Best Buy Forbids You From Buying Assassin's Creed

Bond · 01-14-2008, 05:18 PM

This is a great little story from a friendly Best Buy near you, and is evidence of how the sales market in general has been going downhill ever since skilled workers left it:

Quote:

"Yesterday I went through the horror of taking my 15 year old brother to the Best Buy in Orland Park, IL on LaGrange Ave. I had close to $100 in Best Buy Gift Certificates given to me for Christmas. My brother and I were en route to dinner and we decided to swing by the aforementioned Best Buy to pick up a video game, Assassin's Creed, and XBOX Live Gold. We entered the store. I browsed the camera aisle looking for a cable to possibly purchase for our flat screen then headed to the video game section. I picked up the said items and headed to check out where hell will shortly ensue.

I stepped up to the red haired, slightly obese cashier and she immediately gave me a look of disgrace as if I did something wrong. I replied with a "hi" to make the tension less awkward. She immediately asked me for my ID. I've never been carded for a video game before so I politely handed it to her while asking my brother for my gift cards I gave him while I was busy shuffling through my car just 20 minutes earlier.

She then left the the register booth with my ID and video game and went to her manager. The Best Buy cashier then came back and shouted that I'm purchasing a video game for a minor in front of everyone in line behind me and her fellow cashiers. She even had the nerve to ask, "Is that even your brother with you?!" Hell yes he is! I was embarrassed! It's like she was condemning me for purchasing alcohol for a minor. [ed. Assassin's Creed is rated "M" for Mature, meaning it's considered not suitable for kids under 17. It's a game where you play an assassin during the Third Crusades and you take out various historical figures.]

I quickly responded back that I am 21 year old and that the video game and peripheral are for me. She shook her head with a menacing grim and said that she saw me take gift cards from my brother and that what I am doing is illegal. Enough of this obese 17 year olds shenanigans! I demanded a manager. Unfortunately the manager was probably about 18 years old as well.

In front of the store again he told me that I am illegally purchasing a video game for a minor. I responded back that they are my gift cards! I want to make a purchase. That's when he picked up Xbox Live GOLD. I then asked if I couldn't buy that either. He then took a few minutes to scrutinize the box looking for an online peripherals rating. He never found it and said to me, he's not sure, I might not be able to do that either (Xbox Live was also rated E for everyone mind you). I continued to repeat that these are my gift cards, I'm 21 and I want to make my purchase. The cashier and manager continued to condemn me in front of all that I'm illegally purchasing the game for a minor.

I brought up two ultimatums. "So I have to go drive miles outside Orland Park, IL to another Best Buy to purchase the video game then?" The manager shrugged and said, "I guess so."

I also brought up the option then that if I left the store with my brother, came back in by myself and made the purchase, would that be legal then? The manager replied, "Technically, yes, that will be OK."

I then told them to hold on to the Xbox Live Gold since it was the last one left. I left the store with my brother, told him to go to the car. I then walked back into the store. The manager earlier told me that I can't use the old video game I originally had in hand because it was deemed under "penalty." I then had to walk all the way to the back of the cavernous store, pick up the video game then walk back to the line I was originally in. I stood in line for another 10 minutes waiting. I finally got back up to the obese red head cashier where she smirked and looked at me and said, "Yeah, we can't sell you that video game." What?! "Those gift cards are illegal."

How the hell does she know someone didn't just give me the gift cards on the street or if I had more of my "OWN" gift cards from the car. They just told me that I was able to purchase the video game once I walked my brother out.

I told them that they made a fool out of me before everyone in the store. She continued to be as politely as I can put it a "bitch" to me. I purchased Xbox Live Gold and said to the hell with the game. After making the transaction I told her I didn't need a plastic bag since all I'm carrying out is a small little hand held cardboard box. Who needs a plastic bag for that? She then told me that under company policy if I wanted to exit the store I needed a plastic bag. Absurd! For me to exit the store I need to kill the planet now? I never see people with bags over DVD players that are twice the size as the flimsy Xbox Live cardboard box.

Anyway I left the store, we ate dinner and on the way home we stopped at the Best Buy in Mokena, IL. I purchased the same exact video game, Assassin's Creed with my brother right beside me. I was never carded, I was never interrogated, I was never questioned. I had a wonderful experience there but I had to go through a three hour ordeal of going to the Best Buy in Orland Park, eating dinner than spending another 20 minutes at a Best Buy miles away all for a video game.

Three things Best Buy, first drop the mandatory plastic bag policy. Second, you need to revamp your treatment of customers and not threaten them of their illegal actions in front of all. Three, can I get reimbursed for some gas money for driving miles and miles out of my way since I was banned from buying a video game at your store in Orland Park, IL?

Cheers,

Matt D."

Source: The Consumerist

Jason1 · 01-14-2008, 05:25 PM

Wow, thats crazy. What is this world coming to. There is no law that says you cant buy an M-Rated game for a Minor. In fact, im pretty sure that there are no laws that say minors cant buy M-Rated games, its just store policy.

Angrist · 01-14-2008, 05:46 PM

Nice story, whether it's true or not.

thatmariolover · 01-14-2008, 07:10 PM

There is no legal enforcement of the ESRB's rating system (even though I believe there should be). Right now all enforcement is up to the store selling the game. As companies I know GameStop, Best Buy, and Walmart are all sticklers on a corporate level.

On top of that, video games are like movies, not cigarettes. If you think they're mature enough to watch/play it, then so be it.

Regardless, the gal obviously had a frustrating time and I sympathize. But I do think she probably embellished the tale a bit.

Yoda9864 · 01-14-2008, 07:33 PM

While I agree that BB could've handled it a lot better, I think that they did the right thing about not selling the game.

I used to work at a gas station and it would be the same if the little brother handed him money and then he asks for cigarettes. There's no way I would've sold them the cigs. Yes, it may have been his money to start with, but it looks awfully bad when his little brother hands it to him.

I would bet $100 that it wouldn't've gone down like that if he had the gift cards in his own wallet and handed them to the cashier directly.

Sorry, but sometimes you just have to think ahead.

Typhoid · 01-14-2008, 08:06 PM

Yeah, and what about those parents that take their 3 year olds into the liquor store with them because they don't want to leave them alone in the car! They're all buying the booze for their kids to get them drunk and have their cantankerous ways with them! It's so diabolical and non-sensical that it must be true.

It's shit like this that disturbs me terribly. Like someone said, they're not smokes, and it's not booze. Who are you to enforce a make-believe rule on someone else? Maybe his brother is really mature for a 15 year old. Maybe the game could have been for him?

I would have made a gigantic scene if that was me, to be honest with you. Because I find things like that ridiculous. If someone with a "minor" (to do with a movie or game) is renting/buying said game/movie, it is of nobody elses business of the reasoning, who it is for, or anything else.

Yoda9864 · 01-14-2008, 08:47 PM

Yes, it isn't cigarettes and it isn't against the law. But it is store policy and to many stores, that is as good as law.

I still stand by my opinion that people need to avoid these situations by thinking ahead.

Typhoid · 01-14-2008, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yoda9864

Yes, it isn't cigarettes and it isn't against the law. But it is store policy and to many stores, that is as good as law.

I still stand by my opinion that people need to avoid these situations by thinking ahead.

Store policy that someone of-age can't buy something they want just because they are accompanied by a minor?

I can see where they're coming from. But there's a difference between being skeptical of someone's motives, and being a flat-out unreasonable douche.

Yoda9864 · 01-14-2008, 11:57 PM

Whatever, Best Buy is an evil corporation anyway.

GameMaster · 01-15-2008, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Typhoid

I would have made a gigantic scene if that was me, to be honest with you. Because I find things like that ridiculous. If someone with a "minor" (to do with a movie or game) is renting/buying said game/movie, it is of nobody elses business of the reasoning, who it is for, or anything else.

I would have mad a scene too. That story really makes Best Buy out to be giant a-holes. And isn't the first 'horror' story I've heard about Best Buy.

Which is a shame, because they have a pretty good selection of merchandise but the company itself and its prices are shitty.

KillerGremlin · 01-15-2008, 02:30 AM

A movie theater analogy is more appropriate than a cigarette analogy...

What strikes me as interesting is 21 is the legal age for parental consent. So, if I was 21 and my brother was with me I could legally vouch for him as a parent. If you are under 17 and you would like to see an R-rated movie you need to be accompanied by an adult, and said definition of an adult is 21. At least here in Illinois.

I don't think the ESRB should be enforced by law. I think parents should start doing some damn parenting, because that's the underlying problem. I was playing Doom when I was 7, Duke Nukem when I was 9 and I'm fine. I really don't think the government has any business policing the entertainment industry, and I would like it to stay that way.

Anyway, Best Buy is a horrible horrible place to shop. I refuse to shop there unless there is some amazing sale. I know a few people that work at Best Buy, it's a shady business.

KillerGremlin · 01-15-2008, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yoda9864

But it is store policy and to many stores, that is as good as law.

If my dad and I were shopping at Best Buy, and he was 21+ and I was young, and he was buying me an M-rated game and the store refused to sell it to him, you might be able to file a complaint under similar circumstances as discrimination because my dad is able to consent for me.

The store has a right to deny the sale to a minor, and technically they can deny the right to sell the game to anyone. They could choose not to sell games to black people one day. But that's just bad publicity.

Although Best Buy still is thriving and they have tons of bad publicity....

I agree with thatmariolover...this whole story does seem embellished. It probably wouldn't have taken much to talk this over with the manager, especially if there was a long line. I worked in retail for a year and a half and the goal is usually to make the customer happy. Still, Best Buy is a cesspool of corporate evil, so it's easy to take sides.

thatmariolover · 01-15-2008, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillerGremlin

If my dad and I were shopping at Best Buy, and he was 21+ and I was young, and he was buying me an M-rated game and the store refused to sell it to him, you might be able to file a complaint under similar circumstances as discrimination because my dad is able to consent for me.

The store has a right to deny the sale to a minor, and technically they can deny the right to sell the game to anyone. They could choose not to sell games to black people one day. But that's just bad publicity.

Although Best Buy still is thriving and they have tons of bad publicity....

I agree with thatmariolover...this whole story does seem embellished. It probably wouldn't have taken much to talk this over with the manager, especially if there was a long line. I worked in retail for a year and a half and the goal is usually to make the customer happy. Still, Best Buy is a cesspool of corporate evil, so it's easy to take sides.

On the other hand, if the game was something like Manhunt and you were buying it for your kid (under age 13) I would try to slap your ass with a lawsuit if I had any proof.

This is such a great topic for debate. I really wish politicians would educate themselves and get involved in the discussion

Bond · 01-15-2008, 09:34 AM

Well... if Best Buy wants to abid by the ESRB reccomendations they are allowed to, but I think the issue here is Best Buy's selective enforcement of that policy. Best Buy is corporately owned, so it's not as if there are individual owners of each store, so a company wide policy on the sale of videogames should be enforced - not a different policy at each store. I mean, that is the point of chains, so that you know what to expect at one wherever you are.

This story may have been embellished, but I think it makes a point of a larger issue of those who work in sales jobs. They're young, or old, have little to no training in what they're doing, and really shouldn't be doing that job. Whenever I go to Best Buy, I spend more time trying to avoid the people there to "help me" than doing anything else. Of course, I am generalizing, and there are wonderful exceptions.

manasecret · 01-15-2008, 10:25 AM

Last Friday I was at Sam's ogling the HDTVs on my way to pick up a desk chair, and a Sam's employee from that section saw me looking at one and came and asked if I needed help. I said, "No, thanks, I'm just looking around." He stood there and contemplated for a few seconds, while I nervously hoped he would get my drift and just move on. Then he piped up again and asked, "Would you like to know the difference between LCDs and plasmas?"

I wish I had had some funny retort, instead all I could do was stifle my laughter. I appreciate his trying to help, but jeez man, that's a bit presumptuous. I told him again, "No I'm just looking," and he walked off saying to ask him if I needed any more help.

The Best Buy could have handled it a lot better, but from the sounds of it, so could have the customer guy/lady. I agree with Yoda, some stores/people are gung-ho about such policies, whether it's cigarettes/alcohol/R-movies/porn or whatever. The fact is it looks bad when you're at the register about to pay for whatever adult thing you're getting, and you have to turn to the minor with you and ask for the money to pay for it. Be a little smarter about it. Plus, unless you're willing to go full out and make a huge scene about it and keep it going until they'd be more willing to have you leave the store than not let you buy whatever you want, getting angry with the cashier and manager never helps.