retail sales associate

store manager

retail assistant manager

area manager

sales associate

Game X Change

I ran a brand new store in one of Game X Change's largest markets. Within 7-8 months, I was the longest-serving manager in my state. I was given indications that I could be considered for a promotion after our "all-important" second Christmas.

I didn't make it to that second Christmas, because three days after being told I was in the running for a promotion, I was blindsided with a pink slip when I came to open the store.

Because my store was the first in a large city, it was immediately expected to become a top-10 store among the company's 100 or so locations. It hovered in the top third of the company, but the owner refused to understand that we had any competition other than GameStop. We were working in a market with a very large, vibrant community of retro gamers and collectors who knew what their stuff was worth, and they weren't about to sell it for less than half that when they could get more on Facebook or eBay. Even pawn shops sometimes offered more for games and consoles than we did, and pawn shops are very plentiful in our part of town. None of that mattered, though, as I was axed for not having the store in the top 10.

The owner of the Kentucky, Tennessee and Connecticut stores lives in Arkansas (?!?) and jets in twice a year to catch his staff with their pants down. You will be paid as little as he can legally get away with paying you (literally, clerks are paid minimum wage, and your only hope for a raise is if your manager really respects your work and goes to bat for you, as I did with multiple employees). Despite the meager compensation, upper management holds it against the store manager if too many staff members leave. The business model is perfect, it's the people who are flawed. Again, me fighting to get more compensation for my staff was not appreciated upstairs.

Staff recruitment is like hunting unicorns. You need to find people with extensive customer service or sales experience who have flexible availability and don't mind working for peanuts. Translation: no one with grown-up bills or any other concerns in life. So, we're looking for the shut-ins who live in Mom's basement and never interact with other people...but wait, they have to be really comfortable rolling up on every customer who comes in the door and spieling a 30-second commercial for the store? Like I said, unicorns. Also, there's a 30-question packet to print out for every interview, and we're apparently expected to ask most if not all of them, leading to a 90-minute interview (again, with applicants for a minimum-wage job).

The job's a fine side hustle, but upper management has us demanding so much of part-time, minimum-wage employees that they often decide working with games (and the 10% discount off of admittedly decent prices) isn't worth it.

As for managers, two brand-new stores in the past year had managers walk BEFORE THEIR STORES EVEN OFFICIALLY OPENED. Kind of says it all, eh?

The climate in Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, et al. may be somewhat different, although reading some of these reviews, it doesn't appear so. However, if you're in Kentucky, Tennessee or Connecticut, proceed at your own risk and don't ever get comfortable, especially if you're applying for a management role. Even when they tell you you're safe, you're not.

Mind I was in high school when I was working here so it was much harder for me to climb up the ladder or even get a raise. In fact I was not allowed to become a key holder or anything above that because I was in high school even after working there for a year so no chance to advance if you are in high school apparently and this is according to a gm that came to the store one day (over heard him talking to the manager) then the manager came and said the same thing to me. The pay was minimum wage and I received a $0.50 raise around a year of working there so nothing you can really live off of unless maybe assistant manager and up. The work itself wasn’t hard, the hardest thing you would have to deal with is trading with customers on their used products for example you might buy (on behalf of gamexchange) a game console and a roach crawls out of it an hour later, so bam you got scammed because then you have to trash it. I was left alone to run the store many times although I’m a lowly high school game advisor and that was stressful especially when there is multiple people trying to trade as trade can take much longer then checking people out at the cashier. Game advisors are not supposed to be left alone and there is supposed to be at least two people working during open hours by the way. The good thing about the job is that it’s fun if you enjoy the culture behind the gaming products, movie products, or anything of this sort on a social level with your coworkers, managers, and customers but that was the only good thing about my position in the company. You might have a more positive time working there if your in a assistant manager role or higher because of pay. Key holders are also payed around minimum wage.

Game Xchange was a very fun experience for the most part. Seeing retro games, collectibles, testing systems/games, were things i really loved. However, it definitely like the company didn't really care about their employees. The raises they gave were very very little and happened once a year. When we expressed any kind of concerns, we were basically ignored. Our AC unit didn't work properly, so the store was scorching in the souther summer heat. People would have to leave so they didn't pass out (because people have). We had very little reliable security. Our cars got broken into and when we asked for at least one camera outside where we park, we never heard back from them on the topic. We expressed how some new business practices were more harmful then beneficial, we were again ignored because they really just wanted to make money. Pay was minimum wage and barely livable even as management. The work we were forced to do was not worth the pay we were given, so a lot of good workers left and the store would struggle more and more.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Being around games and vibing with customers.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The turn over, pay, and constant looking over your shoulder feeling. The district/regional management forced a competitive enivroment between its own employees for a pawn shop.
The stress isnt worth the effort, pay, and what else it takes from yourself.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Before the new districr regional management.
The stores all held a relaxed positive and chill vibe towards all its customers and made efforts to work with everyone who came to the store.
Afterwords, its a smelly, radical minded, overly competitive toxic space that ultimately requires more of your own effort and sanity to even work at. The pay is minimal for any amount of work, the ethics of the places will kill your morale, upper managment will actively look for a reason to give you minimal training and give minimal hours.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Stress. Disorganization. Anxiety. Not worth the pay and effort.

I'm going to be brutally honest here management needs to get it together since I have been working for this company I have dealt with three separate store managers at this point and nearly 10 different key holders. Constantly dealing with contradictory ruling on what we do and don't take in. Passed over for promotions several times because I will not accept less than the just under the average pay for a key holder I'm sorry a ¢25 raise is not worth the position. Training from management is subpar at best as I had to pick up training new hires and key holders several of which even admitted that I should have had the job.  Out of the three managers I have dealt with one passed off half of his work to me The second one actually wasn't too bad if he would have actually gotten in on time daily and the third consistently gets there 2 minutes before we're supposed to be open is outside smoking every 30 minutes and does not care about making the store actually look nice. In short I would say only work for this company if you want to feel like you're hitting your head against a brick wall.

It was a fun little place to work, but the communication with higher ups is terrible as has been said for our area. Not much emphasis on training properly or correcting and there were definitely some people who were treated better than others and allowed to get away with things others would not. 

Pros:
 -fun work environment (if properly staffed) 
-Regular customers who are very chill. 
-10% discount on used items

Cons:
 -poor management communication and/or clarification. 
-Answering the phone with the same questions every day
-Unbalanced work environment, not consistent. 
-No pricematch options with PLENTY of competition. 
-lots of work for no recognition or little pay.

I recently worked at GXC and it was a fun place to work but iit is work. When it gets busy  it can be a little hectic but if you like staying busy this is a perfect place for you. Also if you like talking to customers about games, comics, cards, movies this is a great place because they emphasize conversations with customers. It's a trade store so you have to deal with trade customers but it's cool to see what comes into the store each day. 

As far as pay it's about what is expected for retail. I came in as game advisor at minimum wage but key holders and managers are paid better with bonus potential. I was moved into a key holder role after 2 months. 

Pros- Recently they started evolving. Overall good expereince. For most part all staff got along well. Pretty casual environment but can be demanding when busy. 

cons- my store had some turnover at management but one of the times the manager was promoted. 
 
Hardest part is dealing with some customers.

Game X Change: A Toxic Work Environment with No Benefits

If you're considering employment at Game X Change, think again. This company offers nothing but disappointment for part-time employees. With a starting wage of a measly $8 per hour, it's an insult to anyone looking to earn a fair living. 

But the paltry pay is just the tip of the iceberg. The work environment is toxic, rife with favoritism and a clear lack of respect for employees. If you're not part of the inner circle, don't expect to be treated fairly. 

To make matters worse, Game X Change offers zero benefits. No sick time, no paid time off - nothing. And if you dare to call out sick, be prepared to provide a doctor's note or face termination. It's a hypocritical policy from a company unwilling to invest in the well-being of its employees.

Overall, Game X Change is a company that values profits over people. Save yourself the headache and steer clear of this exploitative and disrespectful workplace.

Coming from a background as a kid growing up with games. The company makes it profit and name from buying, selling, and trading in games and movies. Notably the sale of older generation games was the large appeal. The management is very understanding and works well with the associates. Often delegating roles and responsibilities that aim to train each member towards the role of a manager themselves. If I had been able to stay with the company, I know I would be managing my own store. I would eagerly work with them again. The hardest part of the job is organizing newer stock, or overflowing stock in the back. The easiest part of the job is selling it. The store is easily a hub of friendly encounters with like-minded associates and customers who build a friendly relationship.

DO NOT WORK HERE. Management is terrible. Ive seen one of the previous managers come out of their own pocket to fix things around the store that corporate will not fix at all. There is no job security at all. You are at high chance of getting robbed & management will do nothing but tell you to call the police. The store also does not account for availability & the manager will guilt trip you into taking the time slot you were assigned. If you do not fall for the guilt trip the manager will tell you that you need to put in a 2 week notice & that will be replaced even after telling you that the store works around YOUR availability. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Retail sales associate 18 salaries reported	$10.10 per hour
Store manager 4 salaries reported	$37,150 per year
Retail assistant manager 5 salaries reported	$12.14 per hour
Area manager 3 salaries reported	$54,167 per year
Sales associate 1 salary reported	$9.50 per hour

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