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Kanluwen wrote:

aerethan wrote:I'm not talking about trades, I'm talking about exchanging 100% new merchandise for equal value as the store makes the same margin on them.

And GW should support their products in EVERY facet, regardless of if it was sold by them or one of their resellers. It is still their product and their reputation at the end of the day. They STILL made money on it even if it was bought online at a discount.

Not every online discounter is one of their resellers.

In fact, a large majority of the online sales are through eBay...which pretty clearly isn't a GW reseller.

you mean to tell me that if GW product exists outside of it's own distribution centers that GW didn't at least make their wholesale profit on it? EVERY piece of non stolen GW product that is out there at some point was bought FROM GW itself, either at the wholesale or retail price. Either way, GW at least got it's $18 per $35 box out there, so swapping 1 box for another wouldn't cause a loss to GW in any way, as the profit per item sold is the same for ALL wholesale and ALL retail.

If the product can be resold after exchanged for full retail, it won't cause a loss in any way.

aerethan wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:

aerethan wrote:I'm not talking about trades, I'm talking about exchanging 100% new merchandise for equal value as the store makes the same margin on them.

And GW should support their products in EVERY facet, regardless of if it was sold by them or one of their resellers. It is still their product and their reputation at the end of the day. They STILL made money on it even if it was bought online at a discount.

Not every online discounter is one of their resellers.

In fact, a large majority of the online sales are through eBay...which pretty clearly isn't a GW reseller.

you mean to tell me that if GW product exists outside of it's own distribution centers that GW didn't at least make their wholesale profit on it? EVERY piece of non stolen GW product that is out there at some point was bought FROM GW itself, either at the wholesale or retail price. Either way, GW at least got it's $18 per $35 box out there, so swapping 1 box for another wouldn't cause a loss to GW in any way, as the profit per item sold is the same for ALL wholesale and ALL retail.

If the product can be resold after exchanged for full retail, it won't cause a loss in any way.

"Loss" isn't necessarily the product itself though.
It also includes the time the employee spends restocking the item, making sure nothing's lost or damaged, etc.

And they can't immediately repost the product, especially if there's no receipt and it's been opened.

So really all it boils down to is that he's new and doesn't follow the policy that GW has lain out.

I can see why he wont give an exchange so easily, but knowing I haven't done anything wrong really gnaws at the back of my head.

Well, we don't know that he didn't follow the policy exactly.

You may feel that he treated you badly, but I'm trying to be objective here.

I can't get the information from him about how it all went down.

Well the way I see it is if the company is willing to give me an exchange and he isn't, he isn't exactly following orders.

I'm not talking about OPENED items. I'm talking still shrink wrapped. And don't try to say how long it takes to "restock" something at a GW retail store. It's not the same as a store like AutoZone that has thousands of products to handle.

It takes under 3 minutes to locate and stock anything in a GW store. It would take me under 3 minutes as a customer in a new layout to find what I want in there.

Yeah, but it all comes down in the end to:

Did he really get the phone call from customer service saying to let you get an exchange?

Because if he didn't get the phone call, then he treated you as best as he felt that he could with his own limited experience in the matter.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

aerethan wrote:I'm not talking about OPENED items. I'm talking still shrink wrapped. And don't try to say how long it takes to "restock" something at a GW retail store. It's not the same as a store like AutoZone that has thousands of products to handle.

It takes under 3 minutes to locate and stock anything in a GW store. It would take me under 3 minutes as a customer in a new layout to find what I want in there.

Clearly, you're just looking for reasons to whine about GW.

It doesn't matter that the product is "still shrink wrapped". They still have to send it back to GW proper, in most cases, where it's inspected and then repackaged.

It's wasteful, and it's a very GW practice.

Kanluwen wrote:Yeah, but it all comes down in the end to:

Did he really get the phone call from customer service saying to let you get an exchange?

Because if he didn't get the phone call, then he treated you as best as he felt that he could with his own limited experience in the matter.

So then he just sucks at customer satisfaction issues.

EVERY retail store I've come across has a little code in their POS system that says "customer sat" and generally is a discount % at the store managers discretion. Heaven forbid a manager smooth over a trifle of a situation and just make the exchange, knowing that the brand new product(provided still wrapped) can be sold as new.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
You know for a fact that GW sends all returns and exchanges back to a DC? No store in their right mind would send back new merch to a dc. Then again, GW may very well not be in their right mind.

I do appreciate the argument though. Helps me blow off some steam and at least get a look from another set of eyes.

Pen≥Sword wrote:I do appreciate the argument though. Helps me blow off some steam and at least get a look from another set of eyes.

That's all I intend to make happen!

That and get my cloak of golden swords and chocolate desk.

Although the Email was still a dick move on his part. If he really was suspicious about a customer he should have called up Customer Service himself before sending out the email, in which case they should have told him he was in the wrong (going by what I can see here). He may be the manager of this store but I dont think he has the authority to start telling other stores to deny you a particular service (in this case, Customer Satisfaction Services).

Pen≥Sword wrote:"This is Games Workshop. If you aren't gaming, working or shopping, then get out."

Had a similar experience, but this was on a veterans night. Now i've been going to GW, the same store, for 14 years and spent god knows how much money in that store. So one gaming night i turn up to watch some friends play a game as i'm feeling a little stuffy and didn't want a game myself. So i walk in, wait for my friends and start watching before the manager asks me if i have my case and if i don't i can leave... so everyone except 2 guys left, went to the pub, and played inquisitor.

Heres a list of other things thats p***ing me off a little...

---No specialist games - This is not limited to just playing... we're not even aloud to write out a necro gang on a scrap of paper in the corner. Hell, even the pub lets us play BFG and Inq (with terrain, as long as we buy drinks!)
---Not painting? No sitting! - Unless your a girl or a friend of the manager.
---Got a nice conversion? - It has to be inspected beforehand by the manager to ensure its a high enough % of GW parts (And remember, conversions arn't opponents conscent, its the managers!)
---Want an apocplypse game? - Have to book it... even if 6 of you want to play, and your the only 6 in the store on a veterans night, and you've been the only 6 for several weeks (everyone else has gone to an IS that has a large back room for tables, but you have to pay... so meh...)
---Like being talked down to? - This is the place for you! I know GW staff work with alot of kids but it'd be nice if adults could talk to other adults in an mature fashion (yes, i know were playing with toy soldiers)

This is not to mention the high staff turnover, most of which i get on with and end up knowing outside of gw... and its usually down to the manager.

Subject 1 - Would most likely punch the manager if he ever saw him
Subject 2 - Quit
Subject 3 - Considered moving back home, the managers treatment sealed the deal
Subject 4 - Transferred to another store
Subject 5 - Transferred to another store
Subject 6 - Transferred to another store
Subject 7 - Transferred to another store
Subject 8 - Diagnosed with anxiety caused by the managers treatmnet, transferred to another store

Thats just the ones i know about, some staff members simply leave never to be seen again.

And don't get me started on pushy selling, selling is good i understand that, and pushing the sale can be good for business. But theres only so much pushing you can do before you start to push people into the IS at the other end of town.

As for the tables... urg... theres less tables than there used to be, and are supposed to be ready for vets night from 3pm and are usually brought out and set up at 5pm if were lucky.

/rant

Every time I read these, I get the impression that GW Helsinki must be the best-staffed GW store in the whole world, pretty much. Even our numpties are above the baseline, if the anecdotes are representative.

That's because Finns are awesome.

It's not poor customer service at all. The manager is setting up a demo board to attract new business from customers, that's what he's paid to do and how G.W make money by selling products to the customer and showing them what they get for their money. I see no problem in that.

I'm not surprised the manager wouldn't exchange the item, after all you've got no proof you brought it from there. Without receipt you've got no backup to say you brought it from that store and no proof of purchase so he's doing right of else you could be ripping off the store (not saying you are) by getting stuff you want at their cost.

I think at the end of the day you're just getting upset and throwing your toys out your pram because you're not getting your own way. The manager isn't being a "douche" at all and is behaving in a perfect manner.

What I do not like is the message sent out supposedly by the manager to warn against the customer. I'd understand more if the person threw a hissy fit in front of the manager...

As a retail worker/salesman/store manager for years, I know that you can't make everybody happy. Even good staff have bad days.

That said, even if everybody knows that some customers are lying, or rude, or have unrealistic expectations, you cannnot use that as an excuse. Customer service is about making customers happy, and sometimes that involves taking it on the chin (either by being polite, making a refund, or even admitting that you are wrong).

In addition, having reasons for actions or policies doesn't change the fact that when those actions are in opposition to industry or corporate practice, people are going to be upset. Yeah, it's not the job of a GW store to babysit. But they often do, so when one doesn't, it's noteworthy.

The bottom line is that most people when they get their first taste of real authority tend to try it out, and often go a bit too far. It's not shocking or surprising, but it doesn't make it right.

If nothing else, the manager in question could have done a better job of explaining himself. But doing things that actually make sense but being oddly cryptic and heavy handed about them will rocket him up the managment ranks at GW...

Well .. on a simple note, it sounds like the issue has become personal with the manager (at least thats how it sounds).

One of the main rules of working in retail is that you should never let that happen.

The customer is always right (well.. 99% of the time), and for a small fry issue like this (in terms of how much money the store would be set to lose) the smart issue would have just been to make the swap, rather than risk potentially negative feedback.

To be honest I'm a little surprised that this was posted from the US (I expected perhaps UK), normally customer services in the U.S. stands pretty tall compared to other places.

Pacific wrote:The customer is always right (well.. 99% of the time), and for a small fry issue like this (in terms of how much money the store would be set to lose) the smart issue would have just been to make the swap, rather than risk potentially negative feedback.

To be honest I'm a little surprised that this was posted from the US (I expected perhaps UK), normally customer services in the U.S. stands pretty tall compared to other places.

It's the nature of US Gw stores. Most have a single full time employee, called the manager but who really is just running the shop. Given the pay (low) and the expectations (high), few experienced retail managers would take the job, as even with the Employee discount you could do better managing elsewhere.

So you end up with relatively unqualified people trying to run a very service intensive operation. Inexperience + lack of direct supervision = trouble. Seriously, in what other shop would you be unable to talk to an employee with more than a few months experience with the company?

mercer wrote:It's not poor customer service at all. The manager is setting up a demo board to attract new business from customers, that's what he's paid to do and how G.W make money by selling products to the customer and showing them what they get for their money. I see no problem in that.

I'm not surprised the manager wouldn't exchange the item, after all you've got no proof you brought it from there. Without receipt you've got no backup to say you brought it from that store and no proof of purchase so he's doing right of else you could be ripping off the store (not saying you are) by getting stuff you want at their cost.

I think at the end of the day you're just getting upset and throwing your toys out your pram because you're not getting your own way. The manager isn't being a "douche" at all and is behaving in a perfect manner.

Poor customer service is exactly what it is. At any other retail store they would never let me make an exchange. However, it's GW's product and it's their policy to make such an exchange. It seems especially strange over a matter of $24.

Now to mention the temp manager was more than happy to make the exchange

But really it isn't the exchange that bothers me so much as it is the email he sent out.

eh? our guy was great back in perth city area

He is the kind of guy who informs another player that the grey hunters are like "good" CSM in terms of equipment

they got bolter, bolt pistol and CCW, He naturally have an SW army , a case of em. He also teaches me how to pin, magnet(yes he told me to magnet my termies) and how to use marine in a really small point game

Pen≥Sword wrote:Poor customer service is exactly what it is. At any other retail store they would never let me make an exchange. However, it's GW's product and it's their policy to make such an exchange. It seems especially strange over a matter of $24.

That's really the heart of the matter: the guy didn't follow his own corporate policy.

There's a general rule that it's cool to be more generous than policy, but bad to be stricter.

Depends if it's a current box or not. No point taking in duff stock you can't flog.

Also depends what he's been taught.

But yeah, let's all wail on someone not in a position to defend himself.

Mr Mystery wrote:Depends if it's a current box or not. No point taking in duff stock you can't flog.

Also depends what he's been taught.

But yeah, let's all wail on someone not in a position to defend himself.

What on earth are you talking about? Isn't that what you and Kanluwen are here to do?

Ketara wrote:

Mr Mystery wrote:Depends if it's a current box or not. No point taking in duff stock you can't flog.

Also depends what he's been taught.

But yeah, let's all wail on someone not in a position to defend himself.

What on earth are you talking about? Isn't that what you and Kanluwen are here to do?

It sadly seems like it on most days.

Mr Mystery wrote:Depends if it's a current box or not. No point taking in duff stock you can't flog.

Also depends what he's been taught.

But yeah, let's all wail on someone not in a position to defend himself.

It's been my experience that GW stores will take back anything NIB, as long as it's currently on the shelf. So it can't be an old box, or old specialist games stuff.*

That said, the OP's story was that he had bought bloodletters and wanted to trade them for scouts. I'm doubting that bloodletters have gotten a new package in the three years since they were released, but I could be wrong.

It's possible that the manager in question was poorly trained, in which case he's just doing what he was told. Sending out the email about a "problem customer", especially when another store manager in the area finds it unusual, probably wasn't part of his training.

I don't think anybody is "wailing" on anybody. I think the OP raised some concerns that ranged from mildly concerning (the email) to simply odd (refusing an exchange when customer service agreed to not only take it back but pay the shipping) to matters of taste (use of tables and how exactly to deal with loiterers).

But I think that documenting a negative customer experience at a company store is totally appropriate for this forum. I'm interested to hear why you think it isn't.


* I was told they implemented this policy after warmaster went belly up, and people were buying blisters for pennies on the dollar and then exchanging them at GW shops for full priced product.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Ketara wrote:

Mr Mystery wrote:Depends if it's a current box or not. No point taking in duff stock you can't flog.

Also depends what he's been taught.

But yeah, let's all wail on someone not in a position to defend himself.

What on earth are you talking about? Isn't that what you and Kanluwen are here to do?

What's interesting in this thread is that the whole point that the OP was making is that GW managers are usually quite good! Which makes this not a case of GW-bashing, but a discussion of an anomoly.

Now, if I wanted to discuss the merits of GW to an audience that I percieved to be overly hostile to them, I'd use this as an opportunity to point that out.

Now, if I wanted to simply argue and engage in drama...

I thought GW had a no quibble exchange policy, and that as long as it could be resold they'd exchange it

Has to be sealed, and although you don't need the receipt, you can ask for it.

Mr Mystery wrote:Has to be sealed, and although you don't need the receipt, you can ask for it.

So you admit that the manager is in the wrong?

I also agree that the manager should have looked at the potential loss on 1 box versus the potential loss on 1 or 2 customers.

Another customer service saying: "If a customer has a good experience, he'll maybe tell 1 person about it. If that same customer has a negative experience, they will often tell 5 or more people about it."

Bad news travels fast, and any manager should know this. Put out the spark so a full fire doesn't break out.

Edit: Never mind!