Screw EB Games / Game Stop

[TPiddy]

I pre-ordered Dragon Age:Origins Collector's Edition to get that armor that you can use in both it and Mass Effect 2. I put down a $20 deposit on it.

Weird, because I just got the regular edition and I got the armor.
The collectors just comes with the Watcher's Keep as an extra bonus, as is my understanding.

But, that little nit-pick aside, that does suck that they sold it on you.
However, that's policy. They totally should have told you over the phone, and it was a big dick-move that they didn't, but I'd be more inclined to be pissed at the jerk who said 'Oh yeah! We'll have it for you!' rather then the whole company.

Oh yeah, I'm more pissed at them.... actually, they were the ones who told me that the Collector's Edition was the one to get the armor, so that could be another strike against them, or against me for not knowing what I wanted.

Either way, I have a lot more than just this as a reason for not giving them my business any longer, but this just proved that they really don't care about their customers. In the past I have spent a lot of money, and all at that particular store, but that means shit all to them. I like businesses that treat me like I'm important to them.

For example, I ordered a bedroom set from a furniture chain here called the Brick. They delivered me a broken headboard, and they tried to replace it with the wrong parts a few times. We ended up having to sleep on our mattress on the floor for a whole week as it turns out our particular model was out of stock. They made it up to us by giving us a whole replacement bed, the next model up which was about $350 more, free of charge, including delivery and set up.

The next time I went there we spoke to the same people and they gave us a 40% discount on a couch and some bookshelves. I intend to go back there first the next time I need more furniture because I feel they respect me as a customer.

 

[SteveZim1017]

here we go with the gamestop nonsense...

you have column A that wants you to hold a Pre-order FOREVER for you

You have column B that bitches about not being sold the game they can see in the back because they didnt pre-order.

sounds to me like gamestop's just splitting the difference of the 2 whiney groups. We'll fight off all the other bastards who want your copy for 48 hours. If you are too lazy to get your ass in here by then... tough luck!

also on the used games only 5 bucks cheaper.. they do that cause with the EDGE card it's suddenly 10 bucks cheaper. makes you want to get the EDGE card.

 

[GonzoGamer]

That's funny because the gameslop by me doesn't sell you a game unless you preorder it. One of the many reasons I don't shop there.

My advice: don't pre-order!
It's the biggest consumer rip off since layaway and gamestop is the only retail outlet that managed to convince its customers that it's absolutely necessary.
Just go to a real store, grab it off the shelf and purchase it.

Retailers that do preorders do it because it is safer for their business.

Preordering plays a major part in the release of a game. It tells not only the retailers, but the producer, too, how well the game will potentially sell. If the preorders are low, they'll only print so many disks and retailers will have a small stock. If the preorders are high, they'll make enough for the preorders and a larger percentage more for off-the-shelf purchases since they are betting on word-of-mouth promotion of the game.

It isn't a ripoff since you aren't paying anymore than you would off the shelf. You, instead, guarentee your own copy on release day. Of course you have to buy it when it releases, otherwise the retailer will shelf your copy since you didn't show up for it.

Yea. that's fine that they want to get an idea of how many people want to buy it, that's fine. I pre-order books a lot, but if they started asking me for some money up front, I'd tell them to shove it.

And you are losing money if you end up in the predicament that the OP is in. Even if you're not, you could make money off the interest rather than gameslop. Sure it's not much if you only put $5 down a week before release but a lot of suckers pay for the whole game months before release.

 

[GonzoGamer]

That's funny because the gameslop by me doesn't sell you a game unless you preorder it. One of the many reasons I don't shop there.

My advice: don't pre-order!
It's the biggest consumer rip off since layaway and gamestop is the only retail outlet that managed to convince its customers that it's absolutely necessary.
Just go to a real store, grab it off the shelf and purchase it.

Heh, my gamestop lets you buy the game at the day of release without pre-order, assuming there's enough left, I just don't think you can get it at mid-night. I never have any problems with any pre-orders or my gamestop. I think pre-ordering is only a rip-off when you get a game you don't want, and why would you buy a game you don't want? It would be your fault anyways if you did.

I know of only one gamestop in the whole nyc area that does that (they also refrain from most of the other annoying practices), otherwise the corporate line seems to be that you must pre-order.
But you bring up a good point, why are you going to put money down on a game when you don't know if it's going to be any good?
I was really looking forward to the new Bionic Commando game but I'm damn glad I rented it instead: shortest rental ever - I played it for a couple of hours and sent it back.

 

[Jonci]

Yea. that's fine that they want to get an idea of how many people want to buy it, that's fine. I pre-order books a lot, but if they started asking me for some money up front, I'd tell them to shove it.

And you are losing money if you end up in the predicament that the OP is in. Even if you're not, you could make money off the interest rather than gameslop. Sure it's not much if you only put $5 down a week before release but a lot of suckers pay for the whole game months before release.

I know of only one gamestop in the whole nyc area that does that (they also refrain from most of the other annoying practices), otherwise the corporate line seems to be that you must pre-order.
But you bring up a good point, why are you going to put money down on a game when you don't know if it's going to be any good?
I was really looking forward to the new Bionic Commando game but I'm damn glad I rented it instead: shortest rental ever - I played it for a couple of hours and sent it back.

The OP isn't losing money. Gamestop isn't going to just keep your cash if you didn't buy the game. They will refund any deposit money before or after the game's release if you don't want the game. If you preorder something and decide later that it won't be fun, you can cancel your preorder and get your money back. I canceled my preorder on Modern Warfare 2, which I had $5 deposited to. I got it back.

Gamestop isn't out to scam anyone. On occasion you may have an employee try, but that's true of any business.

EDIT: Like I said, it is a safety practice for their business and each store works seperately. Small stores have to be careful about how much stock they order. Too few on a good title, they lose business. Too much of a poor title, they didn't make a profit. If you do get Gamestop people being very pushy about preorders, it's because their job depends on it. I worked at one and they put pressure on you to get preorders, especially on big titles. They don't get enough, they don't get hours or they get fired. They even lose points for taking a cancellation.

 

[jwabsolution]

I happen to work for a Best Buy and I know for our preorders we get a print out of how many exactly to hold. Example: Modern warfare 2 had different preorders, game for XBox 360, game w/ console, game for PC, etc. So when release day comes we have them sitting by customer service. The number of preorders does dictate the total we get delivered, however, it doesnt matter which Best Buy you preorder from. So lets say I preorder a copy from BBY down the street I could very well go to the store in the next town and get my copy there. Which sucks because if 30 people preorder at our store we could have 40 people walk in on the midnight release with preorder slips in their hand. So Im with a large bulk of people here - I never preorder anything. Since Im an employee customers get everything first, but I am willing to wait to get my copy without the hassles of walking in somewhere dealing with issues like a lot of people have had here.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

Every store is different, like any other business.

 

[Snotnarok]

They sold my friend a used PS3 ...for the new price of 600 USD. And tried to deny it, yet the damn thing had a coating of dust on it, and rubberbands holding the wires wrapped, like we wouldn't notice. Mind you we checked this when we got to the car and were steaming mad.

 

[squid5580]

I pre-ordered Dragon Age:Origins Collector's Edition to get that armor that you can use in both it and Mass Effect 2. I put down a $20 deposit on it.

Weird, because I just got the regular edition and I got the armor.
The collectors just comes with the Watcher's Keep as an extra bonus, as is my understanding.

But, that little nit-pick aside, that does suck that they sold it on you.
However, that's policy. They totally should have told you over the phone, and it was a big dick-move that they didn't, but I'd be more inclined to be pissed at the jerk who said 'Oh yeah! We'll have it for you!' rather then the whole company.

No the CE came with 3 in game items (a staff or wand, book and helmet) well at least for the 360 version. I still had to pay the 400 or whatever points for the Keep map. Although this is in Canada and I heard the UK version wouldn't have the map or tin so maybe they got it with theirs?

 

[bushwhacker2k]

It's just bad service, some places are learning that good service actually makes more people wanna go there but a lot of places like fast food places are stuck in the cheap shitty service age. Hopefully they will move out of it sometime soon.

 

[atomictoast]

So its the store's fault you didn't understand their policy? It's a pretty commonly known thing that GameStop only keeps your copy for 48 hours.

Also, it's just some armor. Go enjoy your game.

 

[FluffyNeurosis]

How is this news that EB/GameStop suck? Vote with your wallet and don?t buy from them and their terrible customer service.

 

[Poopie McGhee]

I pre-order stuff, unless I don't know I'm getting it beforehand (See MW2 (still got the preorder bonus))...
The little bonuses are enough to get me to do it, and the fact that I can pay the game off in increments (See Bayonetta)...
I just always go the day something comes out (or within 48 hours (it says so on the reciept))...
And also, the Blood Dragon Armour and Stone prisoner are in EVERY NEW copy... The pre-order thing was a necklace, ring, and belt...
The collector's edition had Warden's Keep DLC code in it...

 

[Dark Knifer]

I go to the game myself. There usually cheaper then anywhere else and give you discounts for buying games. Also they hold games for you for at least a month.

 

[TPiddy]

That's the key word here. I figured putting down 30% of the game's cost would guarantee me a copy when I was ready for it. I guess I was wrong.

You only just found out about this 48 hour policy now? You were not there during the time period of which they are allowed to hold it for you, its not their fault you wernt there on time to pick up your game. Bitching on a forum isnt going to help is it?

Once again, I'm just saying that this type of policy in general, or neglecting to notify me of said policy when they had plenty of opportunity to do so, is just another example of their declining customer service standards and further reason to no longer conduct business with them.

I've actually acquired a Dragon Age: Origins collector's edition as Future Shop had 2 left.

 

[saintchristopher]

That's the key word here. I figured putting down 30% of the game's cost would guarantee me a copy when I was ready for it. I guess I was wrong.

You only just found out about this 48 hour policy now? You were not there during the time period of which they are allowed to hold it for you, its not their fault you wernt there on time to pick up your game. Bitching on a forum isnt going to help is it?

Once again, I'm just saying that this type of policy in general, or neglecting to notify me of said policy when they had plenty of opportunity to do so, is just another example of their declining customer service standards and further reason to no longer conduct business with them.

I've actually acquired a Dragon Age: Origins collector's edition as Future Shop had 2 left.

"They" who? that gamestop, you mean. The people who work in your area (the regional managers and all that hsit) should be fired. Do you want to know how MY gamestop would have handled your issue? When you called to say "i had that CE pre-ordered, but i won't be able to pick it up till next week," we would have FUCKING HELD IT FOR YOU TILL NEXT WEEK.

And fuck stores that deny a sale because of a lack of a pre-order. I must have sold 3 dozen copies of MW2 without pre-orders yesterday alone. and that's despite my store having i think the most pre-orders of that game in the country. or at least this time zone.

 

[Cilliandrew]

Eh, i learned along time ago not to trust anything anyone at EBgames says.

This goes back in time to the launch of the PS2. I went in months and months before to put down my deposit on the PS2. I put down the requisite 20 bucks (if i remember correctly.) At that time, i actually asked the cashier "Should i just pay for the whole thing now?" and he said "No worries. You're guaranteed a unit at launch. You can pay for the whole thing then."

Fast forward to the week before the PS2 launched. A bunch of the games that i had pre-ordered had come in a week early, so i could go and pick them up.

While in the store, A WEEK BEFORE THE LAUNCH, I offered AGAIN to just pay off the whole PS2. The cashier REFUSED to take my money! (Yes, that's right, he just straight up said no and said "Don't worry, you are guaranteed a unit on launch day!")

Then the NIGHT before the launch, i get home to find a message on my answering machine from EBgames. "We regret to inform you that unfortunately we will not be able to fill your order of a PS2 for the launch date." I, of course, was livid and stormed the store to demand an explanation.

They told me that unfortunately there were other people that had prepaid the full amount and thus they were put ahead of me on the priority list for receiving units. I went nuts, telling them "I offered on 2 separate occasions to pay the whole thing off!" but no one would listen. I had to wait a full month before i was finally able to get a PS2.

Unfortunately they put every other gaming company out of business in my area, so my only option (outside of Futureshop, which i hate because everyone there is on commission) is to shop there.

That's why, for me, Steam is a god-send.

All that being said: I did know about the 48 hour pre-order rule. I agree they should have told you on the phone (the mistake is on the part of EB for telling you they'd hold it for you), but i also know that everytime i've dealt with them, they ALWAYS warn me that i need to get it within 2 days of their call. They usually mention that in any message they leave, too.