Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Roze wrote:just as a foot note when the guy tryed to charge me for the paint brush set i ranted and left i didnt get the Malekith i had actully went in for, and on principal i didnt go back for him either.

That's what I probably would have done, too. If for no other reason than to teach the guy at the register a lesson in the hopes that he doesn't repeat it with anyone else.

Wait.... So you don't have to buy a paint brush set or paint pot everytime your purchase a blister? They've been working me over this whole time? Next thing you know car dealers will be selling cars for less then that sticker price on the windshield.

i was actually physically assaulted and touched inappropriately at a Gamesworkshop store.

Hollismason wrote: i was actually physically assaulted and touched inappropriately at a Gamesworkshop store.

yes I had that exact same feeling the last time I bought a white dwarf

We should start a support group.

We need a good acronym all good support groups have a good acronym.

I don't go into the Glen Burnie store anymore. Had me a run in, and decided they would be better off w/o me. I heartily support my FLGS, whilst my wife buys from Catapano at the warstore.

Although, I must confess, I have had some great conversion ideas from some of the redshirts at the GW Maryland store. Sanchez in particular was extremely helpful in a none cheese dick kinda way. Was looking for some wings for Tyranid warriors, and couldn't find "the" wings. He suggested the Warmaster Orc Wyvern wings, and when I saw them, they were excellent. I bought about 10 pair. There's some experience in there, and some of them have solid ideas and advice. But I won't be back in one. I wish Sanchez the best. Dirty Steve was pretty cool as well.

JohnHwangDD wrote:"No thanks, I'm good. If I need you, I'll let you know."

This.

I don't get why people get so upset about salespeople trying to...dare I say...sell you things.

There's no need to be rude to them if you've never met them.
There's no need to be overly touchy about it.
There's no need to act superior to them.

I mean really.
God forbid someone you've never met try to be somewhat helpful to you in a store.

I can understand if you're there every few days that it'd be obnoxious. But it takes time for salespeople to get to know you, or at least that's what I've always been aware of...

It took almost a year for my FLGS to find out that whenever I go in to buy stuff, I usually have nothing specific in mind...just something shiny to paint.

Kanluwen wrote:
I mean really.
God forbid someone you've never met try to be somewhat helpful to you in a store.

It's like you assume myself and the OP here are idiots and haven't visited shops before.
God forbid you actually read the posts here and on my thread, we are well aware of good customer service and well aware someone's trying to make a sale.
Neither of us were impressed by the way in which it is being conducted, ffs man, is that such a difficult concept to grasp?!?
The complaint is about poor sales pitch, aggressive stance, patronising attitude etc.

I expect, on entering a shop, to have someone attempt to sell me something, I don't expect it to be conducted quite so badly as I've seen in the GW shop.

Grasp.The.Concept.

MeanGreenStompa wrote:
I expect, on entering a shop, to have someone attempt to sell me something, I don't expect it to be conducted quite so badly as I've seen in the GW shop.

Grasp.The.Concept.

AMEN. I can't tell you how sick I am of people trying to be smart and "reminding" us all how retail works...

i think australian Gamesworkshops are alot better from what ive heard...

ive just gone to my GW shop everynow and then, buying a pot of paint, or a box etc. and they give some tips etc.. good staff there, or its just me

The only reason I go to GW stores is to buy superglue, because I like their superglue. Occasionally I impulse buy when I'm there (*cough* 7 boxes of Scouts *cough*), but otherwise there's no point.

Even with the dramatic drop in the OzDollar-to-Pound exchange rate, it's still cheaper for me to order from Maelstrom Games UK that it is to drive 10 mins to my local GW.

BYE

H.B.M.C. wrote:I haen't been in a GW for a few months, but the past two times I went there I walked out of there with every Marine Scout box they had on the shelf. They don't tend to ask me questions because it's not the first time I've done something like that (I once went in and just bought a Deathguard army on a whim one day - everyone just kinda stared at me in stunned silence as I went around the store pulling boxes and blisters off of shelves without saying a word).

BYE

At the Gw I worked at, we had a gentleman, never seen before, come in and ask for every monolith we had.. So, I pulled the 3 from the shelf and put them at the register, I asked if he needed anything else. He asked me if there were more in the back and I looked.. Yep 3 more. He asked for those. He asked for more, we called a store about 30 mins away by drive, they had 5.. I told them to send the new guy down with all 5. He walked out of the store with 11 monoliths.

Of course, I also made sure to ask if he had all the necessary stuff, glue, clippers etc.. to which he answered yes.. Then he stopped at the door and said, you know, no ones ever asked me if I ever needed glue or clippers, and I always forget that stuff too..

Anyways, he became a regular. I can't say it was all because of me, but I'm sure he was pretty happy not to have to make a 1 hour round trip to pick up those extra monoliths.. You never know who is going to walk in and buy stuff.. All you can do is make sure they get what they want, and if that want is to be left alone, I'll accomodate that too.. lol

grizgrin wrote:I don't go into the Glen Burnie store anymore. Had me a run in, and decided they would be better off w/o me. I heartily support my FLGS, whilst my wife buys from Catapano at the warstore.
snippity snippity snip There's some experience in there, and some of them have solid ideas and advice. But I won't be back in one. I wish Sanchez the best. Dirty Steve was pretty cool as well.

Does anyone know where Dirty Steve ended up? After I left GW I think he was still there, but that was more than 3 years ago now...

Did you ever find out why the *F* he wanted 11 Monoliths?

Eric

MeanGreenStompa wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:
I mean really.
God forbid someone you've never met try to be somewhat helpful to you in a store.

It's like you assume myself and the OP here are idiots and haven't visited shops before.
God forbid you actually read the posts here and on my thread, we are well aware of good customer service and well aware someone's trying to make a sale.
Neither of us were impressed by the way in which it is being conducted, ffs man, is that such a difficult concept to grasp?!?
The complaint is about poor sales pitch, aggressive stance, patronising attitude etc.

I expect, on entering a shop, to have someone attempt to sell me something, I don't expect it to be conducted quite so badly as I've seen in the GW shop.

Grasp.The.Concept.

I don't know how to reply your quite rude reply without being a complete twit or sinking to your level.

After reading your original thread, it seems like you had a bad experience.
Yes, I can understand that completely. I visited a store in New York back in July when I was visiting family. The first few minutes, the owner of the store was kind of an annoyance asking if there was anything specific I was looking for, or why he'd never seen me around before.
Shock and amazement...he was trying to strike a rapport with a customer...because he genuinely enjoys the hobby.
After a few minutes of chatting, he was showing off his Guard army and the tables he was working on for the store's Apocalypse games.


Maybe rather than just blowing up at people...it wouldn't hurt to actually be friendly and to just tell them that you know what you're looking for, but thank you anyways.
I know.
Crazy talk!

Hollismason wrote:We should start a support group.

We need a good acronym all good support groups have a good acronym.

NAMBLA.

Kanluwen wrote:

JohnHwangDD wrote:"No thanks, I'm good. If I need you, I'll let you know."

This.

I don't get why people get so upset about salespeople trying to...dare I say...sell you things.

You missed the thread where one guy was so huffy over being called 'sir' that he had to post about it across multiple boards.

Bookwrack wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:

JohnHwangDD wrote:"No thanks, I'm good. If I need you, I'll let you know."

This.

I don't get why people get so upset about salespeople trying to...dare I say...sell you things.

You missed the thread where one guy was so huffy over being called 'sir' that he had to post about it across multiple boards.

No, I saw that one
I don't recall if I posted in it or not, but I remember thinking it amusing the timing of it considering that it was around the same time I shaved my head and started getting called 'sir' when at the hardware store buying stuff for my table.

You missed the thread where one guy was so huffy over being called 'sir' that he had to post about it across multiple boards.

Yeah, that was pretty slowed, but not the same thing. Not by a long shot.

I fully expect a store to try and sell me gak, but they really don't need to be that fething aggressive. Like being charged for crap at the register that you don't even want? You guys support that BS?

I don't know how to reply your quite rude reply without being a complete twit or sinking to your level.

I didn't find his reply rude at all, what I found rude however was the way all you smartasses reply with "DUH! IT'S A STORE LOLZ?!", as if that was the entire complaint. This isn't "I walked into a Wal-Mart and the greeter said hi, wtf is that about?" like you all think it is (but like I said, that thread was pretty slowed...and spanned multiple forums at that).

Sidstyler wrote:

You missed the thread where one guy was so huffy over being called 'sir' that he had to post about it across multiple boards.

Yeah, that was pretty slowed, but not the same thing. Not by a long shot.

I fully expect a store to try and sell me gak, but they really don't need to be that fething aggressive. Like being charged for crap at the register that you don't even want? You guys support that BS?

Relevancy?

It's never happened to me, so I can't say I really care. It's certainly not GW exclusive, nor a common tactic.

What do you mean "relevancy", it directly relates to the topic at hand, GW store experiences. It was mentioned at least two seperate times in this same thread, being charged at the register for things you didn't intend on buying, trying to force/pressure you into spending more money than you want.

Anyway, no it certainly isn't GW exclusive, or even a common "tactic" since the stores are still in business (I can't imagine they would be for long after gak like that), but the topic of the thread is GW. And I wouldn't try and defend it by claiming "Well they don't do that all the time and they aren't the only ones anyway", or especially by jumping anyone's ass and saying "It's a store! They're supposed to do that!"

Sidstyler wrote:

You missed the thread where one guy was so huffy over being called 'sir' that he had to post about it across multiple boards.

Yeah, that was pretty slowed, but not the same thing. Not by a long shot.

I fully expect a store to try and sell me gak, but they really don't need to be that fething aggressive. Like being charged for crap at the register that you don't even want? You guys support that BS?

I don't know how to reply your quite rude reply without being a complete twit or sinking to your level.

I didn't find his reply rude at all, what I found rude however was the way all you smartasses reply with "DUH! IT'S A STORE LOLZ?!", as if that was the entire complaint. This isn't "I walked into a Wal-Mart and the greeter said hi, wtf is that about?" like you all think it is (but like I said, that thread was pretty slowed...and spanned multiple forums at that).

If you got charged for crap at the register that you don't even want--that goes over the line.
Expecting employees to not make contact with customers--that's an error on your part of assumption.

And yes. His reply was rude in my opinion, but I guess some people have different assumptions of manners and how to act civilly towards people.

Honestly?
If having people talk to you when you go in to buy some models is that much of a traumatizing experience to you that you feel the need to go whine about it on the internet?

Maybe it's time for you to start living in a bubble.

If you got charged for crap at the register that you don't even want--that goes over the line.

Yes it does, and I'm glad most people see it that way.

Expecting employees to not make contact with customers--that's an error on your part of assumption.

Agreed. Obviously you can't walk into a store, or even out in public, and hope to never make contact with another human being.

And yes. His reply was rude in my opinion, but I guess some people have different assumptions of manners and how to act civilly towards people.

Well, in my opinion when you get the same "lolz your stupid"-type replies where people try to explain to you how a store functions, ignoring the original complaint altogether, one can get frustrated rather easily. I read the post his was in reply to and it felt justified to me. If you want people to be respectful and act civilly towards you then it's probably a good idea to show them the same amount of respect in the first place and at least read their post. Otherwise you get what you get.

Honestly?
If having people talk to you when you go in to buy some models is that much of a traumatizing experience to you that you feel the need to go whine about it on the internet?

You must be talking to the infamous "sir" poster again.

Granted I have seen people complain about just being talked to when entering the store, but the complaint seems to be more about pushy/aggressive sales tactics than simply being acknowledged like everyone on the other side insinuates.

I dunno what happend to Dirty. He seemed like a really nice guy. I was working at one of the sideboard tables in the GW Bunker, the ones that line the walls, and I overheard him talking to someone that was helping him set up a shot on a table with some models. He seemed quite "chuffed" when I recognized him and came over to chat for a second. I believe Sanchez is still there in some capacity, you see his name creep up every so often.

Sidstyler wrote:

If you got charged for crap at the register that you don't even want--that goes over the line.

Yes it does, and I'm glad most people see it that way.

Expecting employees to not make contact with customers--that's an error on your part of assumption.

Agreed. Obviously you can't walk into a store, or even out in public, and hope to never make contact with another human being.

And yes. His reply was rude in my opinion, but I guess some people have different assumptions of manners and how to act civilly towards people.

Well, in my opinion when you get the same "lolz your stupid"-type replies where people try to explain to you how a store functions, ignoring the original complaint altogether, one can get frustrated rather easily. I read the post his was in reply to and it felt justified to me. If you want people to be respectful and act civilly towards you then it's probably a good idea to show them the same amount of respect in the first place and at least read their post. Otherwise you get what you get.

Honestly?
If having people talk to you when you go in to buy some models is that much of a traumatizing experience to you that you feel the need to go whine about it on the internet?

You must be talking to the infamous "sir" poster again.

Granted I have seen people complain about just being talked to when entering the store, but the complaint seems to be more about pushy/aggressive sales tactics than simply being acknowledged like everyone on the other side insinuates.

See, when I go into stores...I expect pushy sales tactics.
It comes from having worked at EBgames for a few years, I guess.

Talk about pushy/aggressive sales tactics?
I refuse to go to those stores/Gamestops ever.
Best Buy gets my business instead.

Dirty Steve is a balding guy who has a warg rider army If I recall correctly right?

If thats the same guy he got promoted and is one of the uppity ups for the Maryland Virginia DC area, aka a district manager or something close to that. Ran into him at the Bunker when I went there to get FW stuff and when they opened there was all the managers from the local stores as well as the district managers all having their meeting.

Kanluwen wrote:

And yes. His reply was rude in my opinion, but I guess some people have different assumptions of manners and how to act civilly towards people.

Honestly?
If having people talk to you when you go in to buy some models is that much of a traumatizing experience to you that you feel the need to go whine about it on the internet?

Maybe it's time for you to start living in a bubble.

You commence your opening post with a dismissive, arrogant and patronising line about 'dare you say it, selling things', continue with a step by step guide to not being touchy or superior and completely ignore every bloody thing the OP stated and I stated in the original thread. It was a discussion about poor customer service, if you like getting treated poorly by people who are trying to sell you something, all power to you, the majority of people on the planet don't.

Frankly pal, you think my response was rude, you should get out more.

MeanGreenStompa wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:

And yes. His reply was rude in my opinion, but I guess some people have different assumptions of manners and how to act civilly towards people.

Honestly?
If having people talk to you when you go in to buy some models is that much of a traumatizing experience to you that you feel the need to go whine about it on the internet?

Maybe it's time for you to start living in a bubble.

You commence your opening post with a dismissive, arrogant and patronising line about 'dare you say it, selling things', continue with a step by step guide to not being touchy or superior and completely ignore every bloody thing the OP stated and I stated in the original thread. It was a discussion about poor customer service, if you like getting treated poorly by people who are trying to sell you something, all power to you, the majority of people on the planet don't.

Frankly pal, you think my response was rude, you should get out more.

"To the staff (not all but a significant number) and most especially the managers of the two Games workshops I have visited recently, some sage advice on how to treat me.

I am 32 years old, I am a senior manager in my place of work, I am in a long term relationship. I do not require patronising, I do not enjoy attempts to draw me into a pissing contest on Games Workshop nostalgia, I am not 14 so please do not address me as though I might be, do not 'tell me' what I need to buy, aggressive sales techniques are more likely to cause me to leave than make a purchase, if I tell you I'm thinking of a CoS army for Warhammer please don't tell me how its not allowed in the shop or we'll argue about Games Workshop's stance on orphaned armies. I have no intention of playing in the shop, tables are too ruddy small and I swear, oh and you won't let me cause I'll be using an army your company designed then disallowed?!?.

Do Not Shout At Me, you may have been told on your 'management training journey' that it's showing your enthusiasm and I'm certain the kids dig it, but I do not want to be shouted at, I don't get shouted at in other shops. Do not believe that because many young people hang on your word in the shop that I will do so, I can be expected to challenge information I am presented with and voice my displeasure as a consumer when Games Workshop do something I do not care for ie:

GWM: Oh YEAH! New Daemonettes are SO GREAT!!!!!
Me: Yes, I do like many of the new boxes GW are doing, plastics are greatly improved, I did really like the previous metal ones tho, not the bald, huge claw ones but the whispy tentacle ones just prior to...
GWM: NONONONONO!! They were rubbish, you get LOADS in this box SEEEE!!
Me: Yes, I know they work out alot cheaper and they are good I'm just saying I liked the previous o...
GWM: No! They were Crap mate!
Me: ok, thanks, bye now.
I wander away pondering if he ever said they were crap when they sold them.

So, a polite request, I am an adult, change tack when you approach me, chat, be amiable by all means but do so in a way that suggests you are capable of understanding your customer and not preaching from the GW sales mantra they subliminally drilled into your brain.

Thank you
"

Your original post.

You got a crappy salesperson, your army isn't valid anymore, the tables are too small, etc.
Boohoo.
It's not a reason to start a thread on an internet forum.
It's not even a discussion.
It's you venting about how you get treated like...a potential customer?
If you don't like it, then don't go back to the store or tell the staffer that he needs to chill out a bit. Don't tell the Internet your horror story.

The OP for this thread was actually looking for advice on how to deal with the overexcited staffers.
Not ways to avoid human contact.

Dealing with overexcited staffers is actually kinda difficult sometimes, dependent on the staffer. If you are young, and they are relatively new and hyper; you might just be in for a poor experience and that's that. Trying to be polite and nice may work and I would recommend it as your first, second, and third tries. If they are still haranguing you, you may have to be more forceful and direct. This does not equate ot being an donkey-cave, but to telling them where they are fething up and what you need them to do for you. This, I believe, is perfectly fair and meet since they are most probably being very forceful and direct with you. This tack may be the only way to effectively communicate to them that they are fething up their sale, and driving you out of the store. Yes, they have to make sales. But some of those guys treat my kid the way I've seen them browbeat and harangue tweens in that store, and I'll have their ass, verbally. I'll drive their manager nutso with the complaints.

A driving economic need to make sales, especially in as gakky an economy as we current;y have; I can understand and empathize with. And sales is cut-throat to begin with. It is eat or be eaten. However there is certainly more than one way to get a potential custormers money out of their pocket and into yours; the better salespersons and teams will do this.

Kanluwen wrote:
...subliminally drilled into your brain.

Subliminally? With some of those guys they used a plasma cutter to open up the hole to drop it in through.

I've found as I get older, I have an easier time dealing with pushy sales people. I'm pretty easy going, so the GW staff don't bug me, but I had an experience today that was pretty similar. I'm an ACLU member, and I got a phone call trying to raise money. That's fine, I knew what I was getting into when I signed up. I explained that I'm a student, I have no real income, and that I'm volunteering at a Fair Housing Clinic instead of working more hours this semester. The lady kept chugging through her script of "well, what about a one time donation of $10 more" and the like.

I finally simply stated "I've made it clear that I won't be donating anything further. Continuing to ask me will be rude, and I will quickly act rude in return."

With hyperactice GW staff, cut to the core of the issue: that you don't need their help, and you may or may not be buying anything, but if you do, it'll be what you want because of you're own judgment and taste. A great sample line after your initial bits about not needing help and knowing what you want are ignored would be to state: "I would like to browse in peace. If you will not simply allow me to look around, then I will leave. I don't' want to be a problem customer and I appreciate your efforts, but I find your current behavior toward me to be disrespectful. May I browse on my own, or should I leave?"

I think you need to simply make it clear that you find their attitude to be a problem. Use terms like rude or annoying, and offer to leave. Don't make threats, but simply talk them down calmly.

Although the GW store here in St. Louis is no longer here, I have to say my experiences there were always good.

Sure they would try to push the cans of primer or paints or whatnot when you made a purchase but the overall feel in the store was very laid back. There was a small table set up for 4-5 people to sit and paint and glue models together. There were several game tables with nice terrain. There were places to store your minis under the game tables and the staff got to know the regular customers by name. They would allow you to bring in food drinks as long as they were kept off the tables.

They carried a lot of stock, which is a plus over my FLGS. Also you could place orders through the store and get free shipping. I know you can save money buying online from third party dealers but sometimes I have had to wait a long time to get an order or wind up with a partial order. I always could order from GW with confidence. There was also a good community of gamers that met there from all over the St. Louis area that you could pick up techniques or modeling/painting ideas from.