Dear Sir or Madam:

This evening, October 12, 2006, I went to the Best Buy in Emeryville to purchase God Hand, for the Playstation 2, and Test Drive Unlimited, for the Xbox 360. I have been shopping at this store since it opened several years ago. I mention this to let you know that 1.) I am a regular customer, who purchases the bulk of his games at your store, and 2.) I have never had a problem with your representatives in the past.

I’ve noticed the change toward putting new release games in locked cabinets. While I presume that this is a measure taken to curb shoplifting, as a customer, it has created a problematic environment for several reasons:

1.) A customer cannot browse your games. Often, only the spines of the game, or the front covers are visible through the glass doors.
2.) It creates an unwelcoming environment. Obviously, this is somewhat subjective, but there is a stark difference in my perception, as a customer, of an environment where I can casually peruse the merchandise, and one where a representative is standing over my shoulder as I try to figure out what I would like to purchase.
3.) Because the cases are locked, the only way to gain access to them is to find a representative with a key.

Item 3 is by far the most problematic of the bunch for me, and it led to the most unprofessional retail experience I have ever encountered at a store this evening. In the last few months, since your stores have begun locking games in display cases, I have found it incredibly difficult to find a representative to unlock the case. Often, this takes upwards of ten minutes, and requires me to run around the store and literally chase a blue-shirted representative down. They are often running from place to place themselves, which forces me to feel like I am both interrupting something they are doing, and look like an idiot running after someone who’s running away. It certainly doesn’t make them appear helpful, or available, and because now this is a *required step* in purchasing a new game, I have to engage in this ludicrous behaviour every time I wish to purchase a game from your store.

The apex of this occurred tonight. I wanted to get a game that is listed “in stock” on the Best Buy website (God Hand), but was not on the shelves, or in the display case. I also wanted to get a game that was in the display case, behind the locked doors (Test Drive Unlimited). After the usual five to ten minutes of waiting, I finally managed to find someone I could at least interrupt, to get their attention. they guided me towards another representative. I waited for this new representative to finish chatting casually with his friend, at which point I asked him about opening the case, and seeing if they had God Hand in stock.

He said he would check to see whether they had the game in stock, and to wait near the game case. I did so. Ten minutes later, I saw him chatting up a customer in the camera department. I walked over, and waited for him to finish with this customer, at which point, he said, “Uh… I should be helping you with something, right?” I repeated my request. This time, his response was that he “didn’t work in [that] department, and didn’t know where the guy that did was.”

So, apparently, I stood in front of the game case (with several other annoyed customers) for fifteen minutes so that your representative could tell me he had no idea what he was doing, and basically never intended to even look for the game that I had requested.

At this point, I was definitely getting annoyed.

I chased down and spoke with another representative, who then finally showed me the person who was *supposed* to be working in the game department. He pointed to “that guy,” who I then had to literally *run* after, to get his attention. I could not catch him before he disappeared into “the back,” from which he did not emerge for several minutes.

Finally, increasingly frustrated, I caught up with a woman, Christine, who of all the people I had talked to thus far, was the *only* person who was both attentive, understood my request, and actually got results. I mentioned the specific games I was looking for, and she went off to find “Andrew” (I believe – I may be mistaken as to the name). She told me that she would look for the game in the back, repeated the name to make sure she understood it, said she would get help, and told me to wait at the game case. She returned moments later with “Andrew,” told me he was manning the game section, and that he could help me. I thanked her, and proceeded to ask “Andrew” about God Hand, and Test Drive Unlimited.

He said he’d look in the back, and wandered off. I waited another fifteen minutes. At this point, I had been in the store nearly an hour, had talked to four people (three of which were a combination of entirely unhelpful, and in the case of two of the reps (Andrew, and the guy who ended up at the camera section) completely rude and unprofessional), and had nothing to show for it, except one girl (Christine) who had actually managed to get something done.

At this point, I was basically livid.

I work in the game industry. I make games for a living, yet I find myself completely unable to purchase a game that I can *SEE* a foot in front of me, behind a glass wall. I have been trying to buy this game, and one other, for an HOUR. I’ve been blown off by reps, I’ve had countless walk away from me as I’ve tried to ask for information.

Hands down, this is the worst retail experience I have *ever had*.

Disgusted, I walk to the exit. I’ve asked one of the reps for the store manager, but am told he’s interviewing staff, and is unavailable. So, I turn to the greeter, and tell him of the horrible time I’ve had trying to find this game, and that after several years of being a regular customer, I’m pretty sure I’m never shopping here again.

He is polite, and composed. By this time, I’m frustrated, but still trying to be polite. He offers to help, and I accept. He uses the intercom to ask about God Hand, and whether anyone has it. In fifteen seconds, he finds someone on the other end who can tell him that they don’t have it. I thank him and leave. I don’t even bother asking if he can open the game case, because at this point, I’m not giving Best Buy another cent of my money, and another moment of my time.

I buy a lot of games. I buy a lot of DVD’s. My money, from this moment on, will be going to stores that are not completely idiotically organized, designed to prevent their customers from actually purchasing the goods they’re selling. For Brick & Mortar stores, my future purchases will be going to the Circuit City in Emeryville, or I’ll wait for Amazon to ship stuff to me. It’s not like it would take any longer than the reps on the floor at your store tonight.

Yours,
A former customer