Great for Gamers, Bad for Career Minded . . . - Store Manager GameStop Employee Review

2.0
Oct 5, 2008
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If you like games and are a gamer, this is a great place to work. You can make a flexible schedule for yourself (excluding weekends). You are in a fast-paced environment and you are empowered to make people happy. Moderate sales skills are needed to reach sales goals such as selling reservations and Game Informer subscriptions. There is a lot of emphasis on customer experience which is something I like. You don't need a degree to be a store manager. I have seen many managers at meetings that are well under 25.

Cons

Probably like other retail chains, there are no hours to work with. I often have to work alone or with very little help. At first, as a manager, it is difficult to know which tasks take priority because you will never be able to finish all the work that you are given. After a while, it is easier to work at Gamestop without stress knowing that the tasks you blow off won't be noticed. Don't get me wrong, I am a hard worker, but there are simply way too many tasks to be completed every day (i.e. over 50 full boxes of games to check in every day during the holidays while trying to help a line of customers and you have only one other employee in the store). You are locked out of vacation time during the holidays and you can forget about sick days. You are required to work six days a week during December. No overtime pay even though you are required to work 44 hours per week during the year (you get paid for 40 - itemized on your paycheck). This is under scrutiny by all my peers in my state as well as in other states. There are very little advancement opportunities beyond Store Manager. You are not recognized as a big box retailer so it is hard to move to another employer. The salary at Gamestop is much lower than other retailers even with less responsibility.

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5.0
Feb 2, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Games are awsoem for real

Cons

Low pay but it’s okay

3.0
May 16, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

You get real management experience fast. You can honestly say you handled: Inventory control Cash handling Customer conflict Sales goals Scheduling pressure Loss prevention Store operations Merchandising Trade-ins Tech/product support Opening and closing Problem-solving without backup That is valuable on a resume. You also learn independence. If you can run a store alone, you can handle pressure, prioritize, and make decisions without someone holding your hand. It can also be good if you like games, collectibles, tech, consoles, and talking to customers who care about that world. And if the store has decent traffic, you can build strong customer relationships. Regulars matter.

Cons

Being “store manager” but also being the only person there is often exploitation dressed up as responsibility. You may be expected to do the work of: Manager Sales associate Inventory clerk Security Customer service desk Tech advisor Cleaner Cashier Loss prevention Complaint handler All at once. The biggest cons: You are accountable for problems you may not have enough staff, payroll, or authority to fix. Upper management may push metrics, warranties, memberships, preorders, and sales goals without giving enough labor or support. You may get blamed for shrink, low numbers, customer complaints, late tasks, missed calls, or messy inventory even when the real issue is understaffing. Breaks can become fake breaks. If you are alone, you may not actually be able to step away. Safety can be an issue, especially with cash, consoles, theft, angry customers, or closing alone. The title can sound stronger than the pay. GameStop management responsibility has historically outweighed compensation in many stores. Burnout risk is high. You are constantly “on,” and there may be no one to absorb pressure with you.

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