The Retail Bottom Line

[TraderJake]

About 2 weeks ago the retail store I work at had recieved a new shipment of PS2's in. I knew a had a friend who had a cousin that wanted a PS2, so I had left a message with him. By the time he had gotten the message though we had sold out already of the shipment, and the rival store that he worked at had receieved their shipment of PS2's, but they had a catch, you had to buy a load of accessories and their "Valued Customer" card if you wanted to get a PS2 from their establishment.  I found that to be quite disconcerting, as the store I work for thrives on 2 Year Replacement Plans and Accessory Sales, but not even we were forcing customers to buy anything extra to get their system.

The most disconcerting thing about this scenario is how many, many other establishments are doing the same thing as the aforementioned retailer. Is the store's short term bottom line so important that one refuses good, faithful customers of a sale because they won't buy that memory card, or they won't buy that Replacement Plan? What does that say to the customer when the retailer refuses a sale? In many ways, it is telling them that the store's profit margin is more important than that customer's loyalty (likelihood to return). It almost makes the customer feel as though they are not important to the store. What does that do that customer's return business? It throws it out the window. Say goodbye to the revenue she could have provided.

So, is it really important to sacrifice loyalty in order to make the short term buck? I think not, for if you continue to sacrifice loyalty it only leads to more lost customers, and more lost revenues.

[Izret101]

That is something i never thought i would hear. All that means is your store is going to have to getr more PSTwos because people are (hopefully) not going to be willing to dole out extra cash on stupid things like replacement plans.

[Lord Nepenthean]

The sad thing is that they did give out the extra cash to get their PS2's.  Every single console sold with all the extra shit at this store.  When I heard about this for the first time, I was absolutely disgusted, but not too surprised considering what a sucky store I already knew it was.  I will never, ever shop there.  Thing is, this isn't what did it for me.  Media Play (did I say that out loud?) is one of the most over-priced stores there are.  Basically, if you want to be heckled and then ripped off, go to Media Play.  They're going down the tube and they know it.  I can't wait until the day they announce that their stores will close forever.  I'll throw them a party, as long as they'll buy the pizza.*

*Only sold with accessories: sparkle box, delivery, toppings, cheese, drinks, and plates all required with purchase of pizza, and cost extra.

[sinning.dragon]

Is the cheese supposed to be an on-the-side thing? Otherwise I'd assume it went with the toppings...

[Lord Nepenthean]

Nope, that's if you want cheese on the pizza at all.  It costs extra.

[Tynstar]

Thats f'ed up. I hate when stores over charge on shit or force you to buy shit. I have asked retailers is taht really the price you are selling that game for. They say yes and I laugh at them then walk out.

[The Metamorphosing Leon]

I'm the Evil friend's Maligned cousin and I decided that I'll just go to Japan, plant a bomb in the sony building, and threaten to flatten it unless they sell me a PS2 at normal price without all the extra crap.

Actually I'm just gonna wait till after the holidays and laugh at all the people who paid 300 bucks for the same thing and a few crappy platformers.

Stupid holidays have turned my little purchase into a crusade.

[Izret101]

My mom told me earlier today that she was at a store and they wanted 210 for the system with the mandatory extra purchases. (Xbox)
I told her she did the right thing by not getting it and she knew so.

[The Metamorphosing Leon]

Whoa.

[Izret101]

My little bro is ending up with the Mario Kart GCN. at a averaged not inflated price of $99.99.
Plus my mom got it at Game Crazy so he is getting a coupon book with 200 bucks in savings the $15 off any new Nintendo game coupon and something else i think.
Great deal for 99 bucks.

Of course with the coupon book it is probably stuff like 5 bucks off a new $50 game.

Bottom line.
Shop Game Crazy.

[TraderJake]

I'd say shop at the chain of stores I work at because we don't force addons, but then I realized the store I work at is ranked 600th in the chain in add-ons and "extended warranties". Guess that means the store I work at sucks because we don't force crap on our customers like other stores in the chain. Of course we offer it, as I don't enjoy written warnings, nor does anyone else, but we don't tack it on with persistent nagging or malicious technicques. I guess that coupled with the frugalness of Cincinnati Westsiders would expain why our rank is so low in the chain. At least the district manager isn't beating us with rawhide paddles.

[Lord Nepenthean]

My little bro is ending up with the Mario Kart GCN. at a averaged not inflated price of $99.99.
Plus my mom got it at Game Crazy so he is getting a coupon book with 200 bucks in savings the $15 off any new Nintendo game coupon and something else i think.
Great deal for 99 bucks.

Of course with the coupon book it is probably stuff like 5 bucks off a new $50 game.

Bottom line.
Shop Game Crazy.

Is that a special edition GC or something that comes with Mario Kart?  Or is it just the game?  I'm hoping it's the former, since paying $99 for a game would be an enormous ripoff.  

As for those coupon books - they are worthless and I hate them.  I got one of those from Staples, and to get the $225 in savings they advertised, I probably would have had to spend $2000 to buy myself fifteen printers, six PC's, nine digital cameras, and twelve copying machines.  The worst thing?  I could have saved way more than that $225 by buying the same products from online retailers with no coupons whatsoever.

[Izret101]

It is the Mario Kart package deal.
I am pretty sure it has a extra controller as well as the game packed in.

[Lord Nepenthean]

Good deal indeed then.

[The Metamorphosing Leon]

Wow, my parents (the only game my mom ever bought was LIFE for my sister) found and bought me an un-bundled un-used ps2 somehow. (its so tiny, just like a newborn baby) And now I've got to go spend the 200$ I was gonna use to buy the thing on something else. Darn.