New CAG Affiliate: VideoGameCentral.com - 10% off for CAGs

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CheapyD

CheapyD

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I recently spoke to the management of VideoGameCentral.com, an online retailer located out of NYC. They very much wanted to be a part of the CAG affiliate family and I thought you guys might find their large selection of gaming goods interesting. In addition to new releases, they carry classic games, imports, and other specialty products

They've offered up a 10% off coupon: cheapvgcgamer, which is good for any purchase.

VideoGameCentral.com

I haven't had a chance to go through the site on a deal search, but Bargain Bin Games - Cheap Games might be a good place to start.
 
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[quote name='m0rningbreakfast']CAGer Belmont: Die, retailer! You don't belong on this board!

DraVGCula: It was not by my hand that I am once again giving miniscule discounts! I was called here by affiliates who wish to pay me tribute!

CAGer: Tribute? You sell bootlegs and make profits!

DraVGCula: I suppose the same could be said of all retail-stores....

CAGer: Your deals are as empty as your soul! CheapAssGamer ill needs a game store such as yours!

DraVGCula: What is a CheapAssGamer? A miserable little pile of threads! But enough talk... Have at you!

[/quote]Delicious!
 
It's funny that Oracle says that I'm talking like I'm trying to discredit a presidential candiadate. He uses more double talk than any of the guys (and gal) on the trail right now. Having to make "gray area" decisions? I've never known bootlegs to be in any sort of gray area....
 
[quote name='m0rningbreakfast']CAGer Belmont: Die, retailer! You don't belong on this board!

DraVGCula: It was not by my hand that I am once again giving miniscule discounts! I was called here by affiliates who wish to pay me tribute!

CAGer: Tribute? You sell bootlegs and make profits!

DraVGCula: I suppose the same could be said of all retail-stores....

CAGer: Your deals are as empty as your soul! CheapAssGamer ill needs a game store such as yours!

DraVGCula: What is a CheapAssGamer? A miserable little pile of threads! But enough talk... Have at you!

[/quote]


That sums up this whole debate nicely!!! Awesome post!
 
[quote name='jza1218']I dont know why, but this site reminds me of a store that used to be in NYC, I forget the name, but it was on St. Marks place, next to a barber. I wonder if the owner(s) are the same?[/quote]

Actually we have been compared to them before but I've heard VideoGameCentral is a lot larger in size. The name escapes me right now. But no we are not affiliated with them.
 
[quote name='m0rningbreakfast']CAGer Belmont: Die, retailer! You don't belong on this board!

DraVGCula: It was not by my hand that I am once again giving miniscule discounts! I was called here by affiliates who wish to pay me tribute!

CAGer: Tribute? You sell bootlegs and make profits!

DraVGCula: I suppose the same could be said of all retail-stores....

CAGer: Your deals are as empty as your soul! CheapAssGamer ill needs a game store such as yours!

DraVGCula: What is a CheapAssGamer? A miserable little pile of threads! But enough talk... Have at you!

[/quote]

DraVGCula: We'll keep working on better pricing. I look forward to winning this fickle crowd over :D
 
[quote name='m0rningbreakfast']For the DDR'ers out there, it is actually CHEAPER to buy the high-quality Cobalt Flux (Rolls Royce of the commercial DDR metal pads) at VGC than the actual CobaltFlux.com website.

VGC already discounted the $300 pad by %10 to make it $270, factor in shipping (~$80 versus CF.com's $50 shipping) and then using the CAG affialte coupon code brings the final total (as a Californian) to ~$325 versus CF.com's ~$350.

But in CF's defense, they offer 6-month warranty on both the pad and some control box.[/quote]

The CAG coupon: CheapVGCGamer has already been used on PlaySeat Gaming Chairs also and it saves you over $25
 
[quote name='mephitical']Oracle, you're in a no-win situation here. The main problem is the audience, myself included. Fur Fighters might have seemed like a cheap shot, but I could print out your list of PS2 games and walk into any Best Buy or Gamestop and find similar prices. Most games on that list are $4.99 used or less at Gamestop, even less using the 25% off codes online or the B2G1Free offer in-store.
On this site, you are dealing with people for whom cheapiness is next to godliness; they know all the deals and how to accomplish cheap gaming most efficiently. That goal does not mesh well with supproting a budding business like yours.[/quote]

GameStop is having a temporary sale at prices that might come close to what we have featured. And as you said yourself, USED prices at $4.99. You know full well that that doesn't come in the same ballpark as a new title. We have NEW titles for $4.99. I would appreciate fair comparisons.

Note: VideoGameCentral has a permanent in-store deal for BUY 2 Pre-Played Games and Get 1 FREE always. WE are known for that and is why we turnover a tremendous amount of used games. The GameStop four blocks from us does less then half the in-store totals that we do. Even their own employees would atest to that.
 
[quote name='TheOracle']Note: VideoGameCentral has a permanent in-store deal for BUY 2 Pre-Played Games and Get 1 FREE always. WE are known for that and is why we turnover a tremendous amount of used games.[/QUOTE]
If you made that available online as well I think you would find a good niche. There aren't too many places with good deals on classic console games (that I know of at least). The old EBGames.com is sadly missed around here and one of the reasons for that is their classic games.

I honestly don't think you can compete on current gen, or even last gen games. Not with CAGs anyway. If you do have the occasional lower price, CAGs will take advantage of that, but it won't build you a customer base. Best Buy calls people like us "devil customers" for a reason. We take the loss leader bait but then swim off unhooked. A small shop can't afford to compete with that.
 
We're not fickle. We just like to pay the lowest price possible for anything. You're expecting us to become loyal customers but we aren't loyal to any company. There are certain sites that do deserve the premium because they have great customer service and are an established member of the community.
 
Thanks I rather gave my cash to liongames.He has better used deals and awesome pre-orders that can't be beat.

Nice to see other sites trying to cash in, and I'm sure in the long run CAG will benefit from more sites giving us discounts. Big or small.
 
[quote name='TheOracle']DraVGCula: We'll keep working on better pricing. I look forward to winning this fickle crowd over :D[/quote]

Good luck. I think you'll need it. ;)
 
[quote name='TheOracle']DraVGCula: We'll keep working on better pricing. I look forward to winning this fickle crowd over :D[/quote]

not fickle.
i remain steadfast in shopping at places with the lowest prices.
 
Also, here's a tip:

If you're not even going to come close to scoring decent import prices from a distributor, just don't even bother.

Neo Geo Battle Coliseum for $50, compared to Play-Asia's $30?

Fist of the North Star for $75, compared to Play-Asia's $65?

This one is my favorite: Darkstalkers Collection for $60, compared to Play-Asia's $20 :lol:

I can get these games shipped from Japan cheaper than your price before shipping AND with the 10% off coupon.

That's the first thing I went to was your imports to see if maybe a US seller could come close to matching Play-Asia, but nope. If for some reason I want to get an import game from the US, I'll just hit up NCSX.
 
[quote name='TheOracle']

Note: VideoGameCentral has a permanent in-store deal for BUY 2 Pre-Played Games and Get 1 FREE always. WE are known for that and is why we turnover a tremendous amount of used games. The GameStop four blocks from us does less then half the in-store totals that we do. Even their own employees would atest to that.[/QUOTE]

And where is your store?
 
[quote name='TheOracle'] As for bootlegs, we have never been a player in the 'bootleg' world due to my own beliefs on artistic license rights in music, art and gaming.[/QUOTE]

Ummm... y'all sold that pos Power Player. And there ain't no "gray area" about that thing. It's a clear bootleg.
 
[quote name='Roufuss']Also, here's a tip:

If you're not even going to come close to scoring decent import prices from a distributor, just don't even bother.

Neo Geo Battle Coliseum for $50, compared to Play-Asia's $30?

Fist of the North Star for $75, compared to Play-Asia's $65?

This one is my favorite: Darkstalkers Collection for $60, compared to Play-Asia's $20 :lol:

I can get these games shipped from Japan cheaper than your price before shipping AND with the 10% off coupon.

That's the first thing I went to was your imports to see if maybe a US seller could come close to matching Play-Asia, but nope. If for some reason I want to get an import game from the US, I'll just hit up NCSX.[/QUOTE]

It's not even like they have any harder to find imports either. It's just the normal stuff that's readily available at stores with prices that somebody could feasibly pay.
 
[quote name='sixersballernum3']On that note, have you ever had anyone actually purchase your imports?[/quote]
Actually yes, We have a strong sell thru on Fighting Games and Games that don't require knowing Japanese to play. For instance we don't do anything on Import RPG's. Also, in-store the Naruto's, Jump SuperStars, and Battle Stadium D.O.N. sell regularly week to week.

The game mentioned earlier that's now a greatest hit in Japan is the reason the retail is so different. Again, older titles that are of no consequence anymore might be owned by VGC at the old price. It's no big deal, we might have one or two left. But as I mentioned before if we were called personally on specific issues we would honor the fair marke price at the time.

[quote name='jza1218']And where is your store?[/quote]
VGC is in Southern Queens, New York.

Exit 17 off the Belt Pkwy.

VideoGameCentral.com
156-40 Cross Bay Blvd
Howard Beach, NY 11414

[quote name='Damian']If you do have the occasional lower price, CAGs will take advantage of that, but it won't build you a customer base. Best Buy calls people like us "devil customers" for a reason. We take the loss leader bait but then swim off unhooked. A small shop can't afford to compete with that.[/quote]
Point well taken.

That is why CAG'ers have taken advantage of the 10% coupon (CheapVGCGamer) already.
 
[quote name='TheOracle']

The game mentioned earlier that's now a greatest hit in Japan is the reason the retail is so different. Again, older titles that are of no consequence anymore might be owned by VGC at the old price. It's no big deal, we might have one or two left. But as I mentioned before if we were called personally on specific issues we would honor the fair marke price at the time.[/quote]
But why is someone going to go through the trouble of calling when they can go to other online retailers? Its not the customers job to help you find the fair market value, you, the retailer need to research whats out there and figure it out.

[quote name='TheOracle']VGC is in Southern Queens, New York.

Exit 17 off the Belt Pkwy.

VideoGameCentral.com
156-40 Cross Bay Blvd
Howard Beach, NY 11414[/quote]
Too far away for me, but thanks for answering.
 
[quote name='jza1218']But why is someone going to go through the trouble of calling when they can go to other online retailers? Its not the customers job to help you find the fair market value, you, the retailer need to research whats out there and figure it out.[/quote]
Agreed to a point. And we do as the issue arises. But as a smaller private company it is impossible to do a full system scan on older, out of interest titles when we are all trying to keep the immediate trends and products flowing in and out. EXAMPLE: I was just at the LARGEST NorthEast Gaming Distributor last week. I was waiting to speak with my Sales Rep so I browsed their inventory shelves. I noticed GameCube TimeSplitters: Future Peferct sitting in it's spot. I looked up the price and saw they were wholesaleing it for $42. It's laughable because they will never sell it at this price but it was their last owned price. This is a company that does well over $100 Million in a year and has major retailor acccounts. Even at their large level they still only address price drops when they re-but or get publisher annouced price protection. It's just a fact of our business. We can only address older issues as they come up. But you bring you bring up a good point and I wish we had software that would be connected to our POS system that would spider the web and bring up price changes as they occur.

[quote name='Roufuss']Also, here's a tip:

This one is my favorite: Darkstalkers Collection for $60, compared to Play-Asia's $20 :lol:
[/quote]
I checked out your claim. There is NO ORDER button next to the Darkstalkers Collection. This means IT IS OUT OF STOCK. That's the listing for the item under the last price we sold it for. This is not an active item. It is an open reference to the game in case we ever get it back in. This is what I mean about old news items.

And one more note on the much acredited PlayAsia. The reason why LikSang was pulled down is because they made SONY, NINTENDO and other major manufacturers lose billions, not millions, BILLIONS in bootlegged, non-licensed and illegal merchandise sold y THEM. That finally SONY leading the way, got a global task force to STOP their business, and sue them for lost profits. That is why you don't see hide nor hair of anything LikSang anymore. And guess who, that little company that started up in 2002 called PlayAsia.com is. Guess who they are and where their money came from to just OPEN up as a Global player in the import to USA gaming business. It is finacially made up of and managed by the same LikSang guys just with now a partnership with a more American Friendly marketing company. Just now their a lot smarter...
 
[quote name='TheOracle']I checked out your claim. There is NO ORDER button next to the Darkstalkers Collection. This means IT IS OUT OF STOCK. That's the listing for the item under the last price we sold it for. This is not an active item. It is an open reference to the game in case we ever get it back in. This is what I mean about old news items.

And one more note on the much acredited PlayAsia. The reason why LikSang was pulled down is because they made SONY, NINTENDO and other major manufacturers lose billions, not millions, BILLIONS in bootlegged, non-licensed and illegal merchandise sold y THEM. That finally SONY leading the way, got a global task force to STOP their business, and sue them for lost profits. That is why you don't see hide nor hair of anything LikSang anymore. And guess who, that little company that started up in 2002 called PlayAsia.com is. Guess who they are and where their money came from to just OPEN up as a Global player in the import to USA gaming business. It is finacially made up of and managed by the same LikSang guys just with now a partnership with a more American Friendly marketing company. Just now their a lot smarter...[/QUOTE]
I call bullshit - I highly doubt one website could cause losses of "billions" due to selling illegal goods, even if it is spread among numerous companies over an extended period of time. Do you have any sources for that statement?
 
[quote name='TheOracle']I checked out your claim. There is NO ORDER button next to the Darkstalkers Collection. This means IT IS OUT OF STOCK. That's the listing for the item under the last price we sold it for. This is not an active item. It is an open reference to the game in case we ever get it back in. This is what I mean about old news items.

And one more note on the much acredited PlayAsia. The reason why LikSang was pulled down is because they made SONY, NINTENDO and other major manufacturers lose billions, not millions, BILLIONS in bootlegged, non-licensed and illegal merchandise sold y THEM. That finally SONY leading the way, got a global task force to STOP their business, and sue them for lost profits. That is why you don't see hide nor hair of anything LikSang anymore. And guess who, that little company that started up in 2002 called PlayAsia.com is. Guess who they are and where their money came from to just OPEN up as a Global player in the import to USA gaming business. It is finacially made up of and managed by the same LikSang guys just with now a partnership with a more American Friendly marketing company. Just now their a lot smarter...[/QUOTE]

LikSang went down because Sony sued them for selling imported PSP's, after they told LikSang to stop.

You know what, if CheapyD wants to be affiliated with people like you who are going to trash his other affiliates, I will just stop buying from *every* CAG affiliate link, and I'm going to urge others to do the same.

You will never have the service, support, or prices Play-Asia has - hell, their shipping from Japan is cheaper than your domestic shipping. If the best you can do is try to badmouth them, instead of actually, you know, competiting with them, you are not worth the time of day.

Instead of actually trying to lower prices, and be competitive, you constantly provide excuses about why your prices are retardedly high - that's really not the way to win people over.

Your website and you are trash, and I am going to pull all my support from *EVERY* the affiliate links from this site, which means CheapyD just lost out on about $200 I was going to throw at Play-Asia with his affiliate link - instead, I'll just go directly there.

Hopefully other people will follow my lead. I really hate pulling my business from CheapAssGamer, I use the affiliate links constantly, but not anymore.

Gothic Walrus, it is bullshit, LikSang went down over the imported PSP business, which is what started the parade of hate for Sony awhile ago, because Sony basacially shut them down. They were importing into Europe, Sony told them to stop, other importers like P-A did, LikSang didn't, they got sued, and they drained all their money trying to fight it, and got shut down.

I just like this guy's reaction is that, instead of competiting fairly, he just tries to discredit Play Asia's name - someone said TheOracle is like a presidential candidiate, and I agree, smear campaign and all.

It's like if he talks shit about P-A people will suddenly want to pay his vastly overrated import prices. I'm surprised he didn't try and talk shit about NCSX while he was at it. His import prices suck, plain and simple.
 
I like how you chose not to answer my question back then, but answered everyone else's because well, you can't think of a counter arguement:

"Amazon has FF X-2 for $13.99...

http://www.amazon.com/Square-Enix-9...21?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1181850497&sr=8-1

When you add the cheapest shipping for both sites and apply the 10% off at VGC, amazon's is 4 cents more at the end, but you'll get it faster and more reliable. Also, you'll probably be buying something else to get free shipping so if you did that, FFX-2 would be $4.45 cheaper at Amazon. Sorry oracle."
 
[quote name='suko_32']I like how you chose not to answer my question back then, but answered everyone else's because well, you can't think of a counter arguement:

"Amazon has FF X-2 for $13.99...

http://www.amazon.com/Square-Enix-9...21?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1181850497&sr=8-1

When you add the cheapest shipping for both sites and apply the 10% off at VGC, amazon's is 4 cents more at the end, but you'll get it faster and more reliable. Also, you'll probably be buying something else to get free shipping so if you did that, FFX-2 would be $4.45 cheaper at Amazon. Sorry oracle."[/QUOTE]

All you're going to get is doublespeak and backtracking out of this guy - Cheapy should really have contacted Liongames instead. Cheap prices on everything, the owner is actually a nice guy, and he posts here often and is helpful.

The only response you'll get Suko is why Amazon is so horrible and other random excuses.

Proof that this guy is full of lies now:

Lik-Sang didn't go out of business until 2006, because of the high legal costs of fighting Sony over importing PSP's, which they won but the legal fees put them under.

Lik-Sang and Play-Asia are NOT related in any way. Yes, Lik-Sang got in trouble for selling mod chips in 2002, but they reinvented themselves as an import specialist much like Yesasia or Play-Asia. Nobody from Lik-Sang went on to form Play-Asia, because Lik-Sang just remade their company again. Don't listen to this guy's lies against Play-Asia.

It really doesn't look good for the worst affiliate of them all to start talking trash about one of the best affiliates CAG has.
 
[quote name='Roufuss']You know what, if CheapyD wants to be affiliated with people like you who are going to trash his other affiliates, I will just stop buying from *every* CAG affiliate link, and I'm going to urge others to do the same. [/quote]

That is the only thing that is going to get his attention at this point.
 
[quote name='Roufuss']All you're going to get is doublespeak and backtracking out of this guy - Cheapy should really have contacted Liongames instead. Cheap prices on everything, the owner is actually a nice guy, and he posts here often and is helpful.

The only response you'll get Suko is why Amazon is so horrible and other random excuses.

Proof that this guy is full of lies now:

Lik-Sang didn't go out of business until 2006, because of the high legal costs of fighting Sony over importing PSP's, which they won but the legal fees put them under.

Lik-Sang and Play-Asia are NOT related in any way. Yes, Lik-Sang got in trouble for selling mod chips in 2002, but they reinvented themselves as an import specialist much like Yesasia or Play-Asia. Nobody from Lik-Sang went on to form Play-Asia, because Lik-Sang just remade their company again. Don't listen to this guy's lies against Play-Asia.

It really doesn't look good for the worst affiliate of them all to start talking trash about one of the best affiliates CAG has.[/quote]

With all do respect to your anger Roufous, Distributors we deal with on the west coast say it has the same management. Where do you think Lik Sang went in 2002 with all the fallout? They had a lot of money and knowledge on selling product but they didn't want to spend millions in legal defense. This is not a smear to them at all. I think they made the only decision they could. I think PlayAsia is a fine company. My statement was to say that PlayAsia didn't just spring up wit US contacts and a distribution system that was in place. No smear here...
 
[quote name='TheOracle']With all do respect to your anger Roufous, Distributors we deal with on the west coast say it has the same management. Where do you think Lik Sang went in 2002 with all the fallout? They had a lot of money and knowledge on selling product but they didn't want to spend millions in legal defense. This is not a smear to them at all. I think they made the only decision they could. I think PlayAsia is a fine company. My statement was to say that PlayAsia didn't just spring up wit US contacts and a distribution system that was in place. No smear here...[/QUOTE]

Liksang rebuilt their company in 2002, they didn't shut their doors until 2006, get your facts straight. It was the millions they DID spend in 2006 that caused them to shut their doors for good, due to importing PSP's into Europe.

None of this is facts, you're just merely speculating on secondhand information.
 
[quote name='Roufuss']Liksang rebuilt their company in 2002, they didn't shut their doors until 2006, get your facts straight. It was the millions they DID spend in 2006 that caused them to shut their doors for good, due to importing PSP's into Europe.

None of this is facts, you're just merely speculating on secondhand information.[/quote]

The info from our west coast affiliates says they had a lot more coming down on them then just a SONY lawsuit for imported consoles.

I respectfully disagree with you.
 
[quote name='TheOracle']The info from our west coast affiliates says they had a lot more coming down on them then just a SONY lawsuit for imported consoles.

I respectfully disagree with you.[/QUOTE]

Thats called 2nd hand information.
 
[quote name='jza1218']Thats called 2nd hand information.[/quote]

LikSang's prepared statement would also be 2nd hand information.
 
[quote name='jza1218']Thats called 2nd hand information.[/quote]

What, and Roufuss is a primary source? Not personally knowing any of the parties involved, it seems more logical to believe that someone involved in the video game retail business (i.e. VGC's distributor) would be more informed than an average consumer/fan (i.e. Roufuss). The caveat, of course, in this day of instant information: LINKZ PLZ.

As regards the price comparisons, how often do you find an independent retailer able to compete with the giants? These days, I don't ever expect to find a better deal online, except in the infrequent instances of a promotion or coupon (which is why I come to this site), than what I would pay walking into a big box store. More's the pity.
 
[quote name='Roufuss']Instead of actually trying to lower prices, and be competitive, you constantly provide excuses about why your prices are retardedly high - that's really not the way to win people over.[/QUOTE]

While I agree with your assessment here, the issue was originally about VGC selling mod chips/flash cards/whatever, and how that was inconsistent with CAG's "ethics." If someone is selling a game at a very high price, and it can be found cheaper elsewhere, then buy it elsewhere.

I'd probably only buy through VGC if they offered B2G1 online the way Oracle claims they do in store (I'm skeptical of anything they say). Even at that point, their behavior in this thread (finger pointing and denial, excuse after excuse) certainly make me not want to spend a dime at their shop. So, simply, I won't.
 
The claim that Lik-Sang went under dueto piracy is simply insane.

Whether or not it was just the PSP lawsuit or whether other companies wee breathing down their necks for exporting their stuff is an open question, but it was four years from the time they stopped selling the piracy tools to the time they shut down for good. They weren't fighting piracy lawsuits that whole time.

I've gotta say, TheOracle, I'm supremely disappointed in your mud-slinging. I was impressed that you came on here, despite all the negativitiy, and began trying to work through things and patch things up with our advice. But now you've blasted the "big guys" and even a reuptable, fair-priced, quity-service CAG affiliate with whom you evidently can't (or won't) compete. I'm with Roufuss. The whole of my CAG affiliate support is now withdrawn until we get this site off of the affiliate list. I just wish I had seen this more recent development before my recent Amazon order.
 
[quote name='suko_32']I like how you chose not to answer my question back then, but answered everyone else's because well, you can't think of a counter arguement:

"Amazon has FF X-2 for $13.99...

http://www.amazon.com/Square-Enix-90305-Final-Fantasy/dp/B00008URUA/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-6893604-6257621?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1181850497&sr=8-1

When you add the cheapest shipping for both sites and apply the 10% off at VGC, amazon's is 4 cents more at the end, but you'll get it faster and more reliable. Also, you'll probably be buying something else to get free shipping so if you did that, FFX-2 would be $4.45 cheaper at Amazon. Sorry oracle."[/quote]

Apologize, I haven't answered your thread because we're in the same ballpark as Amazon's lowest. You stated we're 4 cents cheaper but if you buy something else you get free shipping. But if you walk into VideoGameCentral off the street you won't pay shipping and you'll get it lower then anywhere. You can't walk into Amazon to pickup. It's debatable about what the better deal is. That's all...

But I will put the game on sale starting tommorow for $12.99 as so I will have the lowest listed NEW price. Thanks for the info.:)
 
[quote name='TheOracle']Apologize, I haven't answered your thread because we're in the same ballpark as Amazon's lowest. You stated we're 4 cents cheaper but if you buy something else you get free shipping. But if you walk into VideoGameCentral off the street you won't pay shipping and you'll get it lower then anywhere. You can't walk into Amazon to pickup. It's debatable about what the better deal is. That's all...

But I will put the game on sale starting tommorow for $12.99 as so I will have the lowest listed NEW price. Thanks for the info.:)[/QUOTE]


But you cant walk into your store unless you're in NYC(and even then, I live in Astoria and you're too far away from me to make a visit to). That arguement doesnt really hold water.
 
[quote name='dfg']What, and Roufuss is a primary source? Not personally knowing any of the parties involved, it seems more logical to believe that someone involved in the video game retail business (i.e. VGC's distributor) would be more informed than an average consumer/fan (i.e. Roufuss). The caveat, of course, in this day of instant information: LINKZ PLZ.

As regards the price comparisons, how often do you find an independent retailer able to compete with the giants? These days, I don't ever expect to find a better deal online, except in the infrequent instances of a promotion or coupon (which is why I come to this site), than what I would pay walking into a big box store. More's the pity.[/quote]

Thank you for the fair assesment.
 
[quote name='dfg']What, and Roufuss is a primary source? Not personally knowing any of the parties involved, it seems more logical to believe that someone involved in the video game retail business (i.e. VGC's distributor) would be more informed than an average consumer/fan (i.e. Roufuss). The caveat, of course, in this day of instant information: LINKZ PLZ.

As regards the price comparisons, how often do you find an independent retailer able to compete with the giants? These days, I don't ever expect to find a better deal online, except in the infrequent instances of a promotion or coupon (which is why I come to this site), than what I would pay walking into a big box store. More's the pity.[/QUOTE]

I never said he was. But Oracle was coming off like his info was firsthand.
 
Okay, here's the deal peoples...

VGC is a pretty poor example of the kind of company I personally want to do business with. For many reasons.

However, the idea of boycotting all of the affiliates is crazy. It's not like all the other sites people have mentioned are just begging to be CAG affiliates and harassing Cheapy every day to give us "deals". This site owner went out of their way to offer us a 10% coupon code and, regardless of the fact the site sucks, it's more effort than a lot of sites put forth and I don't blame Cheapy *at all* for giving us the coupon code and letting us decide if we want to use it. You don't have to use the coupon code or shop from this site (and I wouldn't really reccomend doing so), but CAG is about giving *us* the tools and info we need to make the best budgeted shopping decisions when it comes to our Video Games. This is just yet another tool for us to use. It's not a very useful one, but it's there.
 
[quote name='UncleBob']Okay, here's the deal peoples...

VGC is a pretty poor example of the kind of company I personally want to do business with. For many reasons.

However, the idea of boycotting all of the affiliates is crazy. It's not like all the other sites people have mentioned are just begging to be CAG affiliates and harassing Cheapy every day to give us "deals". This site owner went out of their way to offer us a 10% coupon code and, regardless of the fact the site sucks, it's more effort than a lot of sites put forth and I don't blame Cheapy *at all* for giving us the coupon code and letting us decide if we want to use it. You don't have to use the coupon code or shop from this site (and I wouldn't really reccomend doing so), but CAG is about giving *us* the tools and info we need to make the best budgeted shopping decisions when it comes to our Video Games. This is just yet another tool for us to use. It's not a very useful one, but it's there.[/QUOTE]

I'm not boycotting the affiliates, I'm just simply not using the CAG referral links to put money into CAG anymore. I think it was a bad (and uninformed) decision on Cheapy's part to bring in VGC, and I don't feel like I want to support these choices. Gamefly and Amazon have great deals on a regular basis, and Play-Asia has come through huge with both Child's Play and their $5 coupon code a few months ago, so it's not as if the other affiliates don't do a thing.

In my eyes, the other affiliates of CAG represent what CAG is all about - great service, low prices, fast shipping, I would never hesitate to tell anyone to order from the three sites I listed. Would I tell anyone to order from VGC? Absolutely not. Affiliate sites are a reflection on the main site itself, imo, and this doesn't reflect well on CAG.

Like it was mentioned a long time ago, there are far better sites to affiliate with that will bring in better revenue for the old Cheapster that still adhere to what CAG is all about, if he really is looking for affiliates. I'd wager most of them don't even know there is an affiliate program. They sure as hell aren't going to pester Cheapy until he gives in without really looking at the site, just to get them to stop emailing him.

I'll still shop at Amazon and Play-Asia, but I just won't use the affiliate links to fund decisions such as this.

It's not even the prices anymore, it's the mud slinging and the general finger pointing and excuses the owner keeps throwing at us, as Myke said. I'm not really happy to pull my support from the affiliate links, I love CAG just as much if not more than anyone, but this is the only way I feel that my voice at least will be heard. It probably won't make a difference but it's the principal of the thing, just like I don't shop at EB / GS other than once a year because I don't agree with how they do things. It doesn't make a difference, but it's something.
 
[quote name='UncleBob']Okay, here's the deal peoples...

VGC is a pretty poor example of the kind of company I personally want to do business with. For many reasons.

However, the idea of boycotting all of the affiliates is crazy. It's not like all the other sites people have mentioned are just begging to be CAG affiliates and harassing Cheapy every day to give us "deals". This site owner went out of their way to offer us a 10% coupon code and, regardless of the fact the site sucks, it's more effort than a lot of sites put forth and I don't blame Cheapy *at all* for giving us the coupon code and letting us decide if we want to use it. You don't have to use the coupon code or shop from this site (and I wouldn't really reccomend doing so), but CAG is about giving *us* the tools and info we need to make the best budgeted shopping decisions when it comes to our Video Games. This is just yet another tool for us to use. It's not a very useful one, but it's there.[/quote]It's not that I don't want to support CAG, it's that it's about the only way I know of to get anyone's attention on this issue. I've posted in the CAGCast thread as that seems to be something that Cheapy frequents.

And when our "tool" violates our own ToS for the site and bad-mouths other legitimate site because of their own inadequate research and store design in a desperate attempt to hide them, I'd prefer to not even use the tool box then to have to see that one sitting there. I'll still be shopping at Play-Asia, Amazon, etc., but not through the links on CAG till this gets fixed.
 
[quote name='UncleBob']http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lik-Sang

It's Wiki, so take it with a grain of salt, but everyone here should do their own research and make their own opinions.[/quote]

Hopefully Roufous reads this and at least acknowledges that LikSang had licencing infringment issues and not just that they sold PSP imports. SONY just came down on them again because they had it in for them after the first illegal situation. This is no smear, it just what we in the retail portion of the gaming industry know.

Here in an excerpt from another site
"Lik-Sang was sued by Sony before, in 2002. Then, the Japanese giant accused the company of copyright infringement in a bid to prevent it from selling PlayStation 2 modification chips."
(http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2005/08/08/sony_sues_lik-sang/)

This as we know in the retail end was settled out of court. The initial claim of billions lost from SONY was yes, maybe an exagerrated statement that they lumped together with the rest of the bootlegging world but it was definitely the leader of that era in selling mod chips which at that time was primarily used for the copying games boom. Most of the main Lik-Sang top guys had to disband. The others tried to keep the name and reinvent the company since it was so beloved in the gaming world but they infringed again in 2005 with their distributor rights by selling to Europe and the US.

Here's one more quote from CNN.com
"Improving, since the online retailer was shut down. On September 16, Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony filed a lawsuit against Lik Sang in the High Court of Hong Kong.
The offense? Selling mod chips, a device used to play copied games. "Modification," tinkering with a game console to play legally and illegally copied software, is a practice that has turned into a legal landmine for the video game sector. "
(http://archives.cnn.com/2002/TECH/fun.games/12/16/gamers.liksang/index.html)

I wouldn't call that last one second hand info.
 
Nobody is arguing LikSang got in trouble in 2002 for selling mod chips, they stopped and were a legtimiate business until 2006 when they closed up shop because Sony sued them for importing PSP's into Europe.

Liksang WON THAT CASE, but closed due to high legal fees incurred.

I don't know how to make it any clearer, but you seem dead set on proving Liksang closed for good in 2002, and they didn't.

That last one isn't secondhand but it's also from fucking 2002, and wasn't the reason Lik-Sang closed shop.
 
What is the point of this? Lik-Sang sold piracy tools, got busted and changed. Then they got busted for importing PSPs to Europe when Sony asked them to stop, and then they were forced to close. There's never been any claim contrary to that by CAG members.

Play-Asia has better prices than VGC on import games, even after discount. Why was Lik-Sang even brought up other than to try to smear Play-Asia by somehow trying to link them to pre-2002 Lik-Sang, which hasn't been done.

Do you need another shovel? You're digging at an alarming rate.
 
[quote name='jza1218']But you cant walk into your store unless you're in NYC(and even then, I live in Astoria and you're too far away from me to make a visit to). That arguement doesnt really hold water.[/quote]

I wasn't arguing the point. But I still extend the discount to you for $12.99 in-store. I don't know if you recall but we had a pretty funny commerical on cable up until these last three years. We just had to nix it due to Time Warner's insane rate hikes. Between the WWE wrestling superstar autograph signings and the commercial we would get quite a few people from Astoria.

Plus if you ordered from Astoria on Value Ship, you would get it for about $17.85 shipped plus tax. And it would come within two biz days.
 
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