Rumor: GameStop Scamming Killzone 2 Fans?
March 2, 2009 by srfto
There are many questionable tactics GameStop have used over the years, but this probably the first to ever be encountered. GameStop’s policy states if a “defective” unit is sold, they will not offer refunds because the game has been opened. The only type of return or exchange offered is the ability to sell your “used” games for a faction of what you’ve paid. A very unethical business policy.
As reported by Daniel Landis from Examiner:
Derek returns to GameStop the next day to exchange his disc. After explaining why he wants an exchange, the cashier tells Derek that an Internet connection issue has nothing to do with the disc and that it’s likely a problem with the PS3 or his Internet Service Provider. Derek explains that it didn’t work on his friend’s PS3 either, which the GameStop employee called “a coincidence”.
GameStop employee told him the only thing he can do is either sell it back to them for a lowered price or keep the game and wait for a extra week for the next shipment to come. Derek truly believed the game is broken, so he sold it back to GameStop and pre-ordered a new one.
A friend of Derek had the same problem, but decided to keep the game instead. Lucky for him, it worked on the official launch date. Derek was shocked and went straight to GameStop to explain the situation so he can get the game back. GameStop refused since the new copies are reserved for other preorders. So basically he had to wait for the new shipment to arrive for his copy to come or buy his old copy at the preowned price which was more than what he got paid for when he sold it.
So to break it down:
- Derek purchases Killzone 2 before the official release date.
- Sold it back to GameStop at half the price because it wouldn’t connect online.
- Pre-orders another copy at full retail price.
- Finds out from his friend that the game connects on the official launch date.
- Requested to exchange the pre-ordered for the game he sold back. Instead, GameStop sells back the old game to him for near retail price.
There were also 26 pre owned copies of the game just like Derek’s game. So either GameStop knew about the game and sold it before the official launch to cash in the returns or it was just another “big coincidence”
Sometimes you just have to feel sorry for these customers when a store you always go to doesn’t help you at all. While other times its just the customers fault for their own stupidity. Either way it just sucks for Derek and all the customers out there who had this problem.
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Many electronic companies are really starting to cut their policies on returns. Some of you may remember the lax return policy at Best Buy. Used to be no questions asked. The problem is that gamers decided to scam these companies by buying games, beating them, then returning them in a couple days. Electronic users bought high priced items then returned them claiming to have issues. They would then re-buy the used item at a lower price. The economy is causing problems for everyone. When electronic companies recover they will hopefully bring back legitimate service recovery. As for the ethical side of selling defective products…….that is unforgivable.
Oh come on. Gamestop wasn’t trying to scam him. There was no problem with the disc itself. I hate it when people blame the disc and return it when its their own system or their own ignorance/stupidity that’s at fault. A retailer can’t sell a game as new if someone already bought and used it. People already throw enough of a hissy-fit and may outright refuse to buy a game if it’s the last copy and therefore was already opened to have a case out on display.
Yeah, Gamestop may do a lot of things that may seem a bit “unfair” but this isn’t one of them.
Yeah, this is not a scam. This guy was just too much of an idiot to actually stop and think “hmm, perhaps the internet portion of the game didn’t work yet because the game isn’t officially out” and just wait. I have no sympathy for him nor should anyone with half a brain.
LOL let me read this receipt.
“Unopened new items may be exchanged for the identical item within 30 days. Used items and opened new accessories may be returned within 7 days or exchanged for the identical item within 30 days.”
Let me tell you something. I am TIRED of people who don’t pay attention to detail getting mad at gamestop.
gamestop has a computer system. certain things are IMPOSSIBLE to do without managers doing things against protocol and sending an email to their bosses.
It isn’t gamestops fault some guy thought his game wasnt working… when it was in perfect condition and worked fine.
You also can not refund a trade in. Impossible. For alot of reasons.
If i stole a 360, sold it for 80 bucks, then bought some drungs, sold those, and rebought it for 80 bucks and then put it back… life would be too easy and, gamestop babysits your stuff for free till you buy it back at the exclusive price available to you only.
They didnt have new copies, they couldnt conjure one up for him.
He could have gone to another gamestop. No he couldnt. They released the game early. He got himself stuck.
The GS employees shouldnt have sold it early, but the guy who got it early shouldn’t have complained to the point of screwing himself over. The GS employees made a mistake in his favor, and when he wasnt bright enough to figure out the servers werent up because he got the game early, then he isnt bright enough to deserve his money back and forcing gamestop to take a game in as defective.
Defective games. When someone returns something as not working, gamestop has to pay to ship it out and get it “fixed”. if there are people bringing back games they dont know how to operate because they are dimwitted as “defective”… then who is really scamming who?
get a life. or buy your games somewhere else. oh wait, you wont, and never will.
those GS employees should be fired though. i know gs employees that care and will personally call you when a game comes out, and its reflected in their stores numbers for the year.
Just like any place there will be bad employees that need to be weeded out.