I've been a long time customer of the GameStop store in Costa Mesa, and I've spent thousands of dollars over the past decade on games, consoles and general media accessories from this specific store (I just spent $560 on an XBOXONE and game last month). I have fond memories of standing in line during my high-school years at midnight launch events for Halo and Call of Duty, always pleased with the cool events and prizes that GameStop would give their customers.
Tonight, however, I experienced what I am going to call "Pre-Order Discrimination". Heck, let's not sugarcoat it with cute buzz words, it was pure Discrimination.
It was 6:03pm on Sunday (and the store officially closed at 6:00), and I had just managed to catch the guy at the door who was letting customers in who had pre-ordered a specific game. I, however, was looking to purchase GTAV (which was not the game being released at this pre-order event). I was standing in the freezing cold, eagerly awaiting to quickly run and in hand the cashier my $60 to grab GTAV, but the GameStop employee at the door wouldn't let me in unless I was paying for my pre-order. "Sorry man, unless you have a pre-order I can't let you in". When I asked who his supervisor was he ignored me, turned his back, and opened the doors for the VIP (Pre-Order) customers.
So... let me get this straight. It's after hours, and while I can understand how you might not be legally allowed to process any transactions after 6:00pm (which is a lie because I've been let in a few minutes after closing before), how is it in any way appropriate for them to allow those who have pre-ordered a game (put $5) inside to make a monetary transaction after hours, but not let me in because I was picking up a game that was not a pre-order? Never before have I felt like my money, or my service was not warranted or wanted.
Inside the store I could see over 15 customers making $50+ purchases for their pre-order game, but I - someone who wasn't contributing to their Pre-Order "Give us your money before the game comes out!" new price-model - was left in the freezing cold and told that my business and money wasn't worth an extra 3 minutes of personal attention by a very rude and impersonal teenager manning the door.
This is the final straw for me. I just wanted to get my final word out there online before I take my business somewhere else. Somewhere that doesn't treat me like a second class citizen. read more