Here's the simple solution: Don't shop at EB / GS.
Ebay has better used prices 95% of the time (even with shipping), Outpost.com discount almost every Atlus / RPG title when it comes out (with free shipping, to boot), everything else can be found cheaper at Best Buy / Circuit City, and if you want a preorder bonus just order it online.
Seriously, you people complain, but there ARE alternatives that are VERY accessible. The only time I shop at EB / GS is
1 ) if they have a rare game that's twice as much on Ebay (Marvel Vs Capcom 2)
2) they have the buy 2 get 1 free sale, because I can grab some stuff I want and resell the stuff I don't want and break even
3) I'm getting a hell of a good trade-in deal that GS / EB won't profit from me on (cmon, 12 shitty circuit city clearance games for a boatload of credit? those same games are still on the shelf at GS...).
I won't buy new games there, because of the whole gutted policy, and you know what, I still get every new release I'm interested in, whether its niche or not. And if, by chance, I do need to shop there for a new game, I go to the one GS where I know the manager and staff are very cool, they will discount you if it's not in brand new shape, and are awesome workers... I won't go to any other GS.
Like you, I hated the gutted new game sales, I hated getting pushed around for trade-in's and preorders (which the local GS dosen't do to me, they know I get everything cheaper at Best Buy :lol

, so I decided to just stop buying games there.
I wait for the day Best Buy goes national with their trade-in's, because that is the day EB / GS are in alot of trouble, because a hell of alot more people shop at Best Buy then Gamestop. Posters like the one above me are the reason I don't go to most EB's / GS's: jackoff's that think they know so much because they work at a Gamestop, woo, good job there.