Why I don't support my LGS

[maddman75]

Here's the deal. You aren't that important. For every hostage-taking consumer out there, at least one hundred well-adjusted human beings exist who are ready to step up and buy things from retailers simply because they want or need them, not because they need the retailer to grant their every wish like some kind of fairy godmother. For normal people, consumerism is about. . . ah. . . consuming, not acting out bizarro control fantasies with the cash register clerks at the local brick and mortar store.

To be clear, I wasn't expecting him to extend store hours. I was expecting him to not be a jerkface about it. Does wanting someone to not be a jerkface count as a bizarro control fantasy?

And why is deciding not to go there 'hostage taking'? I didn't like his service, so I'm going somewhere else. That's how the system works.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Though in any case, I just laugh at and then ignore all the nonsensical "support your LGS!" calls (seen only on gaming messageboards, BTW). They are often inconvenient, have questionable ordering and stocking practices, are unreliable, and on top of all that, don't offer any value to the uncompetitive MSRP they invariably charge (nothing wrong with charging full price, as long as there is some other value they offer to make themselves competitive).

"Support the LGS!"? No way. "Buy from the LGS if they're competitive"? Sure.

My view exactly. What advantage do I get from shopping at a brick and morter store over online? There has to be something other than we "need" the gaming store, which is untrue. I like a good gaming store but they don't really have anything that I can't get cheaper elsewhere.

 

[jdrakeh]

A truely professional store would informed their customers that they are closing soon and to please decide what they needed. If the customers responded that they were just here to look around the clerk should politely respond that they will have to come back when the store re-opens as he/she is preparing to close for the night.

Honestly, that sounds like what happened, albeit less eloquently. At any rate, yes, I have worked in retail (and in customer service, no less). And you're right, letting consumers already in a store shop for a few more minutes is customary -- but the OP was complaining that the clerk kept reminding him that they were closing (i.e., the OP wanted to browse open endedly, apparently) and that the clerk wasn't letting new customers in off the street after hours. Neither of those two things is customary.

 

[jdrakeh]

To be clear, I wasn't expecting him to extend store hours. I was expecting him to not be a jerkface about it.

How was he a jerk? I guess I'm not seeing that. Because he didn't let new customers in off the street after business hours? Or because he kept reminding you that you were in the store after hours and that they needed to close up? Because, honestly, neither of those things sounds horribly 'jerky'. Your primary complaint seemed to be that the clerk wasn't letting you browse at your own pace after business hours.

 

[Anti-Sean]

Honestly, that sounds like what happened, albeit less eloquently. At any rate, yes, I have worked in retail (and in customer service, no less). And you're right, letting consumers already in a store shop for a few more minutes is customary -- but the OP was complaining that the clerk kept reminding him that they were closing (i.e., the OP wanted to browse open endedly, apparently) and that the clerk wasn't letting new customers in off the street after hours. Neither of those two things is customary.

If you reread the OP, you'll note that the OP entered the store twenty minutes before closing, and was repeatedly reminded about the impending closing; he was not there after closing.

 

[jdrakeh]

If you reread the OP, you'll note that the OP entered the store twenty minutes before closing, and was repeatedly reminded about the impending closing; he was not there after closing.

Oh, hey! You're right. My bad entirely! Apologies, as my misreading that post influenced nearly all of my posts herein (I guess that's what I get for posting early in the morning). That said, I still think that the OP was being a bit extreme. That's his right, of course, but what he described is a relatively minor infraction against consumers, IMO. I guess I'm just a far less demanding consumer than many.

 

[MojoGM]

How was he a jerk? I guess I'm not seeing that. Because he didn't let new customers in off the street after business hours? Or because he kept reminding you that you were in the store after hours and that they needed to close up? Because, honestly, neither of those things sounds horribly 'jerky'. Your primary complaint seemed to be that the clerk wasn't letting you browse at your own pace after business hours.

Ya know, stores can take a high-and-mighty attitude about it, but at the end of the day the consumer has a lot of different options on how to buy their gaming products, while the retailer has only a limited supply of customers in any given area.

I think the balance of power is more on the side of the consumer. Which is why "The customer is ALWAYS right."

 

[el-remmen]

The people at my LGS are neither friendly, nor knowledgeable - thus, I have gone there less than five times in the last six years.

 

[TheYeti1775]

Brand new gaming store opened up a few months ago near me. I went there on a day off with my six year old son (who happens to love miniatures). They were swearing like drunken sailors -- not the other customers mind you, the owners. Brand new gaming store lost several customers that day. Me, my spouse, and the friends in my gaming circle who have children (four out of five).

That would have lost me as well.

But again I'll throw props to Phoenix again as their guys will actually talk with my son when he wants to tell them all about something he learned of Star Wars or that they had a new item in their display case. I buy a lot over the internet (Amazon), but I will still go there and make a few purchases just because they are personable.

 

[jdrakeh]

Ya know, stores can take a high-and-mighty attitude about it, but at the end of the day the consumer has a lot of different options on how to buy their gaming products, while the retailer has only a limited supply of customers in any given area.

I think the balance of power is more on the side of the consumer. Which is why "The customer is ALWAYS right."

See my post above. As for the customer always being right, this is one of the most carefully cultivated illusions of retail and the foundation of another (closely related) industry