Fucking Gamestop Selling Fucking Open Fucking Games

[xerodok]

I've been working at GameStop for two years now, and I agree with you OP, this has always bothered me.

In all honesty, the only time I really have to worry about getting a reshrapped/opened game is if its a rare game that I can only find at certain stores, such as Shin Magami 2/dot hack quarntine, or something like that. Otherwise you shouldn't have to worry about getting the last copy.

If you're really that hardcore about buying BRAND NEW SEALED newnenwenwew games, reserve them and get them the day they come out. Otherwise, search around for a perfect condition copy that some homo traded in and buy it used.

So just quit being lazy, go to another GameStop or another store and quit waaahing.

[Jotaru]

I was under the impression that 'open boxes' weren't really about saving money as much as games being 'lent' to employees who bring it back and rewrap it for sale at full retail price. Open box == used game, in other words, and charging full price for it is a pure scam.

No. False rumors are great and all, but that's not Gamestop's big evil plan, my apologies.

Generally there's supposed to be anywhere from one to four 'gut' copies of a game out at any time - game opened, filed away, case displayed on wall. One in the case of smaller titles, up to four if its in multiple sections (i.e. double faced in a new release section, etc). The disc should never be touched, if there's any sort of grime or grease go back and bitch up a storm, I would, and if someone came back to my store pissed like that, I'd fix the problem and do what I could to make the customer happy.

Some stores cut corners, especially high sales stores - I went to one in Boston while I was checking various ones out, and they had almost all of their games gutted already; then again, they do about 6x the sales where they're at (Prudential Center, one of the busiest areas in the entire eastern side of the country) than we do in a day, so its somewhat understandable... The main thing is that we're not trying to pass them off as brand new never-been-opened. My store places a clear 'wafer' (sticker) over the game case so we can tell if its been opened upon a return; some have re-shrinkwrappers, but either way, if they straight up lie to you, complain. That being said, most of the time nothing is said, so assuming is also bad. Ask for an un-opened copy; many many people do, its understandable, and its your right, if we have any more left. Sometimes its our last copy and its our only resort!

Its a damn shame that every time there is some kind of corporate buy out or merger the shittier company is the one that ends up "taking over".

EB used to be an amazingly good store and Gamestop has just turned it to utter shit. They give you pennies for trade-ins, don't allow returns anymore, have that dumbass policy the OP is bitching about, and they barely carry any new stock beyond pre-orders. Half the time when you do pre-order they don't even get on release day, or they sell it to one of their friends if you don't show up within a few hours to get it, so you have to wait for the next shipment to get it.

For new games its Best Buy or Walmart only for me, and I buy the occasional used game from Gamestop, and even that is getting more and more rare these days.

Almost want to make a "GameStop for Dummies" thread already.. bah. Just to hash out a few- the system they use for tradeins is a merger of the way they did it pre-merger. Its all a matter of supply vs. demand; on most relatively high demand games, you get about 30% back. GameStop doesn't force you to sell it to them; they make you an offer, its your choice. Returns - still allowed. Its corporate-wide policy, country-wide, at any GameStop or EBGames. Hang on to your receipt. Preorders and releases - wow, it takes time to get from a shipment center in North Carolina to a store in Oregon... imagine that. Street dated titles are on time. And selling to a friend can happen anywhere buddy. Bad experiences causing sweeping generalizations = bad news bears.

[izembo]

don't know how it is at other gamestops, but at mine everything that is gutted and out on the wall goes into a case back in perfect condition. if there's even a single scratch on it we dont sell it as a new one. We also don't allow employees to check out a new game so that we can guarantee to you that what we are selling you is in fact a brand new game.

[Hitoshura]

This is why if I did not reserve, I find the title elsewhere.

[izembo]

speaking of reserves though, if you want smash, reserve it, its really tightly allocated and we will have 0 extras, at least around here.

[Calais~]

True, it can depend on the store, but in my experience there's absolutely nothing wrong with getting the display case unless you happen to hate stickers (which is understandable, I hate them too). If you want the game, but don't want the stickers or the display case somehow got dirty, just ask for a new case. I worked at Gamestop for a couple years and we always had stacks of nice clean cases in the back and plenty of other display cases out that weren't dirty. If they don't happen to have a clean case but you really want the game, just buy it and go to another GS/EB and exchange it there.

That said, I very rarely shop at EB/GS anymore after working there. The company is retarded, but if you have no other shopping option at least take pity on the poor saps stuck there and reserve a game.

[guartz]

Really? The package is that important?

Or is it the content? Which happens to be virtual.

See where I'm going with this?

[izembo]

honestly it's been over a year since i've seen someone refuse to buy a nonfactory sealed copy of a game. I don't see what the big deal is, you don't get to tear the plastic off, whats so special about that? =/

[archibaldcrane]

honestly it's been over a year since i've seen someone refuse to buy a nonfactory sealed copy of a game. I don't see what the big deal is, you don't get to tear the plastic off, whats so special about that? =/

I don't want to pay full price for an open game with a bunch of greasy fat fingerprints all over the disc and shit all over the cover.

[izembo]

except it's nothing like that at all. the disc has no fingerprints or marks on it whatsoever, neither does the book, and if there is anything wrong with the case it can be easily switched out.

[MisterBob]

I always lol @ the guy with "GameStop" in his sig. It's not a terrible job, but it also isn't somewhere I'd exactly be proud to work if I was over 18.


And yeah, fucking selling people games as "new" when they are NOT NEW should be illegal (and probably is, but taking on a corporation on such a small charge is not something that most lawyers would agree to).

[izembo]

it is new, it's never been used before, thus still a new product. there are many places that take back opened products and close the box up and resell it as a new one. we don't do that, it hasn't been used at all. if it was used it's sold as a used product, which is why we don't take returns on new product once its opened.

[MisterBob]

it is new, it's never been used before, thus still a new product. there are many places that take back opened products and close the box up and resell it as a new one. we don't do that, it hasn't been used at all. if it was used it's sold as a used product, which is why we don't take returns on new product once its opened.

If it's been opened and touched/handled since it left the factory, it is not new. Very very slightly used != new by any stretch of the imagination.

(In before .9999999 repeating = 1)

[izembo]

nope, it's still new. don't know why you don't think it isn't a new game. never been used = new.

[MisterBob]

nope, it's still new. don't know why you don't think it isn't a new game. never been used = new.

It's been open and touched, not new. When someone touches it (most likely mishandling it and touching the bottom), its value has decreased, and it should not be sold at full price.

[Ikith]

I'd rather have a factory sealed copy that I know has never been touched and that I know has all of the books and registration shit in it rather than something someone has opened and possible discarded the registration numbers because they feel its not important!

[izembo]

shouldnt be touched as its pretty much slid right into a sleeve. but anyways, the value isnt really decreased as no damage is or should be done. either way nothing would ever change on it. if you don't realize that you're included in the less than 1% of gamestops client base, then it's kind of sad.

what would you want them to do instead? honestly think about it.

you can't put those stupid sleeves+tags like toys 'r us used to have, they failed horribly. it's a whole selling thing, people buy more if they can hold it themselves in their hand. most places won't let you buy a car without driving it first, it gives you ownership. letting the games out there sells tons more games. ive had this discussion with higher ups in the company before too, and there really isnt any other practice that works. i will say that im as considerate as i can be about the whole issue, and we dont gut more than 1 copy of a game, we take the books and games out and keep them sealed in perfect condition. i know thats a lot better than most of your stores out there, but unfortunately i can only speak from my experience.

[Ikith]

As I've stated before... Keep a few empties in the front and keep the SEALED COPY'S IN THE BACK! ITS NOT THAT HARD TO KEEP IT SEALED AND KEEPING IT FROM GETTING STOLEN. There is no excuse to gut 10-15 PERFECTLY FINE sealed packages! If they gave me sealed copy's I would go to EB and GS but fuck that I'm going to replay where I know for a fact their copy's are still sealed and discs are never touched! Fucking game stop faggotry.

FURTHERMORE... Having a sealed package lets the business know that you've opened it so when you come to return it thinking your so fucking smart because you bought a game then dumped it to an ISO or ROM they can refuse your ass! If you say it doesn't work you can exchange it and it gets sent back to Nintendo! IMO THIS IS A GOOD POLICY.

[archibaldcrane]

izembo, you keep saying "we" - I assume you work at a single location of Gamestop, but you pretend you are speaking for all locations. Others in this thread have stated that employees have been able to "rent" new games for 4 days, meaning the games have been taken, played, returned, and sold as new.

Careful with your "we"s.

[izembo]

as i said, we only got 1 copy here, the rest are all sealed.

we = more employees than just me work at gamestop. i said i wasnt counting all. but seriously dont shop at the shady ass ones. and i have actually worked at 5 different gamestops, 3 of which i did do at once, and not all of them were perfect, but they were all a hell of a lot better than what you describe.