BUYER BEWARE: Gamestop changes return policy (1 Viewer)

[Jason Merrick]

Not sure how many of you already know about this, but I searched and didn't find a previous thread.

As of August 1st, 2003, Gamestop will no longer allow you to return an opened game that was purchased new (accept to exchange for same item). I was at two different stores yesterday and was given two different reasons for this new policy. The first store said it was due to abuse of the return policy by so many people. The second store mentioned someone had sued because they were selling returned games as "new".

After checking out the help section of their website, I think the lawsuit is probably the real reason. The guy in the second store said they have always taken games that were returned and sealed them back up and sold them as "new". You can find details of the lawsuit here -> http://www.gamestop.com/gs/help/classaction.asp

In fact, you can even become part of the settlement and receive a whopping 5% discount on a single piece of software. Don't trample each other in your haste! :rolleyes

 

[Paul_Fisher]

I knew it was only a matter of time. I personally don't think there is anything wrong with returning a videogame that you don't like within a period of a week like it used to be. But I can also certainly understand their point.

 

[Leroy]

I like this change and I hope that it helps cut down the number of used games they try and pass off as new (they aren't the only ones guilty of this EB, Gamecrazy etc..).

I've had them try and do this a couple of times, most recently, trying to sell me an opened copy of Midtown Madness 3 as new.

I'm thinking a lot of people used them as a "rental" store to try out games until they found on they liked enought to keep.

 

[Marvin Richardson]

Well, they shouldn't be trying to sell opened games as "new" without telling anyone. I complained about this one time when I went to the counter to buy Dead or Alive Beach Volleyball. I said I wanted a new copy of DOAXBV, and he pulled out a case and took a copy of the game out of a CD wallet type thing. I said "I said I wanted a new one. That's not new its been opened." The guy said it was new they just took it out of the case to put the case on the shelf. I told him he could either sell that to me as a used game or get me a sealed copy. He became very indignant but went to the back and got one that was sealed.
I don't care if they really did just open the case to take CD out so it wouldn't get stolen; if you open it it is no longer new.

 

[Matt Butler]

Im suspicious of my copy of Fatal Frame that Game Stop sold me. It was the last copy (supposedly); the clerk got the case from the shelf and pulled the disc out of the drawer. He did advise me it was new. I wasnt happy but I wanted the game and Id had a helluva time finding it.

 

[Matt Wallace]

Welcome to 1995, Gamestop! That's the year Wal Mart stopped taking back used, oops, "open" media, as new and enforced the Copyright Laws. EVERYONE followed suit soon thereafter. Even dinky-ass Hastings that I worked for caved in during 2000 and was considered a late-comer to the party. It's good business sense for us retailers and it's a better quality of service for us as gamers.

As a sidenote, we just got a GameStop in my town (although I've shopped at the ones in Dallas before) and they opened their store up WITH that policy in place. I suspect we should all start seeing good amounts of "used" product to buy very shortly...

Mat

 

[Michael St. Clair]

I heard a while back that when they changed this policy, that there would be a new 'trade in' policy where if you trade in (not return) a game that you bought there within a certain period (30 days? 60 days?) that they would give you a very healthy trade-in price (70% of the current retail price?).

Sorry to be vague on details. Anyone know anything about this?

I've never actually returned a new game to Gamestop. I did to EB once or twice when the game really stunk.

 

[Leroy]

I complained about this one time when I went to the counter to buy Dead or Alive Beach Volleyball. I said I wanted a new copy of DOAXBV, and he pulled out a case and took a copy of the game out of a CD wallet type thing. I said "I said I wanted a new one. That's not new its been opened." The guy said it was new they just took it out of the case to put the case on the shelf. I told him he could either sell that to me as a used game or get me a sealed copy. He became very indignant but went to the back and got one that was sealed.

That's exaclty what they tried to pull on me. I even used the same argument against them to no avail. So I walk across the parking lot to Target and picked it up. The only reason I deal with them is for trade-ins. I don't care for the hassle of E-bay for getting rid of games.

 

[Joshua Moran]

That is why you look at the security tape on new games if it has been cut the box is open.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The real reason that this happened is a combination of the two reasons listed above. Too many people would use GameStop, EB, EBX, FuncoLand, and Software, Etc. (they're all owned by the same company) as rental stores by buying games, beating them, and returning them in a week. This exact same problem was a big issue in Japan a few years ago, and hurt the N64 when it first came out (people would buy an N64 with Mario, finish the game, then sell it and not buy any other games).

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

This makes total sense to me. I can't believe that they even had this policy in the first place. No other store would accept and opened video for a return, and I don't expect a place like Gamestop to do this either. It just doesn't make sense economically to sell a game, allow the patron to return it opened for a full refund, and then be expected to re-sell the game at a lower value because it has been opened. You just don't make money doing that.

Does anyone know if or how their policy for returning used games may be affected by this news?

 

[Morgan Jolley]

EB, GameStop, and some other places open up a single copy of a game and then keep the sealed copies behind the counter so that nobody can steal the games, but can still look at the cases and read the back covers and such.

 

[JamesH]

I think this is awesome. I'd always hoped Gamespot would finally get called on all the crap it pulls by lying to customers. Lo and behold, someone finally had the time and money to do what needed to be done.

The settlement is a joke though. 5% off a game is nothing, especially when Gamestop marks its stuff up over retail price anyway. All these little 5% off coupons are basically just free sales and advertising.

 

[Jason Merrick]

I must say I am very surprised at the reaction from most (all?) of you... I was very bummed by this change of policy. The Gamestop I go to was always pretty competitive with other retailers pricewise. I really don't care whether a game I'm purchasing has been opened and quickly returned, as long as the game is in "new" condition. I have never had them sell me a game in shabby condition, trying to pass it off as new.

Their return policy was what got them ALL of my gaming business. I learned never to buy games anywhere else, unless I ABSOLUTELY knew I loved the game and was definitely going to keep it. Even if Best Buy or Circuit City had a better advertised price, I would still buy it at Gamestop due to their superior return policy. I have 5 kids and 3 systems, so yes I buy quite a few games. Well, now I will definitely be more selective about which games I purchase, but I will be saving money when buying them since I will be shopping the ads now.

 

[Allen_Appel]

The opened "new" box doesn't really bother me as the return policy for defective games from EB Games and Gamestop both seem pretty good (I've yet to have to avail myself of them). What bothers me are the damn stickers they slap on the opened boxes. I bought a copy of Fur Fighters for DC which has a cool 3-D cover and they put a paper sticker right over it, ruining it!

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The GameStop down the street from me is run really well. Every game they have is in a case right behind the counter (all unopened) with only a single copy of the game already opened as a display unit. All the prices are at $49.99 or lower (I've noticed that EB usually marks games at $54.99; a friend of mine only buys games from EB, even though they're $5 more expensive).

 

[Mike Brogan]

I wouldn't pay full price for a DVD that's been opened, watched and returned, the same goes for a video game. I have no problem buying a game or DVD used, but I'd like it to be marked as such and be at least 20% off the retail price. On a couple of occasions at EB Games they've tried to sell me used copies at a higher price than a new un-opened one.

 

[Mike Brogan]

Maybe Gamestop should have a depreciation level set where if you trade a game in the first week after buying it, the trade is is a certain percentage of the purchase price.

I could live with that. Or maybe if they had a separate shelf of games that had been returned, and you could only return a new game for one that's on that shelf, though I guess that'd be difficult to implement.

I don't know, I can see both sides of the coin. For me, I was just never one to return or even trade anything in. But I'm also not one that usually pays full price for a game either. I'll usually buy it when it's discounted, or when I find it used. I'm patient like that.

 

[Marvin Richardson]

Oh well, next time you get a game you don't like, we'll have to EAT IT. To me that's far worse than having a game I THINK was opened.

I should think "rent-before-you-buy" would work in most situations. Blockbuster has a Game Freedom Pass now, just like they have a Movie Freedom Pass.

 

[Scott Ware]

Do you realize how many products are returned to stores every day and resold as new because someone did not like something? things are rewrapped and repackaged all the time and I think if something is in like new condition and you get the BENEFIT YOURSELF of knowing you can return a game if you don't like it I myself don't mind getting an opened game and paying the full price.

All the stores that I shop at (including the one I work at, Best Buy) don't try to pass of opened items as "new". If something has been opened and returned, then it gets put back on the shelf at a discounted price.

The problem with Gamestop's policy is that it they don't clearly define what the difference between "used" and "new" software is. I bought a copy of "Sonic Advance" at a Gamestop, only to find that there was already a save file on it. The game had already been beaten, which means that it was either A) a returned copy, or B) A copy used as a demo. And yet, they considered it "new". If it's already been opened and played, it's not new, simple as that.

I am glad to see this policy go. I offer two solutions to those who relied on this return policy to see if a game is good or not: rent games or read reviews. Gamestop should not be used as a Blockbuster.