GTA 4 HITS TESCO STORES! ~ Tesco-Complaint

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

GTA 4 HITS TESCO STORES!

Good Morning Sir Terry,

Some background information on me - I am a disabled person with both physical and mental health issues. I do not like crowds, suffer paranoia and struggle to stand/walk for long after fracturing my back some years ago.

I have just returned from your Fforestfach, Swansea store, where I was assaulted, because of your poor handling of the release of Grand Theft Auto for the Playstation 3 and X-Box 360. I decided too late that I would like GTA and was unable to pre-order a copy from the usual games retailers. Knowing that Tesco sells games and is often competitive on price, my Wife phoned the store yesterday evening to check they were going to have stock. We were told that they had plenty, there was no need to queue early but they could not confirm the price.

11.35 arrived and we set off for the store. We arrived approximately
12 minutes later and entered the store, heading immediately for the games aisle. I didn't see the point of getting the electric buggy as usual as I wouldn't be doing a lot of walking. There was a queue already formed but, it didn't seem too large so we joined it. At this point I commented to my Wife that we may not get a copy but as it was approaching midnight, we may as well wait. On or just after midnight, the queue rapidly moved forward. It soon became apparent that instead of placing the games on the shelves, they were going to be sold from the customer services desk. I walked as quickly as possible and soon became embroiled in a scrum of people to get a game. This was an extremely difficult thing for me to do because of the amount of people and their close proximity to me. There were several people that were pushing in and forcing their way through to the front. I stood my ground despite being jostled and pushed back and forth putting pressure on my back. Suddenly out of nowhere, I was punched or elbowed in the ribs. I stood there for a moment afraid of what to do and then, enraged, I left the queue to complain to the security guard.

I explained to the security guard what had just happened and I now apologise for my use of language towards him. You have to remember that I had just been hit and was quite upset to say the least. I asked him who was responsible for the situation. He advised it was the problem of the Duty Manager and duly went to make a call for him. The Duty Manager some moments later meandered up to me. I explained what had happened yet again, still quite shaken by the whole thing. He informed me that it wasn't his fault but that of the Store Manager for choosing the method of sale. Now, I am not stupid, I realise that having dozens of gamers wandering around with their copy of GTA could pose a security risk but, the organisation was a big problem. I reiterated this point to the Duty Manager who spoke to a colleague on the security desk and wandered off to check the CCTV footage. Some time passed whereupon he meandered back to me with his hands in his pockets head bowed. He duly asked what I expected turning up when I did quoting the time on the CCTV. He said there were people in front of me who deserved to get their copy first.He implied that I had not queued and was trying to get a copy by dubious methods. I again reiterated that it was not about actually getting a copy anymore but about being assaulted. I had given up on getting a copy as they had run out of PS3 copies whilst he was reviewing things. There were people in the original queue behind me, that actually managed to avoid being assaulted, and stay in the scrum, who received a copy of the PS3 version. At this point, we left.

The whole management of the release was poor. Had a book of raffles tickets been booked out, they could have been handed out to waiting customers. Had the customers been informed by the staff they were queuing in the wrong place, the scrum could have been avoided. Had the security guards who were chatting the whole while with some friends bothered to do their jobs, they could have monitored the situation and prevent it being the bun fight it was. Especially as their desk is a matter of feet from the customer services desk.

Had your Duty Manager given a damn about what I was saying, I may not be writing this now. His attitude was slovenly, disbelieving and rude.

I know GTA is a violent game but I didn't realise actually buying it would affect my health.

I look forward to your comments Sir Terry.

Steve Birkett

90 comments:

Anonymous said...

Everyone is talking about you...

Anonymous said...

There's so many reasons why this is a stupid complaint I don't even know where to start.

Anonymous said...

I may have paranoia but, I also have a sense of humour and that was funny. LOL thanks.

Anonymous said...

steve you're a knob.

Anonymous said...

Why thankyou kind Sir

Anonymous said...

I posted the second comment above. Now I've recovered from how ludicrous this complaint was I'll attempt to make some points.

The main thing is that, as a paranoid person I'm sure you are aware, the general public are a rude bunch. I work on the shop floor and virtually every minute I am being elbowed, pushed, nudged and ran over by every Tom, Dick and Ethel that wants to grab something near where I'm working.

I wouldn't call it assault but I would call it bloody rude.

However Tesco are under no obligation to provide "crowd control" and as a Tesco worker, if people want to fall about all over each other because they're too impatient and selfish to wait for something then they bloody well can!

If you suffer from being around people, why did you decide to get the game the moment it was released, where you KNEW it would be busy and crowded? The sort of "midnight Harry Potter crowd" do my head in anyway, why you feel the need to get something the moment it comes out is beyond me.

Going up to a member of staff and swearing straight away loses you points. Pretty much everyone I work with will say to a customer "I would have tried to help you but you swore at me so now I'm not interested" if they've turned the air blue with their initial comments.

You talk about whose fault it is... surely the blame can only lie with the person committing the "assault", just because you were in a Tesco store doesn't mean you can blame Tesco. If someone gets punched in a pub or club, is it the owner's fault? The licensee? The door staff? Nope, it's the person who decided to assault another.

Tesco isn't going to mess about with books of raffle tickets, they're going to sell all of the copies straight away so don't need to take measures to drive sales. If the general public is unable to queue properly it's THEIR fault.

If I were you I would stop trying to play the blame game and put the incident behind you.

Anonymous said...

I love this site! Its soooo funny.

Anonymous said...

What really amazes me about this is it's so typical. The op takes no responsibility and blames everyone else.

If it was put on a shelf exactly the same would have happend then.

How on earth can the op blame Tesco, as has already been said they can't be expected to provide crowd control!

Just shows the ignorance of the op.

Anonymous said...

you loser have you nothing better to do at midnight than queue for a game that tesco get from the suplier for £6.24 also while her wii fits cost tesco £8.80

Anonymous said...

Tesco treated this poor chap appallingly. He should be awarded with £50 compensation money, AND a free copy of the GTA game!

Anonymous said...

same happened in every store, suck it up and take it, nothing else you can do

Anonymous said...

"I am mentally retarded, disabled blah blah"; it's the same shite with every fucking complaint.

If you fear crowds, why in the name of fuck did you go to Tesco as soon as the game was released? Why do you even play this game if you are mentally ill? Hardly a good idea with someone in your state to be playing such violent games. It's not a Moneycard Tesco should be sending, it's the men in white coats.

Anonymous said...

Having just found this site and posted a copy about the appalling attitude of Tesco Staff, I was delighted to find immediate confirmation, in the comment from 'Rich' above:

The main thing is that,
as a paranoid person I'm sure you are aware, the general public are a rude bunch.


From what I recently witnessed and felt compelled to intervene about, the general public are nothing like as rude, surly, unfriendly, complacent and bloody-minded as Tesco Staff. This comment, directed at a disabled person who has been assaulted in a Tesco store, and who was subsequently treated with a complete lack of interest and sympathy by some lout of a 'manager', is perfectly consistent with my own observations. Don't Tesco staff have any training in how to treat customers in a friendly and helpful fashion?

'Rich', you've had a go at the disabled, why don't you have a go at ethnic minorities while you're at it? I have never encountered such low life scum. Perhaps it's time customers were more proactive in showing their contempt for staff who display the kind of attitudes I witnessed and you are evidencing here.

I work on the shop floor and virtually every minute I am being elbowed, pushed, nudged and ran over by every Tom, Dick and Ethel that wants to grab something near where I'm working.

I wouldn't call it assault but I would call it bloody rude.


and you'd know all about that, wouldn't you? Perhaps they should punch you in the ribs for good measure. It wouldn't be Tesco's responsibility though, would it?

However Tesco are under no obligation to provide "crowd control"

absolute ****ing rubbish. It is Tesco's responsibility to conduct their sales operation in such a way that it does not cause harm to customers. And the point of the perfectly valid complaint above is that in this case not only did they incite what Steve refers to as a 'scrum' by selling from one point, but when he a disabled person was assaulted as a result they showed no sympathy or concern and took no responsibility.


and as a Tesco worker

doing a wonderful job of showing what low life scum you are, a wonderful and perfectly accurate representative of Tesco shopfloor staff - thank you so much for posting - keep it up!

if people want to fall about all over each other because they're too impatient and selfish to wait for something then they bloody well can!

I'm sure, and what a pity we don't know who you are and which store you work from, so as many of the general public and Tesco customers you despise so much can use you for a punch bag like someone did disabled Steve Birkett. I'd even pay people to do it on a daily basis, you sick, vile little man. Keep the posting up, please.

Anonymous said...

What a self righteous tosser the poster above is.

Anonymous said...

That story had me in tears of laughter, grand theft auto ,turns real life in tesco! looooooooool
Omg its too funny hehehe

Thanks m8 you cheered up my day i wish i saw this whole thing happen, will they put the video on you tube?
That was brilliant, thanks for sharing your story lol

Anonymous said...

anon who posted in reply to Rich completely undid his whole argument by, himself, implying violence is the resolution. surely if this was the case then you'd be in agreement that the original complaint was totally stupid?

aye, thought so, half wit.

Saying the general public is a rude bunch is a sweeping statement but so is saying all tesco staff are "rude, surly, unfriendly, complacent and bloody-minded" again showing you are argueing somehting you are guilty of.

Hypocrite also.

Anonymous said...

Deary me, I suppose I'd better reply to "Anonymous" then!

All we can do is disagree on our thoughts on the general public. Can you accept that somebody has a different opinion to you? Or do people who disagree with you immediately become "vile lowlife scum?"

What do you mean I've "had a go at the disabled?" You make out as if I have made a sweeping generalisation about all of the disabled population, which I certainly have not, but merely posted my opinion which had a go at ONE disabled man. The disabled are not immune from being given frank and honest opinions and I imagine that the OP would be offended at how patronising you are.

If anything you are the one making generalisations with your insulting comments about Tesco staff, of which there are tens of thousands.

I think the fact that you are wishing violence on me speaks volumes, when you have never even met me!

Feel free to reply but try and do so respectfully with less name-calling yeah? Ta.

Oh... and I'm the only Rich on the produce dept at Coventry 4, if you're desperate for info.

Anonymous said...

So, lets summarise. The complainant went to Tesco at the launch time of a hyped up game. The complainant suffers disabilities. The crowd get excited and push a bit. The complainant, even though its midnight and the shop is full of excited gamers waiting for GTA4 and most people would avoid shops at this time, gets a fright and it's Tescos fault? How about taking responsibility for your own actions?

Anonymous said...

That was the best story ever! A guy walking towards the counter like a zombie from resident evil and a gta guy elbows the disabled zombie loooooooool

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Anonymous said...

Right let me start by saying CUSTOMERS ARE RUDE and they think that they are RIGHT. well I'm sorry to burst peoples bubbles but customers are not always RIGHT!

When you try to help a customer who is shouting at you and being rude to you is hard. I feel sometimes to just turn round to those people and say "shut up and move along" or I feel like punching them because the get on my nerves so much!

People who complain are stupid. If we don't have a product on the shelf it means we are SOLD OUT. what SOLD OUT means is we don't have no more stock of the product INSTORE. Why customers can't get this I do not know!

Another thing is REDUCTIONS. Why oh why do customers go mad on REDUCTIONS? Last Sunday at one point I had to rope off the reduced cabinet because customers were pushy and annoying. It worked as noone got through the barrier and if they tried. They had a really hard time to get to the cabinet! POWER TO THE TESCO STAFF!

Customers are not always right!

Anonymous said...

-----------------------------------

Right let me start by saying CUSTOMERS ARE RUDE and they think that they are RIGHT. well I'm sorry to burst peoples bubbles but customers are not always RIGHT!

When you try to help a customer who is shouting at you and being rude to you is hard. I feel sometimes to just turn round to those people and say "shut up and move along" or I feel like punching them because the get on my nerves so much!

People who complain are stupid. If we don't have a product on the shelf it means we are SOLD OUT. what SOLD OUT means is we don't have no more stock of the product INSTORE. Why customers can't get this I do not know!

Another thing is REDUCTIONS. Why oh why do customers go mad on REDUCTIONS? Last Sunday at one point I had to rope off the reduced cabinet because customers were pushy and annoying. It worked as noone got through the barrier and if they tried. They had a really hard time to get to the cabinet! POWER TO THE TESCO STAFF!

Customers are not always right!

9:38 PM, June 04, 2008
-----------------------------------
REPLY TO THE ABOVE POSTER:

After carefull thought and consideration from reading your post, I think I can safely brand you a fucking asshole to society, In a nutshell with trying not to ramble on too much, The main fact is that you can't handle working in retail and should make a career change, Ah! but then your going to tell me that there is nothing else for you out there? Well, thats because you don't have the ability to change careers because you are as thick as two planks in the education department and thats why you are working in tesco getting annoyed at all those people who appear like angry little ants, rant over.

Anonymous said...

To the above poster,
I feel i can safely brand you a knob, you think just because someone works in retail, they must be thick, wrong i work for tesco and have three A's in gcse maths english and art, i have two a levels computing science and electronics, i'm also a qualified electrician, the only rerason i'm in retail, is due to an injury, also i agree with the poster above you, customers do seem to have a hard time understanding that an out of stock label means we have none of that item left in store, and at reductions, they behave like a pack of wild animals.

So please remove your head from your arse, stop trying to make out your better than every one else and fuck of to marks and spencer!

Anonymous said...

I am frankly horrified at some of the comments on both sides. I agree that customers are VERY rude, but again I get some lovely ones who understand that I am not personally responsible for Tesco failings.
I am sure the person who branded Tesco employees 'Thick as two planks' I am sure you are aware that a good part of the workforce is made up of students and graduates. I myself am a final year student and my boyfriend who works there also, a graduate accountant working through professional exams, hardly lacking in education?? I know people with MSc attached to their name that work in Tesco. No wonder so many customers treat me like a complete idiot if that's the way they think.....
I can count better than most of the people I serve, as a science student, I am able to do complex equations, so why do customers count out the money on the checkout for me?

In my opinion, swearing at staff is the end of the conversation. I will do my best but when they start swearing, I will just walk away. If the customer above was claiming assault, then the manager should have phoned the police and made the security tape available to them. However swearing at staff is unacceptable, I find swearing intimidating and disrespectful.

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