Gary Coffman

Review of Slacker's CDs and Games

Where do I start with this place? I will start wit...

Where do I start with this place? I will start with what I liked. First, I love how much stuff they have in there. They have tons of music, movies, video games, toys, etc. I have a blast looking at everything and cruising down nostalgia road. However, that's about where it ends...

The first thing you will notice when you look closer at the items are the prices. My god, they have jacked up the prices on used video games SO much! I was constantly pulling out my phone and comparing to eBay and Amazon marketplace prices and Slackers' prices are so much higher than what I found, and that's even when I include shipping from eBay/Amazon. I then tried to ask one of the guys that works there where they get their prices, but he looked at me as though I was wasting his time and very rudely stated "supply and demand man" then went right back to whatever he was doing. I would try to give specific examples of what games I compared, but it was on nearly every single one I compared and I looked at dozens.

This brings me to my next complaint: the service. Every single person I have dealt with in there is rude and unfriendly. Again, I feel as though I am pestering them just to ask a simple question... I HATE that! Not once while in there did anyone ask me if I needed help or gave any recommendations.

I did actually find a couple of used video games that, compared to eBay and Amazon, were decent prices so I decided to purchase them (they were Sega Genesis games). I take the box to the counter to buy them and the same man who acted like I was a bother earlier brings me just the game cartridges and keeps the case. He then informs me that 95% of those used games don't have the case - they are cartridges only. So I asked if I could just have that one, but he explained they need them for display purposes. So why make it look like you are getting a complete set, just to find out you are only getting the cartridge?? Once I found out it was the game only, that quickly changed how I felt about their asking prices.

The environment itself in there sucks. In the summer, it is EXTREMELY hot. I actually get relief going back outside to where there is a breeze. Now I know this isn't the store's fault, but most of the customers are rude too. I politely say excuse me and try not to get in anyone's way. However, when I am trying to look around, I get bumped into without a "sorry", people will hog a section (because the aisles are so incredibly small you can't fit more than 2 people in at a time) so I have to wait until they move to continue looking. Being close quarters with people when it feels like 100 degrees in there isn't pleasant either. It makes you hotter and you get the wonderful aroma of crotch sweat and b.o.

Finally, and this didn't happen to me directly but to a friend, they low ball you so incredibly bad on trade ins. He had a barely used original Game Boy complete in the box with several games and he still had to pay out of pocket to buy a used copy of The Legend of Zelda: the Wind Waker. I know that game is SOMEWHAT rare/expensive, but my god that is insane. Especially considering what they are going to charge for the items he traded in. And this isn't the only case of this I have heard of. Countless people I have bought games/consoles from on Craig's List said that they were going to go to Slackers to sell their stuff, but were offended by the low ball offers, thus why they decided to sell online.

Overall, I will NEVER waste my time in that store again nor would I ever recommend it to anyone. I REALLY wanted to have a good game store here, other than GameStop, where I could take my money and not feel as though I am being screwed over. I also want to support the local community by keeping my money here. However, I absolutely will not drop a dime into a store like this. I will happily support other people who offer reasonable prices and even pay for the shipping. At least that way I don't deal with rude employees, customers, and don't have to leave my home.