New Game Boxes with Stickers (1 Viewer)

[JamesED]

I recently bought two DS games from an ebgames really close to campus here. They both came without shrink wrap on them, and with a total of 5 stickers on each box. My copy of Advance Wars wasn't even on the shelf yet (release day), and it was already fouled up. I spent 8mins or so with some WD-40 and cotton balls cleaning up the cases at home.

I stopped in today with a friend and asked why most of the new titles (especially DS games) were coming without shrink wrap. I'm not one normally to cry foul over disappointing customer service, but the guy blew us off completely. He dismissed our complaints claiming the stickers come off easily. Simply not true, they use very cheap stickers that shred and leave hard to remove goo all over the case. When I've bought used games at Gamestop in the mall, they use easily peelable stickers. He also claimed they use that method so they can have boxes sitting out. That's great and all, but all the copies behind the counter do not need to be stickered up.

I informed him that I would no longer purchase new games there in that fashion. I rather support a videogame store than Walmart, but the Walmart is equally accessible to me and has games shrinkwrapped. I will also try to contact a store manager sometime to file my complaint.

So besides venting steam here, I thought I should ask you guys your thoughts and experiences with this problem. Also, the titles come to the store shrinkwrapped right? I assumed they are going out of their way to advertise all over my cases.

 

[Carlo_M]

EB Games that aren't shrinkwrapped have probably be demo'd or, at worst, purchased and returned.

This strikes me as laziness on the part of your local EB because the one near my house has a shrinkwrap machine. They should at least re-shrinkwrap it if they're trying to pass it off as new (which they shouldn't, it's illegal to sell something as new when it's used).

A side note - You can tell if it's been re-shrinkwrapped by the fact that their wrap isn't the same as the one the factories use, and the tamper stickers aren't on there any more.

Personally, I'd stop patronizing that particular EB.

 

[Rhoq]

Unfortunately, that doesn't apply to Nintendo GameCube or DS games. None of Nintendo's titles have the anti-theft stickers sealing the boxes and some GameCube titles, depending on the publisher, actually ship with the cheaper-grade shrink wrap.

--

I've only ever bought a handful of games at EBGames. I bought the first Viewtiful Joe at an EBGames. It was shrinkwrapped, but in the cheap "plastic wrap" kind of material as opposed to the thicker celophane-type of plastic. The thing is, Capcom usually uses this grade of plastic on their GameCube titles.

I noticed a sticker (which was an EBGames price tag)in the upper right-hand coner of the box front but didn't pay it any mind, thinking "it's just a price tag". When I got home and opened the game, I found that the sticker was actually affixed the box itself and not to the shrink wrap.

I never bothered to removed the sticker, since I could tell just by the look and feel of it that it would require more than an acceptable amount of work just to remove it.

To this day, I wonder if they sold me a repackaged display box which was shrink-wrapped in the store's back room or if EBGames just likes to fu*k with their customers.

The other games I have bought (2 GameCube and 1 DS game) were all in their original shrink wrap and did not have any stickers that shouldn't have been there.

Maybe once they merge with GameStop things will get better.

 

[Steve Y]

This thread topic pops up every so often in here, followed by current (or former) game store employees popping in to defend the practice. More than often I pop in too, because this game-store practice is a pet peeve of mine.

Basically, "new" games are sold all the time in these stores that have been already opened for either demo or display purposes. In some cases, though not all, they've been played and/or copied, and the package itself (including instructions) has been handled and looks soiled.

The Machiavellian argument for such nonsense is that "it plays just like new, and we call it new on the non-removable sticker, so it's sold as new." Well, used games better play like new, too, but you won't ever find me paying full price for them. Make a photocopy of the game and put out a paper laminate. Something. Anything. Just keep your new games NEW.

Many people don't care one way or the other about what constitutes "new", which is why this practice continues. We rare breed of "collectors" like our packages clean and shrink-wrapped at the consumer level. We like that "new-game" feeling when we pay for a "new" game (we're just weird that way).

Before I buy a game at a "mall-style" store (such as Gamestop of Babbage's) I kindly ask the front clerk if a new, shrink-wrapped copy is available for purchase. If it isn't (and it OFTEN isn't), and the clerk is about to take the store's display copy and snap in a grubby disc that comes out of a wooden drawer, I respectfully withdraw my business and put the display back on the shelf.

Floor models of other perfectly working consumer electronics items are often marked down -- often with full instructions and boxes -- why not games? It's sort of a double-standard.

Enough of my rant.

~s

 

[Carlo_M]

I hear ya Steve. I really don't see how this practice can be defended (even my friend who used to work for EB didn't like the practice).

New is new = never opened before the customer who purchased, all original seals/shrinkwrap intact, good saleable condition (mint or near mint).

Used is anything that is not new.

And the point that a used game plays like new (and if it's scratched that may not even be true), is beside the point. There has been an established procedure with used games: people willing to buy used games, even store demos, get them for less than new price. So any store that passes a demo, in-store display, or used game as new is violating that procedure.

 

[Dean C]

I defend EB stores. They only have stickers on used games.

The new games are opened mind you but they have these yellow cards slid down the side and front but so you can see the back and front picture of games. They did have complaints about the stickers in and out as to why the EB's here finally did way with that and put cards over top.

Also newer games or more expensive ones you take the box up front, they then go into a cupboard and get out your new copy and put the one you brought to them back on the shelf.
They are shrinkwrapped from the factory, but why they do is they ask the customer if you wish to open in front of them to check the condition of game.

As to why they have most opened copies, and just put stickers on them.

 

[Steve Y]

Opened = Not New. Period. I hear the argument (and have heard it a thousand times), but I can't say any more on the subject.

 

[James T]

I have no idea what you said, but from what I could understand, your EB is different from mine and everyone else's.

My local EB still puts stickers on the last copy of a EVERY console game. More often than not, I pick up the last copy of the game, usually because I wait for a good deal. I haven't done that in awhile and probably won't again. The last game I got was not in new condition (only noticed at home), but since I was desperate, I kept it.

I even had to buy a present a couple years ago. Once again, it was the last copy, so it was opened. The person receiving the gift was 8, so I have no idea if she thought I was cheap for buying a used game(just describing what it might look like to someone else) or was just happy to get a game.

If it is illegal to sell products as new once they have been opened, why is EB still allowed to do this?

 

[Evan M]

This is exactly why I never buy used games.. the 2 or 3 dollars I can save by buying used doesn't justify the screwed up box and possible scratched game disk.

i like my things new and shiny and intend to take good care of them when I get them home. i hate stickers on my game cases.

 

[PerryD]

I'm in the same boat, I tend not to buy games at EBgames since invariably I end up with an opened display case with stickers all over it. The conversation always goes like this:
Me: "I'd like this game" while handing him the display box.
Cashier looks on the shelf behind him, doesn't find the game, gets the contents of the display out of a drawer and begins to put it into the sticker-covered display case.
Me: "Do you have a new game"
Cashier: "This game is new" (trained to say this, I'm sure)
Me: "I don't like stickers all over my game cases"

At this point, either I say forget it, or last time I bought "new" there, I had the guy open up a different new game and swap cases with the one I bought. Hassles like this make going to EBgames a last resort and only when a good trade-in promotion is running.

 

[Ken Chui]

I never buy used discs from EB or Gamestop because their condition tends to be appalling: scratched discs, damaged booklets, gummy residue on cases, embedded food particles, the list is endless. With new game prices occasionally lower than used copies, the incentive isn't there to take the pre-owned route. I treat store display copies (which they categorise as new) as used, i.e. I want no part of them. I always insist on factory-sealed copies; if none are available, I will check another location or shop online.

 

[RichardK]

Gamecrazy, a place owned/associated Hollyhwood video puts a New game on the shelf without shrink wrap , the security stickers slashed, and the New disc in a sleeve behind the counter. This isnt done for every copy, but for at least one that they put on display. I always make sure that I get my copy 'factory sealed'. I dont like the idea of a New game being opened even if never used/played.