Rate my (admittedly dodgy) purchase

Green Goblin

Green Goblin

CAG Veteran
I was walking into Gamestop to purchase Borderlands when I see an individual attempting to trade in a DSi. He claims to have found it and doesn't have the charger (which they need to trade in). Now, before the clerk could chime in that he could take out the difference in his store credit, I jumped in and asked the guy if he'd prefer to make soem actual cash as oppose to store credit. He said sure. I make the guy an offer of $40, since it's missing the charger (he didn't let the guy at the counter tell him how much it was actually worth) and $10 for the game inside (Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story).

So for $50, I got a Black DSi (I've already got a blue one), and I then picked up Borderlands for the standard $60.
 
[quote name='Green Goblin']I was walking into Gamestop to purchase Borderlands when I see an individual attempting to trade in a DSi. He claims to have found it and doesn't have the charger (which they need to trade in). Now, before the clerk could chime in that he could take out the difference in his store credit, I jumped in and asked the guy if he'd prefer to make soem actual cash as oppose to store credit. He said sure. I make the guy an offer of $40, since it's missing the charger (he didn't let the guy at the counter tell him how much it was actually worth) and $10 for the game inside (Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story).

So for $50, I got a Black DSi (I've already got a blue one), and I then picked up Borderlands for the standard $60.[/QUOTE]

That's a pretty shitty thing to do. Most stores can, and will ban you for this. So as posted earlier, enjoy your gamestop ban.
 
Yea, probably shouldn't have done it inside the GS but whatever. Also, you might want to be careful because it sounds like the DSi might have been stolen. Who doesn't have the charger to a newer handheld system these days? Did he know what game was inside? Sounds a bit fishy to me...
 
LOL, I remember undercutting (or overbidding?) Gamestop to get a ps1 (and some games) back in the day; they offered $40 credit, I offered $45 cash to the kid who gladly took it.

fuck GS if they try and ban.
1) It's capitalism at its finest
2) What are the odds the one or two employees on hand a) have the gall to speak up and ban you b) are always there to stop you from purchasing anything
3) There's always a ton of Gamestops in clustered in most areas (there's at least 2 or 3 at every mall on the west side of Cleveland)

But as mentioned, it's probably stolen since that bundle of goods is retailing close to $200 and any kind of legitimate sale (ebay, craigslist, etc) would probably get someone at least $100.
 
[quote name='Green Goblin']I was walking into Gamestop to purchase Borderlands when I see an individual attempting to trade in a DSi. He claims to have found it and doesn't have the charger (which they need to trade in). Now, before the clerk could chime in that he could take out the difference in his store credit, I jumped in and asked the guy if he'd prefer to make soem actual cash as oppose to store credit. He said sure. I make the guy an offer of $40, since it's missing the charger (he didn't let the guy at the counter tell him how much it was actually worth) and $10 for the game inside (Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story).

So for $50, I got a Black DSi (I've already got a blue one), and I then picked up Borderlands for the standard $60.[/QUOTE]

Awesome deal. And now the junkie thief that sold it to you will be set for his crack/heroin/meth habit for a couple of days
 
[quote name='karkyco']Awesome deal. And now the junkie thief that sold it to you will be set for his crack/heroin/meth habit for a couple of days[/QUOTE]

If the OP didn't buy it from him, he would have sold it to GS. And I'm not 100% in on the drug crowd, but I don't think GS has a UPC for crack, heroin, or meth
 
I've done often at GS, and half on the time, they don't care. Sometimes they say take in outside, other times if it a lot of stuff, everyone (even the employees) puts in a bid for what they want.
 
Shouldn't have payed that $60 for borderlands, it's a great game but you shouldn't pay more than $50 for it by now.
 
[quote name='DAWG26']I give it a 10/10. Ive wanted to do that for a long time.[/QUOTE]

This.

[quote name='Vulgarism']Those guys speak of a Gamestop ban as if it's a bad thing...[/QUOTE]

Also this.

[quote name='volt1up']Shouldn't have payed that $60 for borderlands, it's a great game but you shouldn't pay more than $50 for it by now.[/QUOTE]

You mean $30. It's really only so good.
 
[quote name='Vulgarism']Those guys speak of a Gamestop ban as if it's a bad thing...[/QUOTE]

Seriously. WTF is wrong with you guys?

It sounds like it was stolen though. No charger and a game was inside? Otherwise I would have zero problems with this scenario.
 
The majority of the Gamestops in my area are absolute shitholes. This is one of the few that isn't. It's composed of:

1. A manager who remembered my manager from when I use to work at one of the EB's in the area.

2. A former Gamecrazy employee who remembered me from when I worked at a Gamecrazy.

3. A cute girl who's big into RPG's and was actually coveting my Gameboy Micro.

4. A college fratboy

5. A timid 20-year-old (who honestly looks 12) part-timer who looks like he'd be afraid to sneeze in my direction, let alone come at me hostile.

We all knew it was stolen the instant he got in the store. Furthermore, they were laughing their asses off afterwards about how he'd have gotten $70 in store credit just for the system itself (minus $10 for the AC charger) and $54 cash.

Now, another thing you have to realize is that my Gamestops are in a relatively ghetto environment. So unless you do something REALLY ignorant, they're not gonna ban you. This was trivial. They didn't seem to mind. Hell, the manager was talking about how many PS2's he's gotten off customers like that. WE ALL HAVE. EVERY worker at a gamestore has at one point, bought a game or system off a customer, as oppose to taking it in the store. They just don't like to let it get out there that it happens on the regular.

If you wanna know a funny story, you should hear about why I quit Gamecrazy. It revolves around the same kinda thing.
 
You payed $60 for Borderlands :eek:

Whyyyyyyy!!!

Naw j/k, I think you got a good deal, who cares if you get banned from GS lol, store sucks anyways.
 
I love how GS will ban someone from shopping when someone else hoses their customers. I guess GS is the only one who can screw people on trade-in (buybacks).

BTW, the DSi was obviously stolen. Way to actually carry cash on you. If I had this opportunity I would have been screwed because I barely ever have more than $20 cash on me.
 
[quote name='karkyco']Awesome deal. And now the junkie thief that sold it to you will be set for his crack/heroin/meth habit for a couple of days[/QUOTE]

Well then, I guess everyone should start running background checks on anyone they buy goods from just to be sure they'll only do good, moral Christian things with the money.

Gamestop ban? who cares? You shouldn't be shopping there anyway or trading in. If ANYONE is a thief, it's Gamestop.
 
[quote name='NJMane']I love how GS will ban someone from shopping when someone else hoses their customers. I guess GS is the only one who can screw people on trade-in (buybacks).

BTW, the DSi was obviously stolen. Way to actually carry cash on you. If I had this opportunity I would have been screwed because I barely ever have more than $20 cash on me.[/QUOTE]


That's the funny thing. I don't. There's a bank right around the corner though. So we walked over there, I withdrew a $50 bill, and that was it. :lol:
 
[quote name='Green Goblin']That's the funny thing. I don't. There's a bank right around the corner though. So we walked over there, I withdrew a $50 bill, and that was it. :lol:[/QUOTE]

Well played sir. Well played.
 
[quote name='dmdragon']That's a pretty shitty thing to do. Most stores can, and will ban you for this. So as posted earlier, enjoy your gamestop ban.[/QUOTE]

Not like there aren't a million other crappy GS stores out there.
 
on a scale of 1 to dodgy, i rate it a 9.5.

Also, why'd you pay $60 for borderlands? Did you really need it that day? Amazon still has it for $50
 
I think what made them not care is they didn't have to give the credit for or money for that was missing something. I don't know how they do with used hardware that does not have the cables but if they had to sell it with out one then who knows how long it would sit there. Also when 45 bucks cash was offered and they knew they would have given more to the guy they were probably laughing to much to care. I know I would have been hoping the guy would have taken the deal and when he left started making fun of him for taking less for it.
 
[quote name='cdietschrun']If the OP didn't buy it from him, he would have sold it to GS. And I'm not 100% in on the drug crowd, but I don't think GS has a UPC for crack, heroin, or meth[/QUOTE]

Hey I'm not bashing the OP...I would have done the same in his shoes, make no mistake about that. I'm looking at the bright side actually - the junkie didn't have to go shank someone for a few bucks to get his fix on...
 
LOL. Wow. Gamestop bans people from preventing them from ripping off clueless customers. I shouldn't even shop there anymore for dick moves like that.
 
[quote name='sendme']I think what made them not care is they didn't have to give the credit for or money for that was missing something. I don't know how they do with used hardware that does not have the cables but if they had to sell it with out one then who knows how long it would sit there. Also when 45 bucks cash was offered and they knew they would have given more to the guy they were probably laughing to much to care. I know I would have been hoping the guy would have taken the deal and when he left started making fun of him for taking less for it.[/QUOTE]


Actually, it's remarkably simple. In the same transaction, ring up a $9.99 AC charger and take it off his credit/cash.
 
I would do this, who the hell cares about getting banned from gamestop when it's a shitty store and they probably won't enforce it anyway.
 
[quote name='bigdaddybruce44']We get it, guys. You hate GS. You're the coolest ever.[/QUOTE]


I don't really see hating Gamestop as being this "bandwagon" thing when I can go to three other stores and get used PS2 games for $5-$10 cheaper, and used PS3/360 games for $10-$20 cheaper. Besides, if the guy was gonna get more money from Green Goblin, then who cares? Gamestop isn't even losing out in the end, since they wouldn't have taken it. I don't see any redeeming qualities of Gamestop. Even the people who work there seem to know only what they read out of game informer.
 
First for this scenario you must let all bias and hate go for a company that you probably have no reason to hate to begin with, just because it's the "cool" thing.

Next, imagine you are running a business and someone would come in and poach customers on YOUR property that you are paying for. They are getting it for a deal, and you come in and take it. Many of you would be pissed if someone came in and bought the last of some awesome deal right under your nose.

The point is that it is THEIR property and THEIR store. You have no right to conduct business with anyone but them on that property
 
well, yes. But in order for your scenario to be truly effective, the person in question running the store would have to financially suffer themselves over the loss of the business. A shift leader's paycheck will remain the same. A part-timer's paycheck will remain the same. A manager's paycheck will (wait for it)......remain the same.
 
[quote name='dmdragon']First for this scenario you must let all bias and hate go for a company that you probably have no reason to hate to begin with, just because it's the "cool" thing.
[/quote]

Yea... I'm going to stop you right there... are you serious? Maybe if you've never entered a GameStop you have no reason to hate them, but if that's the case you've got no reason to defend them.

[quote name='dmdragon']
Next, imagine you are running a business and someone would come in and poach customers on YOUR property that you are paying for. They are getting it for a deal, and you come in and take it. Many of you would be pissed if someone came in and bought the last of some awesome deal right under your nose.
[/quote]

Ripping someone off isn't them "getting a deal" it's them fucking someone over who doesn't know better or has turned to them out of desperation. GameStop feeds on the weakminded, the people who have to sell something for cash to feed their drug addiction, or someone that lives above their needs. It's a glorified pawnshop, but you get less out of them. Their other set of customers is kids with no jobs who think trading games in is the best thing since sliced bread because it's all they see every commercial break while they beat it to G4.

[quote name='dmdragon']
The point is that it is THEIR property and THEIR store. You have no right to conduct business with anyone but them on that property[/QUOTE]

You have every right to do it until they ask you to stop or remove you from their store. You never signed an agreement saying you won't upon entering. They have no signs on the doors saying not to.

Now, someone defend GameStop with real reasoning. The only thing I can see being wrong is if it is a stolen DSi, but other than that I see no harm.
 
[quote name='georox']GameStop feeds on the weakminded, the people who have to sell something for cash to feed their drug addiction, or someone that lives above their needs. It's a glorified pawnshop, but you get less out of them. [/QUOTE]

Have you ever actually been in a pawnshop? A pawn would have offered the guy $20 (at most) for the DSi. My experience is that gamestop regularly offers more than pawnshops do.
 
[quote name='georox']Yea... I'm going to stop you right there... are you serious? Maybe if you've never entered a GameStop you have no reason to hate them, but if that's the case you've got no reason to defend them.
[/QUOTE]

Yeah, since you've had problems with them in the past then they must be the devil and do that to everyone. That is the stupidest reasoning I have ever heard

Also, last I checked they didn't give cash so how is that feeding a drug addiction? i may not be up on the drug trade, but I'm pretty sure that your local crack dealer doesn't take gamestop credit for drugs.

All this boils down to is people trying to make themselves feel better for doing shitty things to companies that have done something in the past to them because they feel the company "deserves" it. If you are going to do stuff like that then don't make excuses. Man up and just admit that it's because you honestly don't care about anyone else but yourself.
 
[quote name='eataburger']Enjoy your stolen DSi.[/QUOTE]

Thanks! Will do.
:wave:
yeah, the things pretty much guaranteed to be stolen. I make no excuses for that, and frankly I don't care. The theft was already done. Gamestop would turn right around and sell it for $130, so I'm relatively indifferent to that.

[quote name='bmachine']Wanna sell that copy of Bowser's Inside Story?[/QUOTE]

Not at all. I'm replaying through Superstar Saga right now (my first copy, I got all the way up to Bowletta, but kept dying after she ate me), I intend to pick up Partners in Time too. Snagging this game earlier than I had planned is just a nice little plus for me.

[quote name='dmdragon']Yeah, since you've had problems with them in the past then they must be the devil and do that to everyone. That is the stupidest reasoning I have ever heard [/QUOTE]

.....OR, maybe they just hate the company's practices of giving so little for trade-ins, then turning around and selling them for more than double? Maybe it has to do with the fact that trading in for store credit is a bad joke, since you're not really getting anything tangible out of the transaction except for the ability to secure more products and services at Gamestop? Maybe it has to do with the company's ability to hire people who often know jack shit about actual games?? I mean, when you hire someone at a clothing store, they normally tend to have a fashion sense, right? And you always want to hire animal lovers to work at a pet store, correct? Why should a game store function any differently?

Of course, I am just spit-balling here. I personally am relatively indifferent to Gamestop nowadays. In fact, as I already stated, I continue to go to one of the few in my area that isn't an absolute shithole. I acknowledge that as a company, they make the majority of their bottom dollar on ripping people off. But at the end of the day, so do a LOT of companies. I mean, I work in INSURANCE now, for Christ's sake (though admittedly, not the bad kind).

[quote name='dmdragon']
Also, last I checked they didn't give cash so how is that feeding a drug addiction? i may not be up on the drug trade, but I'm pretty sure that your local crack dealer doesn't take gamestop credit for drugs.[/QUOTE]

......Gamestop gives cash, man. I thought everyone knew that. o_O;;

[quote name='dmdragon']
All this boils down to is people trying to make themselves feel better for doing shitty things to companies that have done something in the past to them because they feel the company "deserves" it. If you are going to do stuff like that then don't make excuses. Man up and just admit that it's because you honestly don't care about anyone else but yourself.[/QUOTE]


I in no way have any serious bone to pick with a corporation. If you wanna look at someone with a bone to pick, Google "Zero Originality". Now HE gave reasons to hate on Gamestop. And even if I did, who the fuck are you to judge my motivations? Could it not be a combination of various reasons? If I really did have a bone to pick with them, could not the great deal on a DSi have been just a great perk in a continuous campaign or loathing? I've talked customers out of a warranty at one of the shittier Gamestops. Primarily, I did it because it was a waste of money to purchase one on a Nintendo system. But I also did it because the woman manning the register was a Grade A bitch to me on multiple occasions. You set up a false "either-or" premise here. It doesn't have to be one or the other. It could be both. Or neither.

And just how you get on people for hating Gamestop, why are you so adamant on DEFENDING it? I mean, it's a multi-million dollar company. They have more stores popping up that fucking Starbucks. I'm fairly certain they can fight their own battles. And if they start to lose, maybe it's for all the right reasons...
 
[quote name='dmdragon']Yeah, since you've had problems with them in the past then they must be the devil and do that to everyone. That is the stupidest reasoning I have ever heard

Also, last I checked they didn't give cash so how is that feeding a drug addiction? i may not be up on the drug trade, but I'm pretty sure that your local crack dealer doesn't take gamestop credit for drugs.

All this boils down to is people trying to make themselves feel better for doing shitty things to companies that have done something in the past to them because they feel the company "deserves" it. If you are going to do stuff like that then don't make excuses. Man up and just admit that it's because you honestly don't care about anyone else but yourself.[/QUOTE]

Since when did Gamestop not give cash? They always give cash, its just like 15% less, so they definitely still give cash. It just doesn't work with trade in promotions for cash.
 
[quote name='Green Goblin']Thanks! Will do.
:wave:
yeah, the things pretty much guaranteed to be stolen. I make no excuses for that, and frankly I don't care. The theft was already done. Gamestop would turn right around and sell it for $130, so I'm relatively indifferent to that.
[/QUOTE]

It sounds like you live in a ghetto area anyways, so you get it where you can get em. Every place is different. Most of the people here that has a problem that it is stolen probably lives the suburban life and things are just different depending on where you live. No big deal though. I used to work for Gamestop, and to be honest, I did that shit all the time. Instead of taking in the trade, I just tell that customer to meet me outside, and my manager would be sitting behind me, and I tell him I need to take a break. And he just replies "Make it quick." It's really no big deal to be honest. Now if he sat outside of Gamestop everyday, asking people what they were trading in and then offering them more for the trade in instead, then I would say, that's pretty wrong. But he's not. No big deal though.
 
Well, you don't have any proof that it's stolen (though yes its very, very likely), so you really don't know. It could be he took his brother's old DSi that he doesn't play and that has the charger missing (likely because of that reason) to be traded in, or else he really did find it and just wanted to get rid of it for some quick cash.

Some kid could have sold it to him for $5-10, I know kids who are spoiled and stupid and would do this if they thought the system was stupid or kiddy.
 
Great points! OP, good shit! Most of us would do this, if we did not fear the scary gamestop ban... which probably would not even happy per point #2.

[quote name='QiG']LOL, I remember undercutting (or overbidding?) Gamestop to get a ps1 (and some games) back in the day; they offered $40 credit, I offered $45 cash to the kid who gladly took it.

fuck GS if they try and ban.
1) It's capitalism at its finest
2) What are the odds the one or two employees on hand a) have the gall to speak up and ban you b) are always there to stop you from purchasing anything
3) There's always a ton of Gamestops in clustered in most areas (there's at least 2 or 3 at every mall on the west side of Cleveland)

But as mentioned, it's probably stolen since that bundle of goods is retailing close to $200 and any kind of legitimate sale (ebay, craigslist, etc) would probably get someone at least $100.[/QUOTE]
 
Funny thing is, many GS/EB employees will do this on the side with customers for rare games. I know when I worked at GS, I'd clock out and take the customer outside for the cash exchange. Of course it's against company policy, but since we were off duty and we all did it; nobody blinked an eye. We used to keep a list of games we were looking for under the counter as well, so that if something was traded in we'd set it aside for each other. That was honestly the best college job I ever had.

Good times.
 
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