them a customer FOR LIFE. I was a young, cash flushed computer programmer who happened to like wearing jeans and t-shirts on his off-hours, especially when tromping around a Ren Fest. HE MESSED UP.

If you're not wearing a sword and a coat of mail, I can't think of anything else to wear to a Ren Fair.

 

[Metus]

I had the pleasure of working retail, and it was the closest thing to Hell I can imagine. It did, however, give me a new perspective.

That being said, expecting your local retailer to stay late just for you, and bend over backwards just for you, is, as jdrakeh called it, bad consumerism. You're shopping at a store, but you're being helped by a person. And yes, your money (assuming you're a buying customer, and not just a looking customer) is worth the store's time. But what makes your time more important than the person's time?

There were a lot of good posts; this is one of them that sums up my thoughts. I am not a customer's concierge. The agreement is, you come in at store hours, which are conveniently posted outside the shop, and you can exchange currency for goods or services. I will help as best I can during these business hours. However, staying open past hours is not part of the agreement. That is going above and beyond. Above and beyond is nice, and is appreciated, but it isn't REQUIRED and shouldn't be expected. This is especially true when you're purchasing products just like everyone else, at the same price as everyone else, when everyone else had the decency and foresight to come earlier than closing time.

I never used to think too much about closing hours, and sometimes would stay at certain stores until the last minute. I never do that after having worked retail. It's simply inconsiderate. I used to be disgusted hearing about what certain restaurants would do to people's food who came in at the last minute and ordered. It's still nasty, but at least I understand completely now.

There were days working retail that I was hungry, I was tired, my feet were sore, and I was ready to go home. I never tried to let that affect my time on the job, during business hours. Then, someone would saunter in, sometimes even with the intention to buy, and they wouldn't care if it was after hours simply because they had money to throw in my face. Keep your money and come back during business hours. If that loses you as a customer, I probably wouldn't want to deal with you anyways.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Out here, it's the opposite. In germany there is the saying "Customer is King".

That's outdated. The new saying goes "The Customer is God"

 

[Arnwyn]

There were days working retail that I was hungry, I was tired, my feet were sore, and I was ready to go home. I never tried to let that affect my time on the job, during business hours. Then, someone would saunter in, sometimes even with the intention to buy, and they wouldn't care if it was after hours simply because they had money to throw in my face. Keep your money and come back during business hours. If that loses you as a customer, I probably wouldn't want to deal with you anyways.

A legitimate response.

But who's saying this? Retail owner, or peon clerk?

 

[BryonD]

There were a lot of good posts; this is one of them that sums up my thoughts.

However, the problem is that it does not have a whole lot to do with the real issue.

In the real world the experience that I, and it seems many other people, have found to be common enough to be a valid sterotype, is that LGS clerks tend to be rude and lazy.

There are plenty of very graceful ways to politely deal with a customer. Expecting someone to just be nice instead of having a get the hell out because we close in 90 seconds attitude is a very long way from asking them to bend over backwards. And if the people running the store actually consider treating customers in a polite manner to be leaning over backwards then the conversation again comes full circle: don't complain that I'm not "supporting" my LGS and don't complain when your sales take a hit.

 

[dpetroc]

I have yet to find a LGS that really had customer service chops. I'm not even asking to have them stay open late/past posted hours/not turn me away when I try to come in after hours -- I'm asking that they put down their book of Magic cards for 30 seconds and ring me out. I'm asking that -- I'm sorry but it has been true on more than one occasion, stereotype or not --- that they bathe. I ask that when I have a question about a product that they don't treat me with disdain because he happens to like Warhammer but my 6-year old son wants Star Wars minis. I ask that they think about removing or at least DUSTING the stock that doesn't move in six months. I DEMAND that they refrain from foul language when my son is with me. I expect that they won't try to hit on my wife when they discover she games --especially when I'm standing there (though, that has a high amusement value 'cause she usually has them weeping in 30 seconds). It would be nice if they could put the used books separate from the new so you know what you are buying. In 28 years of gaming, I've seem 'em come, and I've seen 'em go. The ones that stay have diversified stock, treat ALL customers with respect and are interested in running a business not in having a place for their friends to game that isn't their basement. The reality is, we should all treat each other with respect. But frankly, the customer drives the business. Piss off enough 30 somethings with high incomes and a nostalgia issue and you are left with kids who look at the shining booster packs for magic but only buy one a month with their allowance.

People on this thread who work/have worked retail have said in several responses that they shouldn't have to bend over backwards for the customer, the customer should be more respectful etc. Truth is if you have customers of ANY kind, in ANY field you are frequently painting the sky orange because THAT is what the customer wants. The company that says "No, no -- you're wrong, the sky is blue" don't last, the ones that get out the paint cans stick around.

 

[molonel]

As if to highlight the problem, we went by the mall and she went into one of those girl-stores to see about some lotion. They were closing in about two minutes as well, but the clerk there didn't rush us out. She asked what my gf was looking for and showed her the selection of lotions. I remember thinking that this girl needed to be working at the gaming store, even though she probably didn't know the first thing about gaming.

Well, to be fair, any cute girl working at a FLGS would definitely be good for business.