I figured there's room for a bad video game store thread. Don't just post about the obvious (EB, Best Buy, blah). Just post about local stores that scream ripoff, have piss-poor staff, things of that nature. Post the store's info and why you think it's a bad store.
US: ARGame X ChangeHarrison, Arkansas
Submitted By: kamakazi20012
The store use to be cool in its early days and carried a LOT of selections from Atari to 360 including consoles. But after an owner exchange the store owner purchased a beauty stores old inventory which now dominates the shelving. Customer service is still top notch but seems to have very little gaming gear...at least the last time I visited the store over 5 years ago.
US: AZGames PlusMesa AZ
Submitted By: Tynstar
US: CASpaceCat Comics & CollectiblesNorth Bascom Avenue near I-280, San Jose, CA
Submitted By: Zagnorch
I know SpaceCat Comics & Collectibles on North Bascom Avenue near I-280 in San Jose, CA was mentioned here before it was washed away by the Great Outage of 2012. While they have cleaned up the place and reorganized their stock since that last post, the asking prices for their video games and hardware are still rather exorbitant, usually about 50% above the same goods on Amazon Marketplace. Their collectible toy prices are just as bad.
As for the people who work there: a few are at least fairly friendly and helpful, but most seem to be a bit... well, spaced-out as it were.
US: GAPlay N Trade1880 Epps Bridge Parkway Suite 110 , Athens, Georgia, 30605
Submitted By: Moriya Hanzo
Ex. Silent Hill (GH) $79.99-----need i say more?
N2 GamesSocial Circle, Ga
Submitted By: Moriya Hanzo
Ex. Super Mario All stars cart only $49.99
US: MOVelocityMoberly, MO
Submitted By: kamakazi20012
Advertises itself as a one-stop gaming store. Has maybe a handful of games made up of some PS3 and 360 games. Other than that, mostly empty shelves.
US: NJGamers GambitSubmitted By: A8scooter
You ask them if they have certain games older than NES, and they say make a list we have to check storage for them and will call you when we check. Even with follow ups you get the runaround. I dont mind a store not having something I want but it says alot about your company when you wont have the curtsey to call the customer back.
Quick CashToms River, NJ
Submitted By: Flee
They'll sell you untested, broken games and refuse a refund. Their store is a mess and not yet priced inventory gets the ol' eBay look up sorted by highest price first. Old dude working there accuses people of stealing for no reason. They don't even have the initiative to update their new address on their website. Not worth going to if you're at the Jersey Shore.
Trade 1 Rt 1 in Edison, NJ
Submitted By: A8scooter
They are majorly over priced the owner isn't helpful things are a complete mess and the only reason I can come to see why they stay afloat cause every so often you'll see ads looking for young females to be actresses and models for him..... Reading between the lines he doesn't sell jack so how else does he stay in business you be the judge
US: NYGame CrazeDestiny USA Mall, Syracuse, New York
Submitted By: ErbBetaPatched
New York may be large, but the prices are too high. I bought Devil May Cry 2 there for $12, and it only came with disc 2, the disc that didn't have Dante on it.
US: WAGame LobsterFederal Way, WA
Submitted By: RetroRage
greedy owners. not interested in building a relationship with their customers. here's why.
the other day I was hunting at Game Lobster and I ran across Maxi-15 and they wanted 100 bucks for it. I couldn't buy it but I told a friend who was looking for it, so he called them up and ask if they still have the game and how much they wanted for it. they said 100 dollars and he left to go pick it up immediately. when he got there all the sudden they wanted 200 bucks for it....what? they had a big white shiny sticker on it that said 100 dollars and now they want to jack the price up? if they were smart they would have given him the lower price anyways because that kind of loyalty pays off in the long run with return business. instead they decided to be greedy and tried squeeze in a few more bucks out of them..... well not a few, a hundred.
and besides that incident they've always appeared to be just interested in making money and have very little appreciation or respect for the hobby and the collecting community.
US: WIVideo Gamestar2533 E Clairemont Ave
Eau Claire, WI 54701
Submitted By: Barracuda
- Employees care more about playing games behind the counter than helping a customer at the checkout.
- The prices are high enough that there are games that have been sitting there for years.
- Lastly the store forever stinks of ass. It's really hard to spend more than a few minutes inside.
The only reason this store is still in business is because they are near the college campus.
Preplayed3868 East Washington Avenue
Madison, WI 53704
Submitted By: HypnosProjectHQ
There are two Preplayed game stores in Madison. This location on the east side, though fully in association with the store on the west side, has terribly unfriendly staff in comparison to the other store. Also, their prices, oddly, are significantly higher on many items in the store (ie. Zelda Twlight Princess (GCN) is $17.99 at the west side location but at this location is $42.99). They've also been unwilling to put me on the waiting list for many items, though the west side location is always willing to help you find any game you might be looking to find.
Game Quest River Falls, WI
Submitted By: renegadeviking
Don't expect any Sega Saturn, Sega Gamegear, Master System. They charge double for the game Ebay purchases thru them. They play Christian band (no awesome music) all the time, because actual rock scares away customers. In store credit stinks. 98% of the games are run-of-the-mill, 2% rares.
NOTE: Edited out game titles they don't carry.
ToyrfficThe Hudson, WI
Submitted By: renegadeviking
Just as bad as Game Quest. They have run-of-the mill titles, no rares at all. Overpriced PS2 and Xbox games. Ebay purchase thru them have 50% business added charge.
The Media WarehouseReedsburg, WI
Submitted By: Slowman
Owner was very rude to customers and his employee. They don't have any games out. You have to look through a database of prices, and then they change the prices on you before you purchase. Apparently my friend is "a f***ing idiot" for not understanding how their pricing structure (scheme?) works. This happened to a friend of mine, not myself, just passing along the info
Additional InformationCANADA: ManitobaPNP Games2-915 McLeod Avenue
Winnipeg, MB
R2G 0Y4
Submitted By: Antimind
1. Unfriendly staff - Staff completely ignored my friend and I. I do believe the fact that we're both female had a lot to do with that but so what. I had my damn Nintendo hoodie on when I was there. Let's not forget the fact that I probably know more about games and game history than the store's owner.
2. Extremely high prices - Who the hell charges $9.99 for a copy of Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt? PNP does! The only good finds in the entire place are the instruction manuals ($0.25/each) and old issues of Nintendo Power ($0.50/each). Everything else is not worth the drive out there.
3. Poor selection - I just sold more games from my personal collection than they had in the entire shop.
4. Poor presentation - I always expect to find a few titles that aren't in alphabetical order on store shelves. It appeared to me that the shelves hadn't been reordered in ages. Everything was just jumbled together.
Bottom Line - PNP is only surviving because they're the only game in town. Unless you absolutely must have that certain game today, avoid. Even with high shipping costs it'll be cheaper online. Probably in better condition too.
Author
