Brand Loyalty

[DrLove42]

Not to GW before you get too excited!

I've been very loyal to GAME as a company all my life. I've always believed the high street needs a dedicated game retailer, and have bought nigh exclusivly from them for many years

But I'm being pushed to the point where I have no loyalty to them anymore

They don't have a phone line you can call for customer service, only a MSN style webchat
They screwed up my xbox one order, promised to call me back, never did and then cancelled my order

And the last few things bought from their online store have been late, some by weeks.

I don't think i'll ever order anything from them again. Just go to shopto now, and maybe buy from them occasionally on the street

[Mr Mystery]

And here we see why they are struggling as a company.

For me, the worth of a company isn't whether things never go wrong, but how the deal with them when they do.

[ElectricPaladin]

For me, the worth of a company isn't whether things never go wrong, but how the deal with them when they do.

So true.

I've never had any difficulties from any minis company. All of them have been more than happy to replace missing or damaged parts, no questions asked. It's kind of beautiful, actually.

[Wildeybeast]

Why on earth would you have loyalty to GAME? They have the worst customer experience I have ever experienced. I'll never forget when my mate went it to complain about the cancellation of his ME3 pre-order and the guy he spoke to in store hadn't even been told about the whole fiasco. I also know of several people who have had pre-orders cancelled for no reason and I won't go into my diatribe about being IDed there.

I believe in brand loyalty, but only when a brand earns it from me and GAME is a brand which deserves to fail due to the gross incompetence they persistently display as a company, from top to bottom.

[DrLove42]

I worked for the company for years and it until I started my current job two months ago it was the best job i had.

Thats why I has loyalty.

I just can't believe a massive national company doesn't have a damn phone line you can call

[Wildeybeast]

Well, we all base it on our personal experience. You are the first person I've met with a good word to say about them, so fair enough. Sadly I can believe full well they don't have a phone line. They don't want you calling them, because they know the phone would never stop ringing. Instead, the hapless chumps in the store end up facing the fury of disgruntled customers. When I complained, I just addressed it 'complaints department' and posted it to the HQ address, because there isn't a customer service address either. Surprisingly they actually got back to me.

[DrLove42]

I used their crap MSN help chat yesterday and they promised to call me back first thing today.

Clearly didn't

So I spoke to them on the bloody chat again this evening. Guarenteed me they'd call back within a few hours. Bugger all

Have filled in the "Call me back ASAP ****tards!" form in the hope it does something. But i doubt it.

So I doubt i'm getting the console I wanted on release date. If i get it at all....useless company. I can see why they went under once.

[Deadlift]

I get most of my games from Sainsburys. Always have plenty of stock of the big releases and competitively priced. Nectar points too.

[Wildeybeast]

That's thing. Supermarkets under cut them on price, because they can afford to use it as a loss leader. Online undercuts them because they have lower overheads. They have done nothing whatsoever to respond to either of these, as well as ignoring the growth of digital sales. Combine that with terrible customer service and the general decline of the high street and I have absolutely no idea how they are still afloat. I'm assuming it is that perverse group of people who enjoy queuing for midnight launches that keeps them going.

[Wolfshade]

I use the most convenient store/website or the cheapest. Frequently this turns out to be Amazon, am I loyal to the brand or is it easy of access?

When one uses products and services regularly one builds up an expectation of the level of service, like I know from my FLBS I will get exemplary service but the prices are slightly inflated and their range is small. When the vendor fails to live up to expectation it is perfectly reasonable to expect some recompense. I usually revert to sending an e-mail of complaint, if the response answers my queries sufficiently and assuages my fears then that is fine, if not then it is time to move on. But then I am quite stubborn.

[Psychosplodge]

I think until they were selling PC games of dirt cheap last time they were in trouble the younger sibling hadnt bought ought since 2003ish because they wouldnt refund a faulty game (statutory rights? fit for purpose?) wouldnt be read by the cd drive after install and always gave you the Insert disc error. IIRC spent an hour arguing with the staff and then complained to head office.

A friend was badly let down when they cancelled her order for a special edition of either kingdom hearts or final fantasy or something, that'd they'd been advertising and taking deposits for, then didn't get because of their finances, so she missed it on amazon.

I just find them horribly overpriced and hate how they price second hand stuff only a couple of quid cheaper.

When it comes to supermarkets they tend have the best prices for consoles. But games they leave them too high and then bargain basement them pricewise when everyone else still has them on at about £30. (picked a few bargains up at £10 or £15 before in sainsburys that were still near release price elsewhere.)

[Kirsten]

They have done nothing whatsoever to respond to either of these, as well as ignoring the growth of digital sales.

that is total nonsense and I suggest you try learning a thing or two about what goes on.

[Deadlift]

that is total nonsense and I suggest you try learning a thing or two about what goes on.

They very nearly did go bust about 18 months ago right ? I would imagine what Wildeys saying isn't too far off the mark historically at least. Hench the need for the buyout. Having never really shopped with game I can't comment, but something must have caused its near collapse.

[Wildeybeast]

that is total nonsense and I suggest you try learning a thing or two about what goes on.

Please inform me then. What exactly have they done to respond to competition from supermarkets and online? As DL says, they went in administration largely because of falling revenues to these two sectors did they not? The only change I've seen is they now trade in any digital media, but given they do so at worse prices than cex, I can't see that being a long term survival strategy. What are they doing to save themselves?

[Psychosplodge]

I thought they went into admin because they'd been ****ing over the publishers with their second hand policies, so when they weren't as liquid as they'd needed to be at a certain point the publishers/distributors refused to extend them terms.

[Denzark]

that is total nonsense and I suggest you try learning a thing or two about what goes on.

Ummm - do you have a vested interest that required you to jump down his throat?

But back OT, I can see why you may have loyalty to a former employer. But that skews your perspective as a customer. Why would you use a bricks and mortar for point of sale, but then want a POC nationally/at head office? For me, the balance high street vs internet is where the cost online and the time spent waiting outweighs the convenience of sales knowledge and instant purchase.


A really good sales staff, knowledgeable, polite, discrete with excellent aftercare service, may get a purchase for a higher cost from me. Regretably much of Britain seems to be unable to deliver this level of service and I haven't ever seen it in Game. Likewise HMV. If I come to the counter to ask about somethign specific I don't want to be directed to your website. I want you to make the effort.

[Deadlift]

I have to agree Den, the young lad behind the entertainment counter in my Sainsburys is really great to chat to about which games to play next etc. it maybe a huge supermarket, but they do seem to put the right people in the right dept. I often go and chat to him whilst the mrs does the shop. From what I have been hearing about other entertainment retail staff, this young lad could teach them a thing to 2.

I'm sure Kirsten is great at her job, being a fellow geek with a proper interest in gaming in general, I can't see how she couldn't be :D not sure she's the norm though.

[eldargal]

I used to get all my collectors editions (and odd spontaneous purchases) through game but then they screwed up a pre-order rather spectacularly so I started using Amazon instead. But then they spectacularly screwed up my Saints Row IV order so I might give Game a try again. Not into brand loyalty as a rule, as loyalty implies, well, loyalty.:p Maintain good service and a good product and you earn my patronage, that's as far as it goes.

[Denzark]

On a similar vein, I don't tip automatically - I know this may horrify our colonial cousins. But when service is good and friendly I will tip over the odds. Manners costs nothing, surly Brit teens addressing me as 'mate' get nothing, but some witty repartee and attentiveness is always rewarded.

[scadugenga]

On a similar vein, I don't tip automatically - I know this may horrify our colonial cousins. But when service is good and friendly I will tip over the odds. Manners costs nothing, surly Brit teens addressing me as 'mate' get nothing, but some witty repartee and attentiveness is always rewarded.

Well, over here servers aren't paid even minimum wage, so their tips are meant to make up for that.

Also, eating out is much more expensive over there. I'm guessing because your servers are paid decently first and do not have to rely on tips.

[eldargal]

I only tip here if it's good service. When visiting the US I tip everyone, poor barstuds need it. They get taxed on a certain amount of tips regardless of whether they get them or not apparently, so if they don't they are paying tax on money they haven't earnt. ****ing ironic when they had a hissy fit and rebelled over a 2% tax on tea or something.

[Psychosplodge]

Well that was the excuse, more or less.

I still don't get why they always wait till you've just took a big bite of something to go Is everything alright? If it wasn't you'd already know love.

[Mr Mystery]

On a similar vein, I don't tip automatically - I know this may horrify our colonial cousins. But when service is good and friendly I will tip over the odds. Manners costs nothing, surly Brit teens addressing me as 'mate' get nothing, but some witty repartee and attentiveness is always rewarded.

I agree. Standard service? Enjoy your standard wage. Give me the impression you've gone a little further? Enjoy your tip matey, you've genuinely earned it.

I once got a £50 tip when I worked in the hotel (16 years ago, fact fans!). One of our guests got horrendous food poisoning, so I got on the tellingbone to my GP, and persuaded him to do a house call at the hotel (or at least get someone to do one. I visit my GP so infrequently, on account of rarely getting ill I couldn't point him out to you. Or indeed her. Yes, it's been that long).

[Psychosplodge]

Despite poisoning them?

[Mr Mystery]

Wasn't us. None of the other guests came down with anything, nor did any of the staff.

They reckon it was one of the greasy spoon's on the high street.