GameStop Sells Played Games As New, Sources Say, Practice Could Be Illegal

thealltimelow

what do you think of this?

http://kotaku.com/5205385/gamestop-sells-played-games-as-new-sources-say-practice-could-be-illegal?skyline=true&s=x

This is way when you buy a game from GameStop the plastic is never on the box

Jack Sheehan

I don't think this comes as a surprise to anyone. Gamestop have long indulged in shady practices. The best example is probably that in America, they force their employees into a proprietary account for their wages. A good lawsuit might bring them down a peg or two but I doubt it, they are bigger than Jesus at this stage.

Overheal

No guarantee this is happening in Europe anyway, until an investigation or a souce leads otherwise.

And gamestop is a cnut. I wouldnt buy there.

thealltimelow

Jack Sheehan wrote: »

I don't think this comes as a surprise to anyone. Gamestop have long indulged in shady practices. The best example is probably that in America, they force their employees into a proprietary account for their wages. A good lawsuit might bring them down a peg or two but I doubt it, they are bigger than Jesus at this stage.

ya and a 15% charge to get there money out of that account

noodler

Now as someone who used to work in a place that sells games...I just want to say what the hell do you expect?

Lets look at returns, change of mind returns or returns where the product isn't actually faulty.

You, the customer, has removed the plastic in many cases, opened it, played the game and then decided to return it (possibly just because you didn't like it). Now it seems the retailer is screwed no matter what he does, if he doesn't take it back people complain and now people will complain if he tries to sell it as new if he does take it back.

I don't see how this can apply only to Gamestop.

Shryke

The point is that Gamestop are a bad example of it. And there is no excuse for selling used games as new. It's a sickening practice. You pay for a new copy of a game so you know it is undamaged and it will work. If a game is pre-owned it has to be stated as such, and it would certainly want to be marked down.
The retailer is under no obligation to take back a game because the buyer didn't like it and if they do it's their own fault.

noodler

And then if they didn't let you exchange your game becasue you changed your mind you would be moaning too.

Come on, in this situation you can hardly have it both ways, either you are returning the game in brand new condition or you are not.

Fair enough if they sold traded in games as new or something but in the above example I think they are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

John

I don't think I've ever returned anything because I didn't like it. Is it really that common a practice with consumers? Caveat emptor and all that.

noodler

John wrote: »

I don't think I've ever returned anything because I didn't like it. Is it really that common a practice with consumers? Caveat emptor and all that.

Alot more common than you would think. There is no legal obligation but of course you leave yourself open to abuse from across the counter if you don't exchange little Johnny's game because the Da had no idea Gaelic Games for the PS2 would be *****.

I believe Game, or maybe another store (Argos I think) have a no quibble 7 day return policy. Its just really naive to think a company would take back a game that isn't broken and then NOT sell it on again as new.

AlmightyCushion

John wrote: »

I don't think I've ever returned anything because I didn't like it. Is it really that common a practice with consumers? Caveat emptor and all that.

Yes, it's very common. I've lost count of the amount of times people have gotten thick with me because they tried to return something with out a box or with a cable missing and I refused.

Rael

thealltimelow wrote: »

This is way when you buy a game from GameStop the plastic is never on the box

I never shopped in Gamestop before last month. In their defence I bought both Killzone 2 and Resident Evil 5 and both had the shrink wrap with the PS3 tape on them.

Overheal

noodler wrote: »

Now as someone who used to work in a place that sells games...I just want to say what the hell do you expect?

Lets look at returns, change of mind returns or returns where the product isn't actually faulty.

You, the customer, has removed the plastic in many cases, opened it, played the game and then decided to return it (possibly just because you didn't like it). Now it seems the retailer is screwed no matter what he does, if he doesn't take it back people complain and now people will complain if he tries to sell it as new if he does take it back.

I don't see how this can apply only to Gamestop.

Its called "Used; Like New" not "OMFG FACTORY SEALED".

You cant sell a used product and brand it as New. Theres Like-New, Refurbished, Great Condition, etc etc etc but once its been used its been fcuking used.

I mean ffs you they sell games at a huge markup either way, you can live to knock a couple bob off the sticker if its been returned hassle-free and its still in prime condition.

My consumer advice - don't hand over cash unless its still in its original wrapping, unless you are intentionally buying used.

CCCP^

You could understand if a retailer decided to sell a returned item as new, I don't think that's breaking any law as long as the item isn't in anyway damaged or faulty. However sometimes if it's a case where somebody as returned a game and said it's faulty, but the game appears to be fine, the retailer will say "hey **** this" and try sell it out again, sure whats the worst that could happen, the customer comes back in? That's bad practice, and is done in alot of places, not just Gamestop - take that electrical place, Maplins. I've heard awful stories about them.

Overheal

CCCP^ wrote: »

You could understand if a retailer decided to sell a returned item as new, I don't think that's breaking any law as long as the item isn't in anyway damaged or faulty. However sometimes if it's a case where somebody as returned a game and said it's faulty, but the game appears to be fine, the retailer will say "hey **** this" and try sell it out again, sure whats the worst that could happen, the customer comes back in? That's bad practice, and is done in alot of places, not just Gamestop - take that electrical place, Maplins. I've heard awful stories about them.

If the purchaser in question is entitled to a no-hassle swap, I suppose I don't see the problem. ie. one disc is sold, returned, sold new, works fine. Another disc is sold, returned, sold new, and works like crap; that should be a no hassle swap for the second buyer. But at that point GS would know the disc is faulty and I would hold them liable for trying to knowingly sell a faulty disc as new.

PogMoThoin

I've completely forgotten what disks look like, do they look like .iso's

Overheal

PogMoThoin wrote: »

I've completely forgotten what disks look like, do they look like .iso's

Not viable for console games tbh. As much as I wish it was

My Playstation wishlist is hundreds of dollars in classic and rare titles, and these retail feckers know it!

CiDeRmAn

I know a bunch of folk who work there and worked there a long time ago, when it was GamesWorld, and they have never, in my knowledge, sold used games as new.
Now, a game may be out of it's shrink wrap, but that does not make it a used game.
In fact, for anyone to make such a suggestion without any proof, well, it's not fair really.
I have seen excess stock from elsewhere that is new being put on the shelves as used, the other way around and not illegal at all.

I do see a lot of GS bashing, once again, no one is making anyone buy there, it's all about choice folks.

noodler

Overheal wrote: »

Its called "Used; Like New" not "OMFG FACTORY SEALED".

You cant sell a used product and brand it as New. Theres Like-New, Refurbished, Great Condition, etc etc etc but once its been used its been fcuking used.

I mean ffs you they sell games at a huge markup either way, you can live to knock a couple bob off the sticker if its been returned hassle-free and its still in prime condition.

My consumer advice - don't hand over cash unless its still in its original wrapping, unless you are intentionally buying used.

Really, you can't? Thanks for that, I'd never have guessed.

It is unrealistic to assume that something which is returned in Perfect Working Order wouldn't be sold again as brand new. A little naive to think otherwise.

Never been a big fan of returns just because you don't like something for this very reason.

DARK-KNIGHT

hi all,

if people return games out of packaging then what do we expect?

people should look at reviews before buying instead of presuming they will like it!

anyways i have to put a word in here for gamestop as i think they are actually good value on a lot of items like a few weeks ago they had an offer of buy one xbox360 controller used and get one free! remember it is up to the consumer to look for bargains etc (every company needs to break profit and thats that)!!!

thanks and good luck to all,

Ray:)

Tusky

Doesnt really bother me. Whats the big fuss ? If someone buys a game and removes the packaging, and then returns it - I would have no problem being given that particular copy of the game. Obviously it would have to be in mint condition. These are discs, its not like you are buying a used pair of socks.

CCCP^

Tusky wrote: »

Doesnt really bother me. Whats the big fuss ? If someone buys a game and removes the packaging, and then returns it - I would have no problem being given that particular copy of the game. Obviously it would have to be in mint condition. These are discs, its not like you are buying a used pair of socks.

I like my socks in mint condition in the original wrapping.

Overheal

Or without the last guy's toe fungus in them.