When you refuse to sell games to someone who can’t produce valid ID, make sure that the kid’s mom doesn’t have her own TV show and Twitter account.
When it comes to people whom British retailers should not anger, Mary Portas is probably at the top of the list. The consumer watchdog, who happens to have a show on the BBC that focuses on helping struggling stores, recently got upset with British videogame retailer GAME after a store refused to sell her 17-year-old son some 15+ rated games.
Portas’ son recently visited a GAME store, but was unable to produce a valid form of ID when he went to check out. GAME -like many other retail groups around the world- requires something like a passport, driver’s license, or government-issued ID as validation of the customer’s age. As a result, the store refused to sell him the titles.
Portas was less-than-thrilled to hear about her son’s treatment. She claimed that her son’s Oyster Card should have been proof enough of his age, so she used her Twitter account to rant at both the chain and its CEO Ian Shepherd.
“STILL holding on after 8mins to spk to a human at GAME Ox st where they refused to sell my 17 yr son a 15 + game. Now they’ve cut me off,” her first Tweet stated.
When asked by one Twitter follower what kind of ID her son was carrying, she replied, “His 16 plus Oyster card. Plus the sales asst advised these games for him. The cashier then said no.”
After a while, though, Portas was actually able to speak with Shepherd. Following the conversation, Portas was much less hostile towards the retail chain: “spoke to CEO of GAME. Impressive and bright. Agreed good customer service is worth fighting for and how tough the regulations they face are.”
Normally, parents freak out about videogame stores sell mature games to kids, instead of refusing to make a sale when a kid can’t produce valid proof of age. Personally, I’m curious about what Shepherd said to Portas that got her to change her mind.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz
Published: Feb 14, 2011 09:00 pm