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[Justin Bailey]

I overheard a EB clerk telling a guy that they sell service plans on their games for like $3 or something today. What really caught my ear is that he said something like: "If you go home and break the disc accidentally or ON PURPOSE, just bring it back here and we'll give you a new one." He actually said that. Is that right? And does this mean I could essentially by a used game like say - San Andreas - for like $45, service plan for $3, take it and smash it over my knee right in front of him, and he'll hand me a new game right there? And it would actually be $2 cheaper than buying the new game?

BTW I asked the guy this pretty much verbatim after I overheard him and he kept nodding his head, but I can't help but think he was feeding me some bullshit. Any EB managers here wanna fill me in?

 

[Catalyst]

Isn't that awesome? I overheard this about a week ago myself.

 

[Hellraizah]

.

 

[Dan]

When I did the TRU deal last week they offered me the same basic thing. I didn't bother, I take damned good care of my stuff.

 

[SentientStone]

I bought the service plan for Donkey Konga when I first got it, just in case the bongos somehow break within a year. Doubt I will be getting service plans for anything else though as I take "good" care of all my console games.

 

[fart]

i laughed in a salesman's face when he told me about cell phone insurance. what a social faux pas

 

[Tellaerin]

Wish I'd've known about this last week. I'd gladly spend the extra $3 when buying Xbox games, since my Xbox has recently developed the bad habit of putting very fine circular scratches on some of my discs. -_- It's not a problem... yet... but 'insuring' any new purchases I make would do a lot for my peace of mind.

 

[mrklaw]

whats the standard warranty on games over there?

 

[hooo]

Wow, talk about pure profit. How often is a disc going to be so scratched up that they can't buff it, and turn around and resell it. That truely is evil and a waste of the consumer's cash.

 

[goodcow]

Wish I'd've known about this last week. I'd gladly spend the extra $3 when buying Xbox games, since my Xbox has recently developed the bad habit of putting very fine circular scratches on some of my discs. -_- It's not a problem... yet... but 'insuring' any new purchases I make would do a lot for my peace of mind.

Why do optical systems end up doing this anyway? My Sega CD and my Saturn did it, but ending up correcting themselves and stopping. Still, my Burning Rangers has a large circular scratch on it now due to that.

 

[dark10x]

Wow, talk about pure profit. How often is a disc going to be so scratched up that they can't buff it, and turn around and resell it. That truely is evil and a waste of the consumer's cash.

It's also a problem for employees as some district managers essentially threaten their employees if they do not meet a certain quota. They are really under the gun to sell these things...

 

[Prospero]

I bought the insurance plan for Taiko Drum Master, because it guarantees that I can trade the taiko drum (which I am beating the crap out of) in for a brand new one within a year if I want. No way I'd buy the plan for a CD-only game, though.

 

[RevenantKioku]

Actually, the TRU one is quite nice, because they give you back what the item cost you. So if you pick up a game at $50, you get $50 even if the game is now rotting in the $5 bin. Hell, the sales probably don't even affect it, as one of my co-workers used his employee discount on a controller, and got the full value of the controller back when it broke.

 

[DaCocoBrova]

Yeah. They offered me one the other day as I bought 3 used games. When his back was turned, I snatched the roll of stickers they put on used games to determine if you've opened them or not...

I installed them on the PS2 HDD and now they're going back!

 

[Brofist]

Yeah. They offered me one the other day as I bought 3 used games. When his back was turned, I snatched the roll of stickers they put on used games to determine if you've opened them or not...

I haven't been to an EB in like over a year, how does that work. The sticker thing that is.

 

[DaCocoBrova]

When you buy a used game, they put a sticker over the opening of the case to tell whether or not you've opened it.

 

[Soul4ger]

This is also going to cause employees loads of problems, especially when games aren't in stock a year from now and we're not allowed to exchange for different products... Sigh. But as dark said, they really lower the boom on employees who don't do this stuff. My manager is great about not making us feel forced to do it, but even in the back of my mind, I know I'll get him and the assistants in trouble if our store isn't doing well. They're easy to sell, surprisingly, and we do get a bonus for each one we successfully push, but... Just the ethics of the situation. Not good for my soul.

 

[Necroscope]

The EB guy asked me that game service plan option when I brought Botaki 2.

 

[joshschw]

Yeah, they offered me this the other day. First he tells me its the only one in stock then he offers me for only $2 a service plan and they'll replace it with a brand new disk any time....

 

[B'z-chan]

Well this is a good thing. Buy the sp for the game, if you dont like it break it then take it back for a new one then take it to walmart or other store. Gotta love a lupole when ya see one.

 

[dark10x]

This is also going to cause employees loads of problems, especially when games aren't in stock a year from now and we're not allowed to exchange for different products

Oh, I didn't even think of that issue...

If someone wanders on in and buys a used copy of Klonoa or something and purchases a GPG along with it...there is virtually NO WAY that they could honor that warranty if the customer was to attempt to use it.

I'd say this approaches "scam" levels here....

 

[hooo]

I bought the insurance plan for Taiko Drum Master, because it guarantees that I can trade the taiko drum (which I am beating the crap out of) in for a brand new one within a year if I want. No way I'd buy the plan for a CD-only game, though.

Good luck finding it in stock there a week from now much less a year. It's worthless for any game that you want to keep but don't have the distribution of Madden 'XX, Taiko included.

 

[Lyte Edge]

It's just another way for EB to make money off people since some of their other "ideas" must not be working. I just decline it and it's done with, no big deal.

 

[Joe]

circuit city offers it on games and dvds also. they only cover "natural wear and tear".

 

[Lee-T]

I hate the TRU protection plan. First, it's not done at Toys R Us, you have to go through a 1-800 number. For games you mail them the disc and they will send you a brand new disc. If they don't have the game/can't get it then they will issue you a credit for whatever you paid for the game(even if it's $5 now and you paid $50). For accessories and stuff they replace those too, but there are so many exclusions where they can get out of giving you a new one. And when you call the 1-800 number all you get is a hassel when trying to get them to cover it. And the plan starts after the manufacturer's warranty ends, so on games it starts 90 days after you buy it, and they are strict about that. They also claim a lot of items have a longer warranty then is listed on the box.