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[GitarooMan]

they're a problem when you work in the stores and they steal all the shit that's supposed to be in the return shipments

Touche. Sounds like it pretty much sucks to work there.

 

[Blackace]

To answer your question.. yes they are commiting fraud

 

[ChrisReid]

To answer your question.. yes they are commiting fraud

Why do we have this thread every week? Of course it's "fraudulent," however GameStop/EB posts a notice on their return policy signage that states that all games in the store may have been handled in accordance with their policies. So while it might be immoral, there's absolutely no legal or liability issue. Case closed. See you guys next week, same time, same place.

 

[genjiZERO]

I was in a GameStop trying to get a game once and the guy behind the counter said, “Oh we only have a used copy, but it has a warranty so it’s as good as new.” So I replied, “Never mind” and proceeded to walk out. Then he said, “Wait!” and pulled out a bran-new copy. Fucking lying prat. I just went to an EB two block away and got what I wanted no problems. I don’t have problems at EB where I live; it’s the GameStops that pull the dirty tricks.

 

[Wario64]

Why do we have this thread every week? Of course it's "fraudulent," however GameStop/EB posts a notice on their return policy signage that states that all games in the store may have been handled in accordance with their policies. So while it might be immoral, there's absolutely no legal or liability issue. Case closed. See you guys next week, same time, same place.

this isn't the same thread though. this particular EB that's stated in the original post is SWITCHING discs (swapping a used disc with a "new" disc) and selling the game as USED. now the "new" display copy isn't exactly new since it was SWITCHED with a used disc.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

first of all, you were dumb to agree to do that shit in the first place (the used/display disc trading shenanighans, i mean). Second of all, STOP FUCKING SHOPPING AT EB/GAMESTOP, otherwise quit whining. If you're gonna buy a game, especially a massproduced one like Burnout Revenge (i was just at best buy the other day and they had like a thousand copies of BR), just go to Best Buy or CC or Target for crissakes. Hell you might get it cheaper if you're lucky and its on sale, whereas EB/Gamestop NEVER puts their games on sale until an official price drop. I have no idea why anybody shops at EB/gamestop anymore, except to buy some rare, niche game that the regular retailers won't carry, or want to trade in some stuff.

 

[Tiktaalik]

I was at an EB today and I didn't buy a game because they only had the floor copy left. I did however buy the cart only used copy of Aria of Sorrow, because that game is super, super expensive new and really hard to find.

 

[_Angelus_]

Very interesting stories here. I was going to buy FarCry at the mall today at a GameStop but nah,I'll probably buy at BlockBusters or WalMart instead. I had better not see a ripped seal or ask if I want to buy used or else I'm walking out without replying to these shady fucks. Oh and yes-I'll be sure to push over a magazine rack.:lol

I know of a guy who use to work at a GameStop,he now works at a Staples as assistant manager. He had a really bad experience at GameStop,he doesn't want to even go into details about it. He did keep saying that I shouldn't shop at EB or GameStop now because there is some serious fraud flying there,and that he didn't want to be part of it. I didn't give it much thought at the time,but along with the sories I've read here today its pretty damn amazing how these stores are doing something not entirely legit.

 

[iclash]

It starts with a company CEO comparing numbers to a competitor. Wow so an so did $500 million in pre-played sales last year what did we do..... $300 million. Damn! Well we will beat them this year we are going to do $500+ million in pre-played sales.

So the shit starts to roll down hill. Pressure is applied to every level of management until it reaches it's final destination the Store Manager and below him/her the store associates. You have to realize that stores have goals to achieve but they are also competeing against one another so there are grudge and pissing matches based on regional and district rankings. Your bonus is effected by your overall rankings in the district and region and to top it off your new pre-played sales ranking.

Some districts have a daily pre-played goal of 50%. Now that school is back in the weekdays are slow and you have customers come in and by a brand new PSP for $250. That store now has to come up with $125 in pre-played sales to stay at their goal. But that is hard when newer titles that are being sold for pre-played are only $5 difference in price and lots of customers opt for the new one. That is how you get a situation that this thread is describing. New release days are even worse imagine a day where three big titles are released and all you are selling is new release after new release. The easiest way to get pre-played sales is to sell pre-played hardware but you need to have customers that are looking to buy systems and hope that the pre-played systems that are in stock aren't full or roaches and covered in some sticky substance and dust. So there are system switches just like the game switch that was mentioned earlier.

No one wants to be mentioned on a conference call for not making their goals or hear how poorly they are doing compared to "manager x". So lots of shady stuff happens to keep stores close to their numbers and most upper management pleads ignorance until something happens and goes above their heads and then again the shit rolls downhill.

I am sure this is not exclusive to just Eb Games but most of retail and it seems to be a byproduct of publicly traded companies trying to keep the profit numbers up and sharehoders happy because in the end isn't that whats most important?

Amen man, I was a manager at EBgames myself and then later in new accounts/loans at Bank of America. Its the same garbage in all publically traded retail type companies, and believe me, the bank is no different. I've never heard of a District Manager calling out employees in front of all his/her co-workers before, but it happens at EBgames. But like you said, its just rolling down hill. No one should work for companies that act like that. I know that the bank changed its tune about 4 months after I quit, because turnover was so high. sorry bout the rant

 

[WrathOfOtaibah]

I've had 10x better experiences with amazon.com, Ebay, and half.com than I ever had at EB or GameStop. Stop giving them your business; they don't deserve it. How they rape boxes with stickers (I don't need to buy Goo Gone), badger you constantly with pre-orders, give you shit deals with trade-ins. Its all bullshit. So do the smart thing and order from the three sites I listed.

If there are any other good used game sale sites, list them.