"But it's all the same company!"

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

A customer came in today, apparently she had ordered a special edition of a game through our website and got the original instead. Our policy states you can return web purchased items to a retail store in most circumstances. Unless of course...

SC: You people sent me the wrong game. I ordered the collectors edition on your site and I got a regular version. I need this fixed.
Me: I'm not sure there's much I can do, we don't have any collectors editions available.
SC: WHAT?! The lady on the phone said you'd be able to take care of this.
Me: All our collectors editions were pre-ordered, there are none left for sale.
SC: So you're telling me I'm stuck with this?
Me: Well not exactly, you can call our customer service number and see if they can ship you a collectors edition or-
SC: Oh no, I want this game today and you need to find out how to get it for me.
Me: If you had let me finish, I was saying I could contact another store and see if they have any available.
SC: Fine, do that.

(I make a few calls and every local store is sold out)

Me: Looks like none of our other area stores have it. The closest one that does is 35 miles away.
SC: 35 miles?! Can you get it sent here?
Me: Possibly, but it would take a couple of days.
SC: That is not acceptable. I need this game today. You need to call someone at that store and have them get it here today or we need another solution.
Me: There is no way to get it here today. We ship through UPS and don't do any same day shipping.
SC: Well can't you have someone from that store drive it over here??
Me: Ma'am I am not about to ask someone to drive to another state just to drop off a game for you.
SC: Then one of you should drive over there and get it for me.
Me: We can't do that either ma'am.
SC: I don't believe this! This is supposed to be easy. I ordered through <company>.com and now I am at a <company> store! Why is this so hard? It's all the same.
Me: Actually it's not, both the store and website are run through separate departments and though we do allow web returns here, you should contact the site for this particular issue.
SC: What part of 'I want this game today' do you not get?
Me: I understand that completely ma'am but unless you are willing to drive 35 miles, you aren't going to get it today.
SC: That's bullshit, you have copies here, just give me one!
Me: No.
SC: Why not? I'm the customer and I'm very dissatisfied.
Me: I realize that, but if I give someone's paid in full copy away to someone else, then they will be as dissatisfied with us as you are right now.
SC: So you won't give one to me because you don't want to inconvenience someone else?
Me: Precisely.
SC: Well screw them! I'm here right now and I demand you fix this for me!
Me: I have already offered you the only fix I have.
SC: But you're all <company>! This is completely unfair to me.
Me: All you can do is call the corporate number and work out a resolution with them.
SC: Fine, I'll keep this damned game, but I'm going to call your company and raise HELL, I will NOT be treated this way!

I love how customers think that our stores and the website all have access to the same magical database and are seamlessly interconnected. If only, if only.

[SG15Z]

SC: So you won't give one to me because you don't want to inconvenience someone else?
Me: Precisely.
SC: Well screw them! I'm here right now and I demand you fix this for me!

So he can go through all this a second time? Yeah no, screw you!

[Samaliel]

How come people need games, these days? Are the games sprayed with crack, or something?

There's a quite significant difference between "need" and "want". Those people might find the reading of Wintersmith, by Terry Pratchett, pretty instructive and insightful on that matter. But expecting someone who "needs" a game to read a book seems to be akin to expect a sodium pellet to get in a synchronized swimming team...

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

How come people need games, these days? Are the games sprayed with crack, or something?

There's a quite significant difference between "need" and "want". Those people might find the reading of Wintersmith, by Terry Pratchett, pretty instructive and insightful on that matter. But expecting someone who "needs" a game to read a book seems to be akin to expect a sodium pellet to get in a synchronized swimming team...

Oh man....ask anyone who has ever done time in a game store, some of the customers are hardcore about their games.

[tropicsgoddess]

If there's one thing retail and technical support have in common are SC's that think that you're supposed to be some miracle worker or fairy godmother/father that can magically solve all their issues and give them the merchandise they want right then and there.

[Hyndis]

If there's one thing retail and technical support have in common are SC's that think that you're supposed to be some miracle worker or fairy godmother/father that can magically solve all their issues and give them the merchandise they want right then and there.

Yup.

If its not in stock, its not in stock. This means that we do not have any. As in, none of these items exist anymore. Which means we cannot give you one.

If an item is not in inventory, then nothing can be done. No amount of complaining of whining will make it magically appear.

[Snowbird]

While that situation would be highly irritating, the SC should've just been happy that she could get the special edition at all, and nearby to boot.

Speaking of which, what is with all of these people thinking that a lousy 35 miles is the end of the world? I go about that far just to get from one side of my city to another.

[Samaliel]

Oh man....ask anyone who has ever done time in a game store, some of the customers are hardcore about their games.

I thought there were a difference between being hardcore and acting like a junkie who'll go into withdrawal shock if they don't get their game right there and then (on top of generally being a moron and/or a nuisance).

Seriously, you don't need games, let alone one game in particular.

If you really need to play, just go play "let's pretend". Or Hide & Seek, or Tag, or whatever. See? You don't need this game.

[simplyanother]

While that situation would be highly irritating, the SC should've just been happy that she could get the special edition at all, and nearby to boot.

Speaking of which, what is with all of these people thinking that a lousy 35 miles is the end of the world? I go about that far just to get from one side of my city to another.

We get those people at the craft store. The ones who live in BFE are the biggest complainers "I already drove an hour to get HERE...whine!" I want to ask them "then whats another 35 minutes? seriously".

I've started to tell them to CALL first, if you live in bfe. Then ASK to have the item held for you. Because if you don't, we're just going to leave it on the shelf, and your hour trip has been wasted.

[bunnyboy]

Speaking of which, what is with all of these people thinking that a lousy 35 miles is the end of the world? I go about that far just to get from one side of my city to another.

Because it requires personal responsibility and much like its cousins, common sense and common decency, it's in the ICU and is close to flat-lining after ignorance, entitlement and shifting the blame beat the hell out of them in the post-war era.

[Broomjockey]

Seriously, you don't need games, let alone one game in particular.

If you really need to play, just go play "let's pretend". Or Hide & Seek, or Tag, or whatever. See? You don't need this game.

You're obviously not a gamer, let alone Hardcore.

1. You just suggested they go outside. That's verboten.

2. Hardcores need first-day purchase, otherwise other people have a head start on playing, will be better than them, and get the high scores first.

[Andara Bledin]

You're obviously not a gamer, let alone Hardcore.

1. You just suggested they go outside. That's verboten.

2. Hardcores need first-day purchase, otherwise other people have a head start on playing, will be better than them, and get the high scores first.

Don't forget that they can't every possibly own the plebian regular version of any game, either. They have to have whichever copy has the most bells, whistles, toys, and highest price tag so they can brag about how devoted they are to Game X and that they're the most obsessive fan Evar!1elevetny.

^-.-^

[Mike Taylor]

Strangely enough, my hardcore regulars don't give two shits about the bells & whistles with the Ultra Uber Mega Deluxe Editions. They'd rather spend that money buying multiple games at once.

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

Strangely enough, my hardcore regulars don't give two shits about the bells & whistles with the Ultra Uber Mega Deluxe Editions. They'd rather spend that money buying multiple games at once.

I've found these types of gamers as well. Some are dedicated but don't really go for the extra goodies, they just want to play the game. Others are huge on the collector's editions.

[Mike Taylor]

I've found these types of gamers as well. Some are dedicated but don't really go for the extra goodies, they just want to play the game. Others are huge on the collector's editions.

This often baffles me because a lot of the "collectors" sets have had little piddly extras that really can't justify the mark up. On the other hand, I'm curious about the nightvision goggles that will come with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 .