Post by: UncleBob on April 25, 2006, 06:47:02 AM
In the coming month, Wal*Marts across the country will be completly remodeling their Electronics Department. One of the major focuses is going to be on video games. This includes a *much* larger section of "Open To Sell" (i.e.: Not locked in cases) of $20 and under games, all HD TVs for the display units, more footage of locked game cases, etc.
But here's the bad thing.
Currently, Wal*Marts are supposed to be set up where the cases are Sony - Nintendo - Microsoft. Always lead into the gaming with Sony, then Nintendo, then MS. This is changing, Nintendo and Microsoft are swapping places... they're going to be in last.
But, aside from that, the cases are going to be color coded. Sony/PlayStation gets Blue. Microsoft/XBox gets Green.
Nintendo gets...
...
...purple.
What?
Post by: Mario on April 25, 2006, 07:00:05 AM
Post by: capamerica on April 25, 2006, 07:07:06 AM
Purple is not a good color, when people see purple they think girly, kid-dy, and homosexual (Its their offical color after all). I mean if you walk into their toy section the girls area is all pink and purple. God damn it Wal-Mart do some freaken research into colors before picking one.
As for the order, I'm actually kind of happy since at the 4 Wal-Marts in my area the Xbox section sticks out more and is the first section you see while the Nintendo section gets hidden away since its in the middle.
Post by: Ceric on April 25, 2006, 07:17:22 AM
Post by: Mario on April 25, 2006, 07:22:24 AM
Quote
Purple is not a good color, when people see purple they think girly, kid-dy, and homosexual
Hey, girls, kids and homosexuals make up more than 50% of the population, so Nintendo wins this round.
Post by: Artimus on April 25, 2006, 07:24:01 AM
I hate buying video games at WalMart, because the service is horrible. Why on Earth do you put the grandamas in the electronics department...
Post by: thejeek on April 25, 2006, 07:25:22 AM
Quote
Hey, girls, kids and homosexuals make up more than 50% of the population, so Nintendo wins this round.
I wouldn't count your chickens before they've hatched. The vocal minority of insecure teenage boys will outshout the competition...
Post by: Ceric on April 25, 2006, 07:26:25 AM
Post by: Ian Sane on April 25, 2006, 08:20:18 AM
Post by: mantidor on April 25, 2006, 08:44:08 AM
They shouldve gone with red, now that is the official Nintendo logo color.
Post by: jasonditz on April 25, 2006, 09:02:06 AM
Post by: vudu on April 25, 2006, 09:16:18 AM
QuoteI thought rainbow was their official color?
Originally posted by: capamerica
Purple is not a good color, when people see purple they think homosexual (Its their offical color after all).
Post by: Ian Sane on April 25, 2006, 09:17:00 AM
Does this really happen? Is there anyone that is so f*cking stupid that if you move a case a few feet that they'll be completely unable to find what they want and thus won't buy it. Assuming that for some reason I don't think to look in that other glass case right next to where the GBA case used to be if I wanted to buy something and couldn't find it I'd ASK ABOUT IT. You read all this stuff about shelf space and placement and stuff like that but I don't think I've ever met anyone who wanted to buy something and then changed their mind because it got moved to a different part of the store or it's now on the top shelf instead of the middle.
"Nintendo is not only the cube."
GBA game boxes also have purple on them. The "only for" logo, which is pretty much on every GBA game ever made, is purple.
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on April 25, 2006, 10:07:28 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
Does this really happen? Is there anyone that is so f*cking stupid that if you move a case a few feet that they'll be completely unable to find what they want and thus won't buy it. Assuming that for some reason I don't think to look in that other glass case right next to where the GBA case used to be if I wanted to buy something and couldn't find it I'd ASK ABOUT IT. You read all this stuff about shelf space and placement and stuff like that but I don't think I've ever met anyone who wanted to buy something and then changed their mind because it got moved to a different part of the store or it's now on the top shelf instead of the middle.
I'd be happy to disparage the intellect of WalMart shoppers, but that's not the point. You're discounting (pun delightfully intended) impulse sales, which are greatly affected by the placement of products, not to mention far more likely for the cheaper GBA games. Quite simply, not everyone walks into a WalMart planning to buy a particular game.
Also, purple has been Nintendo's favorite color for a long time now, at least as far back as the SNES. It's also the color of royalty.
Post by: UncleBob on April 25, 2006, 10:17:57 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
Does this really happen? Is there anyone that is so f*cking stupid that if you move a case a few feet that they'll be completely unable to find what they want and thus won't buy it. Assuming that for some reason I don't think to look in that other glass case right next to where the GBA case used to be if I wanted to buy something and couldn't find it I'd ASK ABOUT IT. You read all this stuff about shelf space and placement and stuff like that but I don't think I've ever met anyone who wanted to buy something and then changed their mind because it got moved to a different part of the store or it's now on the top shelf instead of the middle.
Have you ever worked retail? Customers are idiots.
Probably not to this extreme, but seriously.
For example, at my Wal*Mart, our Snack Bar closed and, after it was gutted, it was replaced with a complete clearance section instead of having it spread all over the store. Now, as in most Wal*Mart, you have to walk right past the Snack Bar area when you enter the store (The Garden Center wasn't opened yet although I guess it is slightly possible that the people I'm about to talk about came in through Automotive...). Anywhoo, I walked past an older lady and a girl who was walking toward the front from Toys. The older lady points at the former-snack-bar-now-clearnace section and says "Well, they moved it all up there! That's just stupid! Now we have to walk all the way up here to see the clearance stuff." 'All the way up here' being two feet from the carts that you passed when you came in. Moron.
Another example - I work in the Connection Center (where we sell Cell Phones). I was working with a gentleman setting up his phone contract. This can be a pretty involved process and we'd just finished his credit check (which is about the first thing you do) and we were discussing plans to see which one he wanted. It was going to be another 30 mins or so with this one customer. Now this older man came up to the counter and kinda cut in-front of the guy I was speaking with and threw a pre-paid phone card onto the counter. Now, in theory, I could have rang this guy up, however, 'one customer at a time'. You may have to wait your turn for my attention, but when I give it to you, I'm going to respect that and you're going to get it. Also, I think both me and the first customer were just floored with the fact that this guy just cut in-front of him... Anywhoo, I looked at the rude-guy and told him that I was going to be another 30-45 mins with this other customer because we were setting up a contract and suggested going to the photo center (which was not busy at all - he would have been checked out with no waiting - and you have to pass on your way out of the store). The guy sneers at me and says "Do they have these at K-Mart?" - "I don't know." - "Well, I'm just going to go there." and leaves. Dude, you could have waited in line on our most busy day and still have gotten out of the store faster than leaving, driving over to K-Mart, walking to the other end of their store, finding the card and walking back to the front and then waiting at the Service Desk for someone to ring you up (our K-Mart is so understaffed that the majority of the time, the only "register" they have open to check people out is the Service Desk.)
And a final example - although not as bad. When I worked in Photo, numberous times people would come up to the One-Hour Counter with a roll of film. I'd ask if they wanted "One Hour or Regular Service". They'll reply "Regular Service". I point at the large, blue drop box about five steps away and tell them that's for regular service. "Oh. Well, I'll just take one hour then." What? A good variant is "How much more is one hour than send out?" - "A couple of bucks, depending upon which package you choose for the regular service." - "Oh, I'll take regular service then." - "Okay, the regular service drop box is right over there." - "Oh. Give me one hour then." Is it really worth a couple of bucks to people not to have to write their name on an envelope?
Anywhoo, the moral is, while I haven't seen any customers that stupid/lazy, if I was told a story about it, I wouldn't doubt it.
Post by: Guitar Smasher on April 25, 2006, 11:24:57 AM
Post by: heinous_anus on April 25, 2006, 12:46:43 PM
I didn't realize that the homosexual community has an "official" color. Is there an official heterosexual color?
This decision was likely from some pencil-pushing exec who equated Nintendo with children's toys, and not an older audience; it's unfortunate that they're using the Cube's color, and not Nintendo Red, for the layout. Whatever, refined gamers like myself (tee-hee) can continue buying games at locally owned game shops.
Post by: Zach on April 25, 2006, 01:03:28 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
"Nintendo is not only the cube."
GBA game boxes also have purple on them. The "only for" logo, which is pretty much on every GBA game ever made, is purple.
I see your point, but I think they are referring to this
Post by: Artimus on April 25, 2006, 01:42:57 PM
Post by: EasyCure on April 25, 2006, 03:08:19 PM
i work retail and every day i am more and more amazed at how people can be so dumb or lazy or both.
i work in a clothing retailer that i regret ever working at (cept that i get discounts on nintendo shirts, yaaay) and we change things up VERY OFTEN, in fact, annoyingly so. hell fell off a ladder today doing something like that but thats not the point.
if a customer comes in on a friday and sees tshirt X in spot A but cant afford to get it, then on monday we move tshirt X to spot B they think we sold out of it and LEAVE the store before they would EVER think of asking. I've seen it so many times but i still cant believe people do such things. moving something two feet in a retail store is a HUGE deal guys..
Post by: Renny on April 25, 2006, 07:51:56 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: heinous_anus
Is there an official heterosexual color?
Black. No, blue. White? Or platinum. Wait... it's bright, jovial green, right? That's about as manly as anything. I get aroused just thinking about it. I wear Axe. It smells terrible, but I get laid alla time.
Post by: jasonditz on April 25, 2006, 08:23:47 PM
Post by: Khushrenada on April 25, 2006, 10:43:36 PM
What amazes me is how Wal-Mart has a whole aisle of video games locked behind glass cases and people would still ask where are the video games. Your standing in the opening of Electronics and the first few glass cases are plainly visible but rather than stop for a moment to look, the customer would rather stop and find a staff member to point them to the clearly visible end aisle.
And it could be worse than that. There were times I was walking by the video games and a person would ask me: "Where are your video games?" or "Where are the Playstation/Xbox/Cube/DS/GBA/PSP games?" And I'd look at them for a moment, then turn sideways and gesture at the case I was standing next too and say "Right here" Now, generally, this was more to the elderly and some people who buying them as gifts for relatives but it happened a lot.
As for the store changes, some of those seemed to be going into effect in our store. We were definlty setting up a lot of HD tvs. But we never changed anything with the games location except squeeze in some spots for the PSP and DS. I've since quit but I was there last week and the games are still in the same order. I don't if it's different in Canada but starting from behind the cashier, the games are organized by GBA to DS to Gamecube to Xbox 360 to Xbox to Playstation2 to PSP. So, Nintendo is always the most visible.
Oh, and I'm glad someone mentioned that Purple is color of Royalty. So true because Nintendo is the King. But not that Indigo color. A deep, dark, luschious, purple.
Finally, my favorite dumb customer story. I'm standing at my till and talking to another employee because things were going slow when up walks this family. The mother says to me that they're looking for a Gamecube game. Ok, I reply, what is the name? The mother looks at her child who's probably 6 or 7 years old and tells him to give the name. The Legend of Zelda, he answers. Alright, now did you want the Wind Waker or the Four Swords Adventure, I asked. He wasn't sure so I took them over to the games and showed him both copies. He looked at them and his mom asked if either was the game he saw. He didn't think so, so I asked if he could describe it. In my mind, I was wondering if he was looking fo Twilight Princess because some new information had just been released. And when he began to describe the game, sure enough, that's what he was describing. So, I asked him if the name was Twilight Princess. No, he said, and after a moment of thought, he replied it was called The Legend of Zelda Trailer 2.
It was so hard to keep from laughing but fortunately I was sort of shocked for a moment. So I explained that the real name was Twilight Princess and it wasn't supposed to be out till the fall. The family thanked me and left. The associate I was talking to earlier had been with me the whole time and we laughed about that for the rest of the shift.
Post by: wandering on April 26, 2006, 12:27:45 AM
Quote
No, he said, and after a moment of thought, he replied it was called The Legend of Zelda Trailer 2.
Anyway. Customer stupidity rarely surprises me. What does suprise me, though, is how much people who work with customers tend to hate them. I hate customers who yell at me for no reason. Other than that, though, who cares if customers ask the same stupid questions over and over or haven't memorized the layout of the store? That's like raising sheep and being annoyed that they wander all over the place without the help of herding dogs.
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on April 26, 2006, 05:50:28 AM
QuoteUh oh! I've caught Ceric disease! j/k I know how it is.
Oh, and I'm glad someone mentioned that Purple is color of Royalty. So true because Nintendo is the King. But not that Indigo color. A deep, dark, luschious, purple.
Truthfully, royal purple is kind of reddish. Also, it comes from snail snot.
Post by: couchmonkey on April 26, 2006, 06:52:57 AM
Also, Nintendo has been "third" in my nearest Wal-Mart for years. It really doesn't matter...if third means third from left to right (as when you're reading a book), then it can be first depending on which way you enter the aisle. I think the amount of shelf space the company manages to grab up is more important, and sadly the Xbox section is creeping into the GameCube shelves at my Wal-Mart. I stopped shopping there anyway, being the HARDCORE PATRIOT that I am, I try to shop at Canadian stores.
Post by: SgtShiversBen on April 26, 2006, 07:33:10 AM
Sadly I don't have any dealings with customers like that [since I don't work in retail] but here at an archive we get annoying people. Especially people calling from the great NBC: NEW YORK because they didn't do their crap and now have to hire me to do it for them. Bah, I just get fed up with some of the stuff that comes my way, but I won't argue with them until they truely piss me off.
Also, alot of the times they are accompanied with a young reporter...so that's always a +
Post by: Ceric on April 26, 2006, 07:36:08 AM
The color should be red because that is the official logo's color but the placement is sound. I'm fairly sure that Walmart sells more GBA and DS accessories then any other videogaming system. When thinking about it from this perspective of course you want that to be what you place right by the accesories. Plus it will make it easier for them to have room to grow for the massive amount of games we'll be getting in the next year or so. Something else to consider is that there is a market that has interest in only the handheld arena. Moving the biggest handheld maker to the end means they don't have to wade through though expensive console games to find there handheld fix and look theres a better pouch or screen protector.
Post by: UncleBob on June 30, 2007, 05:42:05 PM
We got new signing in for Nintendo now... Everythings White. Whoo!
Post by: ShyGuy on June 30, 2007, 06:24:01 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: capamerica
Purple is not a good color,
look at the color of the hair in his avatar!
Post by: GoldenPhoenix on June 30, 2007, 08:38:26 PM
Post by: UncleBob on July 01, 2007, 12:09:45 AM
Post by: Ceric on July 01, 2007, 07:05:07 AM
Post by: ShineGet887 on July 01, 2007, 08:54:44 AM
Oh well, I don't shop at Wal-Mart anyway.
Post by: EasyCure on July 01, 2007, 11:06:43 AM
its an escalator (blocked off) that leads to.. a wall.
(crappy camera phone = crappy quality)
Post by: Mashiro on July 01, 2007, 11:09:57 AM
Post by: UncleBob on July 01, 2007, 11:28:47 AM
Post by: ShyGuy on July 01, 2007, 12:00:25 PM
Post by: EasyCure on July 01, 2007, 12:28:43 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: UncleBob
Where the heck is that Wal*Mart?!?!
Wal-Mart Store #3441
White Plains, NY 10601
its fairly new, maybe almost a year old by now actually... i dont remember what there was in its place before the walmart moved in but i guess the escalator is some sort of leftover. you walk in and theres a dunkin donuts to your right, three or four elevators to your left that im assuming lead to the garage levels above the walmart, a small nail salon next to the dunkin donuts beneath the escelator, then the entrance to walmart itself.
its two levels, the main level and the lower level. now im no architect but shouldnt they of tried to incorparate the already-there escelator to somehow reach those garage levels on the upper floors, rather than force everyone into the elevators? its just wasted space
Post by: nickmitch on July 01, 2007, 01:45:34 PM
Post by: EasyCure on July 02, 2007, 05:17:27 AM
its inhuman!
