darkSpyro

Funny stuff.

I wonder what could compel GameStop's "corporate team" to spend time "reviewing" a coupon, and then after taking that time, make the decision to "not honor" it.

I think Joe Capps is blowing smoke up your back side, VM. I mean ... seriously, can you imagine a corporation's senior executives gathering for a meeting and having a spirited debate and vote about whether or not to honor a coupon?

GameStop really needs to be careful ... alienating fans/consumers over something that's actually tangible/verifiable (not just general half-made-up anecdotes from frustrated teenagers) is NOT a good business move, especially when the video game retail industry (and in particular the used/pre-owned games market ... a.k.a. GameStop's wheelhouse) is in a volatile and unpredictable state right now and into the foreseeable future. The rise of mobile gaming and downloadable games ... the possibility that XboxOne may not support used/borrowed software ... the coming advent of virtual reality gaming ... all these factors hanging in the air like a very dark storm-cloud over the GameStop establishment .... I would NOT be going out of my way to piss off a group of potential customers that most certainly have other (better) options for making video game purchases.

I give them this--they are definitely consistent as of late. Just for all the wrong reasons. The previous thread surrounding their inconsistent policies on the sidekicks qualification, coupon usage, letdown on Festival day, etc. must actually be a ploy to get skylanders out of their store. It's really the only thing that makes sense.

I contacted their support when I picked up Polar and never heard back. I'm sure they are gathering the senior executive team now to discuss lol.

You're right, GhostRoaster.
GameStop is just one fail after another fail after another fail in recent memory.

It makes me wonder if they realize how much of a beating their reputation is taking.
Once upon a time, shopping at GameStop really kicked butt. They offered a broader selection than other stores, they stocked their items better than other stores, they had lots of hard-to-find pre-owned games and accessories, and they gave you great deals on your used stuff that you traded-in.

Those days are over.
There's no longer a big gap between the selection & supply at GameStop versus other retailers (Toys R Us, WalMart, Target). In fact, it's quite common nowadays for those other three retailers to have BETTER selection and supply when compared to many GameStop locations. GameStop also scaled WAY back on the types of pre-owned games that they're willing to buy/sell/trade, and Amazon (and other smaller like-minded retailers) swooped-in and gladly took that market share. Meanwhile, GameStop also slashed the quality/amount of offers they'll make for your trade-in items, which was just one more reason to ask yourself, "why the hell would I trade-in my used stuff at GameStop and use the credit to purchase something from their limited in-store selection ... when I could easily sell my own used stuff (on eBay or Amazon or Craigslist, etc.) and get a WAY bigger share of the value from that sale, and then go spend my earnings at a place with better selection?"

If you ask me, GameStop has a dwindling market share, and its remaining customers fall into three general groups of consumers:
1. people who are ill-informed about games and the marketplace (busy parents who aren't gamers themselves, and some grandparents, etc.)
2. young children who view a trip to GameStop as something that's actually cool and different than their normal daily routine, and
3. loyalists to the GameStop franchise and/or a particular store/manager

By burning bridges with the Skylanders community and fanbase, GameStop is DEFINITELY hurting itself in at least two of those three consumer groups.
Not too bright.

Yep, this is a really funny stuff. I mean all this "discussion" around Frito Lay coupon and GameStop.
Take it easy. If GameStop is not accepting this coupon - go to the other retail store who accept it and spend your money there. Problem solved. Want Dark Edition? Well, can you buy it somewhere else? No? Then save $10 by not buying popcorn during your next visit to the movie theater. Problem solved.
I always try to avoid buying from GameStop or Toys'r'us if I can buy the same thing anywhere else. Nothing personal, just a business.

Good post, Rom713.

Of course, there is one other option.

Go into GameStop to pick-up your Dark Edition Starter Pack on the day it's released. Be sure to be first in line and hope that there will be lots of other Skylanders' fans there, too. Distribute a bunch of the coupon in question to anyone that doesn't have a coupon with them. When the store opens, present the coupon. If the store is unwilling to honor the coupon, tell the clerk that everyone in line has agreed that if you refuse to honor the coupon, all of the kids are going to be unleashed on the store, and encouraged to knock all the games/cases off the shelves ... in a careful way that won't damage anything ... but will just be a massive mess of undamaged merchandise all over the floor everywhere. After the completion of Operation: Plastic Floor, all the customers are going to walk out and call GameStop corporate to complain about how unkempt and unsafe the store conditions are.

Could be fun.

Gamestop is actually a pretty good store when it comes to games though.

You cane get like 40% off a used game if you know what your doing. It really is cheaper than other places and unlike ordering online, you can see if it has the case & manual.

Apart from that, I really feel gamestop is just another store.

There's dumb people everywhere.

hahaha

Just my thoughts

ToysRUs is the best when it comes to decent stock.
Walmart is great at times, but sometimes they have nothing.
Target.. meh. They have Wave 3 a lot. Still haven't found a Flocked variant..
Best Buy sucks. Lately, they have a lot of Giants, though. And I've seen Wave 2 stuff floating in, with Bash appearing TWICE.
GameStop is more problematic than the others, for the reasons I listed. Not to mention there are lots of employees that hide them until the end of their shift, and buy them.

Quote: BahamutBreaker

Good post, Rom713.

Of course, there is one other option.

Go into GameStop to pick-up your Dark Edition Starter Pack on the day it's released. Be sure to be first in line and hope that there will be lots of other Skylanders' fans there, too. Distribute a bunch of the coupon in question to anyone that doesn't have a coupon with them. When the store opens, present the coupon. If the store is unwilling to honor the coupon, tell the clerk that everyone in line has agreed that if you refuse to honor the coupon, all of the kids are going to be unleashed on the store, and encouraged to knock all the games/cases off the shelves ... in a careful way that won't damage anything ... but will just be a massive mess of undamaged merchandise all over the floor everywhere. After the completion of Operation: Plastic Floor, all the customers are going to walk out and call GameStop corporate to complain about how unkempt and unsafe the store conditions are.

Could be fun.

Wow. This isn't even funny at all. The minimum-wage register jockeys at the GameStop have *NO* control over accepting the coupon or not. And you're seriously suggesting that folks go in there, make unreasonable demands, and if they don't get what they want, to destroy the store so that the minimum wage clerks get to clean it all up - then, you suggest calling in to complain about the condition of the store as to try and get the same minimum wage clerks in trouble?

This is a horrible thing to even suggest.

How about this - take your business elsewhere. Everyone keeps saying how GameStop sucks and is horrible and is going to be forced out of business... just go elsewhere.

Taking coupons isn't as simple as getting it from the customer and mailing it in for credit. If it were, then any one of us could just mail in coupons and make some bank. Your business has to be set up in advance to take coupons and agree to some various legal terms (for example, they can't just take a bunch of coupons for product they haven't sold and send it all in for credit. Imagine how much money your store could make if you just bought some Sunday papers, clipped all the coupons and sent them in as if you sold through all that merchandise!). Considering the complete and total lack of Video Game Coupons (seriously, can anyone recall there being a coupon for video games, like, ever?) GS Corporate probably just looked at the numbers and determined it wasn't worth getting set up to accept coupons for this one, singular coupon.

Quote: BahamutBreaker

Good post, Rom713.

Of course, there is one other option.

Go into GameStop to pick-up your Dark Edition Starter Pack on the day it's released. Be sure to be first in line and hope that there will be lots of other Skylanders' fans there, too. Distribute a bunch of the coupon in question to anyone that doesn't have a coupon with them. When the store opens, present the coupon. If the store is unwilling to honor the coupon, tell the clerk that everyone in line has agreed that if you refuse to honor the coupon, all of the kids are going to be unleashed on the store, and encouraged to knock all the games/cases off the shelves ... in a careful way that won't damage anything ... but will just be a massive mess of undamaged merchandise all over the floor everywhere. After the completion of Operation: Plastic Floor, all the customers are going to walk out and call GameStop corporate to complain about how unkempt and unsafe the store conditions are.

Could be fun.

Funny stuff. it was a good read!
Inspiring that on launch morning, we should definitely make a big deal if its not accepted...
I've spoken to my store and will call the manager on Monday to verify their policy first-hand or take my business elsewhere. If verified, but not actually accepted, I will politely explain that I might pick it up later and I will go home and make a very big deal out of this. I might bring a couple of coupons and discuss with others in the line.

I think we should all verify with our GS managers and then maybe it will become a nationally accepted coupon.

>deleted - unnecessary post now<

Guys! The show is back on!

On this episode...


Plastic floors and chip coupons

Well i have yet to reserve it, so I hope mine take it.

Quote: BahamutBreaker

Go into GameStop to pick-up your Dark Edition Starter Pack on the day it's released. Be sure to be first in line and hope that there will be lots of other Skylanders' fans there, too. Distribute a bunch of the coupon in question to anyone that doesn't have a coupon with them. When the store opens, present the coupon. If the store is unwilling to honor the coupon, tell the clerk that everyone in line has agreed that if you refuse to honor the coupon, all of the kids are going to be unleashed on the store, and encouraged to knock all the games/cases off the shelves ... in a careful way that won't damage anything ... but will just be a massive mess of undamaged merchandise all over the floor everywhere. After the completion of Operation: Plastic Floor, all the customers are going to walk out and call GameStop corporate to complain about how unkempt and unsafe the store conditions are.

Could be fun.

Wow!... ...just WOW!!!..... ..is saving 10 bucks that important to you? ....REALY? What are you 8?

And like UncleBob said...Quote:

(seriously, can anyone recall there being a coupon for video games, like, ever?)

...video game stores don't use coupons...they have "sales"....or "mark downs" ....or "2 for 1 things" ....or "X amount % off"......but NO coupons. Take the damn coupon to Walmart.
Especially many of you out there that are going to be spending $100's on 10/13/2013.....and your freeting over $10 bucks? ?

I thought the post was supposed to be comical--not serious.

As someone who has been a minimum wage register jockey, it wasn't funny. At all. Beyond that, all it's going to do is encourage folks to be rude to the poor saps behind the counter who have NO control over this decision.

Seriously, contact GS Corporate or take your business elsewhere. It's that simple.

My God ... it was not a serious suggestion, in any way ... at all. It was all stated with a massive amount of sarcasm and humor implied. I called it "Operation: Plastic Floor" for crying out loud. Mattlander and Shelly realized it was humor without anyone holding their hands to figure that out.

UncleBob, you troll around these forums, preaching and chastising people about their overly-sensitive "entitled" attitudes, and then yet you stomp around in this thread because you're overly sentimental and/or sensitive about your past career as a "register jockey".
I don't know what's worse: the fact that you are the biggest troll to ever grace these forums, or the fact that you seem to believe that your trolling is somehow desired and/or justified.

You're just disagreeable about EVERYTHING with EVERYONE at EVERY opportunity. But hey, you say it with a smile and proper grammar, so I guess that makes it acceptable. Whatever. I am definitely finished with conversing with you. You'll have to find someone else to get your trolling jollies off of.

I'm disagreeable with everything? It's funny you'd post that, then go into someone's thread and complain about people who are excited about something just because you don't like it.

But please, yes. Do be "finished" with responding to my posts. I feel that will make both of us happier people in the long run.

I definitely thought it was comical as well. In no way did I take it serious. Lighten up.

*sigh*

Another debate.

Not really a debate. Someone makes a 'joke' about being a jerk to random people, someone else says 'dude, not cool'. Not much to debate.

COMMERCIAL BREAK!

So, someone sent me a message, I presume semi-sarcastically, asking what I, in my infinite wisdom would do about the situation.

The easy answer is what I already did - put down my pre-order for the Dark Starter pack. As has been explained here, I'm one of those folks who has spent hundreds of dollars on Skylanders stuff at this point. $10 isn't going to break me.

Now, if $10 was really, really that important, I'd shop elsewhere. I can get the standard version *and* use the coupon and save myself $35 over GameStop's price. Amazing, eh?

But, honestly, I know neither one of those is the answer you're looking for - you want the Dark Starter Pack *and* want to use the coupon. Well, buttercup, it probably ain't gonna happen... but, if you insist.

Step One: You need to elect a 'leader'. Needs to be someone who can type up a well-worded letter. Something that uses proper grammar and doesn't resort to petty names and attacks.

Step Two: Work together to tailor that letter to say exactly what you want it to say. I would suggest that the letter be aimed at Activision, asking them to reconsider GameStop as an exclusive partner for the Dark Starter Pack as you feel that GameStop is doing a disservice to the brand by refusing to partake in an official promotion. This is where the letter-writer comes in - they need to be able to FOCUS the letter on the issue at hand. There's going to be some folks who will want to use this letter to attack GameStop or Activision with every little complaint they have. The letter needs to be short, sweet, and to the point.

Step Three: Send the letter. But not just to Activison. Send it to GameStop. Send it to Toys For Bob. Send it to Vicarious Visions. Send it to n-Space.

Step Four: Don't stop there. Send it to the major gaming blogs. IGN. Kotaku. Even sites like NintendoWorldReport, who has several staff members who are Skylanders fans.

Step Five: Send it to The Consumerist.

Sure, it's not as "funny" as trashing the store or anything - but, your best bet at getting something done is by drawing positive attention to the situation.

Good stuff UncleBob.
I say it sounds like you're a good person to lead this campaign, if you want to.

No more Portal Master on Portal Master fighting, please.
Everyone has lots of great ideas. Let's work together to fix this!
... For Skylaaaaaands!! * rides in on horse, with sword held up *

How about Unclebob writes our said letter, and we send it out

Well said there UncleBob ...the power of the pen has always been stronger then physical actions.

I'm not sure I'm the best one to author the letter, since I don't really have a pony in this race. Honestly, if not for the hub-bub around the coupon, I probably wouldn't even have remembered to use it. Heck, I've bought a handful of figures here and there and can't seem to remember to use the other coupons.

You need someone who is pretty passionate about it. I actually think dinoah2005, the TC, would be the best person for the job. I'd help proof and edit it for content, if requested.

So hi, I'm new. I wanted to add my recent dealings with gamestop on this subject to the thread, so here we go. I recently went in to Gamestop to put more money down on my Dark Edition set and I chose to ask the manager about the $10 coupon. He looked it over and said that since it wasn't a coupon made by Gamestop, they won't honor it. No idea what it is about non-Gamestop coupons that gets their proverbial knickers in a wad, but there it was. Much like UncleBob was stating, I didn't pout since $10 wasn't about to break the bank and I then found out they were doing an extra 30% trade in credit towards certain games (including SWAP Force).

So yesterday I bring in a few games I didn't need anymore to trade in with the extra credit (which with a pro membership brings it up to 40% extra) thinking I may get at least close to paying off what's left of the balance... only to find out that the 30% credit only goes to the normal starter set and not the Dark Edition. So it would seem that I can't win any way around with this place, which lately is truthfully the first time I've ever gotten frustrated with Gamestop. So take that for what you will, but it sure did annoy me yesterday between no coupon and now I couldn't even get the extra credit because it's not the standard starter set. Personally it feels like taking advantage of the situation to me, when they'll allow bonus trade credit towards the standard set but not towards the $100 edition. Maybe it's just me.

What I am sure will start controversy I wonder if the following would work: Do the trade in for the regular starter edition to get your 40% then upgrade your reservation to the Deluxe edition. Do you think Gamestop would lower your trade in amount upon upgrade? Just a thought.

Quote: TheGooch

What I am sure will start controversy I wonder if the following would work: Do the trade in for the regular starter edition to get your 40% then upgrade your reservation to the Deluxe edition. Do you think Gamestop would lower your trade in amount upon upgrade? Just a thought.

I honestly thought about doing that while I was standing there, but decided against it. I had just recently canceled three other preorders (Pokemon X, Pokemon Y and Lego Marvel Heroes... all of which come out in October) and put the $5 deposits from each onto the Dark Edition. Not that I can't do what I want with my own money, but the guy who was doing it for me gave me a look when I told him I wanted to cancel them, then tried to convince me not to. Of course, I informed him that it's based on what I can and am willing to spend, and $100 for a game is more than enough for one month.

Plus besides the hassle I may get over a canceled order, I figured they might actually take the 40% credit away since it wasn't the correct edition, despite how it was originally put on the qualified version. In the end, I figured it wasn't going to be worth it, but I still found myself slightly bothered by Gamestop's practices after that visit.

As for a letter, I personally think a phone call is more personal and more can be said over the phone than in a letter, which is what I did. Because of the phone call, Activision is looking in to this. When I get back from vacation I will be speaking to my GS manager (He should be back from Vegas by now) to see if he will honor the coupon since the conversation I had with GS Corp. they say that the blame is the manager of each GS. Corp says that they do not keep manager from honoring coupons. Depending on what happens with my GS manager, I will be calling Activision to get an update, and see if anything can/will be done. Wish me luck...

The point of the letter isn't so much to get Activision or GameStop's attention - it's to get the attention of the gaming/consumer activist press - something you can't do with a phone call. You're trying to get folks on your side.

This is a pretty big consumer issue. Basically, the largest name in toys right now, selling an exclusive bundle that will likely never go on sale and will never have to complete in the marketplace *and* they're refusing to even accept this coupon that was authorized by the big name in toys.

Hot on the heels of the Xenoblade controversy, I think you'd see a lot of press from the gaming sites on this. It's a pretty screwy thing for GameStop to do to customers.

$100 is a good deal considering you get 5 new in game variants. I pre-ordered 2 sets. im not going to throw a big fuss over saving money on an item that they are clearly giving the consumer the deal on. i probably wont use the coupons at all since TRU usually does a buy one get one 50% at release, so i can get my 3ds and xbox versions

swap force game and portal to read new technology and hopefully future technologies that they have planned for the series $50+$50 for 5 new in game variants. $100 sounds spot on.

as a consumer you choose where you purchase things. if you want the dark edition pay up!!! no one is forcing you to buy it. if you want to use your coupon there are other stores that will honor it.

Quote: Judaschrist0240

$100 is a good deal considering you get 5 new in game variants. I pre-ordered 2 sets. im not going to throw a big fuss over saving money on an item that they are clearly giving the consumer the deal on. i probably wont use the coupons at all since TRU usually does a buy one get one 50% at release, so i can get my 3ds and xbox versions

swap force game and portal to read new technology and hopefully future technologies that they have planned for the series $50+$50 for 5 new in game variants. $100 sounds spot on.

as a consumer you choose where you purchase things. if you want the dark edition pay up!!! no one is forcing you to buy it. if you want to use your coupon there are other stores that will honor it.

Yes in a way we are being "forced to buy at gamestop", unless they plan to put this dark edition in another store you are forced to buy it from them or go to ebay hoping to piece together parts of it to get the whole package. I will hopefully try a few gamestops this weekend to see who honors it and who doesn't. Im sure I'll find one that will and go there otherwise I will deal with the extra money spent and consider the letter route like unclebob suggested. As for those that say $10 is nothing, I'm happy you feel that way. For me it will be about $50-$60 as some of these will be xmas gifts for my nieces and nephews so to me it adds up.

I would gladly reserve this dark edition someplace else if i could.

So will GameStop accept this coupon on 10/13/13 or what?

gamestop doesn't accept any coupons unless they were issued by gamestop!!!!!!! its not a store to store policy, its corporate policy. you can go purchase your starter packs at walmart, target, toys r us, etc. if you want the dark edition then deal with buying it at gamestop. no one is forcing you to purchase anything anywhere. I didn't see one person complain about only being able to get polar whirlwind from gamestop (at an inflated price than other skylanders).

if you want to save money and get your rewards points then im sorry you cant have your cake and eat it too.

if you have the $ to spend on that many starter packs and you are worried about saving $60 then maybe you should just purchase the regular starter packs somewhere other than gamestop. im sure your nieces and nephews will still be thankful.

Well that sucks.

Honestly: just do what I did and if you're dying to save a few bucks out of pocket, check your games and see if there are any you can sell back for some money. Not all of them will be worth a great deal, but every now and then you'll find one worth something good. I know when I went in yesterday, the only one that got me any decent trade value was trading in Deadpool. Although I wouldn't recommend it, you could also wait and hope they have another extra credit deal, like when Gamestop gives you an extra 50%. Last time I did the 50% extra trade (I think in July) I got around $80 in store credit... that I immediately spent on Skylanders through their online sale. Point being, you can still try to save some money this way.

Well I was hoping to get my dark edition for the Wii u, because I may get it for christmas.

Quote: Judaschrist0240

gamestop doesn't accept any coupons unless they were issued by gamestop!!!!!!! its not a store to store policy, its corporate policy. you can go purchase your starter packs at walmart, target, toys r us, etc. if you want the dark edition then deal with buying it at gamestop. no one is forcing you to purchase anything anywhere. I didn't see one person complain about only being able to get polar whirlwind from gamestop (at an inflated price than other skylanders).

if you want to save money and get your rewards points then im sorry you cant have your cake and eat it too.

if you have the $ to spend on that many starter packs and you are worried about saving $60 then maybe you should just purchase the regular starter packs somewhere other than gamestop. im sure your nieces and nephews will still be thankful.

Naw it's ok I'll get the $10 off one way or another. Again I haven't even walked into gamestop yet to reserve it because I'm trying to see what exactly I'm doing for gifts etc, the $50-60 was a potential max amount wasn't a set thing etc. These will be combo gifts with other ppl of my family. I just feel if they do not honor it that I am somewhat being cheated out of something. Idk about you but I got polar for 9.99 so I had no complaint there, it only took talking to a gamestop employee about it. As for "reward points", idk how gamestop stuff works cause I don't shop there other then polar and sidekicks, i'm not a fan of going to a place that likes to rip off there customers and are rude to boot.

As for the being forced part. I'm not saying I'm being forced to buy anything. I'm being forced where I have to go. It like any other variant/legendary/store exclusive ect. I just dislike gamestop, which is my whole point. I think Activision could have given this deal to a better store or Gamestop Corp could honor a coupon they would be reimbursed for.

They dint accept the coupon? Oh well...My local EBGames (Canadian Gamestop) Is pretty good, never had any problems.

Quote: Eggers

Honestly: just do what I did and if you're dying to save a few bucks out of pocket, check your games and see if there are any you can sell back for some money. Not all of them will be worth a great deal, but every now and then you'll find one worth something good. I know when I went in yesterday, the only one that got me any decent trade value was trading in Deadpool. Although I wouldn't recommend it, you could also wait and hope they have another extra credit deal, like when Gamestop gives you an extra 50%. Last time I did the 50% extra trade (I think in July) I got around $80 in store credit... that I immediately spent on Skylanders through their online sale. Point being, you can still try to save some money this way.

It's a good idea for those that have stuff they don't want. I personally rarely buy any game I don't plan to keep forever or a long time. I think the last game I turned in for a a credit was madden 1995 and only cause the game was total trash. I still have my nes, snes, sega etc. I tend tor ent more then buy unless it something I feel I'll enjoy to play more then once or twice.

Quote: Judaschrist0240

gamestop doesn't accept any coupons unless they were issued by gamestop!!!!!!! its not a store to store policy, its corporate policy. you can go purchase your starter packs at walmart, target, toys r us, etc. if you want the dark edition then deal with buying it at gamestop. no one is forcing you to purchase anything anywhere. I didn't see one person complain about only being able to get polar whirlwind from gamestop (at an inflated price than other skylanders).

if you want to save money and get your rewards points then im sorry you cant have your cake and eat it too.

if you have the $ to spend on that many starter packs and you are worried about saving $60 then maybe you should just purchase the regular starter packs somewhere other than gamestop. im sure your nieces and nephews will still be thankful.

They will take the coupon

Remember the golden rule of ANY store


"The customer is ALWAYS right"
They cannot refuse the coupon on release day either (Because you kinda have to because they arent taking them until the 13th)

Windumup.... They will not take the coupon. Any store has the right to refuse coupons or service to anyone. If it really angers someone that much then you don't have to go to that store.

For those of you that are going to desperately try and use your coupons at Gamestop for anything.... you will be highly disappointed and you will be wasting your time. like I once stated before it is not a store to store policy, it is corporate policy that employees do not accept any coupon other than Gamestop issued coupons.

This discussion is stupid at this point.

We've got some people saying that the "no coupons" policy is a GameStop corporate issue, which the local store employees/managers can not control.
We've got other people saying that GameStop's corporate allows the individual store managers to handle the decisions on coupons for their store(s).

Both of those can not be true. And at this point, we really have no tangible reason to believe one story over the other story.

Each person reading this needs to decide if s/he wants to "raise a stink" about this at the local store level or not. In my opinion, GameStop employees will not want you causing a scene in their store on a big release day like this. If you play your cards right, you absolutely will be able to convince the store employee/manager to accept your legitimate coupon, or provide you with a comparable promotional discount off your starter pack (or perhaps an additional item).

You can't win if you don't play, and accordingly, you can't get a discount if you don't try. I recommend trying, but do so in a way that conveys obvious dissatisfaction without becoming overly-emotional. Give the employee/manager an opportunity to "make it right", and unless s/he is stupid (which is always possible, unfortunately), s/he will seize that opportunity.

If you want to organize an internet-wide protest by writing letters and broadcasting to blogs and stuff, like UncleBob suggested, be my guest ... that might work, even though he readily admits that it probably wouldn't work.
It would be nice if GameStop folded under the pressure from such a "movement" and announced a corporate-wide policy change about coupons ... but really, be realistic here ... this is a company that has repeatedly displayed a serious lack of organization-wide communication skills and processes. One REALLY has to wonder if the left hand knows what the right hand is doing at GameStop.

So, in the end, if you want use the coupon, bring it with you on release day, try to use it, accept that it might not work, but that if you're firm and calm, but also disappointed and indicate that your shopping experience is going to be tarnished ... you just might "win over" the employee/manager and come away happy. Will that be comfortable? No. Is that discomfort really worth $10 to you, as an individual? Maybe, and maybe not ... you decide.

Wait a second, I thought Gamestop took the McDonalds coupons for $10 off Giants. Why would they accept that one and not this one?

Quote: BahamutBreaker

You're right, GhostRoaster.
GameStop is just one fail after another fail after another fail in recent memory.

It makes me wonder if they realize how much of a beating their reputation is taking.
Once upon a time, shopping at GameStop really kicked butt. They offered a broader selection than other stores, they stocked their items better than other stores, they had lots of hard-to-find pre-owned games and accessories, and they gave you great deals on your used stuff that you traded-in.

Those days are over.
There's no longer a big gap between the selection & supply at GameStop versus other retailers (Toys R Us, WalMart, Target). In fact, it's quite common nowadays for those other three retailers to have BETTER selection and supply when compared to many GameStop locations. GameStop also scaled WAY back on the types of pre-owned games that they're willing to buy/sell/trade, and Amazon (and other smaller like-minded retailers) swooped-in and gladly took that market share. Meanwhile, GameStop also slashed the quality/amount of offers they'll make for your trade-in items, which was just one more reason to ask yourself, "why the hell would I trade-in my used stuff at GameStop and use the credit to purchase something from their limited in-store selection ... when I could easily sell my own used stuff (on eBay or Amazon or Craigslist, etc.) and get a WAY bigger share of the value from that sale, and then go spend my earnings at a place with better selection?"

If you ask me, GameStop has a dwindling market share, and its remaining customers fall into three general groups of consumers:
1. people who are ill-informed about games and the marketplace (busy parents who aren't gamers themselves, and some grandparents, etc.)
2. young children who view a trip to GameStop as something that's actually cool and different than their normal daily routine, and
3. loyalists to the GameStop franchise and/or a particular store/manager

By burning bridges with the Skylanders community and fanbase, GameStop is DEFINITELY hurting itself in at least two of those three consumer groups.
Not too bright.

It's not rocket science considering that Wal Street is questioning their long term viability. Microsoft's change in use of disc for software, if they decide later to reverse the reversal for the Xbox One, would definitely mark the beginning of the end for Gamestop. I consider them the official "flea market" for the secondary game market FIRST, new games SECOND. Their long term outlook is questionable at best. I think their efforts to diversify may be impacting some of these decisions we are seeing.

Quote: czs716

Wait a second, I thought Gamestop took the McDonalds coupons for $10 off Giants. Why would they accept that one and not this one?

They did take that one, and that's what makes this so weird to me.

I call BS on that..

On what, them taking the McDonalds coupon? Mine told me that they "don't take non-GameStop coupons unless they want to." (some work some don't) its up to corporate what coupons they take if any.