Question about Gamestop Auto cancelling Xbox One preorders and refunds

Quick question;

I preordered both a PS4 and Xbox One through Gamestop when they were first announced because I wasn't sure what availability would look like from other retailers and I didn't want to be left out in the cold on release day (literally and figuratively) 

I don't have a lot of interest in the Xbox One but I have the financial freedom to buy one at release and I plan on doing so and with that said I'm certainly not buying the Xbox one with any intent to resell it (I may try and resell the PS4 through some AZ and Newegg preorders but that's a different story for another time).

Anyways I received a call from Gamestop corporate last night (Tue 10/08/2013). I believe it was a real person (although they almost sounded like a robot---it wasn't the automated voice from the preorder pick-up notifications---it did sound foreign) and they stated that my account had been flagged for preordering more then one Xbox 360 console and that I needed to go to Gamestop location "X" and cancel my preorder by "Y" Date (I believe it was 10/25) if I wanted a refund.

I don't live near or frequent Gamestop "X" but it is near where my brother goes to college and he has on occasion made orders or traded in games using my PUR card / telephone number attached to it. I called him up and he said that he did preorder a Xbox one using the telephone # tied to my PUR card.

Now despite that being a stupid idea in general (it is unlikely they would let him pick it up as his name is not the same as mine; would have to be a naive employee) will he really forfeit the $100 preorder deposit if he doesn't cancel the preorder before 10/25 (not sure that is the exact date from the VoiceMail). Will they let him cancel the preorder since he is not me, and the preorder was made under my name/PUR card?

He only lives and goes to school about 2.5 hours away but I'm not driving down there just to do this for him.

What do you think?

I don't know, but that sounds shady as heck that you need to go in and cancel the preorder by a certain date in order to get your money back.  If they want to cancel your order, that should be on them to issue the refund, not you.

Hmm, this seems like a sibling issue, more than a gamestop issue.

They're basically letting you know that they will not honor both pre-orders.  So, as to when and how your brother gets his money back, that would depend entirely on him.

The fact that it's under your name means nothing.  He just has to bring in the receipt or simply give the phone number again.  Just make sure he chooses to cancel his and not yours.   As for refunds, I'm not certain.  I've heard stories of people not receiving their $5.00 back after a certain time, but I'm not sure about a larger amount ($100).

^ Yeah I don't want this to be a "hate Gamestop thread"; I don't think they are in the wrong (except if they actually keep deposits not cancelled by a date prior to the release of the console on a preorder in which they are initiating the cancellation.

But regardless I see their P.O.V. I was just wondering how urgently my brother will need to cancel his order. And I don't think it would be possible for his GS to see my exisiting preorder let alone cancel it when it was placed at a store over 100 miles away.

I have friends that give my number whenever they buy stuff at BB so I can get the points. Are there any rules limiting use of your PUR Card by others? If not, then I would call corp and tell them exactly what happened, that you and your brother placed an order under your card. If they have any common sense they would realize that it is unreasonable to place a preorder at two stores 2.5 hours from each other when there are GS stores within 5-10 mins all over the place. If they still won't let you do it, see if your brother can fix things at his store before he has to cancel his preorder. It would be a shame to lose any points he or you could get from buying the systems.

Can't your brother just change the number the pre-order is tied to, if not even get his own power up card?

Call up gamestop corporate. I dont think it matters that the gamestop is 100 miles away. Everythings connected now, this isnt like 2005 where every gamestop I preordered from I would have to give them my information. Now its all one account. Does your brother have the receipt?

Just call im sure they can resolve this.