Normally I have no problems at this Hot Topic but I am now completely wary of it because of aggressive and annoying up-selling tactics as well as what I'm sure is an illegal sales tactic that could land this employee in jail. Yesterday, Monday May 30th around 4pm, my friend and I were checking out and we both had an uneven amount of items which meant we weren't taking full advantage of the buy one get one 30% off sale. We had different cashiers. First off, you'll hear this question a lot: "so you have an uneven amount of items, do you want to add something since it's buy one get one 30% off?" I understand that asking if we want to get something else can very much be for our sake. I mean who doesn't love to save money? I'm glad my associate politely pointed it out and I then happily added something I actually wanted. She wasn't even pushy or repetitive about it. I checked out. Transaction was pleasant. My friend on the other hand had a different experience. She checked out right after me so I stood next to her the whole time. She was not interested in getting anything else, despite the sale. She politely declined adding anything when the cashier first asked her. Now, after the first time and second time of checking if we want to add anything, I'm usually cool about it. But when there's a third time and then a double-check "are you suuure?" near the end of the transaction, it can be especially annoying. She was asked if she was sure quite a few times and not only that, but it was far more embellished than was to my liking (he mentioned how much of a great deal it was and kept suggesting her to add a shirt.) That wasn't exactly the bad part though. I was willing to overlook it... if it had not been for the cashier trying to trick my friend into signing up for the Hot Topic credit card. While finishing up her transaction and using her Guest-List card (rewards program), he exclaimed "oh, you qualify for a free upgrade to a Hot Topic Black Card!" and proceeded to explain that she would get such and such off of her next purchase. She figured "hey why not" and we both were thinking it was an 'upgrade' of the Guest-List card. So she agrees to sign up and I'm thinking to myself I've never heard of this special upgrade. I even say out loud "wow, what do I have to do to get this upgrade?!" thinking my friend must spend a LOT at Hot Topic. After she agrees, cashier hands her a booklet with some fields to fill out... and... THE BOOKLET HE HANDED HER WAS **NOT** FOR AN "UPGRADE" OF THE GUEST-LIST CARD. IT WAS FOR THE HOT TOPIC CREDIT CARD. Two important things to note at this point: 1. There IS an upgrade of the Guest-List card (rewards card), however you are AUTOMATICALLY made a "Guest-List VIP" when you earn a certain amount of points. Therefore, no one should be telling you to sign up or fill anything out for something that's automatic. 2. There is no type of qualification to apply for the credit card (except for being 18+). You can apply of your own free will if you want to see if you qualify. There is absolutely no way anyone should be telling you "oh, you qualify for this upgrade!" when it's a credit application. Luckily, because I actually have the credit card (which I wanted of my own accord) I recognized the booklet he was having her fill out. I stopped her by saying "I think that's for a credit card" and she then politely declined it, saying she doesn't want a credit card. All in all, we made it out of there without a fuss but I'm still appalled at the blatant trickery used in getting people to apply for credit. It's like Kiosk salesmen who already start bagging products before you even agree to purchase. Here's the part where I break for my usual Yelp Review topics: I do give this store high marks for customer service (other than that guy); I've always been politely helped, and have never had any bad attitudes. As far as location and how well the store is kept, also high marks. But if you know my reviews well, you know that sometimes certain things can far outweigh others. This is one of those times. There's a balance with sales tactics that needs to be kept. Asking and making sure are one thing. Politely convincing customers it's best if they take advantage is one thing. But repetitive and embellished up-selling as well as bait and switch tactics for credit applications is a completely other thing. Myself and my friend will likely be sticking to other Hot Topics from now on. read more

Love this place! Has everything you need and staff are fun and helpful. If you don't see what you're looking for just ask and they'll help you find it or order it. Organization of merchandise could use a little work but that's probably due to other customers ruffling the t-shirts. Still the merch here is so cute and it really is a one-stop shop. read more

I spent my younger undergraduate time working as a minimally-waged peon/counselor to many-a-14-year old McKinley kid here. The store is geared towards confused teens (and mid-life crisis-ridden adults) who feel a need to show their "hard core punk side" by buying a Ramones t-shirt (while supporting a national corporation at the same time.) You can find quite a few quirky gems here, though. They have random Super Mario, Domo-kun, and The Nightmare Before Christmas accessories and plushies from time to time. I got a bottle of cherry red hair dye for just $11 here six years ago. It's still sitting in my bathroom cabinet; a souvenir from my youth, I guess. read more

Hot Topic is definitely a hit or miss experience. Sometimes the help is really attentive and sometimes they do not care. Having good associates is important because unless you are looking for a tee-shirt there is no rhyme nor reason to the store layout. For many years the store stuck with 70s and 80s theme clothes and it became unprofitable so they closed some stores and decided to update. Now they have a split personality between like The Clash and Bieber, but so what that is survival. Last time I was there I was helped by Amy, who has worked there for like ten years, she knew her stuff and definitely made me leave happy. The best thing about working with a long-term employee is that she obviously is there everyday so she knows the inventory and also has an expert-level of customer service dedication and experience so it is most likely that if what you want is possible it will happen, whereas someone who is part-time and inexperienced may not have the product knowledge or motivation to please the customer. read more

No matter how you dressed or looked, everyone at Hot Topic stops what they are doing and greets you and tell you about what's sale that is happening. No matter you just browsing through, they always around checking if you need any help. Love the dark room look of the store! read more

Growing up, I always thought of Hot Topic as a goth store. But as I got older, I started to appreciate the products that they have here! Im a HUGE Disney fan so I'm quite impressed on the amount of Disney merchandise they have in here as well as Marvel. Hot Topic has become one of my faaaavorite places to shop for dresses! A little pricey, but we're pretty much just paying for the Disney and Marvel name. They also have a bunch of Dragonball Z shrits as well, so my fiance has become a fan of the store as well (yay!) The only thing I dislike about this store is that it's so small so majority of the time it's cramped especially if there's lots of other people in the store. It also tends to get hard to get any help from any of the workers cause they're either always busy helping other people, or somewhere around the store talking to each other. read more

I like the stuff that they have here. They mostly have a lot of Rocker stuff but they also have stuff that's in nowadays like MTV inspired stuff yeah stuff like that. They have everything from tons of accessories, hecka Rocker t-shirts, apparel, clothing, earings, music/CDs, etc. They also have other random cartoon stuff like from Mario, Power Rangers, Ninja Turtles, and other random video game influenced stuff. They have Hello Kitty stuff of course. So it's good to know that it's not only a Rocker/punk band kind of store but you just never know what you are gonna get unless you come here periodically and just check out their stuff. The staff and customer service is aight. During the Halloween season, they also have cool costumes/accessories and such. They definitely carry a unique line of products unlike other stores for costumes and other stuff. Yelp 365 Challenge #93/365 read more

11.12.13. Looking for cartoon character themed items or special movie t-shirts/memorabilia? This is the place to come to! Since the premier of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire movies is approaching quickly, I decided to stop by to check out what kind of HG gear that Hot Topic had... Bad idea. I wanted everything! Not to mention the fact that they had things on sale (buy 1, get one for $1; 50% of entire store)?! Ya, couldn't pass this deal up, plus I kind of really did want to rep some kind of HG-ness on Thursday when we are planning to see the movie--can you tell I'm a fan? ^_^ Right now there's a lot of Disney Princess themed items, Adventure Time, My Little Pony & the usually punk/goth type of style items here. I noticed HT also has a makeup line they carry called Blackheart; glow in the dark nailpolishes! This location seemed to be larger (about the same size as the Pearlridge one) and better stocked than the Windward Mall location. The three stars goes for poor customer service; there were three or four people around the cashier area & I still had to wait to pay...not really sure what they were doing, def not helping customers in line. The check out line also gets confusing because there's no designated area to start the line; I can forsee plenty of issues with which customer to serve first (e.g., cutting in line, etc.) But, I probably will be back when the next movie that I'm excited about starts producing merchandise :) Yelp 365 Challenge: #315/365 read more

Wow last review was 3 years ago!. They really improved on customer service! The staff here are friendly, seems like I can spend all my money here. I like how they have cute products that I never knew existed! Glad I took a chance back here, will definitely be coming back! read more

Fantastic variety of Marvel, Disney Frozen and Dr Who Merchandise. Unsure why it's not downstairs near the Disney and Lego store's....... Huge range of apparel for both Guys and Girls. Plenty of piercing accessories. Backpacks Galore! Plenty of Specials throughout the store. Staff were very helpful and attentive without being pesky. read more

The selection for young adults is good here, always easy to find stuff for my teenage girls. What really stands out here is the management team, had an issue with the purchase of gift cards using my united app, manager took quite some time out of his day to get it right- bravo to see this kind of customer service in this day and age- i wish i could post his name but sadly i didnt get it but KUDOS BRO read more

I used to shop here quite often in middle school & high school (online, that is). Believe it or not, I DID go through the punk rock stage. Granted my style was not as hardcore as some of my friends, but it was still existent. With that said, I used to love this store. And, still do. I even have a "HT +1" card, which comes in handy if you're one to shop here a lot...which I don't really anymore. But, it still has its advantages. It's FREE to sign up for the card, and with the HT+1 you get a bunch of benefits.You rack up points every time you make a purchase, and the more points you have, the more benefits you get...which include discounts on purchases (including a special birthday discount), and invitations to special events. Hot Topic is sooo much more than what it is perceived to be. Music, cool t-shirts and outfits, pins, accessories, and crazy costumes...you'll find it all here! 31 Yelps Review Challenge: #29/31 read more

Yelp 365 Challenge 2015 #77/365 For some reason, this Hot Topic has a "Buy One Get One 50% Off" sale every day. Forever. I ain't even mad tho, because that's for the ENTIRE STORE! TBH, the main reason I ever stop by is to check out the Funko Pop vinyls they offer, because they're pretty up to date on the new ones that come out. They have a huge display on the right when you first walk in, and it seems like there's always a worker there to greet you and ask if you need anything. They're usually pretty knowledgeable about the Funkos, and their inventory of them. I used to like Hot Topic because they offered CD's, but it looks like their section has shrunken, and the offer mostly vinyls now. Who has a record player these days, unless you're a collector?! This location is especially cramped, since they try to cram a billion things into a tiny space. However, I only travel into the depths of the store once in a while if I'm bored or want to check out the clearance rack. Otherwise, I check their Funko's and then I'm out. Nothing bad to say about this place except the claustrophobia that may ensue when you walk in. Staff is usually nice, friendly, and knowledgeable, and you can't really ask for more than that. read more

01/2019 Sometimes I get robbed from the store whenever I check out without asking me.. Some staff doesn't know what they're doing, and I always get overcharged.. For instance, the WWE tshirt was stocked in a 3 for $20 shelf, and I asked one of the staff if the shirt was included and they said yes.. So I took one WWE shirt and then with 2 other shirts(not WWE) for the 3for20.. When I checked out, they overcharged me.. Got the WWE shirt for $27+ and they charged me for $20 for the shirts.. I can't get even refunded because it's Final Sale, that's why I got 2 Hot Cash.. It's so unorganized that's why I always get overcharged.. I prefer Pearlridge or Windward.. They should be my new store from now on, no matter how far the stores from my place.. read more

Customer service definitely lacks here but I'm still giving 3 stars & the benefit of the doubt that they're not like this all the time. My friend & I walked in maybe 15mins before closing time tonight (hence the benefit of the doubt). I wanted to find a new cute backpack for work & I love Hot Topic's edgy style. Now maybe the employees had a long, stressful day & I know it's sickening having people walk in right before closing (I worked in retail for years) but it would've been a lot smarter of them to greet us & ask if I need help finding something particular from the start. I could've found my backpack in less than 5mins if they just pointed me in the right direction but instead they ignored me & let me wander thru the entire store for closer to 15mins. 3 stars because: 1. My new backpack is adorable. 2. It was on clearance! Regular price was $44. It was marked down to $20 & then it rang up for $15! Yaaaay! 3. The employee warmed up considerably once she was charging me out. I'll need to come back another day, well before closing time, & see if they're a little more welcoming & helpful. read more

Horrible customer service. Not greeted or asked if I needed help with anything by all 3 female workers!!!! I was the only customer in the store too. So so bad. I like the pearlridge location 10x better. I would have purchased items if they were friendly or at least acknowledged me. I came to check out their Funko pops and wanted the Alice in Wonderland handbag. Good thing they carry those items at pearlridge also because that's where I'm heading. read more

Love this place as much as I love my little pony and the Beatles. Well, Hot Topic only had ONE female's Beatles top ever, which is a dissapointing since I LOVE LOVE LOVE them. ONLINE THEY SELL AN ABBEY ROAD RECORD :D I tend to like a lot of guy's shirts more, so I get them in x-small. After shopping there for a while, you'll adapt, and learn to ignore LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, etc. products (no offense if you like their music and all.) AND I ALSO LOVE THEIR DEALS. I think I have my Hot Cash somewhere around here... Man if I lost it, I'd be PISSED. read more

I was expecting a lot more selection of dresses , however I found lots of Disney outfits ( which most look silly anyway ) and very small selection of goth or pin up dresses . I think the same shop in Pearl Ridge has better options . I will be happy to visit Pearl Ridge again .... read more

This place is awesome. The workers are super attentive and friendly. Store is decently clean and always good music playing. Love shopping here for any and everything. read more

I came in here looking for a shirt in the first week of September. The salesgirl told me that they didn't have it in store, but I could order it online and have them ship it to the store for free. The only alternative was order it online and pay over $20 for shipping. For a shirt. She said ship to store should get to the store in three weeks, but most orders come way sooner than that. I ordered it online, and did ship to store. By the way, they don't give you a tracking number or anything with ship to store orders. One month passes (aka the allotted 21 business day deadline the website states for ship to store orders in Hawaii), and I still had not received that long-awaited email telling me my order was ready at the store. I call the help line. They track down my order. Apparently, this Hot Topic store had FAILED TO UPDATE THE SYSTEM TO LET THEM KNOW MY PACKAGE WAS HERE. Just for kicks and giggles, I waited to see how long after it would take them to email me, so I waited a week until I really needed the package. In that week, no email. Nothing. The status online still says "in progress" so I know they still haven't updated it. tl,dr: This Hot Topic told me to do ship to store, it took weeks longer than they had estimated, AND they didn't notify me when my order arrived, even after a whole week of having it in the store. read more

My teen daughters love shopping at Hot Topic. From the very first time I went with them, I noticed that the customer service has also been outstanding. Alot of times, young people who may not dress the norm or have piercings, etc. are prejudged to be punks or 'bad'. These young people who manage and work at the shop are all attentive, courteous, and polite. ALOT of other retail stores would benefit from learning their customer service techniques which may just consist of being NICE. Keep up the great work! read more

This store is cool, I come here for the mystery boxes I randomly get obsessed with from time to time. The store is so cramped, that browsing for other things can get bothersome, but the employees are friendly! read more

I hate this Hot Topic. I have been there several times, and each time my experience was crap, after my last visit I have decided to stick to the Pearl Ridge HT whenever I need to go, even if Ala Moana is more convenient at the time! I usually stick clear of Ala Moana Mall cuz its overcrowded with snotty tourists but sometime I like to go up there to eat at the restaurants or shop at Barnes & Noble. Well, I went there to get a book the other day and decided to wander around the mall. I found my way into HT and as usual, their selection of merchandise was not the best, it was a little crowded, and there was only one decent employee working there. There were 2 girls at the cash wrap when I first went in, the one just got up and disappeared while the other went off and was just kind of in her own little world. The 3rd employee was working on signage so you would think the girls would be the ones dealing with the customers! I kept trying to find the chicks to ask a question, couldn't find them, so I finally went to the guy to ask about some hair dye. He was going to help me and out of nowhere swooped the one chick and snottily said "I got this.". I tried asking her questions and she knew NOTHING about the hair dye whatsoever, she wasn't sure how long it lasted, if it was any good, or anything. She was so rude I was tempted to just leave but really wanted the hair dye so I went ahead and decided to get it. Thats honestly my biggest issue with this Hot Topic, the employees are ALWAYS rude and always ignore you! Thats why I an sticking with the Pearlridge one from now on, the workers there are always attentive, actually talk to you and joke around and do their best to help you find what you are looking for, even if they don't carry it. read more

I love this store. It has all types of music for people of all age now. Even has popular cartoons here as well..and some updated cartoons. Their clever tees, make up and hair dyes..i never had problems with the employees before. I go to hot topics all around the island, so hard to choose a favorite. but the one in alas is the most convient for me. read more

This hot topic is the beeeest! Friendly customer service and lots of merch. Plus they always offer to web order anything that's not in stock in the physical store. read more

Thanks to the help of Debs and Brans I was able to complete my outfit for an up coming event I'll be attending, they were very friendly, encouraging and super helpful and did not hesitate to look for the item I was looking for in other stores or check online warehouses for me.. thanks so much ladies I really appreciate y'all for being patient with me read more

I come here frequently because they change up their items a lot which is awesome for a variety of merchandise from my favorites like Harry Potter or Little Mermaid. The customer service is great, easy to talk to and they usually will check their inventory and if they don't have it available they have taken my order in the store to get the item shipped to the store. But I end up avoiding going there if it's packed because there's not enough walking space when it's not busy as it is. I wish they could make more room because I always feel like I'm going to knock into things. They should sell DVDs read more

I hope the manager sees this! I shopped there today and this guy with black hair and long bangs was slamming my items at the check out! Maybe the guy was having a bad day.. read more

This store fees my nerd for everything anime. I live getting bracelet and earring for sailor moon for harry potter. Its pricer than the other stores because it is in ala moans however I still love this location. read more

I've gone into this location about four times for the past three weeks and the air condition has not been working at all and it doesn't seem like they're too urgent about getting it fixed or turned back on. It gets so hot inside that I'd rather leave the store than look around for anything I might want to get. Also, because of the heat and the amount of people coming and going into the store--the store smells musty probably due to people sweating. read more

This store has merchandise that is very random yet popular. For example, I was looking everywhere for an Eminem t-shirt for a friend's birthday, and knew that Hot Topic would likely have one. Sure enough, they did! Also, the employees may seem intimidating, but they all are very nice! read more

man i used to love this store and back then i would have rated it a 5.. but since they have brightened up the store and made everything so cutesy, it has become somewhat of a disappointment.. the who goth theme is gone and if i wanted to shop at a cute store i would have gone to hello kitty.. i really miss the hot topic the way it used to be.. yep they need to bring the original store back!!!! read more

Products are great, however one of the staff who was supposed to start checking my order out, just looked off into space and then turned around and started doing something else! The lady working next to him picked up on it right away and apologized for him, and assisted me quickly. read more