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I thought this was just wrong, but I guess EB Games has to get their money back from us in another way. Here's the story:
http://www.abcactionnews.com/stories...lofshame.shtml

The sad thing is that this doesn't really surprise me at all. I know they shouldn't be required to just give it back to her and take a loss but look at it like this. Let's say they did give it back to her at a loss, think of all the positive PR they would recieve. On the other hand now people will feel justified in saying oh who cares about the little store I'm gonna go save myself a couple bucks at Target.

They are breaking state laws so I hope they have to pay some really large fines for this. It is horrible that they will not provide her back the property for the price they paid the thief. Why should EB Games make a profit on a deal that they did illegally!

I guess this is why most stores do not pay cash for games.

all this bad press over $87. what was EB thinking. give her a giftcard or something. I felt so bad for her. I can't believe that the entire EB chain of command refused to cooperate or show some compassion.

Originally Posted by RedvsBlue On the other hand now people will feel justified in saying oh who cares about the little store I'm gonna go save myself a couple bucks at Target.

EB Games may as well be Target - they're both big-ass chain stores. I hope no one thinks that a place that you can find in any mall in America is "the little store"...if this had gone down at a small store I can't imagine the proprietors not returning as much of the merchandise as they could. I have to say though, this is pretty despicable behavior even for a big chain. Of course, if there's enough hype from this story, they will give her a brand-new PS2 and credit for games, I would imagine, in an effort to save face, because clearly they're going to skate until they feel that the media is making them look bad. Further proof that they couldn't care less about their relationships with their customers.

Idiots.

I am hoping with all my might that they get hit with some fines. SOMETHING, anything.

They should put up contact info for the chick that got ripped off. I'd gladly send her a cheap-a$$ game to help replenish her collection.

They should have given her stuff back just for the PR value.
Other than that, couldn't it be claimed they were trafficking in stolen goods?
not to mention not obeying the law that said "all merchants who deal in secondhand goods are required to hold those goods for 15 calendar days before selling them."
I hope she countersues them or something.
Companies have to have policies, but they also need to have managers with the b*lls to say Okay, I'm stepping over the policy here.

This story broke in January...I wonder if there is a follow up story somewhere.

I can't imagine a company like EB not trying to make things right for this woman.

Originally Posted by CheapyD I can't imagine a company like EB not trying to make things right for this woman.

Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be part of their plans... :?

This is just so...wrong.

By seeing this story, does it effect your future purchases from EB?

Pesonally, I don't shop at B&M EB stores, and I have only bought one thing from their online store (Rygar), so it doesn't really change my opinion.

Originally Posted by Santorum X By seeing this story, does it effect your future purchases from EB? Pesonally, I don't shop at B&M EB stores, and I have only bought one thing from their online store (Rygar), so it doesn't really change my opinion.

Doesn't change mine...I wouldn't shop in the B&M store on a dare, especially after reading the above "news" item. Their prices are f'ing ridiculous and the folks I've encountered working there are, in general, idiots. Video games are cool, but playing video games does not alone make you a cool person - I've never seen so many geeky late-teen and early-twenties folks walking around like they're in on some magic, special secret that no one else is privy to simply because they work in a video game store. Since when did working retail give you the right to strut around like an f'ing peacock and treat people like crap?

That said, I like the on-line store, but only because they have some cheap-a$$ deals. I'm a whore for cheap-a$$ deals, and from what I can tell the web store and the B&M locations seem to operate somewhat independently.

Ahh, santorum. It's frothy!

Just a thought but if they inforced this state law like they do for pawn shops then that would mean we would have to wait an extra 15 days to pick up any used game and eb and gamestop would probably offer much less on trade in's as the value of many games drop so fast anyways. THe eb's and Gamestops where I live require all the info from your liscence taking care of a huge chunk of this problem. Ackkk I would hate to loose so many of the CAG deals because of the enforcement of this law. IMO

I'd hate to lose cheap-ass deals too, but I hate more for innocent victims like this lady to get ripped off. Twice.

actually this is common as hell. I work for the Homestead Police Dept. In Homestead Fl. and we have many open cases involving minors stealing games from other people via break ins etc. and then trading them into EB and EB not taking responsilbility for not having an adult present when the minors (kids as young as 10) do the trade in. They have some sort of loop hole that protects them. While checking into some of these cases I am already referred to "corporate" and when I go there, i am told it need to go to their legal dept and ill be contacted. I have been checking state and federal stats on this and havent found anything yet. How they get away with it is beyond me. The bad part is you have some employess who see these kids come in, and then on top of the trade in, give them cash for rare games and then play dumb when parents find out and authorities are notified. I happens everywhere. Its a shame truly.

What a bunch of pompus ass holes. EBGames shall not get anymore money from me. Believe that.

MY Grandma lives like 5 miles from there. I do not think I have ever shopped at that EB though and will never even if I travel down there.

I am never going to shop from EBgames at all. B&M or Online. I'd rather pay more...that is right. I'd rather pay a bit more. This coming from a cheapass gamer.

How's she going to get restitution from the thief? He had to steal games in the first place, admitted to the crime, and probably will have to pay fines for the misdemeanor.

Her small claims suit will cost her much more in time and aggravation than the $90 sh'es been screwed out of. EB games sucks ass for this and should be fined heavily for not following the law for pawned merchandise. What I didn't see mentioned was the buying of stolen property. Irregardless of foreknowledge, most states have criminal penalties for such behavior. Let's also not talk about the lawsuit that will eventually be brought upon EB games and their parent company which will cost them much more that $90 do settle or defend in court.

I won't buy from EB games ever again.

ABC Action News report 1/29/04

EB Games still insists it will not refund Michelle's money. If she wants her money back, the company said, she can go through the legal system and get restitution from the thief.

I can't belive this. EB is very shaddy.

So, basically Ebgames made the announcement that "we totally accept stolen goods. All criminals, please bring your stolen goods here...we want to lower our costs, so please, if you are going to steal. Sell to us"

Well this is one heck of a mess. I hate to play devil's advocate in light of such an injustice as this woman faced but EBgames in general is being overly criticised for what is really the fault of only one store. The policy as enforced by that one store is vastly different to how it is where I am. Over a year before this incident, the EBgames in my area started employing the use of sherriff's office forms whenever hardware is traded in. The forms are also used whenever cash is given back on a trade or even when there is store credit left after a purchase on trade-ins. Every time one of these forms is filled out the merchandise traded in on that transaction is held for a period of 30 days. These forms require so much detail that information about the traders employer, their physical description, their address and phone numbers, even an ink thumbprint must appear on the form before the transaction can be completed. As for the policy regarding the return of stolen merchandise; as I understand it the EBgames in question places the items in question on hold till they can confirm with the local sherriff's department that they are indeed items that had previously been reported stolen. I also understand that they sell the items back for the amount of credit or cash they had paid the thief. It sucks for the crime victims but if their items were returned for free than EBgames would become the victim of a crime that was not purpetrated upon them.
Now, I have been in a couple of EBgames that do not enforce the above policies before but most offered the explanation that they were still waiting for the proper paperwork to be returned to them from their county sherriff's office so they would be equipped to follow the above guidelines. None of those stores would give cash for trade-ins.
My point is, this is definately a situation that escalated out of proportion and EB corporate did handle the situation poorly but their entire chain of stores are not responsible. Many of their stores are far better at enforcing these things than most pawn shops or other trade-in locations. This whole situation is the result of a single store not following their own companies policies and of it's corporate offices unfortunately standing behind it so they wouldn't have to close the location entirely, losing all their business in the area.