Ethical Gamestop Question

malfcn

malfcn

CAGiversary!
Feedback
5 (100%)
Is it unethical to 'rent' games from Gamestop?
There used game policy states any game can be returned within 7 days of purchase.

In effect this could be used to 'rent' games. I haven't done this before, since it seems kind of shady. But does anyone else do this, and what is Gamestop's policy on continuously buying/returning games?
 
That's what the policy is there for. My manager's told me this, more or less. As long as you're willing to spend the gas, you may eventually find a game that you'd be willing to keep... so take advantage of it.
 
If you subscribe to Kant's categorical imperative, if everyone in the world were to do this then gamestop policy could not exist. So in that sense, it is unethical.
 
I don't know if it is 'right' to do if you have no intention on keeping the game.

Also, abuse of it will get it revoked for you, from what I hear.

The policy is intended to be an assurance you do not hate the game and have wasted your money. We all have gotten some turds on something we thought looked cool. So if that happens, great, just bring it back and get your money.

But for me, if I have no intention of keeping it, I won't use this policy and I will go to BBV and rent it from there.
 
[quote name='safire']If you subscribe to Kant's categorical imperative, if everyone in the world were to do this then gamestop policy could not exist. So in that sense, it is unethical.[/quote]

Exactly. The policy is there so if you don't like the game, you can return it. It's not there for us all to rent games.
 
I would think they'd ban you. At my GS, I bought and returned Mirror's Edge. When I picked up the next game they said no exchanges (unless broken).

Similarly, I bought a DS game a while ago and returned it (cuz it sucked). I got another one that I thought would suck because my g/f wanted to play it. It sucked and I returned that one. I got a spiel that they don't normally do this but then I told them it sucked and they said no returns on the next game.
 
From my understanding the policy is there so that the costumer becomes the game tester... this saves them time and money on games that are traded to them and don't work.
 
I do it all the time at my gamestop, but i know most of the people that work there so i guess they don't really care.

Free rentals =)
 
You assume that this isn't a part of their business plan, ie they do it for their own reasons, not necessarily for customer...with a return policy, they don't have to bother to actually check the condition of the games/equipment, they have their buyers do it for them. I recently bought a used 360 wireless controller at GS (only because it was a halo green one) and the damn thing didn't even power on.
 
If you have to preface your question with the word 'ethical' odds are you shouldn't be doing what you're about to ask. And this is no exception. You want to rent a game? Go to Blockbuster or get a Gamefly subscription.
 
Think of it this way. Intended use in this case is either having a game for known temporary period, or buying it to keep for an indefinite period. If you go there with this intent, you have fulfilled your intended use when you return it, but you have effectively in no way paid for this service. Since gamestop does not expressly condone this activity, it would be unethical to engage in it. Your intended use (rent) is not fulfilling their intended purpose (receive money for goods).
 
as far as I know,

You can buy a used game and swap it for another used game in 7 days, I don't think they so much just let you return it because you didn't like it or didn't finish it.
 
I work at a gamestop and the rule is only once within 7 days - however we never mark down if you already returned it or at which store so you could tech keep doing it until u find one you like - I mean they already got your $ and you bringing it back for something of the same price is hard so then you shell out more $$ so they hook ya again considering that you pay 19.99 for a used game that someone traded in for 2.50 or 5.00 -- so if your willing and have alot of gamestops in the area go ahead and try and hit up a new one each time - its free $ for them
 
I did this once or twice with games, then I completely forgot about the last game I bought which I intended to beat in the seven days and return again. As it turns out, it was a game I really didn't like when it came down to it, but I was stuck with it.

However, if you do this frequently(as they usually DO take your info on the returns), you may get told there are NO returns on an item after doing this a certain number of times.

That policy would be determined by the manager/district manager in your area, from what I can tell.

While it may be unethical to use Gamestop as your rental place for games, if you do it a LIMITED number of times and then don't do it again for a while, you may get away with it.
 
I don't think 'renting' from GS is ethical.

In my opinion the 7 day return policy is there for two reasons
1. The customer can test the pre-owned games so employees don't have to.
2. The customer is satisfied with their purchase (because no one likes being stuck with a crappy game).

While it stinks that GS doesn't test trade-ins at least at the end of the day you will have a game you are satisfied with, or your money back if you can't find anything.
 
While they give you the option to, I definitely wouldn't do it. While I'm not on some moral crusade, I'll say that it's a great policy.

It's nice to be able to return a game if you change your mind or if it wasn't what you thought it would be... if too many people use this policy to "rent" games, then they'll most likely get rid of it, which would suck.
 
[quote name='Vinny']if too many people use this policy to "rent" games, then they'll most likely get rid of it, which would suck.[/quote]

^

This, too.
 
I wouldn't use the term rent, when it's there policy stated on the receipt. Don't like it? Money back guaranteed. Although some GS's do limit you to get store credit back only now... Gutted opened new games on the other hand is a whole different story....
 
It is their policy to allow returns of used games within seven days. That does not mean abusing their policy is within the parameters of being ethical.
 
It is there so that people can:
1. Return it if they don't like the game.
2. Had a change of mind/heart. I do it a lot of times when I make purchases I don't need.

It is def not meant for ppl to use it (abuse it) as rentals.

Gamestop will probably roll out new policies if they feel too much people are abusing it.
 
Some people are confused.

You have a 30-day guarantee for defective reasons. You have a 7-day satisfaction guarantee. So testing doesn't come into the equation.

Also, I think after you do it once, the new receipt says something like "***THIS SALE IS FINAL***". I think I remember seeing something like that once.

The satisfaction guarantee is for perceived added value to a used product, I'm sure. "Why buy this for $60 new when you can save $5 and return it within seven days if you don't like it? And with this spiffy card, you can save almost $10 with the same return policy! And you can use that $10 to reserve two games!" In reality, most of the people who are swayed into the used copy in this fashion probably get less than a 1% return rate since people are either lazy or don't get a chance to play the game enough.

As far as ethics go, yes, it is unethical. I don't see how it could be any other way.
 
I asked because I only did this once, and that was because my 360 was dead when I got home. Got me thinking, and I'd heard of it before.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top