I've seen a few threads about player pet peeves, but what about game stores? What, if anything, does your FLGS do that really gets on your nerves sometimes? I'll start:

My FLGS has a tendency when you place an order to not let you know that it came in and just put it on the shelf for anyone to buy, instead of keeping it behind the counter for you. I nearly had it happen with a Warmachine figure I ordered (I happened to be looking at the shelf and saw it), and my brother's girlfriend ordered something and none of us were ever told it had arrived, so someone else bought it when it was on the display rack with all the other figures - I only found out because the person who bought it mentioned it, and I said she had ordered it two weeks ago and he was like "Uh oh.. I think I may have bought that, it was on the rack earlier this week."

What about you?

For awhile, my FLGS or LGS for that matter, had been pressured by a club to cater to its needs with no return on their end. Seemed like if you wanted to play 40k you had to be part of the club. Stores the were popular with 40k would say this night is 40k presented by so and so. If i want to play I dont want to part of a club. Slowly are the LGS and FLGS learning to not do this anymore.

One of the co-owners at my FGS (It's a bit to far to be Local) is a bit testy sometimes. That's about the worst I can say for the place and, I let it slide because of the awesome selection, large gaming area, general accommodating nature of the staff, great twice annual gaming auctions and otherwise great service. Games Plus Rocks!

There was a game store closer by that we gamed at for a couple years. They grew quite large and popular and their gaming space expanded alot. However, our club's regular gaming night ended up on "boardgame" night. Despite the huge number of tables (20+) and our club's history there we were told if a board game wanted our table we'd have to give it up. We haven't been back since. Sorry "Dice Dojo".

My FLGS was great in pretty much every way. Brilliant stock, great managers and just a beautiful establishment all around.

But it had some of the most useless employees I have ever seen in my life. I can imagine it being their dream job, slacking in a gaming store, drinking energy drinks, talking about God knows what with the fellow nerds that came in. Being retail employees was obviously secondary. And heaven forbid they'd have to pause their Malifaux game for something as trivial as money for the business.

When one of the managers had the register it was an amazing store though. It went bust earlier this year :(

In Belfast, there was a gaming shop near the local GW. It was the size of a cupboard with a couple of tiny tables (2x2' IIRC) and soon it was always swamped by MtG players. It didn't stay open for very long. I heard the owner conned the wrong, quite large, quite violent person out of a fair bit of money, and had to scarper.

Then there was the Arkham Gaming Centre. That palaver can be read about here.

So one of my pet peeves about gaming shops is the underhandedness and nerd drama that causes them to close...

These days most non-GW, non-internet gaming stuff I buy is from a general model shop that stocks some PSC and WG boxes. Though I have to echo the annoyance of people who find their orders on the shelf. I never saw the 1/72 PSC stuff on the shelves and had to order it in. I'd go in every couple of weeks to check, and the order wouldn't be in, but did this so often that the guy knew exactly what I was waiting for. Eventually when I went in to buy something else, I noticed a single box of 1\72 Panzer IIIs sitting on the shelf and no mention of whether it was my order or not. I bought it anyway. I didn't see the Panzer IVs. I expect someone else got those before me.

(Also, not a gaming shop, but the same thing happened to me in Waterstones)

Even before that, I waited many months for an order of numbered dice. That one was cancelled too long after it became ridiculous. So third peeve: Shops that let you order stuff and keep you hanging for months to get it.

 Aesop the God Awful wrote:


But it had some of the most useless employees I have ever seen in my life. I can imagine it being their dream job, slacking in a gaming store, drinking energy drinks, talking about God knows what with the fellow nerds that came in. Being retail employees was obviously secondary. And heaven forbid they'd have to pause their Malifaux game for something as trivial as money for the business.

When one of the managers had the register it was an amazing store though. It went bust earlier this year :(

Pretty much this!
I do not know what store Aesop is talking about, but this is a common problem in many gaming stores I have visited.

Worst is the owners/employees who insist on indoor smoking. Just from a stock perspective (as well as the stuff people paint and bring in to play) it's dumb. It's also illegal in the civilised parts of the US, but boy do you get a mouthful if you suggets you don't like breathing in cancer.

I also think Sartre said it best with "Hell is other people." I honestly can't stand a good third of the clientell of any shop I've been in. Between personal hygiene, demenor, and just overall lack of decent humanity, it's a total tossup as to the kind of humanity you have to deal with at the FLGS.

WayneTheGame wrote:
I've seen a few threads about player pet peeves, but what about game stores? What, if anything, does your FLGS do that really gets on your nerves sometimes? I'll start:

My FLGS has a tendency when you place an order to not let you know that it came in and just put it on the shelf for anyone to buy, instead of keeping it behind the counter for you. I nearly had it happen with a Warmachine figure I ordered (I happened to be looking at the shelf and saw it), and my brother's girlfriend ordered something and none of us were ever told it had arrived, so someone else bought it when it was on the display rack with all the other figures - I only found out because the person who bought it mentioned it, and I said she had ordered it two weeks ago and he was like "Uh oh.. I think I may have bought that, it was on the rack earlier this week."

What about you?

Definitely sounds like your store has a disconnect between the special orders and regular vendor orders. Most likely the just lump the special orders into their weekly distributor orders and then throw away the list. The person unpacking the boxes should be given the weekly special order list and separate those orders from the regular restock items, imo.

Employees/owners who don't know or don't care enough to help me out.

No one likes to be stalked and harassed when they shop but that doesn't mean ignore your customers. I walk into a game store to either play a game or buy a product often times both. I am happy to buy my games at a store that I play in. So when I have to hunt down and employee, pry them away from a game or conversation to ask a question and they don't know squat and act annoyed that I bothered them it ticks me off.

A game store is like the only place where I want to give you all my money. Seriously, if you are a FLGS owner and you read this, most of your customers want to spend every penny they can in your store. Often the biggest thing stopping us is you. (and sometimes the wife).

If I ever went to a game store where the owner was a good sales person I would be so broke. (or if they had a good selection). Often I don't buy because their is nothing on the shelf!

hands_miranda wrote:
Worst is the owners/employees who insist on indoor smoking. Just from a stock perspective (as well as the stuff people paint and bring in to play) it's dumb. It's also illegal in the civilised parts of the US, but boy do you get a mouthful if you suggets you don't like breathing in cancer.

I also think Sartre said it best with "Hell is other people." I honestly can't stand a good third of the clientell of any shop I've been in. Between personal hygiene, demenor, and just overall lack of decent humanity, it's a total tossup as to the kind of humanity you have to deal with at the FLGS.

Would that be the same Sartre that said smoking was the most important thing in life?

But yeah, I see your point.


My pet peeve is cliques. I've been to a lot of shops all over the world, and while most of them are friendly and welcoming, some of them made me feel like I had walked into a Klan rally in a Boy George outfit.

I am completely tolerant and open of all religions, but FLGS owners flaunting their religion as being the best, etc is irritating to the extreme.

Also, one of my LGS' owners used to have their regular business meetings in the general gaming area, in clear hearing range of customers....

Store owners who like to play with their "power".
I get along with this guy well enough because he knows I do not need him and I spend the occasional money there.

Anyone he figures out is "dependent" on his store for their gaming clubs or general socialization he likes messing with them.
You could say that his "clique" is treated well enough, as well as strangers, but familiarity breeds contempt in any other instance.

Abuse of being the "boss" can look ugly and a "my way or the highway" policy can make busy times at the store more exciting than it needs to be.

Places that don't have prices on their boxes bug the heck out of me.

hands_miranda wrote:
Worst is the owners/employees who insist on indoor smoking.

Just report them. Problem solved.

Also, hours. If you don't open before noon on weekends, I probably won't be able to buy there. (Kids...)

We wrote:
Employees/owners who don't know or don't care enough to help me out.

This. Unbelievable how keen some people are to not make a sale.

Just moved and going to be around for several months at least, so I go in to check out the FLGS for some new infinity. I check out the infinity shelf which didn't have everything I wanted. No problem, I'll make an order and look around for one of the FOUR salespeople. Two of them are playing some new game with a rep from the game company One guy looked right at me only to continue with his game a second later. The other two are by the cash shooting the gak with a big group of kids. Waited around for 5 minutes and just left. When I go into a store I expect the staff to acknowledge me and ask if I need any help. If it's busy I don't mind waiting, but the staff clearly weren't interested. Haven't been back.

I went home and placed my £400 order with Element Games. Got it two days later.

All of this makes the high open/close rate of hobby stores far less surprising. My local store is a disappointment, too. Rarely ever anything in stock outside of new GW releases, and unable to get in special orders. The first time I tried, they got in the wrong Malifaux item, after nearly a month. The second time, I waited a month, only to get the wrong Infinity blister. Waited another month for them to get in the right kit, only for them to tell me that it was impossible to get Infinity in the United States! After that, never again.

Special orders at my LGS are a joke, as is requesting merchandise to be held at the counter. I have made multiple attempts over the last 5 years to special order items and either the items aren't ordered or if they were ordered I am not notified. It has gotten to the point where I'll order online instead of wasting time making a special order request.

Getting in-stock items held for pick up is also difficult. Just this last Friday I called to hold a special edition of Monopoly at the counter until I got off work and had time to pick up the set, and when I arrived not only was the set not behind the counter, it was left on the sales floor. It was the only copy available and luckily I arrived before someone else nabbed it, because I would have been livid if the game had sold out despite my having a copy "held" for me. Friday wasn't the first time a hold wasn't honored, either.

Overall the LGS is great, and their customer service is superb, but in the specific areas of special orders and holds they are amateur hour.

 DarkTraveler777 wrote:
Special orders at my LGS are a joke, as is requesting merchandise to be held at the counter. I have made multiple attempts over the last 5 years to special order items and either the items aren't ordered or if they were ordered I am not notified. It has gotten to the point where I'll order online instead of wasting time making a special order request.

Getting in-stock items held for pick up is also difficult. Just this last Friday I called to hold a special edition of Monopoly at the counter until I got off work and had time to pick up the set, and when I arrived not only was the set not behind the counter, it was left on the sales floor. It was the only copy available and luckily I arrived before someone else nabbed it, because I would have been livid if the game had sold out despite my having a copy "held" for me. Friday wasn't the first time a hold wasn't honored, either.

Overall the LGS is great, and their customer service is superb, but in the specific areas of special orders and holds they are amateur hour.

I can see putting it out on the floor if it's been like a month or whatever and nobody has come in. But when things tend to be out of stock and have to be backordered, and I'm not informed that it's even arrived, I would be more than a little miffed at it just being placed out there without even being notified that it came in so I can buy it.

I don't mind supporting my FLGS but its things like that which make me prefer ordering online; I get a large discount and have it guaranteed rather than order it, wait 2+ weeks and either have it be sold to someone else or just never arrive, without being none the wiser that it ever was in the shop at all.

WayneTheGame wrote:
I don't mind supporting my FLGS but its things like that which make me prefer ordering online; I get a large discount and have it guaranteed rather than order it, wait 2+ weeks and either have it be sold to someone else or just never arrive, without being none the wiser that it ever was in the shop at all.

Same here. I mainly play at home, but like having a large, well-stocked LGS nearby so I make it a point to buy things there "just because" so I can help the local gaming community stay active, and well, local. It is hard not to feel like a sucker, though, when those good intentions lead to delays and paying full retail plus sales tax for an item I could have easily gotten faster and cheaper online.

For my particular LGS they do so many things right it is surprising that special orders are such a stumbling block for them, especially given how important it is to handle those requests accurately and efficiently to keep customers happy and spending money within the store.

Having a terrible website.

I know, kind of a lame thing to complain about. However I think almost every major LGS in my area has a very poorly made and maintained website. Webstores that have been implemented but never filled with items, just plain ugly design, and even outdated stock information. One local store stopped stocking Flames of War months ago but you'd never be able to tell that from their website.

 robam45 wrote:
Having a terrible website.

I know, kind of a lame thing to complain about. However I think almost every major LGS in my area has a very poorly made and maintained website. Webstores that have been implemented but never filled with items, just plain ugly design, and even outdated stock information. One local store stopped stocking Flames of War months ago but you'd never be able to tell that from their website.

That is actually really annoying. I don't mind the ugliness of it all but when items have obviously been out of stock forever the site should be updated. My experience with that was looking for a very hard to find Coryphee metal miniature for Malifaux. After looking high and low for it I went to an old site I used to go to back in the day where I found some in stock. I bought,two of them, but I had a feeling that I'd be out of luck as the website hadn't changed one iota in six years. Long story short I got a call from them about 3 weeks later, they were out of stock. No big, I was kind of expecting it. It would have been nice, but it was just annoying.

 Eilif wrote:
However, our club's regular gaming night ended up on "boardgame" night. Despite the huge number of tables (20+) and our club's history there we were told if a board game wanted our table we'd have to give it up. We haven't been back since. Sorry "Dice Dojo".

This is perhaps the single biggest thing that would turn me away from a store. If, for example, I can only get out to play 40K on Thursday nights, but Thursday nights have been declared to be some-other-game's night, then I clearly won't be able to be a customer of that store.

Sure, I get the idea of having special nights/days for specific games to drum up interest and sales, but still leave some space for the others.

I hate LGS owners/empoyees who don't try to even make a sale because they are too busy playing their own games. That is just stupid!

Regarding Holds. I own a bakery business and get calls to "hold" items in our case all the time. Our policy is "First Come, First Serve" for anything in our baked case. The reason is, if we hold it and you forget to come by an dpick it up or get too busy... we just lost money.

We do have special ordered items be made and picked up, but we make it that day just for them. We don't put that in the case. If these people don't show up, we sell or donate their stuff and then they go on the "Pre-Pay Only List". I.E, no baking until money has been exchanged.

Holds and Pre-orders can be a risky thing.

 Easy E wrote:
I hate LGS owners/empoyees who don't try to even make a sale because they are too busy playing their own games. That is just stupid!

Regarding Holds. I own a bakery business and get calls to "hold" items in our case all the time. Our policy is "First Come, First Serve" for anything in our baked case. The reason is, if we hold it and you forget to come by an dpick it up or get too busy... we just lost money.

We do have special ordered items be made and picked up, but we make it that day just for them. We don't put that in the case. If these people don't show up, we sell or donate their stuff and then they go on the "Pre-Pay Only List". I.E, no baking until money has been exchanged.

Holds and Pre-orders can be a risky thing.

While I can see that, at the same time though if I go to a store and ask "Can you order me X model?" I would assume that you'd let me know "Hey that model came in" so I can come down to buy it, since I have no idea what day it might arrive, or if it will even arrive at all. If I order something and when it comes in it just goes up on the shelf, I have no idea if it ever came in or if someone else happened to buy it. I shouldn't be expected to follow up every day asking "Did my figure arrive yet" just to make sure that someone else doesn't grab it.

A quick tale, to illustrate a point.
Until about 3 or so months ago, the relatively small town I live in had two LGSs.
One was a FLGS, and the other was, well, just a LGS.

Every time I go to the FLGS, the owners are awesome, they know the products they sell because they're gamers, and they have no problem with pre-orders and holding them for their customers. They also give a fair discount for GW products.
Every time I went to the LGS, the owner and his creepy sidekick would just sit behind the counter and not even acknowledge I had come in the store. If I bought something, 99% of the time they still said nothing. Not a thing. It was weird. Even when the effort was made on my part, I'd get some grunts and maybe a sound bite or two.

Notice how I referred to these in different tenses? That's right, because the LGS went out of business. Everyone had the same experience as I did, their business suffered, and they packed up and left.
But not before they had to liquidate their stock of everything in the store. Picking up 3 entire Warmachine armies at 80% off was pretty badass.

Meanwhile, the FLGS thrives, and people couldn't be happier.

When the employees focus on their friends when you are tryin to make a purchase.

 Easy E wrote:

Regarding Holds. I own a bakery business and get calls to "hold" items in our case all the time. Our policy is "First Come, First Serve" for anything in our baked case. The reason is, if we hold it and you forget to come by an dpick it up or get too busy... we just lost money.

We do have special ordered items be made and picked up, but we make it that day just for them. We don't put that in the case. If these people don't show up, we sell or donate their stuff and then they go on the "Pre-Pay Only List". I.E, no baking until money has been exchanged.

Holds and Pre-orders can be a risky thing.

They're not risky if the FLGS makes the effort to do it right. It's pretty simple.
-Get Name and Number
-Set a solid date for how long it will be held (A couple days should be enough)
-Hold it that long then put it back out.

FLGS's need to be willing to accommodate gamers in this kind of way if they want to compete with online shopping.

As for stores putting special orders out on the sales floor and/or not calling the customer, I've never heard of this and it is worse than bad salesmanship it's downright insulting. When a special order comes in I always get a call from my FGS and it's always waiting for me behind the desk with my name stuck on it.

 Tannhauser42 wrote:

 Eilif wrote:
However, our club's regular gaming night ended up on "boardgame" night. Despite the huge number of tables (20+) and our club's history there we were told if a board game wanted our table we'd have to give it up. We haven't been back since. Sorry "Dice Dojo".

This is perhaps the single biggest thing that would turn me away from a store. If, for example, I can only get out to play 40K on Thursday nights, but Thursday nights have been declared to be some-other-game's night, then I clearly won't be able to be a customer of that store.

Sure, I get the idea of having special nights/days for specific games to drum up interest and sales, but still leave some space for the others.

It was pretty frustrating. We didn't all spend alot of $ there, but two of us lived near by and were regular customers, and the same 4-6 club members had been meeting there every other week for some time. In the end though I guess they decided that there bread was buttered somewhere else. Shortly thereafter the member closest to the LGS moved away. We probably would have continued to game up there anyway, but not with their this-day-only policy.

Really though, while I like "Games Plus" alot (a different store where we still game occasionally) and it's fun to play at the a game store once in a while, I prefer to game at club member's homes. I don't game often enough at the Games Plus to be part of the community so when home gaming is really laid back, less driving, we can drink, only folks we like are there, and the terrain is great why go anywhere else?

Regarding special orders, the worst I've seen is when my friend paid in advance for something, gave them my contact details to pick it up (he lived quite far away), and then nothing.

I went in when I knew they were expecting their Infinity order, told them I was picking something up and produced the receipt, and they went and got it off the shelf. A paid for product, no contact made to pick it up when it had clearly arrived, then put it out for general sale.

The same store also ran me around on a Battlefoam order for roughly 6 months, telling me Battlefoam hadn't sent them their ordered product. I made my own separate order and received it long before htey got the order I made. I actually had a tiff with a Battlefoam employee on Dakka talking about it, and they said they had no outstanding order with that store. The store just plain forgot to actually order my foam.

I really like the store. The staff are super friendly (with possibly one exception), they have an amazing gaming hall and a great hot food service right in the store so you can game over lunch. But their special order practices are terrible.

The owner at my LGS is horrible with stock. If you want something special in 40k he will either have 20 boxes in stock or none for months. Same goes for Flames of War, if its something that is fairly common to a lot of lists he will never order it, but if its uncommon there will be piles of them.

When store owners get pissy about you going to other FLGS. You don't own me or my business, good sir.

 Easy E wrote:
I hate LGS owners/empoyees who don't try to even make a sale because they are too busy playing their own games. That is just stupid!

Regarding Holds. I own a bakery business and get calls to "hold" items in our case all the time. Our policy is "First Come, First Serve" for anything in our baked case. The reason is, if we hold it and you forget to come by an dpick it up or get too busy... we just lost money.

We do have special ordered items be made and picked up, but we make it that day just for them. We don't put that in the case. If these people don't show up, we sell or donate their stuff and then they go on the "Pre-Pay Only List". I.E, no baking until money has been exchanged.

Holds and Pre-orders can be a risky thing.

Agreed , holding stock is way to risky especially when it is perishable. Even when it isn't perishable that is still money taken out of the business that could be put somewhere more valuable. Where I work I get people asking me to hold livestock for a week. A week? it's a living thing people, it cannot be put on hold because your schedule is busy!
/end rant

 Easy E wrote:

Regarding Holds. I own a bakery business and get calls to "hold" items in our case all the time. Our policy is "First Come, First Serve" for anything in our baked case. The reason is, if we hold it and you forget to come by an dpick it up or get too busy... we just lost money.

Yeah, but, boxes of plastic minis don't tend to go stale and have their cream topping go off.

(I can appreciate the frustration, tho)

Edit: dammit Bullockist, hiding behind a page break...

 Ruberu wrote:
The owner at my LGS is horrible with stock. If you want something special in 40k he will either have 20 boxes in stock or none for months. Same goes for Flames of War, if its something that is fairly common to a lot of lists he will never order it, but if its uncommon there will be piles of them.

My FLGS owner likes to order 1 item and if it sells, maybe, maybe he'll order another the next month. It'd be happy to see him order 20 of any one popular item.

Flames of War:
From what I have seen at my FLGS regarding Battlefront and their products; if it's popular it's going to be hard to get. My FLGS owner shows customers who ask the packing sheets and clearly Battlefront's "Fill Rate" is frankly pathetic. That's pathetic in a pathetic industry regarding fill rates. Battlefront is one of the worst at filing product orders from what he's shown. Warlord Games is getting to be one of the best. Games Workshop used to always be the best with fill rates on special orders but in the last year they've gotten worse on many levels with lack of stock and lots going "direct only." He hates Battlefoam, btw. Says they're not "retailer friendly."

Special Orders: he will take special orders and you don't have to pay up front but when it comes in you have two weeks to pick it up. Granted that's usually not a problem. Where my FLGS owner goes wrong is...he doesn't tell people his hold duration so if someone is for example; TDY so can't get in there to buy the order and it's ticked a day past the two weeks since the order was received, like a machine the owner will put the product out for sale. Remember, he never told you he was going to do that. If you call the day before he puts it out he'll tell you it's still being held and he'll even ask you when you are going to pick it up he never offers to ship it and one might not ask if they'll be back the next week. Doesn't matter what your answer is though the next day it's on the floor. Note he works alone usually so it's not someone else causing the problem.

 Easy E wrote:
I hate LGS owners/empoyees who don't try to even make a sale because they are too busy playing their own games. That is just stupid!

Regarding Holds. I own a bakery business and get calls to "hold" items in our case all the time. Our policy is "First Come, First Serve" for anything in our baked case. The reason is, if we hold it and you forget to come by an dpick it up or get too busy... we just lost money.

If thats your policy I can understand that. However these are more durable items and holding an item for 24 hours, should not set you back. More importantly, if a store says they will hold something, they should hold something-or even let you buy it over the phone.

My old store that I used to work at (got fired for standing up to the boss) used to take prepay orders, then tell customers "it's not available. I can't get it". Customer would look it up online themselves, show it was available, and get told "oh, I don't want to order it from them. I want to use this vendor instead", despite ordering from both venders on a regular basis. They held my friend's money for a year before getting a Wood Elf lord in for him. He requested a refund and told them to just put it on the shelf-he sold the army and had no use for it anymore. Another time held a tournament circuit, and a guy the owner was friends with won the first two. Then couldn't be around, and a guy the owner didnt like won the rest of the tournaments in that circuit. Owner announces a $100 store credit voucher to the overall winner-his buddy who only won two tournaments, who admitted he didn't deserve the prize and it was crap. The owner said "oh, I'm not counting those other tournaments". It was a joke. There's more, but I'm running out of time to type.

 timetowaste85 wrote:
There's more, but I'm running out of time to type.

Who are you, the Jumping Jack Flash of Dakka posts? Hahaha.

I think the only negative thing that I can say about the FLGS in town is that they don't allow .pdfs (at all), dataslates, or FW stuff for tournaments. There's a reason for it, obviously: they can't sell it. It makes sense from a business perspective, but it's still frustrating.
Luckily, the owner is working with us and may be willing to allow a FW tournament as long as you own the required books and can produce them on game day.

 Vermis wrote:

 Easy E wrote:

Regarding Holds. I own a bakery business and get calls to "hold" items in our case all the time. Our policy is "First Come, First Serve" for anything in our baked case. The reason is, if we hold it and you forget to come by an dpick it up or get too busy... we just lost money.

Yeah, but, boxes of plastic minis don't tend to go stale and have their cream topping go off.

But, they are still inventory upon which the store has already spent money. The longer it sits behind a counter not being sold, the longer the store is stuck with non-performing assets.

As a consumer, I wouldn't ever expect an LGS to hold an item more than a couple of days. If a customer wants something held for them on a special order, it would behoove that customer to get to the store to make the purchase in a timely manner after the delivery arrives. I personally believe that anything more than a week is totally unreasonable (I actually think a week is too long, but trying to be lenient). If you weren't in a position to pick it up sooner than that, you shouldn't have ordered it.

Saldiven wrote:

 Vermis wrote:

 Easy E wrote:

Regarding Holds. I own a bakery business and get calls to "hold" items in our case all the time. Our policy is "First Come, First Serve" for anything in our baked case. The reason is, if we hold it and you forget to come by an dpick it up or get too busy... we just lost money.

Yeah, but, boxes of plastic minis don't tend to go stale and have their cream topping go off.

But, they are still inventory upon which the store has already spent money. The longer it sits behind a counter not being sold, the longer the store is stuck with non-performing assets.

As a consumer, I wouldn't ever expect an LGS to hold an item more than a couple of days. If a customer wants something held for them on a special order, it would behoove that customer to get to the store to make the purchase in a timely manner after the delivery arrives. I personally believe that anything more than a week is totally unreasonable (I actually think a week is too long, but trying to be lenient). If you weren't in a position to pick it up sooner than that, you shouldn't have ordered it.

I agree, but what bugged me in my OP was the fact that I would order something and never get notified that it even came in so I could go down there to buy it, only to later find it on the shelf or that someone else had bought it not knowing that I had ordered it. Couple that with things often taking 2+ weeks to get in because the distributor is out of stock and I'm not going to bother the store every day asking if it came in, I'd expect courtesy to let me know either that week when I'm down there to game or call me or whatever (we have a Facebook group to communicate too) that my thing came in so I can buy it. If you told me it came in and I don't go there to get it then yes that's on me, but if it arrives, you never told me it arrived and just put it out on the floor?

Stuff like that just reinforces the idea to me that I should order it online instead. Very little wait, save money, and don't have to wonder if it ever arrived or if someone else bought it.

 House Griffith wrote:

 timetowaste85 wrote:
There's more, but I'm running out of time to type.

Who are you, the Jumping Jack Flash of Dakka posts? Hahaha.

I think the only negative thing that I can say about the FLGS in town is that they don't allow .pdfs (at all), dataslates, or FW stuff for tournaments. There's a reason for it, obviously: they can't sell it. It makes sense from a business perspective, but it's still frustrating.
Luckily, the owner is working with us and may be willing to allow a FW tournament as long as you own the required books and can produce them on game day.

Nope, just Dakking from the john. Had to get ready to go to work.

I see some people citing the lack of customer service as a pet peeve. One of mine is too much customer service. I stopped going into GW stores years ago because, as soon I walked in, they were trying to get into my pants. Acknowledge my presence, offer to help if I need it, and then please back the hell off.

 TheCustomLime wrote:
When store owners get pissy about you going to other FLGS. You don't own me or my business, good sir.

Agreed.
Has a different spin if they host gaming there and the competitor does not.
I have that difficult decision: spend as much as 30% less at the other store or support your gaming night store.
I tend to buy lots of little stuff at the game store and big expensive items at the cheaper place.

WayneTheGame wrote:

Saldiven wrote:

 Vermis wrote:

 Easy E wrote:

Regarding Holds. I own a bakery business and get calls to "hold" items in our case all the time. Our policy is "First Come, First Serve" for anything in our baked case. The reason is, if we hold it and you forget to come by an dpick it up or get too busy... we just lost money.

Yeah, but, boxes of plastic minis don't tend to go stale and have their cream topping go off.

But, they are still inventory upon which the store has already spent money. The longer it sits behind a counter not being sold, the longer the store is stuck with non-performing assets.

As a consumer, I wouldn't ever expect an LGS to hold an item more than a couple of days. If a customer wants something held for them on a special order, it would behoove that customer to get to the store to make the purchase in a timely manner after the delivery arrives. I personally believe that anything more than a week is totally unreasonable (I actually think a week is too long, but trying to be lenient). If you weren't in a position to pick it up sooner than that, you shouldn't have ordered it.

I agree, but what bugged me in my OP was the fact that I would order something and never get notified that it even came in so I could go down there to buy it, only to later find it on the shelf or that someone else had bought it not knowing that I had ordered it. Couple that with things often taking 2+ weeks to get in because the distributor is out of stock and I'm not going to bother the store every day asking if it came in, I'd expect courtesy to let me know either that week when I'm down there to game or call me or whatever (we have a Facebook group to communicate too) that my thing came in so I can buy it. If you told me it came in and I don't go there to get it then yes that's on me, but if it arrives, you never told me it arrived and just put it out on the floor?

Stuff like that just reinforces the idea to me that I should order it online instead. Very little wait, save money, and don't have to wonder if it ever arrived or if someone else bought it.

I agree that your situation was just plain poor customer service.

Our FLGS has a very active Facebook page. Whenever he gets in new merchandise, he'll set it all up on a couple of tables, and post pictures of everything so people can see what's come in. If people have something they've ordered, he sends Facebook messages to let people know their order is in. Using social media like this is super simple and takes next to no effort. It's kind of sad if someone can't do at least a Facebook message or an e-mail to let you know your order is in.

 TheCustomLime wrote:
When store owners get pissy about you going to other FLGS. You don't own me or my business, good sir.

That and when they sit there and bad mouth other stores. Its a really good way to get me to not come back if you sit there and talk about how "bad" this or that store is or how their employees are, ect

Saldiven wrote:


But, they are still inventory upon which the store has already spent money. The longer it sits behind a counter not being sold, the longer the store is stuck with non-performing assets.

As a consumer, I wouldn't ever expect an LGS to hold an item more than a couple of days. If a customer wants something held for them on a special order, it would behoove that customer to get to the store to make the purchase in a timely manner after the delivery arrives. I personally believe that anything more than a week is totally unreasonable (I actually think a week is too long, but trying to be lenient). If you weren't in a position to pick it up sooner than that, you shouldn't have ordered it.

If you can't stick one wee box of minis behind a counter for a customer who's been waiting for weeks if not months; who regularly comes in to check for it; who's willing to give the money to you, the local shop, rather than to the internets; who buys other stuff too; in a shop where regular stock sits on the shelves for weeks if not months, you shouldn't offer an order service. Maybe you shouldn't even be in business if customer service and orders are such a harassment to you.

robam45 wrote:Having a terrible website.

Swan-of-War wrote:Places that don't have prices on their boxes bug the heck out of me.

Ah yes, my FLGS was guilty of these too. To be fair on the website, though, it was mainly there to announce events and stuff. But they could list product ranges that they didn't even carry anymore, which could be problematic for all involved parties if someone would try to order these.

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
I see some people citing the lack of customer service as a pet peeve. One of mine is too much customer service. I stopped going into GW stores years ago because, as soon I walked in, they were trying to get into my pants. Acknowledge my presence, offer to help if I need it, and then please back the hell off.

Spot on. Every time I've gone to a GW store, some redshirt is on my ass the minute I walk in the door, trying to sell me something I don't want or need.
At the Seattle Bunker, I'd tell them immediately: "I'll buy something if you leave me alone. No, I don't want any Ogryns".

 House Griffith wrote:


I think the only negative thing that I can say about the FLGS in town is that they don't allow .pdfs (at all), dataslates, or FW stuff for tournaments. There's a reason for it, obviously: they can't sell it. It makes sense from a business perspective, but it's still frustrating.
Luckily, the owner is working with us and may be willing to allow a FW tournament as long as you own the required books and can produce them on game day.

I was in my FLGS the other day to buy some paint. When I came the owner was helping a new gamer who was just starting 40K. When discussing what rulebooks to buy the customer said that he already had the codex and rulebook on his computer. The owner said something in the effect of: "Great! Then you don't need to spend any more money on that! What you should get in the beginning is more cool miniatures, come take a look at this shiny box!" One of the things he bought was a Citadel Hobby starter kit. When standing at the counter the owner also offered him to switch paints in the box set for paints more suitable for his chapter.

What I want to say with this is that if you want to run a shop in these times you have to accept the fact that people use digital material. You also have to offer good service that makes people want to shop there.

Oh, and also, there are three games shops in my town. I have brought my girlfriend to all three. After one of them she said: "I will never ever go that place again." To the one in the story she brought her sister to shop for boardgames.

 House Griffith wrote:

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
I see some people citing the lack of customer service as a pet peeve. One of mine is too much customer service. I stopped going into GW stores years ago because, as soon I walked in, they were trying to get into my pants. Acknowledge my presence, offer to help if I need it, and then please back the hell off.

Spot on. Every time I've gone to a GW store, some redshirt is on my ass the minute I walk in the door, trying to sell me something I don't want or need.
At the Seattle Bunker, I'd tell them immediately: "I'll buy something if you leave me alone. No, I don't want any Ogryns".

Well, they're just doing their job, so I can't really blame them for sneaking up on you. I think it's more annoying if the owner or employee of a LGS simply ignores you, or doesn't seem to help you in any way.

 House Griffith wrote:

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
I see some people citing the lack of customer service as a pet peeve. One of mine is too much customer service. I stopped going into GW stores years ago because, as soon I walked in, they were trying to get into my pants. Acknowledge my presence, offer to help if I need it, and then please back the hell off.

Spot on. Every time I've gone to a GW store, some redshirt is on my ass the minute I walk in the door, trying to sell me something I don't want or need.
At the Seattle Bunker, I'd tell them immediately: "I'll buy something if you leave me alone. No, I don't want any Ogryns".

See thats just annoying especially if they know you. When the chicago bunker was up and running after they saw me a few times when i first started going that ended really quick. They knew if i was going to spend money i was going to spend it. If i was just there to hang out, play a game, or paint they left me alone and we would bs about whatever.

 House Griffith wrote:

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
I see some people citing the lack of customer service as a pet peeve. One of mine is too much customer service. I stopped going into GW stores years ago because, as soon I walked in, they were trying to get into my pants. Acknowledge my presence, offer to help if I need it, and then please back the hell off.

Spot on. Every time I've gone to a GW store, some redshirt is on my ass the minute I walk in the door, trying to sell me something I don't want or need.
At the Seattle Bunker, I'd tell them immediately: "I'll buy something if you leave me alone. No, I don't want any Ogryns".

I here ya on the Seattle Bunker. They had some high-pressure knob managers and a few that were actually pretty cool.

One pretty cool manager warned my playing group that they'd have to sell to us when we came in to play - which was fine, we were using their tables and we did buy product. But it wasn't so high-pressure. He got promoted up as I recall. Feel bad for the last solo-manager Arik before they closed down, he's a nice guy.

One local store keeps trying to start up gaming nights for different games and if the sales are insufficient after two weeks, it gets cancelled.

And in order for the owner to be convinced the event is working, the game in question needs to be purchased that very night. Special orders and off the shelf purchases for that game that people pay for on a different day of the week "don't count." So if the game night is on Tuesday and on Thursday the week before I pop in I buy a squad and paint it up for Tuesday, it won't count when he evaluates the numbers for the game night.

You need to actually take the time to build a community and you need to look at your overall sales for the product. Now the guy is fighting against the current because no one will go to the new game nights because they know they'll just be cancelled after two weeks and replaced with something else.

Never had a problem like this with my FLGS's regarding special orders. Sometimes it took a while to come in, but they always called me the moment an item came in. I had things not show up for weeks, but that was because I ordered Battlefront models, so that should be no surprise.

My big pett peeves are nerd drama and when you can only find people for a game on certain nights, especially weeknights. I've always lived an hour or more away from my store. I can't afford to drive an hour there, try to get a game in the moment I get there, pack up immediately, drive home, and get in bed for work the next day. And when that's the only day people for that system will be there, it means I'll almost never get a game in.

Also, if I had a nickel for everytime I had to deal with drama thanks to FLGS related things, I'd own a 3,000 pt DKoK army by now. Its the main reason I didn't get to go to Adepticon a couple years ago (my team tore itself apart arguing with each other)

Staff at a local store would make fun of 40k to an unnecessary extent. Like yeah, I get it the rules are bad but I have fun playing this and I'm giving you money so shut up for like five seconds about Warmahordes. That store changed location and I moved further downtown and closer to a better store so it's not really an issue anymore.

The thing present in nearly every FLGS I've been to though is absolutely terrible music. I never want to hear another Dream Theater or Combichrist song again. I know that's really subjective but some variety would be nice every now and then.

 Vermis wrote:

Saldiven wrote:


But, they are still inventory upon which the store has already spent money. The longer it sits behind a counter not being sold, the longer the store is stuck with non-performing assets.

As a consumer, I wouldn't ever expect an LGS to hold an item more than a couple of days. If a customer wants something held for them on a special order, it would behoove that customer to get to the store to make the purchase in a timely manner after the delivery arrives. I personally believe that anything more than a week is totally unreasonable (I actually think a week is too long, but trying to be lenient). If you weren't in a position to pick it up sooner than that, you shouldn't have ordered it.

If you can't stick one wee box of minis behind a counter for a customer who's been waiting for weeks if not months; who regularly comes in to check for it; who's willing to give the money to you, the local shop, rather than to the internets; who buys other stuff too; in a shop where regular stock sits on the shelves for weeks if not months, you shouldn't offer an order service. Maybe you shouldn't even be in business if customer service and orders are such a harassment to you.

But, conversely, how long do you expect them to hold it behind the counter waiting for you to show up and actually make the purchase? If you haven't come in to pick up the item a week after you were notified, should they keep holding it? Two weeks? A month? At what point is it fair game to be purchased by someone who is actually in the store with cash-in-hand?

Saldiven wrote:

 Vermis wrote:

Saldiven wrote:


But, they are still inventory upon which the store has already spent money. The longer it sits behind a counter not being sold, the longer the store is stuck with non-performing assets.

As a consumer, I wouldn't ever expect an LGS to hold an item more than a couple of days. If a customer wants something held for them on a special order, it would behoove that customer to get to the store to make the purchase in a timely manner after the delivery arrives. I personally believe that anything more than a week is totally unreasonable (I actually think a week is too long, but trying to be lenient). If you weren't in a position to pick it up sooner than that, you shouldn't have ordered it.

If you can't stick one wee box of minis behind a counter for a customer who's been waiting for weeks if not months; who regularly comes in to check for it; who's willing to give the money to you, the local shop, rather than to the internets; who buys other stuff too; in a shop where regular stock sits on the shelves for weeks if not months, you shouldn't offer an order service. Maybe you shouldn't even be in business if customer service and orders are such a harassment to you.

But, conversely, how long do you expect them to hold it behind the counter waiting for you to show up and actually make the purchase? If you haven't come in to pick up the item a week after you were notified, should they keep holding it? Two weeks? A month? At what point is it fair game to be purchased by someone who is actually in the store with cash-in-hand?

Personally I'd say at least a week, maybe two once they've been notified barring things that you can't control (e.g. if you call and the person is on vacation out of state for a week, you should hold it an extra week until they get back since they can't reasonably go pick it up).

WayneTheGame wrote:

Saldiven wrote:

 Vermis wrote:

Saldiven wrote:


But, they are still inventory upon which the store has already spent money. The longer it sits behind a counter not being sold, the longer the store is stuck with non-performing assets.

As a consumer, I wouldn't ever expect an LGS to hold an item more than a couple of days. If a customer wants something held for them on a special order, it would behoove that customer to get to the store to make the purchase in a timely manner after the delivery arrives. I personally believe that anything more than a week is totally unreasonable (I actually think a week is too long, but trying to be lenient). If you weren't in a position to pick it up sooner than that, you shouldn't have ordered it.

If you can't stick one wee box of minis behind a counter for a customer who's been waiting for weeks if not months; who regularly comes in to check for it; who's willing to give the money to you, the local shop, rather than to the internets; who buys other stuff too; in a shop where regular stock sits on the shelves for weeks if not months, you shouldn't offer an order service. Maybe you shouldn't even be in business if customer service and orders are such a harassment to you.

But, conversely, how long do you expect them to hold it behind the counter waiting for you to show up and actually make the purchase? If you haven't come in to pick up the item a week after you were notified, should they keep holding it? Two weeks? A month? At what point is it fair game to be purchased by someone who is actually in the store with cash-in-hand?

Personally I'd say at least a week, maybe two once they've been notified barring things that you can't control (e.g. if you call and the person is on vacation out of state for a week, you should hold it an extra week until they get back since they can't reasonably go pick it up).

I think it's fair for the store to set a clear policy on how long they'll hold preorders. This way the consumer is partially responsible to uphold their end of the purchase, and if they don't, the store can put it on the shelf for general sale and be covered.

The dastardly villain that runs my FLGS does not allow me to freebase naked on the empty tables during my opponents turn, and frankly I have no idea why I frequent the fething place.

Well, except for the great people, tables, and choice of terrain on offer obviously.

 mattyrm wrote:
The dastardly villain that runs my FLGS does not allow me to freebase naked on the empty tables during my opponents turn

This is a lie, and I have the therapy bills to prove it!

 House Griffith wrote:

I think it's fair for the store to set a clear policy on how long they'll hold preorders. This way the consumer is partially responsible to uphold their end of the purchase, and if they don't, the store can put it on the shelf for general sale and be covered.

Of course it is and any shop with any sense will have a clearly defined policy for this kind of thing stating.

-Whether or not you have to put any money down
-How they will contact you when it comes in
-How long you have to come pick it up.

It's these kind of procedural practices that it seems many FLGS's can't seem to manage. Of course based on some of the stories here, if they can't even hire employees who understand that their job is to work rather than play, then special order practices might be the lesser of their shortcomings.

Clearly this thread is showing what many of us already know and have experienced in the past. That is, many game stores are run by hobbyists who don't have the business acumen necessary to run a successful retail operation. Not that a hobbyist can't run a game store, but their sole qualification for doing so can't be simply a love of gaming.

Our store has a policy of "Game Nights", so Fantasy on Wednesday, 40k on Friday. The rule is, you can play on a table if it's open, but if its full and someone comes in to play that game, you have to give up your table if you're not playing the game that's on that night.

I understand it, and to be honest it's never happened to me, mostly because the only time I've seens the tables FULL is for 40k nights, so that's what I'm playing, but its frustrating when they keep telling us that we'd have to give up our table. Most of us know the employees and they're pretty decent guys, but FFS I know there is an Infinity tourney this Saturday. Either I'll play when its done or not come in.

Employees who are old time gamers who think all the new games are gak.

3rd Edition D&D is out, store runs 2nd edition campaign.

Mechwarrior Clix game doing well, store runs Classic Battletech, when the miniatures were out of print.

Deadzone released, run Necromunda with photocopied rules and converted miniatures

 adamsouza wrote:


Mechwarrior Clix game doing well, store runs Classic Battletech, when the miniatures were out of print.

When was that? Ral Partha stopped making Battletech miniatures in 2001, and Iron Wind Metals took over a year later. Clix and CBT were around at the same time.

 adamsouza wrote:
Employees who are old time gamers who think all the new games are gak.

3rd Edition D&D is out, store runs 2nd edition campaign.

Mechwarrior Clix game doing well, store runs Classic Battletech, when the miniatures were out of print.

Deadzone released, run Necromunda with photocopied rules and converted miniatures

I completely understand the frustration of new players wanting to play new games, but I kind of love the idea of a shop supporting veteran gamers. I'd sign up for a Decromunda campaign before a Deadzone Campaign, and I supported the Deadzone KS.

Elif, there is nothing wrong with playing the older games. It was just frusterating that the store manager was pushing OOP games while the shelves were stocked with the newer versions. There is nothing that makes you feel better about dropping your hard earned money on a new game than the store manager calling it crap, without ever playing it, and run the store league to play the older version, which they don't actually have in stock.

DarkTraveller777, I don't remember the year, but he made the League Inner Sphere only and earliest time frame only, when a lot of the old models were not available. We were driving to another store 45 minutes away that had tons of old Battletech stock to build our forces.

Main issue is the other people. Tonight at NWGC, I heard some witless cretin say to the girl on the bar "scratch your hairy crotch" which is an hilarious way of saying thank you very much, apparently...

My flgs is great. The owner is a great guy super helpful finding anything you need or ordering anything you want.
Kind of wish that he would stock more battalion boxes for fantasy but he stocks a good selection of normal boxes so can't complain.

It does get quite loud when playing tho on a Saturday which I geuss is just the nature of it since its a small store and lots of people.

 adamsouza wrote:

DarkTraveller777, I don't remember the year, but he made the League Inner Sphere only and earliest time frame only, when a lot of the old models were not available. We were driving to another store 45 minutes away that had tons of old Battletech stock to build our forces.

Oh, he likely used 3025 stuff which include the lawsuit `Mechs.

That is pretty douchey.

3025 is the best (BT is better when heat matters), but not if the models aren't available. That's just daft.

By the end of the league one of the players was buying the hard to get mechs off of Ebay and casting them for the rest of the league, including the store manager running the league.

So the store basically made ZERO profit on a league it was running, while new product sat there on the shelf.

The manager was later sacked, and a fully supported Mechwarrior league replaced it.

• Non-Notification of special order status.
• Special order found on shelves with regular stock.
• Can't find special order after they told me it was in. (i called).
• Endless "Backorder" wait times.
• Opinionated Manager can be annoying. Politics.
• I was told GW went out of business. (5 years ago, inquiring about a special order.)
• Screaming children running rampant.
• Treated like outlaw when trying to pay by check. (they know my name, been through it many times)

Actually this is two stores in my area. Both places could do with a bit of improvement.

I don't think I'd ever expect to pay by cheque at a retail outlet. Their response shouldn't have been to treat you like a criminal trying to scam them with a bad cheque, but just a simple statement of "sorry, we don't take cheques."

As for special order problems, wait times, back order issues and stores that lie about companies being out of business or products being no longer available, I've experienced enough of it that I really, really value sellers that have things in stock. Miniature Market and Discount Games Store get lots of money from me because they actually keep reliable stock numbers and ship when they say they will.

I used to be a special order locally only kind of customer, but pretty much all my local stores have let me down when it comes to special orders, so they all lost my business for not in stock items. I still get the occasional thing they have in stock (Infinity, FoW/15mm WW2, etc.,) but no more special orders.

Definitely the other people. People want to crap-talk. I'm there to let my dice do the talking and it just creates a hostile environment. And yes, I usually roll 1s

 frozenwastes wrote:
As for special order problems, wait times, back order issues and stores that lie about companies being out of business or products being no longer available, I've experienced enough of it that I really, really value sellers that have things in stock. Miniature Market and Discount Games Store get lots of money from me because they actually keep reliable stock numbers and ship when they say they will.

This is the biggest thing for me right now. I'm all for supporting the local store, but when every time I want to order something the distributor has 0 in stock or even if they do have it in stock it can take 2+ weeks to arrive, and on top of that there's a chance it won't be held for me so someone else can buy it, why the hell would I want to do that rather than go online, order it from a shop that gives me a large discount, has virtually everything guaranteed in stock, and I can get it in a week? I've started to just order small things that I don't really need but are nice to have from the local store, and anything important order online where I know for sure I'll get it, and get a nicer discount to boot. Loyalty only goes so far.

Ordered Aegis Defense Line in mid August, told it should be there in 1-2 weeks.
1 Week later asked about it, told it should be there in a week.
2 Weeks later asked about it, told it should be there in a week.
3 Weeks later asked about it, told it should be there in a week, and that I should stop asking about it, they will give me a call when it arrives.
Last week of November I get a phone call telling me my Aeigs Defense Line arrived.

My biggest issue with the FLGS is the customers. They whine and groan about everything and expect the store owner to give them everything and provide them with a plush playhouse.

 crazyredpraetorian wrote:
My biggest issue with the FLGS is the customers. They whine and groan about everything and expect the store owner to give them everything and provide them with a plush playhouse.

To be fair though, most game stores don't seem to do it because they want to make money, it's to provide a place to play. And in the day and age of internet discounts, they have a lot of competition for people's money. "I have gaming tables" isn't always enough to cut it.

 frozenwastes wrote:
I don't think I'd ever expect to pay by cheque at a retail outlet. Their response shouldn't have been to treat you like a criminal trying to scam them with a bad cheque, but just a simple statement of "sorry, we don't take cheques."

Checks have been used in many places all over the US for a while. They've been in decline recently because of the prevalence of debit cards, but still accepted by most retail outlets.

 adamsouza wrote:
Ordered Aegis Defense Line in mid August, told it should be there in 1-2 weeks.
1 Week later asked about it, told it should be there in a week.
2 Weeks later asked about it, told it should be there in a week.
3 Weeks later asked about it, told it should be there in a week, and that I should stop asking about it, they will give me a call when it arrives.
Last week of November I get a phone call telling me my Aeigs Defense Line arrived.

Had a similar experience at the LGS which was one of the 3 strikes I gave them before I stopped going. I preordered the IG codex with them a month in advance when it came out in 5th edition. I used to game at the store weekly and stopped by another day each week to make a scheduled purchase (I allowed myself 1 prepainted minis box like DDM or SWM each week on weekends just for the hell of it). I inquired twice a week for 4 weeks after it was released and was told every time that they hadn't gotten it in yet. On my second trip during the fourth week post release, I got fed up with the same excuse and called from the parking lot the next closest store (unfortunately 25 miles further) who had one copy in stock. I told the other store to hold it for me and cancelled my preorder after I walked back in. The manager's response? "That's ok. I never ordered it." Tim at Heroes... you were a world class douche and the reason I never came back to the store. This was actually the third special order they screwed up (out of 4) but it was particularly brazen and I'm only counting this one order as one of the three strikes I mentioned (the other two "strikes" were just as ridiculous). You shouldn't have to try so hard to get a store to take your money in exchange for goods. Maybe I'm old fashioned but I thought that was their primary purpose!

WayneTheGame wrote:

 crazyredpraetorian wrote:
My biggest issue with the FLGS is the customers. They whine and groan about everything and expect the store owner to give them everything and provide them with a plush playhouse.

To be fair though, most game stores don't seem to do it because they want to make money, it's to provide a place to play. And in the day and age of internet discounts, they have a lot of competition for people's money. "I have gaming tables" isn't always enough to cut it.

People will spend their money where they want to, nothing can change that. However, I really get tired of hearing gamers whine about this cool store or that cool store and how it sucks that they closed. Does mismanagement happen? Sure, in most cases. But, if the consumers want a local shop with play space they have to be willing to pay a premium. Otherwise, their local hang out will go out of business, too.

It's probably too much to hope for, but alot of FLGS's could probably learn something by looking at this thread. There's already been quite a few folks that have clearly stopped using their FLGS for egregious things that aren't even that hard for a retail store to take care of, and a few of us have publicly named the stores we won't go to anymore.

 adamsouza wrote:
Ordered Aegis Defense Line in mid August, told it should be there in 1-2 weeks.
1 Week later asked about it, told it should be there in a week.
2 Weeks later asked about it, told it should be there in a week.
3 Weeks later asked about it, told it should be there in a week, and that I should stop asking about it, they will give me a call when it arrives.
Last week of November I get a phone call telling me my Aeigs Defense Line arrived.

You are a more patient man than I. My order would have been canceled by the first of October.

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
I see some people citing the lack of customer service as a pet peeve. One of mine is too much customer service. I stopped going into GW stores years ago because, as soon I walked in, they were trying to get into my pants. Acknowledge my presence, offer to help if I need it, and then please back the hell off.

This. I try to go into GW when the manager is busy with someone else, grab what I want and then wait at the checkout, fully ready to tell them I don't need paints and glue. I hate it when they're free, walk up behind me when I'm browsing and stand rooted to the spot suggesting everything under the sun.

My brother could never understand why I was so preoccupied with 40K and loved looking at the stuff in the window but never go in, so I sent him in with clear instruction. Buy 1 Chaos Terminator Lord. I kid you not, I waited outside across the street for 30 minutes before he came out and said "they don't have one". They had suggested AOBR, a baneblade, Chaos Terminators etc. before telling him they could order what he wanted in. He understands now.

That was GW Winchester. I've had them scream 'Hello' at me as I walked in while they were demoing a game and also seen them prevent a lady from actually going in by standing in the doorway with an arm across it. Bizarre company, GW.

I've been contemplating opening a store in my hometown when I retire in about six years. Posts like these give me great insight and I hope to not make the same mistakes if I do end up opening a store. Thanks Dakka Dakka.


[


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I've been contemplating opening a store in my hometown when I retire in about six years. Posts like these give me great insight and I hope to not make the same mistakes if I do end up opening a store. Thanks Dakka Dakka.

 Eilif wrote:
It'

 adamsouza wrote:
Ordered Aegis Defense Line in mid August, told it should be there in 1-2 weeks.
1 Week later asked about it, told it should be there in a week.
2 Weeks later asked about it, told it should be there in a week.
3 Weeks later asked about it, told it should be there in a week, and that I should stop asking about it, they will give me a call when it arrives.
Last week of November I get a phone call telling me my Aeigs Defense Line arrived.

You are a more patient man than I. My order would have been canceled by the first of October.

It was just around the release of 6th edition when that happened. I didn't return there until 7th edition was released.

I had one special order that took from June to February. I didn't cancel it, I just completely forgot about it and some time in between had bought the item somewhere else when I happened to see it in stock. In this case I was able to send a very clear email as to why I bought the item online instead and why I won't be using their store for special orders again until I hear things are different from others in the local community.

 Eilif wrote:

 Easy E wrote:

Regarding Holds. I own a bakery business and get calls to "hold" items in our case all the time. Our policy is "First Come, First Serve" for anything in our baked case. The reason is, if we hold it and you forget to come by an dpick it up or get too busy... we just lost money.

We do have special ordered items be made and picked up, but we make it that day just for them. We don't put that in the case. If these people don't show up, we sell or donate their stuff and then they go on the "Pre-Pay Only List". I.E, no baking until money has been exchanged.

Holds and Pre-orders can be a risky thing.

They're not risky if the FLGS makes the effort to do it right. It's pretty simple.
-Get Name and Number
-Set a solid date for how long it will be held (A couple days should be enough)
-Hold it that long then put it back out.

FLGS's need to be willing to accommodate gamers in this kind of way if they want to compete with online shopping.

Oh yeah. I'm not disagree with any of your points, but I'm just trying to add a bit of perspective from a Business Owners point of view. Advanced Orders and Special Orders are tricky logistically and very easy to screw up, especially if you are doing a lot of them. You need a good, documented, and sustainable process/system in place PRIOR to starting to take these types of orders or you could be setting yourself up to be in a very bad position. No matter how good the system, human error can also be a factor. That said, if a store doesn't have a well-thought out process in place it is their fault, not the customers for placing the order.

I can think of the few times when an order slipped through our system due to workload, fatigue, mishandling, and other normal everyday process errors. It is not fun to be on the receiving end of the customer's rightful anger, and then trying to scramble to make it right.

My peeve with game stores is them allowing the obscenity. I know there's lots of young games around who haven't learned to control themselves, but I just won't take my kids into the shop with me anymore because of hearing the F bomb thrown around by one or two people at the top of their lungs thinking they are so cool because they are fighting "the man" and because they are the customer and their money will leave when they are told to use polite words.

rigeld2 wrote:

 frozenwastes wrote:
I don't think I'd ever expect to pay by cheque at a retail outlet. Their response shouldn't have been to treat you like a criminal trying to scam them with a bad cheque, but just a simple statement of "sorry, we don't take cheques."

Checks have been used in many places all over the US for a while. They've been in decline recently because of the prevalence of debit cards, but still accepted by most retail outlets.

Checks are very risky for retailers to take and lack the protections of major lable debit cards. I know we don't take checks because if they bounce you are out the money, have to try to collect it, and get fees from your bank (which makes no sense, but is a great source of revenue for the yank). Meanwhile a debit/credit card with a major lable (visa, MasterCard, etc) is backed up and supported by the card networks coffers. They need vendors to accept their cards so try to make easy for a vendor to do so.

Edit: I wonder how many of these long delayed special orders are the fault of the distributors and not the store itself?

 Easy E wrote:

rigeld2 wrote:

 frozenwastes wrote:
I don't think I'd ever expect to pay by cheque at a retail outlet. Their response shouldn't have been to treat you like a criminal trying to scam them with a bad cheque, but just a simple statement of "sorry, we don't take cheques."

Checks have been used in many places all over the US for a while. They've been in decline recently because of the prevalence of debit cards, but still accepted by most retail outlets.

Checks are very risky for retailers to take and lack the protections of major lable debit cards. I know we don't take checks because if they bounce you are out the money, have to try to collect it, and get fees from your bank (which makes no sense, but is a great source of revenue for the yank). Meanwhile a debit/credit card with a major lable (visa, MasterCard, etc) is backed up and supported by the card networks coffers. They need vendors to accept their cards so try to make easy for a vendor to do so.

Edit: I wonder how many of these long delayed special orders are the fault of the distributors and not the store itself?

I'm well aware that checks are more risky, but that doesn't change my statement at all.

Overall I am thrilled with my new FLGS, with only one minor fault. The owners occasionally make verbal agreements regarding special orders that are forgotten later. I have come to accept it, and still give them the first shot at nearly any planned purchase, but if it is a quantity-limited item I make other plans. That aside, Chronocade is top notch!

Back when the Chicago Battle Bunker carried Forge World models they occasionally took forever to get in, I'd ordered a set of missiles and a pair of heavy bolters that I was going to use for a scratch built thunderhawk. Placed the order in January and paid for them at the time I placed the order, they didn't show up November. Normally I would have cancelled the order after 30 days of no show, but I forgot I'd ordered them and was like wtf? when they finally showed up.

I also loved when they had holes on the shelf of core items/units for months on end, it was supposed to be a flag ship store for the region yet would have to stretch other products across the shelves to hide how much stuff they didn't have. I'd go up there when I wanted things then and there, not to use their web portal to order stuff I'd get in a week or two, I can do that from home and at a discount. Why would I want to drive to their store just to web order everything? I can't buy something you don't have on the shelf, drove me nuts.


The store we use to frequent out in IN for ccgs had a small store front which had stuff piled floor to ceiling to the point you could barely move and the larger game room was in the rear of the store. The second floor of the building was the owners house and they had a laundry/storage room that separated the store front and the game room which you'd have to pass through. If it were well kept it wouldn't have been an issue but in addition to stinky clothes he also kept a pair of ferrets in cages in that room, and they have a terrible oily stench that follows them everywhere and their cages weren't cleaned often enough so they also reeked of ferret piss which is even worse than the smell of cat piss. It was so bad we'd all try and hold our breath while passing through there and even then the smell would cling to you for a bit after you walked through. It was pretty horrible and the major reason why we eventually stopped going there. It wouldn't have taken much effort to relocate the ferrets and clean on occasion but he preferred to keep his place a pit ultimately at the expense of his customers.

They probably kept the ferrets so the smell would cover the gamer funk. Quite ingenious really.

Reallllyyyy a Problem for me.. The Starring at Girls/Woman.
I once send my wife into the local gw because i hAd some icecream in my hands.
I told her to buy me 2 boxes of eldar Weapon platforms.
She entered and every Guy in the store...12-14 People stopped their game and their tAlking starring at her.
Till she left...
She since then hasnt entered a flgs or gw anymore.
I have seen/heard similiar things from other people

 Theophony wrote:
My peeve with game stores is them allowing the obscenity. I know there's lots of young games around who haven't learned to control themselves, but I just won't take my kids into the shop with me anymore because of hearing the F bomb thrown around by one or two people at the top of their lungs thinking they are so cool because they are fighting "the man" and because they are the customer and their money will leave when they are told to use polite words.

Implying that anyone who disagrees with your specific cultural biases is lacking maturity isn't really on - if you dislike swearing and the store allows it, either do the polite thing and ask people pleasantly and without judgement to refrain when your kids are around, or go elsewhere.

 paulson games wrote:
Back when the Chicago Battle Bunker carried Forge World models they occasionally took forever to get in, I'd ordered a set of missiles and a pair of heavy bolters that I was going to use for a scratch built thunderhawk. Placed the order in January and paid for them at the time I placed the order, they didn't show up November. Normally I would have cancelled the order after 30 days of no show, but I forgot I'd ordered them and was like wtf? when they finally showed up.

It toom that long because GW would take orders, but wouldn't place them until they had enough orders to qualify for free shipping. They really only took FW orders as a courtesy to their customers. They didn't make any money off FW sales.

 paulson games wrote:

I'd go up there when I wanted things then and there, not to use their web portal to order stuff I'd get in a week or two, I can do that from home and at a discount. Why would I want to drive to their store just to web order everything? I can't buy something you don't have on the shelf, drove me nuts.

... in addition to stinky clothes he also kept a pair of ferrets in cages in that room, and they have a terrible oily stench that follows them everywhere and their cages weren't cleaned often enough so they also reeked of ferret piss which is even worse than the smell of cat piss. It was so bad we'd all try and hold our breath while passing through there and even then the smell would cling to you for a bit after you walked through. It was pretty horrible and the major reason why we eventually stopped going there. It wouldn't have taken much effort to relocate the ferrets and clean on occasion but he preferred to keep his place a pit ultimately at the expense of his customers.

You're comments are mostly spot-on, but to be fair to GW though, IIRC, orders made via their web portal were shipped free for pickup at the store. Not a useful service, but for regulars to the bunker, it was pretty handy.

As for the Stinky ferrets store, I think that's kind of emblematic of the kind of lack of business sense that many folks have, and some even manage to get away with for a while. I recall a video store owner that used to rent space from my grandpa, they had uncaged parrots inside the store. They were fairly clean, but there was still an ever-present low level animal smell in the place and though they held on for years in a small town, they went out of business eventually when a more professional store opened up.

Customers usually just want to buy and play with products in a clean professional environments, not be assaulted by the owner's personal issues/hobbies/etc.

Out of curiosity, is that store still around?

 Yodhrin wrote:

 Theophony wrote:
My peeve with game stores is them allowing the obscenity. I know there's lots of young games around who haven't learned to control themselves, but I just won't take my kids into the shop with me anymore because of hearing the F bomb thrown around by one or two people at the top of their lungs thinking they are so cool because they are fighting "the man" and because they are the customer and their money will leave when they are told to use polite words.

Implying that anyone who disagrees with your specific cultural biases is lacking maturity isn't really on - if you dislike swearing and the store allows it, either do the polite thing and ask people pleasantly and without judgement to refrain when your kids are around, or go elsewhere.

Actually, I too have to question the maturity level of anyone who is comfortable with using foul language loudly in mixed company. It's either a lack of maturity or a complete lack of consideration towards other people (which is often a sign of immaturity).

 Yodhrin wrote:

 Theophony wrote:
My peeve with game stores is them allowing the obscenity. I know there's lots of young games around who haven't learned to control themselves, but I just won't take my kids into the shop with me anymore because of hearing the F bomb thrown around by one or two people at the top of their lungs thinking they are so cool because they are fighting "the man" and because they are the customer and their money will leave when they are told to use polite words.

Implying that anyone who disagrees with your specific cultural biases is lacking maturity isn't really on - if you dislike swearing and the store allows it, either do the polite thing and ask people pleasantly and without judgement to refrain when your kids are around, or go elsewhere.

Completely disagree with you Yodhrin,
The "polite" things is to watch your mouth when in a place that caters to youth. Most any retail establishment should police the profanity of it's customers if it is a venue that is open to children and families. The onus should not be on the customer to constantly be asking folks to keep the profanity down. If unfettered profanity is to be allowed, than the store should be 18+ only with a printed warning to customers with children.

Of course you can't keep all profanity out, but if someone was repeatedly swearing or doing so in a loud voice at a grocery store, or shopping mall, they'd be asked to leave. Why should we expect any less from a game store? Putting up with an over-abundnace of profanity is bad for the store, and bad for society's impression of the hobby at large.

Body Odor, butt-crack displays, bad manners, and now we're going to defend public profanity? Is it any wonders gamers have an image problem?

I kind of miss the old tradition of the Game Store Cat/Cats. I can see why you shouldn't do it, but I kind of miss it.

As an aside, I was at a Resturaunt(sp) Supply store recently and they had a Store Cat roaming around. I was a bit surprised considering the hoops the Health and Agriculture Dept made us jump through about contamination that a store cat would be kosher at such a place.

It seems to me that a cat whose litter box is in some customer-inaccesible part of the store is not really a problem as long as the store owner knows he will loose the business of anyone with severe cat allergies (are there cats that don't shed much?).

The charm of the gamestore/bookstore cat in a well cleaned store is that you don't even know they're there until they appear. It's animals that squawk, stink, defecate publicly, etc that can be a problem.

 inquisitorlewis wrote:

 paulson games wrote:
Back when the Chicago Battle Bunker carried Forge World models they occasionally took forever to get in, I'd ordered a set of missiles and a pair of heavy bolters that I was going to use for a scratch built thunderhawk. Placed the order in January and paid for them at the time I placed the order, they didn't show up November. Normally I would have cancelled the order after 30 days of no show, but I forgot I'd ordered them and was like wtf? when they finally showed up.

It toom that long because GW would take orders, but wouldn't place them until they had enough orders to qualify for free shipping. They really only took FW orders as a courtesy to their customers. They didn't make any money off FW sales.

Do you mean independents? Most GW's got weekly deliveries anyway, so the web orders were added to that. I can see a lot of independents waiting until they next viable order though.

1. No terrain for fantasy, 40k or any other wargame. Nothing at all. You had to bring it all in yourself.

2. No one organizing anything but posting a "hey it warhammer night" on meetup.com

3. Constantly saying yeah we have to get a scene going on

We stopped going there and just play at house now. Sometimes we head to the store about 45 minutes away which has theer own problems but is much better all around. Super padded carpeted floors is a great plus.

My local FLGS has a dog.

 Shadow Captain Edithae wrote:
My local FLGS has a dog.

Are you allergic? Not sure the issue here.

 Shadow Captain Edithae wrote:
My local FLGS has a dog.

My FLGS has a dog, but it's a Friendly Local Gun Store. I wish my friendly local gaming store had a dog

The LGS owner who does not even offer a discount on items that are 25%+ cheaper on line. Yes I understand they need to make a living, but welcome to the days of the internet. Discount does not need to be much, maybe cover sales tax.

 FeindusMaximus wrote:
The LGS owner who does not even offer a discount on items that are 25%+ cheaper on line. Yes I understand they need to make a living, but welcome to the days of the internet. Discount does not need to be much, maybe cover sales tax.

Competing on price for a LGS is a bad way to go. They instead need to offer something online shopping doesn't. I don't think expecting retailers to match the practices of online stores is all that realistic, but I totally understand choosing online over local because of price. My local stores have largely lost me as a customer to buying online. Not because of price per se, but because they stopped offering the advantages they used to offer like painless and reliable special orders, organized play, etc.,.

 frozenwastes wrote:

 FeindusMaximus wrote:
The LGS owner who does not even offer a discount on items that are 25%+ cheaper on line. Yes I understand they need to make a living, but welcome to the days of the internet. Discount does not need to be much, maybe cover sales tax.

Competing on price for a LGS is a bad way to go. They instead need to offer something online shopping doesn't. I don't think expecting retailers to match the practices of online stores is all that realistic, but I totally understand choosing online over local because of price. My local stores have largely lost me as a customer to buying online. Not because of price per se, but because they stopped offering the advantages they used to offer like painless and reliable special orders, organized play, etc.,.

My local stores both offer 10% off GW. It's not the 25% that I can get online but it's still enough to beat GW themselves which I feel is the important part. It's not much, but the discount exists so you're less inclined to dismiss it entirely and buy online.

 jonolikespie wrote:

My local stores both offer 10% off GW. It's not the 25% that I can get online but it's still enough to beat GW themselves which I feel is the important part. It's not much, but the discount exists so you're less inclined to dismiss it entirely and buy online.

A small manageable discount is a good way to go. It can definitely combine with the non price incentives to shop at a local store (play space, organized events, convenient hours, reliable special orders, etc.,).

 jreilly89 wrote:

 Shadow Captain Edithae wrote:
My local FLGS has a dog.

Are you allergic? Not sure the issue here.

No. Hell, I had a dog myself for 9 years until he passed away 2 weeks ago. Pretty sure if I was allergic to dogs I'd know by now.

People were discussing stores with cats, and so I simply brought up that my local store has a dog. A very friendly dog too. I think its a springer spaniel or something - one of the large ones. And I think hes fairly old.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 jonolikespie wrote:

 frozenwastes wrote:

 FeindusMaximus wrote:
The LGS owner who does not even offer a discount on items that are 25%+ cheaper on line. Yes I understand they need to make a living, but welcome to the days of the internet. Discount does not need to be much, maybe cover sales tax.

Competing on price for a LGS is a bad way to go. They instead need to offer something online shopping doesn't. I don't think expecting retailers to match the practices of online stores is all that realistic, but I totally understand choosing online over local because of price. My local stores have largely lost me as a customer to buying online. Not because of price per se, but because they stopped offering the advantages they used to offer like painless and reliable special orders, organized play, etc.,.

My local stores both offer 10% off GW. It's not the 25% that I can get online but it's still enough to beat GW themselves which I feel is the important part. It's not much, but the discount exists so you're less inclined to dismiss it entirely and buy online.

My FLGS offers something like a 20% discount if you buy in bulk, with a single order over £80.

I was going to take advantage of it and order an entire 1000pt Panzer Grenadier & SS force in one go for Bolt Action by getting two of the 500pt army bundle sets but lost my job.

I don't get any discount at all, but my FLGS has only recently started to carry 40k, has bought 2 ROBB, one of the forgeworld boards, made lots of terrain, and dedicates 3 tables to 40k (even during large Magic events, his bread and butter).

I'll spend there before I spend online.

 jorny wrote:

 Aesop the God Awful wrote:


But it had some of the most useless employees I have ever seen in my life. I can imagine it being their dream job, slacking in a gaming store, drinking energy drinks, talking about God knows what with the fellow nerds that came in. Being retail employees was obviously secondary. And heaven forbid they'd have to pause their Malifaux game for something as trivial as money for the business.

When one of the managers had the register it was an amazing store though. It went bust earlier this year :(

Pretty much this!
I do not know what store Aesop is talking about, but this is a common problem in many gaming stores I have visited.

When I was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, there was a game shop that had something similar to this problem..... So, my wife and I go in to check this store out on a whim. The owner is 400+ lbs of nasty human flesh, the "minion" employee has a Highlander pony tail (as in Duncan McCleod), coke bottle glasses and is wearing knee high mocassins To say that they sat around "talking" about games with fellow nerds would be a serious overstatement.

The owner completely ignored us (and we were the only ones in the store), but when I did ask him a question, I was practically shouting, and he appeared to be more annoyed that he had to stop playing Diablo 2 than he was at having to "help" a customer. He answered my question and then, apparently realizing that there was a "customer" in the store, began talking loudly about how he was going to hook his PC up to a treadmill, so that he could play Diablo whilst trying to lose weight.

The minion never said anything above a mumble, so I've no clue if the guy could actually hold a conversation... perhaps he may have, if my wife hadn't been present

The only thing with my LGS that I find irritating is that they have a very strict no booze policy. No I realize this is a rather niggling issue to most but I'm an alcoholic. Even beyond that there are six businesses all within walking distance, some even within throwing distance, that sell alcohol.

So if I have any hope of dealing with new players or the general ramblings of a comic-book store I need to duck out for a minute, pound some shots, and then saunter back.

They've even asked me not to bring my flask in.

I mean… I can totally understand why they have such a policy. They get a good amount of kids and younger adults in there for various reasons. But isn't that part of the comic-book store experience? To have someone around on the verge of belligerence that knows wayyyy too much about a niche universe?

 Dust wrote:
The only thing with my LGS that I find irritating is that they have a very strict no booze policy. No I realize this is a rather niggling issue to most but I'm an alcoholic. Even beyond that there are six businesses all within walking distance, some even within throwing distance, that sell alcohol.

So if I have any hope of dealing with new players or the general ramblings of a comic-book store I need to duck out for a minute, pound some shots, and then saunter back.

They've even asked me not to bring my flask in.

I mean… I can totally understand why they have such a policy. They get a good amount of kids and younger adults in there for various reasons. But isn't that part of the comic-book store experience? To have someone around on the verge of belligerence that knows wayyyy too much about a niche universe?

Err...

Never mind

My big problem is I don't have a hobby store, just a GW and they refuse to talk about anything that cannot be bought in the shop (other than online only stuff and food/whatnot.) Also, Cmon guys! It's not that hard to put stuff that kids might want on the middle shelves! If I want a tactical squad I have to ask one of the guys to grab it from the second-to-top shelf...

Another one is putting different models behind other ones, I have to dig through a cadian shock trooper squad, a heavy weapon team and a CCS before i can get a sentinal. WHAAT?

 Eilif wrote:

 Yodhrin wrote:

 Theophony wrote:
My peeve with game stores is them allowing the obscenity. I know there's lots of young games around who haven't learned to control themselves, but I just won't take my kids into the shop with me anymore because of hearing the F bomb thrown around by one or two people at the top of their lungs thinking they are so cool because they are fighting "the man" and because they are the customer and their money will leave when they are told to use polite words.

Implying that anyone who disagrees with your specific cultural biases is lacking maturity isn't really on - if you dislike swearing and the store allows it, either do the polite thing and ask people pleasantly and without judgement to refrain when your kids are around, or go elsewhere.

Completely disagree with you Yodhrin,
The "polite" things is to watch your mouth when in a place that caters to youth. Most any retail establishment should police the profanity of it's customers if it is a venue that is open to children and families. The onus should not be on the customer to constantly be asking folks to keep the profanity down. If unfettered profanity is to be allowed, than the store should be 18+ only with a printed warning to customers with children.

Of course you can't keep all profanity out, but if someone was repeatedly swearing or doing so in a loud voice at a grocery store, or shopping mall, they'd be asked to leave. Why should we expect any less from a game store? Putting up with an over-abundnace of profanity is bad for the store, and bad for society's impression of the hobby at large.

Body Odor, butt-crack displays, bad manners, and now we're going to defend public profanity? Is it any wonders gamers have an image problem?

But that's exactly what I'm referring to when I talk about cultural bias; YOU consider profanity to be on the same level as BO, bad manners etc etc, not everyone does, not every region or society does. Here in Scotland, for example, outside of a few specific "posh" areas or groups, most people will think you have a huge stick up your backside if you complain about people swearing - adults swear, kids swear, hell a lot of people use "a'right ya c**t" interchangeably with "hey man", "what's up dude" etc.

Frankly, the thing that I find to lack maturity and politeness is the way parents decide that the moment they pop out a couple of kiddies, anywhere open to members of the public must also be considered as "catering to youth" - the fact that there is no specific impediment to children going into an establishment does not obligate the proprietor or the customers to behave in a way any particular parent decides meets their own arbitrary criteria for what is "appropriate" - if you have children it is your responsibility to raise them and, if you consider it necessary, ensure whatever specific behavioural norms you wish to impose are followed, NOT society at large. Personally, providing they don't act like a patronising git about it, I'd have no issue moderating my language in public if a parent asked me to, but it's unfair to expect people to preemptively live their lives as if they're in a PG-13 movie, just in case some parents with specific dislike of some perfectly legal and harmless social norms happens to pass within earshot with their kids in-tow.

 Yodhrin wrote:

But that's exactly what I'm referring to when I talk about cultural bias; YOU consider profanity to be on the same level as BO, bad manners etc etc, not everyone does, not every region or society does. Here in Scotland, for example, outside of a few specific "posh" areas or groups, most people will think you have a huge stick up your backside if you complain about people swearing - adults swear, kids swear, hell a lot of people use "a'right ya c**t" interchangeably with "hey man", "what's up dude" etc.

Frankly, the thing that I find to lack maturity and politeness is the way parents decide that the moment they pop out a couple of kiddies, anywhere open to members of the public must also be considered as "catering to youth" - the fact that there is no specific impediment to children going into an establishment does not obligate the proprietor or the customers to behave in a way any particular parent decides meets their own arbitrary criteria for what is "appropriate" - if you have children it is your responsibility to raise them and, if you consider it necessary, ensure whatever specific behavioural norms you wish to impose are followed, NOT society at large. Personally, providing they don't act like a patronising git about it, I'd have no issue moderating my language in public if a parent asked me to, but it's unfair to expect people to preemptively live their lives as if they're in a PG-13 movie, just in case some parents with specific dislike of some perfectly legal and harmless social norms happens to pass within earshot with their kids in-tow.

Clearly I can't speak to Scotland, but none of what you say changes the fact that a retail establishment should adjust it's polices to accommodate a wide variety of customer's standards. That means that even if lots of folks want to swear, if there's a good portion who don't, a good store will maintain standards of politeness that include those who don't. In the USA if you run a store that caters to children, but you have alot of adults swearing at will, you're going to have lots of parents who won't enter or let their kids do so.

Put another way, some folks don't like clothes, but "no shirt, no shoes, no service" still is the order of the day in alot of places.

 Dannyrulx wrote:

Err...

Never mind

My big problem is I don't have a hobby store, just a GW and they refuse to talk about anything that cannot be bought in the shop (other than online only stuff and food/whatnot.) Also, Cmon guys! It's not that hard to put stuff that kids might want on the middle shelves! If I want a tactical squad I have to ask one of the guys to grab it from the second-to-top shelf...

Another one is putting different models behind other ones, I have to dig through a cadian shock trooper squad, a heavy weapon team and a CCS before i can get a sentinal. WHAAT?

That just sounds like a case of poor organization.

 Eilif wrote:

 Yodhrin wrote:

But that's exactly what I'm referring to when I talk about cultural bias; YOU consider profanity to be on the same level as BO, bad manners etc etc, not everyone does, not every region or society does. Here in Scotland, for example, outside of a few specific "posh" areas or groups, most people will think you have a huge stick up your backside if you complain about people swearing - adults swear, kids swear, hell a lot of people use "a'right ya c**t" interchangeably with "hey man", "what's up dude" etc.

Frankly, the thing that I find to lack maturity and politeness is the way parents decide that the moment they pop out a couple of kiddies, anywhere open to members of the public must also be considered as "catering to youth" - the fact that there is no specific impediment to children going into an establishment does not obligate the proprietor or the customers to behave in a way any particular parent decides meets their own arbitrary criteria for what is "appropriate" - if you have children it is your responsibility to raise them and, if you consider it necessary, ensure whatever specific behavioural norms you wish to impose are followed, NOT society at large. Personally, providing they don't act like a patronising git about it, I'd have no issue moderating my language in public if a parent asked me to, but it's unfair to expect people to preemptively live their lives as if they're in a PG-13 movie, just in case some parents with specific dislike of some perfectly legal and harmless social norms happens to pass within earshot with their kids in-tow.

Clearly I can't speak to Scotland, but none of what you say changes the fact that a retail establishment should adjust it's polices to accommodate a wide variety of customer's standards. That means that even if lots of folks want to swear, if there's a good portion who don't, a good store will maintain standards of politeness that include those who don't. In the USA if you run a store that caters to children, but you have alot of adults swearing at will, you're going to have lots of parents who won't enter or let their kids do so.

Put another way, some folks don't like clothes, but "no shirt, no shoes, no service" still is the order of the day in alot of places.

And in what way does a normal gaming store "cater" to children?
A retail store should adjust its policies to accommodate what it wants to bring in. If they don't want people who are "offended" by cursing in there, they won't ban it by policy. You don't have a right to not be offended.
Will that lose them business? Potentially. But I know for a fact that the store I go to is more prosperous than the other one in town, and the other one disallows swearing (very strictly - after a single warning you're asked to leave).

rigeld2 wrote:

Clearly I can't speak to Scotland, but none of what you say changes the fact that a retail establishment should adjust it's polices to accommodate a wide variety of customer's standards. That means that even if lots of folks want to swear, if there's a good portion who don't, a good store will maintain standards of politeness that include those who don't. In the USA if you run a store that caters to children, but you have alot of adults swearing at will, you're going to have lots of parents who won't enter or let their kids do so.

Put another way, some folks don't like clothes, but "no shirt, no shoes, no service" still is the order of the day in alot of places.

And in what way does a normal gaming store "cater" to children?
A retail store should adjust its policies to accommodate what it wants to bring in. If they don't want people who are "offended" by cursing in there, they won't ban it by policy. You don't have a right to not be offended.
Will that lose them business? Potentially. But I know for a fact that the store I go to is more prosperous than the other one in town, and the other one disallows swearing (very strictly - after a single warning you're asked to leave).

Leaving off the fact that we're clearly talking about 2 very different markets...

Lots of game stores around here make quite a bit off of Pokemon and Magic, 2 games that cater to pre-teens as well as other age groups. Game stores cater to a wide variety of ages, so it's beneificial to be a touch more conservative in what behavior you allow.

The biggest game store in the Chicago area (Games Plus) seems to maintain a pretty balanced approach. I don't know if they officially bar profanity, but if you do happen to hear it, it's never in a loud voice and folks are pretty polite. That's the kind of environment that will be inviting and appropriate for a wide variety of ages (though I don't see alot of kids…) and does not give potential customers with more gentle sensitivities reason to stay away.

It's just good business for them.

A new store has opened near me. Great selection and the staff are nice but since a local club has made it their base (One night a week is their Club Night and these people are the main people there most days) it has a bit of an unwelcoming feeling when this crowd are there. You get the odd 'why are you here?!' stare etc. No one has ever been rude to me or anything and its not put me off going there at all as I pretty much know what I'm heading there for so I grab what I need, have a bit of small-talk with the staff member serving me and leave with the goods. But yeah, thats my only "Peeve" and such a minor one..

I gotta laugh at the "debate" about whether a previous poster should be allowed to disapprove of vulgarity in a game store... Or be accused of being culturally biased - whatever on earth that is supposed to mean in this strange context. Anyway, I know many Scots, have travelled there extensively and am quite positive the nation's children (posh or otherwise) are not widely permitted to act like savages.

 brendan wrote:
I gotta laugh at the "debate" about whether a previous poster should be allowed to disapprove of vulgarity in a game store... Or be accused of being culturally biased - whatever on earth that is supposed to mean in this strange context. Anyway, I know many Scots, have travelled there extensively and am quite positive the nation's children (posh or otherwise) are not widely permitted to act like savages.

They were probably just not wanting to offend your fragile colonial sensibilities.

 brendan wrote:
I gotta laugh at the "debate" about whether a previous poster should be allowed to disapprove of vulgarity in a game store... Or be accused of being culturally biased - whatever on earth that is supposed to mean in this strange context. Anyway, I know many Scots, have travelled there extensively and am quite positive the nation's children (posh or otherwise) are not widely permitted to act like savages.

You'd laugh a bit less and perhaps understand a bit more if you'd actually read the arguments; first, the discussion is not about whether anyone is "allowed to disapprove", people can feel however they like about whatever they like, the discussion is over whether it's reasonable to expect any and every establishment which happens to be open to members of the public to force all customers to refrain from swearing just in case a parent who disapproves of swearing chooses to bring their kids in and the kids overhear. And the meaning of cultural bias is quite evident in this context, you demonstrate it yourself right there - swearing does not mean you are a "savage" in many places, Scotland included.

You know what is hilarious though? Someone telling a Scot who lives in Scotland that they're wrong about Scottish cultural norms on the basis of a couple of holidays taken here - that's not even slightly patronising

 Eilif wrote:

 paulson games wrote:

I'd go up there when I wanted things then and there, not to use their web portal to order stuff I'd get in a week or two, I can do that from home and at a discount. Why would I want to drive to their store just to web order everything? I can't buy something you don't have on the shelf, drove me nuts.

... in addition to stinky clothes he also kept a pair of ferrets in cages in that room, and they have a terrible oily stench that follows them everywhere and their cages weren't cleaned often enough so they also reeked of ferret piss which is even worse than the smell of cat piss. It was so bad we'd all try and hold our breath while passing through there and even then the smell would cling to you for a bit after you walked through. It was pretty horrible and the major reason why we eventually stopped going there. It wouldn't have taken much effort to relocate the ferrets and clean on occasion but he preferred to keep his place a pit ultimately at the expense of his customers.

Customers usually just want to buy and play with products in a clean professional environments, not be assaulted by the owner's personal issues/hobbies/etc.

Out of curiosity, is that store still around?

The stinky ferret store is still in operation as a couple of my friends do still go there on occasion (the owners house is the upstairs portion, so there's little chance that it'll close down unless he loses the whole place). It's been several years since I've been out there so I'm not sure if they still have the ferrets, I don't think ferrets live all that long but he might also replace them. They're over in Hammond so it's not like it's a ritzy area that'd encourage people to keep a clean shop, not quite a ghetto like Gary but like many areas of IN it's an unwashed armpit. Overall the player crowd is great, unfortunately it's the owner's personal habits that are ugh.


At Games Plus I've often gotten a whiff of cat pee walking into the building despite the store never having a cat (as far as I'm aware) They either have a moisture issue in the building or one of the employees/regulars has some really strong pet odors on them as I've noticed it numerous times but have yet to figure out where it's coming from. It's nowhere near the eye watering level of the ferrets but it's still a bit gross. Given the distance I tend not to frequent the Plus very often and only go when there's something I really need. My local store (Fair Game) is amazingly clean and well maintained, the downside is they don't carry much in the way of minis games due to space constraints. (They move a ton of board games and ccgs though)

Another thing that bugs m about all my local FLGS is that they pretty much only carry the following:

1. CCG Cards- Mostly Magic
2. GW
2. Warmahordes

I want a bit more than that out of my games store. However, as a store owner myself I don't fault them that much. They can;t have everythingand should carry what they sell. It just kind of bugs me.

 Yodhrin wrote:

 Theophony wrote:
My peeve with game stores is them allowing the obscenity. I know there's lots of young games around who haven't learned to control themselves, but I just won't take my kids into the shop with me anymore because of hearing the F bomb thrown around by one or two people at the top of their lungs thinking they are so cool because they are fighting "the man" and because they are the customer and their money will leave when they are told to use polite words.

Implying that anyone who disagrees with your specific cultural biases is lacking maturity isn't really on - if you dislike swearing and the store allows it, either do the polite thing and ask people pleasantly and without judgement to refrain when your kids are around, or go elsewhere.

This is actually something that loses a lot of stores both dollars and customers. Some gamers will curse everytime they roll a 1 and casually lace all conversations with profanity. They don't have an off switch or don't care if they curse around small children or families. This has the expected result of the store losing those customers. I've yet to lose a gamer over the store policy of "please watch your language and dont curse". I have gained quite a few customers who started shopping with me because they didn't want to take their kids into another store.

 Regnak wrote:
A new store has opened near me. Great selection and the staff are nice but since a local club has made it their base (One night a week is their Club Night and these people are the main people there most days) it has a bit of an unwelcoming feeling when this crowd are there. You get the odd 'why are you here?!' stare etc. No one has ever been rude to me or anything and its not put me off going there at all as I pretty much know what I'm heading there for so I grab what I need, have a bit of small-talk with the staff member serving me and leave with the goods. But yeah, thats my only "Peeve" and such a minor one..

I definitely agree that the "clique" mentality is a pet peeve as well. Even if it's not a club but if the store has been around for a while and has a group of regulars who go there, a new face feels out of place and, often, unwelcome because nobody else knows you. I actually stopped going to a store because the two or three times I had gone there, people just weren't very friendly because they were all regulars and I had never been there before. It didn't feel welcoming, I felt like I was an outsider and didn't belong.

 mikhaila wrote:


This is actually something that loses a lot of stores both dollars and customers. Some gamers will curse everytime they roll a 1 and casually lace all conversations with profanity. They don't have an off switch or don't care if they curse around small children or families. This has the expected result of the store losing those customers. I've yet to lose a gamer over the store policy of "please watch your language and dont curse". I have gained quite a few customers who started shopping with me because they didn't want to take their kids into another store.

Totally agree. I am neither prude nor puritan and having served in the British army I have a tendency to curse like a trooper. However, I am a father of two small children so I have to make a conscientious effort to give the sailor talk the heave-ho when around them - they have a worrying tendency to pick up stuff exceedingly quickly and then to repeat it at the time designed to cause the maximum amount of embarrassment. Likewise, should I nip into a GW or FLGS store whilst out shopping with my kids, I don't expect to hear youngsters and adults effing and jeffing especially over a game of toy soldiers and I would hope most people would respect that common courtesy especially if requested to do so by the store owner. Nothing against cursing but wargaming and more so GW gaming are primarily the pursuits of the young so I would expect FLGS to have a more PG 13 atmosphere than other stores that cater to an exclusive adult audience.

 Yodhrin wrote:

You'd laugh a bit less and perhaps understand a bit more if you'd actually read the arguments; first, the discussion is not about whether anyone is "allowed to disapprove", people can feel however they like about whatever they like, the discussion is over whether it's reasonable to expect any and every establishment which happens to be open to members of the public to force all customers to refrain from swearing just in case a parent who disapproves of swearing chooses to bring their kids in and the kids overhear

Like most adults, I eff and blind a little bit in my everyday speech without thinking much of it. And like most adults, I generally don't do it when there are small children around. Whilst I've heard 12 year olds en-route to school swearing like troopers, that's something of a teenage thing (they learn a new swearword and fit it into every sentence they can with their contemporaries for the next three weeks), and most functioning adults can go the course of a day without feeling the need to resort regularly to vulgarities in the same immature manner.

If someone 'Ahhh, feth' after a batch of particularly bad dicerolls once in a blue moon, that's not an issue in a games store, anymore than it would be in any establishment. But, like most establishments, if the majority of your sentences have loud expletives of varying severity in, it's something of an anti-social behaviour and should be treated accordingly, i.e. the person asked to refrain, and if they persist, ejected from the premises. You have the right to say what you like, but if you cross that threshold into what the majority of people would consider to be anti-social behaviour, the shop owner also has the right to remove and bar you at his discretion for disturbing other paying customers.

paulson games wrote:
At Games Plus I've often gotten a whiff of cat pee walking into the building despite the store never having a cat (as far as I'm aware) They either have a moisture issue in the building or one of the employees/regulars has some really strong pet odors on them as I've noticed it numerous times but have yet to figure out where it's coming from. It's nowhere near the eye watering level of the ferrets but it's still a bit gross. Given the distance I tend not to frequent the Plus very often and only go when there's something I really need. My local store (Fair Game) is amazingly clean and well maintained, the downside is they don't carry much in the way of minis games due to space constraints. (They move a ton of board games and ccgs though)

Odd, I'm only in there about every other month, but I've never noticed an odor. I'm heading in tomorrow, now my nose will be on alert! Though it's fairly out of my way, It's the only game store I frequent because it's the only store where I'm likely to find something that interests me. Most FLGS's are stocked with the same 3-6 games, none of which I play, but Games Plus is a goldmine of miniatures and games you otherwise only find on the internet.

mikhaila wrote:
This is actually something that loses a lot of stores both dollars and customers. Some gamers will curse everytime they roll a 1 and casually lace all conversations with profanity. They don't have an off switch or don't care if they curse around small children or families. This has the expected result of the store losing those customers. I've yet to lose a gamer over the store policy of "please watch your language and dont curse". I have gained quite a few customers who started shopping with me because they didn't want to take their kids into another store.

Interesting. I always assumed this was the case (mostly because I wouldn't bring my kids into a profanity laden store) but it's good to hear that it's true. Especially glad to hear that your store has benefited from such a policy. I guess politeness is good for the bottom line. Definitely sounds like the kind of place I'd frequent if I were out that way.

I hate when you go to a game store, they're all nice at first. For weeks you come in to a nice envirnment, they give you your special orders on time, and they always keep the latest W40k stuff on the shelves and have plenty of tables and good terrain. And you go there and make friends with the owner and the employees. Then suddenly you're in the middle of a sex slave ring with no clue how you got there.

 Pyeatt wrote:
I hate when you go to a game store, they're all nice at first. For weeks you come in to a nice envirnment, they give you your special orders on time, and they always keep the latest W40k stuff on the shelves and have plenty of tables and good terrain. And you go there and make friends with the owner and the employees. Then suddenly you're in the middle of a sex slave ring with no clue how you got there.

Ugh, like every time I go to a new FLGS.

 mikhaila wrote:

 Yodhrin wrote:

 Theophony wrote:
My peeve with game stores is them allowing the obscenity. I know there's lots of young games around who haven't learned to control themselves, but I just won't take my kids into the shop with me anymore because of hearing the F bomb thrown around by one or two people at the top of their lungs thinking they are so cool because they are fighting "the man" and because they are the customer and their money will leave when they are told to use polite words.

Implying that anyone who disagrees with your specific cultural biases is lacking maturity isn't really on - if you dislike swearing and the store allows it, either do the polite thing and ask people pleasantly and without judgement to refrain when your kids are around, or go elsewhere.

This is actually something that loses a lot of stores both dollars and customers. Some gamers will curse everytime they roll a 1 and casually lace all conversations with profanity. They don't have an off switch or don't care if they curse around small children or families. This has the expected result of the store losing those customers. I've yet to lose a gamer over the store policy of "please watch your language and dont curse". I have gained quite a few customers who started shopping with me because they didn't want to take their kids into another store.

I was going to add to this discussion, but Mihaila pretty much nailed it.

I have a ridiculous potty mouth. I curse like a drunken sailor. I also have a seven year old kid who is really interested in gaming. Both at home at the game store and elsewhere, i watch my mouth. I realize he's my kid, he's not others, but if a store wants me to bring my kid (which means i'm leaving with some pokemon or magic cards bought!), then they have to do their best to have patrons watch their language.

I'm reasonable though ; the occasional s-bomb or something not screamed to the heavens, fine no problem. My kid is smart and knows there are words he cannot say that sometimes adults say.

However if there's a mid to late teenager that has just found the rebellious nature of the f-bomb and decides to drop it like it was February 13, 1945 over Dresden, now we have problems.

Here's the thing: i'm not disapproving of your cursing. I'm not. What i don't want to deal with is my son's quizzical look at me and asking me "Dad, why's he saying feth all the time ? " because that plants the seed that hey, that guys doing it, there's apparently no consequence, feth it, i can say it too. There! I just did. feth me, that feels fething good! Yeah! fething A, lets get some fething poke a fething mon cards up in fething here and while we're fething at it i fething hope i get a fething char i fething zar fething -d .


... I end up with a George Carlin skit on my hands. and then his mom asks where he learned such language... Well, i know its a bad word, but Timmeh at the Game Store said it... and this just rolls downhill from here.


So that's the real rub. If the local game store during kid marketing times (pokemon day, daytime magic), isn't kid friendly.... that's cool. But i can't bring my kid there if i'm paranoid about what he's going to pick up there. I can buy the cards at any target and we can play the games at the house, or with his friends.

Or i can come, buy the cards there, buy some paints... and now that i think of it, i could fething use some more fething Mournfang. I don't say that though.


-- Haight

Body odor. Showering is not hard people.

 RivenSkull wrote:
Body odor. Showering is not hard people.

Please describe.

Real slow

Mikhaila, can you tell some bad customer stories?

So, I had a bad FLGS experience at my shop before I enlisted. Needless to say I got medboarded out after getting hurt, and roughly a year or two later, the store is drastically different. I don't know if was my stepfather who tagged along being a dick and prompting their bad behavior, or his stature that could have intimidated them the first time I went to the shop. (He's like 6'5.) It had all the problems everyone has mentioned here.

Anyways, this time I went in and it was wonderful. There was no wait but, no real crowding either. There wasn't a million smelly customers duking it out over physic powers, intently studying their rulebooks and screaming, and the shop was calm. All the releases had been organized, the tables condensed, and the graphic novels/comics no longer took up the store portion of the store. I purchased a ton of paint, and swapped some SM bits for various bits to upgrade some tanks and I got some xenos parts as trophy bits.

They no longer spam via text updates either but, they text you when something interesting is going on, and they make events based on the communities needs. (Like people learning to paint for the first time, so they call people in to teach/have a painting workshop day.)

I don't know if they read this thread or not, haha but, it's like they turned a full 180.

 Swan-of-War wrote:

 RivenSkull wrote:
Body odor. Showering is not hard people.

Please describe.

Real slow

Well first you need to turn on the water. Make sure it's warm, but not too hot. Anything beyond a light steam will dry out your skin.

Then you need to actually get into the running water. Just turning on the water and saying you showered doesn't cut it.

Using a soft brush or loofah, gently scrub your body. Make sure not to scrub your skin too harshly, as doing such will damage the outer layers of your skin.
Make sure to give extra attention to anywhere that skin hits skin (armpits, crotch, etc.). Sweat and odors build here and can be primary culprits for odor.

Make sure to wash your face as well, and if you haven't washed your hair this week, make sure you use some shampoo and wash your hair as well.

After you have washed your body and hair, make sure to fully rinse all of the soap off you before turning off the water.

When you get out, dry yourself off and them apply some deodorant to places that you sweat most from.
If your skin is a bit too sensitive for most deodorant, use a powder like Gold Bond to control the perspiration.

Oh god, you forgot to tell him to get dressed afterwards! We can only hope and pray that I have posted this in time!

No, you did not. I just came back from my FLGS, where I had to buy a hobby knife to remove my own eyes.

Oh, God, the flabbby pale flesh I will never be able to unsee.....

I will admit, though, the place smelled fresher than ever. I wandered around sniffing people until the ambulance arrived.

-S'Cipio

Ha - thanks!

niceguyteddy wrote:
Mikhaila, can you tell some bad customer stories?

Yes...but generally only with other retailers over a few beers

I would rather see a thread where FLGS owners can tell their horror stories about us.

 rryannn wrote:
I would rather see a thread where FLGS owners can tell their horror stories about us.

I agree. There must be so many wonderfully bizarre/unsettling/frightening stories floating out there that I bet you could go through multiple bags of popcorn without even noticing.

 DarkTraveler777 wrote:

 rryannn wrote:
I would rather see a thread where FLGS owners can tell their horror stories about us.

I agree. There must be so many wonderfully bizarre/unsettling/frightening stories floating out there that I bet you could go through multiple bags of popcorn without even noticing.

Thirded.

My FLGS has a huge stock of 40k but not much WHFB. Why? Also only GW acrylics. No WHFB club but clubs for Pokemon (?) Yu-gi-oh and MtG

 HandpaintingMasterrace wrote:
My FLGS has a huge stock of 40k but not much WHFB. Why? Also only GW acrylics. No WHFB club but clubs for Pokemon (?) Yu-gi-oh and MtG

Sad, but not surprising. YuGiOh and MtG are far bigger income streams for most places than WHFB. Probably even more than 40k.

I can't really say anything bad about either my FLGS or my local GW store.
Both offer what I want. Knowledgable staff and the supplies minis I want. If they don't have it they order it for me. No fuzz at all.
My only niggle would be that I paid full retail formy new Battlefoam bag. Considering the monies I have left there and will leave a wee discount would be appreciated..