Strange question

[Mr Unoriginal]

Ok, this is something I've always wanted to do but haven't had the stones yet to do it. Just curious as to what the legality is or at least what you think would happen if i tried.

The scenario is this: some stupid kid is trading in a bunch of good games to EB or Gamestop etc so he can get the newest Yu-Gi-Oh POS. So he throws his games on the counter and the clerk starts going through them and listing rediculously low prices. Now if I happened to be in the store could I offer the kid a few more bucks for each game and outbid EB?

Even if not I would love to see the employee's face when I try it.

[x0thedeadzone0x]

errr, i wouldn't suggest trying to do that in a Gamestop. 'Round here you could get killed. Who knows what those employees have behind their desks.. most likely shotguns, revolvers, rifles, M60's, pistols, everything under the sun because some fool decided to strut his ass up in hurr and attempt to outbid the $ he's offering for some game.

[ZForce915]

I have thought about this a hundred times. I think if you did it once you might not be allowed in the store again. But that one time you could make off with a bunch of good games cheap.

[ZForce915]

errr, i wouldn't suggest trying to do that in a Gamestop. 'Round here you could get killed. Who knows what those employees have behind their desks.. most likely shotguns, revolvers, rifles, M60's, pistols, everything under the sun because some fool decided to strut his ass up in hurr and attempt to outbid the $ he's offering for some game.

I think here in Green Bay, Wisconsin the most I'd have to worry about is having someone hurl a cheese wedge at me.

[st0neface]

I think if you took him aside, so that the employees weren't listening to the conversation, and you made the actual transaction outside of the store, I don't think there's anything wrong with it.

[x0thedeadzone0x]

errr, i wouldn't suggest trying to do that in a Gamestop. 'Round here you could get killed. Who knows what those employees have behind their desks.. most likely shotguns, revolvers, rifles, M60's, pistols, everything under the sun because some fool decided to strut his ass up in hurr and attempt to outbid the $ he's offering for some game.

I think here in Green Bay, Wisconsin the most I'd have to worry about is having someone hurl a cheese wedge at me.

haven't you seen the commercials?
ahhh, but cheese is a powerful thing.

[spoo]

I bought a game of someone at Funcoland once. I saw him walk in with the game I was going to buy and I told him I would give $5 more then Funcoland would give him. He went to the counter and asked how much he could get for the game and right there I gave the money for the game plus $5 the employ just looked at me a smiled. I am sure if it was the manager he might have been miffed.

[SolinariDotCom]

Ok, this is something I've always wanted to do but haven't had the stones yet to do it. Just curious as to what the legality is or at least what you think would happen if i tried.

The scenario is this: some stupid kid is trading in a bunch of good games to EB or Gamestop etc so he can get the newest Yu-Gi-Oh POS. So he throws his games on the counter and the clerk starts going through them and listing rediculously low prices. Now if I happened to be in the store could I offer the kid a few more bucks for each game and outbid EB?

Even if not I would love to see the employee's face when I try it.

Get him OUT of the store. Get his attention, anything, just pull him out. Take care of it outside of the store, then take care of business.

I've never nabbed someone from the counter - I get them while they're standing in line or before they enter the store (er - I don't camp, if they happen to be there).

[organicow]

While I've never interrupted a trade-in, i have done this:

Once, when i was in EB there was a guy trying to trade in some games. He totally wanted cash rather than credit (probably wanted to buy a bag o' weed or something), but the countermonkey at EB was making their usual low-ball offers. So, he decided to keep the games (he had about 6 of them), and left. Since i had heard the whole conversation, i followed him outside and offered him a few bucks more for each of the games i wanted; he jumped at the cash, and i got some sweet deals!!

I don't see why you couldn't butt-in while actually inside EB. You might be stealing their thunder, but I almost feel like you owe it to humanity as a whole to stop an innocent kid from getting rear-ended by EB. Especially if you can get some cheap shaq-fuing games out of it!

[argyle]

Dunno about the legality, but I wouldn't do it on principal. Sure, you can offer more, but you don't have the rent, sallery, and utility fees they have - and you're taking advantage of all of that stuff while you're in the store.

I was at a local used game/movie/cd place a couple years back when someone came in trading a mint Xenogears. Before I realized it I had basically made the guy an offer. I felt bad & apologized to the owner (who I knew), but he said he wasn't worried about it since I shopped there all the time anyway. Long story short, I didn't have any cash on me so the guy traded it in anyway. As soon as I got back to work from my lunch break, I called & had them hold the game for me. Cost me $5 more, but I felt better about it.

Anyway, not condeming anyone who does this or anything, just saying why I personally wouldn't do it.

[x0thedeadzone0x]

nothing that exciting happens my home town. nobody comes up to me and goes hey, i'll offer ya 30 bucks for that FF:CC or NFS:U . even though i wish it would happen. but if someone were to do that i figure they'd be a tad upset but couldn't do shit about it. except kick you out of their store. and bus' a cap up in your ass, ya heard.

[RBM]

Practically speaking, it would depend upon the store staff. If his sense of company loyalty was nominal (or his concern that his supervisor would find out was low,) he'd probably shrug it off. Otherwise, they might give you some grief about it. On an even more practical level, though, I'd be more curious as to how long you'd be willing to loiter in the store, in the hopes of spotting such a transaction to intercept.

[CheapyD]

I've stopped a few people from making bad purchasing decisions at some stores (some guy was about to spend $40 for used True Crime at Blockbuster).

[Mr Unoriginal]

Practically speaking, it would depend upon the store staff. If his sense of company loyalty was nominal (or his concern that his supervisor would find out was low,) he'd probably shrug it off. Otherwise, they might give you some grief about it. On an even more practical level, though, I'd be more curious as to how long you'd be willing to loiter in the store, in the hopes of spotting such a transaction to intercept.

Well I don't think I would hang around, but there has been a handful of time where I've seen a trade in go down with a game or two I wanted.

[snotknocker]

There's no legal issues.
I think that the store employee would'nt mind.
When you think about it their getting 2 satisfied customers and the little kids gonna blow the extra cash you gave him in that store anyway. And you would probably still be buying whatever it was you went in for too.

[organicow]

I've stopped a few people from making bad purchasing decisions at some stores (some guy was about to spend $40 for used True Crime at Blockbuster).

Yeah, i've done that too. just last night at BB, these two poor guys about my age (late 20's) were being hounded by an employee (who i refer to as Dorkasaurus - you gotta see this kid!) who was trying to talk them into buying games that were the more expensive ones. Apparently they had just gotten XBLive and were looking for some shooters. Of course, Dorkasaurus pointed them directly to the newest releases, even thogh the guys said they had very little cash. So, i took them aside and told them about some of the older games (RTCW, GR:IT, etc) that they might enjoy, and then told them how to pull the GGC trick. Needless to say, they were ecstatic! ...and we may just see them pop up on these boards before too long....

I feel it is our duty to help other cool gamers get good deals like we do; hell, I get pointed to good deals (and away from bad ones) all the time, and i like doing the same for others!

[Mr Unoriginal]

There's no legal issues.
I think that the store employee would'nt mind.
When you think about it their getting 2 satisfied customers and the little kids gonna blow the extra cash you gave him in that store anyway. And you would probably still be buying whatever it was you went in for too.

I would imagine there are legal issues. I doubt you can solicit in a store. Though I don't think any employee would cite this as his reason for stopping me. I think the main issue would be if the employee is on a power trip that day or not or if they actually give a crap about the company.

[starman9000]

I feel it is our duty to help other cool gamers get good deals like we do; hell, I get pointed to good deals (and away from bad ones) all the time, and i like doing the same for others!

Right on. If we can get people to stop spending 50$ on games, maybe the prices will all start to drop adn cheapness will insue!