GameStop considers opened game cases as "new"? |
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Over at Aeropause, James Munn recounts his recent experience at his local Gamestop branch while trying to purchase a copy of Sid Meier's Pirates for the PSP. According to him, he specified that he wanted a new copy of the game, but that instead of receiving a sealed game case, he watched in shock as the clerk proceeded to "open the cabinet and lift out a Sid Meier's Pirates designed users manual" and he saw "him pop open an empty PSP case and slide it in".This, of course, upset him, and he repeated to the clerk that he wanted a "new" one. However, he was told that what he was about to receive was indeed new. One of the store managers who eventually joined the discussion then informed him that, just as with a new item, he had seven days to exchange it for an identical item in case the one he got was defective. The manager then proceeded to offer to seal the game case with shrink wrap and a heat gun.
In his post, Munn points out that besides the apparent underhandedness of the whole situation, two things irked him the most. The first reason was the possibility that if he agreed to pay the full price for an unsealed game, "As soon as I walk out that door, my game is now devalued 80%." The second reason was that when the manager offered to shrink wrap his game for him so that it is now "new", he believes that this "effectively discredits the value of any sealed game in the entire store".
Normally, when we refer to a piece of merchandise as "new", we immediately expect it to be properly wrapped, with intact seals, stickers and other security devices which companies use to ensure that your item has not been tampered with before you bought it. Ideally, we should be the only ones who have laid hands on the item since it has left the factory. On the other hand, commenters on Munn's post also bring up another side to the story, saying that this shouldn't be a problem as the practice which Munn has described is merely Gamestop's way of trying to curb the possibility of theft, which in turn equates to losses. Many have noted that the games are opened and the empty boxes are then left on display. Meanwhile, the contents of the game case are then placed in a sleeve and placed safely behind the counter until someone buys the game, and the disc and manual, and whatever else originally came with it, need to be placed back in its box.
While this may seem to be a plausible reason for this kind of practice, it has also raised questions on why Gamestop has to implement this sort of policy, instead of just keeping the sealed game cases behind glass, or maybe invest in the use of security tags so that the game's original packaging won't have to be tampered with at all. On top of that, consumers may also have good reason to doubt Gamestop's stand on this matter, as everyone is familiar with stories of brand new items bought at stores, which later turned out to be either obviously pre-owned, used, or worse, completely unusable.
Many have advised Munn to just stop buying from Gamestop completely, and just order games online since online retailers have more stringent rules in ensuring that a buyer receives the merchandise in perfect condition. Whether this would be the most apt solution to his predicament, we can't tell.
Out of curiosity though, we would like to ask everyone: if what happened to Munn also happened to you, would you find it acceptable, shrink wrap and all?
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Comments [refresh]
all your game are preplayed by us
Thats messed
When I got Metal Gear: Portable Ops this summer, the same thing happened. Both my brother and I received a copy, one brand new wrapped, one brand new not wrapped. GameStop always has one copy of a game on display for people to see. If they are all out of new "wrapped" games, they offer to sell you the last one they have, yes unwrapped, but never played...thus, still brand new. Unless you are planning to buy it and then resell it sealed, you lose NOTHING. Also, you are not required to buy it, and if you are that troubled that it isn't sealed, go find it else where! Anyways, it is still new, unplayed, and should be priced the same as any new game.
What's the big deal exactly?
I work for a games retailer in the UK, and maybe 40% of the games we sell are like that. Some have to be 'gutted' as we say, because the boxes are needed for display. The disc and manual are kept in a sealed plastic wrap in the cabinets and are put in the box, which is sealed with a special sticker thing, when needed (ie, when we're out of factory sealed copies).
The game may be opened, but it's still new, and still comes with the same guarantee and exchange policy as factory sealed games.
What are shops expected to do? Fill every single display case with a dummy sleeve? That'd take a ridiculous amount of time and paper.
Here in the UK i would say 80% of shops do it - i buy nearly all my games online so it doesnt bother me that much highstreet games are a rip off ther always about £5-10 more expensive (i think thats about $10 - $20!)
Who cares? This has happened to me many times. Usually they do this when you ask for the last copy of a game and the only case they have is the one from the display, the game it self has never been used. Somebody sounds like they're on their period.
I call BS. If they hadn't been able (or worse yet, *willing*) to provide me with a still-factory-sealed copy of the game, I would have walked out without buying the game. More than that, I would have noted the name of the manager and employee, and remembered them for future reference, and probably emailed or called Gamestop's corporate offices to complain.
If I *want* a used game, I'll *ask* for one. Anything that's been opened by someone before me is used. To think that I'd pay full price for such a thing is completely absurd.
this happens all the time with me as well. they need to do it for the display cases. it's still new, not used. you can trust them on that
Is Mun a new gamer or what? This is what you would call a "common practice." The boys at EBGames (think they're the same company) have been doing this for years. Of course it's for anti-theft. Does Mun get excited when he rents a game but it's not in the case until the cashier puts it in there? Different scale, but is Mun one of those people that gets offended when the "brand new" car that he purchases has a whole mile on it, thanks to the trip from the assembly line onto the truck, then off the truck onto the lot and the assorted motions around there? New means that you are the first owner after any intermediaries (I.E. those businesses that operate between the producer and consumer), in which case the game is still new. Not preowned - new.
I'm with Gamespot on this - if it saves them cash in the long run (or even in the short run), who gives a crap whether or not you have to peel a junkload of plastic off the box. If the game doesn't work as advertised, or if it's got scratches on it, or any other issue that you might have with the game, TAKE IT BACK. If not, chill, relax, and make the assumption that not all companies are out to get you.
--Databoy2k
it happens all all ebgames/gamestop they open a new box to put it on the shelf when they only have that one "new copy" left they open their drawer and take the game and other stuff and put it in the case, if your so worried why dont u just look at the game it is scratch free and honestly i would rather have them keep it behind the counter secure than in the case where all the lil kids can shake the cases and then in turn scratch the disk inside.
stop your crying and go to best buy if u got a problem!!
This is retarded.
Who gives a flying f**k??
Is the game's 'enjoyment' value decreased by not having shrink wrap on it?!?
I can't even bevlieve someone felt the need to write and article on it.
This is almost up there with the Mooninite 'bomb scare' for sheer stupidity.
Some of you people are pretty damn demanding.
I don't know what it's like with US stores, but for my store, we will only take a game back if it's faulty or if it's been unopened, hence the factory seal/store seal. So if you get a game that's not factory sealed, you are NOT getting a used game.
As Michael Winner says, "Calm down dear."
Boy talk about being anal. What's the big deal?
I worked at an EB some years ago, and we did that. We had one of those security things at the door that beeped, but we still emptied anything that went on the shelves. Mainly cause games are so easy to just pick up and run with. If the guts of a game were in it's case, then people would just wait in the store for me to go behind the counter to help another customer, pick up a game and bolt. The thing at the front would beep, but by the time I got around the counter, the thief would have a good 100 meter head start. That, or people would just come in with a razor blade, walk behind a stand so I can't see anything below their torso, slice open the packaging, and pop the DVDs themselves into their bag. No running necessary. People have to face it. Games are in big demand with teens. Teens are also the most common shoplifters mainly because they have no money, but also because with most countries having young offenders acts, they can get away with almost anything. Just go ask the people at cosmetics counters about how much lipstick is stolen by teens if you doubt me. Whenever people would complain when i was grabbing the guts to the game, I would say "If we don't do this...the game walk away. It's a brand new game, carrying with it all the guarantees, and assurances that a shrink-wrapped copy would come with. However, if it's a gift for someone, I would recommend us shrink wrapping it for you, that way it makes it easier to exchange later."
This has happen to me several times before. I live around gamestop hq and there are plenty around me, and almost all of them do this...
They've been doing this for YEARS to reduce theft. Every few months someone posts a "shocking" story about how this happened to them. There's nothing shocking or underhanded here. If you want to insist that games you buy are still in the original shrinkwrap, that's fine. If all they have is an opened copy ask them to check with another store and find one that is still sealed. Again, not a big deal.
Now, if they are shrinkwrapping games that had previously been sold to another person and calling them "new", then THAT would be a serious problem. We buy "new" clothes all the time that someone else has tried on. We buy "new" cars that someone else has test driven. While I respect the right for someone to decline to purchase a game that has had the plastic removed, it sure doesn't seem like something worth having a cow over.
You probably get your mom to buy all your games for you. Cause if you ever went out and bought a game from any boutique like games store you would see this. And BTW, it isn't used. It's opened. Big difference there tardo.
i know this is common practice...
however it's still retarded. when i was a kid toys r us used to have a wall with the covers in a sleeve and papers with barcodes showing how many they had.
what's wrong with that?
and if they insist on putting cases on the wall, just use the company art like they do for unreleased crap...
Seriously, this is just *****ing at customer service. What the hell can they do, chain the games to the wall so people won't steal them? This has to be the way to do it, because it's much nicer to pick up the game box and look at it before buying, than staring at the game behind glass. Seriously, if you don't like it, don't buy the game. They were out of fresh copies, so they had to give you that one. It happened to me with my DS. They didn't have any new ones, so they took out the one that was on display in the shop behind glass, and put it inside a box. I didn't care, it didn't have a scratch, and it played fine. It was new. Would you rather have them tell you:
"Sorry, sir. We are fresh out of copies."
"But you have one right over there!"
"This one isn't new. So we can't sell it to you."
"I don't mind, I've been waiting for this game for years!"
"No, but we really can't sell you material that's been opened. Sorry, but you'll have to wait until the next shipment."
I never knew that opening the package could be just as fun as the game itself.
It doesn't matter if it's open or not. What matters is if it WORKS or not. If it does, then great. If not, take it back.
Old news. GameStop has been doing this forever. They have a policy of allowing their workers to take the game home to play so that they have a better understanding of what they're selling.
Now, while that is a good idea, I don't see how GameStop can still claim that the game is "New". They should make a new category called "Opened Store Copy" or something like that to ensure that it was played by responsible (?) store clerks. Costs a little more than Pre-Played, little less than New. Doesn't that make sense?
I don't think that many would mind that the store clerk has played it. What irks us is that we're not told beforehand.
I was at one of their stores to buy GTA:LCS when 3.03 downgrading became possible just recently. I was there and some father came up to the counter with a literally thrashed floor case of the game. He was wondering if he could buy the game unused for his son. The clerk told him that he would be recieving a new disc, though it would have to be in that case. The father, just as I was, thought, "wtf." Though the case may not directly affect the integrity of the new disc. It's nice to know that when you normally pay for something new, it means that the packaging is presentable. I truly hope Gamestop realizes that this should hurt them. I don't feel sympathy for them, it was a decision on their part. Finally, I will just go to a different store to buy a newly packaged copy of the game I want and recommend anyone else to do the same.
I was at one of their stores to buy GTA:LCS when 3.03 downgrading became possible just recently. I was there and some father came up to the counter with a literally thrashed floor case of the game. He was wondering if he could buy the game unused for his son. The clerk told him that he would be recieving a new disc, though it would have to be in that case. The father, just as I was, thought, "wtf." Though the case may not directly affect the integrity of the new disc. It's nice to know that when you normally pay for something new, it means that the packaging is presentable. I truly hope Gamestop realizes that this should hurt them. I don't feel sympathy for them, it was a decision on their part. Finally, I will just go to a different store to buy a newly packaged copy of the game I want and recommend anyone else to do the same.
i know this is common practice...
however it's still retarded. when i was a kid toys r us used to have a wall with the covers in a sleeve and papers with barcodes showing how many they had.
what's wrong with that?
and if they insist on putting cases on the wall, just use the company art like they do for unreleased crap...
That's kinda bs on gamestop/eb's part. I know for a fact most game companies send out coverart to all the different gaming stores so they have dead cases for the games...so saying that "We gut them to reduce theft" is kinda stupid. Besides, leave the kid alone. He's not a retard at all for complaining about new games being open. When I think new, I think of unopened games as well. If Gamestop/EB wants to do this, that's fine they should just let the consumer know in the store in some way shape or form. Also, if you didn't care why would you comment just to *****?
i know this is common practice...
however it's still retarded. when i was a kid toys r us used to have a wall with the covers in a sleeve and papers with barcodes showing how many they had.
what's wrong with that?
and if they insist on putting cases on the wall, just use the company art like they do for unreleased crap...
First let me say I am a Gamestop employee. The reasons behind you or anyone else getting an opened case is simple but unfortunate. At Gamestop people walk in all the time and steal the empty game cases thinking a game is inside it. So in order to give you the consumer a chance to look at the game you are buying we open one copy of new games for display. Lets say we get 10 copies of Gears of War, we'd open one for display and keep the DVD in a sleeve so it doesnt get damaged. We understand some customers dont realize why they get an opened copy. Usually in a case like this you are getting the last copy in that location. My advise is to check another location for an unopened copy. Note: This is the only reason it happens.
Also there have been times when the last new case has been stolen. And every time we asked the customer do they still want the new game without a case they still buy it. Yeah thats right the DVD by itself.
Lastly think of the cost involved with extra security, game cases, ect. When was the last time you walked into WalMart and picked up an PS2 game and looked at it without having to ask for customer service.
if it plays who cares
"stop *****ing crying over some *****ing piece of plastic and get a *****ing like."
the words that would of come out of my mouth if i was serving this fat american kid
hey i hear everyones side of the story i wont buy a new game opened and i work at gamestop, if its opened i wait for a sealed one and you can to if you dont like it go somewhere else but quite complaining and getting mad at ppl just do what you want cause thats the way it is your not gonna change it and if you do you may not like the consequences
here in holland they are doing this as long as i can remember. all the way back to nes games.
eb (as far as i know) still has a policy of letting employees "rent" the opened games that are for displays. this does not qualify as new, if it's been played, it is used. they should not be selling the copies they rent to employees as new, but no one does anything about it. hence the cycle continues.
Call Gamestop Corporate and they will tell you that is company/store policy. It is called a "gut" they HAVE TO open at least one (sometimes more) to display the box for customers to check out and read. So if a store gets 10 games and 9 sell out and there is only 1 left then the last copy is still new and unplayed just unwrapped.
And I agree with the poster Phreakymopho
i know this is common practice...
however it's still retarded. when i was a kid toys r us used to have a wall with the covers in a sleeve and papers with barcodes showing how many they had.
what's wrong with that?
and if they insist on putting cases on the wall, just use the company art like they do for unreleased crap...
This has happened to me, and I thought it fine. At my store, they try to keep all of the items behind glass or in a cabinet, and then they have the display ones, which they only sell if it is the last one.
But I find it more acceptable to me, because I am in there quite abit, and am known by name. They should warn customers that that is what is happening.
I also know that they will give an "Open Box" discount if someone asks for it at my local store. It isnt much, but 10% could be significant, especially on a $60 360 or PS3 game!
All in all, I think this is blown out of proportion, because this has to happen at Gamestops and EB Games across the country, but I do think they should have told him!
They take the games out of the cases so they don't get stolen and they have cases to display. It's no big deal, and I don't know why QJ thinks this is some "conspiracy"....
Ironic-the SAME thing happened to me when i bought a copy of twisted metal for the psp, he opened the drawer, and just put it in another case
Why did QJ post this, this is a common practice and it keeps Gamestop and EB from losing on theft.
It's efficient, and unless you're going to resell it, who gives a damn?
I think its *ucked up and called gamestop out on it. They tried to hand me one of those "New" dics and I was like can I have a sealed one and they said they were all out. I pointed right behind them and asked what about the 20 sealed cases you have right behind you.
All of their used discs come in the exact same "sealed" envelope and means absolutely nothing. If I was behind the counter I could have stuck it up my @$$ put it in a gamestop sealed sleeve and handed to you as new.
If they want to worry about losses etc. get demo cases from the supplier and use those and when someone wants it put the demo case back on the shelf and fetch the sealed one from the back. Don't pawn something off on the customer as a genuine new cartrage when everyone had been rubbing their hands over your case.
If I want a new game now I order it online and if I want it used then I will buy it in the store but there is no way I am paying the $15+ extra for something that wasn't sealed by the manufacturer. Screw gamestop!
Not only is this no big deal, and old news, but there's already been an article on here about this.
Those who've been siding with this policy haven't been to a TRU in the US lately. Go in there, and you're greeted with countless ready-to-be-picked-up-and-examined boxes for brand new games. Yes, some games are still in the security boxes, but a great many game boxes, with art, text, and everything, are available for my perusal. And yes, they're the newest titles.
The big "FOR DISPLAY ONLY" preprinted in a bright green box on the front cover is a dead giveaway that the box is empty, and that the actual, brand-new, *sealed* games are behind the counter. What a happy medium this is!
Now, Gamestop could (and does, since I've seen it there) do this as well. If a large-scale game retailer like TRU does this with their games, I don't see why Gamestop feels the need to open a brand-new game to provide the box and slip cover. TRU doesn't have to do that, and frankly, neither does Gamestop. I've seen these same "FOR DISPLAY ONLY" boxes at Gamestop, so why is this policy still in place?
Like I said, if they either can't or (worse yet) won't provide me with a sealed copy of the game that I'm paying the brand-new, sealed price for, I'm not interested. Ever. That's why I always, always, *always* call first and confirm that they have what I need *before* I make the trip. Usually, the employee will understand and be helpful, so it's not a problem.
"Yes that condom's packaging might look a little messed up but we have the condom sealed right here in this ziplock bag. And you can get the packaging for free. The price is the same too. Trust us, its new."
Opened is NOT new. ...
I personally would like my video game factory sealed with a wrapper. I'm with qjnet that the person who buys something should be the only person that laid hands on the product after leaving factory
they just use one copy for display and he happened to get that one copy. no biggy
Old news I know.
GS and EB just need to buy glass cabinets to put their games in like other dept. stores.
I also don't like my games pre-tampered, so I never purchase from them anyway.
An opened game = used. Plain and simple. It doesn't matter for what reason. I am boycotting gamestop and I use newegg now. Much better serive.
If the shrinkwrap is not meant to be opened by the customer, why waste the money of putting it there at all? And why don't EB/Gamestop k eep this policy with PC games? Why aren't all accessories taken out of their packaging and placed behind the cabinet and the customer can look at the pictures of it on the packaging?
my wife at one point after acquiring Castlevania for her GBA, walked to the counter and requested a new copy as well. She also argued and then relented.
I firmly believe that if Gamestop or any other store is willing to offer an opened "new" copy that they should also be willing to offer a full refund, if the person changes their mind. If they don't like it, then seal them up onsite in whatever means that deems them "unopened". As it stands right now, there is no way unless its sealed at the point of sale for the store to know if this is used or new, and likely neither does the purhcaser.
Cheers
Why do you people complain so much?
First off: Its still new. just because you can't open the plastic, doesnt mean it used. Get over it
Second: The sign out policy is for USED GAME ONLY at EB and Gamestop (which are the same company now), and has actually been suspended to my knowledge at all stores.
And I guess you want to know how i know this. I worked for the company for FIVE years and still have contacts with managers and employee's and actually have a summer job there where I am in Senior Sales. SO GET OVER IT...
the d00d - the point is, Gamestop could very easily pass off used merchandise as new and ***** people over very, very easily.
Not everyone beats the ***** out of their games - many of us are adult owners of video games, and if I brought a used game into a store to sell it you'd have a hard time telling the difference between my pre-owned and perfectly cared for copy, and a brand new one. I often don't even touch the Instruction Book/inserts, so they look and are minty, minty fresh.
So I bring this into a gamestop and sell it. Guy behind the counter sees what perfect condition mine is in...suddenly, they put it in the "new" instead of "used" pile. Maybe the kid even does it on the down low, and somehow manages to collect the difference from his pocket.
Far fetched? Maybe. But I'd laugh in their faces if they tried to sell me a "new" game open like that. Um, the companies put seals and other wraps on items for a good reason - TO MAKE SURE THEY ARRIVE UNOPENED.
I'm sorry, but tin foil hats aside, there is no reason in hell for them to do this. They publishers generally send dummy cases on request, or Gamestop could get permission to use placecards that have the front/back of the game on the shelf.
I'm sorry, but again, I'd laugh in their faces and go elsewhere if someone tried to pull that ***** on me. I think Gamestop/EB/whatever are a bunch of ripoff artists anyway - I go in one once in awhile to see what they've got for ultra-cheap used games (My rule is I pay no more than $8), but anything else is just a losing proposition for the customer every time.
Then it's no biggie. It's standard practice here in NZ. All the games are kept behind the counter and empty cases are on the shelves. When you buy they pull out the bits and chuck 'em in the box.
I think that's fine. It secures them from theft in a simply way and provided the titles is in fact new (I would check it once I got home, before playing it) then who cares.
I used to work for EBGames. Now we always take 1 - 3 of our new shipment in, degut it, and use the boxes for display. If there are no more sealed boxes in the cabinet we place the gut back in the box and re-seal it when purchased. Now I've had to degut and put out boxes for display. I can honestly say they have NOT been played at any time.
As far as the game rentals are concerned, that is limited to pre-owned games only. We're not allowed to touch the new games.
Besides, if the game disc isn't damaged and plays in your system whats the problem? If you're worried about it being used go elsewhere that still has some unopened new copies left.
I woulda laughed in both of thoese guys' faces! If they didnt give me a "kick-ass" good reason for why the do it. I would immediately put them out of business for that disgusting practice. Please tell me what store this was, so that I can assure that they dont even get a single customer even if they are buying a game manual. I dont like this story and it upsets me. I DO NOT LIKE ME, MY FRIENDS, OR REGULAR PEOPLE GETTING CHEATED BY BUSINESS. AND I ALWAYS DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!. ALWAYS!
fo shizzle
~K Dizzleâ„¢
Its happened with burnout. I diddn't say much though. I even got a used game and it was scratched up like crazy on both sides and they gave it to me. Amazingly still worked o_O".
but the worst thing they did once is say "We don't have any gamecases". *takes a narnia game case, takes out slip and puts new game disc in*
They haven't done this in months though thank god
A case to look at both front and back and occasionally the manual (depending on store).
-or-
A store where everything is behind a glass and you can see the front of the case but you don't know what the game's about...
Simply put, you collector or OCD gamers can buy your stuff online like all of the PC gamers have already retorted to doing. Us serious gamers will read the backs of the empty case and make an educated decision on what to do with our hard earned money.
That's completely rediculous what they did. I don't care why they did it or what their reasoning is. If I buy something new, I expect to be the first person to open if. If they want to use a copy as a display copy, that is fine, but if they expect to sell it to me, they better be giving me a discount on it as an "opened" product like any other respectable store would do. The offer to reshrink wrap it is a slap in the face. I would expain to the manager that he is giving me an unopened new copy, in original packaging, right now, or he is losing my business from now on.
My local EBGames store replaces the cases if I tell them it looks like crap. If the book is crap, I'll have them replace it with a better used book. Let's be honest here, we're not buying cars - we're buying games. How significant is your game in your life? Is it going to gain you anything on your credit score? Well then understand what all of you are complaining about here...
I understand what he means by this. In a legal aspect, something I am focusing on as a Business Law major, they are not allowed to do this without properly informing the customer on the true condition and history of a product like this.
I personally have experience with the cheapness of these stores when I had a brand new, still packaged, 1GB Pro Duo memory stick that I tried selling back to them. Now this was over a year ago when they were still fairly expensive and actually hard to find and I expected to receive a slight pretty penny for it at least. My mistake. When I asked the guy behind the counter how much they would buy it off of me for he said 15 to 25 dollars. I was shocked. I then asked them how much they would re-sell it for considering standard economic rules and understanding the financial aspect of making a profit. He responded that they would sell it for roughly 150 dollars. Same product, same packaging and everything, only difference is their little jacked up price sticker.
Of course I refused to sell it back to them. In business there is a difference between trying to make a profit and trying to swindle your customers. Unfortunate for me, this is the case for many game and video stores, and not just GameStop or EB Games, as there is no enforced standard for the depreciation of video games or video media.
I honestly say that anyone in this comments section that responds with some sort of comment such as "Who cares?" or "So what" honestly does not understand the value of money or the concept of an economic system. So grow up and start learning the importance of a buck and you may just begin to understand this guys concern for GameStop's business practices.
If an employee is allowed to rent the game for product knowledge so be it. I also know it's EBGameStop policy to BUY the game if it comes back in any condition but new looking so for any of you OCD's out there that is freaking out about this, understand that the staff HAS TO BUY IT if it's their fault and trust me, they aren't going to ruin the disc on their minimum wage job. If you ever recieved an open case it's normally because of the "multiple copies" sections like new release or something like that.
I used to work at a EB long time ago... and Employees would hook each other up ALL the time. They would bring in their used games, that had no scratches and manuals looked minty fresh. And they would return them as "merchandise for store credit because there was no receipt" as a new product. Thus getting store credit at teh full new price of the CD. They would then re shrink wrap the game, and put it back in teh NEW section LOLOLOL. Even the assistant manager did it haha. Only person out of teh loop was teh actual manager.
They people would return opened things for store credit, within the 14 days allowed (per their return policy), and they would simply re shrink wrap the game, and resell it as new.
And for those who dont know, its BULL to say its for anti theft. Companies send display boxes, theres no need to open games now for a display copy, unless you plan on putting it in the machine for demo purposes, and even then, its BS to sell s display copy as NEW with full price. Hell just about every retail chain will give a discount on display items that get sold.
Stop being stupid consumers.
I've sometimes bought new things from EB or Gamestop and it was already open. Sometimes there not going to have any that are sealed still. It happens. When it does I look at it and if its condition seems fine then I don't say anything, if it looks scratched tell them so and ask if you could get a different copy.
Now reasons that they'll be open. Employees can checkout games. I'm friends with the employees at my local EB and they all take excellent care of any games they checkout. Another reason is that they use actual case as display cases some times. I don't have a problem with that. Back in the day I downgrade my friends PSP with the GTA that they had the case on display which I found quite useful.
Wanna know whats even more *****ed up. We can check out any game in the store. We can rent a brand new game. Use it and then the company doesnt mark it as used once its been used by a employe. They still sell it as new as long as its not damaged.
Thats the only thing I see wrong. However this whole shrink wrapped ***** kills me. Wtf is the first thing you *****s are gonna do. SUPRISE you're gonna open the *****. And if the *****s in perfect condiction anyways wtf do you care? You're paying for condicition not for if its used or new really. I honestly think we should sell on a graded scale of quality. If its like new it should be sold as new. If it doesnt come with a manual or offical case and looks like ***** it should never cost more than $3.
no wonder y they make so much money, hope someone bring them the lawsuit. Also lots of the employers can take home one of the new release game play it overnight and bring them back and sell it as new, i seen my friend does that all the time
As far as the "renting" policy goes . . . in it's technical form it's checking out a game. original intent is for the employees to become familiar with titles . . . whether latest or greatest. Of course it's not always the case. I had a manager who wouldn't let us check out a game unless it had a used copy of the game. As far as that whole remaking a used game to new. If you new anything you'd know Gamestop/EBGames make a profit from used games, every new game sold everyone gets a hand of the money. Used games equal only to Gamestop/EBGames pockets. Aside from that it would mess up the stores inventory and shrinking in and out games in the inventory all count against the store. No one is winning from this and the company sets these things in place to protect their own interests and their customers. And lastly, the only time a game is normally unsealed is if it's the last copy of the game, as previously stated atleast one copy of each new title is opened and it's contents put safely away in a sleeve behind the counter to protect everyone from people who choose to steal. Sometimes more than one copy is opened usually for marketing purposes in which I don't completely agree with. However every other copy of a game is sealed and sitting comfortably behind the counter. And to someone who said why dont' they have display cases, the only times developers supply display cases are for pre-sales of a game. Which don't ever tell much about the game. Get over it no one is trying to pull a fast one on anyone. And it wasn't like they weren't trying to be accommodating, he offered everything he possibly could to make the experience better, I'm sure he even showed him that the disc was still brand new. Plus it wasn't as though if it didn't work he wouldn't of been able to get a refund or switch it out cause he could've. Some people are just never satisfied.
Yeah, it's ridiculous the markup they take on stuff. Unless a game is less than a month old, or it's in high demand, the most they'll buy it for is $8, but the cheapest they sell them for is $18.
Personally, I'd buy a game if it was taken out of the case, after inspection, but never a system, it's just too big of an investment.
Any employee who checks out a game, if they damage the game in any way they are actually required to buy the game.
It's a common industry practice. Even with this action done, people still steal cases. Without it, they'd steal instruction manuals and disks as well.
Could they do something else?
Sure.
They could put every single new game in a locked display cabinet a la Walmart, or alternatively, put every game in a unique and over-sized alarm sleeve. They could replace every single game with its own display box.
On the other hand, all of these options involve significant costs. The glass cabinet requires a significant investment, limits shelf space, and requires an employee to come by every time you want to look at the information about a game. The alarm sleeve is very, very easy to bypass as well as having huge initial costs. Display boxes are not cheap, since you either have to order them from the company or print them on-site, and also tend to create latency issues if you end up out of sync -- it's never pleasant to bring up a box only to hear that they're out of copies.
I'd rather not pay off the extra employee or alarm sleeves or printers or cabinets.
GameStop's return policy will allow you to get your money back as long as it retains the seal that the GS employee puts on it, or another copy of the game in the case of defect.
Any employee who tries to 'check out' a new opened game is risking their job. The disks are in perfect condition. The instruction manuals are in perfect condition.
The point isn't to game unsuspecting gamers : the cost of that stupid heat gun alone isn't worth the rare chance they'd bilk someone out of his or her lunch money, nevermind the arguments with elitists like this. Gamestop just likes to discourage new game sales, since their used game sales are so much more profitable.
Really, unless you're fetishizing the new game smell or something, this isn't worthy of notice.
I live in Miami and 6 years ago I received a copy of devil may cry brand new wrapped. later on way to my home I notice that the game had missing the top seal but the game was wrapped and I look good at the game case and the wrapped paper was weaker then the original one a normal new game is wrapped. I went back and talk to the manager and they give me one that was really new and seal. And what gamestop really do is they buy your used game and wrapped with a similar plastic paper to make it look new seal, but they can not copy the Sony seal on the top of the case. That how I notice my game was not really new.
Later went I got my ps3 I got Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire which is the most gunk game I ever played in my life. I returned the game the same they and they only give me $25 dollar credit after I spend $64.18 the same day. Then they take the same game and wrapped and resell like new. But before I make that deal I give only the game cd only no case no book since they will only give me $25 dollars on credit. that why you need to make sure if you paying for a new game they need to give you a new one wrapped with the top seal.
I live in Miami and 6 years ago I received a copy of devil may cry brand new wrapped. later on way to my home I notice that the game had missing the top seal but the game was wrapped and I look good at the game case and the wrapped paper was weaker then the original one a normal new game is wrapped. I went back and talk to the manager and they give me one that was really new and seal. And what gamestop really do is they buy your used game and wrapped with a similar plastic paper to make it look new seal, but they can not copy the Sony seal on the top of the case. That how I notice my game was not really new.
Later went I got my ps3 I got Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire which is the most gunk game I ever played in my life. I returned the game the same they and they only give me $25 dollar credit after I spend $64.18 the same day. Then they take the same game and wrapped and resell like new. But before I make that deal I give only the game cd only no case no book since they will only give me $25 dollars on credit. that why you need to make sure if you paying for a new game they need to give you a new one wrapped with the top seal.
If you check that the disc is in mint condition then its new if not ask for another copy. If you want it sealed then buying online is a good idea. but from my experience at GAME in the UK i think that the games are actually sealed in small packets to put in the draws seperatly from the box in the first place, there where a view times where I see them breack the packet so that they can put the manual and game in the box when i was buying it.
if the game plays like it's brand new, it comes with the manual and there's no dings or scratches... it's all good with me! I hate taking off the plastic wrap and seals anyways.
Actually, no, it's not bs. Since that's exactly why we gut the games. Unfortunately, there is too high of a risk of theft. Most of the "dead" cases we have are for either new releases, or future releases. Gutting the last title of a game is also more efficient since we'll know when the last title is sold (since it will be the display copy). And also, the gutted display cases also allow for the customer to browse through the manual if they care to. (I know our store keeps the manuals in the cases)
Sorry buddy but that is actually new unless you see some scratches or somthing they just dont want their games stolen lol
Bottomline, how many stores have you gone to that had a box for every copy of a game on the shelf? Probably none otherwise you would see about 20 copies up for like 300 games. They don't have that kind of shelf space. If they don't have a placecard then they still only need to open ONE copy to have the box on the shelf.
Nobody likes to be cheated out of a mint game they purchased. If it gets f****d up it's gonna be because of something I did(which is pretty unlikely because I treat mine incredibly like each one is the Mona Lisa)
If the game doesn't have the original sealing with the holograms on them I go elsewhere. I know people at my EB and they're ALLOWED TO TAKE GAMES HOME TO TRY.
That's not new.
That's used.
It's not difficult to understand why he was pissed people. You should be too. Or just go elsewhere, either way don't fall for it
The same damn thing happened to me but i din't do much about it. I bought Need For Speed Own The City. It wasent scratched so i went on. But from no on im tking it up with them!
well if this is happening with games how do we know that this is not happening with condoms? you could get one and then bam you have a baby just because the company wated to save a quick bucks i think they should be sued and striped of their title
I only get pissed when I buy a game and it is 'new' but really isnt, and I do not get the advertisement flyers inside, or a barcode the register the game I purchased on the producers site (eg. Nintendo) and I do not get credit for it.
How is this news?
Don't forget that the one you tuck safely away behind the counter is able to be checked out by employees. You guys can play it, as long as you keep it in perfect condition, all the while 500 people put their hands on the case. At this point, it is used. Period.
Just this last week, I went to buy metal gear solid portable, and at the first gamestop I went to, they had the case, but with a sticker on it with the title, no display sheet (that slides in the case with the game title, pictures etc... Anyhow, I take it to the counter, and they do the old 'pull out the display copy' routine. It's always annoying, but this time the main part of the case is missing for christs sakes. So, I just say hell no, and leave. I stop at another, and they have several USED copies. I pick one case up, book and everything in it. I ask the guy at the counter to let me see the UMD's (to make sure they arent scratched). The one I am handed is in perfect condition. Not a single blemish. With my member card I pay a total of about 8 bucks less, and get more than I would have for the "new" copy at the other gamestop. It is a ripoff. I've seen this story in a lot of places the last few days. I hope it brings about some changes. If it's opened and played, its used. End of story.
I can see Gamestop/EB (owned by Barnes & Noble for those that don't know) having a point with keeping the actual merchandise behind the counter. There are a lot of dishonest punks that still shoplift.
However, I have to agree that when you go to buy a new game, you expect a genuinely new product. On that same note, I cannot honestly see why any company feels that they have no other choice than to remove the game from it's original packaging. There are several logical and cost effective methods that produce the same outcome without upsetting the customer. One of these options is to attach an anti-theft sticker to the outside of the factory wrapper. Another option is to place inserts on the selves in place of the new games. We've all seen this with their pre-order merchandise. They could just as easily print out fillers that have the game's front cover on one side and the description on the reverse, or, heaven forbid, continue to use the ones that were on the shelves during pre-orders.
If they have room in the backroom to hold the empty cases(while keeping the games locked behind the counter) and the disc can fit in the case...then they obviously have room to hold the unopened games in the back while only having one opened box on the shelf. Their profits are still secure, that is unless the thieves have access to the backroom and if they did then I don't think the counter would hold them back lol
if they do that ***** might aswell buy them used, new means you are the first to lay your grubby paws on the inside of they box other than the factory workers and machines, and not opened by anyone but you, thats the whole reason to pay the extra money
This happened to me, back when I was a very good customer at the local one, the apoligized profusly and gave me a new factory sealed copy - put I no longer buy new games there unless I get it Day of launch
or, the opened merchandise that is put into sleeves, is checked out by memebers of the staff(which is another policy of gamestop) and played for hours and hours and hours, ohhh well. but yea, gamestop wont change it, because its THE CHEAPEST way for display product, the security stuff would be way to expensive and they wont go for that.....
acutally no u forgot one thing they leave a gay sticker on it so if u want to collect the game taking off the sitcker is hell and often damages the case
Anything new that has been opened, can recieve a open/shopworn discount up to 10% off. So U all quit your *****ing! If u dont want the last opened copy go someplace else! Gamestop/EB bend over backwards to take care of thier customers!
I love being able to talk to the ppl about new stuff comming out and the great games we have played.
I got an email about a game sale. I went in to purchase the game. He sold me an opened game. He took the DVD's out of an envelope and put the dvd's into the game case. He said it was to prevent theft. I still purchased it because it was a $50 game on sale for $30...
But who gives them the right to sale opened merchandise as new? Shouldn't it be sold as new/used?
im from p.g county maryland an the gamestop at p.g mall is doing the same things there, about a mounth ago i purchased a new copy of infected and the clerk came out with this beat up a$$ case , telling me it was new! in the back of my head i was thinking that he was trying to pocket a little extra cash!until the manager told me what was up!
Stores do exactly what you described above all the time. They tell you they cannot sell you an opened/display copy, and you they actually won't sell it to you. The only time you can by these display copies is at clearance or sale times. And as far as I am concerned, that is how it should be, because who would pay full price for an opened item, that is like buying something from a garage sale for full market value. Ass.
If I buy a game it better be sealed! That is what "new" means. IF anything is open it is no longer new! If it's already open it should be priced less!
i think people like you are real idiots.... gamestop has a bad policy... thats how they can make extra dough with used games.... u know what... actually i think if u'r so dumb u deserve to get ripped off
Phreakymopho, you are not an idiot, you are an ass. You say that opened is different then used, but how many times have you gone into a grocery store and seen an opened box and said,"Well it's opened, but not used!"
i work at gstop, and these claims of reshrinking used games as new is idiotic, 1. managers get ***** from it, they get no money off it 2. it *****s up inventory . So the manager just wants to get fired if he does that.
About selling display copies, i rarely get ***** from customers about this unless its some super nerd, its simple don't like it don't buy it, don't make a situation about cause i don't give a ***** if you get your game or not. I'm just doing what i'm told to do so ***** off.
It makes me laugh when people think we own the stores, and make up these simple policies that dumb asses can't follow.
Oh yea corperate wise gamestop is a piece of *****, cheap *****ers.
ok i kno some one that works at a gamestop...... on the low they get to take BRAND NEW GAMES HOME as a "RENTAL" which i think is f*'ed up for the people who actually spend the full amount to buy thier NEW games..... but for the people who work there they love it.... i dont care if i pay full price then HEY GIVE ME A NEW GAME....... and i think F*k the whole "DISPLAY" bull cuz like some one else said COMPANIES SEND OUT DISPLAY BOXES..... all in all i disagree with what they do..... ur not going to pay full price for a "brand new" car that has 300'000 miles on it makes no sense
For all of you people who are saying that as long as the game is new, you will buy it anyways, I want you to do me a favor. The next time you are at a store that sells food for instance, and you see an open box of some sort of boxed edibles, I want you to examine it carefully, and if it looks to be in good condition, I want you to proudly say," It's opened, but not Used!," and place it in your basket, and continue on to the check out. (1) You will feel pretty "awesome" saying this, and (2) 9 times out of 10 the cashier will say, "This item is opened, would you like us to get you one that isn't?" and if by this time you haven't realized how absurd it is to be buying something as if it were new, when it really isn't, then you can once again say what has now been adopted as your catch phrase.
I just want to say that we open all our games... and we have a sign sheet where we can take the games home and play it... that way we can get info on the games and let you guys know if the games are good or not... so for all you idiots who think its for security its not... its really a way for ebgames to make extra money... when retards sell their used games we check it out and if it looks near mint we consider it new.... so in fact you guys are paying for a used game but at the price of a "new game" while ebgames pockets an extra 10 or so bucks...
Ok as I browsed looking for something interesting to read on, I come across this topic. something which offends me seeing as how I myself am a GameStop employee for over 6 months. this actual topic is over speculated and has been blown way out of per portion. The fact that people (as posted) have been doing underhanded things such as raping up merchandise which was taken in as used is just wrong or is with out a doubt not a normal problem at every store. I myself am only an game advisor who has been to numerous stores and has been and still very much is a customer for a long time. These accusations that we scam customers over is so old and tiring to hear that it makes me crazy when customers are face to face with me and actually have the nerve to think such a thing.
The main and only true reason that a person would be given a opened case and notified that it was new, and believe me this is a LAST RESORT, is for the fact that if it is a very popular game or something which is so old that we actually have one last new copy of it that then and only then will it be given to the customer after stating that it is the very last new copy we have in the store. The reasoning for such a thing is that when we get shipments of new games, they must be “gutted†in order for a display case to be put on the wall. FOR ANYONE WHO THINKS WE GET DISPLAY CASES SENT TO US IS OUT OF YOUR MIND. For security purposes we do no allow any pricey materials such as systems or games to be displayed in the open for people to touch since there is in fact many stores such as my own which is in a open area that one could grab and run or even pocket it while we were getting another game and pass it off as we didn’t get them that game just yet.
Nobody in our line of work can get away with such acts if committed for long since I know first hand that in the past 2 months a grand theft crime was committed with one of my old workers. He is now being tracked and will most likely be put in jail for a very long time.
So please stop with the accusations and actually take the time to think about where we are coming from before you start pointing fingers. We do our best to make sure you leave the store happy or at least give you the option to.
I think it's crap, no matter why they do it. They've tried to sell me "new" display copies several times and I stop them in their tracks and tell them I only want it factory sealed. They look at me like I'm crazy sometimes but I couldn't care less. If I'm paying full price, I want to be the first person to open it and have the piece of mind that no one else has touched the game.
So now games are the same as food? I'd like to think of games as a magazine in the magazine rack or a book from the book store... After all, we are talking about entertainment here and not produce...
Totally, who cares if the game is already open. Most people open their games when they get home, so what's the big deal. If it's open, just be sure you look at the disc before the final ringout.
Be smart when you buy a gutted copy of a game. Buy or go elsewhere. The associates don't control the purchase, the consumers do.
I see your point and I'm not avoiding it, you see an opened computer at Best Buy, they aren't selling the one on display (mostly because of things that could have been put on it from customers - porn, obscenities, ect) and they tell you that it's out of stock and that they will give you a raincheck... Games on the other hand, if you're EVER given a rain check for a brand new Gitaroo Man, let me know because I'd love to get a sealed copy to sell on ebay!!!! Point being, this sealed or unsealed battle you have is stupid.
Looking at the market value aspect... Isn't it true that a new car is worth 100% of it's value when it has 0 miles on it? Well then why do they let you test drive it before you buy it? My wife's car was sold to her with 6,000 miles on it.
yes we do that but they are then sold as USED.......jeeze keep thinking we are the bad guys imean everyone is perfect rite? rite?
they gave me used price. Little did they know I had made a tiny slice in the package where I slid in a note to the future buyer saying that this was a used memory stick and gave them my name and address...
We took them to court and won.
This is more than just a rip off to the customers, it's also dishonest in that they could also be ripping off the manufacturers. The original manufacturer doesn't make any money off of used games. In fact, it's almost equatable with piracy except that there's only 1 KNOWN copy exchanging hands. Gamestop makes almost 100% profit off of those games, 'cept for what they pay you in store credit (which is very llittle) and even then if there's even a slight scratch, auto 5 bucks off. So if they are selling used games as new, or opening new games, and then using them as display before sellng them they can write off the new game for any multitude of reasons and cheat the game companies out of money.
But... I also could just be making stuff up and guessing and making myself sound nice with that little intro on used games and could possibly just really dislike Gamestop and use any excuse to bash it...
Or both could be true >.>
That is a very true statement, but do you want to know a funnier one........
"Of course this is your baby, Why?"
"Well, it looks like it's about six years old."
"Oh no, your child is just very mature."
Huh, well is it too late to get an abortion, or can we maybe just put it back?."
Well, our doctors office has a strict return policy, after YOU have touched it, we can't take it back, but we can buy it back, for pennies on the dollar."
"Well that seems a little unfair."
"Well, how are we supposed to make money off of it now that it's USED."
"Ok. I can understand that, we'll take the in hospital credit for an adoption."
LATER.....
"Here's your new baby."
"Dear lord! That baby looks like it's six years old."
"Oh no, I can assure you this is brand new."
This has happened to me twice now. I went to buy nba live 2007 from eb and I was shocked when he handed me a case that was no shrink wrapped. I felt like I was buying A USED GAME. I kindly asked for a sealed one and I got one no big deal. Same thing happened when I brought resistance. Its a cheap way to buy games imo. If I pay 60 I want to remove shrink wrap.
Ever tried getting the crappy labels they put on the games' cases off? Gunks up your case and makes it look ugly and if you DO get it off it leaves so much sticky on it that it collects all types of dust and dirt on it and makes you wanna keep your case in some distant corner of the collection so nobody can see it. I like my games to look nice thankyouverymuc h not end up like my Final Fantasy Tactics Advance with a sticker emblazoned across the entire cartradge so that it wouldn't go in and that it got the cartridge label ripped off making it look like *****. *takes deep breath* Yeah, and the other stuff that I got from them sucked too... and c'mon, they sell used games for like 5 bucks less, if that sometimes. All they care about is money, like all other retailers do, but they're just a bit more underhanded (and cheaty) than the rest.
i hate when u buy a game from gamestop and they try to make u pre order a game and also when u trade in a new game that cost $60 and its brand spankin new they give u about $25 or $15
once i got scream at to preorder scarface...
Well, first of all, why would you even buy new games at EB or GameStop? If I wanna buy a new game, I just go to a Future Shop or Best Buy. I understand how some people could find this acceptable, but still. It's not that games are that significant, but its just the principal of the matter. If I pay full price for something labeled "NEW" I want it to have a factory seal, and I should be the first person to touch it. If I was to put on gloves, take the game out, play it for a few seconds, put it back in the case and reseal it perfectly, how is the game different from a new one? I guess no one could tell, but it should now be labeled "USED" and sell for a few bucks cheaper. I don't really care about games, but what if stores did that for more expensive items? What if you bought a PS3, and the guy brought out a box and a PS3, and offered to pack it up for you like new, but you would still pay full price?
we ask you to preorder because of the fact that the higher ups are no longer going to send us enough copies of games for atleast a week after they are released unless they are preordered or sold out of preordered like the up coming wiiplay. for the fact that you get that much less when trading in a game is not up to us. this is how it works: we only take games if they can be refurbished (which are sent back to corporate to be fixed) or if they are good. otherwise we do not take them. we decide if they are good or not by looking at them and thinking as a customer would and say if we ourselves would buy this or not. as for the price, the computer determines how much you get based on the age of the game as well as the condition if its good or refurbished
sad thing is that we all agree as employees lol
that whole system thing does not fly so dont even think about it. as for the games, we are not as big of stores or have as much security as best buy so do not compare us to them.
ok kamui... once again we have someone who blames the people working when we have absolutly nothing to do with the pricing. its a damn network where the corporation as a whole decides the price not us. as for the labels sorry but they are sticky and intended to say on the games while in the store so we dont have 800 questions a day asking how much something is because we will go nuts. and your final fantasy tactics im sad to say is one of those trade ins that are as is with nothing but the game so where would you like a sticker applied?
thank you someone can see the light in out ways
I can definitely see both sides to this and why the stores do this, heck I have bought several of these so called last copies. I am sure for the most part that it is legit, but there are also some I am sure that take advantage of the customer and do resale games that were sold as new games and that truly is wrong and that is how this article started out. For the ones that are just opened for display and never sold then I don't have too much of a problem with that but if it was sold new before and left the store and then returned and bought back for trade in value only to be resold as new then that is just wrong. Just like I will not buy their used games that they still consider new releases because they only knock off about $5 from the price and that is just not enough for me to get a used copy but that is my personal preference. If I am buying used I want a bigger discount than that. So for the honest ones that is cool but don't forget that there are some I am sure that are hustling you trying to get double profits.
ok once again the games we take home to try are brought back and issued used. and even at that, if anything happens to the game at all such as scratch's then we are forced to buy the game
they probably sell a "new" games to friends for the used price and repackage used and marked them as new.
ok for your opinion on the used pricing differences we can agree but once again we cannot do anything other then offer the value card to get 10% more on trade ins and 10% off on used games and accessories. as for the thought that we can even attempt to resell the games as new again cannot be since when traded in, a sticker is printed out to signify that we now have it. even if we tried to reprint a "New" sticker we cannot since the computer knows what we have in our shipments and after or even during that time it wont print anything other than what is there or supposed to be there
read my reply above and see how wrong you are.....o and if you actually look at the games you guys will notice this.......there are 3 stickers: one on the top right, one on the side cover for scanning purposes and one on the back barcode to prevent scanning used as new or new as used (even tho that isnt possible for the second one since barcodes hold the new price).
The only real gripe I have about gamestop is their whole pre-order push practice. I know this is a corporate thing and the employee is just doing their job but I keep track of games and know what I want and preorder them ahead of time, so it is kind of an annoyance to have to go through this everytime I go to get my game. Some employees are pretty pushy on this offering 4-5 different suggestions of games even though I have told them no and I know what I want. It would just be nice to be able to get my game, pay, and leave without the hassle.
I used to work at a babbages (now gamestop) several years back, and this was the way things were done back then too. It always rubbed me the wrong way, mainly because we would take the discs out along with the part of the cd case they rested in (I'm talking ps1 days here) and we'd shrinkwrap it. Yes, we'd point a heat gun directly at the game disc. Smart.
Also, we had an employee checkout program (the real reason I got the job) where we could take home new games to try them out. The problem with that is that we'd wrap 'em back up and call 'em new. We'd put games into our display systems, leave them on for the entire business day, usually for a week or two. This is a factor to consider especially in the ps1 where so much heat got to the disc. These games were VERY used, and we'd still sell them as new. Used to piss me off.
Anyway, I recommend you never buy an opened game from gamestop, 'cuz you have no idea what it's been through.
as you mentioned this is corporate who wants this of us. if it were up to me then i wouldnt even bother which i dont half the time because there are in fact others like yourself. but for the sake of the people who dont know god of war from spongebob we are supposed to list off games that might come to interest in a persons future buying experience from us. i only bring up the release list if someone asks what will be comming out in the next 1-3 months such as with the ps3 since they need something other than resistence.
how can anyone say that an opened game/movie/any optical media is new if it looks "new"? does any one here even know the specifications of any optical media? if you did im sure you could see that an opened "New" disc is in fact not new.let me explain further
Every DVD consists of two very thin polycarbonate discs, called substrates, that are bonded together and sealed to form a completed disc. a layer called the label is "printed" on the first layer. then at the bottom of that layer is a bonding layer. added then right on top of that a reflective material is layered on it. finally the last polycarbonate layer is put on top of that to form the completed disc.
why is this even relevant well the bottom polycarboante layer serves as a protective layer which is a certain thickness. if the protective layer that is put on top of the reflective material is scratched it can easily be sanded down past the scratches maximum depth then buffed out to fill the holes. effectively turning a badly scratched disc into a "NEW" one. the device that is used to do the sanding varies in quality and effectiveness it is called a disc resufacing machine. now what is the difference in a new and sanded "new" disc in terms of what is on the disc nothing but in terms of the discs quality everything. for one the discs initial protective standard is now thinner in which even a minor scratch could result in permanent damage. or even result in the disc being unreadable by a laser device that was calibrated to read past a certain thickness.
now please dont say that these game stores dont have this kind of machine because they do. now before any retard says "oh i bought one of those machines its called a disc dr or some other stupid name" as i said these machines vary in effectiveness and quality you my have paid what $80 for your resurfacing machine? huge corporations like gamestop or even hollywood video pay up to $2000+ dollars for these machines.
dont be so ignorant to say if the disc is in "MINT" condition then it must be new. even a badly damaged disc can be made to look and operate like a mint game.
the moral of this post: just because a couterfeit dollar looks feels and smells like a dollar doesnt make it a REAL dollar now does it.
IF ITS OPENED THEN IT IS USED AND SHOULD NOT BE SOLD AS NEW. You wouldnt buy a dvd player if it was taken out of the box stored away god knows where and then placed into a damaged box for full price would you why should anyone pay for full price for anything else that is treated in this manner.
As stated by many others, this is not a conspiracy to sell used as new. I used to work as GameStop, in fact in a manager position. The copy that this paricular person is referring to is called a "gut". We take the game out right when we receive it from the box, put it in a plastic bag with the instructions and file it away, putting the empty box out for display either behind the glass case or on the shelves or both. Would you really think a story was worth your business if they didnt show you what they were selling? Must have been a slow news day for this one to come out :-/
Yeah that is why I am always nice to the employees because I know you are just doing your job, I just wish that the corporate side would get this message and quit this. I have always had friends at eb and when gamestop bought them out most of them left but I have always been a loyal customer to them for this but have considered stopping buying from gamestop just because of this hassle. I do like to preorder and in my town gamestop is the only place to do so, therefore I am stuck with them if I want to preorder. I know that they are just trying to increase sales and in some cases I am sure it does but to us avid gamers that buy more games than the ones this tactic works on, it makes us want to go somewhere else where we don't get hassled. Again though I understand it is not the employee, I am sure they could care less. lol
the bottom line is, if you bought a new unopened game and then proceeded to open it at the very same counter WITHOUT LEAVING THE STORE OR THE CLERKS SIGHT, and tried to return it, guess what. it's fricking used holmes. all that BS about needing a display case. are you people really that friggin stupid. you see the "coming soon" cases in the same phucking section. you mean to tell me they can't just print a copy of the game case slip and use one of those extra cases they got instead of opening a perfectly fine copy and using that. sounds pretty damn suspect to me. it's fruad plain and simple. yet another why to rip off gamers. last copy should be sealed like the first copy, go into any eletronics store and ask about the display items being sold. if the store actually sells them, it's at a great discount for being opened. part of the deal of being "new" is NOT HAVING THE CASE MAN-HANDLED by alot of random people. don't believe the hype they give you about it still being new. HOW ARE THEY GONNA TELL WHEN YOU RETURN. it's just as easy to claim fraud on your for having an open game case and a receipt for a "new" copy. who do you think the cops would believe if they choose that course of action against you. wise up, if they pull that BS open case carp on you, walk away, goto wal-mart or target or whatever major chain and buy the same game for the same price SEALED.
END OF STORY!
its considered new because it hasnt left the store. games are routinely open in all videogame stores of customers to try out. next time you dont know if a game is goodor not, ask to play it in the store. they will let you. game crazy allows customers to play in store all the time. they sell open product as new because its technically not used until it has been traded in. its a better deal to buy a opened game that you have been able to try it out, than to go home with a sucky game thats wrapped. who cares about the plastic? you rip it off 10 seconds after you buy it anyway. as long as it works its all good. if it doesnt, thats why they have return policies...
i hate when u buy a game from gamestop and they try to make u pre order a game and also when u trade in a new game that cost $60 and its brand spankin new they give u about $25 or $15
once i got scream at to preorder scarface...
any comment about this?
Some of you guys make me mad. Why should I get over it? If I sell a game on ebay as new and it arrives open I'm going to get bad feedback or maybe worse. Yet half of the people on these forums are ticked off that some of us don't like the way video game stores are selling used items as new.
If for any reason a game is open it is then a USED game. It is common sense and if you want to buy a used game at full price then I have tons of them for sell all unscratched for you.
Your right, there are better ways then opening them.
I used to work at Gamestop and the only way someone would get into that situation was if the one on display was the absolute last copy in the store. Offering to shrink wrap was a bad move. Customers have 3 choices
1. Check if there are any scratches before purchased
2. Look somewhere else for the game.
3. Listen to the clerk on why it is opened (most likely cause of it being the last one in the store)
If They really wanted to do that, they can get it refurbished. The proof being thst when you trade in a game thats scratched up, they'll charge you to get it refurbished anyways. If they really wanted to do that they could, but I doubt it. I also know that it is very easy to resurface disks and only takes a few minutes. I mean come on t costs $1 to get it done at coconuts. Enough with the *****ing conspiracy theories already.
was a GS manager for about a year, and i had people say the same thing to me. Here's the deal, we dont live in a perfect world and unfortunatly people steal. So we cant display brand new games Unopened out on the Shelf. people steal cases all the time, so its a good thing we dont put the real ones out there. We also need to give people a Display of our New games, so when we get new games, we "gut" one of them and put the rest behind the counter. we put the "gut" in a protective sleeve or case, never been played before at all. if you by chance get a "gut" copy, then consider yourself lucky cuz you just got the Last copy of the game.
they don't have to buy it, they just pay to get it resurfaced.
first of all this is a blog site... and teh need for "guts" is simply Outdated... and as pointed out before.. not every open game sold as new IS new...
DISPLAY COPIES SHOULD NOT BE SOLD AT FULL PRICE. End of story. Because tehy are no longer new ... its been opened. EB wont give cash back for opened items... why should peopel pay full price for it?
According to what the employee called a "misfiling," despite the fact that I've worked at a GameStop and the stickers are printed in triplicate to make such a mistake impossible.. I was sold a used copy of MegaMan ZX for DS at NEW price because the employee was dead certain it was a new copy with the wrong sticker. I KNOW it was used because upon powering up the game next door at StarBucks, it had two saves at 6 and 8 hours. I was infuriated, but considering that I don't give that much of a ***** about $5.. I let it go. I deleted the incriminating saves and went about my business with a slightly red face and took deep breathes, lol.
Here in Australia, nearly every game store does that, theres no problem with it here.
Jacking maxconsole stories is fun!
http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=14063
And that wouldn't mean anything. Moron.
Hello,
Unfortunately, the same problems happen everywhere, and here in France too. Last year, I wanted to buy the Silent Hill Collection for PS2. I could only find it in one of the shops I went to, and it was a shop that I really dislike : they're called "Score Games", and they're the biggest video game shops in France, although they suck. Anyway, I went to the counter with an empty box of the game, which was on display (note: Score Games ALWAYS put a dozen of empty boxes, of most games, on display... wtf?), and I see the employee take the manual and the DVDs out of a drawer. The DVD's were "slid" (dunno if that's the right word, sorry) between the pages of the manual, directly, without any plastic envelop or anything to protect them... -_- I asked if I could have an unopened copy of the game, but of course he said that he didn't have any - obviously, since those idiots always put 10-12 empty boxes of "big" games on display...
Off-topic note : I also had other problems with this shop - Score Games definitely sucks. The worst one happened a few months ago : I wanted to buy a used copy of the first episode of "Untold Legends" for PSP. So, I bought it and went to a cafe to try out my new game before coming back home... I opened the box, and thought : WTF????????? The game was in awful shape : the disk was horribly scratched, and even the plastic part of the UMD was broken!!! I mean, come on, how could these stupidly dumb employees could even ACCEPT to buy this game, and how could they dare sell it??? It's obvious that they didn't even look at it when they bought it, let alone try it... I did try it, although it could have *****ed up my PSP, and of course, the game didn't even launch... So I brought it back immediately, and the employee tried it and said "Oh you're right, it doesn't work.". Dip*****! -_- One thing is sure : I won't ever buy anything from score games again.
Oh, and back on topic... Those shops say that they put empty boxes on display to avoid thieves... Ok, maybe! But I don't know about other shops, but score games shops also have an employee waiting near the exit, to stop anyone trying to steal stuff...
Hello,
Unfortunately, the same problems happen everywhere, and here in France too. Last year, I wanted to buy the Silent Hill Collection for PS2. I could only find it in one of the shops I went to, and it was a shop that I really dislike : they're called "Score Games", and they're the biggest video game shops in France, although they suck. Anyway, I went to the counter with an empty box of the game, which was on display (note: Score Games ALWAYS put a dozen of empty boxes, of most games, on display... wtf?), and I see the employee take the manual and the DVDs out of a drawer. The DVD's were "slid" (dunno if that's the right word, sorry) between the pages of the manual, directly, without any plastic envelop or anything to protect them... -_- I asked if I could have an unopened copy of the game, but of course he said that he didn't have any - obviously, since those idiots always put 10-12 empty boxes of "big" games on display...
Off-topic note : I also had other problems with this shop - Score Games definitely sucks. The worst one happened a few months ago : I wanted to buy a used copy of the first episode of "Untold Legends" for PSP. So, I bought it and went to a cafe to try out my new game before coming back home... I opened the box, and thought : WTF????????? The game was in awful shape : the disk was horribly scratched, and even the plastic part of the UMD was broken!!! I mean, come on, how could these stupidly dumb employees could even ACCEPT to buy this game, and how could they dare sell it??? It's obvious that they didn't even look at it when they bought it, let alone try it... I did try it, although it could have *****ed up my PSP, and of course, the game didn't even launch... So I brought it back immediately, and the employee tried it and said "Oh you're right, it doesn't work.". Dip*****! -_- One thing is sure : I won't ever buy anything from score games again.
Oh, and back on topic... Those shops say that they put empty boxes on display to avoid thieves... Ok, maybe! But I don't know about other shops, but score games shops also have an employee waiting near the exit, to stop anyone trying to steal stuff...
I was at Eb a while ago looking for GTA VCS for my psp. I couldnt find any on the shelves. So i asked one of the people working there if there were any new games of GTA VCS. she went into the back room and handed me a sealed copy of gta vcs, and then walked off. Since it was boxing day and the store was crowded i could have easily just walked out of the store with my new game. but, i decided to stay on the safe side nd just pay anyway... (it was only $40 AUD)
uhm, they do that in GAME here and no one complains. Its a ***** system, but we dont sell preowned as new. If it happens its because the staff a *****tards
A new game includes a new manual and a new case. I have known about this for a long time, and it is such BS. My girlfriend recently bought a copy of Paper Mario that was "new". It was the last copy however, and they grabbed the disc from a little baggie in a drawer. Now, sure the game worked perfectly and all... but the fact remains that the case was completely beat up to hell because 3902930293 grubby teenagers and little kids had been handling it for the past 3-4 months before it was sold. Not to mention they sealed it up with one of those "used" stickers across the opening which leaves gunky ***** all over it..
I don't know about you guys, but if some random person is flipping through my game manual in the store before I buy it, it's clearly not a new copy of the game no matter how you want to put it. There should be a discount in place for these gutted versions. Simple as that.
Nothing is better then a factory FRESH game, removing the official seals off a case just means your getting it fresh. To some people like our buddy Munn, getting a fresh game is that important. Also, on the EBgames/Gamestop re-packaged/brand new games, they put ALL KINDS of store stickers on the case advertising 10% off with trade in or whatever "deal" they are doing, it sucks. If you want a true factory sealed game, buy online, or at independant game stores, and you won't have to be burdened by the corporate machine. Really, people don't care about you or what you get, they just want your money, so think twice about where you shop, and who you support.
This is the system they've always used in the UK, you pick up the box off the shelf, take it to the counter and they grab the disc and manual out the cabinets upon cabinets of new discs, place it all carefully inside the box, and there you have it, a NEW game.
And it's certainly new as each disc comes in a little packet to stop it being scratched (which they take it out of before putting it in the box), AND there's a different set of cabinets for preowned games.
It's all just a security thing, I have no problem with it at all. If it saves the shops money and stops people stealing games, that's cool with me.
One final note:
"The box is open so my game is devalued!" your point is? You're going to take it out when you get home anyway!
I've had this happen to me about 30% of the time when I shop at my local EB. They are a small store and quite often don't get enough copies of games.
The first time this happened, I was a little upset, but I quickly realized it was a theft-prevention system and it let me read the ACTUAL PACKAGE, instead of a fake box that may be slightly different or a freaking card that IS different. Or having to ask a clerk to see the game and have them stand over me while I read.
I'll take the current way, thanks.
If it bothers you, simply say 'Oh, I wanted an unopened one.' They are then going to tell you that it's new, and the last one. Simply don't buy it. Buy it somewhere else, or wait until they get an unopened one in stock.
Nobody is forcing you to buy the last copy of the game that they have.
I used to work for GAME, and the way we had to gut game boxes and stuff the discs into drawers made me raise an eyebrow more than once. The discs (mainly PS2) would regularly get scratched, and the instruction manuals certainly couldn't be called "new" anymore.
The solution to all this is simple: buy online. That way you're guaranteed a nice, sealed copy and it'll be cheaper, too. Hit up somewhere like gamestracker.com (I don't work for them, don't worry) to compare prices.
To those who say they like to read the case back to make a purchase decision, you have the internet for crying out loud! Read some reviews, look at screenshots and read what people are saying in forums (use omgili.com to search just in forums). The back of a case is designed to sell you a game; it doesn't contribute much towards an informed purchase.
How would you feel if you went to Blockbuster to buy a movie and they sell you a pre-visioned one as "new"? For the same price...? Because they rent their movie "once" and then sell it afterward to keep the dvd being rent intact... in other word they "rotate" their DVD so that to ensure you rent a scratchless/watchable DVD.
Gamestop's situation might not sound as bad, but I consider it the same. Some store clerk aren't careful with what they handle... Not just that, but what about the registration card that was supposed to be included? the free magazine offer card? the Yu-Gi-Ho collector card?
If Gamestop want's to display the game they should buy empty case and make photocopies of the case insert... and keep the "factory sealed" game behind the counter and maybe in another locked display.
Gamespot SUCKS!
I've had many friends work at a local Gamestop, and that opened game might just have BEEN played. However, with any CD based game, as long as the game is unscratched and undamaged in any way, it shouldn't really matter. Besides, they usually have multiple copies of "New" games that still ARE shrinkwrapped in their cabinets behind the counter. If they don't, and you REALLY don't want an opened CD game, then don't buy it.
DS and GBA games are different, however. They when preplayed, are instantly screwed. Stuff can be saved to their carts. Therefore, they really shouldn't be checked out by imployees.
All game stores in the UK do this to stop theft.
Only mail order sell sealed games.
some of these comments are stupid...
I walk into an EB and just ask if they have a sealed copy of whatever, and they get it for me. if they dont have a sealed copy, then the case on the shelf is the last one available and they take it out because it is out on display... but i guess everyone is good where i live, no one is out to get you with "used games" oh no!
Does your game work when you get it from EB/GAMESTOP etc? Then shut up! If it has no scratches on it, then it is new. Little GEEKY kids with nothing good to do but argue about some platic wrap? Please give me a freaking break
If I pay for a new game, I want a NEW never opened, never used game. I'll just take my business elsewhere, or pay used game prices for a used game.
I don't shop those places because I can find better prices on ebay. Nothing is ever on sale, just retail prices on everything. Come on, they charge only $10 less for a used PS2 then a new one! I wonder if they do that with "new" consoles too.
If Any of you were actually SMART, you would file a class action lawsuit.......
yea i get it and before i worked here i felt the same but the only reason we do such things is there are company events where the person who does the best stats wise wins a prize like my asst manager just won a xbox 360........but imean other then that its our only way to actually make money on new games which is through a preorder, other then that like i said it goes directly to the company who made the game
I used to work for Gamestop. They always pushed us to sell used games. They make so much more $$$ selling used compared to new games.
My local store had every copy of 1 game opened. They said that they put them all on the shelf and have to take out the DVD's to prevent them from bing stolen.
If you don't tell a manager things are going to keep happening like this. If you would have told it could have helped the next guy buying a game.
EB games had all of their Guild Wars boxes opened with the CD's taken out of them. I asked them why they did that and they said that they wanted to prevent people from stealing the games. I asked if I could like at the user manuals in the boxes and they said I could.
I took the Access Key Cards out of all of the boxes when I was looking at the manuals. They had no idea that with Guild Wars you don't need the CD's because you can download the client from their website. The Access Key is the only real thing of value in those boxes. I ended up with the original Guild Wars, Factions and Nightfall and have been loving the game. I sold the rest of the Access Key Cards on Ebay for $30. Not a bad deal if you ask me.
This is 1 of the reasons i stopped going to gay ass Gamestop...just go to Game Crazy or Best Buy
Who cares, just joined this board and see that you idiots are having a GREAT DEBATE about EB Games and Gamestop..if you don't want to pay, don't buy it!! Seriously.
Who cares, just joined this board and see that you idiots are having a GREAT DEBATE about EB Games and Gamestop..if you don't want to pay, don't buy it!! Seriously.
is pretty sad that people that visit this type of sites still buys games on a "seal" box when they should have enough knowleadge to get the games free of charge!
A few weeks ago i bought an "new" xbox 360.
I got it home only to find that there were no factory seals or protective coverings for the chrome. when we are paying hundreds of dollars for merchandise we should at least be getting the real deal.
This pissed me off as well. I own a couple of games (Zelda & Final Fantasy) which are still sealed to this day. Why? Because I have an unsealed version which I already played. While this is an old practice, I think it should be brought up again.
If this is for security I find it pointless, how many times have you accidentally broken the case for a game? Well you can just go to EB/Gamestop and pick yourself up a "new" case.
Another issue this raises is that the case is handled by hundreds of other people. This will result in excessive fingerprints, damage, and medical contamination (theres a chance okay?)
Now I do not know why you people are arguing, that they are displaying games so consumers know what they are buying.
1) Real people, usually go to a store KNOWING what they want to buy.
2) At stores such as Bestbuy you can still read the back of the box. It is just in that large security thing.
3) At EB/Gamestop they also have like 4 boxes of the same game for display. Why? Instead of that they can keep the other 3 sealed.
4) Can't they just ask the companies to send them a display case?
This pissed me off as well. I own a couple of games (Zelda & Final Fantasy) which are still sealed to this day. Why? Because I have an unsealed version which I already played. While this is an old practice, I think it should be brought up again.
If this is for security I find it pointless, how many times have you accidentally broken the case for a game? Well you can just go to EB/Gamestop and pick yourself up a "new" case.
Another issue this raises is that the case is handled by hundreds of other people. This will result in excessive fingerprints, damage, and medical contamination (theres a chance okay?)
Now I do not know why you people are arguing, that they are displaying games so consumers know what they are buying.
1) Real people, usually go to a store KNOWING what they want to buy.
2) At stores such as Bestbuy you can still read the back of the box. It is just in that large security thing.
3) At EB/Gamestop they also have like 4 boxes of the same game for display. Why? Instead of that they can keep the other 3 sealed.
4) Can't they just ask the companies to send them a display case?
I guess this is another reason to never go into an EBGames or Gamespot. I normally pick up my games at a Target or Wal-Mart. Sometimes I will even get them a day early.
Wow that is Bull&#@$... the stupid employees probably open all their games and rip ISOs and try to wrap the games back up so they can still make money off of them... I would definitely not buy that &#@$!
i walked into an ebgames with my ps2 and alot of other extra shizz... i half felt bad i was about to trade my playstation 2 for a nintendo ds, but at that time it seemed like a good idea. i traded it all in and after having to repeat to them three times, they finally gave me an extra 20 dollars on the ps2 like it said on the website, and im 100% positive they wouldent have given me the 20 bucks, unless i asked...
anyway, i got about 120 for all that stuff, and i was happy, i only had to pay another 10 bucks for a shiney unused one... little did i know... i hate used. I hate the idea that somebody before me used and touched that game im going to buy, and it is now scratched a little and IS NOT NEW, so i buy new stuff as much as possible. so, hey, i could get a new ds for only 10 extra bucks, why not?
i paid the man the money ( i ended up paying around 100 bucks, evan with the 120 bucks i got from the ps2 also, cuz i bought 2 games too and the warrenty, and the other 10 bucks for a new ds ) so the guy goes to the back ( which was weird becuase there were like 5 new, or what i thought were new ds's on the shelf behind the counter ) and gets me my ds... so he scans it a couple of times, and i walk away for a second to choose and pick the games i want, and then i returned. i noticed the seal was broken, but i thought he opend the box to get the ds, and scan it into the system. i went home and opened the broken sealed box. it immediatly starts and tells me the correct time, whcih i thought was odd, and it doesent ask me for my nick name, or a name at all. and the time was correct also... usually you have to set the time and all that... so i go into the settings, and there is already a nickname inputed, it was ELENOR. odd. i start playing anyway, becuase i know some systems give you a funny name so you would have to change it.when i start a game, i noticed 17 dead pixels ( i counted ). i got back into the car, and drove back to the store, and complained about the pixels, they handed me another ds ( which was sealed ) and i was on my way back home, this time i was happy cuz it was sealed. this time when i turned it on, it asked for the time, my name, and the date, and thats when i knew those mother fu***** screwed, or tried to screw me over for 10 bucks extra i paid for a new ds!
i dident complain becuas if they said 2 simple words "proove it" i couldent, the gamestop already took the first ( used ) ds back, and would never return it, obviosly...
to this day, i dont accept any games ( or systems ) with a broken seal if i bought them "new". This situation happened to me, and i demanded a plastic sealed one, and i told him i want it to be a factory plastic seal and "not your crappy new seals" lol
btw, guy who wrote this article, i do not consider any game that is taken out of its box by its retailer as new! you shouldent either!!!
i remember when kindom heats 2 first came out. i wanted it badly so i went to gamestop and bought it. but when i asked for it the person working there got an empty case and the game out of the drawer. then they gave it to me and said, "Oh don't worry its brand new we just keep it in the drawers." little did i know that the disc was all scratched. so when i went home about to play it and when i took the game out i saw that da back of the disk was all messed up and scratched. i was like MOTHER*****ER! the cute part was when i tried to return it. they said it was opened so i couldnt return it. i was like -.- i didnt want to start any trouble so i just walked away.
i remember when kindom heats 2 first came out. i wanted it badly so i went to gamestop and bought it. but when i asked for it the person working there got an empty case and the game out of the drawer. then they gave it to me and said, "Oh don't worry its brand new we just keep it in the drawers." little did i know that the disc was all scratched. so when i went home about to play it and when i took the game out i saw that da back of the disk was all messed up and scratched. i was like MOTHER*****ER! the cute part was when i tried to return it. they said it was opened so i couldnt return it. i was like -.- i didnt want to start any trouble so i just walked away.
i like it when eb games and gamestop steal my money they earned it
Lo Mismo me paso a mi, cuando trate de coprar el juego Residentevil4. Yo al darme *****a de que lla estaba abierto exiji una copia sellada. Me dijeron que era el ultimo juego que tenian y que si no lo queria esperara a que llegaran mas. Porsupuesto que espere el siguiente shipment de juegos.
EB games had all of their Guild Wars boxes opened with the CD's taken out of them. I asked them why they did that and they said that they wanted to prevent people from stealing the games. I asked if I could like at the user manuals in the boxes and they said I could.
I took the Access Key Cards out of all of the boxes when I was looking at the manuals. They had no idea that with Guild Wars you don't need the CD's because you can download the client from their website. The Access Key is the only real thing of value in those boxes. I ended up with the original Guild Wars, Factions and Nightfall and have been loving the game. I sold the rest of the Access Key Cards on Ebay for $30. Not a bad deal if you ask me.
nice, but aybabtu. MOOHWAHWA
Don't they offer some sort of disc warranty with every game you buy? I forget what it's called, but they charge about $5 for it, I think. Maybe they should give one of them free of charge with any opened "new" game.
I think it does matter. I notice that at my local Gamestop...Right across the highway...almost all the games on the shelves are empties. The open even 10 copies of the game and use a whole shelf for games like Gears of War and all the games are put in the cases when it is time to sell. I purchased at least 2 games from them like this, but after reading this post, I don't think I will anymore. There is a Target in the same damn parking lot as the Gamestop, so I will go there for my games from now on. In this case, I see that Gamestop is actually letting employees use these games sometimes, but there is no way of knowing if it was really used or not. So to save me confusion...when I spend $60 for a game it will only be a SEALED copy and if gamestop can't do it, then I will go to another retailer.
Haha FYE does the exact same thing bought a said new game from there and what did they do take it out behind the counter and say its new poped the cd and manual in the game box and said here ya go then when i went to inspect the game it was all scratched up so don't even tell me they do it for security purposes and they have security crap too best buy i'd have to say is better at least there you know your game it comming to you new
they've been doing that at EBgames in Canada for years now...... that's if it's the last copy though and they're using the case as a display.
I'm sorry, but the store I work for only lends out USED versions of the games, not new gutted copies. If that's all we have, we're out of luck.
I know it's EB/Gamestop's policy to lend out any game to employees, even new gutted copies, but we just don't do that at our store.
And the other employees who say that even the cases have a habit of dissapearing from the shelves is right. Those that are looking to steal a game for themselves take the case thinking that there's something inside. It's happened so many times that I've lost count.
Any stores that are taking used merchandise and is selling it as new product is violating policy, whether or not the product is in great condition or not. Y'know, let the store manager know about it. Let someone at another GS/EB know about it. Word spreads around and those folks that sell the product like that may very well get heavily reprimanded.
I really don't understand anyone who refuses to believe they could possibly be sold a technically used game at a new game price. Maybe not ALL stores do it, but I'm sure a vast majority of them "gut" the cases and let their employees play it and turn around to sell it as new. If you're smart, you'd check out an unopened game and look for scratches and imperfections yourself instead of just taking the salespeople's word for it. And if you don't, you have no right to complain. It's so tempting and EASY for employees to take advantage of this "company policy" that I'm sure even the most honest ones would jump at the opportunity. Whoever can't see that needs a serious reality check. And I can't stress this enough.. anyone who doesn't check out a "new" game for imperfections THEMSELVES, but takes someone's word for it instead, deserves to get ripped off. Seriously, if there's nothing seriously wrong with it, who cares? Save your money and don't buy it or get one used. Life is unfair. Just get a job at a GameStop or something and take advantage of it yourself. If you can't beat em, join em.
how is what he said untrue dreary because he clearly stated that the only time we give a person a display copy is if its the VERY LAST copy in the store that has never been played before aka new
ok lets answer ur questions one at a time
1) untrue because if you sat at one of our stores and counted the amount of people who just gaze at the games on the wall and not buy them or even ask us about them then you might shoot urself
2)we cant do that same thing since unlike bestbuy we do not have security sitting at our doors 24/7 since the store sizes are a huge difference
3)those multiple boxes are used games which are not in the same boat as the new ones. as for the new ones they are different boxes such as if we get Socom CA then months later get the Greatest Hits edition then we must gut a single copy of that aswell
and finally 4) no you insane little person because that would cost our company more money which as you know any company does not like to lose money and im pretty damn sure the game developers do not want to waste time sending us displays and not every other damn store in the world
yes we offer warrantys which range from 1-3$ depending on the price. this covers anything at all other then theft or losing it meaning u could literally break it in front of us after purchase and we get u another one. these warrantys last for a year
exactly but unfortunatly nobody here will listen to us since apparently we are the enemies to society
why cant everyone see things like u
OK, yeah EB games is f'ing you. You have NO IDEA how often these games are used to play by workers, in machines. And you still buy them as new, it should be illegal what they do.
I went and look around because I wanted to buy a burnout game. found a box for burnout3 ps2 that says "new" so I assumed Id take it to the desk so they would know what game i was talking about. He took the box walked and opend some drawer and was about to put the game in the case. So I asked him
Me: "Why isn't the game seald ??"
(GS)Gamestop employee:"Because it is the last one"
Me: "but It said new on the box"
GS: "It is new we kept the game here because it is the last one"
Me: "You guys don't accept opend games too remmber"
I told the guy that i dont want the game anymore and I left and went to walmart and got a new burnout revange. Never been to GS in +2 years now
If a game has had a previous user, it is used. "Oh, no but..." No really son, if an item has had a previous user, it is used.
If it has been opened by the store as a demo but not sold to anyone, ever, then it is new.
Crying about how people shouldn't mind getting used stuff at a new price is stupid as hell.
They Make You buy the game if it has the smallest flaw in it, and then they revoke your privalage to check out used games
I'm tired of the Bull***** at our store. I work in the Buena Park EB Games. Actually we do play all the new games at our store. ***** the EB Games. I'm stepping down. IM tired of the bull***** managemetn. My manager Paul is the most shady *****ing guy in the world. He was like it's okay if a game gets scratched and he was like it's about enjoying the products we want before the customer can. oh yeah when he scratches, he just "defects" the item where we are supposed to send it out to wherehouse and we are supposed to order more but what he usually does it put it back in the drawer and sells it as new and sometimes he switches out the new copy with used ones. I've seen him do it for every game he buys used if we have a new copy. As a future ex employee of the EB/ Gamestop company do not make any purchases from the EB located at the Buena Park Mall/ Downtown location because most likely all the new games you have purchased scratched the Store Manager Paul has switched out with a new copy. I'm exhausted from the yellling customers do to me for something Paul has done. I'm reporting his crooked activities to Gamestop Loss Prevention and to our District Manager. PS If any of you customers are customers who have bought games from our store that were supposed to be our last store copy and it turned out being a used copy in the case instead, i sincerely appologize.
when i looked for a "used" gta lcs they gave me a unopened one for same price.
BTW i got it greatest hits aka patched 8(
EB Games did the same thing to me with Saints Row and I was oblivious to it. I don't really care the disk doesn't have a scratch on it.
I can understand that everyones mad thinking they may have got the short end of the stick, but the honest truth is that EB/Gamestop don't sell the used games at new prices. Why? Because they make *marginally* more money with pre-owned items. The margin on new games is usually between 15-20%. So if the games was used and they sold it at new, they're losing more money in the tale in because the computer sales (example only here) say "eb pays $40 for new game, sells for $50" $10 profit. Now, same product traded/used they pay you $15 in store credit, sell for $55. $30 profit upon resale. So look at it like this, if they pay you $15 for trade, sell it new at $50, the computer will recognize it as new product and deduct $30 from bottomline. That's a $15 loss. just becuase you package it as "new". No smart store manager would ever do this, it would hurt the stores profit and their profit sharing. I can't say that it has never happened, but it's not a practice by far for simple economics.
I never really thought about it but it has. i bought a new ps2 game for my ps3. it was the sonic collection from sega. the employye told me that it was the last one, that if it was allright. the case was new and i specificly told the employye that i wanted a new one which was 19.99 dollars. i should of just bought it at target for the same price w/ a 90 day warranty instead of 30
you need an unpatched copy. all unpatched copys are used.
Three points: (1) I HHHATE window displays!!! All the games face forward, giving me no details that come on the back (and sides as well for computer games). Like I'm supposed to be motivated in the slightest to buy a game by looking at it's front cover, knowing nothing of the gameplay or actual screen graphics. I have NEVER bought a game that was behind glass. (2) In regards to display boxes: This doen't make sense. All you need is ONE display box, so why arn't there unopened boxes behind the counter? Am I supposed to believe that every time anyone buys a game, they replace the display box? PLEEEZZ! (3) I'm not a hater of GameStop/EB... And I've seen this same event where they dig out the game and put it back together to sell it as new. It's not a secret. However, it does offer great potential for abuse.
First off, this "last copy of the game" stuff is total BS. If that were true, then why do I see them putting the game boxes/cases together EVERY SINGLE TIME I've been in GameStop? You yourself say that this has happened to you many times. Is their stock really that low all the time? Next time you go in, pay closer attention to the massive size of these filing cabinets and try to tell me how much stock they have in there (not to mention the back rooms). Secondly, once a game is opened (no matter who opened it), standard practice says that's used. Take a look at Best Buy. You can find returned items in perfect working order, no damage at all to the product or manuals and no visible wear. Best Buy sells these "opened box" items at a discount. Why? Because it's been opened, and is therefore considered USED. That's not rocket science. Any product that GameStop opens, instantly turns that item into a used item. The vast majority of retail businesses out there would say the same. Oh, and by the way, you should really see a doctor about all that sand in your *** before you run out of breathing room. ;)
I personally don't care that it's been opened -- as long as it plays, still looks new, has the original contents, and is under warranty (which has always been my experience). However, I'm amazed at how many posts are here, where people don't even see the issue. As I see it, the issue is that there's the risk of GameStop/EB taking a used item that they buy from John Doe at a hideously deflated price, and then slipping it into the "new" category because John Doe bought it yesterday and didn't like the game. Since the game has been "officially" opened (indicated by that nasty yellow sticker), he can't simply return it and get a refund. So he sells it back and takes the financial loss. Then GameStop sells it AGAIN at full price. They COULD increase their profit greatly by doing just that. At the same time, the game companies lose a sale due to fraud by GameStop. GameStop sells the game to Joe Blow and GameStop is quietly stealing from him as well by passing off a used item (lower profit) as a new one (higher profit). --NOW-- I'm not saying that this is happening. I probably wouldn't know the difference between a well cared for game and a new one. The ISSUE is that GameStop/EB has a perfect system set up for this form of thieft. By removing new games from their factory-sealed condition, used games can sometimes be indistinguishab le from new ones. All I'm saying is that the potential is there, and a motive exi$ts to take advantage of it. BTW, if you're still questioning the meaning of "new", try buying a CD somewhere. Remove all the security stickers, but don't open the case. Now try to return it. Make sure you say "But it's new" as many times as you can before security forces you out the door.
I Pwn Bewbs
Let me ask you all a question. To everyone who is saying to stop *****ing and move on. Take a look at certain releases of, say, Final Fantasy VII. If there was a "black label" special edition of the game, to those who pre ordered, and someone kept it SEALED with the official SONY label still in place, it'd be worth a fortune now, because FF7 became the most well known video game ever. You never know when packaging, condition, and many othr factors will play into the Actual value of a game or product of any sort. So you're saying that it's okay for me to pay $60 for a 360 game, because it's "new," even though it's been handled by who-knows-who, countless workers, maybe admired by a fan of the game's series before he sleeved it, maybe even bought and returned? We're talking about them giving you a weak ass amount of money for your games because they arent in their original wrappers, but then turning around and knowingly selling games in non-original wrappers or in no wrappers at all for the highest price. It's just sickening that these corporate money-hungry franchises stoop so low to make a quick buck. I honestly DO just want to play my game and have my booklet as well as my case, but I would like to know that I wasn't playing what HAD been somebody else's game at some point in the not-too-distant past. And as far as PC Games go, I guarantee some employees have taken a peek at the CD keys and written them down so that they could download the game and install it for free. If the game isnt an online game, the CD key is, no pun intended, fair game. I'd like to play the copy of F.E.A.R. that I bought feeling secure that I'm not going to get kicked and banned from the online network because I'm using a "pirated" key. Just think, if you can find a serial for it on the web and it's an online game, chances are the person who shared that key didnt pay for the game and the license to use the key. I know of underhanded employees of stores who have done just this; copied and/or played games that are supposed to be new, or used the CD key for their or osmeone else's gain.
I'll take my game with the shiny sticker that guarantees me that nobody, including crooked retailers & staff, has handled my game. It's just a lot better knowing that the privilege of playing a game you payed for is yours because you are the one who bought it, not because you're the one who got suckered into buying it after someone else was done with it.
NOTE: Also, to those talking about glass cases and other bull*****, have you ever seen those little electronic stickers? They stick onto the shrinkwrap of the game (NOT the packaging itself!) and the adhesive holds it on no matter what. How about investing in some security stickers and maybe a $15 security camera? Jesus.
i got a ddr super nova from gamestop new like that and it worked ok the the first time but like the second time it stopped working and it was too late to return it. it has no scratches or anything so i dont get it
And it did kinda bother me a little, but after I started playing the game, I didn't care anymore. And yes, it does help to have that extra-fresh plastic small when you buy your favorite game(MPO for me, bought it from my local EB the DAY it was released, even saw the employee crack open the C Box..No pun intended), but if the game works, I say what the hell. I mean seriously, if it bothers you that much, DON'T BUY THE GAME. You are not forced to fork over your money to anyone for any game. And to the guy who mentioned filing suit, well, people like you just plain suck. Doing that would make it harder for all the rest of us EBGAMESTOP(curr ent name, not kidding) customers, and their employees. If you want change, complain to the Management, or better yet, his boss, or even his bosses boss. Hell, complain to Big Boss(okay, that time the pun WAS intended).
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This is a message from an insider at a Corporate level. Everyone needs to call the Gamestop/EB Corporate store issue office and complain about these stores.
I can tell you these stores are not supposed to let employee's rent out games, then sell as new. No reshrinking of games of proposed new quality. A similar customer returned a 360 due to a defect, and was given a used system in exchange. Upon arriving at another store close by, the person contacted the manager of the first store and denyed the resolution to this problem. The customer drove another 45 miles to a different store were his problem was solved. Not all stores excersise this, but some a run by people incapable of running this sort of business. The video game industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, and as this may seem as a small issue, due to the number of complaints in this area, this border lines fraud. Please contact the following number for any complaints.
Store Issues
If you have an issue with a store, please contact the EBgames.com Customer Service Center at 1-800-883-8895. At the menu press 1 to be directed to Store Issues. They will be able to assist you with any issue you may have regarding stores. Hours of operation: Open Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (CST); Saturday - Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (CST) .