For all you CAGs who shop at F.Y.E. or Sam Goody stores, you may remember being offered a 10% off discount card with a $20 gift card attached to it free for a full month, after which it would be $9.99 a month. And, like the CAGs we are, most people probably sent in for the gift card, got their 10% off, and canceled before being charged. However, the conditions of the cards are changing as of 10/18. Here are the changes:

1. The card is now $11.99 a month.

2. The $20 gift card is only available after two months of being activated.

3. Apparently, the places the card works is expanding, but I can't confirm much about this.

Everything else SEEMS to be the same. You still get a month free, 10% off like normal, 20% off on your birthday (which I previously thought only applied to the BSP), and the coupons in the booklet if you haven't tried it out yet. Here's what I'm unsure of, though...

Are existing members going to be charged $11.99 to keep the VIP membership? Or does the new price only apply to new members? I can't tell you guys right now. I didn't even know the card was changing until soon before I left work at 9:30, when we had to put out the changed cards themselves. But if there are any other employees who work at F.Y.E./Sam Goody who wish to clarify, I'd appreciate it.

So what do I think about it? I think it's a TERRIBLE move. If most existing members find out they'll have to pay more to hold onto the membership, they'll most likely cancel it, if it seems like corporate has the power to jack up the price whenever they feel like it. If existing members DON"T have to pay the new price, most potential new members won't want to have to pay more than other people, especially with the new conditions for the gift card. And catch this- when I asked why the conditions were being changed, guess what the response was? "Too many people were cancelling." WELL, not enough people are picking this program up and staying with it... I know! Let's make it more expensive and make new customers wait longer and pay for the gift card! Yeah!

Anyway, just to clarify- if you have a BACKSTAGE PASS (BSP, $25 dollars for a full year), this doesn't effect you, unless you have both. If you are considering getting a VIP membership, or are a holder of one (most likely), the conditions of holding the membership have changed. Ask your local store if you are confused, or have questions, because I've spilled everything I know into this thread already. And I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, CAGs, but really... How long could a free $20 gift card last anyway? :/

Well, all the more reason for me to cancel it on Monday... most of the non-FYE benefits of the VIP I can get some other way for free or much cheaper than $12/month. The only thing that's really noteworthy are the $3 coupons for CD/DVD/games that are $12.99 or more, and I don't think I would use enough to justify the cost of the VIP (the good rebate offers can't come around that often, or do they?). Also, doesn't the regular BSP have some specials besides the 10/20% off?

EDIT: odds are the expansion of benefits isn't going to be that big of a deal, or they may semi-lie about it (the 10% off at Target I was told by the clerk who signed me up for the VIP is actually 10% off at target.com... big difference!!!)...

Ha, that reminds me: I need to cancel my 30-day trial on Monday. Tried calling the number to cancel the other night and apparently it's not an automated process. What an awful membership and I only grabbed mine for a one-time savings deal.

I never even got my $20 gift card that I sent away for in May. Bastards.

My discount card was $25 for the whole year, I've renewed twice already. Never heard about a montly cost, that's just for suckers.

$12 a month? WTF

Originally Posted by JaylisJayP My discount card was $25 for the whole year, I've renewed twice already. Never heard about a montly cost, that's just for suckers.

You've got the regular Backstage Pass. I think this thread is about Backstage Pass VIP, which has a monthly fee.

Man, I really hope FYE goes out of business soon.

And yet another Shopping Discussion thread in the wrong forum. Moving thread.

Originally Posted by ddrisgood137 Man, I really hope FYE goes out of business soon.

I don't. Their twice-a-year(usually) trade-in brown bag promo is phenomenal and there's no minimum amount of items needed to get the bonus, unlike Gamestop, so they've served their purpose for me every year for the last 3-4 that they've had this deal.

They typically have better condition stuff than Gamestop, though the copy of Futurama for the Xbox I bought off of them was Disc Doctored and looked like shit. That's the ONLY time I can think of where their stuff was in horrible shape.

Now Gamestop on the other hand, I can't even count how many times I've had to go back a couple times to find a copy of a game that actually worked.

Mind you, I have never and will never pay $25 for their Backstage Pass, since that's even more gouged than Gamestop's EDGE card.

Originally Posted by IAmTheCheapestGamer I don't. Their twice-a-year(usually) trade-in brown bag promo is phenomenal and there's no minimum amount of items needed to get the bonus, unlike Gamestop, so they've served their purpose for me every year for the last 3-4 that they've had this deal. They typically have better condition stuff than Gamestop, though the copy of Futurama for the Xbox I bought off of them was Disc Doctored and looked like shit. That's the ONLY time I can think of where their stuff was in horrible shape. Now Gamestop on the other hand, I can't even count how many times I've had to go back a couple times to find a copy of a game that actually worked. Mind you, I have never and will never pay $25 for their Backstage Pass, since that's even more gouged than Gamestop's EDGE card.

How so its 10% off everything and i repeat EVERYTHING (minus game systems) , 25% bonus if you trade in towards a purchase in the store

vs

Gamestop is 10% off used only and 10% more for the trade ins.

So for $10 more im getting a 25% bonus on my trade ins, 10% off any kind of condtion stuff in the store whether its used or new doesnt matter. Plus any new game there is 51.99 if you got the backstage pass its very benefical to me at least.

For $25 to get the regular BSP, I think I could easily get that back and then some in discounts (heck, during the rebate spree I spent about $160 in one week after discounts using the VIP, so that's $17 I saved right there). Long live FYE (or don't die too soon at least )!

Originally Posted by anthonyd46 How so its 10% off everything and i repeat EVERYTHING (minus game systems) , 25% bonus if you trade in towards a purchase in the store vs Gamestop is 10% off used only and 10% more for the trade ins. So for $10 more im getting a 25% bonus on my trade ins, 10% off any kind of condtion stuff in the store whether its used or new doesnt matter. Plus any new game there is 51.99 if you got the backstage pass its very benefical to me at least.

I just wait till the trade bonus promo they've been doing every year and I get the 25% extra bump for FREE and don't have to pay the $25 for a year.

Plus, it should cover absolutely EVERYTHING in lieu of those silly and very often ANNOYING mail-in rebates they do on consoles. It took me in' forever to FINALLY get the $30 rebate for the PStwo I bought from them maybe 2 years ago soon after the slim came out.

So, do away with the silly rebates, allow the 10% off to carry over to consoles and I might consider the BSP a worthwhile program.

I like the card for the simple fact of the coupons that come out every week... 40% off used blu ray every 4-5 weeks... sure thing... esp when combined with the brown bag specials...

While the coupons may be good for those who buy media items every so often, I only really buy them when there's a phenomenal sale/clearance. I couldn't even tell you the last time I even bought a movie and I doubt I'll EVER buy a Blu-Ray till they're selling for $5 on sale. I hate duplicating my collections of media and rebuying just because some new format came out.

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The 2 month thing doesn't surprise me. Considering when my dad and I hit them up a few months back so he could get his $70 PS2 (I ended up snagging Final Fight One for the GBA for $5), the employees were TELLING customers how they could cancel it immediately on a credit card and get the gift card free.