Should You Work in a Game Store?! (TALES FROM THE GAME STORE TUTORIAL)

Should you work in a game store? Ian explains what it's like!
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#gamestore #talesfromthegamestore

[@PatTheNESpunk]

Ian tricked by the Patreon Poll into a new TALES FROM THE GAME STORE! You can support our Patreon @patreon.com/cupodcast

[@IanSane]

It's not just retail that sucks, it's really any job that requires regular interaction with the customer directly, and you're not the owner of the business. Really the problem is that you have to interact with people even if they're not pleasant to deal with. Socially if someone is being a jerk you can tell them to get lost. You can't do that if you're interacting with a customer so the jerk has you trapped. You could tell them off but it isn't your company so it's really not your customer that you're telling off. Your boss may not want to lose the business of that customer and you're forced to respect that. Essentially it's not your relationship. The relationship is between the customer and the store and you're just the liaison caught in the middle. It's no different then if you were dealing with a relative's co-worker or neighbour where they're being a jerk to you but the ramifications of your retaliation will affect the relative's relationship with thta person, instead of yours. So you hold back.

[@deezy81]

Not taking disrespect from anybody. I would blow a two million dollar pay over some disrespect.. Your reputation is always above finances. I can always get employment elsewhere. The only think I am trying to hold back is my nuts before they bust. I am usually not successful. Got to work on my stamina..

[@popuptoaster]

Depends on your job I think, I drive a lorry delivering steel stock and have, more than once when dealing with an awkward, aggressive or annoying customer, just driven away with their stuff. Of course my company are grumpy with me about it but what are they going to do when all my other customers are happy with my service?

[@woody4077]

IKR i've ACTUALLYv had to tell MULTIPLE customers over the years "i can't do that because its illegal in this state" or "no we can't refund that item, because we DO NOT sell that product at this store"

[@fredrikemilsson854]

Sure you can! I tell those asshats exactly what I think of them. And then they go to my boss to complain about me, and he agrees with me and tells the asshat to get the f*ck out.

[@Jeffari1]

I demand my Retron console come with Suction Cups! Why won't you sell us the suction cup compatible hardware, Ian?!

[@mikewhoelse]

I watched you play 51 classic games on twitch this morning Pat. Immediately bought it off the eshop and played it for hours with my 9 year old son. We had a great time with it. Learned loads of games we didn't know how to play. Great recommendation.

[@PatTheNESpunk]

Local family fun gaming! I thought it couldn't be done on the Switch! :D

[@ezg2000]

@@PatTheNESpunk Speaking of game consoles. The amico said they had 100% exclusive games. Watch this skip to 2:30. This game will be available at arcades. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXfRkGuAmbqcqck

[@ThatsOnYoutube]

I knew it was going to be this answer. Retail sucks the soul out of anything.

[@g10118]

...Yeah....

[@LinkRocks]

I think everyone should work retail for at least 6 months to get an appreciation of what those who work there go through. Will it eliminate the a-holes and bad things about retail? No, but it will expose some to just how difficult of a job it is.

[@callak_9974]

Niche retail is probably better, like a comic shop, or specific hobby store, since only people who are actually interested in that stuff would enter. Gaming (even retro) has become a fairly large hobby in a lot of people's lives now that it's not exactly the same.

[@ericconnor708]

@@LinkRocks I worked two nights and quit. I certainly appreciate people doing that job way more (though I've never looked down on them anyway).

[@widdowson91]

I worked in a game store for several years, and while it still suffered many of the same issues that other retail has it was definitely better than the food store I worked in beforehand. Maybe I got lucky, but the customers were generally all nice to deal with and our regulars were great to talk to. My co-workers were all great as well, and although we no longer work together we remain friends. You had the bad days, of course, and the occasional shitty customer, but it was the most fun I've ever had in a work environment.

[@mrbee15]

Absolutely love the intro to Tales from the Game Store

[@PepsiGolem]

I spent about four years working on and off at a retro game store during college and I will say it probably has been my favorite job I've had up to this point. Yes, once in a while you get 'those' customers, but by and large I rarely had any issues with customers and certainly not on the level I do now working at PetSmart. The best part was the excitement you get when people bring in, because you never knew when you would find something really cool or extremely obscure that I hadn't even heard of it. I was also great friends with my manager, who I still talk to on a regular basis to this day. Honestly, the only issues I ever really had were caused by the actual owners of the store, rarely the customers.

[@derekhart410]

This didnt scratch that itch of Tales from the game store. The suction cups thing is kinda funny though

[@TheBrokenLife]

I worked retail for about 10 years of my life... I don't recommend it. However, as far as first jobs / young jobs go, it beats food service.

[@575forza]

I agree with Ian saying interests dont have to be the same in any relationship, friend, significant other. I have friends who think Starship Troopers is a stupid movie and enemies that are Pats fans. And retail sucks across the board. Trust.

[@oz_jones]

The book is better, honestly

[@djquikdr]

I really like these stories. It makes my day. Thank you!

[@FIXTREME]

As soon as you hear "Alright Ian," you know business is about to pick up

[@deezy81]

Word to Jim Ross..

[@trollhunter6421]

The look on Pat's face regarding the suction cups moment! Priceless... ROFLOL!!!!

[@opaljk4835]

Troll Hunter I wish we could go back to the time of the suction cup video signal.

[@lhmmhl1]

I SERIOUSLY NEED a coherent explanation to the suction cup comment. Its going to kill me if i never get an answer.

[@josean6287]

Tales from the game store is what made me subscribe to this channel... We need them more often please!

[@pikkon899]

Retail in general can make a lot of people upset. If you can handle being around people and are quite social with the vocal skills to get by, Retail is for you. I've done it before and I found out I wasn't as social as I thought I was. I started doing heavy general labor and I found out I was far better at working with my hands than I was dealing with customers. Judging by him Ian started shaking once he started answering the question, I'd say Ian has many "of those days"

[@Ry3guy]

I'm a simple man I see tales from the games store I click

[@ramonayala4726]

Love tales from the game store

[@FyreJams]

Been waiting for awhile!!

[@CandisClassicGameShrine]

I used to have people ask me all the time if it was worth working in a pet store since I’ve worked in them almost my entire life. I tell them not to do it if they love animals. It’s far from fun and games and by the end of your first shift you can write a novel on human stupidity in retail settings lol. Also wise relationship words lol

[@orochiokada]

I would just like to thank you once again for cutting out the part Ian turned into a werewolf. That shit always scares me. Damn special effects.

[@otakubullfrog1665]

Having compatible music tastes doesn't make people soul mates, but it certainly can help them get along better on a long car ride.

[@opaljk4835]

My aunt worked for cablevision customer service. Each day people would call in everyday because they lost their remote control and would say bizarre names for it all the time . My favorite were the people who would call and say “I can’t find the wand!” WHAT?! Lol

[@MikeSaltzman]

Watching some of your old catalog of videos... and stumble upon a random mention for the gofundme for my store... Wow. Pat, thank you. I saw your donation come through, but had no idea that you also mentioned it here. Thank you.

[@PCOnlyGamer]

Tales From The Game Store is the best!

[@joshmartimez2235]

I will never work in retail because i know how grumpy and ignorant customers can be. There have been times I've treated retail workers badly on purpose and due to frustration of stores not having an item i needed at the time. Then there have been times I've been treated like shit by retail employees for no reason and never went back to that particular store. My brother worked in retail and he said it was mentally and physically draining. I've worked different warehouse jobs over the past 15 years. I've worked full time at the same company for the past 7 years.

[@joshmartimez2235]

@@uhhwhateverdude9463 i worked at Amazon ten years ago worked on their production line, stocker and loading trucks.

[@NoelComiX]

Tales from the game store should just be the podcast lol

[@shawnmowers7218]

I disagree I would rather work at a used video game store then say a convenience store or grocery store..used video game store not as many costumers so easyer.

[@TheBrokenLife]

Convenience store is the worst... I did that for a few months I'd never do it again.

[@opaljk4835]

Retail is retail. I did really like selling records. It’s always a grind though

[@deezy81]

Sorry to hear about Eight Bit And Up getting vandalized.. Big super shout out to Markus.. Despite the horror stories about him, he has always been an excellent employee to me and I have no complaints about him.

[@MrDrokkul]

I had a customer I was showing a computer ask, "Now does this come with the internet on it?" I replied, "No, but we can provide the internet on a handy 6 CD-ROM set."

[@reemCGR]

xD

[@VoidHalo]

The only thing I can think of when he mentioned suction cups is inside a CRT TV, there's a suction cup that holds a wire in place that connects the anode from the flyback converter onto the screen at the back so it can have a positive voltage so the electrons will fly towards the screen. Either that, or there was a lightgun game my brother had in the 80's that you played with a VHS tape and it had a little red light with a suction cup that you stuck to your tv screen. But both of those seem like a huge stretch.

[@jasonleman1396]

When ian said it was like working a normal job, I dont imagine too many people walking into retail stores trying to sell swords

[@BigSnipp]

When the minimum wage was $4.25 an hour, I got $4.75 like a boss working at Country Fair.

[@natevirtual]

the only suction cup I could think of is the one you remove while discharging your CRT

[@juggalo4life247mfrs]

There used to be vcr based games where you put a sensor on the front of the tv that used a suction cup..

[@LinkRocks]

As someone who worked in various retail and customer service jobs over a 14 year span I can confirm what Ian and Pat said--at the end of the day it's all the same type of job. I took a job working for my fave NFL team's pro shop thinking the customers would be better since all I'd be doing is selling NFL merch, but it's all the same ppl that go to grocery stores, the mall, and restaurants. Customers are customers. Ian's correct, you'll have more fun working in a specialty retail store if you're into the products you're selling, but that still comes with all of the bad things about working retail. If you know that going in, you'll be fine.

[@BradTheProducer]

I run a music store (instruments and sheet music, not CDs) and this is all true. Some days are wonderful, some days are soul crushing, and nearly everyone you interact with assumes you just have the time of your life, when in reality there are days where I go home never wanting to listen to or play music again. Plus, people apply to work for me all the time because they want an easy, do-nothing job, and when I fail to filter them out and let them work, they're absolutely bowled over by the amount of real effort that goes into the job and they bail. The number of people who utilize retail workers as their personal punching bags is insane, and you have to have a certain hardness to put up with that angle of retail to survive.

[@thomasmaher6880]

Just a quick word. The store with the go fund me in Syracuse is great! Please support if able!!! It’s one of the only ones I shop at in CNY! I drive by stores to go there. Very fair and friendly!

[@NoelComiX]

I'm right under Syracuse and above Robot City in Binghamton. They are awesome.

[@letsplayclassicgames5024]

I worked retail (Supermarket) for 12 years from 16-28. I would imagine no matter what form of retail you work in, it would suck the life out of you at some point. The general public is full of idiots who know more about your job than you do, who will throw childlike temper tantrums over something as silly as a .10 cent price difference. Dont get me wrong, there were customers that I loved to talk to and I did have fun at my job, but the people who belittle others and are just flat out rude can really burn you out quickly.

[@spookerredmenace3950]

8 years in retail, not walmart , but higher end in Canada, some days were better then others

[@TBustah]

**than**

[@TheCreepypro]

I can't agree with Ian more it doesn't matter what you do as long as you love it cause no matter what job you have you'll have to deal with assholes eventually and it is only your love that will carry you through those moments no amount of money or status will make it feel worth it only your love for what you do will

[@StainedGlassDemon]

I work in the electronics section in retail and you hit the nail on the head. People can be absolutely insane. Sometimes its unbelievable. They can act cartoonishly insane.

[@TBustah]

You guys should put out a toy dart gun that looks like a Zapper and comes with darts tipped with red, yellow, and white suction cups. XD

[@gamerguy425]

I love games but fuck I would hate working in a game store. . I just don't have the heart to tell people their basket of garage games is worth like $2.65 store credit, lol

[@ivanvargas2425]

Customer service is customer service but if I could do it at a gamestore over a regular store I would most deft do it.

[@Dudeitsmeee]

Might I add: Working in a convenience store is not Clerks. It is low key hoping you don't need an excuse to call local PD or ban someone from the store. People come in thinking they can just f-off behind the counter all shift eating snacks. The store ends up neglected and filthy. These people when confronted with "work" as in "why aren't you doing WORK" usually end up quitting. Or doing something like being caught smoking weed behind the store on shift or hitting on the new young married gal and getting fired

[@leonardroberts111]

Ian is right. I’ve always thought alot of marriages especially real early in life is done as it’s a popular decision among their friends, especially with social media pushing it on. Most people I went to school with this was how it went, everyone thought so and so should get together, that’s about how it happened. If they stayed married or not I dunno.

[@opaljk4835]

8 bit and up is pretty out of the way. Without checking I imagine it was probably Video Games NY. That is right on the corner of 3rd ave near St marks.

[@noneed4me2n7]

Any retail type job is a whole different animal than jobs where you don’t tend to interact with customers and the general public.

[@winterburden]

It's an okay job. Unless it's GameStop. Working there is a soulsucking nightmare.

[@spyrusthedeathless]

Betteridge's Rule of Headlines works once again. In this case, if you have to ask, the answer is NO. I like keeping work and fun separate.

[@Sentientmad9m]

I could see how someone would call component cables suction cups

[@00huntr00]

Retail is retail.. it doesnt matter what youre slinging...

[@FrankTech]

I was thinking suction cup like the cup that’s on the anode of a crt. But that’s deep..

[@Azuris190]

If you can work on any Customer Related shop, you can work in a Game Store. I'm working at a Holestore and we sell to Workers like Plumbers. We had a extra entry for normal People. I was a couple of years in the Store and to sell to Professionals or to normal Folks is a Difference like Night and Day. The Professionals say what they want, you bring it, they take it and go out. Normal Folks asks you the stupiest things out, for what you don't have the Time and are not payed for, complain soooo much and at the End the Prices are to high. We stopped selling to normal Folks :P

[@indyvinylz]

Ian and pat tellin very important relationship advices here! Nice job guys... i feel you 100% on that. Peace :)

[@brandonlink6568]

In elementary school I made 2 friends because they also played Zelda, one of them I'm still friends with almost 30 years later.

[@adamramirez2144]

As a massive gamer and nerd (music and pop culture), but also a huge sports fan, I could not relate more. Sure, someone may know as much about gaming as me, but I don’t like the person besides that, or with sports, I may be as just as passionate about sports as them, but they are jocks who like mumble rap. It’s a pretty shallow thing to think just because you have one thing in common, it means you guys are gonna be best friends, and that’s one thing I had to learn the hard way.

[@prophismusic]

Tales From The Game Store could make a good book.. A collection of short stories from a variety of indie game store workers.

[@superduty2023]

Beat Mike Tyson’s Punchout again yesterday. Such a fun game... had to pull out the CRT instead of the AVS since the slight lag on modern TVs on this game makes it very hard Edit: 5 stars per Pat according to a certain NES Guide Book

[@TriWaZe]

Ayeee shout out from Syracuse! Good lookin out.

[@xXxmajikmanxXx]

I will say customer service in general sucks, rather if it's retail or just in general (like over phone, email, chat, etc.), but if you were to do it, try to do it in something you enjoy, it's better than doing it for something you don't care about at all. It takes a piece of you each day....I know lol

[@jesayyyy]

I work in a game store, it's nice. Better than the fancy restaurant I worked at for the last 7 years.

[@MrTeamFoolish]

In other words, liking things isn't a personality trait, and I agree.

[@psychodeviant8903]

Retail is the fucking worst. If you don't hate people on the whole prior to working that type of job, you will by the time you've done a tour of duty in retail.

[@seannetworkblogsandgames7504]

I immediately assumed the RCA cables were the suction cups because that's what I thought as a kid

[@MacGuffinExMachina]

I feel like I've been kinda lost in my own head when shopping before and came off like one of these dumb customers lol. I also have social anxiety which sometimes makes me confused when put on the spot.

[@ramonayala4726]

Ian is a stud

[@joshlovato3472]

That’s why it is called work not go out and have fun time.

[@troyspartan992]

This didn’t necessarily go where I expected and it was great.

[@joshlovato3472]

Or maybe ask what he meant by suction cups?

[@DrTotz]

First thing I thought of when he said suction cups was the flyback suction cup that attached to the back of old arcade monitors. But why would someone think a console could interface with an arcade setup? My brain hurts. Overthought that one.

[@EvilNightwolf]

But there are also jobs where awful people like that aren't just customers, but staff and they are in YOUR team and you have to deal with them the ENTIRE day. That's the living hell.

[@Aeriko1984]

Can I get that on a shirt? "Retail is a real bag of boners." Ian -2020

[@tedlogan5628]

Suction cups are for noobs. I use defective Wacky WallWalkers that fuse my favorite system to the tv stand. You'll have better luck pulling Excalibur out of the stone than removing the system from its death grip hold.

[@Drinkabeerandplayagameofficial]

Customer service is the same anywhere, I like my job too but throw the human element into anything and it all goes out the window

[@thetony5474]

Bloody time travellers...walking into 2020 shops asking about their fancy suction cup gaming 🙃🖖😡

[@randygelion]

So basically they lick the suction cups and stick them to a window?

[@thetony5474]

randygelion it’s more like the seashells in demolition man...

[@RetroGamingDev]

I brought this up on Twitter, but I still think you guys need to find an animator to animate these stories...

[@xflarearcadia1766]

Like Ian hasn't been going through enough lately and now you make him relive game store trauma. Let's show some compassion here. B-)

[@WaysideWade]

Harsh!

[@ashleyp3662]

What wrong with him

[@xflarearcadia1766]

@@ashleyp3662 I think he's been going through some health challenges. I probably should not have brought it up really. Whoops.

[@xflarearcadia1766]

Hobbies don't necessarily connect people, great point. Ice breaker and that might be all.

[@xflarearcadia1766]

16, 5.05/hour, insults, Suncoast Video. Take Me Home Tonight Four locations of Suncoast Motion Picture Company open yet too. 🧐🗿👻😎

[@tidepoolclipper8657]

Virus outbreak or not, the current answer is no. Even if I like personally going to game stores for SOME of my gaming needs.

[@matthewmontalvo6795]

I’ve sold video games and it’s really not as fun as I hoped

[@megami215]

I only connect my consoles through suction cups. It’s the best video quality

[@rcruz2997]

I worked at KB toys years ago and I feel you Ian, I had a douche try to return a PS2 with the seal still on. In the box was garbage literally garbage with the serial number taped on the inside widow. People are A**holes plain and simple. Work in retail and they will come...they will come lol.

[@rezterralico4369]

Should Pat update the green tamogachi on the mic with a 40th anniversary pacman one? I know Mike Matei would!

[@itsprivate3061]

Hilarious when it happens to someone else (specially Ian), miserable when you are the victim

[@tylerdalton4406]

Junction box maybe ?

[@FyreJams]

We need more TFTGS

[@coorhagon7236]

Businesses should really have insurance and not rely on gofundme.

[@MS-js8ui]

The ten people who didn’t like this are the same ten people featured in these stories.

[@solearesoul]

I see “Tales from the Game Store” and I click. No hesitation.

[@clintwilliams3818]

This went from job advice to relationship advice real quick.

[@clayton7577]

Is it just me or is Ian's arms getting a bit bigger? I mean this in a good way.

[@SamuraiTacos1]

awesome shout out

[@Metal-Possum]

NEVER WORK IN RETAIL!

[@Jimmy_Jam1020]

I hope Ian get's his DDD fixed soon. It always makes me sad seeing him in pain during the podcast.

[@Bryan88pgt]

Maybe small mom and pop. Hey Pat latest downfall news about Gamestop, they quit taking all cash, and the downloaded games they sell are now 3 times higher than the hard copy they sell. Example, Hard copy $20, Digital download $60 or higher.

[@NoName-lg8ek]

Hey did these 2 guys ever attend Sunset View Elementary?

[@irondude71]

Most jobs suck. I worked at EB games (Canadian gamestop) for a year when I was in my early 20s. It was a part time job. The only thing that sucked about it was the pay. Otherwise it was a decent job.