February 23, 2012

Veteran Gamer Heads to the Store, Strikes out

With many sites having buy two get one free sales, I set out to get some games for my shiny new Vita today at lunch.  First, I hit up Target.  Sadly, they didn't have the game I wanted most, Hot Shots Golf.  Knowing that nearby was a Gamestop that was also having the same sale, I begrudgingly headed to the gaming industry's largest parasite. 

When I got there, I picked off the three games I wanted and headed to check out.  On my way there, somebody asked from my periphery what I was getting.  I'd snagged Lumines, Hot Shots, and Rayman as my selections and talked with her for a bit.  As it turns out, this wasn't just any random stranger, it was a Sony rep.  What luck!  So I chatted with her for a while, and relayed my tale of woe regarding the not incredibly up front way that the Launch Bundle was marketed.  While I was checking out, she disappeared for a bit.  Once my total was rung up, after I had to explain to the Gamestop guy what the bundle was that I bought and what happened to raise my ire, (One was on his shelf behind him. *FACEPALM*) I noticed that my total was over $120.  I said, "Whoa, whoa, whoa here, this should be buy 2 get one free."  Fine print got me again.  Gamestop's promotion was only for Sony titles.  So I go back and exchange Lumines and Rayman for Uncharted and ModNation Racers.  Get back to the checkout, and then I hear... "Awww, sorry man, the only three we have in the promotion are Hot Shots, Uncharted, and Little Deviants."

I swore.

Yay for swag!
It was in the middle of this that the Sony rep returned with some swag for me, apologizing that the bundle I bought didn't work as I expected it.  It's not much, the cover in the center being the jewel for sure, but it was refreshingly awesome customer service to admit that something probably wasn't very clear, apologize, own it, and give a token of thanks for being a customer despite the issue.  This in the middle of one of the poorer customer experiences I've had in a while.

As she heard the guy explain that it was only Sony titles in the deal, her jaw dropped and as I went to check out what I could get I could hear her say "Isn't the promotion for all games?  I'm pretty sure that's how it's going at other retailers..."  And then when again I couldn't get what I was looking for (I have no desire to get Little Deviants) I could just see her face fall.

It's so lonely!
Gamestop guy tried his best to save a sale and sell me Hot Shots anyhow, but I was kind of insulted that he tried knowing full well that would keep me from getting a discount elsewhere.  I had a choice.  Wait longer, or get something now that I didn't necessarily want.  Patience actually got the best of me, and here I am, still, with nothing to play on my Vita.  This will be remedied after work!

But kudos to the lady from Sony at the Gamesop in Mansfield, Ohio today.  She did a fine job, really knew her product, (I chatted quite a bit with her about the various Vita titles available) and represented her company well today.

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