Fear GameStop: How to sell a pre-order

(tags purchase, U.S., game)

Game stores in the States seemed to have resolved into "GameStop". Well, that is my limited sampling.

The GameStop people are the friendly, push-more-sales-but-not-in-your-face lot. I bought the Robotech: Battlecry without label or manual and the counter guy said, "It's a good game." I should have asked him what was good about it, but I was in a typical Japanese "shut-up-and-ring-me-up" mode. I went to another GameStop and the guy greeted me courteously on the way out. Whoa. Then again he said, "Thanks for coming, sir." Ugh, I am a sir.

I was at another GameStop and I was overhearing a conversation between GameStop Counter-Guy (GSCG) and a loving mom of an Xbox 360 man-child (said child was not present). The woman was first asking about getting a game, then mentioned her son's games.

GSCG: He's got Gears of War? There's no other better game out there right now. Does he like realistic shooting games? How about Call of Duty?

Through the conversation, GSCG proceeded to thumbs-down the Sonic the Hedgehog Xbox iteration and recommend other games. I think they were talking for around ten minutes, while I was trying to find something interesting to buy. At the end GSCG moved the conversation to Halo 3. First I think the woman said, "I won't forget to pre-order." meaning she wasn't planning on pre-ordering. Then more buttering from GSCG. Then I heard the woman say, "What's Legendary?" and though the details were lost on me, she finally said, "Go ahead and put Legendary on pre-order." This was on top of the purchases she was planning on getting! In short, GSCG added the $20 pre-order for this plus $100 game with the omake helmet! 10 minutes of shmoozing will get you another sale?

This GSCG has technique to be feared. Do not send your moms to GameStop. On second thought, if you like games, go ahead.