Gamestop not selling new games sealed?

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hav0k99

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I bought MGS4 for my brother and it was my first game I've ever purschased new. This was a birthday present and the guy behind the counter went over adn grabbed the empty case off the wall and then reached in a drawer to grab the game. So it got me thinking.... what is the difference between a new and used game. I refused the purchase as I didn't want to give my brother a non sealed game.

Is this common practice?
 
Yes, it is standard practice for GameStop to sell opened display copies (aka "gutted" games) for the same price as a new/sealed game.
 
GameStop/EB has been doing this for a long time. Well, that is why I usually preorder or try making sure GS has several copies (or I use to) of games so I'd hopefully not get gutted. I'd say I've bought 30-40 gutted games at GS before, but most of those times, I get the best deal buying at GS, so I had to buy.
 
[quote name='Ryuukishi']Yes, it is standard practice for GameStop to sell opened display copies (aka "gutted" games) for the same price as a new/sealed game.[/quote]Worst example I've found was in College Park. I find a gutted copy of Kororinpa for sale as new. Except it isn't just gutted. It's got generic case art, so I figure maybe it's just a place holder and they have the real new copy behind the counter. I bring it to the counter and ask for their new copy of that game. He digs for the disc and begins to ring up the game as new. It has a wii case with generic case art, a disc and no instructions.

That transaction ended very quickly at that point. :bomb:


I'm still waiting for some class action suit to be filed, because the new/gutted thing is inexcusable.
 
[quote name='guinaevere']That transaction ended very quickly at that point. :bomb:[/quote]And that's the problem in a nutshell. I've had the same experience, tried to buy a game that was advertised as having new copies in stock, only to find that every available copy was gutted. I don't mind that GameStop sells their display copies and I don't mind that other people are willing to pay full price for them; what other people do with their money is their own business. But when you want something sealed and it turns out that you've been misled, it's just a waste of everyone's time.
 
[quote name='guinaevere']

I'm still waiting for some class action suit to be filed, because the new/gutted thing is inexcusable.[/QUOTE]
It's not like Gamestop is hiding the fact that the copy is gutted. You clearly see them place the disc into the case. If you don't want it, then don't buy it.
 
Yeah, there's not grounds for a class action law suit. No one is being ripped off. You're in the store, see that it's an opened copy and can refuse to buy it.

Maybe if they started selling gutted copies as new on their website they'd have issues, as then you'd have no recourse other than to return the game--and knowing them they'd probably make you pay to ship it back.

Best recourse is to just simpy not shop there. Buy games at other stores or online, use Goozex, the cag trading forum, ebay/half.com etc. for trading/selling your old games. That way you avoid all the hassles of GS and don't give your money to this slimy company.
 
I refuse to buy the "last new copy" games anymore. While back I bought one like this and a couple days changed my mind because I found the game cheaper elsewhere. So I take it back and they tried to refuse my return the because the game was opened. Eventually they saw it my way and accepted the return.
 
[quote name='guinaevere']Worst example I've found was in College Park. I find a gutted copy of Kororinpa for sale as new. Except it isn't just gutted. It's got generic case art, so I figure maybe it's just a place holder and they have the real new copy behind the counter. I bring it to the counter and ask for their new copy of that game. He digs for the disc and begins to ring up the game as new. It has a wii case with generic case art, a disc and no instructions.

That transaction ended very quickly at that point. :bomb:


I'm still waiting for some class action suit to be filed, because the new/gutted thing is inexcusable.[/quote]


That's just cause some douchebag stole the case, so they had to make a generic case. (I do believe they should've given a discount on it)
 
[quote name='Rei no Otaku']It's not like Gamestop is hiding the fact that the copy is gutted. You clearly see them place the disc into the case. If you don't want it, then don't buy it.[/quote]I realize that, but it's still selling a not-new-condition product as new.
 
[quote name='guinaevere']*bangs head on desk*[/quote]

Don't be harsh on him. He could be from a different country.

Its also one of the many gripes people have with Gamespot. I one time bought a display/New copy of Jade Empire only to discover deep scratches on the back of the disc.
 
*insert comment about how someone refuses to buy gutted games here*

*insert comment about how outrageous this is here*

*insert comment about illogical it is for a new game to not have a seal here*

*insert comment about how it makes no difference here*

*insert anecdote about gutting games from current/former gamestop employee here*


THERE. IT'S DONE.
 
[quote name='Rei no Otaku']It's not like Gamestop is hiding the fact that the copy is gutted. You clearly see them place the disc into the case. If you don't want it, then don't buy it.[/QUOTE]

If you track down a new copy of a game using the store locator and when you get there all the "new" copies are gutted it feels a little misleading.
 
[quote name='rainking187']If you track down a new copy of a game using the store locator and when you get there all the "new" copies are gutted it feels a little misleading.[/QUOTE]

THIS. My GS has "new" copies of Grim Grimoire that are gutted. Same with that semi-recent Growlanser game. If someone spotted them online and drove pretty far to get them, they'd be justifiably pissed.
 
[quote name='ninja dog']*insert comment about how someone refuses to buy gutted games here*

*insert comment about how outrageous this is here*

*insert comment about illogical it is for a new game to not have a seal here*

*insert comment about how it makes no difference here*

*insert anecdote about gutting games from current/former gamestop employee here*


THERE. IT'S DONE.[/quote]Good work, Possum. May I use that next time this comes up? Say, next tuesday?
 
I was at gamestop tonigth and saw a soccer mom buy Soul Calibur IV for her son.....The guy said they got one more copy, but its open, and cheaper he said.......it rung up $59.99, soccer mom dident know the difference
 
Hi, Welcome to Gamestop. We sell you "used" games for new price.
Thanks for the cash idiot.

Hi, welcome to Wal-Mart where we tape up products and sell them as new.
Thanks for the cash idiot.
 
Don't shop at Gamestop. It's that simple. I refuse to do business there and I have no problem finding the games I want. A company that uses dishonest business practices like this doesn't deserve your money. There are other multiple options.
 
For the record, I'm not a fan of the policy. It hasn't stopped me from buying a game from GameStop if they've got a good deal or are the only ones with the game, but if there's another alternative I'll always choose them first.

[quote name='guinaevere']I realize that, but it's still selling a not-new-condition product as new.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='neocisco']Don't shop at Gamestop. It's that simple. I refuse to do business there and I have no problem finding the games I want. A company that uses dishonest business practices like this doesn't deserve your money. There are other multiple options.[/QUOTE]

That's up for debate - at least in theory, the game you get is supposed to be untouched. Whether or not it actually is is up to how the employees treat the games (and on another policy, the employee "rentals"), and they've never defined or advertised their "new" as "shrink-wrapped" so there isn't any dishonesty going on, only a disconnect between their practices and...well, everyone else's. As long as the game isn't damaged and all of the manuals and inserts are there, they'll consider it new.

The one thing that's struck me in these threads is that, so far, I haven't seen a viable alternative offered on how to store the games. Leaving the games on the shelves without any kind of protective measures is just begging for trouble, and most of the stores are too small to set out display cases and store all of the sealed copies behind the counters or in the back room. Unless you're going to do something ridiculous like cage off the entire store and go to the card system Toys R Us used to use (and create one hell of an uninviting shopping experience in the process), I'm not sure if there is a better alternative that would allow for the games to stay sealed without causing the stores to lose a ton of money due to theft or higher rent to cover more storage space.

This isn't a perfect world, and saying "don't gut the games" isn't a viable option for most of the franchise's locations. So tell me: what's a better solution to the problem than gutting the games?
 
[quote name='Gothic Walrus']This isn't a perfect world, and saying "don't gut the games" isn't a viable option for most of the franchise's locations. So tell me: what's a better solution to the problem than gutting the games?[/quote]Keep on gutting them, then sell the gutted games at the used price or at some in-between "open box" price. Just don't pretend they're new when they're not new.
 
I like how this is under General Gaming and Industry News. This is not news. This is a thread that I have seen many many times over the years.
 
Obviously it seems no one here has ever worked retail in a shady area. Most places that sell video games don't leave thousands of dollars worth of games out in the open for people to steal, but they have to leave something for the consumer to touch and look at. Its still considered new to corporate if the game has not entered a system.
 
[quote name='Ryuukishi']Keep on gutting them, then sell the gutted games at the used price or at some in-between "open box" price. Just don't pretend they're new when they're not new.[/QUOTE]

But that would cut into profits! We can't have THAT! :roll:

The idea of the "open box price" isn't bad, but it wouldn't make a difference in a lot of cases - look at Greatest Hits titles. A lot of those sell for $18 used, so the in-between price would be $19, a whopping dollar off.

It would be a good way to signify a difference, though, but I suspect it'd actually lead to more gutted games - if people knew about the price difference and didn't care, they'd ask for the cheaper copy, which would mean a new one would need to be gutted to replace it on the shelves.

I also think they'd be reluctant to do this because it'd be especially painful with new hit games. If you've got a big GTA IV display set up and you need to gut a bunch of copies to fill it, that's that many more copies you'd need to offer at the discounted price.

I like the idea. We can dream, can't we? :)
 
[quote name='neocisco']Don't shop at Gamestop. It's that simple.[/quote]Wat. Don't shop at Gamestop??? Are you serious? It's my favorite store. I just refuse to buy gutted games there.

[quote name='Gothic Walrus']That's up for debate - at least in theory, the game you get is supposed to be untouched. Whether or not it actually is is up to how the employees treat the games (and on another policy, the employee "rentals"), and they've never defined or advertised their "new" as "shrink-wrapped" so there isn't any dishonesty going on, only a disconnect between their practices and...well, everyone else's. As long as the game isn't damaged and all of the manuals and inserts are there, they'll consider it new.[/quote]That's partly it as well. Most of the stores permit the associates to borrow/rent (read: take homea and play) the gutted games.

I would have no problem if that were strictly for used games, but it isn't. Perhaps the policy is so the employee can better know their product and consequently be better equiped to answer customer questions.

But I'm being honest when I say, I don't care. You don't go to the store and buy a box of cereal that's been ripped open. You may go to target or best buy or circuit city and choose to buy an OPEN BOX item for a DISCOUNT, but you don't buy new items where the packaging has been opened and altered for the convenience of the store and still pay the NEW price. (At least, I certainly don't.)


The one thing that's struck me in these threads is that, so far, I haven't seen a viable alternative offered on how to store the games. Leaving the games on the shelves without any kind of protective measures is just begging for trouble, and most of the stores are too small to set out display cases and store all of the sealed copies behind the counters or in the back room.
Click to expand...
Blockbuster and Hollywood Video have long used generic empty dvd cases and the stacks upon stacks of extra case art for their shelf displays of dvds and games. Not fakey case art, but actual extra case art. Most stores if you were to ask, could show you boxes upon boxes of case art for all kinds of movies and games. I know it would cost GS extra, but it would solve the problem easily.
 
Even if people refused to purchase gutted games it wouldn't work because Gamestop would just shrink wrap them and fool those who are less knowledgeable on the subject.
 
For how to display without opening a game, don't display new games. People can just ask if they have it. Or they can just print promo covers and put out.

But yes, in the end the solution is if this bothers you (or all the other crap), just don't shop there. I haven't for quite a while and haven't missed it at all.
 
[quote name='guinaevere']
I'm still waiting for some class action suit to be filed, because the new/gutted thing is inexcusable.[/QUOTE]

They were sued over that or the resealed games as new, years ago. The settlement was 5% off a $49.99 game.

[quote name='dmaul1114']
Maybe if they started selling gutted copies as new on their website they'd have issues, as then you'd have no recourse other than to return the game--and knowing them they'd probably make you pay to ship it back.
[/QUOTE]

I know EB used to do that all the time. I got quite a few new games that were resealed and others did as well. I didn't return them because they were $2.99 - $4.99 but it was still annoying
 
[quote name='Gothic Walrus']Leaving the games on the shelves without any kind of protective measures is just begging for trouble, and most of the stores are too small to set out display cases and store all of the sealed copies behind the counters or in the back room. [/quote]

I've heard this claim before and I don't buy it.

Gamestop doesn't have that many new games. Used games take up the majority of their space and those come pre gutted (and yes I know what I'm talking about... I've visited at least 15 different Gamestops in the past 2 months). They have plenty of room. The boxes and boxes of new releases can stay in the back as long as there is a healthy stock at the front.

I'm lucky. Most of the Gamestops around here don't gut all the copies. They gut ONE and leave the rest in the back (they do have a backroom for these types of things) or behind the counter glass. One Gamestop in my area has the decency to ask ahead of time if you want it because it's the "last copy" AKA gutted.

There's only one or two Gamestops I've been to that gut all the copies and that's just ridiculous. There's no reason for it.
 
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I just buy used at GameStop, mainly because of the 35% off the used price which makes the games nearly half their new price. Although, I did pick up Madden when it came out since they had a good preorder deal.

I go to BlockBuster to buy games new, or whatever place has the game for $15 - $20 off.
 
Why don't they just put the new games in plastic cases like best buy or circuit city do? Obviously with the used ones you can just leave the cases out with the games in a binder.
 
Game Crazy's do the same thing im afraid, I wanted to buy a sealed classic nes Metroid and Resident evil code veronica sealed and found out they were gutted.
 
[quote name='konamifan2002']Game Crazy's do the same thing im afraid, I wanted to buy a sealed classic nes Metroid and Resident evil code veronica sealed and found out they were gutted.[/QUOTE]

This^

Happened to me at GC when I was going to buy Mario & Luigi (Years ago), worst part was it was not only gutted, it was the demo they had in the Gameboy player.
 
[quote name='DMFunk']This^

Happened to me at GC when I was going to buy Mario & Luigi (Years ago), worst part was it was not only gutted, it was the demo they had in the Gameboy player.[/quote]


lmao, that's awful.
 
Heh, I remember how gameworld took care of this problem. Have a giant ass counter circle the store, put the games up for display behind the counter out of reach. Never seemed to be a problem, just had to ask if they had a complete used copy, they'd check for me and I'd buy it if they did. Simply enough, never had any complaints nor did the employees. Sealed games were on display but kept out of reach and used games were given the same treatment.
 
[quote name='guinaevere']Wat. Don't shop at Gamestop??? Are you serious? It's my favorite store. I just refuse to buy gutted games there.
[/QUOTE]

Seriously? Your favorite store? To each their own I guess. Selling opened games as new is pretty low on the list of reasons why I don't shop their. The staff and clientele would be the main reason.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Seriously? Your favorite store? To each their own I guess. Selling opened games as new is pretty low on the list of reasons why I don't shop their. The staff and clientele would be the main reason.[/quote]


It's very regional and I've heard many people having issues with the staff at their Gamestops. I consider myself very lucky, as almost every Gamestop in my area has polite, knowledgable staff that don't try to push pre-orders on you every second. There's only one or two stores that I would actively avoid.
 
Yeah, staff does vary store to store, it's more the clientele. The stores are usually like 35% nerds, 35% little kids who's parents use the store as a babysitter while shopping and 30% normal people. I feel like I lose IQ points everytime I step in their and listen to the pre-order pushing, fanboy bickering, misinformation about when/if games are coming out etc. etc.

Just not worth the hassle, especially with all the shit like selling open games as new, paying shit on trade ins then selling them for a huge mark up, general lack of deals etc. etc.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Seriously? Your favorite store? To each their own I guess. Selling opened games as new is pretty low on the list of reasons why I don't shop their. The staff and clientele would be the main reason.[/quote]I ♥ my store and I ♥ the folks working there even more. All of you need to stop by to visit the worlds best GameStop.
 
[quote name='guinaevere']I ♥ my store and I ♥ the folks working there even more. All of you need to stop by to visit the worlds best GameStop.[/QUOTE]


I can't tell if she's being sarcastic or serious, but I have to somewhat agree with her.

Not all GameStops are bad, and while I dislike the overtaking of competition, there are some pretty decent stores in my area with good employees, and only one or two that I will actively avoid. I hate beating a dead horse, but if you want a sealed, new game, and they don't have non-gutted copy, go buy your stuff elsewhere. It's not like anyone is forcing it down your throat.
 
Don't we have this thread, like, every 3 weeks on the dot?

Don't we also have the same responses every time too? (Including this one.)

Isn't it about time these threads either get a sticky in the Shopping forum or just get locked once created?
 
Meh. I'm sure I'd hate your game stop as well. I'm just not a big fan of the "gamer crowd" in general. Just the way it is with casual hobbies I guess. I like fishing, but can't stand most of the people you run into in a bass pro shops either! :D
 
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