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He didn't try to order anything so we have no clue.

Saldiven wrote:
I'm going to repeat a comment I made pages ago because it remains accurate.

The OP's posts in this thread have been consistently far more mature and well thought out than his detractors' have been.

Yup. That's irony for ya

 cincydooley wrote:

 Deadshot wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:

Noir wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:

 Deadshot wrote:
He's not complaining about being thrown out, as much as he's complaining about the employee being an ass to him specifically, ie, bullying. That's my interpretation at least. The employee didn't chuck other people.

No.
Saying "buy something or get out your little germ factory" is not bullying. Thats the policy of pretty much every going concern on the planet.

Unless he specifically called the kid a name or committed assault then I don't see the issue. The kid wasn't a customer at that point, just a loiterer. At that age I was treated far worse by employees of wherever I was at. I was told to "get the out" of many a place. So?

So becouse you were treated like gak as a kid, we should continue the cycle and still treat kids like less then a person, got it.

And the OP didn't actually try to order anything

Yes he did! He went in with the specific intent of purchasing a large figure case! It was out of stock.

It's been a while since I read the OP, but I'm pretty sure as part of the story he was asked if he'd like to order said case and then declined.

Actually, I believe he said his dad would order it later that day and the guy didn't offer a gift card to be purchased to use to order. So yes, the intent to order was there, and he even said so in one of his posts. The order/purchase just got delayed.

Intent is irrelevant if it wasn't communicated. That was not stated.

All the employee knows is there's a kid sitting there, not buying anything, wasting his time, kind of like a homeless guy.

 Frazzled wrote:
Intent is irrelevant if it wasn't communicated. That was not stated.

All the employee knows is there's a kid sitting there, not buying anything, wasting his time, kind of like a homeless guy.

Yes, teens who frequently drop cash at a gaming store and also play at said store (as the store intends) are EXACTLY like homeless people. I think we should lock the thread because after Frazzled comment there is literally nothing more that can be said. Congratulations Frazzled you win the internets.

 Frazzled wrote:
Intent is irrelevant if it wasn't communicated. That was not stated.

All the employee knows is there's a kid sitting there, not buying anything, wasting his time, kind of like a homeless guy.

So the fact he had the money in his pocket ask about the case. All in his first post is not communicating, man I know you think kids should be treated like sub-human, but you should atleast read his post. All the employee knew was the kid wanted a product they don't have in stock, the kid decide not to buy right then, he sat down to make a army list to play a game (in a store that still has open gaming). We know the employee had complants form other store goers about how the kid was treated, and the boss would like the kid to write a letter about what happened.

Noir wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:
Intent is irrelevant if it wasn't communicated. That was not stated.

All the employee knows is there's a kid sitting there, not buying anything, wasting his time, kind of like a homeless guy.

So the fact he had the money in his pocket ask about the case. All in his first post is not communicating, man I know you think kids should be treated like sub-human, but you should atleast read his post. All the employee knew was the kid wanted a product they don't have in stock, the kid decide not to buy right then, he sat down to make a army list to play a game (in a store that still has open gaming). We know the employee had complants form other store goers about how the kid was treated, and the boss would like the kid to write a letter about what happened.

Lets assume your 100% correct. And? Unless he was insulting or physically assaulted the child, what exactly did the employee do wrong?

 Frazzled wrote:

Noir wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:
Intent is irrelevant if it wasn't communicated. That was not stated.

All the employee knows is there's a kid sitting there, not buying anything, wasting his time, kind of like a homeless guy.

So the fact he had the money in his pocket ask about the case. All in his first post is not communicating, man I know you think kids should be treated like sub-human, but you should atleast read his post. All the employee knew was the kid wanted a product they don't have in stock, the kid decide not to buy right then, he sat down to make a army list to play a game (in a store that still has open gaming). We know the employee had complants form other store goers about how the kid was treated, and the boss would like the kid to write a letter about what happened.

Lets assume your 100% correct. And? Unless he was insulting or physically assaulted the child, what exactly did the employee do wrong?

He choose to pick on the kid, while other were in the store doing the same thing as the kid, playing or getting ready to play a game. What if did or didn't by is pointless in the face that.

 Frazzled wrote:

Noir wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:
Intent is irrelevant if it wasn't communicated. That was not stated.

All the employee knows is there's a kid sitting there, not buying anything, wasting his time, kind of like a homeless guy.

So the fact he had the money in his pocket ask about the case. All in his first post is not communicating, man I know you think kids should be treated like sub-human, but you should atleast read his post. All the employee knew was the kid wanted a product they don't have in stock, the kid decide not to buy right then, he sat down to make a army list to play a game (in a store that still has open gaming). We know the employee had complants form other store goers about how the kid was treated, and the boss would like the kid to write a letter about what happened.

Lets assume your 100% correct. And? Unless he was insulting or physically assaulted the child, what exactly did the employee do wrong?

So 19 pages and you still do not know what he did wrong. How about I sum it up. Poor customer service. Frazzled no offense but are you arguing just to argue??

The employee must have done something wrong if the manager is getting letters from others in the store.

Wow........

Alex whe it is all said and done please let us know. Also I am not a good proof reader but I would like to see your letter if I may?

I'm really surprised this thread went on this long. All it sounds like to me is: a long-time GW consumer butts heads with GW's new store-management strategy. It seems reasonable that some of those who were accustomed to GW "Hobby Centers" might feel confused or slighted when those locations suddenly transform into GW "Storefronts." This might be especially shocking if you learn of this at the store in question.

I mean, I've only ever experienced the former. Every time I went into a GW store, every staff person and customer treated the building as a community hobby center. Some people were there for nearly the whole day. In fact, most times I showed up to buy something and leave, the staff practically stood in front of the door to try and convince me to "stay for a few hours and paint or play in ____ event going on right now." (Even when I was a youngster)

It's understandable that changing from this mode of operation to the standard GameStop, Nordstroms, etc etc model of "Get in, buy something, get out" might shock a few customers who may not be constantly up to date on GWs marketing policy. In any case, I'm glad that Alex seems to have gotten the situation sorted out to a certain extent, and I hope that GW becomes clearer about what exactly they want going on in their stores (they can't really have it both ways; traditional store front OR community hobby center).

What really surprises me the most though is how much pent-up bitterness there seems to be in this thread. There's a lot of "I was treated badly when I was young and no one cared so nobody should care now, and everything should continue to be bad for young people so they know what it felt like..." going on here. I'm kinda at a loss as to how it keeps coming up though since it seems mostly irrelevant to the situation (from my perspective anyway).

How is it poor customer service? You have to buy things to be a paying customer.

 Xca|iber wrote:
I'm really surprised this thread went on this long. All it sounds like to me is a long-time GW consumer butting heads with GW's new store-management strategy. It seems reasonable that there might be some stories like this where those accustomed to GW "Hobby Centers" might feel confused or slighted when those locations suddenly transform into GW "Storefronts."

I mean, I've only ever experienced the former. Every time I went into a GW store, every staff person and customer treated the building as a community hobby center. Some people were there for nearly the whole day. In fact, most times I showed up to buy something and leave, the staff practically stood in front of the door to try and convince me to "stay for a few hours and paint or play in ____ event going on right now." (Even when I was a youngster)

It's understandable that changing from this mode of operation to the standard GameStop, Nordstroms, etc etc model of "Get in, buy something, get out" might shock a few customers who may not be constantly up to date on GWs marketing policy. In any case, I'm glad that Alex seems to have gotten the situation sorted out to a certain extent, and I hope that GW becomes clearer about what exactly they want going on in their stores (they can't really have it both ways; traditional store front OR community hobby center).

What really surprises me the most though is how much pent-up bitterness there seems to be in this thread. There's a lot of "I was treated badly when I was young and no one cared so nobody should care now, and everything should continue to be bad for young people so they know what it felt like..." going on here. I'm kinda at a loss as to how it keeps coming up though since it seems mostly irrelevant to the situation (from my perspective anyway).

So you missed the part were this store still has open gaming, and poeple were already playing on some of the tables. Please read before posting. As everything you just posted has nothing to do with this, unless you belive the new GW strategy only effects this one kid.

 Frazzled wrote:
He didn't try to order anything so we have no clue.

Hmm, I am sure several people have said this before, and every time I have specifically mentioned that the employee never offered to order it in for me. He tried to sell me a new wraithknight instead for like 5 minutes trying to play the 'Hobby store rent isn't free' Card until a new customer came in. So I was going to wait for my dad to finish work and ask him to come in and order it for me (He works close to the store) using his GW account and credit card. So once again someone is making up their own story to fill in blanks that they seem to think I have missed.

And on the ''Lets assume your 100% correct. And? Unless he was insulting or physically assaulted the child, what exactly did the employee do wrong?'' idea I think you are totally missing the point. He didn't need to physically assault me or insult me to be in the wrong. What he did was he wasn't friendly, he wasn't helpful and he didn't encourage me to go to the store again or engage in the hobby. What he did may of been totally within his rights to do, I have said this, I don't know. But how he acted was actively sending loyal and potential customers out of the store with a bad impression, this alone could be a reason of concern for a manager. Its like if you ran a bar and you had many regulars, then you hire a barman who drives them out of the bar if they aren't buying anything, even if there friends are. This drives the entire group of regulars out of the bar into a different bar. The money you have lost from the continued patronage of a social group is far higher then any gain of kicking one person out, as word spreads that the environment isn't a friendly one. How can a hobby store which relies so heavily on walk in custom be accepting of any behaviour from staff that is anything but warm, friendly and inviting?

Alex. I am going into the store on Friday or Saturday to deliver my typed complaint letter (Due thanks to DeadShot, Azreal and Kanulwen)

Why didn't you ask to order it?

Why are you making a deal out of it? Don't you have anything else to do?

I'm not saying you have to go out and work (well you should but thats an aside), but you were thrown out, big flip. Go somewhere else. Do something else. Life's too short to give a gak. After all (wait for it, here it comes!) back in my day, people would gripe for fifteen minutes and then do something else. I guess its the intranetz.

 ALEXisAWESOME wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:
He didn't try to order anything so we have no clue.

Hmm, I am sure several people have said this before, and every time I have specifically mentioned that the employee never offered to order it in for me. He tried to sell me a new wraithknight instead for like 5 minutes trying to play the 'Hobby store rent isn't free' Card until a new customer came in. So I was going to wait for my dad to finish work and ask him to come in and order it for me (He works close to the store) using his GW account and credit card. So once again someone is making up their own story to fill in blanks that they seem to think I have missed.

And on the ''Lets assume your 100% correct. And? Unless he was insulting or physically assaulted the child, what exactly did the employee do wrong?'' idea I think you are totally missing the point. He didn't need to physically assault me or insult me to be in the wrong. What he did was he wasn't friendly, he wasn't helpful and he didn't encourage me to go to the store again or engage in the hobby. What he did may of been totally within his rights to do, I have said this, I don't know. But how he acted was actively sending loyal and potential customers out of the store with a bad impression, this alone could be a reason of concern for a manager. Its like if you ran a bar and you had many regulars, then you hire a barman who drives them out of the bar if they aren't buying anything, even if there friends are. This drives the entire group of regulars out of the bar into a different bar. The money you have lost from the continued patronage of a social group is far higher then any gain of kicking one person out, as word spreads that the environment isn't a friendly one. How can a hobby store which relies so heavily on walk in custom be accepting of any behaviour from staff that is anything but warm, friendly and inviting?

Alex. I am going into the store on Friday or Saturday to deliver my typed complaint letter (Due thanks to DeadShot, Azreal and Kanulwen)

Ehh.. don't worry about Frazzed he all ready said he is what is wrong with the world. Eye for a eye and all that, unstead of his being treat like gak as a kid, and trying to be a better person then the adults before him. He feels he should keep speading the view kids are not people and treat them just as bad as he was.

 Frazzled wrote:
How is it poor customer service? You have to buy things to be a paying customer.

Again it seems to me you are arguing just to argue.....

You must have never worked retail.Lets assume Alex never bought anything from the store. A customer is anyone that enters your store. Specially if their intent is to buy. Whether or not they do doesn't matter. The point of customer service is to make anyone feel welcome. That way even if they do not buy today they may come back the next and buy, and tell their friends and family what a great experience they have had. This builds a relationship with your customer base insuring the customer keeps coming back and hopefully bring more business with him.

Now back to the point Alex spends his free cash their all the time. The manager of said store has built a relationship with him as a customer. Knowing he is a repeat customer, he wants to make sure he is taking care of. Hence asking for the letters. It is a proven fact it takes 10 times the energy/money/time/etc to get a new repeat customer as it does to keep one that already buys from you.

this will be my last post in this part of the discussion. I feel i have made my point. I will reply again when I feel i have anything else useful to add. Feel free to interpret that as me bowing out to avoid an argument over matters that are in my opinion mute at this point.

 Frazzled wrote:
Why didn't you ask to order it?

Why are you making a deal out of it? Don't you have anything else to do?

You are very silly.

He's posted a legitimate complaint - rather succinctly. Especially in comparison to you, who just keeps moaning about how hard your life was. Get a therapist and save us the time reading your repetitive griping.

Alex seems a decent kid who is not moaning and will move on. You, in contrast, remind me of an old song called CHild psychology

Hivefleet Oblivion wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:
Why didn't you ask to order it?

Why are you making a deal out of it? Don't you have anything else to do?

You are very silly.

He's posted a legitimate complaint - rather succinctly. Especially in comparison to you, who just keeps moaning about how hard your life was. Get a therapist and save us the time reading your repetitive griping.

Alex seems a decent kid who is not moaning and will move on. You, in contrast, remind me of an old song called CHild psychology

So now we're dealing in personal insults. Just like some treehuggging hippy flower child. You youngins need to get a job and stay the hell off my lawn. Where's my cane...

I just want to see what the other side has to say about the event.
Seriously, when you write the letter, meet with the manager. An in person discussion will likely yield a gift certificate or store credit.

 Frazzled wrote:
Why didn't you ask to order it?

Why are you making a deal out of it? Don't you have anything else to do?

I'm not saying you have to go out and work (well you should but thats an aside), but you were thrown out, big flip. Go somewhere else. Do something else. Life's too short to give a gak. After all (wait for it, here it comes!) back in my day, people would gripe for fifteen minutes and then do something else. I guess its the intranetz.

They didn't have internet when you were a kid, in fact I don't think they even had carrier pigeons back then.

 Frazzled wrote:
Why didn't you ask to order it?

Why are you making a deal out of it? Don't you have anything else to do?

I'm not saying you have to go out and work (well you should but thats an aside), but you were thrown out, big flip. Go somewhere else. Do something else. Life's too short to give a gak. After all (wait for it, here it comes!) back in my day, people would gripe for fifteen minutes and then do something else. I guess its the intranetz.

And why is it on the customer to go the extra mile to get what he wants? If the sales associate wanted the sale, it's on him, not the customer.

Bad customer service is bad customer service. Youth is the future of their business. Let's just cut them off at the knees, why don't we? The GW employee didn't do anything wrong legally. He is only guilty of short-sightedness and most likely having personal problems which led to him behaving like an idiot.

Could Personal insults (Even if obviously prompted or even deserved, however funny) be kept to a minimum please. I like this thread because it shows that for every depressing negative person on Dakka, there is a lot more Latent good will. I would prefer for people to focus on that rather then 'digressing'. Should we maybe lock the thread down until the weekend?

 loki old fart wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:
Why didn't you ask to order it?

Why are you making a deal out of it? Don't you have anything else to do?

I'm not saying you have to go out and work (well you should but thats an aside), but you were thrown out, big flip. Go somewhere else. Do something else. Life's too short to give a gak. After all (wait for it, here it comes!) back in my day, people would gripe for fifteen minutes and then do something else. I guess its the intranetz.

They didn't have internet when you were a kid, in fact I don't think they even had carrier pigeons back then.

I remember when fire came out. Everyone said it wouldn't last but not me because I am a hep cat.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 jy2 wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:
Why didn't you ask to order it?

Why are you making a deal out of it? Don't you have anything else to do?

I'm not saying you have to go out and work (well you should but thats an aside), but you were thrown out, big flip. Go somewhere else. Do something else. Life's too short to give a gak. After all (wait for it, here it comes!) back in my day, people would gripe for fifteen minutes and then do something else. I guess its the intranetz.

And why is it on the customer to go the extra mile to get what he wants? If the sales associate wanted the sale, it's on him, not the customer.

Bad customer service is bad customer service. Youth is the future of their business. Let's just cut them off at the knees, why don't we? The GW employee didn't do anything wrong legally. He is only guilty of short-sightedness and most likely having personal problems which led to him behaving like an idiot.

true statements.
ALEX check your PM again.

 ALEXisAWESOME wrote:
Could Personal insults (Even if obviously prompted or even deserved, however funny) be kept to a minimum please. I like this thread because it shows that for every depressing negative person on Dakka, there is a lot more Latent good will. I would prefer for people to focus on that rather then 'digressing'. Should we maybe lock the thread down until the weekend?

Very fair request, let's all abide by it lads

Let us know how it goes after the weekend, Alex! Hopefully resolved amicably for all involved.

Noir wrote:


So you missed the part were this store still has open gaming, and poeple were already playing on some of the tables. Please read before posting. As everything you just posted has nothing to do with this, unless you belive the new GW strategy only effects this one kid.

Hey, calm down there.

I never said the store didn't still have open gaming. In fact, I think that kind of misunderstanding is the problem here. I would suspect that this "new" employee was trained to behave in the manner expected of a "storefront" clerk, not a hobby center staff member (as this appears to be the new GW policy). Unfortunately, as the store in question hasn't fully turned over to being just a storefront, his behavior seems rather rude. It's all about context.

If I go into a GameStop and hang around for 4 hours without buying anything (regardless of the reason), and the clerk tells me to "get the hell out," I'd have no basis for any complaint (and I doubt anyone would feel sorry for me in the slightest). On the other hand, if I go to a gaming convention to play games, watch panels, etc, and a staff member kicked me out for not buying from the vending machines, most people would consider that pretty bad behavior (regardless of the staff member's legal right to do so).

It seems to me that the employee thought he was doing the former, and Alex thought he was doing the latter. I would imagine that both of them thought they were being pretty reasonable - they just had different expectations of what the store was to be used for. Some simple communication between the manager and Alex should be all that's necessary to clear this up.

Also, if everything I posted had nothing to do with this, then what does that make all the bitter, youth-attacking posts in this thread?

Post up your letter OP, the masses demand it!

Xcaliber, I thought your first post was quite reasonable (and the one above)... I think that was just a misunderstanding.

The letter should most definitely Not be posted here. It's already a bit of a circus :-/ and Alex indicated he wanted this to remain on-topic and positive (as much as possible). Publicly posting the letter of complaint would not be appropriate, imo. There is a reason things like that are conducted privately / in confidence.

But if you want a look at it, I would gladly PM it to you. But I'm afraid you missed the great spelling and grammar error party me and Azreal had, but extra input is always welcome.

EDIT: That'll do me.

 ALEXisAWESOME wrote:
But if you want a look at it, I would gladly PM it to you. But I'm afraid you missed the great spelling and grammar error party me and Azreal had, but extra input is always welcome.

Alex I would be interested in taking a look if that's ok?

I'll like to see myself. You can add in "and I want some stuff you capitalist swine!" gratis

EDIT: NOTE THIS DAY YOU SCURVY CAT LOVERS, Frazzled may have been wrong. I know I am as shocked as you are.
In PMs with the OP he sounds like a very balanced chap and I am impressed with the whole taking an army on a bus thing, so I now pitch my tent in his camp. You're all still a bunch of hippy tree huggers though, and probably like cats too.