(I decide that I will take in my XBox 360 and my PS3 Slim for trade-in towards a new PS4 or XBox One. I haven’t decided on which to get but I figure I’ll get store credit and decide later. When I take in my games and the two systems, the people behind the counter look at me a little sadly.)

Employee: “Do you have anything older, like NES, SNES, Sega, and so forth?”

Me: “Actually, yeah, I do.”

(I go home and come back with a box of NES cartridges — about 90 — instead, and the two guys are excited as they dig in and start to go through all of them. A young boy, about nine years old comes in.)

Boy: “Do you have the Gold NES Zelda?”

(This piques my interest, because here is a kid not old enough to be ten, asking for a NES game.)

Employee: “Sorry, we don’t have any of those, just the Adventures of Link Gold Edition.”

(I go over and point to one of the stacks.)

Me: “No, you guys got a Gold NES Zelda right there.”

Employee: “Oh, I stand corrected. Here, is this what you were looking for?” *shows it to the boy*

Boy: *excited* “Yep!”

(The father comes over:)

Father: “How much?”

(The employee behind the counter looks to me.)

Me: “Well, I haven’t traded it in yet, and it’s rare that a kid this age would want an NES, so he can have it.”

(The father looks at me his eyes going narrow and his face curling in disgust like he’s looking at rotted meat.)

Father: “No, f*** you! We don’t take no freebies!”

(He storms in and stares at the employee behind the counter.)

Father: “How much will it be after he trades it in?”

Employee: “Well, they go for thirty-five, but I’ll do thirty. Or, you can do it for free right now from this gentleman.”

Father: “No! I told you we don’t do no f****** freebies!”

(He takes a hold of his kid’s arm — who is in near tears at this point, staring at the game he wants — and starts dragging the boy out.)

Father: “We’ll be back to buy it later after it’s traded in!”

(I try and stuff the game into the boy’s hoodie as he is being dragged by, but the father sees and gets up on me with his fist under my nose.)

Father: “NO! F*** YOU! WE DON’T DO FREEBIES!”

(With this, he pushed his kid out in front of him, and he stormed out.)

(I’m a female who works in a popular game store. As the male manager and I are doing closing duties, a customer rings us, and I foolishly answer.)

Customer: “Hi, what time do you close?”

Me: “Well, truth be told, we’re already closed by about five minutes, but are you in the shopping centre, and do you know what you want? I can get it ready for you if you get here fast.”

Customer: “Yeah! I’m getting there as fast as I can! I’m after [Popular Product].”

Me: “For which console?”

Customer: “[Popular Console]!”

(This is a perfect customer so far; he knows what he wants and everything.)

Me: “Sure, I have one here for you. Which shop are you next to?”

Customer: “I’m just passing [Store that isn’t anywhere near the shopping centre, let alone our store].”

Me: “Um, I’m afraid that’s not in the centre.”

Customer: “Oh, no, I’m about a couple miles away, but I’m heading in now. Can you stay open until then?”

Me: “I’m afraid not, no. Even if I stayed open, I’m afraid the actual shopping centre doors close at 6:10. I’m sorry.”

Customer: “Well, I have the money here; can you meet me halfway?”

Me: “I’m afraid I don’t drive—”

Customer: “Well, could you wait outside the shopping centre, I can pull up, you give me the game, and I give you the money?”

Me: “I’m afraid it has to go through the till. I Wouldn’t be able to give you a receipt.”

Customer: “Oh, I don’t care about that. I’m just after the game! So, you’ll do it, yeah? I’m on my way!”

Me: “No, I’m sorry, but I can’t meet you outside. I can’t leave the store with merchandise that’s not paid for.”

Customer: “Simple, you pay for it, and I’ll give you the money in half an hour when I get there!”

(At this point my manager tells me it’s raining outside, that he definitely doesn’t want me waiting around in the dark and rain alone, an hour after work ended, to sell a complete stranger a game that I would have to pay for first.)

Me: “Sir, I’m afraid I can’t wait in the rain for you. It’s already past closing and I have to go home. I can save you a copy so there’s definitely one here for you tomorrow; don’t worry.”

Customer: “But I can drive you home! Where do you live?”

(My manager makes a “No way, not happening” gesture.)

Me: “My fiancé is picking me up. I’m okay, and your game will be okay, too. We won’t sell it on you! What’s the name? I’ll save you a copy for tomorrow!”

Customer: “But… But I’m on my way! Can’t you— I told you I was on my way!”

Me: “Sir, at the start of this conversation I asked if you were in the shopping centre and you said, ‘Yes.’ I’m afraid we are being asked to leave by security at this point, as we are already past our exit time.”

(This is somewhat true; security hates to be kept waiting.)

Me: “I’m writing a note on the game for you. Just quote, ‘I’m on my way!’ and you’ll get your copy. No worries! Have a nice day!”

(I put the phone down, hurriedly.)

Manager: *incredulously* “Did he just ask where you live?!”

Me: *answers phone* “Trade and save at [Store], [Location]. This is [My Name].”

Customer: “Hi, is this [Store]?”

Me: “Yes, it is.”

Customer: “Do you trade games?”

Me: “Yes, we do.”

Customer: “Wait, is this the [Location] store?”

Me: “Yes, it is.”

Customer: “Wow, thanks a lot! You’ve been very helpful. Who was I speaking to?”

Me: “This is [My Name].”

Customer: “Thanks! Bye!”

(I’m at a fairly popular gaming store in search of a video game that came out yesterday. The company producing the video game is notorious for not producing enough stock.)

Cashier: “Can I help you?”

Me: “Uh, yes. I was wondering if you had [Game]?”

Cashier: “I think they’re all sold out except pre-orders. Hold on.”

(He goes around to computer. I follow him and stand across the counter.)

Cashier: “Yeah, looks like we only have pre-orders. You really should have pre-ordered it; they never stock enough.”

Me: “Well, not usually games… I know they didn’t stock much of [Console #1] or [Console #2]—”

Cashier: *interrupting before I can finish the name of [Console #2]* “No. They always sell out. You should have pre-ordered it. Wait, it looks like we do have one. But only one. So, you should have pre-ordered it.” *turns around to grab the game*

Me: “I guess. But I didn’t really have the money—”

Cashier: *still not facing me, incredibly judgemental* “You didn’t have five dollars?”

Me: *I pause, taken off-guard by his tone* “I didn’t know if I would have the money to pay it off when it came out.”

Cashier: *now talking to and looking at me like I’m a small child* “You can pay a little bit at a time. A little money here… a little money there… and then you’re guaranteed to have the game.”

Me: “I’ll think about it.”

Cashier: “You should have pre-ordered it.”

Me: “Well—”

Cashier: “You’re guaranteed the game.”

Me: “…”

Cashier: “Do you have a rewards card?”

Me: “Not with me. Is there an alternate ID option?”

Cashier: “Phone number.”

Me: “Uh…”

(It’s my brother’s card, but I can’t remember his phone number. I reach for my phone to load it up, hoping the card has more than one number attached.)

Me: “It might be [Dad’s Phone Number].”

Cashier: “Nope.”

Me: *looking at my brother’s phone number* “Oh, it’s—”

Cashier: *interrupting me again* “Your total is [price].”

(At this point, I was tired of his attitude and just wanted to get out of the store, so I didn’t push the issue and just handed him the money. After handing me the game, he started to say something else. Fortunately, one of my friends ran in and gave me the excuse to talk to him and leave before I had to listen to anything else. I understand that pre-ordering can be a good choice and, yes, it guarantees you the game, but seriously? You don’t get to reprimand your customers for not pre-ordering. That’s not cool.)

I pre-ordered a Pokémon game, and the release date was coming up soon. A few days before the release, I got an email saying that if I wanted to get it as soon as possible, a store near me would be giving out ticket vouchers that allow customers to get it the night before the official release. I was unable to go get the voucher, so I asked a friend who had also pre-ordered the game to go get one for us both.

I pre-ordered the Moon version, and my friend ordered the Sun version, but only I got the email. I figured it was just sloppy notifications. However, when my friend got to the store and started talking among fans, they realized that only people who ordered the Moon version were emailed about the ticket that let you in to get game early. All those who ordered Sun were left in the dark. The store didn’t answer any questions, but a few fans came to a theory that the store decided to notify the Moon players because they would be more “likely” to be up at night-time.