GameStop selling non-new games as new

R

reubendt

CAGiversary!
It all started by picking up Shining Tears and Ys The Ark of whatever. The boxes said they were new.

When I went to pay, the guy just opened box that everybody grabs with a grimy sticker plastered on right on the box and grabbed the disc from somewhere else and just put it in, and I'm all like WTF?!

When he ringed me up I said I didn't want a used game. He said it wasn't used, just that it was the last game, so they opened the box and put it on display, so it was new. And surprise! One other game he was selling me was opened too, only this one was resealed by the store. It had the top sticker cut in half that proves it was opened.

I'm very particular about my games. Only new ones. So I didn't buy them. But I noticed that other more recent games they're selling don't come with the sticker to say if it was opened or not. I supposed some games came without the sticker (like Gamecube games), but witnessing these practices, I suppose they get them without stickers so they can pull off their repackaging of opened games.

I'm not saying these games are used or whatever. But once they're opened, they cease to be new, I don't care if the disc went right to a vault. I don't know if what's inside is all there (and he sure didn't bother to check, probably only glanced that it had a manual).

Anyway, I wanted to know if this is standard practice at Gamestop or just something the manager had the guts to do.
 
welcome to yesterday. I rarely buy at gamestop unless its a really hard to find game. Other chances I have gotten several copies of new games but sold as USED but they were just gutted as the seal was still on top got lucky with those.
 
You know I wouldn't mind if they sold me that game at the used price. But if they are going to sell me a NEW product then it should be new in the wrapper unopened. I find this practice that Gamestop (and EB) does is very unethical and really should be AGAINST THE LAW.
 
[quote name='Demolition Man']You know I wouldn't mind if they sold me that game at the used price. But if they are going to sell me a NEW product then it should be new in the wrapper unopened. I find this practice that Gamestop (and EB) does is very unethical and really should be AGAINST THE LAW.[/QUOTE]

Truely. What's it to GS to charge $5 less and claim it's a used copy? It's not like they are losing money on their used games anyways
 
First of all, this topic has been rehashed thousands and thousands of times in the past.

Secondly, to the user who felt that this practice should be considered against the law, I wholeheartedly disagree. They open their games to place the display copy on the racks, to indicate that said game is in stock. Just because their practices are different from a department store doesn't mean you can call it illegal practice. It's all done in an effort to prevent shoplifting, because there are no discs on the floor, and they'd rather not have all their shit in glass cases so that people can see the back of them.

The games they sell as "new", by and large, actually, in 99% of the cases, barring any employee fuck ups, are unplayed by another human being, and are thus considered "new", if they've been played and traded in, then they're used. They assume that 99% of people wish to open and play their games, though my participation on this site has shown me that some have other motives, whether good or bad (collecting, reselling, receiptless returns [that's a no-no!]).

Just because you anal retentive folks like to have your games sealed, or like to invest in video games, which, IMO, is a crappy idea, doesn't mean that these practices should be considered "illegal". A smarter user likened this practice to buying a new car. Basically, what you guys are saying is equivalent to considering selling a car "new" as illegal because it has been test-driven, and can only be sold as "new" if they've been airlifted to the dealership and plopped onto a parking spot, with the car doors never opened.

Think of EB's practices as purchasing a new car. They've been testdriven (and hardly that, just opened) but never owned. Anyone holding this notion that this practice is illegal no doubt has it stemming from their own selfishness or personal desires. Don't shop at EB or GS, then, but don't try to get the law to conform to your every whim.

Whoo. Does anyone see what I'm saying?
 
I think you're straying from the point. If you'd elaborate, that'd be nice, but all I'm basically trying to get at is that they've not been played, and that's what EB assumes most people will do with the game.

This complaint always stems from people who want to do something besides play the game, and they can find another way to get their "sealed games" The games haven't been played; they're new.

That's the bottom line for me. I don't at all see how this could be considered in the least bit.
 
that car analogy would work if some dealers actually did "airlift to the dealership and plopp it onto the parking spot, with the car doors never opened". The difference with the games is that they are the only ones who sell opened games as "new".
 
Good rebuttal with the car analogies, but I think most people can expect that. The difference with EB/GS any stores that "gut" their copies is a lame execuse because stores like Best Buy, Circuit City and the Evil Empire (aka Wal-Mart) have all their copies behind either glass casing or protected by secruity and what not. Now maybe GameStop and EB doesn't have enough room to hold all the sealed copies, but why is that our problem? Theft? Other stores have measures, so why should EB and Gamestop gut all their copies to prevent theft? With all the profit the Gamestop made last year, you figure they could eliminate this crap and give the part time employees their hours. But I guess they are just as evil as every other corporation out there.

*ramble ramble*

At the very least I think EB/GS should sell their floor copies for the used price.
 
I steer clear of the gutted titles unless they're extremey hard to find. I've purchased a couple that were in pristine shape, but most that I've seen (primarily EB) were in poor condition (for new). Not terrible, but looked like used games (scuffed, few light scratches).

Sometimes they do something completely asinine. I was going to buy Pikmin 2 at EB a while back when they had it on sale for $30 new. Every location I went to (four locally) had multiple copies in stock, and every last one of them was gutted. Figured more cases on the shelf would get more notice, apparently.


The local TRUs have special display cases they put on the shelves (have a little "For display only" printed on the cover). Do they get those from the manufacturers? If so, couldn't GS/EB do the same?
 
I opened this same can of worms a few weeks ago with my very first post...got ripped a new one by some of you too.

Let's put it this way. Would you tolerate going into TRU, Best Buy, Walmart, Target, etc. and pay full retail price for a NEW game that has been opened and had the disc removed? If you say yes, you are not telling the truth is all I have to say on the matter.

New is NEW there is no grey area - period.

99% of the time a "New" game treated in such a way at GS/EB can exhibit scratches from handling. I don't like scratches. Most of you don't like scratches. Hell I've seen a number of games that were bought at GS/EB scratched all to hell during the gutting/handling process (but not ever Played - so I guess some of you may consider them as "new") but have enough scratches on them that most EB/GS's won't even take the very same game back in trade!

TexTuna

[quote name='Farny']First of all, this topic has been rehashed thousands and thousands of times in the past.

Secondly, to the user who felt that this practice should be considered against the law, I wholeheartedly disagree. They open their games to place the display copy on the racks, to indicate that said game is in stock. Just because their practices are different from a department store doesn't mean you can call it illegal practice. It's all done in an effort to prevent shoplifting, because there are no discs on the floor, and they'd rather not have all their shit in glass cases so that people can see the back of them.

The games they sell as "new", by and large, actually, in 99% of the cases, barring any employee fuck ups, are unplayed by another human being, and are thus considered "new", if they've been played and traded in, then they're used. They assume that 99% of people wish to open and play their games, though my participation on this site has shown me that some have other motives, whether good or bad (collecting, reselling, receiptless returns [that's a no-no!]).

Just because you anal retentive folks like to have your games sealed, or like to invest in video games, which, IMO, is a crappy idea, doesn't mean that these practices should be considered "illegal". A smarter user likened this practice to buying a new car. Basically, what you guys are saying is equivalent to considering selling a car "new" as illegal because it has been test-driven, and can only be sold as "new" if they've been airlifted to the dealership and plopped onto a parking spot, with the car doors never opened.

Think of EB's practices as purchasing a new car. They've been testdriven (and hardly that, just opened) but never owned. Anyone holding this notion that this practice is illegal no doubt has it stemming from their own selfishness or personal desires. Don't shop at EB or GS, then, but don't try to get the law to conform to your every whim.

Whoo. Does anyone see what I'm saying?[/QUOTE]
 
[quote name='Farny']I think you're straying from the point. If you'd elaborate, that'd be nice, but all I'm basically trying to get at is that they've not been played, and that's what EB assumes most people will do with the game.

This complaint always stems from people who want to do something besides play the game, and they can find another way to get their "sealed games" The games haven't been played; they're new.

That's the bottom line for me. I don't at all see how this could be considered in the least bit.[/QUOTE]

They haven't been played, but they have been handled. The case gets thrown around and pawed over, who knows what condition the manual is in since it often just gets shoved into the drawer... once the shrinkwrap comes off, the game is qualified as used.

Don't believe me? Gamestop bought a ton of NEW copies of Rhapsody and Persona 2, took off the shrinkwrap, and sold them as used. These games were never played by anyone, and they simply took the shrinkwrap off to sell the games for their higher used price. So, obviously Gamestop thinks that taking the shrinkwrap off a game makes it used, but when it comes to their beat up display copies, oh no, those are definately new! Double standards everywhere.

I wouldn't go into Best Buy / Circuit City and buy "new but opened" DVD's and games, and I don't do it at Gamestop / EB. The very least they could do is charge you the used price, since the game has been opened and handled.
 
Please, just shut the fuck up already. Damn you people that whine about things being sealed annoy me. If you want a sealed copy, that's fine I understand, go get a sealed copy. I don't have any problems with it. But you people acting like it's some crime against humanity to gut a game need to grow up and start worrying about more important things in life. I don't know if you noticed or not, but last time I checked, Best Buy, Toys R Us, Target, Wal-Mart and every other big-box store out there is bigger and has more space than an EB or a GS, makes more money so they're able to have more coverage to watch for shoplifters, and have a smaller game selection than an EB or GS. Please, stop crying over something that is not that important.
 
I have had no problem with buying new games that had been opened because it truly was the last copy in the store. When Final Fantasy III was released, I was forced to do this and didn't give it a second thought. Everything inside the box and the cart were still minty fresh.

I would, however, object to this practice simply due to the store ripping open all 20 copies just so they can fill the shelf space (which the publisher undoubtedly paid for).
 
Retailers never make changes for the better with their operations without questions, comments, and complaints from customers. No one is whining. Yes, the subject comes up alot - so just don't read the freakin topic if you are sick of it.

As for practices that they could do that don't cost hardly crap - little plastic magnetic cases for the sealed games. A magnetic reader at the door. Problem solved. And paying for that would be only a fraction of what they get from giving $1-5 credit on games they turn around and sell for $10-20+.

I too don't have a problem with the way they do it per se, I would rather just see them treat these "new" games as used and sell them as such. Same as I would ask of any retailer that is selling an opened item. You go into Best Buy, Frye's, or just about anywhere else - there is a 5% or more markdown on said items and it is marked "Open Box". It is really a simple and rudimentary - yet almost universally adopted retail practice by almost every retailer except for GS/EB.

TexTuna

[quote name='Level Jumper']Please, just shut the fuck up already. Damn you people that whine about things being sealed annoy me. If you want a sealed copy, that's fine I understand, go get a sealed copy. I don't have any problems with it. But you people acting like it's some crime against humanity to gut a game need to grow up and start worrying about more important things in life. I don't know if you noticed or not, but last time I checked, Best Buy, Toys R Us, Target, Wal-Mart and every other big-box store out there is bigger and has more space than an EB or a GS, makes more money so they're able to have more coverage to watch for shoplifters, and have a smaller game selection than an EB or GS. Please, stop crying over something that is not that important.[/QUOTE]
 
[quote name='Farny']First of all, this topic has been rehashed thousands and thousands of times in the past.

Secondly, to the user who felt that this practice should be considered against the law, I wholeheartedly disagree. They open their games to place the display copy on the racks, to indicate that said game is in stock. Just because their practices are different from a department store doesn't mean you can call it illegal practice. It's all done in an effort to prevent shoplifting, because there are no discs on the floor, and they'd rather not have all their shit in glass cases so that people can see the back of them.

The games they sell as "new", by and large, actually, in 99% of the cases, barring any employee fuck ups, are unplayed by another human being, and are thus considered "new", if they've been played and traded in, then they're used. They assume that 99% of people wish to open and play their games, though my participation on this site has shown me that some have other motives, whether good or bad (collecting, reselling, receiptless returns [that's a no-no!]).

Just because you anal retentive folks like to have your games sealed, or like to invest in video games, which, IMO, is a crappy idea, doesn't mean that these practices should be considered "illegal". A smarter user likened this practice to buying a new car. Basically, what you guys are saying is equivalent to considering selling a car "new" as illegal because it has been test-driven, and can only be sold as "new" if they've been airlifted to the dealership and plopped onto a parking spot, with the car doors never opened.

Think of EB's practices as purchasing a new car. They've been testdriven (and hardly that, just opened) but never owned. Anyone holding this notion that this practice is illegal no doubt has it stemming from their own selfishness or personal desires. Don't shop at EB or GS, then, but don't try to get the law to conform to your every whim.

Whoo. Does anyone see what I'm saying?[/QUOTE]

Its obvious that Farny is in the game retail business. There is a simple answer to this problem is not to shop at places who will do that to you. If they try to sell me a opened copy I have them look if they have any other copys in the district and have the other store hold me a copy until COB. And how dare you pass judgement on others. Who made you gamegod, you pompus self presumptive jerk? If we think a way contrary to you we are inherently bad? Game COMMIE!!! If we want a new sealed game then we will get a game sealed if we shop at one shop or another SHEEET. Developers/distributors should provide a extra couple of sleeves so that this problem can be minimized. Contact lens and pharma companies do this soo why can't companies do this? eh?
 
Considering a single EAS system w/ the tags and all is $1,500+, multiply that by about the 3,800 stores EB/GS has and you've just spent $5.7 mil. In their eyes, why should they spend that much money on something that doesn't bother that many of their customers anyway? The open items at Best Buy or Fryes or about anywhere else that have open box discounts are normally open box discounts because the item was used as a demo unit from everything I've seen in the past. I do think the games that have been used in demo units should be discounted, or just defected out completely. However, if you gut a game and then that game never gets used as any sort of demo unit or anything like that, you shouldn't have to mark down the price of it...it's never been played, and that's new. The car analogy is perfectly fair and I don't see why there is even an argument about this. If you don't like the fact it's gutted, don't get it there, and just leave it alone. There's no need to act like someone mistreated you because they opened up a game to put a case on display.
 
You have GOT TO BE KIDDING right?

May I direct you to their 2004 (and don't forget this is now 2006) Yearly Report:

http://library.corporate-ir.net/library/13/130/130125/items/166032/2004AR.pdf

In 2004 their REVENUES grew 16.7% to $1.8 BILLION dollars (that is with a huge honking B). They had a Gross profit of over 500 Million. Their stock price increased from $16.6 to $18.80 (Keep in mind it is now January 2006 and their stock price is NOW $38.12 - a better than 100% increase from the last yearly report. They are a mere .40 or so off of their 52 week high stock price at the moment. In 2004 they sold almost 1 million copies of ONE title - GTA:SA and almost 1 million copies of Halo 2.

I'm sorry but I will NOT accept the premise that this company cannot afford a simple EAS system.

I stick to my stance that NONE of you would go into any other B&M retail store and accept at face value an opened game that has visibly been handled and pay full retail for it. It just won't happen.

TexTuna




[quote name='Level Jumper']Considering a single EAS system w/ the tags and all is $1,500+, multiply that by about the 3,800 stores EB/GS has and you've just spent $5.7 mil. In their eyes, why should they spend that much money on something that doesn't bother that many of their customers anyway? The open items at Best Buy or Fryes or about anywhere else that have open box discounts are normally open box discounts because the item was used as a demo unit from everything I've seen in the past. I do think the games that have been used in demo units should be discounted, or just defected out completely. However, if you gut a game and then that game never gets used as any sort of demo unit or anything like that, you shouldn't have to mark down the price of it...it's never been played, and that's new. The car analogy is perfectly fair and I don't see why there is even an argument about this. If you don't like the fact it's gutted, don't get it there, and just leave it alone. There's no need to act like someone mistreated you because they opened up a game to put a case on display.[/QUOTE]
 
[quote name='Farny']First of all, this topic has been rehashed thousands and thousands of times in the past.[/QUOTE]

Yes...and what's your point? We can't discuss this issue?

[quote name='Farny']Secondly, to the user who felt that this practice should be considered against the law, I wholeheartedly disagree. They open their games to place the display copy on the racks, to indicate that said game is in stock. Just because their practices are different from a department store doesn't mean you can call it illegal practice. It's all done in an effort to prevent shoplifting, because there are no discs on the floor, and they'd rather not have all their shit in glass cases so that people can see the back of them.[/QUOTE]

Bullcrap. Game retailers could ask the game publishers to provide copies of the case insert and you put those in a freaking plastic sleeve, saving space and decreasing the likelihood of shoplifting.

[quote name='Farny']The games they sell as "new", by and large, actually, in 99% of the cases, barring any employee fuck ups, are unplayed by another human being, and are thus considered "new", if they've been played and traded in, then they're used. They assume that 99% of people wish to open and play their games, though my participation on this site has shown me that some have other motives, whether good or bad (collecting, reselling, receiptless returns [that's a no-no!]).[/QUOTE]

Pure assumption and speculation. Anyway, 1% is still pretty crappy. I really have to wonder how many employees do in fact take the "display copy" home and play it, even once. That is not new, that is used.

[quote name='Farny']Just because you anal retentive folks like to have your games sealed, or like to invest in video games, which, IMO, is a crappy idea, doesn't mean that these practices should be considered "illegal". A smarter user likened this practice to buying a new car. Basically, what you guys are saying is equivalent to considering selling a car "new" as illegal because it has been test-driven, and can only be sold as "new" if they've been airlifted to the dealership and plopped onto a parking spot, with the car doors never opened.[/QUOTE]

Cars have odometers, so you can tell if the dealer put 10,000 miles on it and you can also bargain the price of a car. Buying a car is NOT the same experience as buying a game! If you break the factory seal, you have ownership of the game - plain and simple. And, once the factory seal is opened and someone claims ownership, it is not new but used. "But I never played it." - Whatever, I don't know if you stuck it where the sun don't shine or if you played it! You broke the factory seal, you own it, it's used.
 
Same thing happen to me when I was purchasing Phoenix Wright in Gamestop.They gave me a display copy instead of a brand new sealed copy.I refuse to purchase it.

Lucky for me,a few days later I went to EBGames and found a used phoenix wright for $20.The game was mint condition and barely touched.It was display copy for kiosk for the customers to play with.That EB always open a brand new game and put in the kiosk,when the game starts to get old they put another game in the kiosk and sell the game as used.I gotten so many complete gameboy advance this way.
 
I read this topic as 'Gamestop stops selling used games as new" thinking it was something different and now I am disappointed.
 
[quote name='Level Jumper']Please, just shut the fuck up already. Damn you people that whine about things being sealed annoy me. If you want a sealed copy, that's fine I understand, go get a sealed copy. I don't have any problems with it. But you people acting like it's some crime against humanity to gut a game need to grow up and start worrying about more important things in life. I don't know if you noticed or not, but last time I checked, Best Buy, Toys R Us, Target, Wal-Mart and every other big-box store out there is bigger and has more space than an EB or a GS, makes more money so they're able to have more coverage to watch for shoplifters, and have a smaller game selection than an EB or GS. Please, stop crying over something that is not that important.[/QUOTE]
You are my hero. No joke.

GODDAMIT people we don't want to hear your whining anymore. You don't like guts? Shop elsewhere. End of story.
 
Some of these guys need jobs in retail customer complaint departments.

"Sir, shut the hell up....I don't want to hear no more of your bitchin...I hear it day in, day out...it's all the same....go shop somewhere else you assemunchin' SOB...."
 
Every time one of these threads pop up I feel like I'm in a damn time machine.


Do we REALLY need to discuss this every single week? They end up the same every time. Some OP who is clueless on how GS/EB run starts a thread full of anger, and we get the usual "just don't shop there" people vs. the "GS/EB suck, blah blah blah" people.
 
[quote name='TexTuna'] I'm sorry but I will NOT accept the premise that this company cannot afford a simple EAS system.

I stick to my stance that NONE of you would go into any other B&M retail store and accept at face value an opened game that has visibly been handled and pay full retail for it. It just won't happen.

TexTuna[/QUOTE]

What is the point of investing money in an EAS system when:

A) Most EB's only provide enough payroll for one employee working at a time. If the alarm goes off, the employee can't do anything, cause odds are he's helping the line, and there is no way he's leaving the store unattended.

B) By keeping all theft internal for the most part shrink isn't really an issue, unless you have a dishonest employee or the occasional misticket. Can you imagine how many "grab and runs" the average EB store will encounter?

EAS simply isn't worth the investment.
 
Anyway, TexTuna, if their revenues/profits grew by that much without the system, why invest in it? The burden is on you to demonstrate that it would actually increase game sales more than the initial investment. Obviously they're making a buttload of money now, so they're probably able to unload the opened copy on a customer no matter if it takes a few tries.
 
i have a friend who works at gamestop and he says no employees ever take the game considered as "new" home because if it comes back scratched, they're paying full price for it. i dont know if this is normal gamestop practice or just his manager.

he also says employees never take used copies home either. except for him.

so if you are just worried that the game might be played then im basically saying that chances are the game has never been played... ever.

i just refuse to buy games as new when they are opened. i don't complain about it because i know retail sucks ass and the people getting minimum wage don't want to hear people bitch. they're just doing their job.

i would like there to be some way around it though. the only solution i see is gamestop/eb investing in some glass cases. which wont happen.
 
I don't really even see what the argument is. Unless the practice is really illegal, which it doesn't look like it is, then it is just one of many store policies. If you don't like that particular one, don't buy the used game at a new price. If you didn't like say the return policy of Sears you wouldn't bich and moan, you wouldn't support that store or at the very least you wouldn't support that policy.
 
[quote name='reubendt']It all started by picking up Shining Tears and Ys The Ark of whatever. The boxes said they were new.

When I went to pay, the guy just opened box that everybody grabs with a grimy sticker plastered on right on the box and grabbed the disc from somewhere else and just put it in, and I'm all like WTF?!

When he ringed me up I said I didn't want a used game. He said it wasn't used, just that it was the last game, so they opened the box and put it on display, so it was new. And surprise! One other game he was selling me was opened too, only this one was resealed by the store. It had the top sticker cut in half that proves it was opened.

I'm very particular about my games. Only new ones. So I didn't buy them. But I noticed that other more recent games they're selling don't come with the sticker to say if it was opened or not. I supposed some games came without the sticker (like Gamecube games), but witnessing these practices, I suppose they get them without stickers so they can pull off their repackaging of opened games.

I'm not saying these games are used or whatever. But once they're opened, they cease to be new, I don't care if the disc went right to a vault. I don't know if what's inside is all there (and he sure didn't bother to check, probably only glanced that it had a manual).

Anyway, I wanted to know if this is standard practice at Gamestop or just something the manager had the guts to do.[/QUOTE]

i would attempt to establish myself as a long time member by stating how many times i've heard this thread or how tired this topic has become, but i will just welcome you to CAG. I understand that not everyone is aware of this practice nor have they gone through all CAG threads before posting to look for similar topics...WELCOME
 
I would be perfectly fine going into another B&M store and buying a gutted copy of the game at full price. That's no lie. And you saying people need jobs in retail customer complaint, blah blah blah. I've worked in retail for about 2 years now. I've worked at an EB for the last year of that. The bottom line is not that many people care about this because it's really not that big of a deal. If you care that much there are plenty of stores to go and buy a sealed copy of a game, and if you can't get one in store you can always go online. I thought customers were going to care when we started putting instruction manuals in the cases on the floor on our used games because that increased the likelihood that someone would steal the manual and we'd have an incomplete copy of a used game for just a few bucks less than a complete new copy. Since we did that about 6 months ago I've had fewer than 5 people even mention it. The fact is that things that can sometimes appear important to us as gamers, aren't important to 99% of the parents/grandparents/kids that come in and buy games. They just want to play the game.
 
[quote name='Farny']Basically, what you guys are saying is equivalent to considering selling a car "new" as illegal because it has been test-driven, and can only be sold as "new" if they've been airlifted to the dealership and plopped onto a parking spot, with the car doors never opened.[/QUOTE]

This is a great example, however, even if you were to do that, cars get driven at the plant. Car plants are huge, with great big lots were cars are parked and ready to get loaded onto trucks.

I once ordered a new car direct from the plant. I picked it up at the dealer....2.6 miles.

Alas, I digress. I HATE getting "used' games as new, but I'd rather them do that than raise prices to cover theft. I don't so much care about them being open, but I HATE the 10,000 stickers that they feel the need to plaster over everything.

TBW
 
I skimmed through this, so I don't know if this has been brought up yet - but it's a much better analogy than a car.

If I buy a brand new, sealed, game from EBGames. Bring it hope, open it - don't even remove the game from the case - then bring it back to EBGames the next day, are they going to give me the new price back for the game, since the game is "New" and "Unplayed"?
 
[quote name='UncleBob']I skimmed through this, so I don't know if this has been brought up yet - but it's a much better analogy than a car.

If I buy a brand new, sealed, game from EBGames. Bring it hope, open it - don't even remove the game from the case - then bring it back to EBGames the next day, are they going to give me the new price back for the game, since the game is "New" and "Unplayed"?[/QUOTE]

within a certain amount of time yes...i think
 
All EB, Gamestop, Rhino, etc. etc. do this and have for years. One of the many reasons I detest all of the above stores. I honestly can't believe you've never run into this before. Hell, I remember them doing this with Turbografx games, for god's sake.
 
This is like buying a display model from Best Buy. Even Best Buy, as evil and stingy as they are, don't charge the new price for a display model. No matter what kind of condition it is in.

This is the exact reason I stopped shopping there. I don't have a problem buying used games, but just out of principle it does not feel right. That is charging people new prices for opened/employee rental/used games. Also, their used prices on games blow.
 
ahh other times I have bought a last copy of a new game EB places a sticker over the CD saying it can't be refunded if the sticker seal is opened. Or they usually take a heat gun and shrink wrap it up.
 
I don't mind that much, as long as everything that came with the game is still intact. Although, it can kind of be a pain to get those stickers off their GBA boxes. :/
 
First...

Pointing out that this subject has been posted before isn't helping. If it bothers you to see it again then don't come into the topic, and certainly don't expect a newbie with one post to know how things at CAG work right of the bat. We all were newbies at one point here. It would have been more helpful to provide links to those similar topics than simply saying, "it's been posted before."

Second...

Roufuss made the best point about the double standards with the practice in regards to the Rhapsody/Persona 2 games having the factory wrapping removed and being sold as used. The question about this situation is a legitimate one. Quite frankly, if an open display copy is sold as new then Gamestop shouldn't ask that new games be factory sealed for refunds.


That being said, I am not fond of the practice. However, if I cannot find the game elsewhere then I may buy it (not very often though). Going elsewhere to buy a game is not always a valid option either. There should be a better system in place so that it is a non-issue. Gamestop and EB are multi-million dollar companies and to even try to use high cost of implementing a better system as a reason for not doing it is ridiculous.
 
I don't understand why all the fuss over the cost of EAS. They don't need a security devices becuase there's only ONE display copy on the shelf that's an empty case. There's no reason to gut all the other stock below the counter.

The excuse that the OP got that it was the last copy is complete bullshit. Too many people have had this happen to them for it to be a coincidence that they are indeed getting their last available or 'display' copy of a game. I've had it done to me at least a half a dozen times and now I'll refuse it.

I'm curious how people defending this practice would feel if they bought a 'new' copy of a game off ebay or a .com site and got a case with an EB sticker over the crease. Wouldn't you feel the least bit jilted ?
 
The only reason I fault the stores for doing this is the aformentioned double standard.

I can't return a game if it's opened because it's not new... unless the store selling it to me that way?

If they gave a discount I would be fine with it.

Don't chastise the guy for bringing up an old topic, it's hard to uncover old threads on this site sometimes due to the fact that there are thousands upon thousands of them.
 
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