Game Stop Has Asked Employees To Wrap Their Hands In Plastic Bags In Order To Stay Open
Gamestop, which announced they will be closing their storefronts to comply with government orders for non-essential stores and CDC recommendations, has made a bizarre announcement to their employees.
Workers have been told to wrap a plastic bag around one hand to protect it from exposure to the virus, open the door a crack, and take the customer’s credit card, the manager said. Employees are then to run the card with a hand still encased in the bag, flip the bag inside out, leaving the card inside, put the purchase in the bag, and hand it back through the door.
A Massachusetts Gamestop Employee Courtesy of The Boston Globe
Gamestop is now considering themselves an essential business that must stay open — at least their curbside delivery system.
They think that buying video games consists of one of the essential items that customers need during a quarantine. Why not?!? I mean, if gun shops, bicycle shops, and liquor stores are deemed essential, why not video games?
The stores saw a BOOM in sales after they reopened on Sunday with curbside pickup. One store claims the company made over $2 million in ONE DAY.
Their tactics ARE a bit weird. They are telling the employees to come back to work, and protect themselves with plastic bags.
I’m no CDC, but does this actually protect a person? I mean, can I go donate plastic bags to hospitals that have run out of masks and gloves?
The instructions e-mailed from a district leader to managers on Monday almost seemed like a prank, said the 24-year-old manager (at Gamestop), who asked to remain anonymous because he feared retaliation.
The message, titled “Chip card best practices,” says: “Lightly (you want to be able to get it off easily) tape a Game Stop plastic bag over your hand and arm. Do not open the door all the way —keep the glass between you and the guest’s face — just reach out your arm.”
The Boston Globe
Gamestop had already announced that they were closing 320 stores by the end of this year. This is in an effort to use “cost-cutting to strengthen its balance sheet.” No word on whether this is still the plan.
