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Online EB Trade-In Voucher FAQ for Halo 2 DEAL DEAD
By Gon!
(version 1.1)
Last update:
2/18/04 This last update is to answer the question: I BOUGHT PREOWNED GAMES FROM EB FOR THIS DEAL! NOW WHAT?
Now that the deal is officially worthless. Your total trade in must be greater than $60 to qualify for a Halo 2 voucher. So this is what you do to get rid of your preowned games.
If you bought EB games w/o vouchers and haven't received them, the easiest way is to refuse shipment. If they shipped your games UPS, they will request signature. Do not sign and just say you don't want it. If the games were sent USPS, they will deliver when you're not around. If you are there, you can say to return to sender. If not, I think you can just take it to your nearest post office and say return to sender. However I'm not sure. Someone please clarify on refusing USPS shipments. Thanks.
If you cannot refuse shipment, you have 30 days to postmark the games from the date of the receipt for a refund. I think it's ok for preowned games too. Yea you can also send it media mail back to them.
If you bought with a voucher, you are in trouble. Vouchers are non-refundable. Try to ask EB for an exchange. However, there is a trick if you bought the same games before. Return the preowned games you bought with voucher onto an old receipt you have for the same games. Of course the receipt can't be older than 30 days. I think this trick works. Let me know if it doesn't.
There are also some places you can trade your preowned games for decent store credit.
Good luck.
I have to say that the deal was more than worth it! (Wish I did those Halo 2 offers before the exclusion list though
()
MORAL OF THE STORY: If you can buy 4 used games from a store and trade them for 7-8 used games from the same store then there is something wrong with the system. Thanks EB for honoring everyone's deals. You will have my continued support......for obvious reasons. ;-)
2/17/04 DEAL DEAD! HUGE EXCLUSION LIST Check Eb site for details.
2/12/04-Ninja Gaiden offer is missing from EB site so I suspect that's it for Ninja Gaiden.
So many fond memories. Thanks for boosting my video game collection tremendously and hopefully the Final Fantasy offer will come back. Well folks, onto Halo 2 
Updated the question on how the offer will last.
2/11/04- 2pm update. Received vouchers in 3 different emails that I sent in 3 separate packages today. EB received the first on Jan 28, the second on Jan 29, and the third on Feb 2. One package had 3 NG offers. I received 1 of those yesterday and got 2 today. So I guess it's perfectly normal to only receive 2 vouchers when you did the offer 4 times and are all in the same package.
2/11/04-Ninja Gaiden is coming out in Feb 23. The original offer was supposed to end 6 days before the release date. So my estimate will be: Feb 17. That’s 6 days folks. Remember all you need is to submit your information to EB. That takes like 2 minutes and then you’ll have 7 days to mail your stuff. Sure you have like 7 months for the Halo offer, but why not take advantage of both?
Updated the change from 4 to 5 games. I added a little bit more info to the processing time section. Added info about the missing Final Fantasy offer.
2/10/04-Sorry for the late update. Just got 2 more vouchers today. Games were sent on 1/23 Item was delivered on 1/29 9:11 AM to West Chester, PA. HOWEVER I DID THE OFFER 3 TIMES AND ONLY GOT 2! I also did the offer a few times on 1/22 and still nothing on that. No duplicates for each name. I do all my offers in one box and send it to them. Good luck everyone. Will add more info later when I'm not feeling so lazy.
1/30/04-Trade in policy changed from 4 games to 5 games! FFXI offer is replaced w/ Halo 2 offer! More details later
1/29/04-Added in more info about possible game combinations to send in. Added info in about vouchers compatible with different emails. Info about games that aren't in original boxes.
1/28/04-Corrected USPS insurance costs
1/27/04-Bolded questions so it's easier to read.
Disclaimer: All the information applies to EB online trade-ins only. B&M have an “other exclusions apply” clause so YMMV with those.
The point of a FAQ is to try to answer as many questions as possible. Always read the entire FAQ before asking a question. Chances are you just missed it. However I will add any other important information that was left out.
Rules change
EB terms & conditions have changed since the offer first started in late November. The most controversial rule was the first one in the trade-in requirements.
Sometime in December this rule was added:
No more than one individual title of any game.
On 1/12/04, it changed to:
Maximum of one of any individual title will be accepted.
On 1/16/04, it changed to:
Maximum of one of any individual title will be accepted per customer.
On 1/30/04, Eb’s trade in policy changed from trade in 4 games to 5 games.
Q. Why are you writing this FAQ?
A. So many people have questions about this offer. This really is a great offer for all you CAGs out there! I think it’s even better than the freevideogames site. You don’t have to go through the hassle of canceling offers while constantly worrying about having your credit card charged for insane amounts.
General:
Q. Where is the offer?
Click on the EB Trade-in banner on the homepage. Then click on “Continue to Step 1” green button.
Q. What are the restrictions?
A. Must be any combination of PS2, XBOX, or GameCube and some specific sports game are allowed. No demos or jampacks.
Sports game not allowed-No football, baseball, basketball, hockey, wrestling and soccer titles.
More games not allowed: Hologram Traveler, Shaolin (even though the Ebgames.com lists them under the PS2 category)
Games that are allowed:
Sports games not listed in restrictions: Skating, Racing, Biking, Snowboarding, Rugby
Cheap ass games: Haven, RTX Red Rock, Fantavision
Sample trade-in- 5 games.
Fantavision Playstation 2 (Cheap ass PS2 game)
BMX XXX Gamecube (Cheap ass Gamecube game)
Outlaw Volleyball Red Hot Xbox (Blockbuster game)
Haven Playstation 2 (POX EB game)
Kabuki Warrios (Cheap ass Xbox game)
Q. What about the condition of game?
A. I don’t think anyone has really had any problems. As long as the game plays and the instructions aren’t ripped and the box is in decent condition you should be ok. Follow the EB guidelines. Nothing more than hairline scratches on the disc probably.
Q. What if the game is not in an original box?
A. The game is still acceptable even if it's a Blockbuster or other rental box. As long as the box has the game insert then it is ok.
Other questions:
Q. What happened to the Final Fantasy offer?
A. The Final Fantasy offer was replaced with Halo 2. Funny thing is the trade-in link was still up for a week after EB took the offer down. EB will probably bring the FF offer back after the Ninja Gaiden offer ends.
Q. Is the voucher only good for Ninja Gaiden/Halo 2?
A. The offer is good for ALL EBGAMES.COM MERCHANDISE. Why does it say Ninja Gaiden or Halo 2 on the offer? Some people suspect EB wants to rack up preorders for Ninja Gaiden so they can get a quantity discount. I guess EB couldn’t program the system to only accept the coupon for Ninja Gaiden. Yes, I’m guessing this is true of the Halo 2 offer, but I have not confirmed it.
Q. How long does it take to process?
A. 5 days to 1 month. (requested by rallen) Average time is about 3 weeks. The website says 5 business days, but they are probably completely swamped with offers. EB apparently sends voucher codes to your email on specific days. A lot of people received them on 1/24/04, 1/27/04, 2/03/04 and 2/10/04. Sometimes you get lucky. Sometimes you don’t.
Q. When does the Halo 2 offer end?
A. Probably 2 weeks before the game is released. I will use Ninja Gaiden to estimate the end of the Halo 2 offer. The old deadline for Ninja Gaiden offer was Feb 4. This deadline is no longer on the front page. However since Ninja Gaiden was delayed, the offer was extended. Current EB release date for Ninja Gaiden was Feb 23 and offer ended Feb 12. EB could technically pull the offers at anytime so I advise everyone to do this as many times as possible immediately even if the release date for Halo is very far away.
Q. How many times can I do this offer?
A. As many times as you want. Remember to follow the rules each time. I don’t think anyone has been denied. Just remember not to have duplicate games. More on that later.
Q. So I just enter the names of games under the Ninja Gaiden offer?
A. Correct. The system does not verify the name of your games or for what system. So you won’t know if your games are eligible until EB has received them.
Q. So there’s no way to track your trade-in offers?
A. There is no way. All you can really do is wait. You can’t even call or email since the CSRs are not familiar with the offer.
Q. Are duplicates allowed?
A. Yes and No. I’m pretty sure if you send in 4 of the same game your package will be denied & your games sent back to you. However if you send in multiple shipments at different times, you might be able to slip by. The new rules do not allow duplicates in each offer. You will get a warning with your trade-in voucher that you have sent duplicate games, but will still get your voucher. I do not know anyone that has been denied yet. YMMV.
Q. So how do I keep track of what games I have sent?
A. Make sure you keep copy of receipts for each time you do the offer. Make an excel spreadsheet of all games you have sent. Make sure you put in email, date, and the person who sent the games. Keep organized.
Q. Could I fake my info to send in more of the same game?
A. Yes and No. Yes, it would probably work, but I do not recommend. YMMV. Get some friends instead & offer incentives to them for permission to use their info.
Q. If I want to do the offer multiple times, can I do multiple offers in the same package to save on shipping?
A. Yes, make sure each one has a packing slip & no duplicates. I don’t think it is a good idea to the Ninja Gaiden offer & Halo 2 in the same package, but it might work.
Q. Where do I buy cheap ass games? What price?
A. Figure out what kinda of return on investment do you want. Your 5 games should cost around $20-$40 total. You’re getting a $52 voucher. Anything more than $12.50 a game is not worth it. $10 a game is barely worth it. You want to hit the $5-$7.50 range. Places to look for games are clearance ranks, online sales and promotions and wherever you think there are cheap games!
Shipping:
Q. After filling out all the EB forms when do I have to send the games?
A. You have 7 days to postmark your games. The last day is indicated on your packing slip & receipt. Remember postmark means you only have the games sent by that day. EB does not have to receive them by the final day on your packing slip. You can still pay for the cheapest shipping rate.
Q. How do I package the games?
A. Follow the recommendations on the website.
Q. What is cheapest way to ship my package to EB?
A. Media Mail is a fixed rate per pound & takes 5-12 days for your games to get to EB. 1 package of 4 games is about $1.84 assuming it’s less than 2 lbs. I use a hard-clasp envelope (5 cents) for individual shipments with no protection and haven’t had any problem so far getting to EB.
Priority mail is $3.85 and takes 2-3 days.
Q. Should I get delivery confirmation or insurance?
A. They aren’t necessary, but if this is your first time sending packages through USPS then it is recommended. You have a less than 1% chance of your packages not getting there. Insurance is $1.30 for up to $50 of coverage. $2.30 for up to $100 of coverage. $3.30 for up to $200 of coverage. Since you’ll be sitting in the dark for 5 days-2 weeks wondering what happened to your packages, you might want to get these options to ease your mind. I highly suggest insurance of you're doing 3 or more offers in one package.
Vouchers
Q. When I use the voucher, does the email have to be the same as the one on the voucher?
A. No it don't. Vouchers are not assigned toward specific emails. This means if you receive your voucher at email [email protected], you can use use the email [email protected] when you order and will still work. Of course this also means your voucher could be stolen by someone else. However there are more than 1 trillion combinations. (36^8 to be exact)
Q. What if I want to return games I bought with vouchers?
A. You can’t. There are no refunds on vouchers so make absolutely sure you know what you’re doing before you use a voucher to buy or preorder games. However an exchange might be a possibility.
Q. One of my coupon codes are the same or don’t work! What do I do?
A. Call EB or email them and good luck getting that sorted out.
Q. When is a voucher considered used?
A. A voucher is used after you finalize and submit your order. That will be the page you enter your credit card number. If you use a coupon on a game then remove it, your coupon will still be valid.
Q. I’m a hardcore and want to be just like you & do it multiple times. Do you have any recommendations?
A. Yes make absolutely sure you keep good track of vouchers. Open an excel spreadsheet and put all your vouchers. Check off voucher coupons as you use them so you won’t forget. Get some boxes so you can complete multiple offers in one box. Get permission to use the names of friends and relatives. For each person you get signed up, you can get rid of 2 (one for NG & one for Halo) useless Havens collecting dust in your room.
Please post if you any recommendation or questions or comments in this thread.
But post all other comments to the original thread. If you received your vouchers and want to share your excitement, post it in the thread below.
http://cheapassgamer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3991
Questions about the offer in this thread only. Answers from others are ok too. Trying to keep this thread for only people who have questions about the offer! And read the entire FAQ before posting!
Thanks and hope you liked my FAQ!
By Gon!
(version 1.1)
Last update:
2/18/04 This last update is to answer the question: I BOUGHT PREOWNED GAMES FROM EB FOR THIS DEAL! NOW WHAT?
Now that the deal is officially worthless. Your total trade in must be greater than $60 to qualify for a Halo 2 voucher. So this is what you do to get rid of your preowned games.
If you bought EB games w/o vouchers and haven't received them, the easiest way is to refuse shipment. If they shipped your games UPS, they will request signature. Do not sign and just say you don't want it. If the games were sent USPS, they will deliver when you're not around. If you are there, you can say to return to sender. If not, I think you can just take it to your nearest post office and say return to sender. However I'm not sure. Someone please clarify on refusing USPS shipments. Thanks.
If you cannot refuse shipment, you have 30 days to postmark the games from the date of the receipt for a refund. I think it's ok for preowned games too. Yea you can also send it media mail back to them.
If you bought with a voucher, you are in trouble. Vouchers are non-refundable. Try to ask EB for an exchange. However, there is a trick if you bought the same games before. Return the preowned games you bought with voucher onto an old receipt you have for the same games. Of course the receipt can't be older than 30 days. I think this trick works. Let me know if it doesn't.
There are also some places you can trade your preowned games for decent store credit.
Good luck.
I have to say that the deal was more than worth it! (Wish I did those Halo 2 offers before the exclusion list though
()MORAL OF THE STORY: If you can buy 4 used games from a store and trade them for 7-8 used games from the same store then there is something wrong with the system. Thanks EB for honoring everyone's deals. You will have my continued support......for obvious reasons. ;-)
2/17/04 DEAL DEAD! HUGE EXCLUSION LIST Check Eb site for details.
2/12/04-Ninja Gaiden offer is missing from EB site so I suspect that's it for Ninja Gaiden.
So many fond memories. Thanks for boosting my video game collection tremendously and hopefully the Final Fantasy offer will come back. Well folks, onto Halo 2 Updated the question on how the offer will last.2/11/04- 2pm update. Received vouchers in 3 different emails that I sent in 3 separate packages today. EB received the first on Jan 28, the second on Jan 29, and the third on Feb 2. One package had 3 NG offers. I received 1 of those yesterday and got 2 today. So I guess it's perfectly normal to only receive 2 vouchers when you did the offer 4 times and are all in the same package.
2/11/04-Ninja Gaiden is coming out in Feb 23. The original offer was supposed to end 6 days before the release date. So my estimate will be: Feb 17. That’s 6 days folks. Remember all you need is to submit your information to EB. That takes like 2 minutes and then you’ll have 7 days to mail your stuff. Sure you have like 7 months for the Halo offer, but why not take advantage of both?
Updated the change from 4 to 5 games. I added a little bit more info to the processing time section. Added info about the missing Final Fantasy offer.
2/10/04-Sorry for the late update. Just got 2 more vouchers today. Games were sent on 1/23 Item was delivered on 1/29 9:11 AM to West Chester, PA. HOWEVER I DID THE OFFER 3 TIMES AND ONLY GOT 2! I also did the offer a few times on 1/22 and still nothing on that. No duplicates for each name. I do all my offers in one box and send it to them. Good luck everyone. Will add more info later when I'm not feeling so lazy.
1/30/04-Trade in policy changed from 4 games to 5 games! FFXI offer is replaced w/ Halo 2 offer! More details later
1/29/04-Added in more info about possible game combinations to send in. Added info in about vouchers compatible with different emails. Info about games that aren't in original boxes.
1/28/04-Corrected USPS insurance costs
1/27/04-Bolded questions so it's easier to read.
Disclaimer: All the information applies to EB online trade-ins only. B&M have an “other exclusions apply” clause so YMMV with those.
The point of a FAQ is to try to answer as many questions as possible. Always read the entire FAQ before asking a question. Chances are you just missed it. However I will add any other important information that was left out.
Rules change
EB terms & conditions have changed since the offer first started in late November. The most controversial rule was the first one in the trade-in requirements.
Sometime in December this rule was added:
No more than one individual title of any game.
On 1/12/04, it changed to:
Maximum of one of any individual title will be accepted.
On 1/16/04, it changed to:
Maximum of one of any individual title will be accepted per customer.
On 1/30/04, Eb’s trade in policy changed from trade in 4 games to 5 games.
Q. Why are you writing this FAQ?
A. So many people have questions about this offer. This really is a great offer for all you CAGs out there! I think it’s even better than the freevideogames site. You don’t have to go through the hassle of canceling offers while constantly worrying about having your credit card charged for insane amounts.
General:
Q. Where is the offer?
Click on the EB Trade-in banner on the homepage. Then click on “Continue to Step 1” green button.
Q. What are the restrictions?
A. Must be any combination of PS2, XBOX, or GameCube and some specific sports game are allowed. No demos or jampacks.
Sports game not allowed-No football, baseball, basketball, hockey, wrestling and soccer titles.
More games not allowed: Hologram Traveler, Shaolin (even though the Ebgames.com lists them under the PS2 category)
Games that are allowed:
Sports games not listed in restrictions: Skating, Racing, Biking, Snowboarding, Rugby
Cheap ass games: Haven, RTX Red Rock, Fantavision
Sample trade-in- 5 games.
Fantavision Playstation 2 (Cheap ass PS2 game)
BMX XXX Gamecube (Cheap ass Gamecube game)
Outlaw Volleyball Red Hot Xbox (Blockbuster game)
Haven Playstation 2 (POX EB game)
Kabuki Warrios (Cheap ass Xbox game)
Q. What about the condition of game?
A. I don’t think anyone has really had any problems. As long as the game plays and the instructions aren’t ripped and the box is in decent condition you should be ok. Follow the EB guidelines. Nothing more than hairline scratches on the disc probably.
Q. What if the game is not in an original box?
A. The game is still acceptable even if it's a Blockbuster or other rental box. As long as the box has the game insert then it is ok.
Other questions:
Q. What happened to the Final Fantasy offer?
A. The Final Fantasy offer was replaced with Halo 2. Funny thing is the trade-in link was still up for a week after EB took the offer down. EB will probably bring the FF offer back after the Ninja Gaiden offer ends.
Q. Is the voucher only good for Ninja Gaiden/Halo 2?
A. The offer is good for ALL EBGAMES.COM MERCHANDISE. Why does it say Ninja Gaiden or Halo 2 on the offer? Some people suspect EB wants to rack up preorders for Ninja Gaiden so they can get a quantity discount. I guess EB couldn’t program the system to only accept the coupon for Ninja Gaiden. Yes, I’m guessing this is true of the Halo 2 offer, but I have not confirmed it.
Q. How long does it take to process?
A. 5 days to 1 month. (requested by rallen
) Average time is about 3 weeks. The website says 5 business days, but they are probably completely swamped with offers. EB apparently sends voucher codes to your email on specific days. A lot of people received them on 1/24/04, 1/27/04, 2/03/04 and 2/10/04. Sometimes you get lucky. Sometimes you don’t.Q. When does the Halo 2 offer end?
A. Probably 2 weeks before the game is released. I will use Ninja Gaiden to estimate the end of the Halo 2 offer. The old deadline for Ninja Gaiden offer was Feb 4. This deadline is no longer on the front page. However since Ninja Gaiden was delayed, the offer was extended. Current EB release date for Ninja Gaiden was Feb 23 and offer ended Feb 12. EB could technically pull the offers at anytime so I advise everyone to do this as many times as possible immediately even if the release date for Halo is very far away.
Q. How many times can I do this offer?
A. As many times as you want. Remember to follow the rules each time. I don’t think anyone has been denied. Just remember not to have duplicate games. More on that later.
Q. So I just enter the names of games under the Ninja Gaiden offer?
A. Correct. The system does not verify the name of your games or for what system. So you won’t know if your games are eligible until EB has received them.
Q. So there’s no way to track your trade-in offers?
A. There is no way. All you can really do is wait. You can’t even call or email since the CSRs are not familiar with the offer.
Q. Are duplicates allowed?
A. Yes and No. I’m pretty sure if you send in 4 of the same game your package will be denied & your games sent back to you. However if you send in multiple shipments at different times, you might be able to slip by. The new rules do not allow duplicates in each offer. You will get a warning with your trade-in voucher that you have sent duplicate games, but will still get your voucher. I do not know anyone that has been denied yet. YMMV.
Q. So how do I keep track of what games I have sent?
A. Make sure you keep copy of receipts for each time you do the offer. Make an excel spreadsheet of all games you have sent. Make sure you put in email, date, and the person who sent the games. Keep organized.
Q. Could I fake my info to send in more of the same game?
A. Yes and No. Yes, it would probably work, but I do not recommend. YMMV. Get some friends instead & offer incentives to them for permission to use their info.
Q. If I want to do the offer multiple times, can I do multiple offers in the same package to save on shipping?
A. Yes, make sure each one has a packing slip & no duplicates. I don’t think it is a good idea to the Ninja Gaiden offer & Halo 2 in the same package, but it might work.
Q. Where do I buy cheap ass games? What price?
A. Figure out what kinda of return on investment do you want. Your 5 games should cost around $20-$40 total. You’re getting a $52 voucher. Anything more than $12.50 a game is not worth it. $10 a game is barely worth it. You want to hit the $5-$7.50 range. Places to look for games are clearance ranks, online sales and promotions and wherever you think there are cheap games!
Shipping:
Q. After filling out all the EB forms when do I have to send the games?
A. You have 7 days to postmark your games. The last day is indicated on your packing slip & receipt. Remember postmark means you only have the games sent by that day. EB does not have to receive them by the final day on your packing slip. You can still pay for the cheapest shipping rate.
Q. How do I package the games?
A. Follow the recommendations on the website.
Q. What is cheapest way to ship my package to EB?
A. Media Mail is a fixed rate per pound & takes 5-12 days for your games to get to EB. 1 package of 4 games is about $1.84 assuming it’s less than 2 lbs. I use a hard-clasp envelope (5 cents) for individual shipments with no protection and haven’t had any problem so far getting to EB.
Priority mail is $3.85 and takes 2-3 days.
Q. Should I get delivery confirmation or insurance?
A. They aren’t necessary, but if this is your first time sending packages through USPS then it is recommended. You have a less than 1% chance of your packages not getting there. Insurance is $1.30 for up to $50 of coverage. $2.30 for up to $100 of coverage. $3.30 for up to $200 of coverage. Since you’ll be sitting in the dark for 5 days-2 weeks wondering what happened to your packages, you might want to get these options to ease your mind. I highly suggest insurance of you're doing 3 or more offers in one package.
Vouchers
Q. When I use the voucher, does the email have to be the same as the one on the voucher?
A. No it don't. Vouchers are not assigned toward specific emails. This means if you receive your voucher at email [email protected], you can use use the email [email protected] when you order and will still work. Of course this also means your voucher could be stolen by someone else. However there are more than 1 trillion combinations. (36^8 to be exact)
Q. What if I want to return games I bought with vouchers?
A. You can’t. There are no refunds on vouchers so make absolutely sure you know what you’re doing before you use a voucher to buy or preorder games. However an exchange might be a possibility.
Q. One of my coupon codes are the same or don’t work! What do I do?
A. Call EB or email them and good luck getting that sorted out.
Q. When is a voucher considered used?
A. A voucher is used after you finalize and submit your order. That will be the page you enter your credit card number. If you use a coupon on a game then remove it, your coupon will still be valid.
Q. I’m a hardcore and want to be just like you & do it multiple times. Do you have any recommendations?
A. Yes make absolutely sure you keep good track of vouchers. Open an excel spreadsheet and put all your vouchers. Check off voucher coupons as you use them so you won’t forget. Get some boxes so you can complete multiple offers in one box. Get permission to use the names of friends and relatives. For each person you get signed up, you can get rid of 2 (one for NG & one for Halo) useless Havens collecting dust in your room.
Please post if you any recommendation or questions or comments in this thread.
But post all other comments to the original thread. If you received your vouchers and want to share your excitement, post it in the thread below.
http://cheapassgamer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3991
Questions about the offer in this thread only. Answers from others are ok too. Trying to keep this thread for only people who have questions about the offer! And read the entire FAQ before posting!
Thanks and hope you liked my FAQ!
)
