Does your Gamestop do this?

[hometheaterman]

I saw the signs yesterday on the front of Gamestop saying up to 50% off on new games and clearance signs all over when I was going to get some breakfast. Well, I had to run some errands today one of which included taking something to a store in the mall for repair. I did that and on my way out noticed this Gamestop had the same signs up so I thought hey while I'm here I should just stop in and see what they have. That's exactly what I did. I didn't find any games on sale I wanted but I did see SBK Championship game which I've heard was pretty decent and for $20 new it's hard to pass up. I like motorcycle games usually but wasn't impressed with the demo of Moto GP 08.

So anyway, I didn't see it used but they had one case of the new version which was really fine with me. I noticed the case wasn't shrink wrapped or anything. I really thought it was just a display case and when I got to the counter they would give me a new one.

That wasn't what went down. He went to that lock case behind it and pulled out the game in a sleeve just like they do when you buy used games. He took it out and put it in the case. WTF man if I'm paying a new price for a game I want it new. If it's been opened and taken out of the case it's not new imo. Doesn't matter to me if the store opened it or some dude selling a game on Craigslist did. It's still used. How do I know this thing wasn't played? I don't.

The clerk was very friendly and helpful. Him along with the fact I was already there and had gotten him to get the game is the only reason I still bought it. I do not plan to purchase any new games from them any longer as long as they do this.

If I buy the game from Wal-Mart or Best Buy or something like that it's a brand new game in a brand new case shrink wrapped. Not a case that has been opened and been sitting on the shelf with no game in it.

Does your Gamestop do this? Is this common practice for Gamestop? Does it bother you all or am I just being too anal about it? It just wasn't something I expected at all. I haven't bought a new game from them in quite a while. I every once in a while buy something used from them but I haven't even done that in a while. I usually buy my new games at Wal-Mart or online. I will continue to and will not be purchasing them at Gamestop any longer.

To me I should have gotten the used price for this game since it was no longer new in the case and had been opened.

I plan to take the survey on the receipt it asks you to take and if it has a box to fill in my opinion I will let them know why I will no longer purchase new games from them.

 

[televisionarchives]

If you're asking do they open a new game before they sell it to you then yes. And that's why I don't new games at Gamestop. I don't like it either.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

It's easy enough to inspect the disc before you buy. Anybody can spot a used disc from a new disc. My local gamestop does this to prevent theft. A big problem here in the inner-city. I always check the disc, and so far I haven't had any clerk try to slip me a used game.

 

[Ramy]

It's easy enough to inspect the disc before you buy. Anybody can spot a used disc from a new disc. My local gamestop does this to prevent theft. A big problem here in the inner-city. I always check the disc, and so far I haven't had any clerk try to slip me a used game.

Same here for games out on the shelf, but all they do is put the one I took off the shelf back and get the sealed ones from under the counter.

 

[thedamaja]

You must have bought the last one they had. Most of the time they pull an unopened box but, I've seen this happen before.

Really doesn't bother me as long as the disc and case or in new condition.

 

[grydlok]

That why I know shop at PlaynTrade

 

[yourbeliefs]

Yes it's pretty standard. Actually some people have complained that they are wrongly stating that the games are "new", but quite frankly, as long as there are no marks on the disc I couldn't care less.

 

[thowe21]

I'm thinking it was the last one left. Usually if this happens to me they will state it up front and grab the game in the drawer and put it in the case I grabbed from the shelf, otherwise they will grab a new sealed one from behind the register. I'm thinking the guy maybe just forgot, but with the stories going on out there it wouldn't surprise me if they did try and pull a fast one on you.

 

[Zookster]

What's to stop those clerks from "borrowing" the discs from these open cases, taking them home, playing for a week, passing to a friend, etc., as long as they are careful and don't get any scratches on the disc. No one is the wiser.

 

[teamlazyboy]

how do they handle returns? most places won't let you get a refund on opened software. what if you got home found out you really didn't want the game, or any other game right now. if it's opened by the store are you SOL?

 

[Neutron]

This is why I don't shop GameStop anymore. There's another used game store I go to that also sells new, FX Game Exchange. Not only are they friendlier, they also give more for trade-ins.

 

[krauser1]

My local GameStop does that as well. I can understand they do it to reduce theft, but all of the other stores, BBY and Wal Mart for example put them either in lock up cases or have security watching them. You would think that as many employees that work in those stores that they could have just one run loss prevention instead of trying to sell you magazine subscriptions everytime you buy a "new" game from them.

 

[Hall]

how do they handle returns? most places won't let you get a refund on opened software. what if you got home found out you really didn't want the game, or any other game right now. if it's opened by the store are you SOL?

That was my question too... I don't think GameStop has much to stand on though. I could buy a "new" game from them, take it home, play it, decide I don't like it, and return that same day and tell them "I found it elsewhere for $20 less" or "my wife told me I can't buy it". They can't say "it's been opened, no returns" in that case when they're the ones who opened it.

 

[mwgiii]

What's to stop those clerks from "borrowing" the discs from these open cases, taking them home, playing for a week, passing to a friend, etc., as long as they are careful and don't get any scratches on the disc. No one is the wiser.

Employees are allowed to take games home to "demo" them. GS/EB then sells the game as new. That is the main reason I have stopped shopping at GS/EB. I now shop mainly at Best Buy. Join their rewards program and then join the gamer rewards program for bonus points.

Kotaku - GameStop Sells Played Games As New, Sources Say, Practice Could Be Illegal - Legal

 

[yourbeliefs]

Overall it doesn't affect me. I mainly just buy used games from GS anyways, so I know going in that it was used. I find buying games from Gamefly to be a good way to go (rent the game, like it, then click the "keep" button and you get the case & manual mailed to you). If you've been a member for a year you get some pretty good discounts and can get accumulating coupons.

 

[Zookster]

Employees are allowed to take games home to "demo" them. GS/EB then sells the game as new. That is the main reason I have stopped shopping at GS/EB. I now shop mainly at Best Buy. Join their rewards program and then join the gamer rewards program for bonus points.

Kotaku - GameStop Sells Played Games As New, Sources Say, Practice Could Be Illegal - Legal

Good article. It linked to this other one at the bottom: Kotaku - Law of the Game: GameStop Practice Appears Deceptive - GameStop

In it:

[The Lawyer's] conclusion? Why doesn't GameStop just use reproduced cover art instead of gutted games for display purposes? That would do away with the need to open games. Of course, it would also do away with one of the biggest fringe benefits that GameStop employees get: Free game rentals.

To that suggestion I would add, why doesn't Gamestop simply limit the "fringe benefit" to allowing employees to check out only used games?

 

[gaarcham]

lawsuit

Gamestop got in a bunch of trouble in 03 for selling used games as new. Now they are being investigated over the employees playing games and selling as new. They haven't been purchased by anyone before, but they are used!

I got Left 4 Dead this way and argued with the guy it wasn't new. I never knew they did that until that day. I then searched online, and saw it was normal. If I wanted it opened, I'd save the $5 and buy used. That was the last time I shopped there.

 

[mloebl]

I'm glad I saw this thread as I had no idea they were doing this. They'd always tell me they were just keeping it up front due to thefts. However the media would always be noticeably used.

I'm very surprised the game companies put up with this. Especially games that require the codes to get online and play (i.e. Blizzard.) The person buys the game and gets "this has already been activated" to which they need to call the game company for support and complain. So the game distribution company gets the bad press and support calls for used serial numbers that wasn't their fault. I also guarantee some of them must have been selling/pirating stuff on eBay/torrents.

-Mike

 

[skottey]

What's to stop those clerks from "borrowing" the discs from these open cases, taking them home, playing for a week, passing to a friend, etc., as long as they are careful and don't get any scratches on the disc. No one is the wiser.

Those innocent looking bookworms at Borders and other bookstores do this all the time. I saw a story in the paper that featured a crazy girl I had banged a few years prior. I was like, why is she in the paper? So I read the story. She basically special ordered a book from Borders (I guess she never heard of the Internets) and it took like a week longer than expected to get her book. As it turned out, one of the employees took the book home and read it before calling her to tell her it was in.

Sorry but when something is purchased as new, nobody else's paws should have been on it at all.

I was just planning to go pick up Sacred 2: Fallen Angel at my local Gamestop since Target and BB don't have it in store locally. It better come shink wrapped if I pay the full price or I want the used price.

I have never had anything not shrink wrapped at Gamestop, but, pretty much everything I have bought there was on the Tuesday release day and the guy usually takes it out of a box. I don't commonly get a title like this after the release. I have just heard good things about it and want it. I guess I will find out later today.

I also enjoy the feel of opening my own brand new packaging. I don't want something somebody else got to open. It is always fun to dig into new stuff. I cannot believe they would open the discs and put them in sleeves and then take the empty box and put your disc in it and call it new. Open is not new. Sealed is new. We all grew up knowing that and I am not about to change my opinion based on a store policy.

If the game is not sealed I will come home and order it off Amazon and save $4 plus tax.

 

[ONUOsFan]

Those innocent looking bookworms at Borders and other bookstores do this all the time. I saw a story in the paper that featured a crazy girl I had banged a few years prior. I was like, why is she in the paper? So I read the story. She basically special ordered a book from Borders (I guess she never heard of the Internets) and it took like a week longer than expected to get her book. As it turned out, one of the employees took the book home and read it before calling her to tell her it was in.

Sorry but when something is purchased as new, nobody else's paws should have been on it at all.

I was just planning to go pick up Sacred 2: Fallen Angel at my local Gamestop since Target and BB don't have it in store locally. It better come shink wrapped if I pay the full price or I want the used price.

I have never had anything not shrink wrapped at Gamestop, but, pretty much everything I have bought there was on the Tuesday release day and the guy usually takes it out of a box. I don't commonly get a title like this after the release. I have just heard good things about it and want it. I guess I will find out later today.

I also enjoy the feel of opening my own brand new packaging. I don't want something somebody else got to open. It is always fun to dig into new stuff. I cannot believe they would open the discs and put them in sleeves and then take the empty box and put your disc in it and call it new. Open is not new. Sealed is new. We all grew up knowing that and I am not about to change my opinion based on a store policy.

If the game is not sealed I will come home and order it off Amazon and save $4 plus tax.

For once, I agree with you.