If they can't even find someone to man the desk at Target/Walmart, are they really going to have people spend time putting every game in one of those plastic protective sleeves, then have every register have the little opener? Not that they can't or won't eventually go to such a system, it just seems like a bunch of overhead.

And Best Buy does seem to be moving away from such a system, with all newer games in a cage, and some weird policy where they need to walk the game up to the front register for you.

You're probably right.

But oh well. Like I said I buy most of my games online these days as its getting to be too much of a hassle to buy them at B&M stores.

Around here those guys only look at the receipt if you have a big box item (TV, stereo, DVD player etc.).

At Circuit City they check every bag/receipt though.

Never been checked at CC either.

Maybe I'm not as shifty looking at you guys...

Ah, ok. I never did buy much from TRU in those days... that was before their buy 2 get 1 free deals after all. Just seemed like a system that was easy to implement, and it let me look at all the games currently out.

I've never been to a Best Buy where the guy ever looked in your bag. They would occasionally check the receipts of people walking out with really large items, but that was about all.

At my local Best Buy, I rarely see them even do this anymore. Instead of being a security guy eyeballing everyone leaving the store, they've turned the position into more of a greeter who says hi to everyone coming in and gives a pink sticker to anyone walking in with a return item.

SoCal must have lots of shoplifters. Best Buy and Fry's Electronics do this all the time, though I occasionally walk right past them. I've actually not seen it yet at CC.

Could be. Could be.

honestly, if they want to habitually search my bags, I'd go somewhere else or just buy online.

I walk past them and ignore them

Must just be LA
In OC, I've never seen this practice outside of Fry's.
I've actually set off the detecor at Best Buy many times, and I'm just told to not worry about it, and I just think, damn, I coulda shop-lifted something...

The CC's here check everyone. The one's I went to in WV didn't check anything.

Just difference of living somewhere nice vs in urban areas I guess. But still, the Best Buy right next to the CC I go to now doesn't check bags...just big box items as noted.

The alarms at the Best Buy's around here go off all the time. And I've never once seen security check someone (except for Black Friday).

I can tell you from experience that they don't have that type of security. I have friends that work at several different GameStops, and I'll usually stop by one of them on the way home from work to BS for the last 30 or so minutes that they're open.

I can't tell you how many times at one of the locations the security from Target (just down the plaza) has come over to tell them about stolen DVD box sets, or asked them if a person fitting a certain description was in to sell something. Target's security is horrible.

I used to work "Loss Prevention" at BB and checking people was a "Grey area". If they set off the alarm then we would do a check but it's not LAX so you can't get too serious about checking. They barely wanted us to check receipts believe it or not.

Hell, most of the time I was posted at the front door alone and those LP guys do more than just "security" so that was real pain in the ass. At my cheapfuck store we were putting TV’s in cars, answering phones after a certain time of day, being the main target for complaints, and lotsa other shit. All that told me that BB, or at least the jerk off Management at my store, had no real interest in loss prevention with one guy at the door. One day I was alone and helping a customer when a guy walked out with LCD computer monitor. I saw him, asked for a receipt and he just mumbled some bullshit and kept walking. Well, I was alone so I couldn't leave the door and go after him so i just had to let this fucker go. What kinda shit is that Best Buy? Don't you care about LP staff safety and losing merchandise?

Did he get a service plan at least?

He probably should've. One of the guys from the Warehouse was walking up and I told him that the guy took the Monitor. We're under the same department so he chased the guy and the fucker fell and dropped the moniter then got back up with the box and kept going. I'm guessing he did some damage to it but who knows...WHO CARES....fuck Best Buy.

So I'm escorting my nephew to Gamestop to get Halo 3 (he reserved & didn't know better). Anyhow he brang 5 games to trade in. After waiting in line for an hour we get to the counter only to have the cashier announce that the store manager has decided not to accept trades to increase velocity out the door. They didn't post it anywhere, it was just an on the spot decision. At this point several people behind us complain that they too have trades. So I tell the kid to get his manager and tell that person if he doesn't accept the trades I'm going to call his regional manager. He tells me to go ahead so I pull out my Blackberry and ask him to the number. He gives it to me and suprisingly the gentleman picks right up. I explain to him, "this asshole retail manager of yours is holding up a line of over 50 consumers because he is trying to make operational on the spot decisions. It's not our fault he has failed to queue his store properly and staff accordingly. He is refusing to take trades and making several children very upset." The regional manager asks that I hand my Blackberry over to the gentleman. The store manager sighs, caves and decides to let the trades go through with several people in the back of the line saying, "thanks, that punk was a jerk." When my Blackberry is handed back to me by the store manager the regional manager states, "I've instructed him to give you a 25 % discount off your overall reciept. Please let me know if this is an issue again."

When the bag is handed to my nephew the manager smirks. I ask him, "do we have another issue, I can call your regional manager and have him bitchslap you again?". At this point several people in the line start laughing. "No sir" he says.

For those who are interested this is Gamestop store #4336. 401 Biscayne Blvd. Miami, Fl

Cool story.

Very cool story.

So he had no problem with the store manager selling an M rated title to children?

Halo 3 is rated M?
News to me

I can understand your frustration at how this may have complicated your transaction, but is there really any reason for you and your nephew to be (I wish I could say what I want to) so rude?

There were probably a lot of parents with kids there, and at that point, it's the parents rather than the manager who have to make the decision. Sort of off-topic, but Halo 3 seems pretty tame compared to a lot of other M-rated games.

To answer your question, no.

I didn't state that I handled the situation as well as I could have, or would want to in hindsight now. Like most people I try to lead by example and it didn't help the situation speaking to him in that deragatory (pardon spelling) manner in front of children. But the reason for my post was not to critique anyones mannerisms, just to comment on a negative Gamestop experience iniated by employees of the store.

And to their credit, from what I heard they were pointing out to parents that the game was an M rated title. And I did see them refuse , what appeared to be, a 15 yr old.

Well then,