GameStop Rage!!!

[Phantom5800]

Ugh, so today just happened to end up being a random day off of classes before finals next week. So I went in to GameStop and grabbed some used gamecube games and when I get home to pop in Super Monkey Ball 2 ($7) ... it doesn't work, at all. Neither does Kirby Air Ride ($20). That's TWO games from one trip that don't work. WTF. Why does GameStop not test shit before selling it? Now I need to go back in tomorrow on my way home late at night to get a refund.

[AppleQueso]

that's why you don't buy from gamestop

[Phantom5800]

that's why you don't buy from gamestop

I really wish there were alternatives, I REALLY do. But with the exception of amazon and ebay there isn't. GameCrazy is gone and that was always a better alternative when they were around. The local pawn shops have a horrible selection if it isn't for the ps2. I rarely run into issues with this GameStop (except for their stupid stickers), but this was just ridiculous and unacceptable. You'd think a major city would have more than a single game store in a 20 mile radius, but apparently not.

[AppleQueso]

Honestly if given the choice between gamestop and only buying online, I'd pick the latter.

Somehow we have 3 gamestops, a play n trade, and two local places. Plus a shitload of pawn shops.

My town's probably smaller than yours too.

[Phantom5800]

I wouldn't be surprised ... I live in Seattle, I hear we have a pretty big population. We have one GameStop and Target outside of downtown. Downtown there is ... a GameStop, and Pink Gorilla (overpriced as hell, but they usually have at least something you might be looking for when it comes to old games).

I really don't get it. ~20 development studios local to the area that I can think of off the top of my head, a school dedicated to pumping out the best developers in the world, and the only game store is two GameStop's and an overpriced old school gaming place in the International District.

[UncleBob]

Why does GameStop not test shit before selling it?

GameStop can either pay employees to test games out as they get them in (which would be a full time job in and of itself - and do you test the games before you pay the customer for them and make the customer wait around while you test them?) or you can make the new customers test them for you (not to mention the customers who buy them and don't manage to return them/return them in the proper time frame).

[AppleQueso]

local Plan N Trade at least has the courtesy to clean disc based games that look dirty free of charge before you take it home. Plus they let you test out any game for any reason before purchasing. They have a shitload of kiosks set up for tons of game consoles.

Also Phantom, your city's population is nearly TWICE mine's.

[scarmullet]

Yea, buying used is a real gamble, especially since the move to optical media. I remember I got three games from Gamestop once, on PS3 and none of them worked. The guy behind the counter tried to say my PS3 was broken, and offered trade in credit if I was to sell my PS3 in exchange for a 360. Its Asinine.

[AppleQueso]

I've only had a handful of used cd games not work entirely honestly.

[Staf]

I liked Play N Trade when I lived by one, but then I moved and there's nothing except 3 gamestops near me.

[6521ordnut]

TC - come cross one of the bridges - we in Bellevue have a couple Gamestops (Belleuve Square and Crossroads), and there is a Play-n-trade in Kirkland. I have only had to return two games in 10 years.

[shenske]

I think you just got bad luck of the draw. I've shopped at gamestop's and pawnshops all around for 7 years now and have only had a handful of games not operate. Did you look at the disks prior to bringing them home? I always check my discs before purchasing them. Also, if I want the game bad enough and I felt I got it at a good price and just take my discs and gets them proffesionally resurfaced.

About Gamestop not testing their games when they are trading in .... I bet next to no game stores actually test their games. There simply isn't enough time to go through and test every game. Especially when you consider most gameshops are packed with only 1 or 2 people working. Also it isn't feasable to hire someone to test all the games. The used game business is not as lucrative as some people may think. With the constant deprecating of games sometimes they don't even break even on their investment when purchasing the used game from the customer. That's partly why people get so little when trading into Gamestop .... It's a business.

I know it's frustrating to not have some games work every once and a while but that's the risk you take when buying stuff preowned anywhere. If you desire product working 100% of the time then the only way you can ensure that is to buy new. At least they have a good return policy, many other gameshops I have been to don't even offer returns. It's just the way it is

[Arseen]

Many other gameshops I have been to don't even offer returns. It's just the way it is

Glad Finnish consumer law (and EU also  I think) gives mandatory right to return broken games (and other stuff also) when shopping from a shop or other business, online or offline, even used ones.

[ShoothimNow]

The Exchange near me gives a 30 day return policy for any defective items.  They are uberly cheap compared to GameStop and BuyBacks.

I never go to gamestop as they only have current gen games now for a rediculous price.
BuyBacks is a joke... they price match loose games with Amazons top selling price.  They seriously had a copy of
 - Diddy Kong Racing $279.99
 - Super Mario 64 $119.99
 - Super Mario Land 2: 6 Coins $149.99
 - Pokemon Red $199.99

And to add insult to injury even more, BuyBacks only has a seven day return policy.  Still, I am happy there is a return policy at all!, but then again... I prefer the exchange a lot more...
The Exchanges Price (that I bought the games for)
 - Diddy Kong Racing $2.50
 - Super Mario 64 $6.00
 - Super Mario Land 2: 6 Coins $1.00
 - Pokemon Red $5.00

[Zelimpdna]

"The used game business is not as lucrative as some people may think."

According to GameStop's latest quarterly financial results, the used game business accounts for 47.5% of their profits. That's pretty lucrative.

http://www.kotaku.com.au/2010/11/why-gamestop-wants-your-used-games-so-bad/



EDIT: The GameTraders near me [probably the best game-specific retailer we have in Australia, and the only major one which deals with retro games and systems, right back to the Atari VCS (2600) Although having said that, a good retailer here is still, on average, double the price that you can pay importing games from the UK or US, even if you include postage] checks consoles when you trade them in, but not games as it would just take too long.

But they do give you the option of testing any games before you purchase them, and I've seen them offer full refund or exchange to another customer who brought a Dreamcast game that didn't work. They are a franchise though, not a chain, so that might just be how this particularly manager does things.

For all new purchases, of games and everything else not game related, Australian law ensures right of refund if goods are DOA, and also a minimum manufacturer's warranty of 12 months. Not sure if this, or any other laws, cover used/second-hand purchases from stores though.