Don't Shop GameStop!!!

The best GameStop animated short yet!

2011-11-15T14:46:00.001-06:00

Well, at least in my opinion... Sad but true. Share the knowledge, show others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=onEfmC6HRF4

2011 Black Friday deals OTHER than GameStop...

2011-11-12T18:44:00.001-06:00

UPDATED as of 11/14/2011:

Kmart's black friday ad was updated in the link below, so check them out also to see what they offer. Again, you don't HAVE to give your money to gamestop. There ARE other options besides them with just as good of deals, if not better. DON'T. SHOP. GAME. STOP.

Don't worry folks, didn't forget about you guys this year. :-) Your Black Friday deals are all here at the link below. Also, I will be updating this page as more ads become available!!

http://chrisplusone.blogspot.com/2011/11/black-friday-deals-other-than-gamestops.html

Hello! :-)

2011-09-21T15:00:00.000-05:00

Hello DSGS readers! I peek at the blog every once in a while to read posts and get laughs out of how so many things have changed, yet stayed the same with GameStop. I couldn't help but notice that there are still new and recent readers posting their comments on the posts, and I was blown away. Blown away at the stories you posted on my comments section and also that there are still readers who have been helped and saved their money just because they read this blog. I would like to thank you individuals for reading DSGS. I am honestly and truely grateful that you read and informed others of DSGS. Makes me wonder what could have been had I kept up this blog and stayed course before I closed the book 3 years ago. I wanted to share this video with you all I found on an anti-gamestop Facebook page. It is a cartoon, yet the facts stated are a complete reality that still occurs to this day. Enjoy, and again, thank you for your continued patronage to DSGS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN4qHZsytKk&feature=player_embedded

DSGS - All Because of You

2008-05-25T23:13:00.003-05:00

"Don't Shop GameStop!!!" has been recognized by gamers and shoppers
alike across most of the Chicagoland area, and even the nation. It has
caught the eye of readers such as current and past GameStop employees
(including one supporter from Oakland, CA. and another in New York,
NY.), fellow students on campus at my college, and even allegedly a few
of GS's corporate elite. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the
DSGS street team, our name has been spread, and the cause has not gone
unjust. Even though it has not expanded as far as it could have with
such acts as our own website and even a video blog, it has already
become known within the GameStop community and gamer community as well.
Is DSGS in its prime? No, absolutely not. However, it has gone farther
that I originally thought.
Therefore, as of Tuesday, May 27th,
2008, "Don't Shop GameStop!!!" will cease its operations and disband as
a group, and also as a blog. Our street team has agreed to go its
separate ways, yet obviously continue to keep in contact as friends. I
myself have become too busy and distracted to continue posting new
entries to DSGS. Work, school, and the possibility of a new and exciting career is taking its toll on my availability. The street team has suggested that I pass on DSGS and
all related material and graphics to another who would continue the
good fight. However I cannot simply trust it to anyone without the fear
of letting it go in a direction where it doesn't belong. I will keep
all entries, as well as the blog itself online for those of you who
wish to still view it for reference. As always, it can be seen on
www.myspace.com/gonzales007, and at www.dontshopgs.blogspot.com.

The DSGS street team and I would like to thank most of all, you, the
gamer, the consumer, for lending your ear (or eye) to our blog. Without
your thousands of hits on our blog, it would have not lasted long. Your
support and comments and even recognition on campus and online has
helped us to continue doing our job to save you money and heartache of
being robbed by the black and red. Your tips, praise, and even
criticism has helped mold DSGS into the entity that it is today.

Let it be known, that our opinion of the GameStop has NOT and will NOT
change. We still believe in their terrible customer service and
business practices, and we will continue to not recommend them and, by
word of mouth, spread the info about their ways of ripping off
consumers and gamers. We encourage you to do the same, and also
encourage those who you meet that have been mistreated by GS to visit
the blog, and still leave comments and questions. After all, the blog
may die, but the cause is well alive and healthy. With that said, allow
us to leave one more piece of info with you before we bow out.

Some have requested something to have to keep the "faith' in DSGS.
After consulting with the street team, please, enjoy these awesome
tidbits to give thanks to for making us your favorite anti-GameStop
blog!!!

Eric David – GameStop District Manger
1-773-723-4110
GameStop
112 W 87th St
Chicago, IL 60620

Ryan Kelly – Store Manger
1-815-932-7928
GameStop
2024 N State Route 50
Bourbonnais, IL 60914

Yeah, we know… we're awesome. Remember, used = defective, and as always…. Don't. Shop. Game. Stop.

Vigilantly yours,
The Spaniard

Editor in Chief,
"Don't Shop GameStop!!!"
Power to the Consumer

P.S.
If
you have any questions regarding any and all things that happen behind
the curtain at GameStop, please feel free to drop me a message or
comment.DSGS

Grand Theft Consumer

2008-04-28T19:11:00.001-05:00

The time of this entry is 6:45 pm, and the world is merely hours away from the biggest game of the year next to Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Grand Theft Auto IV. Before I go any further, let me apologize for the post delay. Yet again my time has been taken up mainly by school, work, and sleep. Luckily as I stated in my last post, I will be taking a demotion at work to dedicate more time to friends, family, and of course the cause!!! The DSGS street team has urged me to put up this one at least, so here you have it. It's late and very last minute considering the timing of GTA's midnight launch, but I hope to save at least one gamer some cash.
Obviously GTA IV will not dip below $59.99 (or higher, depending on if you buy the regular or worthless Collector's Edition), but a few select retailers are giving just a litle bit more bang for your buck. Circuit City, a main partner of DSGS, is the best bet yet again. They are giving away $10 gift cards with the purchase of any GTA IV copy, both regular and Collector's Edition. Another retailer giving away $10 gift cards w/ the purchase of GTA IV is Meijer, although this particular retail chain is not as widespread as others. The only unfortunate is that Circuit City currently is not having a midnight release.
However, essentially these stores are paying you to shop there, where GS is making you wait outside, then takes your cash and tells you to leave. Again, we apologize for this being late, but if anyone knows of other locations giving similar offers for GTA, please feel free to post them as comments so others can have options as well. After all, we're to help each other. Our street team has decided, again at the last minute, to assemble and scout local GS stores. After all, what's a GS midnight launch without DSGS raising a little ruckus?! Until next time, put that gift card toward an accessory, and remember, Don't Shop GameStop!!!

Vigilantly yours,

The Spaniard
Editor in Chief,

"Don't Shop GameStop!!!"
Power to the Consumer

Powered by ScribeFire.

New DSGS post coming soon!!

2008-04-08T23:37:00.001-05:00

We here at DSGS deeply apologize for our minor disappearance,
unfortunately yours truly has been bogged down yet again by work and
school, also our DSGS street team has become recently caught up in the
same work and school situation as well, but we have gathered together
to put together the latest post, rest assured it will be up soon! Also,
we will be debuting our DSGS blog on IGN.com within the next month.
IGN.com allows us to post a banner and other graphics to give our blog
a face and attitude, not to mention the ability to reach out to gamers
more conveniently through none other that one of the most recognized
video game websites in the world. This expansion will allow our fanbase
to grow even more! Until next time...

The Spaniard
Editor In Chief,

"Don’t Shop GameStop!!!"
Power to the Consumer

Powered by ScribeFire.

2008-02-13T15:30:00.005-06:00

Oh…. Oh ok you think that GameStop is cool right? You think that GameStop can’t really be beat right? I laugh in your face in the most obnoxious and boisterous way possible. Once again DSGS has topped the black and red with possibly the biggest lowest price we have ever advertised. If you’re a Guitar Hero fan and a Wii owner, you’re going to love this.

Sale Location: Toys R Us

Sale Item: Guitar Hero III

System: Nintendo Wii

Sale Price: $69.99 – Original Price $89.99 ($ave $20)

Sale Location: Circuit City

Sale Item: Nintendo DS Traveler Case

Sale Description: Receive a Nintendo DS Traveler Case FREE (a $9.99 value) with the purchase of a Nintendo DS Lite System.

All sale prices are good through Saturday, February 16th, 2008. Hey, you can’t beat Guitar Hero III at $69.99! That is unless you just stole one from a GameStop store… not that we encourage theft…. –shifty eyes- Anyhow, we will have more in store for you next week as for games that lower than GameStop. Our “guerilla” style campaign will be starting this spring, with the use of flyers, advertisements and stickers to post everywhere and anywhere you feel suitable. Check back with us soon to get your hands on these items, all at no cost of course. After all, we are here to save you money, duh! Also, DSGS would like to thank U.S. Cellular for being our official cell phone service provider. Thank you U.S. Cellular! Through investigations conducted by DSGS street team members currently employed by GS, it has been revealed that District Manager Eric David and GS Bourbonnais store manager Ryan Kelly have been discussing our establishment and the wrongful termination of yours truly. We have done it before, but we will do it again. That being, we here at DSGS invite either or both of them to feel free to sit down with us and at least try to defend their precious company. Pending that they pull out their tail between their legs, of course. All they have to do is either drop us a message or leave us a comment to set up a time. Then again, we could always just contact Ryan Kelly at his store at (815) 932-3344, or Eric David at (773) 723-4110 and do it ourselves... whoops, did we let that slip?!?!? Until next time, get your guitar playing on, and remember, don’t shop GameStop!

The Spaniard
Editor in Chief,

“Don’t Shop GameStop!”
Power to the Consumer

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DSGS - game for sale

2008-02-06T19:52:00.001-06:00

Proving that Don't Shop GameStop! operates on a 24/7 basis, this alert
was handed to us directly by a DSGS! member. She has notified us that
she is selling her prestine copy of Assassin's Creed for the
Playstation 3 system for $45, $10 cheaper that GameStop's $54.99 asking
price for a used copy. Now this member's copy is also used, however in
perfect condition and cheaper, uniike GS where most likely their copy
is scratched, and obviously more expensive. If you are interested in
purchasing her copy of Assassin's Creed for PlayStation 3, drop us a
message, and we will connect her to you immediately! Also, if you or
anybody you know has used games that you are looking to sell below
gamestop's asking price, let us know and we will advertise their games
free of charge. We are looking to expand into the used game industry,
but you know, actually be affordable! But please: non-defective
merchandise only. After all, duh, we're NOT GameStop! Pshhh!... Moving
on, our campaign will now be taking on more of a guerilla style
approach. Don't be surprised to see DSGS! flyers, postings, and even
stickers start to pop up in and around the immediate chicagoland area.
Soon these stickers and flyers will be available widespread as we grow,
so stay tuned for more info. We are now stretching across mediums also,
including negotiating with local Q101 radio hosts Ryan and Kevin Manno
for possible link establishment to our blog, on their Q101 myspace
blogs. What, you weren't expecting that were you?! We are only getting
bigger and stronger, and as always, if you know anyone who has been
mistreated by gamestop, please refer them to us, and we will gladly
make their voices heard. Hey Store Manager Ryan Kelly, is that a DSGS!
sticker on the front door window of your store?!?!... WHOOPS!!!! Until
next time...

The Spaniard
Editor in Chief,

"Don't Shop GameStop!"
Power to the Consumer

The Competition

2008-01-30T14:51:00.004-06:00

You have seen their lower prices on video game software and hardware
advertised right here on Don't Shop GameStop, however we are officially
announcing today the new partnerships against the consumer debauchery
that is the GamStop Corporation. DSGS has now teamed up with video game
retailers Best Buy, Target, Circuit City, and Toys R Us to fight the
good fight. Current research is also being implemented to acquire Wal
Mart and Kmart also as advertisinig partners all in name of giving you
more and better options as to where to purchase quality video game
hardware and software. Here is how it will work: Before you run out to
your local GameStop or EB Games store to get robbed, all you have to do
is simply click on any of these here links, and compare and contrast
GameStop's prices, whether it be from their own website or paper ads,
to the prices of the same item found on the competition's website.
Those links are as follows:

* www.target.com
* www.circuitcity.com
* www.toysrus.com
* www.bestbuy.com

You
will easily find these links on the main page of our MySpace page.
Making it easier to find lower prices is what we aim for here at Don't
Shop GameStop! We will be building future relationships, so keep
checking back for future team ups. Also, we would like to promote AT&T High Speed Internet, the exclusive ISP for Don't
Shop GameStop! Thanks to AT&T for providing us with the chance to
save the public money. If you get a chance, try their service, you
won't be dissappointed. Until next time...

The Spaniard
Editor in Chief,

Don't Shop GameStop!
Power to the Consumer

Trouble in Paradise

2008-01-30T14:51:00.003-06:00

This article was handed to me by a member of the DSGS street team, I
found it to be extremely interesting so I decided to share it with
you...

From kotaku.com

"GameStop "Having Major Troubles" Says Insider

Things
at GameStop apparently aren't all gumdrops and lollypops. A manager at
the retailer dropped word that "a few things have happened recently
that have indicated that the company is having major troubles." The
insider goes on to state the following alarming information:

Last week we were given an email that told us that all employees of the
company are having their hours reduced in order to "Protect Profits".
Store Managers must work extra hours as they are not paid hourly. This
came along with another email and multiple phone calls from district
managers saying that in the next month we MUST get massive amounts of
reservations and Game Informer subscriptions. This is unusual for us
because we always have some of the highest reservation and subscription
rates in the company.

And what's causing this? Our insider says:

I have heard rumors that they aren't making enough to cover the large
salaries in the upper management. This is the reason they have started
selling Bundled Xbox 360's on Gamestop.com for $1500 a piece even
though the stores still haven't even come close to satisfying all of
the customers who reserved it over 6 months ago.

The manager
goes on to say that some of the emails he has been receiving recently
from the corporate offices "have made most of us a bit nervous about
the welfare of the company." He says that other area managers are
calling and asking if he has any idea what's going on, but even he
seems to be in the dark. What about in Kotaku-land? Anybody with the
inside scoop? If you work at GameStop and need commenting access, hit
me up."

Ooo, sounds like gamestop's mistakes are finally
catching up with them. Maybe this is a sign of bad things to come for
gamestop in 2008? We'll be following this story closely from both a
media standpoint as well as from our boys on the inside. Until next
time...

The Spaniard
Editor in Chief,

Don't Shop GameStop!
Power to the Consumer

What's to come in '08

2008-01-09T13:21:00.001-06:00

We here at Don’t Shop GameStop! would like to wish everyone a happy new year! After a much deserved vacation for all of us, it’s time to get back to the everyday grind of work, school, or in our case, saving the average gamer thousands of dollars every year by convincing them to not shop GameStop. 2007 was an exciting freshman year for DSGS. Being founded and born on 07-07-07, DSGS has already caught the eyes and ears of GameStop District Manager Eric David, extremely bias Store Manager Ryan Kelly, kiss-ass Homewood 3rd key Michael Montague Herrick, and has even garnered the support of some employees of local area GameStop stores. The amazing thing about this all is: we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
2008 will be a year to remember for DSGS. Utilizing local members of the Don’t Shop GameStop street team, we will be reaching out to gamers worldwide through such websites as MySpace and Facebook of course, as well as blog sites such as Blogspot and SpicyPage, advertising and pushing the name “Don’t Shop GameStop!”, as well as offering support to those unfortunate employees nationwide who wish to rebel against the consumer tyranny and debauchery that is the GameStop Corporation. We will also be recruiting new members of our elusive street team to feed us even more corporate info from the inside. Oh, its ok GameStop corporate chairmen, there really is nothing you can do about it, please don’t bother getting up from your office chairs paid for by the stolen hard earned dollars of consumers. And we’re not even done yet!
Next we will be testing the idea of converting over to a video blog to make DSGS more relatable and easier to follow. A new logo is also being developed by yours truly, and we will be building stronger relationships with retail allies such as Target, Toys R Us and Circuit City to push their prices that are obviously lower than the red and black. Every week we will bring you the best in advertised prices that beat out GS plain and simple. Also, we are drawing out ideas as to a possible “Don’t Shop GameStop!” website, however those ideas are purely on paper as of now, but nonetheless being discussed. At the most, we hope to have a site under construction starting mid to late 2008. Wow, I haven’t been this excited since Nintendo first showed video of the revolutionary Super Mario 64!!!
Of course, all this will be nothing without the support and feedback of the most important element of DSGS: that being YOU. As always, we ask that you become an active part of Don’t Shop GameStop! Please, if you have any comments whatsoever, questions, even bad experiences that you would like to share, or ANYTHING in particular, please drop us a message in our inbox at our MySpace page, or our blogspot site at www.dontshopgs.blogspot.com. Together, we can make 2008 a year that GameStop will never, ever forget. If you think this is a joke, just a way to start trouble, or a fad waiting to be phased out, you are in for one hell of a surprise. Until next time, steer clear of those red and white signs, and remember, Don’t Shop GameStop!

The Spaniard
Editor in Chief,

Don’t Shop GameStop!
Power to the Consumer

DSGS - Don't Reserve!

2007-12-19T09:05:00.001-06:00

Don’t Reserve the Wii!

I just came across this interesting story posted on IGN.com regarding Nintendo Wii systems available at GameStop....

"GameStop Guarantees January Wii Delivery"
"On Friday only, the retailer will let buyers reserve the system for later pickup.
by Ryan Geddes

December
18, 2007 - GameStop has announced a one-day-only Nintendo Wii
reservation program for the holidays that will allow buyers to pay for
one of the elusive consoles before the New Year and pick it up in
January.

It's a-me, reserved Mario!
On Friday, Dec. 21, a
limited number of customers who pay the console's full $249.99 (plus
tax) price will receive a Wii-emblazoned DVD case with the message
"Happy Holidays! Your Wii is on the Way!" and a guaranteed system by
Jan. 25.

Reservations must be made in person at any GameStop or
EB Games location, and only one reservation can be made per household.
When the reserved Wii console arrives, the gift-giver will receive a
telephone call indicating that their system is available for pick-up,
GameStop said.

"While many store locations will have Wii in
stock for immediate purchase during the holiday season, quantities are
limited," the company said in a news release. "As such, GameStop is
offering this exclusive reservation program to provide peace of mind to
shoppers that may not be able to locate a system in time for the
holidays."

We were going to include a paragraph at the end of
this article to let you know that the Wii is scarce this holiday season
and that people are killing one another in the streets to get their
hands on it. But you already knew that."

Wow! Guaranteed by Jan.
25?! Really?! Tell you what, I'm gonna shut down this blog and go waste
my money right now!.... NOT!! You see folks, this is yet again another
ploy set up by the GameStop corporation to get your money. They are
letting you "guarantee" yourself one by January 25, but the reality is,
other stores have them NOW. Best Buy has advertised for this week's
sales ads that they will have a quantity of approx. 21 systems in their
Matteson store. Toys R Us has also stated they will have a limited
number of Wii's in stock as well, including Target as well. What's the
difference, you ask? GameStop has ZERO Wii's. In fact, they have been
sold out for quite a while now. So while you're busy paying for a
system that isn't even there yet, these other retailers have them ready
and waiting for you to get your hands on. Don't believe me? Feel free
to call your local Best Buy, Target, Toys R Us, etc. and see what they
have. Sorry GameStop, it seems this offer is also crooked, just like
your whole damn company. Don't waste your time folks, dodge the curve
ball that is the GameStop Wii reservation and head straight to the
other guys. You'll save a lot of time and Christmas heartache. Did I
mention money, too?

The Spaniard
Editor in Chief,

Don't Shop GameStop!
Power to the Consumer

DSGS - LAST SALES!

2007-12-19T08:06:00.001-06:00

Today is Wednesday, December 19, 2007. Only six days remain before Christmas shows its face again. It also gives us at Don’t Shop GameStop only six more days to save you money. That is, if you haven’t already given your money to the dreaded black and red. There’s not much time left, therefore I am going to throw you the last before-Christmas sales that are sure to save you more green than you would at your local GameStop or EB Games store. Forget the list format, here are the deals by store, and what they specifically offer. Heads up, and pay attention.
We begin with a sale coming yet again from DSGS ally Toys R Us. They are having a Buy 3, Get 1 Free sale on ALL VIDEO GAMES. You buy 3, and you get the 3rd title free of equal or lesser value than the cheapest title. Also, they’re giving away a $25 gift card with the purchase of a Sony PlayStation 2 console. Other offers from Toys R Us include 50% off ANY DS accessory with the purchase of a Nintendo DS Lite system, 50% off ANY PS3 accessory $49.99 or less (with the purchase of a PS3 system), and 50% off ANY XB360 accessory $49.99 or less (with the purchase of a Xbox 360 system). THESE SALE PRICES EFFECTIVE FROM DECEMBER 16TH – 24TH!
Next, Target is offering a $10 gift card with the purchase of a Nintendo DS Lite system, and also has the Guitar Hero 3 bundle on sale for PS2, at $78.00. Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground and Rainbow Six: Vegas are both on sale for PS3 and XB360 at $48.88 also at Target, SALE PRICES ARE EFFECTIVE FROM DECEMBER 16TH TO THE 22ND.
Following Target is Best Buy, where they too are offering a $10 gift card with the purchase of a Nintendo DS Lite system.
The following games are on sale for PS3 at Best Buy (THESE SALE PRICES EFFECTIVE FROM DECEMBER 16TH – 22ND) :
Call of Duty 4 - $44.99 ($15 savings)
Ninja Gaiden Sigma - $39.99 ($20 savings)

The following games are on sale for Xbox 360 at Best Buy:
Project Gotham Racing 4 - $49.99 ($10 savings)
Gears of War - $44.99 – ($15 savings)
Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground, Soldier of Fortune: Payback – Both $44.99 each ($15 savings)
Bioshock, NBA 2K8 - $44.99 each ($15 savings)
Transformers, Guitar Hero 2 - $34.99 each ($15 savings)
All Pro Football 2K8 - $9.99 ($10 savings)
Elder Scrolls: Oblivion - $19.99 – ($10 savings)

Kmart has stepped up its pricing as well buy putting big accessories and titles on sale as well. The Wii Remote Charge Station by Nyko is on sale at Kmart for $24.99, and the Wii Wireless Sensor Bar by Nyko is also on sale for $15.99. The Guitar Hero 3 bundle for PS2 is on sale for $74.99 (even less that Target’s price, now that I think about it!). THESE SALE PRICES EFFECTIVE FROM DECEMBER 16TH – 24TH.

The following games are on sale for Nintendo Wii at Kmart:
EA Playground, Smarty Pants - $29.99 each ($10 savings)
The Simpsons Game, My Sims - $39.99 each ($10 savings)

The following games are on sale for Xbox 360 at Kmart:
The Simpsons Game, Rock Band (GAME ONLY!), $49.99 ($10 savings)

The following games are on sale for PS3 at Kmart:
Call of Duty 4 - $39.99 – ($20 savings)
Need for Speed: Pro Street, SKATE, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfigher 2 - $49.99 each ($10 savings)

Come on people! Wake up and open your eyes! Call of Duty 4, PS3, only $39.99?!?! GameStop is beaten every which way here! This just proves that the black and red is not the best choice to get your gaming fix from! Like I said, we here at Don’t Shop GameStop are here to save you money with GS backbreakers like these. Remember, these deals end on the 22nd, with the exception of Kmart and Toys R Us, whose prices go all the way to the 24th, Christmas Eve. You have plenty of time to return those GameStop products and save yourself some money. Tell those jags your wallet has just been saved by Don’t Shop GameStop! Untill next time, happy shopping, and remember, DON’T SHOP GAMESTOP!

Vigilantly yours,
The Spaniard
Editor in Chief

Don’t Shop GameStop!
Power to the Consumer

DSGS Blog - Re-iterating the establishment

2007-12-03T18:07:00.001-06:00

This new entry continues our effort to spread the offers and sales from other retailers that outbid those given by the GameStop Corporation, all in the effort of saving you money. Before they are listed, it seems that the motives and integrity of us here at Don’t Shop GameStop! have been questioned by curious individuals. Some have said that we are here merely to start trouble. Others have suggested that we exist only to pick on GameStop, when we should be attacking other retailers, maybe even retail altogether. Please, allow me to take a moment to clear up any confusion as to why Don’t Shop GameStop! exists.
Don’t Shop GameStop! was created to serve the public, the consumer, and the gamer. To be more specific, it was meant to serve you. DSGS exists to help you make a conscious decision as to whether or not to purchase your hundreds of dollars a year in gaming software and hardware at your local GameStop or EB Games store. We pull the curtain off the monopoly that is the GameStop Corporation in order to give you more options as to where else you can go, at the same time saving you money at other retail stores that sell their product either at lower prices, or simply without less to no strings attached unlike the black and red. All from the first hand account of an actual former employee who knows this company from the inside out.
All retail stores are out to rip you off, anybody can and will tell you that. It’s a fact. The only difference is, GameStop rips you off more than other retail stores. They throw magazine subscriptions at you, along with a ridiculous discount card that in reality only saves you the tax amount. Yet when you turn down their constant begging and nagging for signing up, they insult you with “well I don’t about you but I like free money!” or “that doesn’t make sense that you don’t want this card.” Their used hardware is dirty, blatantly taken in as defective, and not nearly worth what they charge for them. Their used software is also taken in scratched and defective, and are also over priced for what they’re worth.
When it comes to working for them, it gets even worse. You’re given ridiculous orders to taken in scratched and dirty discs and hardware all in the name of raising those “percentages”. Corporate constantly comes down on you for low performance, and when you finally DO meet their expectations, they tell you they want more. In order to be even considered for promotion, you have to do 24/7 brown nosing, practically beg to be put into their manager-training program (the MAP program), and even go as far as to change who you are both on the inside and out. Did I mention becoming set up and blackmailed when disliked by your store manager?
When I started this organization, I didn’t just say “Hey, I’m gonna fuck with these guys until I get tired and walk away”. I thought this through, developing a basis, and a structure as to what kind of demographic this campaign would be targeted towards. I knew that I would have to been in this for the long haul, that this would have to continue as long as they continued to steal hard earned cash from simple folk such as you. Then as I gained unexpected popularity and recognition, even from employees on the inside, I started to expand. I recruited anonymous, undercover individuals for what I now dub the Don’t Shop GameStop! street team who constantly feed us corporate and other info from the inside literally 24/7, and I am even considering converting over to a video blog.
In case you haven’t noticed, this is serious. This isn’t meant to be funny, or an act of any kind, even though we throw in the occasional insult or two. They have, in all shape and form, met their match. We don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon; we are here to stay, simply put. Your support keeps us going, and this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
Now with that is out of the way, lets get to those better sales shall we?

Retailer: Toys R Us

Sale Date: Dec. 2 – Dec. 8

1st Sale Item(s): Super Mario Galaxy

System: Nintendo Wii

Offer: Purchase Super Mario Galaxy for Wii, and receive 50% OFF ANY Wii game of equal or lesser value. DUH! Buy Mario Galaxy, get another game half off!

2nd Sale Item(s): The Golden Compass video game

System: All

Offer: Receive a $10 gift card free with the purchase of The Golden Compass video game for any system.

3rd Sale Item(s): NBA 2K8, Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground

System: Xbox 360

Sale Price: $39.99 (Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground, Original Price $59.99), $49.99 (NBA 2K8, Original Price $59.99)

4th Sale Item(s): Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground, Spider-Man: Friend or Foe

System: PS2

Sale Price: $19.99 (Both Spider-Man and Tony Hawk each, Original Price $39.99)

Retailer: Target

Sale Date: Dec. 2 – Dec. 8

1st Sale Item(s): Lego Star Wars: Complete Saga (All Systems), Shrek the Third (All Systems), Spider-Man 3 (All Systems), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (All Systems), Wario: Master of Disguise (Nintendo DS), Star Wars: Battlefront (PSP)

System: Various

Offer: Receive a $5 gift card free with the purchase of any of these games, for any system.
NOTE: Wario, Shrek, Spider-Man 3, and Pirates are also on sale all for $17.

2nd Sale Item(s): Xbox 360 Wireless Adapter, 12 Month Xbox Live Gold membership card

System: Xbox 360

Sale Price: $89.99 (Wireless Adapter), 47.49 (Live card)

3rd Sale Item(s): Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Las Vegas (PS3), Bioshock (Xbox 360)

System: Various

Sale Price: $48.97 each

Retailer: Best Buy

Sale Item(s): Shrek the Third, Transformers, Spider Man 3, Spider Man: Friend or Foe, Dancing with the Stars, Bee Movie

System: PS2

Offer: Receive a $15 gift card free with the purchase of any TWO of these titles.

There you have it, just a few offers sure give GameStop a run for THEIR money. Keep checking back, we are constantly digging up more as they come. Feel free to do your own research, and post them on my page either as blog comments. After all, you’re not the only one doing holiday shopping. Until next time…

The Spaniard
Editor in Chief,

Don’t Shop GameStop!
Power to the Consumer

Bonus DSGS Blog - Price Alert!!

2007-11-30T11:02:00.001-06:00

In this bonus all new edition of Don't Shop GameStop!, we are announcing a new tactic we will be employing to counter the constant rip offs and cheating of gamers and consumers alike. For this holiday shopping season, Don't Shop GameStop! will be scouting local newspaper, in store, and online ads to seek and promote other retailers money-saving sales on all things video games. This first advertisement might be too little too late, but it is also meant to show exactly what kind of deals are out there BESIDES what GameStop offers. The first sale is ONLY VALID ON FRIDAY, NOV. 30, FROM 5 PM UNTIL CLOSING, AND THEN SATURDAY, DEC. 1ST, FROM 7AM UNTIL 12 NOON. The second is valid ALL DAY on both Friday and Saturday.

1st Sale-

Retailer: Toys R Us

Sale Date: 2 DAYS ONLY : FRI., NOV. 30, 5PM UNTIL CLOSING, SAT., DEC. 1ST, 7AM UNTIL 12 NOON

Sale Items: My Sims, The Sims 2: Castaway

System: Nintendo DS

Sale Price: $14.99 each, 50% off from original price ($29.99)

2nd Sale-

Retailer: Toys R Us

Sale Date: 2 DAYS ONLY: FRI. NOV. 30, SAT. DEC. 1ST

Sale Items: Tony Hawk's Proving Ground, The Bee Movie (Both for PS2)

Sale Price: $19.99 each, 50% original price ($39.99)

Sale Items: Hot Wheels: Beat That!, Spider Man: Friend or Foe (Both for XB360)

Sale Price: $29.99 each, save $20 from original price ($49.99)

And there you have it folks, after a little research, other options besides the money-sucking trap that is GameStop. Oh worry GameStop employees, you'll get your paycheck. You just keep taking in those scratched and cracked used discs, and I'll keep costing your company money. Check back, for I will continue to post sales and deals other than what the black and red offers. Until next time, search out those retail ads, and remember people, Don't. Shop. Game. Stop!

The Spaniard
Editor in Chief,

Don't Shop GameStop!
Power to the Consumer

GS Holiday Blog - Scratches and Lysol

2007-11-28T14:50:00.001-06:00

The holiday shopping season is upon us, in case you are just crawling out from under your rock. And nothing else screams “Christmas!” more that GameStop’s “Buy One, Get One Free” sale on all used software and accessories. Plus, if you have already been cheated out of even more of your cash by the black and red, you can “save” even more with a GameStop Edge card. Of course, I’m just playing devil’s advocate here. The “Buy One Get One Free” sale is a fake, a joke; some would call it a façade.
Why, you ask? Well let’s get right to the point shall we? Their “used” software is more than used. During my time with the company, I personally had done countless returns and exchanges for used software that were scratched, scuffed, dirty and cracked. However these discs were purposely taken as trade ins in order to raise the store’s trade in percentages, which would in turn make us look to corporate at the expense of gamers and consumers like yourself. If this isn’t proof enough that GameStop does not care about you I don’t know what is.
Employees take unnecessary and reckless chances when taking in defective… correction, KNOWINGLY taking in defective discs. Their was a question that we were told by managers to ask ourselves when taking in trade in’s; “Would YOU play that game in THAT condition?” Of course, the question varied in word usage depending on the store, but it was essentially the same. Yet that question within itself is flawed. There are those who would not play discs if it had a slight scuff on it, such as myself. Then there are those who would attempt to play games with food fingerprints and chipped edges. Keep away from their used software folks. They lure you into a trap with their “GPG’s” and false promises of them working.
Their used accessories are no different. Controllers are taken in without proper WORKING inspection, yet with only outside cosmetic inspection. Granted, the controllers that are traded in WITH a system are tested, any other controllers or accessory traded in individually are only inspected for missing parts or broken rattling pieces inside. On average, 2 out of 5 used controllers that are sold are either returned or exchanged due to defectiveness, and that is from first hand experience. Now that may not sound like a lot to some, but consider this: a majority of used controllers sold lie within the more popular consoles such as used PS2 and XB360 controllers. We’re talking $20 for a Sony-brand controller and $40 for a 360 one (wireless of course) being charged for accessories that don’t even work properly (or sometimes not at all).
I highly encourage you to please, spend literally a few minutes either online or in your local newspaper and search through the ads of other retailers for what they offer when selling their games and systems. It honestly doesn’t take that long to do a little research, and it WILL save you money and get you more “bang for your buck” as some would say. You can also rest assured that you would have a brand new product that somebody hasn’t breathed on, coughed on, or abused in some other way. I mean come on, haven’t you thought about that before? What kind of germs, spit, and bodily fluids are on those used PS2 joysticks? Ew… keep that Lysol handy, and remember, Don’t Shop GameStop!

Vigilantly yours,
The Spaniard
Editor in Chief

Don’t Shop GameStop!
Power to the Consumer

Giving thanks...

2007-11-21T15:50:00.001-06:00

I would like to wish all of you out there in internet land a happy thanksgiving, and I would also like to list some things that I am extremely thankful for. That is, a place to live, a job, my truck still running strong, and having the chance to be in school. I would also like to thank you, the reader, for supporting me and my mission, Don't Shop Gamestop! To be honest, I didn't think this would take as easily as it has since its beginnings earlier this year. After a few months, I figured everyone would not pay attention and think that I was just talking random shit just to start trouble. However, I thank you for realizing that this cause is much more than that, and I only hope that you continue to rely on us to inform you on how GameStop corrupts the video game industry. Without you guys, we are completely and totally irrelevant. I also ask that when you sit at your table this holiday, no matter who your with, to give thanks for all the things you possess. A job, a roof over your head, whatever it may be, I think with the condition the world, and our country is in right now, we all should be thankful for who and what we have. So from your friendly neighborhood Don't Shop Gamestop! team and yours truly, we would like to wish you a safe, and happy thanksgiving.

Sincerely,

The Spaniard

GS Blog - Habitual Herrick

2007-11-07T13:59:00.001-06:00

Maybe it’s the attention that he receives? Or perhaps he may be a habitual liar? Either way, Homewood 3rd Key Mike Herrick has been enjoying causing quite a stir lately. From his constant brown nosing of his boyfriend store manager Ryan Kelly (who by the way has moved on to another store in Bourbonnais, IL.), to his repeated lies and attempts to blackmail his fellow co-workers, Herrick is trying his hardest to make a name for himself. Well, it’s very unfortunate that he has. Why is it unfortunate, you ask? Because he has caught the attention of the folks here at Don’t Shop GameStop! Therefore, We are making it official: as of today, we are knocking down and dragging out Mr. Michael Montague-Herrick into the street fight that is Don’t Shop GameStop! alongside Ryan Kelly, and District Manger Eric David.
Thanks to some undercover investigating by the Don’t Shop GameStop! street team, it has been revealed that Herrick recently tried to setup one of his fellow employees, by hiding random Nintendo DS games under a register, during the shifts of this other particular employee (who will remain anonymous, and will be called “employee” from here on). When asked about the whereabouts of these titles, he suggested that “employee” might have taken them. Assistant manager Eric discovered the games after putting away gutted copies, and after a discussion with the new store manager and reviewing video footage, came to the conclusion that “employee” did not have anything to do with the games disappearing, but that he hid them himself. Our street team also revealed that habitual liar Herrick as also started a rumor within the store that assistant manager Eric Baker was going to be fired, and that HE was up for his position as assistant. Also, Nintendo has sent out early demos of their highly anticipated release, Super Mario Galaxy for the Wii. However, the Homewood copy has oddly disappeared, conveniently during his shift.
It seems that Mike also likes playing hall monitor of the Homewood store. Allegedly, he called DM Eric David to tattle on the new store manager about a bad return he did. Now why would he go out of his way to stop what he was doing, pick up the phone, and call the DM directly about a bogus return, when if anything, he should have told assistant manager Eric so HE could contact DM Eric? Oh Mike, just because you’re the oldest employee in that store (possibly the entire company), doesn’t mean that you’re automatically the authority figure. I tell you these elderly people these days are just out of control. Did I mention that his car was allegedly egged on Halloween night? Why didn’t we think of that? Add to that the lie he made up about yours truly, where allegedly I (along with some kind of entourage or posse) confronted him at an unknown bar, and threatened to "beat his ass" because of how I was blackmailed by Kelly.
Don’t Shop GameStop! will continue to monitor Herrick’s ridiculous antics, and will also be setting up shop down in Bourbonnais, where now former Homewood store manager Ryan Kelly is in charge of a mall store. Didn't you know that Don’t Shop GameStop! is nationwide?!?! You can’t escape the long arm of justice, Kelly! In fact, I would like to invite you, the Don’t Shop GameStop! nation, to give Mr. Kelly a big, nice congratulatory welcome to his new store. You can reach him at (815) 932-3344, the direct line to the store.
In other news, we would like to inform you of where else to reserve Super Mario Galaxy, besides GameStop. After all, that’s what we do; we give you an option as to where to go to get your gaming fix besides the black and red. From now until November 10th, you can reserve Super Mario galaxy at Target and receive a $5 gift card free! Free money plus a constant new store smell equals a good deal! If it were GameStop, they would drop to your knees and BEG you for $5 down toward an unneeded reserve, only to insult your intelligence when you refuse. Until next time, watch out for those worthless PRP’s, GPG’s, and other G’s they throw at you. And remember, Don’t Shop GameStop!

The Spaniard
Editor in Chief,
Don’t Shop GameStop!
Power to the Consumer

GS Blog - Mission Statement

2007-11-05T17:01:00.001-06:00

It has become apparent that there are some individuals that haven’t quite caught on to the idea of how exactly “Don’t Shop Gamestop!” serves the public, specifically gamers, and the average everyday consumer. Recently I have viewed the classic movie “Citizen Kane”, and stumbled upon a remarkable quote within the movie. The main character, Charles Foster Kane, was the publisher of his own newspaper, The Inquirer, where he printed a personal quote on the newspaper’s mission to serve the public. After re-wording the quote to match my mission, allow me to state the quote to you, the reader, on Don’t Shop Gamestop’s mission to serve you and the public. It goes as follows:

“I will provide the readers of this blog with a monthly posting that will tell all the truth and injustice honestly and accurately.

I will also provide them with a fighting and tireless champion of their rights as human beings and as consumers.”

Vigilantly Yours,
The Spaniard

Author and Editor in Chief,
Don’t Shop Gamestop!
Power to the Consumer

GS Blog - Halloween Edition

2007-10-31T16:19:00.001-05:00

Don’t Shop Gamestop would like to extend to you a ghoulish but happy Halloween! The Don’t Shop Gamestop street team will be out in their most scariest of costumes to grace this side of the Midwest; gamestop employees! After all, there is nothing scarier that somebody with a discount card coming to steal your money! AAHHHHHH!!!!!..... *clears throat* Sorry, anywho, we have decided to use this chance to tell a scary tale of the gamestop employee who just wouldn’t die… or at least who wouldn’t go away. So grab a handful of your Halloween candy, sit by the fire, and listen to the ghostly tale of the employee turned accuser.

http://www.shoutwire.com/viewstory/92188/How_A_Gamestop_Employee_Tried_to_Screw_Over_my_Girlfriend
How a GameStop employee tried to screw over my girlfriend
Category: Industry, Posted: 08/11/2007 at 08:46PM by Brendon Lindsey, Editor-in-Chief
Fairly recently, my girlfriend has been getting into gaming. I don't mean "getting into gaming" like she just ran out, reserved the Legendary Edition of Halo 3 and installed Civ 4; basically, she bought a DS. She's played and owned a few games (Puzzle Quest, Animal Crossing, Lunar Knights, and some used GBA games like Chain of Memories), and she wanted to get something new to play while I write, talk on the phone, or play games myself for review.

So off we went to the nearby mall to get some lunch, and afterwards browse the EB and GameStop stores to see if there were any DS games she felt like purchasing. After 20 minutes of looking through DS titles, she finally decided on Mario 64 DS, and I asked if she was ready to leave. "Yea," she said, "but let me buy it alone." (The other times she's been with me at GameStop or EB, I've just tagged along while she paid, and that's always ended with me chatting up the sales guy if I knew him, or stopping after purchase to look at "just one more thing.")

I warned her not to mention any games she was looking forward to, and to make sure they knew that she didn't want to buy the used copy and save the whole $2. I hung out near the Wii demo kiosk by the door watching some old man try to play Wii Sports (at least I think it was Wii Sports) while she took care of business with some new clerk I'd never seen before.

I could hear her say, "No, just this game" and "Yeah, new -- I'm sure." She paid, we left the store, and after a quick stop at the Disney Store (for her) and Sony Style (for me) we took off.

It was as we were leaving the parking lot that she opened the case to look at the instructions and went, "Hey, the game isn't in here!"

Looks like she got sold one of the dreaded gutted display games, and since it went straight into a bag I never noticed or had a chance to tell her to check it; she just assumed the game was in the case the whole time, since she saw the guy take something out of the drawer. Sighing, I re-parked, and we headed back in. "Can you come with me this time," she asked. "The guy who sold the games was a real jerk."

I asked how so, and she told me that when he was ringing up the purchase and tried to push the used copy on her, he mentioned "The guy you're buying this for can return it if you buy the used one and he doesn't like it." She told him it was for her, and he laughed and said "If you say so, girlie." (I heard someone say girlie, but I figured it was the group of kids looking at the Bratz Ponyz case and laughing.)

I went to the counter with her, she took out the case and told him, "You forgot to give me the game." The guy took one look at it, and said "No, I didn't," then went back to helping another "customer" by talking about how awesome Two Worlds looked (by customer I mean a group of four guys eating McDonald's on top of the Final Clearance bin). I was shocked, and my girlfriend was extremely pissed. I didn't want the guy to die (even though he was being extremely unhelpful) so I took the case.
I explained that the case they sold her was the open display box, and he must have just forgotten to put the cart in it since he was too busy being condescending and trying to look down her tanktop. (Actually, I told him it was probably an honest mistake since he was busy doing other stuff, too.) He looked at it again, and said, "No, I didn't. I'm sure I put it in there," then went back to chatting it up.

I asked for the manager and he wasn't there that day. The guy told me it didn't matter anyway, because he was sure he put it in there, and the manager would believe a GameStop employee more than my girlfriend and me. I told the guy working that I'm 100% positive he forgot the case, and he told me once again he didn't, and I don't do his job (who would want to? I've worked retail at Best Buy, and I know how much it sucks) so I shouldn't tell him how to do it. So I went higher up.

Sometimes it's good to have the connections in this biz (both from writing here and some other PR work), because on my work cell phone I have the numbers of a few of the managers of the local stores, including that specific one. (I also have some higher-ups from GameStop/EB, but really, this wasn't THAT important or pressing.) I called the manager of the store, and got him on the third ring. I told him that some new guy working there was treating my girlfriend very rudely, and trying to convince us he gave us the game when he clearly didn't. He then asked me to hand the phone over to the guy, who listened for about 20 seconds, handed the phone back, then went to the little cupboard and took out a copy of Mario 64 DS in an envelope.
He handed it over, saying "Enjoy your game, sir" with the fakest smile I have ever seen -- and I did door to door sales during summers in high school. I told him (again) that it wasn't for me, but for my girlfriend. He looked over at her, and right into her chest said "Enjoy the game, miss." Then he turned back to the Two Worlds guy he was helping, and under his breath muttered something about pissy customers ruining his day. Total time to solve what should have been an easy, 2 minute fix? 25 minutes, give or take.

Had I not had the connections to force that moronic pre-college asshole of a kid into getting my girlfriend the game she paid for but never received less than an hour earlier, I am 100% sure that she wouldn't have gotten it for several days until the manager came back in. I know it may be embarrassing, but is it really that hard to just check if you made a mistake? I guess with how little GameStop pays people these days, you get what you pay for. All I know is that next time I begrudgingly go to trade in some old games (sadly, I will -- there are too many games to afford on a writing salary, and the only way to get some new ones is to trade in old titles), if New Guy's working I'm heading across the street to Blockbuster and getting some DVD money instead.

How about you guys? Do any women reading this have tales similar to this? (Probably...) And have you ever had as much trouble getting something simple done at a GameStop or EBGames? What kind of horrendous customer service situations have you been part of? I'm curious to find out.

Wow! I don't know what's scarier; this guy insulting Gamestop customers or Homewood Store manager Ryan Kelly ripping off little kids hundreds of dollars!!! Either way, that's typical GS employee practice. Rip off, then insult. Actually , some even do it the other way around. Until next time.

Vigilantly yours,

The Spaniard
Author and Editor in Chief,
"Don't Shop Gamestop!"
Power to the Consumer

GS Blog - Why can't I do that?

2007-10-12T14:39:00.001-05:00

In my latest attempt to one-up the GameStop Corporation (no pun intended), I am making yet another announcement. After much consideration, I couldn't help but to ask myself "Why can't I do that?" So as of today, yours truly will be breaking into the used video game industry. That's right, you heard it here first. If you thought GameStop had great used game prices, wait until you see how I compete! Used titles WITHOUT the gimmicks and catches thrown from behind the register.
Whoa whoa, now lets slow down for just a minute here. As with any small business just starting out, my library isn't quite extensive. Being the die hard Nintendo fan that I am, I currently only own a Nintendo Wii. Also, since I traded in a majority of my titles for store credit when I was employed by GameStop, my library has dwindled down to a small number of titles that I want to keep, and a few that I am willing to part with. However, there are a few XB360 titles that have wooed me into buying a 360 system, so my library will be growing rapidly very soon. Be sure to check back, I will be posting new titles as fast as I can play through them.
Lets begin my latest endeavor by posting the first title to be sold; Metroid Prime 3: Corruption for Nintendo Wii. GameStop currently lists their used price for MP3 as $44.99 (thanks to Angelo for the info!). Therefore, my copy of Prime 3 will be selling for.... $35.00. Yes, you read correctly, $35.00. Allow me to explain my process of pricing.
I immediately take into consideration 3 things. First, I consider how much I am able to defeat GameStop in pricing. By that I mean how much can I price a game so that I could completely differ myself from the competition and be noticed, and vice versa. Secondly, I think about how much YOU, the consumer, can be saved when compared to how GameStop rips off the average customer. A majority of their used titles are sold at the standard used price of $44.99, when a new copy can be bought for only $5 more. I think that a title being sold at $10 or more less as used will more likely sell as opposed to a title that is sold for only $5 less used. Third, I consider the extreme value of that game, such as the replay value, gameplay, length, and overall quality. Video games aren't that hard to price when it comes to quality. If it is a extremely mediocre title with no replay value and only gives 5-10 hours of gameplay, its really not worth a whole lot.
Metroid Prime 3 is currently the best first person shooter on Wii, and arguably one of the best first person shooters available on any console. The controls are as accurate as a PC first person shooter with the Wii-mote, and the graphics are an absolute perfect 60 frames per second that CAN compete with the pixelated and blocky PS3 and 360 games (not all, just some). The gameplay provides at least 30-35 hours of gameplay, including side quests of recovering all energy tanks and missle upgrades. This game redefines the Wii action game AND the Wii first person shooter.
If you are interested in purchasing my copy of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, just drop me a message in my inbox, I will reply ASAP. For those curious individuals, the game is in pristine condition with no scratches, and the original case is included along with the original instruction booklet all in perfect condition, which means that no warranty is needed saving you even more cash. $35 compared to $44.99 has to be a deal! And that $44.99 is BEFORE taxes, where as my price is tax-free! Aw don't worry GameStop DM Eric David, I'm sure a $45 loss is more than unnoticeable compared to the loss that your store has already suffered. After all, having your third key Mike give a FORMER store associate repeated employee discounts would have to be more noticeable right? Oh wait, that's right, having your SM Ryan Kelly give extra store credit for customers to reserves titles is actually the bigger issue. But I'm sure that you can still afford to buy shirts that are too tight, and ridiculous cologne that will hurt your employee's eyes when you conduct store visits.
As I purchase more games and play though them, continue to see more games sold for ridiculously low prices. After all, the point isn't for me to make money, but to cost GameStop money, and to give you another option to turn to for used games other that the black and red, at the same time saving you hard-earned cash. I will continue to monitor their prices in order to tag my games competitively. Until next time, continue to prank call those stores, and remember... don't shop gamestop!!!

Vigilantly yours,

The Spaniard

GS Blog - More Bust for Your Buck

2007-10-05T16:22:00.001-05:00

So you head into your local GameStop store. You walk around the crying kids, dodge the uneducated customer wanting "dat shootin game wit da gunz and killin" and the uber geeks talking about the type of magic they wield in World of Warcraft (in their mom's basement, of course). You manage to get to the counter and ask to purchase a used Xbox 360. When you take it home, the disc tray sticks when opening, the system is dirty with fingerprints, dust has built its own community on your fan blades and there is some kind of weird orange and yellow gunk all over the controller. Did I mention there are Star Wars stickers all over the face? Congratulations!!! You have just purchased the typical used system from GameStop!
Purchasing a used system is not all that the associates build it up to be. Buying a used system is like buying a used car. By that I mean, you inherit all the problems, dirt, and malfunctions that have occurred and/or will occur. The only difference is, you actually have a chance to test drive that used car, to listen for any knocking, feel for imperfections in performance, and to look for any interior damage or whatever else your curious about. With the used systems, GameStop gives it to you in a box, without letting you test play it. Sure you can grab a quick glance at it when they go to scan the serial number, but even then you can't really check it out because its put back in so fast.
In some stores this isn't even the case. For the convenience of the store employees (not the customers), my former fellow employees and I used to write the serial number on a sticker and put that next to the price tag, then seal the box. Then when the customer brings the system home and finds the system in terrible condition, they bring it back complaining. I replaced countless systems because of their grimy controllers, dust-riddled fan vents and sticking disc trays. At the end of the day I was left dumb founded as to who put these disgusting systems up for sale and why. During my days at the Matteson store, I would quickly clean and dust all systems to the best I could in between doing register and facing titles on shelves.
When employed at GameStop, I often heard the employees complain "these people are being too goddamn picky!" To that I say; why SHOULDN'T they be picky? After all, it's THEM who are bringing their hard-earned money to YOUR store! It's THEM who are giving their cash to pay for your rent, your car payments, and lets not forget; the extremely tight and beer belly revealing shirts that my former manager Ryan Kelly used to wear (suck it, Kelly!). If the customer is giving hundreds of dollars towards something that isn't even brand new, shouldn't they at least be given something that is actually CLEAN?!? I can hear you now; "Well they don't HAVE to shop at our stores!"
Your correct. They don't have to go to your stores. In fact, they can easily head to, oh I don't know, Toys R Us, where they can get more bang for their buck than bust for their buck. A new system bundled with a new game, and off brand accessories for less that what they would cost together. Oh, and your little "PRP" that you offer is next to useless as well. Its bad enough that the customer has to spend an outrageous amount for a used system, but then they have to cough up another $20 - $60 for a one year warranty that is only good for ONE use! Does this sound ridiculous to anybody else other than me? Ladies and gentlemen, when it comes to warranties, your best bet is to stick with the original manufacturer's offer. All the paperwork that are included with the system are there for a reason.
Microsoft is now offering a three year warranty with the 360, Nintendo is offering an extra one year warranty on top of their 90-day guarantee when you register the system online, and I believe Sony is offering its standard one-year warranty. Sure you have to ship them out in the event of a defect, but look at the positives compared to the negatives. The warranties are free, they pay for your shipping, and they don't hand you another system that is bound to go wrong, unlike GameStop just giving you another used system to shut you up, all while GameStop chairman Richard Fontaine lines his pockets with your cash. Oh GameStop, when will you get it right?
Bottom line: you are better off buying a brand spanking-new system rather that buying GameStop's roach infested lemons. You get better value, a free warranty, and the peace of mind knowing that your system hasn't been touched, breathed, coughed and sneezed on, and molested by little kids. Now I'd say that alone is worth the extra $50 or $100 for a new system. Now on to other news.
The employee infrastructure of the GameStop corporation continues to crumble. It seems that Homewood 3rd Key Mike Herrick continues to someway, somehow avoid numerous firings because of his continued mistakes. First it was giving employee discounts to a former employee who hasn't worked with them for months. Now, it seems that Mike had allegedly let a Game Advisor go home earlier that he was supposed to. I can't help but think that Mike may be kissing so much ass, that Ryan has started to enjoy it, and may very well not be firing him because he enjoys Mike's lips on his ass. But then again, that IS what you have to do in order to even be considered for promotion in that company.
Yet another chapter closed in the corporate debacle that is GameStop. I am currently investigating and verifying sources on some late-breaking news even as I type this very blog, so expect a brand new posting within the next week or so. This could be as big as DM Eric David's head (literally and figuratively)! So until next time, remember to spit at those store front windows, and remember, don't shop GameStop!!!

They fire back; falsely

2007-09-24T18:22:00.001-05:00

So the GameStop coporation has officially fired back, and they fire
back they only way they can; falsely. A little bird on my shoulder has
informed me that the new third key at my former Homewood store, Mike,
is now spreading false stories about me. Allegedly, The story goes that
me and a bunch of friends (because, we all know that I have a
posse!...) confronted him at a local bar and threated to "knock him
out" because of me being fired. Folks, let me set it straight right
now. That simply is not my style. First of all, I don't travel with an
entourage. Second, I don't go up to people threating them in their
faces. If anything, I act when provoked. Can somebody please tell me
why this brown-nosing rat bastard is trying to spread rumors about me?!
In a way, it entertains me to even think that he would go as far as to
make up lies about me. I laugh at him! LOL Well, allow me to fire back
in self defense. And this time, it actually IS TRUE. After I left, It
turns out that third key Mike was giving an associate discount to
former employee Matt Aprati, even though Matt had not been working for
Gamestop for at least a month. He kept giving Matt an employee discount
hoping that Matt would come back to work for them someday. Hmmm, can we
say "Grounds for Termination"?!?! Matt is actually capable of getting
reserves and subscriptions, unlike Mike. Oh how the tables have turned.
Also, Store Manager Ryan has also sent out an email to Gamestop Loss
Prevention, allegedly warning that I could be going into local Gamestop
stores trying to steal merchandise. I can finally say that I have
succeeded in striking fear in that man's heart. I'm friends with
literally everyone in every single store in the area, of course I'm not
going to go robbing them, plus I'm simply not a thief, contrary to the
popular beliefs of Ryan Kelly and DM Eric David. The battle wages on.
Until next time....

Vigilantly yours,
The Spaniard

"Don't Shop Gamestop" Blog 4 - Other Places

2007-08-31T15:34:00.000-05:00

Allow me to being by apologizing. "Apologize for what, Spaniard?", you ask? I apologize for encouraging you to not shop Gamestop, yet not even giving you alternatives as to where else you can get your gaming fix. From personal shopping experience and a little research, below you will find a short list of the major retailers that you can shop for your future titles. Please keep in mind that these are merely suggestions. If you have already found an alternate location for yourself, more power to you. Also, if you happen to know of another place I might be leaving out, feel free to leave a comment describing your source. Here are just some of the other spots to get your game on, in no particular order:

1. Toys R Us; They usually have the same prices for games, however when it comes to systems, they always have Gamestop beat with the "bundles" that they offer. When I was behind the counter, I had parents ask me the same question time and time again when purchasing a new system for their kids, console or handheld... "Does it come with a game?". Ladies and gents, games haven't come with systems since the days of Super Nintendo. And IF they do, its rare, such as Mario Kart DS packed with a DS system, or Motorstorm now coming with a PS3. However, Toys R Us delivers with a brand new game and some accessories as well, all for way less than if you would have bought them seperately. They even offer free gift cards with the purchase of a new system.
Save time, save stress, and save money, Toys R Us is unrivaled when it comes to offering more for less. Plus, they too offer reservations for future titles and warranties, without the employee giving you ugly looks or insulting you. Hey, at least they DO get it in stock when they say they do.

2. Wal-Mart; Wal-Mart has things that Gamestop doesn't. For one, it has stores that are always crowded with people. With crowds come body odor, crying kids and babies, old people walking too slow and hitting objects with their carts, and people coughing and sneezing without covering their mouths. Did I mention long lines? However, when it comes to game shopping, I believe the positive out weights the negative. All you have to do is walk up to the glass, point out to the extremely apathetic associate what game you want, give the cash, and get the hell out of there. Isn't that how every game store should be? You don't wanna be friends with the guy or girl behind the counter right? No fuck those people! All you wanna do is get in and get out like a rich boy in Paris Hilton.
In Wal-Mart, you're doing just that; in, walk to glass, point, cash, leave. No asking for reserves, subscriptions, no small talk; fuck all that. Plus, the prices are the same, sometimes games even go on sale!

3. Circuit City; Circuit City may very well be the best choice you may have next to Toys R Us. Reason being, they almost always have their games at a discount price, even at launch. They have been known to have Madden titles for at least $10 cheaper than Gamestop, as well as other big name games, all at launch date, including midnight releases. Sure, Gamestop has midnight releases as well, but Circuit City has them sans the ridiculous contests, cramped party quarters, dry food and bad music. Now $10 may not sound like much, but look at the other uses; it could be put towards gas, maybe another game or accessory, or even food for your midnight gaming binge. Shopping Circuit City is a sure way to save cash.

4. Target: I like Target because I love the smell of their stores. No matter how old their stores are, they always smell new, don't you agree? You walk in, and you get a whiff of that new retail merchandise! *sniff sniff*... Ah, thats good stuff. But Target can also benefit you with game shopping as well. They too put their games on sale, maybe not as often as Circuit City however. Besides that, they have some kind of "scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" relationship with Nintendo, giving the discount retailer exclusive accessories that you cannot find anywhere else. When the Nintendo Wii launched, they offered boat loads of accessories that nobody else carried including Wii-mote skins in exclusive designs and colors, Wii system stands, nunchuck covers, accessory bundles, and these cool little collectable medallions with Nintendo characters on them!
Again, you can relax and not worry about being hassled by the man about reserving titles and subscribing to things you don't need. Did I mentions their stores really smell good?!?!

Again folks, feel free to explore any other options you see fit, these are only options you can look into. If you know any other places, leave them in a comment below. Lets share our resouces and help each other, at the same time leaving Gamestop to eat our money-saving dust! Suck on that shit, Eric David!!! (former district manager)

Vigilantly yours,

The Spaniard

Gamestop drops the "morph" ball

2007-08-29T19:44:00.000-05:00

Oh Gamestop, when will you get it right? It seems that everybody's favorite money hungry corporation has dropped the ball yet again! On Tuesday, August 28th, one of the top titles of 2007, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was released on Nintendo Wii. It is quite likely one of the most anticipated titles on the Wii, next to Super Smash Bros. and Super Mario Galaxy. Unfortunately for our lives, Gamestop had to ruin the experience just like it does with everything else in its operation.
One of the more popular GS locations in the south suburbs had tons of reserves on Prime 3, which are allegedly supposed to "guarantee" you a copy. However, the air-heads at the GS warehouse down in Grapevine, Texas were apparently to busy figuring out how much bonus money they were gonna receive stealing it from customers to notice a very stupid and idiotic mistake. It seems that this particular south suburban store had only received four copies of Metroid. Yes, you read correctly, four copies. Its been reported that the associates had to turn away those who thought they had "guaranteed" themselves a copy.
After I heard about this debacle over the phone, I couldn't help but to hang up and laugh out loud as they proved me right about what I had been preaching all along; that is, Gamestop is pushing "reserves" only to get that extra cash out of your pocket. Then when you go to get your long awaited title, they tell you *dumb voice* "uh, sorry, but its not here... but at least we got your money!" The feeling of being right makes me giggle inside like Gamestop chairman Richard Fontaine does when he sees his paycheck of $172.3 million. I would even go as far as to say it makes my pants tight with pleasure. Yeah, that's right, I said it. Wait, I take that back... not tight, but tiz-ight. Yeah, it makes my pants tiz-ight with pleasure!
Don't fret kiddies, for my latest installment of my GS Blog is in the works, and will be posted in the first week of September. I didn't forget, however my schedule has become somewhat cramped by setting up my best friend's bachelor party, and helping him with designing his wedding invitations, working, and re-registering with school. Just as a reminder, if you know of anybody who happens to be frustrated with Gamestop, or who even may be oblivious to their bad business practices, encourage them to visit my blog at dontshopgs.blogspot.com where anybody can leave comments attached to any and all blog entries. Together we can make a difference and have our voice heard. Until next time...

Vigilantly yours,
The Spaniard

My anonymous support...

2007-08-16T13:49:00.001-05:00

It seems that my voice against the GameStop Corp. has not gone unheard. I decided to look up the profile of the corporate monster on wikipedia.com, and discovered that someone has edited my story into the page, under the section titled "Buy out of EB Games". It details the happenings of my termination, and claims the district managers "act as puppets" for many store managers. I would like to extend my thank you to whoever decided to spread the truth, and I also would like to encourage all others to feel free and make your own changes to its wiki page. GameStop has gone far enough in ripping money from the public's wallets, and in the mistreatment of its own staff and employees.

Vigilantly yours,
The Spaniard

GS Blog 3- Reserve THIS!!

2007-08-09T18:35:00.000-05:00

So you're in your local GameStop or EB Games, and after spending god knows how long looking for that special game, you finally get through their horrible lines and are ready to check out at the register. You pull out your wallet, grab your cash (or credit card), only to have your shopping experience delayed even more by the cashier trying to scam you out of even more of your hard earned money by asking if you would like to "reserve" any hot title coming soon. The most commonly used line is "... is there anything coming up you would like to reserve? Only $5 down guarantees you a copy!" Then begins the constant repeating of the word "No", a word that is not in the GameStop dictionary. The associate practically begs on his or her knees for you to reserve a game, before finally finding someway to insult you and your intelligence and finishing your transaction. Sound familiar?
Before you go giving that extra five bucks that could be used for something better, such as the dollar menu at McDonalds, gas money, maybe something cold to drink on a hot day, let me give you the scoop on why you absolutely DON'T have to reserve anything they offer you. Let me begin on the corporate side. Its a common site to see the associate literally not stop talking about reserving something, anything, whether its a game, strategy guide, toy, etc. Thats because he or she, along with the entire staff, are given a certain number of reserves by their district managers that they must meet every week. More reserves mean more guaranteed dollars, for that person must come back to pay the rest of the price for that certain title. Sounds like a win - win situation right? Not exactly.
Associates claim that when most big titles are released, each store is given a certain amount of physical copies that are set aside only for people to reserve. For example, Store # 123 may only receive 100 copies of Title X, so employees tell customers that they "are only going to have enough copies of Title X on hand for those who reserve it". Not true, almost. Its a fact, that at least 75% of the time that major title WILL be in stock. Almost all associates, including managers, lie about it being sold out. They say that only to grab your reserve and your money. The reality is ladies and gentlemen, the GameStop warehouse in Texas usually sends more that enough copies to go around.
Corporate knows that their stores are gonna be swamped with customers wanting to get Halo 7 or Final Fantasy 96, and they will send enough copies of that to Store #123 to cover reserves, ALONG with another 10 or 20 copies to cover those who didn't reserve it. And when they DO sell out, they already make arrangements to pick up copies from their nearest store. Enough copies only for those who reserve it? Let me tell you something, come closer to your screen so I can whisper you a secret.... THEY ARE LYING!!!! Believe me, I've done it hundreds of times before for hundreds of titles! The next time you hear them trying to pull that, please, wave them off and call them a liar to their face. They won't be expecting it, but they know it would be the truth.
Another scenario plagues the customer. After turning down the reserve offer, some associates and managers take it personal, resorting to literally insulting the customer by saying things along the line of "well don't get mad at us when you're game isn't here", or "I'm just trying to help you out and save you time". Whats to stop you from going to a whole other retailer? One who has plenty copies of Madden so you can get your fix of the same football formula EA has been using for the past seven years? Don't fall for these tricks folks. Take control of the transaction and tell them the magic word, "No".
In the end, you really don't have to reserve that future game you want. Just relax, because they will end up having enough copies in stock to cure everyone's gaming thirst. Besides, if you're one of the patient type, you just might get lucky and end up buying a used copy that is traded in just a few days after launch, maybe a stolen copy that was traded in for cash brand new, or a copy that somebody beat within a few hours, traded still in new condition. Yet another factoid exploited in my online campaign against the consumer hater that is GameStop corporation. Its only the tip of the iceberg ladies and gents, expect more as I go into detail of how a basic store staff interacts with the average customer.
Do you really think that the staff at a location likes you just because you spend hundreds of dollars at that specific store? Do you really think that they care about the condition of the used games they sell you? And for the guys, do you really think the creeps behind the counter aren't staring at your hot girlfriend's chest, or checking out her ass? Its a dirty job, but somebody has to tell the truth about this company. Recently some birds on my shoulder have chirped in my ear that word has leaked of my tell all tales, and that they're corporate office is not very happy with me. To that I say... suck it. Suck it dry. I dare GameStop to try and threaten me with their gestapo legal threats. There is nothing that can silence my voice or opinion, because the last time I checked, this was the land of the kinda sorta free, where the last freedom that is currently being taken away from us is the freedom of speech.
They wanna shut me up? They know where I live, all they have to do is look up my employee records and come to my home, and physically shut me up. Until then, I will continue my campaign to save you time and most importantly, money. Until next time.

Vigilantly yours,
The Spaniard

GS Blog 1

2007-07-31T21:47:00.000-05:00

Yeah, thats right. It begins, my online campaign against the customer cannibal that is GameStop Corp. If you don't know the reason that sparked my war, please, refer to my past blog intitled "Fighting the Good Fight". Today, the first of many exposing blogs to come, I will be exhibiting the art of the new but used game. That would be the $50 or $60 "brand new" hot title that you or somebody you know bought from GameStop, only to find that the game has been previously opened, or that the factory wrapping has been replaced by this circular sticker around the case opening. Allow me to set up the scene of how this comes about.
Lets say you're the average GS employee, about to end your shift for the day. You're store manager asks "So is there anything you wanna check out?"... FREEZE SCENE. What the manager is referring to is, GS employees are entitled to check out games from their store, pending that their previous inventory does not show a significant amount of product missing from such instances as employee or customer theft. The purpose is to allow employees to raise their knowledge of whats good and whats bad, so they can relay that info to the customer. Sounds like a good plan, right? Maybe not.
You see, when they chose a title, 90% of the time they will take a brand new copy from behind the counter, when in reality, they are supposed to take the gut, which is the disc that belongs to the display case on the shelf for customers to look at. When employees are done playing the game, they bring it back, only to have it re-shrink wrapped and then sold. Every single GS and EB store in the nation has shrink wrap machines in the back, which they use to rewrap any product that has had the original factory wrap removed for whatever reason. In many cases, these discs that have been checked out have fingerprints on the disc, scratches from careless handling, damaged cases, and even missing instruction booklets. Now that doesn't sound like getting my money's worth to me.
Hypothetical situation; lets say you were to take your hard earned money to, lets say Target, or Wal-Mart. Their employees are not allowed to check out game software, therefore you have a 100% guaranteed chance of getting a brand spanking new copy of whatever you want, even with that brand new game smell that emulates from the case (you hardcore gamers know what I'm talking about!) You can be rest assured and worry free that you will not be purchasing a new but defective or scratched game, or a case without its instruction booklet. Truth be told, I for one don't care for the instruction booklet, however there are some that absolutely must have that book, and thats ok.
So there you have it, an inside look into why those discs end up in the hands of people like you, the consumer. So the next time you buy one of their "brand new" games, and you notice it looks even slightly used, chances are it is. For what its worth, you might as well buy one of their used titles, and save money.... HOWEVER, those used games are pretty much a shot in the dark as far as quality goes. And believe me ladies and gents, that is an entirely whole other story. A whole other dark and twisted story that is for another blog coming up very soon from yours truly. So stay fast, and be ready to travel deeper into the rabbit hole that is the inner operations of GameStop. But beware, for the truth truly does hurt you, and your wallet. If you have any other questions please feel free to drop me a line in my inbox, and I will respond to the best of my knowledge. Until next time...

Vigilantly yours,

The Spaniard

Coming soon! ; GS Blog 2 - Learn about the trade in process, and why you should almost never buy used titles. Check back soon!

GS Blog 2 - Played by the Devil

2007-07-31T19:51:00.002-05:00

In my latest installment of the GS Blog, I'll be explaining the shady and dirty underbelly of the GS trade in process. To set the stage, GameStop accepts your old games that you don't play anymore as trade ins, and in return they give you a certain amount of store credit based on what that game is worth. Most brand new popular games are worth about half when they are just released. For instance, when Gears of War for XB360 was released for $59.99, the trade in value was $30.00 store credit. In some cases there are games that go for more that half their initial cost if they're just destined to be a hot seller such as Kingdom Hearts 2 for PS2 and WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw for 360. Whatever store credit you earn can be put toward anything and everything in the store. However there's more that meets the eye as far as used titles go.
Employees are required to check the condition of all games they take as trades. If the disc is too scratched, they turn it away. Unfortunately this isn't always the case. The reality is, every GameStop and EB Games store has a certain trade in percentage that they must meet, delegated by their corporate office. The reason being is that used games and accessories make up the majority of the company's profit. Where they only make literally a few dollars off of brand new titles, they make millions off the used ones, since they are pre owned from the consumer, not the manufacturers.
Also, the higher the store's trade in percentages, the more hours that particular store gets for its employees. They also used to hand out a certain dollar bonus added to the store managers check, depending on that percentage, however that has since been discontinued. Notice that it was just for store managers, not for the employees, who also help to raise that percent, mind you. Sounds like a generous reward for pushing those trade ins, right? Well its you, the consumer, that gets the shitty end of this stick.
Because the stores are so hell bent on surpassing these goals much less meet them, they push that bar of quality used titles all the way to the floor. From first hand experience, employees and managers tend to take in a titles that look like they've been through a belt sander. I've pulled out numerous discs from the drawers they're kept in only to find that they have been used as coasters. Scratches, smudges, fingerprints, unknown water spots, dust, dirt, and some kind of dried substance is some examples of what are on the games they take in, all in the name of meeting that corporate goal, at your expense of course.
Now not all used games are bad. More than often there are those hardcore gamers that speed through the game within the first 24 hours after its bought, and trade it still in new condition to get the highest amount of store credit possible. There are also those occasional stolen games that are traded in even with the original wrapping still on. This particular problem of shitty used games apply to those titles that have been out for about five to six months and beyond. If you continue to buy their titles, here are a few things to check BEFORE you leave the store:

1. Run your fingernail lightly over any scratches you find. If your nail catches on any of them, its too deep of a scratch for the lens in your system to read. Exchange or return. The same applies to dirt or grime on the disc. If its collected so much that you can feel it, the laser from the lens can't read through it.

2. Hold the disc in front of a light source, similar to the way you would check for counterfeit money. Looking with the label facing the light, watch for any light that is escaping through. If you do see any, that means the label is scratched, and the laser from your lens will read through that scratch, hence you game will freeze. Exchange or return.

3. Pay extreme attention to the outer edge of the disc's center hole. Store associates also have the tendency to take in games that are cracked from the center. When continuously played, that crack will only get bigger similar to glass cracking. If you find it on your disc, you know what to do. No don't curse at the employee who sold you it (do that last). Exchange or return.

Yet another ploy revealed by yours truly. Used games aren't the devil. Its just that a lot of them looked like they've been played by the devil. If you must venture into the lost world of used video games, be cautious. You never know when little monsters like these will bite you in the ass, when actually aiming for your wallet. By the way, this entire blog also applies to their used DVD's. Any other questions you have may be directed to my mail box. Until next time...

Vigilantly yours,

The Spaniard

Coming soon! ; GS Blog 3 - "$5 down guarantees YOU a copy!!"... not really. See why you really don't have to "reserve" yourself a copy.

Fighting the Good Fight

2007-07-31T19:51:00.001-05:00

Dear everyone,

The summer is upon us, and I hope everyone enjoys fantastic days of fun in the sun and evenings of luke warm breezes and fireflys and crickets. I for one will be taking the summer off from school, for I have some summertime plans of my own. Even though I will be out and about, you can still reach me if need be.
Moving on to another subject, for those who have not heard, my employment with GameStop Corp. has officially ended as of mid-May. Since then, I couldn't have been more happy, nor could I have been more upset in the fashion that my termination was carried out. On the store video camera, I was taped walking into the back room, putting away sign holders. As I walked back into the frame, I began to tuck in the back of my shirt (I don't have the best belt in the world). However, that very store video tape was taken home by my store manager, Ryan Kelley (thats right, I'm naming names). He became upset because of the low number of transactions and add-on items, plus the low number of reservations I and my then Game Advisor Jamillah received. Therefore, he proceeded to take home the tape to see exactly what we did. It was then that my shirt tucking caught his attention, and he perceived it as me stealing. That is, he thought I was stuffing merchandise down my pants.
Those who know me realize that I don't steal from my employers, nor would I WANT to steal from them, much less GameStop. They have nothing for me to steal, that terrible excuse for a video game retailer. And if there was something I wanted, I have what is called money, something that GameStop steals from people every single day. After being interrogated Jack Bauer style by my idiot district manager, Eric David, I was let go two days later. Not for theft; they couldn't prove that I put anything down my pants. Instead they let me go for what they called "payroll fraud". From what Eric David told me, I let my Game Advisor Jamillah stay on the clock, even though she was not technically "working", to which I admitted.
An inside source tells me that the real reason Ryan was upset and had me terminated was because I failed a secret shopper call, where the company hires people to call their own stores and question the employees to make sure they tell customers about anything and everything in the store, in this case about us taking trade ins and to reserve future titles. He was apparently embarrassed in front of the rest of the district on a conference call, and when he confronted me about the call, I didn't make a big deal about it. Supposedly he expected some kind of apology, to which I didn't give him, therefore he had me ousted. He was witnessed by two of my fellow employees sifting through two tapes of days that I worked, nitpicking and sifting to look for some excuse to get me fired. Now if this whole thing isn't an example of pure injustice, I don't know what is. Little does Ryan Kelly know, and Store #5090 realize, that they have fucked with the wrong mexican.
I ask you, the reader, friend, family member, or whoever you may be, to join my mission. My mission not to stop GameStop altogether (thats impossible), but to spread the word, and reveal to the public the unjust, greedy, unintelligent, and downright dirty money hungry pigs that are the GameStop Corporation. I plan on starting an online campaign that I am currently dubbing "Don't Shop GameStop!". I am also considering starting my own website dedicated to fighting the good fight. Please, feel free to leave you're comments and suggestions in my mailbox, or as comments on my profile. Also any negative shopping experiences you or somebody you know have had at any GameStop location. Lets take the fight to their doorstep, lets take their "$5 down", and shove it right up their asses! Aren't you tired of buying so called "new copies", only to open them and find the disc obviously used, with fingerprints and scratches on your $50 game? Aren't you tired of their shady return policies? Aren't you tired of employees insulting and demeaning you about reserving games that you damn well know WILL be in stock?
Thats right people, I'm dishing the dirt, I'm lifting the curtain, I'm exposing the inner operations, so YOU, the gamer, will save your money, or at the least spend it at legit video game resellers. At the same time, costing GS business and money. They don't compete with the competition, they eliminate it all together. They are building a monopoly on the video game retail industry, with their ridiculous "Edge Cards" and shotty used titles that look like they've been used as coasters. Lets put an end to it. Together, we can have our voices heard. In case you can't wait, here's a little appetizer... (708) 206-0489. That is the phone number to GameStop Homewood, my former workplace. Lets tell them what we think of their "gameplay guarantee". More soon!

Vigilantly yours,

The Spaniard