A bone to pick with EB and GS

R

ryebreadisme

CAG Veteran
My first post, and I'm not really sure if this is the right place for it, but here it goes. I really really hate EB's return policy. You know, they seal the game, and tell you if seal is broken it is non-refundable. That's trash compared to GS's try it for seven days, and return if you want. In lamens terms that's what the policies are, and EB's sucks. On the other hand one thing I'm starting to notice about Software Etc, and Gs is that whenever I buy a, "new" game I get a game case that has ben opened and a disc that they are putting inside after it has been removed from it's packing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's no longer new. If they can tell me I can't return a game after I only unshrink wrap it, then how are they going to sell me a game that has been completely tampered with and call it brand new? I hope someone posts with a counter point to all of this, because I really would like to understand if I'm being ripped off or not.:bomb:
 
A few years back EB Games use to have a return policy for new & pre-played games that if you didn't like the game you could return it within 14 days for another game. However I think Gamestop got sued for selling used games as new (from other people returning new games, and then the store putting them out for sale again). After that lawsuit EB quickly changed their return policy to where the game must be sealed ethier from the sticker or the shrinkwrap.

Most retailers now don't even allow return or exchanges for games/music cds or dvds that have been opened. The main reason is prob because of piracy, where a game or dvd can simply just be copied. So usually if the cd/game has been open they will only exchange it for the same title.

As for EB/GS selling a open game as new its prob because those stores don't use security systems or sensors like Target, Bestbuy, CC etc. So they need to display the game on the floor somehow so people can look at them and know they have this "X" game in stock. However if they were just to put sealed copies on the floor their theft will just increase. Therefore their alternative is to open 1 copy (or 4 in some cases if they really want people to notice the game) so people can look at the game, know its in stock, and also save the store from shrink/theft.

I can understand people not wanting to buy a open box, but if thats the case just simply decline it if they say its the last copy and its open, and go to BB, CC, and Target because they will have sealed copies for you.
 
[quote name='ryebreadisme']My first post, and I'm not really sure if this is the right place for it, but here it goes. I really really hate EB's return policy. You know, they seal the game, and tell you if seal is broken it is non-refundable. That's trash compared to GS's try it for seven days, and return if you want. In lamens terms that's what the policies are, and EB's sucks. On the other hand one thing I'm starting to notice about Software Etc, and Gs is that whenever I buy a, "new" game I get a game case that has ben opened and a disc that they are putting inside after it has been removed from it's packing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's no longer new. If they can tell me I can't return a game after I only unshrink wrap it, then how are they going to sell me a game that has been completely tampered with and call it brand new? I hope someone posts with a counter point to all of this, because I really would like to understand if I'm being ripped off or not.:bomb:[/QUOTE]

Don't know if this will make you feel any better but EB employees don't even get to check out games anymore. :whistle2:(
 
I have been reading the boards here for some time, but this is my first official post at CAG. I am currently an Assistant Manager at Gamestop and can attest that the flloor game cases are indeed displayed without the game as a security measure so not to keep live merchandise on the floor for new games as well as giving the customers a way to look on the back to read up on games they may not know too much about rather than having a blank DVD case with only front display artwork (which we have a collection of). I prefer the open display case myself since it gives a better representation of what the gameplay is like when you read the back and can see actual screenshots.

At our store, the only way you're getting a new game resealed and sold as new is if it is the last copy of the game we have in stock and only then because of the "new" game return policy. On the other hand, if we have a used game thats in good condition, we always try to recommend that one first since you would then have that seven day trial period to see if this game is something you want to keep.

So, if a used copy is available, grab it if you dont know if you like the game. If you end up loving it and want a new copy for whatever reason, bring it back with your receipt under seven days after you bought it and swap it for the new copy. They should always do that for you and if they don't, ask to speak to a manager and explain your situation since you're obviously dealing with a moron.

:)

~Basil
 
The "new" games that they have just the disc and instruction book under the counter are not really new, they are good condition used games that they are charging full MSRP for.
 
[quote name='vietgurl']EB employees don't even get to check out games anymore. :whistle2:([/QUOTE]

So you're saying EB employees did get to check out games previously, as if EB were their own free rental store? :D I knew this had to be the case, and if this guy is saying they "used" to be able to do it, you can be pretty sure it's still going on at some locations.
 
[quote name='Basil']So, if a used copy is available, grab it if you dont know if you like the game. If you end up loving it and want a new copy for whatever reason, bring it back with your receipt under seven days after you bought it and swap it for the new copy. They should always do that for you and if they don't, ask to speak to a manager and explain your situation since you're obviously dealing with a moron.
[/QUOTE]

That is the single best piece of advice I've ever read regarding this situation, and it never even occured to me.
 
Any EB and GS I go to, they try and give me the display copy and don't even bother checking for new sealed ones. Also, why do you need more than 1 display copy? Why open 4 or 5 games just to display them?

I don't buy games at EB and GS any more unless I have to. I go to CC or BB where I know I am getting and unused game.

Also, I hate how with some games that come in cardboard boxes, they put stickers all over the boxes. Why can't they be shrink wrapped first?
 
yeap the dude i talked to years ago said Eb stopped doing it cause the same people would buy a game and return it a few days later. he even said one dude even admitted that he copies the games and returned them
 
On time I purchased a new game at Gamestop, it was Mobile Light Force 2. When I got the game, they took the disc and manual from under the counter and placed them in the case. Then, they took out some shrink wrap and sealed it up like it was new. o_o

Has anyone done or seen this done before? The game looked to be unused, but I thought it was odd that they re-shrinkwrapped it, pretty crudely, too.

Oh, and there are so many things in this topic to address, so I'll just say, "Yeah."
 
[quote name='daschrier']they try and give me the display copy and don't even bother checking for new sealed ones.[/QUOTE]

I've had the experience recently as well. I didn't understand why the clerk wanted to give me the display copy when he would just have to open and gut another sealed copy to replace it with anyway. This seemed like a lot more work for him than simply selling me the sealed copy to begin with.
 
[quote name='daschrier']Any EB and GS I go to, they try and give me the display copy and don't even bother checking for new sealed ones. Also, why do you need more than 1 display copy? Why open 4 or 5 games just to display them?[/QUOTE]

Honestly, why in the world would they just try and force a display copy on you, unless it was the last copy available. If it's an old catalog non GH title, odds are it's the last one. All it takes is a quick scan of the box to let the cashier know if it's the last copy or not. There is no conspiracy against you.

Also...about the multiple boxes on the wall, take a marketing class. If Metal Gear Solid 3 just came out, you're not going to stick 1 in between Metal Arms and Metal Gear Solid 2 in the new section...you're going to display 4 or more copies in the new release section. This way it catches people's eyes when they walk by it.

EB forcuses on 2 things when it comes to sales: Preplayed, and new releases...since $50 games bring in trades.
 
[quote name='ryebreadisme'] On the other hand one thing I'm starting to notice about Software Etc, and Gs is that whenever I buy a, "new" game I get a game case that has ben opened and a disc that they are putting inside after it has been removed from it's packing..:bomb:[/QUOTE]

Just the opposite here. Actually, I was told at the EB here, that they are now opening up every new game they get in and putting the boxes on the shelf and keeping the disc behind the counter. Sure enough, I ask to buy a game just released that week and they had zero sealed copies and 6 open "new" ones. I passed. Absurd to open them all don't you think? I can see opening one for a display, but opening all their stock as they get it in just seems wrong. At GS here, I never have any problem getting a sealed new one, unless of course it's their last copy, in which case it's the open display copy.
 
[quote name='Scahom1']Honestly, why in the world would they just try and force a display copy on you, unless it was the last copy available. If it's an old catalog non GH title, odds are it's the last one. All it takes is a quick scan of the box to let the cashier know if it's the last copy or not. There is no conspiracy against you.

Also...about the multiple boxes on the wall, take a marketing class. If Metal Gear Solid 3 just came out, you're not going to stick 1 in between Metal Arms and Metal Gear Solid 2 in the new section...you're going to display 4 or more copies in the new release section. This way it catches people's eyes when they walk by it.

EB forcuses on 2 things when it comes to sales: Preplayed, and new releases...since $50 games bring in trades.[/QUOTE]

I never said it was a conspiracy to be forced on me, and if the computer says if they have more or not, why did he have to go searching the store after I asked for a brand new one?
No other product can be put out for display and still be sold as new. TV's, VCR's, washer, dryers...etc

They should just make dummy cases. How hard is it to print a few extra copies of the box art and put them in empty cases? Everyone would be happy then.
 
LOL man, I wonder what EB games y'all go to, cuz my store is nothing like that, we only have one display box that we gut and put out on the floor, the other display boxes are simply inserts inside of blank cases...and I NEVER try to sell the display copy...but we do push pre-played....A LOT, I will agree with that...
 
[quote name='tenzor']However I think Gamestop got sued for selling used games as new (from other people returning new games, and then the store putting them out for sale again). After that lawsuit EB quickly changed their return policy to where the game must be sealed ethier from the sticker or the shrinkwrap. [/QUOTE]

I got so many resealed games from GS... it's not even funny. I could understand if the game still looked like it was brand new but in most cases, the case was scuffed, the manual bent, and the disc had fingerprints on it. This was most common with GC as Nintendo's stupid ass doesn't put security seals on their games!:bomb:

I hope they did get sued and received proper pubishment.
 
[quote name='scsg75']Just the opposite here. Actually, I was told at the EB here, that they are now opening up every new game they get in and putting the boxes on the shelf and keeping the disc behind the counter.[/QUOTE]

Wow.
 
[quote name='Vinny']I got so many resealed games from GS... it's not even funny. I could understand if the game still looked like it was brand new but in most cases, the case was scuffed, the manual bent, and the disc had fingerprints on it. This was most common with GC as Nintendo's stupid ass doesn't put security seals on their games!:bomb:

I hope they did get sued and received proper pubishment.[/QUOTE]

This sounds just like Rhino Video Games now... They still have the policy that you can bring a game back within 7 days `no questions asked.' I've gotten a couple `New' games that looked like
they'd been beaten up pretty good. =(

Oh, and I'm not sure if you've noticed, but Sony seems to have stopped putting the security seal on their games now. It really blows.
 
The only thing I can think of that woudl cause a store to open EVERY game they have for display, is that maybe someone kept returning boxes to the store saying they were empty, and complaining more and more etc. Shit like that changes different store policies quick.

Also a word of advice, if you don't like getting resealed games, don't shop at EB. I say this in every thread like that that I feel compelled to write in. Or just preorder stuff there that you get deals on and buy your 'old' new games at best buy or target or something.
 
i never had a problem returning a game. I just tell them that it doesn't work and i don't want it anymore. If they ask me if i want to exchange it, I just tell them no, i don't want to take a chance on getting another defective product. Im just going to shop else where.
 
I can't tell if the op is talking about new, preowned, or both, but if their policy is that you can't return a preowned game with a broken seal (that they put on) that's a bit silly (not that the post was silly, but their policy is). I've only returned a preowned game once, and it was 5 minutes after I walked out of the store. The employee who sold it to me took it back with no problems (it was a 2 disc shenmue missing the 1st disc).

If it's a DC or PS1 game with the jewel case, there's a way to get around breaking the seal that they put over the opening. The employee at EB inadvertently showed me when he was checking another DC case to see if the right disc was in it. You can (carefully) force the two hinge parts off of the jewel case and open it from there and the sticker/seal will act as a hinge and keep the case together.
 
[quote name='daschrier']I never said it was a conspiracy to be forced on me, and if the computer says if they have more or not, why did he have to go searching the store after I asked for a brand new one?
No other product can be put out for display and still be sold as new. TV's, VCR's, washer, dryers...etc

They should just make dummy cases. How hard is it to print a few extra copies of the box art and put them in empty cases? Everyone would be happy then.[/QUOTE]

Cause then people will simply complain about them not keeping track of what's in stock and what's not. ;)

Personally, I don't believe EB gives 2 shits about any new video game that isn't a "new release". They make next to nothing for selling them. They are in the business of preplayed.
 
[quote name='scsg75']Just the opposite here. Actually, I was told at the EB here, that they are now opening up every new game they get in and putting the boxes on the shelf and keeping the disc behind the counter. Sure enough, I ask to buy a game just released that week and they had zero sealed copies and 6 open "new" ones. I passed. Absurd to open them all don't you think? I can see opening one for a display, but opening all their stock as they get it in just seems wrong. At GS here, I never have any problem getting a sealed new one, unless of course it's their last copy, in which case it's the open display copy.[/QUOTE]


I am starting to notice that as well but not with every single copy. When GTA SA came out for XBox, I was in EB and they gutted 14 copies! (you could tell they were gutted and not dummy boxes because they had part of the cut security seal on the case still)
 
[quote name='daschrier']
They should just make dummy cases. How hard is it to print a few extra copies of the box art and put them in empty cases? Everyone would be happy then.[/QUOTE]

For once, I think EB/GS should take a page from TRU (at least the one by me). TRU has display copies that have the exact same cover art, but on the reverse side instead of having a barcode it says display copy only. Seems like a pretty smart idea to me.
 
[quote name='ryebreadisme'] That's trash compared to GS's try it for seven days, and return if you want. In lamens terms that's what the policies are, and EB's sucks.[/QUOTE]

The word is "layman's"
 
If it's not factory sealed, and received in same way the manufacter sent it out then it's plainly not "new".

Games should never be returned unless their defective, and you should only get the same item in it's place, and returns should not be resold.

I bought a 2002 Dodge Ram truck in 2002, which it was a display model used for test drives for about 4-6 months. It had 1,000-miles on it, but was in perfectly new condition. I got a large discount off the final price, because it was not considered "brand new".

What I'm saying is maybe EB is selling them as "new" and not 'brand new". Which is a dumb way to look at it, because your still paying the retail price, and as you might have guessed, I think "retail sucks" anyway, especially if it's not brand new.

What a stupid policy EB and GS.......................................:roll:

I usually only purchase pre-orders and pre-played from EB & GS through their online store.
 
[quote name='YoshiFan1']I am starting to notice that as well but not with every single copy. When GTA SA came out for XBox, I was in EB and they gutted 14 copies! (you could tell they were gutted and not dummy boxes because they had part of the cut security seal on the case still)[/QUOTE]

Yup, the guy told me unless it's a preorder, they open them all and keep the discs behind the counter and put the boxes on the floor. The exception to the rule though is they have a tiny little glass case behind the counter, so massivly popular games they get mass quantities of (last time I was in there it was full of NCAA 06 and a few other games) stay sealed and behind the glass. It seems totally absurd to me to gut all 6 copies of Makai Kingdom the store got and not have a single sealed copy left.
 
Any game that has been opened should not mbe sold as new. If a store wishes to got a copy to have the box out on display, that should atumatically reduce the game to "used", and the price should be change to reflect that.
 
[quote name='gizmogc']Another week, another thread.[/QUOTE]

Actually this is the second one this week :)
 
[quote name='Quackzilla']The "new" games that they have just the disc and instruction book under the counter are not really new, they are good condition used games that they are charging full MSRP for.[/QUOTE]

I hope you are kidding. I assure you that stores want to sell used games as used and anything to the contrary is just wrong.

For example:
Store sells a copy of a new Madden 06 for $49.99.
$49.99 sales - $38 cost of game = $12 store profit.

Store sells a copy of a used Madden 06 for $44.99.
$44.99 sales - $25 cost of game (trade in value) = $19.99 store profit.

That is all that is reported to the home office and all the store gets credit for. You can always say that they could take a game traded in for $25 and sell it for $49.99, actually making the company $24.99 in profit (illegally of course), but the store merely recognizes a $12 profit for selling a new game. I'm tired and usually ignore these, but I guess I was vulnerable.
 
We should honestly just have a sticky thread about this so that people can whine and moan all they want and we dont have to see these threads pop up all the time.
 
[quote name='nakedsushi']If it's a DC or PS1 game with the jewel case, there's a way to get around breaking the seal that they put over the opening. The employee at EB inadvertently showed me when he was checking another DC case to see if the right disc was in it. You can (carefully) force the two hinge parts off of the jewel case and open it from there and the sticker/seal will act as a hinge and keep the case together.[/QUOTE]

With pratice, you don't even need to be careful- my sister's opened CDs like that for awhile to avoid scuffing up the case peeling off those stickers. I saw her open 3 CDs in about 45 seconds. It was kinda wierd...
 
[quote name='nakedsushi']I can't tell if the op is talking about new, preowned, or both, but if their policy is that you can't return a preowned game with a broken seal (that they put on) that's a bit silly (not that the post was silly, but their policy is). [/QUOTE]

Honestly, why is it silly? EB or GS isn't Blockbuster. So many people come in saying they don't like the game and want to return it. And always their response when you tell them no? "How would I know if I liked it or not?"

If it's a DC or PS1 game with the jewel case, there's a way to get around breaking the seal that they put over the opening. The employee at EB inadvertently showed me when he was checking another DC case to see if the right disc was in it. You can (carefully) force the two hinge parts off of the jewel case and open it from there and the sticker/seal will act as a hinge and keep the case together.
Click to expand...

That's why I tape up both sides. :D

Stores that gut every single game are just retarded. It's up to the manager at that point and they usually don't last too long. When a store does gut a lot of copies of a game, it's because they aren't sent enough display copies. Stores must be set up a certain way and sometimes you're forced to gut a lot of games just so you can have the display up properly. You have to blame corporate on that one, they never send enough display cases.

I've said it again, and I'll say it again. No one cares if you don't buy a gutted game. The next person in line will. There are a lot of customers out there who will buy a new game without the original case and instructions, yet will still pay full price. Happens more than you think.
 
[quote name='MaxBiaggi2']So you're saying EB employees did get to check out games previously, as if EB were their own free rental store? :D I knew this had to be the case, and if this guy is saying they "used" to be able to do it, you can be pretty sure it's still going on at some locations.[/QUOTE]

I'm not a guy.

[quote name='ryebreadisme']That's trash compared to GS's try it for seven days, and return if you want. [/QUOTE]

So why do people bother renting games when they can just "buy" it at GS and then return it in 7 days for a full refund? If you really want to abuse this policy, just rebuy it if you haven't finished the game yet and keep returning/rebuying the game. EB is not a rental store so I hate it when people come in wanting to return games because they didn't like them. Go to Blockbuster or Hollywood Video if you want to try a game out and don't buy unless you're sure you want to keep the game.
 
I used to work at a video game store called Game Crazy and they will open up a new game to play for while and or they will open it up just so they can take the game out of it's case to use it as a display case. After they are done playing the game and or if they take the case off the shelf for what ever reason they will put the game back in and reshrink warp it. But mostly they will open up the new games that just came out to play them for while. Sometimes they will also do it with handhelds to see how the handheld is. I know that they should sell the stuff used after they play it. Most of the time you can tell what so called new games have been played by looking the new game seals to see if they have been messed up at all along with looking to see if has been reshrink warped or not.
 
I agree with making a sticky thread to bitch about game stores. Having a similar thread every few days clutters this forum.
 
If you guys ever work at a gaming retail store, you'll realize that the store does not receive display boxes for every single game that comes out. Therefore, they have to gut at least 2 ( for new releases) to display for the customer to 1. know it's there and 2. look at the summary and screen shots. The games are still new because they have never been played. Had they been played, they would be used, get it?
 
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