Do you buy at GameStop?

[Armored Prayer]

I usually go there to find old or used games. (Found a lot of great games there)

But for new releases, I just stick to my local electronics/media store.

 

[SirPumpkinLongshanks]

How do they hurt the industry?

Developers don't see a cut of the sales. When Gamestop undercuts the new price by $5 that makes it harder for them to turn a profit.

Developers shouldn't see a cut of used sales. They get their money when that copy of the game was sold new.

Do you think it would be better if Gamestop sold used copies for half the price of the new one? It seems to me that such a small price gap in new and used sells MORE used games, not less.

And I'm not necessarily saying they should see a cut of used sales. What I am saying is both sides get screwed over-the consumer gets a product that's more expensive than it should be and the developer essentially loses a sale. While there's no guarantee the person who bought used would have ever bought new, the laser-focus on the used market is still doing some damage. The fact that Gamestop has done nothing to try and work with developers in a way that's beneficial for both of them makes Gamestop into a cancer.

Used games aren't the problem. I'm in full support of the used market. Developers and publishers aren't in the clear, either-most games are too expensive for what they offer and the way they've tried to squeeze profit out of used-game customers is clumsy at best and a ripoff at worst. This discussion isn't really about that, though. It's about Gamestop, and Gamestop's practices aren't benefiting anybody.

 

[meglathon]

You guys do know that if you go up to the counter and ask them for the new game, they will give you an unopened, pre-sealed one, right?

Well, no. The point is that they usually don't have unopened ones. They keep so little in stock, and so few copies of those they do stock, that most of what they carry ends up being gutted copies. Which, as I've said repeatedly elsewhere, the employees handle carelessly, resulting in anything from light scuffs to blatant scratches. Since most people don't even look for scratches when buying disc media, most people don't seem to care about this policy.

That's funny, when I go and take the box on the shelf that says "new" they give me a completely different case complete with shrink wrap when I buy it...

That's you, not everyone.

???
He just said they almost never had unopened ones and they are usually scratched, and I do a lot of GameStop shopping and I have never had these issues. I was disproving his generalization with my experience that differed...

I was responding to the person who says that they usually give him a shrink wrapped copy

 

[Diddy_Mao]

I always love the rage about the opened games.
It's not like there's an army of rabid gnomes fornicating on the discs back there. The employees aren't sneezing into all the open clam shells.
It's a loss prevention measure and for the most part it's not even that big of an issue unless you happen to buy the last copy of a game in the store.
Otherwise they'll typically pull an unopened copy from their locked case behind the counter.

When I buy a new game and pay a new price, I do not expect to receive an opened copy in return. That, my friend, is what I'd call a used game. The trouble is compounded by the fact that it is all but impossible to return the game if you have second thoughts later since an opened game is, according to Game Stop, used.

Well leaving aside our differences of opinion on what is and is not considered "used" I've never once had a problem returning a game to Gamestop. That's why you don't throw away a receipt, just stick it inside the clam shell and leave it there that way you have proof that you purchased the game within the required return limits (usually within the first week) and that you payed for it new.

I'm not trying to sell you on the company, if you don't like 'em you don't like 'em. But I can't pretend to understand or agree with a lot of the arguments people make.

 

[Mikeyfell]

OK so iv been thinking, I hate the way that game stop does business, from the dame use games to the balls they have for selling you pre-opened NEW GAMES!!!

So ever since a shiny new Future Shop open in my local mall, I do all of my game shopping and buying there, even my pre-orders(DONT CARE ABOUT ANY OF GS DARN SPECIAL PREORDER DEALS)

But what about you guys and girls of the Escapist community do you still buy at game stop?

I actually like that their new games are pre opened.
have you ever tried to tare the package open. it's annoying as hell

but I mostly buy form Amazon everything's cheaper there anyway.
I buy used games from gamestop [sub]I know I'm evil[/sub]

 

[dark-amon]

I buy at different stores, affected by price, offers and staff. sometimes it's gamestop, other times it's game or a local shop.

 

[ragestreet]

Why yes I did buy Gamestop just yesterday.

 

[Edorf]

Used games doesnt have the smell of new games, and Gamestop is shit expensive on new releases, so no... I certainly do not unless I have to.

 

[sabercrusader]

yes i do buy from gamestop, i don't really see the difference from them to other places where you can buy games.Wal-Mart is okay but they don't have many game there and thats the problem i have with them.

 

[meglathon]

How do they hurt the industry?

Developers don't see a cut of the sales. When Gamestop undercuts the new price by $5 that makes it harder for them to turn a profit.

Developers shouldn't see a cut of used sales. They get their money when that copy of the game was sold new.

Do you think it would be better if Gamestop sold used copies for half the price of the new one? It seems to me that such a small price gap in new and used sells MORE used games, not less.

And I'm not necessarily saying they should see a cut of used sales. What I am saying is both sides get screwed over-the consumer gets a product that's more expensive than it should be and the developer essentially loses a sale. While there's no guarantee the person who bought used would have ever bought new, the laser-focus on the used market is still doing some damage. The fact that Gamestop has done nothing to try and work with developers in a way that's beneficial for both of them makes Gamestop into a cancer.

Used games aren't the problem. I'm in full support of the used market. Developers and publishers aren't in the clear, either-most games are too expensive for what they offer and the way they've tried to squeeze profit out of used-game customers is clumsy at best and a ripoff at worst. This discussion isn't really about that, though. It's about Gamestop, and Gamestop's practices aren't benefiting anybody.

Gamestop sells used games, that is their primary business model. Discussing Gamestop is the same as discussing used games. They've already put most of their competition out of business except for online solutions.

I think that Gamestop selling a used new release for $55 when the new on sells for $60 is a huge rip off for the consumer. I ran a poll here and found that most people here would rather spend the extra $5 and buy new. It seems that Gamestop is shooting themselves in the foot with that pricing model. It pushes people to buy new instead. I don't see how that is hurting the game industry.

In fact, used games in general (for which Gamestop is the biggest player) help the market by allowing people to:

- buy out of print games that may pull them into a franchise that they will buy the next game new.
- get a return on some of their money to buy more games, some new.
- buy a game new with the security of knowing that they can resell it if they don't like it.

That the game industry pushes this "no returns on opened games" policy is a scam IMO. Imagine if Hoover did that with vacuum cleaners?

I'll tell you this. I never return things unless they don't work. I don't play the system but earlier this year when I was looking to buy 2 new Win 7 computers one of the things I looked at was return policies. I went with Wal Mart because I knew that I could return the computer if defective. I was considering Best Buy but found that alot of people had problems with their return policy. What I am saying is, return policies DO affect consumer purchasing decisions.

Now don't tell me that it is only specific stores that won't take back opened games, every store won't take them back because of "piracy". The industry catch all and justification for scams.

 

[meglathon]

At one in particular, yes. (EbGames) All the other places had only jerks for personnel. Very poor service and attitude. That one downtown is nice, though.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

Why would I buy a GameStop? A gaming store is too expensive, and you have to hire pe-

Oh, you meant games.

Yes, I go there for my console games or PC games not available on Steam.

 

[EHKOS]

I got a nice place called Disc Replay. Close to my house and I can get ps2 games for 2.99 US. I got Future tactics for .49 cents. Malice for a dollar. I love it.

 

[Grayjack]

I didn't know you could buy a Gamestop!

OT: I buy 90% of my games from Gamestop.

 

[Ironic Pirate]

Yes, because all the other game related stores only sell really old games. By old, I mean they just added a Playstation One section.

I only buy used however. Because sixty dollars is too much.

 

[meglathon]

Yes, because all the other game related stores only sell really old games. By old, I mean they just added a Playstation One section.

I only buy used however. Because sixty dollars is too much.

Those stores are long gone where I live. THe last one was Play N Trade but they died last year. They had everything from NES games to current gen. Gamestop only sells current gen and a little last gen.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

When I buy a new game and pay a new price, I do not expect to receive an opened copy in return. That, my friend, is what I'd call a used game. The trouble is compounded by the fact that it is all but impossible to return the game if you have second thoughts later since an opened game is, according to Game Stop, used.

Well leaving aside our differences of opinion on what is and is not considered "used" I've never once had a problem returning a game to Gamestop. That's why you don't throw away a receipt, just stick it inside the clam shell and leave it there that way you have proof that you purchased the game within the required return limits (usually within the first week) and that you payed for it new.

I'm not trying to sell you on the company, if you don't like 'em you don't like 'em. But I can't pretend to understand or agree with a lot of the arguments people make.[/quote]

My solution to the problem is to simply refuse to purchase such a copy of the game. The trouble is, on the two occasions this has come up, I returned later that same day, receipt in hand, and I was told that because the game was opened I could no longer return it. I was offered the opportunity to sell the game that I had just purchased for 25 dollars.

I understand completely why such a rule exists of course. In the few hours I had the game I could have, conceivably played the game and decided it wasn't for me or worse still made a copy. Their return policy for a used game is much less stringent of course, and the one time this happened with a used game (a purchase for a friend only to find that he had already gotten said game as a gift from someone else) it was accepted in return without question (beyond a quick examination of the game to determine if it was still in playable condition).

It should be said that I don't precisely hate game stop any more than I hate a best buy or a Wal-Mart. It's just that, when given a choice, I will (generally) support the local business before I support a national chain.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

I buy wherever has the best price. Sometimes Target pwns Gamestop.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

When I buy a new game and pay a new price, I do not expect to receive an opened copy in return. That, my friend, is what I'd call a used game. The trouble is compounded by the fact that it is all but impossible to return the game if you have second thoughts later since an opened game is, according to Game Stop, used.

Isn't that a media usage law now anyway? Works for any media that is opened in the US. Movies, music and games.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

When I buy a new game and pay a new price, I do not expect to receive an opened copy in return. That, my friend, is what I'd call a used game. The trouble is compounded by the fact that it is all but impossible to return the game if you have second thoughts later since an opened game is, according to Game Stop, used.

Isn't that a media usage law now anyway? Works for any media that is opened in the US. Movies, music and games.

Probably given that it applies across the board as far as I've experienced. Of course, a Hastings has never sold me a new game with the box already opened nor has Best Buy sold me a movie or a CD that was opened and called it new.