I am a frequent shopper at a well-known video game store where I actually used to work. One day I received an email that they were having a sale on vinyl figures, something I collect. I had some extra income, so I decided to order some included in the sale.

I placed the order and noticed it would be sent in two shipments. That was perfectly fine, I thought, so I went about my life, frequently checking the tracking page. One package, the one containing fewer of my figures, shipped and even arrived in less than two weeks.

After those two weeks, I noticed the larger of the two hadn’t even been shipped yet, so I decided to call customer service.

I was optimistic. It was not near the holidays so I shouldn’t be on hold long, I thought naively, and even listened with interest to the advertisements for new games they played while I was holding.

Well, forty-five minutes later, that optimism had worn off and I was officially annoyed. When someone finally answered the phone, I was not happy. I was polite, of course, but the representative just wasn’t getting it.

I described to him my exact problem: that I had the order literally in front of me at that exact moment with the entire list of the contents and the tracking information and it said it hadn’t even been sent.

After some fiddling around and putting me on hold two more times, the rep told me there was a mistake with the shipping and he would have my package resent.

Hallelujah, right?

Wrong.

He read me the exact list of the figures that would be in the package. I had specifically ordered two figures that were from the same franchise. He listed one of the figures, but not the figure of the main character that should have been with the package. For the record, all this information was on the list of products I had in front of me, and, I assumed, he had in front of him.

So. I corrected him, listing the full list including all of the vinyls I had ordered.

He agreed, and then listed them again, minus the same character.

Finally, exhausted, after nearly two hours of talking probably more than I had in the entire rest of the day combined, I just agreed with him and had him send the shipment.

I wrote off the figure as one of the free ones I would have gotten and tried not to be too upset, but now I have the side character vinyl and not the main character and a decayed view of customer service for this company. 

If I buy from them now, it’s from their brick-and-mortar store nearest me because at least those employees act like they appreciate and listen to me.

(I’m female and a frequent customer at a local video game store. I know the manager well between my constant trips in and having worked over the holidays a couple of years back. He uses me as a training customer for new hires since I know the system and am known for being patient. I get a text from him one day.)

Manager: “Hey, we have a new hire and it’s been slow. Wanna swing by?”

(I’m not busy, so I head out. When I walk in, the new guy gives me a bad look.)

New Hire: “Oh, hi.”

Me: “Hi there! Do you have [New Game]?”

New Hire: “We have it for [System #1]. Do you know what your boyfriend has?”

Me: “My… what? I own a [System #1]. It’s for me.”

New Hire: “Sure, whatever. We don’t do returns on opened or used games.”

Me: “I’ll just look around for a minute.”

(I end up finding a couple of other games I want. I bring them up to the register, where the new hire is still glaring at me.)

New Hire: “You know these games are for [System #2], right? They won’t work on [System #1].”

Me: “Yes, I know. I own both.”

New Hire: “Do you want to call your boyfriend to make sure?”

Me: “No, because these are for me. I don’t have a boyfriend.”

New Hire: “I can’t return them–”

(At this point, I’m done with his attitude. I know the manager tends to watch the cameras in the back room.)

Me: “[MANAGER]! I’m gonna need your help!”

(He comes out with a MASSIVE grin.)

Manager: “Oh, [My Name]! What’s the issue?”

Me: “I apparently need to call my non-existent boyfriend before buying video games.”

New Hire: “I’m just trying to help her! I told her she can’t return them!”

Manager: “All right, that’s three complaints in one week. First of all, while it’s nice to let them know about our policy, you don’t have to keep repeating yourself. Second, not every girl who comes in here is shopping for their boyfriend. Third, I know she owns the consoles for those. I sold them to her. Actually, when it’s busy, I sometimes pay her to test consoles we get in for repairs or to sell. You trying to talk down to her is both useless and embarrassing.”

(He ended up being let go.)

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(I work at a big-box video game store and am the only female employee on today.)

Female Customer: “A girl actually works here?”

Me: “Excuse me? Uh, yes, I work here. Can I help you with anything?”

Female Customer: “Can you babysit my son?”

Me: “Excuse me?”

Female Customer: “My son loves video games and needs a babysitter. My God, why didn’t I think of this sooner? You would be perfect. How old are you?”

Me: “Ma’am, I don’t think I can do that.”

Female Customer: “Well, why not? It will be easy. Just play games with him for a couple of hours.”

Me: “Because I don’t know you or your son?”

(The customer continued to harass me about babysitting her son until my manager came in and escorted her out.)

I am a manager at a video game store well-known for taking old games in trade. I’m behind the counter as I greet a customer who comes in with a bag full of games.

Me:
“Hi, what can I do for you?”

Customer:
“Yeah, I want to sell these games.”

I start scanning in his games.

Me:
“What games are you looking to put these towards?”

Customer:
“I was hoping to get cash, actually.”

Me:
“Are you sure? Cash would only be [value], but if you went with store credit you’d get [significantly higher value] instead, thanks to the various promotions we have going on.”

Customer:
“I know, but I can’t buy drugs with store credit.”

I go to a local game store. It’s just me and the cashier at first. I’m there to make a return, but I notice some new merchandise and start browsing before completing my return. During this, two men walk in, both absolutely reeking of marijuana, which is illegal in this state. They approach the cashier before me.

Customer #1:
*Sounding frustrated* “Listen, I keep getting your stupid magazine. I don’t want this s***! But every time I come here it’s like you’re just making me pay for it. Is this a f****** joke to you?”

The cashier responds in a perfectly polite customer service voice.

Cashier:
“I’m sorry that it’s upsetting you, sir. You get it free with the [rewards membership]. We don’t take orders for the magazine otherwise, so it isn’t costing you anything.”

Customer #1:
*Raising his voice* “And just what the f*** am I supposed to do with this bulls***?!”

Cashier:
“That’s up to you, sir. It’s a free magazine. I can make a note in your account that you don’t want the magazine, but beyond that, I have no control.”

Customer #1:
*Aggressive* “And what would you say if I said I’d cancel my [rewards membership] if you punks sent me another magazine?”

Cashier:
“What’s your membership number?”

Customer #2:
“You’re not even going to try to keep him as a member?”

Cashier:
“I’m truly sorry this has been so upsetting, but I have no control over national magazine distribution. I’m only a cashier in a tiny location, in a tiny town. If you’d like, I can give you a copy of corporate’s number and you can try asking them for further help.”

Customer #1:
“Well, f*** you, f*** this store, and f*** this town!”

They both stormed out, cussing. I was honestly worried I’d have to call the police for a minute. After they left, I did my transaction and chatted with the cashier and let him vent about how stupid the whole confrontation was.