F-ing Gamestop...tried to sell me a 'NEW' game with NO CASE/MANUAL

karkyco

karkyco

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So I go into Gamestop a couple of hours ago, and notice that they have Etrian Odyssey with a NEW sticker, priced at $19.99, in one of their stock DS boxes with the stock Gamestop wraparound.

So I take a chance that they actually have a new copy available and take the box up and ask the miserable looking, hates-her-life emo/goth girl behind the counter "do you have this new?"

She snaps back, "uh YEAH, that's why the box is on the shelf."

So I hand her the box and a used Metal Slug Wii, both games I can't find anywhere else, and tell her to ring me up. She proceeds to PULL OUT THE Etrian Odyssey card AND PUTS IT IN THE STOCK BOX AND TRIES TO RING ME UP.

I go, "what are you doing? I want a NEW copy of the game."

The manager says "well that IS new, it's just that the display boxes often get stolen."

Not my problem, ASSHOLE. Bad enough when they sell the gutted games as "new", now these cocksuckers are trying to sell GAME ONLY copies of games as NEW? Are you shitting me? Then on top of that the effing Metal Slug Anthology had NO MANUAL.

fucking Bastards.
 
yup... welcome to GameSh!t... they did the same thing to me with Cooking Mama a year and a half ago. told me they didnt have it unopened(this was minutes after their shipment arrived, on the release date for the game), sold me an opened new copy, sold the girl behind a sealed copy...

i haven't set foot inside GameSh!t since and, thanks to Amazon, haven't regretted my decision to stop giving them my business.
 
Welcome to gamestop, where if you didn't buy it the first week of release or pre-ordered it, the chances of getting a non-gutted copy is slim. :(
 
oh yeah. I was inside at GS the day after Christmas to check out the b1G1 free sale on used games(i think that's what it was), and the lady behind the counter was trying to sell a man with no knowledge of games a USED copy of some DS game for FULL price. they said "Oh, sure, this copy is new, everything's fine, the game card is brand new, except there's no manual and the case is open." ????

If it's open, and has no manual, then it ain't new. Too bad that guy lost his money. Their crooks. Selling used games as new.
 
Yeah but the "New" game wasn't just gutted - IT WAS NOW A GAME-ONLY copy. NO ORIGINAL MANUAL, NO ORIGINAL CASE. NEW PRICE. What the hell?!?

It would be as if they handed you a disc only of any game and said "okay here's your new copy". How could they even consider charging new price? If they had the case and manual at the very least, I would grudgingly take their "new" copy. But without the case and manual, AND still trying to ring me up at new price?
 
[quote name='karkyco']Yeah but the "New" game wasn't just gutted - IT WAS NOW A GAME-ONLY copy. NO ORIGINAL MANUAL, NO ORIGINAL CASE. NEW PRICE. [/quote]

I hadn't been in a GS for a while, imagine why..., but I went to some looking for a Metal Slug Anthology when the price dropped. In most of the stores I noticed the disc only "New" copies were quite common.

One store had a sealed of MS. When I saw it, it was a reseal and I told them I didn't want it. One cashier said it was factory sealed...then I point out that the GS sticker was underneath the seal. Both cashiers looked at me in disgust, like I'm a freak, and rolled their eyes.
 
[quote name='karkyco']Yeah but the "New" game wasn't just gutted - IT WAS NOW A GAME-ONLY copy. NO ORIGINAL MANUAL, NO ORIGINAL CASE. NEW PRICE. What the hell?!?[/quote]

This is the first time in the history of the world that this has ever happened and there's not a ton of posts on here with people complaining about the exact same thing.

Shop elsewhere. They won't change their practices.
 
What's with all the GS hate? Is it their fault someone stole the case?

In a perfect society, they could put sealed games up on the wall and the problem of the "gut" would be solved. BUT NOO!!!! Society is full of shit and shoplifting is common. From a store that only sells games, they don't make much profit. They simply can not afford it because they only sell games, so if their games are stolen, they got nothing else. So don't complain that the games are "guts" or that there are no cases sometime, blame the d-bags who steal things!
 
[quote name='Hybrid5006']From a store that only sells games, they don't make much profit. [/quote]

Net Income: $158,250,000

for period ending 02-03-2007
 
[quote name='Hybrid5006']What's with all the GS hate? Is it their fault someone stole the case?

.... From a store that only sells games, they don't make much profit. They simply can not afford it because they only sell games, so if their games are stolen, they got nothing else....[/QUOTE]

This is the stupidest post I've read all week. Gamestop had RECORD earnings last year.
 
[quote name='Hybrid5006']What's with all the GS hate? Is it their fault someone stole the case?

In a perfect society, they could put sealed games up on the wall and the problem of the "gut" would be solved. BUT NOO!!!! Society is full of shit and shoplifting is common. From a store that only sells games, they don't make much profit. They simply can not afford it because they only sell games, so if their games are stolen, they got nothing else. So don't complain that the games are "guts" or that there are no cases sometime, blame the d-bags who steal things![/quote]

To hell with the douchebags that steal the empty game cases, yeah they suck, but Gamestop equally sucks ass for being so damn concerned with the bottom line that they don't just make photocopies of game fronts and backs, or put the games in plastic shells with theft deterrent magentized strips like all the other stores do.

As for those saying "well duh, they've been doing this forever..." I know damn well they've been selling opened and sometimes employee borrowed games as new for years now, but this is the first I've ever heard of them trying to actually sell a game, without the original packaging, as new.

Guess if you want to shop at Gamestop you need to buy the game only used copies, and if you want a case/manual for it, you need to steal that from another Gamestop. Ridiculous.

I even asked the bitch if the game was NEW, as in, COMPLETE. And she said yes then tried to ring that shit up. Absurd.
 
[quote name='Hybrid5006']What's with all the GS hate? Is it their fault someone stole the case?[/QUOTE]
Its their fault for trying to sell a game they opened as new. Open is not new. No need to be angry, simply don't buy anything as 'new' if its not factory sealed.

What idiot puts the manual on display anyway?
 
I wish I had responded to this thread earlier so that my snarky response of something along the lines of "welcome to two years ago now never shop there again" seemed a little fresh.
And I was pretty stupid because before I just stopped shopping there all together I actually fell for this a few times. The last and second time I did this was when I bought a wii and for some reason could not find twilight princess ANYWHERE except of course the one opened "new" copy at gamestop. So yeah, I was desperate. BUT NEVER AGAIN!
 
[quote name='Hybrid5006']What's with all the GS hate? Is it their fault someone stole the case?

In a perfect society, they could put sealed games up on the wall and the problem of the "gut" would be solved. BUT NOO!!!! Society is full of shit and shoplifting is common. From a store that only sells games, they don't make much profit. They simply can not afford it because they only sell games, so if their games are stolen, they got nothing else. So don't complain that the games are "guts" or that there are no cases sometime, blame the d-bags who steal things![/QUOTE]

Tell your bosses to order 'dummy cases.' That's what the TRUs around me do.
 
[quote name='Hybrid5006']What's with all the GS hate? Is it their fault someone stole the case?

In a perfect society, they could put sealed games up on the wall and the problem of the "gut" would be solved. BUT NOO!!!! Society is full of shit and shoplifting is common. From a store that only sells games, they don't make much profit. They simply can not afford it because they only sell games, so if their games are stolen, they got nothing else. So don't complain that the games are "guts" or that there are no cases sometime, blame the d-bags who steal things![/quote]


Where does this silly misconception about Gamestop not making much profit come from? Based on their financial data their profit margins are at least 20% for new, 40%+ for used. The company generates an amazing amount of profit. Yet people periodically bring up this "not much profit" assertion, as if Gamestop is some sort of a charity business.
 
[quote name='Hybrid5006']What's with all the GS hate? Is it their fault someone stole the case?

In a perfect society, they could put sealed games up on the wall and the problem of the "gut" would be solved. BUT NOO!!!! Society is full of shit and shoplifting is common. From a store that only sells games, they don't make much profit. They simply can not afford it because they only sell games, so if their games are stolen, they got nothing else. So don't complain that the games are "guts" or that there are no cases sometime, blame the d-bags who steal things![/QUOTE]


except we can blame gamestop. they make enough money to order "clamshells" like toys r us does. order in bulk like they probably do and they save on shipping too, i doubt they would lose much money at all. in fact, in the long run, i would imagine it would bring them in more money since it will get return customers for new games.

having worked at gamestop before, i know their practices and it is shady at best. as a gamer/collector of games, whatever you want to call me, once a games seal has been broken, it is no longer a new game and should not be considered one. they could do a number of things over gutting them that would work just as well. they could get glass cases along the walls for each new section and lock the games in there or they could put clamshells like i said before.
 
I have seen "new" games like that before as well, they are supposed to offer 10% off if it's a "new" disc/cart only game. Not that 10% off would convince me to buy a game like that.
 
I hate when that happens. Although along time ago when the first Budakai GC game came out i bought it and got some game i cant remember free. They where "new". I played them both and then i decided they were not worth it so i went to return them without a recipt. They tried to give me trade in credit but i told the clerk they were new but i had got them like that. He then gave me a full refund on both games. I made like $40
 
[quote name='karkyco']So I go into Gamestop a couple of hours ago, and notice that they have Etrian Odyssey with a NEW sticker, priced at $19.99, in one of their stock DS boxes with the stock Gamestop wraparound.

So I take a chance that they actually have a new copy available and take the box up and ask the miserable looking, hates-her-life emo/goth girl behind the counter "do you have this new?"

She snaps back, "uh YEAH, that's why the box is on the shelf."

So I hand her the box and a used Metal Slug Wii, both games I can't find anywhere else, and tell her to ring me up. She proceeds to PULL OUT THE Etrian Odyssey card AND PUTS IT IN THE STOCK BOX AND TRIES TO RING ME UP.

I go, "what are you doing? I want a NEW copy of the game."

The manager says "well that IS new, it's just that the display boxes often get stolen."

Not my problem, ASSHOLE. Bad enough when they sell the gutted games as "new", now these cocksuckers are trying to sell GAME ONLY copies of games as NEW? Are you shitting me? Then on top of that the effing Metal Slug Anthology had NO MANUAL.

fucking Bastards.[/QUOTE]

Did you buy the games?
 
I always wondered about the new stickers on the generic cases. I never thought about people stealing the display copies.

Seems to me like in this case it would be the store's responsibility to move that copy over to used status and just take the loss.

Just remember, people, most of the time it's *not* the clerk's fault when things like this happen. They're just following the rules they have to.
 
[quote name='Demontooth']Did you buy the games?[/quote]

Oh hell no I didn't.

And speaking of buying extra clamshells, they MUST do that already! How else do they get the 'extra' DS cases and game cases to put their crappy "Used/New Game" wraparound in?

Does it really take that much effort and cost so much to make the damn color photocopies of the cover art? Hell, they could do it at a central location and distribute the sheets as necessary to individual stores.
 
OK, here is some insider info from a Gamestop manager.

First of all just because you have a bad experience in one Gamestop doesn't mean that all Gamestops suck.

Here is what I do in my store when a case is stolen. I will take a look through my used stock to see if I happen to have a perfect used case/manual that I can use for the new one. If not I make the inventory adjustment from new to used. I will not sell a game for a new price with a generic case and/or no manual. I wouldn't buy it, so I wouldn't sell it. To me this is the right thing to do.

Now as for the comment about leaving the manuals in the cases, well I do that in my store. For two reasons...

#1 if my customer would like more information on the game all they have to do is open up the case and read the book.

#2 storing those books in with the disks would take up a bunch of space that I just don't have.

That being said I will admit that theft is not a huge problem at my store. Mainly because we actually get out from behind the counter and talk to our customers. Hard to steal when an employee is talking to you.
 
Best Buy doesn't have this problem. Wal-Mart puts their shit in a glass case.

Stopped shopping at Gamestop years ago. It's Amazon or bust for me.
 
[quote name='Hybrid5006']What's with all the GS hate? Is it their fault someone stole the case?

In a perfect society, they could put sealed games up on the wall and the problem of the "gut" would be solved. BUT NOO!!!! Society is full of shit and shoplifting is common. From a store that only sells games, they don't make much profit. They simply can not afford it because they only sell games, so if their games are stolen, they got nothing else. So don't complain that the games are "guts" or that there are no cases sometime, blame the d-bags who steal things![/quote]

Last time I checked, the Gamestops by me sold MANY other things other than 'just games', but yet there is NO excuse for not ordering the extra cases(or using the cases from those games they only pay .15-.30 for, like the yearly sports titles)and simply color copying the cover art from ONE copy of each title on the wall in the new section.

In this way, they only have ONE gutted copy for people to gripe about and they may actually make some collectors really happy by doing so.

However, Gamestop is all about the $$$$$, so anything that would take away from their bottom line is a big no-no.

Of course, back in the PS2/Xbox era they could've made an arrangement with Blockbuster, where a friend of mine worked as a manager. She told me they simply tossed out the cases after making their limited number of display copies and gave me a couple bags full of cases for the PS2/Xbox the one night from the new games they just got in that prior week.
 
However, Gamestop is all about the $$$$$, so anything that would take away from their bottom line is a big no-no.
Click to expand...

Not for nothing, but what corporation isn't like this? Unsuccessful ones.

GS's margin for new stuff is quite small, so it is no surprise that they cut corners where ever they can. They make their real profits off of used stuff.
 
[quote name='srad1968']OK, here is some insider info from a Gamestop manager.

First of all just because you have a bad experience in one Gamestop doesn't mean that all Gamestops suck.

Here is what I do in my store when a case is stolen. I will take a look through my used stock to see if I happen to have a perfect used case/manual that I can use for the new one. If not I make the inventory adjustment from new to used. I will not sell a game for a new price with a generic case and/or no manual. I wouldn't buy it, so I wouldn't sell it. To me this is the right thing to do.

Now as for the comment about leaving the manuals in the cases, well I do that in my store. For two reasons...

#1 if my customer would like more information on the game all they have to do is open up the case and read the book.

#2 storing those books in with the disks would take up a bunch of space that I just don't have.

That being said I will admit that theft is not a huge problem at my store. Mainly because we actually get out from behind the counter and talk to our customers. Hard to steal when an employee is talking to you.[/quote]

So then maybe you can answer the question as to why they sell both gutted games and attempt to sell games that have no case as new. Obviously the last one is rare and that manager should have had his magazine rack kicked over and glitter thrown.... But why does EB sell gutted games? Last time I checked other retail places don't do this (BB, CC, TRU, Wal Mart) so why does GS have to do this? if its because they want the cases there so people can look at them why don't they do the photocopied deal or use security cases. Just want to know the corporate stand on this

I have never bought a gutted GS game since its not new (most likely taken home by an employee to play or was scratched due to mis-handling) but I do frequent GS often.
 
[quote name='srad1968']OK, here is some insider info from a Gamestop manager.[/QUOTE]
My GS/EB has excellent customer service (usually) and will even go out of their way to shrinkwrap used games in new, unstickied cases if its a gift. They don't try to pull the open games as new thing, and the vast majority of their used selection includes case and manual. Others in the area, however, open every 'new' game and store the disc separately, and have next to no cases or manuals for used games. I've stopped visiting those locations.

Its true that there is great variation between each individual store.
 
[quote name='yukafls']fucking Gamestop, I can sometimes get good stuff from there but otherwise I don't buy unless sealed[/QUOTE]

Same here, but I usually don't shop there unless they have a 10% coupon up.
 
Why do they have clamshells and photocopied covers for games that haven't come out yet? But they don't for games that are actually released.

I got my first gutted 'new" game last week. I got skate with the 360 extra 10 bucks thing, and when he rang the game we both looked at each and I saw sadness in sales person's eyes (he's a really cool dude), and I looked at the case and manual and it was prestige, so I just said thank you and left.

I was being a pussy for not throwin' a fit.
 
[quote name='gareman']Why do they have clamshells and photocopied covers for games that haven't come out yet? But they don't for games that are actually released.

I got my first gutted 'new" game last week. I got skate with the 360 extra 10 bucks thing, and when he rang the game we both looked at each and I saw sadness in sales person's eyes (he's a really cool dude), and I looked at the case and manual and it was prestige, so I just said thank you and left.

I was being a pussy for not throwin' a fit.[/quote]

You actually have a great point there. For a corporation trying to nickel and dime us everyway they can, you would think they would skip out on the MULTIPLE displays boxes for pre-order games. I don't know what kind of market research they have done, but I cannot those things motivating a lot of people to pre-order. If anything, they probably disappoint people, making them think for a moment that the game is out.

That actually happened to me the other day with MLB 2K8. I saw the box out of the corner of my eye, and thought for a split second, "Maybe they moved up the release even further this year."
 
[quote name='srad1968']OK, here is some insider info from a Gamestop manager.

First of all just because you have a bad experience in one Gamestop doesn't mean that all Gamestops suck.
[/quote]
yeah, like what, 3 or 4 out of 10 gamestops are good while the rest are shitholes? i dont mean to imply or disrespect towards your defense but when you have more stores that suck it tends to stick out more than the ones that doesn't.

your company should be concern towards bad business practices rather than just counting money and making their monthly or quarterly goals. i guess when you have so much money, nothing else matters. people will always shop at gamestop no matter how bad it is. they are at risk of being treated poorly.

for every bad experience at gamestop, you'll probably loose about 10 to 20 customers. for every negative gaming blog post or a website such as this, possibly a few thousand customers.
 
As much as I don't like GameStop, I will still shop there, so I guess I am part of the problem. I can't pass up some of their sales (especially the recent of 25% off used games coupons), and I tend to pre-order a few games through GS.com, when they have their free overnight shipping deals.
 
Gamestop sucks. The one near me is full of ignorant prick fanboys who treat their customers like shit. I have only been there once since the Gears of War* incident and that was because they were offering bonus trades towards a preorder on The Orange Box. I had some games I didn't need and I wanted The Orange Box cheaply, so I bit the bullet and went there. Only then it was because I saw a deal there posted here on CAG.


*The Gears of War incident I'm talking about was them taking preorders a year ahead of time, hyping the game, and then not having the game on it's release. I got my money back and drove across the street where I promptly bought it at BestBuy. In my opinion, having a game as big as Gears Of War as soon as it comes out should be a priority for a store that specializes in games.
 
[quote name='bigdaddybruce44']I'm going to assume that this GoW incident involved a knocked-over magazine rack and massive amounts of glitter...am I right?[/QUOTE]

LOL! Yes!

Actually, I was just shocked they never got it in while BestBuy had it in stock (literally) across the street. Thankfully I had preordered and paid cash, so I just got a refund. Gamestop having games on day one was (to me) a big selling point and a reason I frequented there. Why bother if BestBuy or Circuit City have it in stock and are actually just as easy to drive to. However, I seldom get that excited over a game anymore and can wait a day or two if need be.
 
[quote name='b3b0p']

Stopped shopping at Gamestop years ago. It's Amazon or bust for me.[/QUOTE]

Amen, brother. People constantly complain about Gamestop but they still shop there. The only way they'll ever change is if people stop supporting them. Otherwise, they'll keep running things the same way they've always been.

I haven't been inside a Gamestop/EB in at least a couple years. Amazon is the way to go. No sales tax + free shipping FTW.
 
This is why you should only buy USED games at Gamestop.
New games can almost always be found cheaper elsewhere, and even hard-to-find games can be found online.

I've certainly bought my fair share of "new" games from Gamestop over the years, but anytime they tried to give me a gutted copy I made sure it was complete (with manual/inserts) and checked the disc before paying.

A gutted game once in a while I can deal with, but paying full price for an INCOMPLETE game??
That's insane.
 
[quote name='joshnorm']So then maybe you can answer the question as to why they sell both gutted games and attempt to sell games that have no case as new. Obviously the last one is rare and that manager should have had his magazine rack kicked over and glitter thrown.... But why does EB sell gutted games? Last time I checked other retail places don't do this (BB, CC, TRU, Wal Mart) so why does GS have to do this? if its because they want the cases there so people can look at them why don't they do the photocopied deal or use security cases. Just want to know the corporate stand on this

I have never bought a gutted GS game since its not new (most likely taken home by an employee to play or was scratched due to mis-handling) but I do frequent GS often.[/quote]


QFT!

Please oh please Mr. Insider tell us why must they open the dang cases! NEW means UNOPENED. PERIOD. No discussion around it, yet you have these clerks in the store getting mad at ME, because I'm requesting what they're "falsely advertising" for my hard-earned money! Wal-Mart, CC, BB, TRU don't have to open their cases to keep product from being stolen so these stores have no excuse, other than robbing the publishers/developers of their labor and time simply to profit and stay in business for THEMSELVES...very shady if I say so myself!

I understand it's a business and not a charity, and I never go into GS/EB looking for a hand-out (maybe a good deal though:D), but when there are ample, cheap solutions out there such as Best Buy's new practice of putting paper placeholders w/ cover art in a plastic case, then I have to wonder the continual intent on gutting games and calling them new. I refuse to purchase anything opened/not sealed, be it game, DVD, etc....they only get my money when the product is in that condition!
 
[quote name='davyd']There's probably a copyrights issue to the photocopy method.[/QUOTE]

There must not be because I have seen stores do this.

[quote name='Hybrid5006']What's with all the GS hate? Is it their fault someone stole the case?

In a perfect society, they could put sealed games up on the wall and the problem of the "gut" would be solved. BUT NOO!!!! Society is full of shit and shoplifting is common. From a store that only sells games, they don't make much profit. They simply can not afford it because they only sell games, so if their games are stolen, they got nothing else. So don't complain that the games are "guts" or that there are no cases sometime, blame the d-bags who steal things![/QUOTE]

There's actually not enough hate going towards GS because they have been rakin' in the greenbacks for quite a while now.

From my own knowledge, this topic has been beaten to death at least a few dozen times. It's not hard to come with a ticket system (I'm not explaining, but think TRU of the late 80s early 90s) or something else to keep outsiders from stealing things (see mykevermin's or others posts).

Then, the only way someone could steal something is either A. work in the store or B. with a gun.

Problem solved.

The whole gutting and putting in the drawer is not even lazy. It's just unnecessarily stupid.

_____________________________

Just like Scorch and some others have mentioned that if someone doesn't like it, then he shouldn't shop there.

If enough people stop shopping there, then policy will change. It's never going to happen though because people are dumb, and the casual gamer / soccer mom / mentally-handicapped-when-it-comes-to-technology dad don't know or care about the situation.

Their business practices are a joke, and most GS employees treat their customers like dirt, but they don't have any real competition from other stores that exclusively sell games.
 
I am not sure why Gamestop chooses to gut games. However I do know that they only sell the gutted copy when it is the last one. So it isn't like all the new games are gutted. Most new games that are sold at Gamestop are sealed. As a customer you always have a choice. If you go to buy the new copy and you are offered the gutted copy all you have to do is decline if this make you uncomfortable. I can fully understand that the game should be complete and in perfect condition if it is being sold as new. However, paying full price for an open game in perfect condition is not unreasonable (unless you were planning on keeping it sealed or wanted to save the cellophane). But like I said, if you are offered an open copy and you don't want it, just say "no thank you". Easy enough.
 
[quote name='srad1968']I am not sure why Gamestop chooses to gut games. However I do know that they only sell the gutted copy when it is the last one. So it isn't like all the new games are gutted. Most new games that are sold at Gamestop are sealed. As a customer you always have a choice. If you go to buy the new copy and you are offered the gutted copy all you have to do is decline if this make you uncomfortable. I can fully understand that the game should be complete and in perfect condition if it is being sold as new. However, paying full price for an open game in perfect condition is not unreasonable (unless you were planning on keeping it sealed or wanted to save the cellophane). But like I said, if you are offered an open copy and you don't want it, just say "no thank you". Easy enough.[/quote]


While you make good points, you will inevitably be attacked for "spinning" things.
 
They are shady, you gotta keep those mofos on lock down. I always open the cases and check the condition of the manual and make sure their is one... if you don't, it's your fault if you get screwed. If they give you crap for it, you tell them ' do you want me to buy it or not?... Would you buy something without checking the condition?'... and they will leave you alone.
 
[quote name='srad1968']However, paying full price for an open game in perfect condition is not unreasonable (unless you were planning on keeping it sealed or wanted to save the cellophane). But like I said, if you are offered an open copy and you don't want it, just say "no thank you". Easy enough.[/quote]


If it were only that simple and painless. You must have missed my line above about how they give you an attitude when you tell them that's not new and you would like a sealed copy. It's like you pulling teeth when they have to look in the drawer again, after trying to do a shady quick rang-up of the gutted copy, like that means I'm going to buy it! This type of response is irresponsible, because it takes too much into assupmtion. I have a backlog of over 170+ games, SEALED. I buy games, just like many others on CAG, because of the "deals of the moment" or when I think a game might become obscure and hard to find in retail. The reality stands, that I may never get to play most of these games, BUT I choose to purchase them now, rather than on Ebay or Amazon Mrkt later at mark-up. Now I have reciepts for all purchases, but guess what?? After 2-3 yrs sitting on my shelf at home, if I waltz into EB/GS, ANY store with that sealed copy and ask for a full refund and show them the dated reciept, they'll laugh me out the building as the time limit for return would have been long expired! But lo and behold, I have a SEALED copy, not a GUTTED one with a cheap sticker on the top of the case, so if I desire, I can put said game on Ebay, Amazon, Craiglist, etc, take a $5-$10 loss (maybe a profit if game is rare, in demand) instead of the paltry $15-for-game-I-paid-$50-for EB/GS will try to offer me and make MOST of my money back!

Now I'm a bit of a collector too, so I would never sell anything unless some unforseen financial crisis forced me to, but because that is always a possibility, my games MUST be sealed and unopened. The discerning gamer/collector such as myself, would never buy a PC or gutted game, and always welcome a sealed, mint copy, and not one posing as "new" with a damn sticker on the cover holding it together and leaving residue (We love the feel of fresh cellophane in the morning:mrgreen:). Since I know this, I make all purchases with the intent and hope that I'll get to enjoy them, but the harsh reality that if I have to let them go, I want to be able get MAXIMUM value for what I purchased. I will continue to shop at GS/EB because they have good price drops from time to time and there are so many around, it's easy to hit a bunch until I find my sealed copy, and I get my satisfaction in knowing I'm not supporting their used/gutted copy crap. GS/EB needs to stop "assuming" and follow Best Buy's system if their worried about theft and keep the games sealed for sale, simple as that...
 
I'm under the impression that a game is not new unless it has been unopened. I've been on the receiving end of scratched up "new" games from Gamestop that have come from their display copys. Even worse is when they sell you a copy that they let one of their employees take home to play. Not all Gamestops are like this, but the employees themselves are usually so detached from what they are doing that simply bringing their attention to the fact that you want a sealed copy seems to offend them. So far it seems like for every helpful employee at a Gamestop, theres three or four employees that will go out of their way to ruin your shopping experience.

I've actually seen a store manager harass an employees little sister when the employee went into the back room. The employee had helped his little sister choose Christmas gifts before the manager had called him to the back, then upon taking over the transaction, canceled the employee discount the guy gave to his sister and then try to convince her to buy used versions of the games she had chosen. The entire time he was harassing incoming customers for trade-ins. Now I dunno if the corporation is training these guys to be annoying, but this guy made me avoid Gamestop altogether for a few month.

I've also had positive experiences with them. Just last week I went to purchase Call of Duty 4 and the sealed copy turned out to be a floater. I had opened it in store and even the employees agreed that it was scratched up enough that they went and gave me a pristine display copy instead.


The Gears of War incident is something that happened to me as well. No Gamestops had the game, but then I went to Best Buy across the street and they not only had the limited edition, but they had tons of it.
 
[quote name='shinzero01']I'm under the impression that a game is not new unless it has been unopened. I've been on the receiving end of scratched up "new" games from Gamestop that have come from their display copys.[/quote]
Word. I might let the whole thing slide if the games still came in pristine condition, but more often than not (in my experience) the case is convered in greasy fingerprints, the manual is torn, and the disc looks as if it's been polished with a belt sander. When I decline such copies they have the gall to tell me "but it's never been played."
 
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