All our pre-owned games are $99 and almost brand new. Cheap!
I've bought a fair number of games at EB in the last few years and one of the things that annoy the crap out of me are the damaged boxes and scratched discs that you often get when purchasing a game there. I like to keep my games in mint condition you see :)
I can understand that damaged boxes and scratched game discs are part of the deal when you buy a pre-owned game but a NEW game??? Surely it can't be that hard to make a photocopy of the box and display it on the shelf instead of the real thing!
This brings me to the next question, if the game in question you are purchasing is meant to be NEW but the box is damaged or disc scratched, shouldn't that entitled you for a discount? Also, the other thing is EB has a 7 days return policy on all their games (including NEW games). If you purchase a new game, open it, play it and return it, this in my book is considered pre-owned. I guess that is why other retail stores don't normally let you exchange or get a refund unless it is faulty.
Do you think it's false advertising of EB to advertise a game new even though it's been opened and played?
I have experienced the same thing.
ReplyDeleteI bought Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow there only to find someone else’s save file.
After that experience whenever I buy a game there I check the disc. EB do offer discounts when the box is damaged or scratched but you will have to ask for it, and its not worth it (the amount I was offered for a damaged MGS3:S box was $10).
I think its pretty shifty, but I have never used the 7 day service. If your borderline between two games, this could be a wonderful way to make up your mind. It also allows you to purchase with confidence knowing you will never be left with a stinker (so long as you know about the deal, and make use of it). If I was a parent who didn't know anything about games, the 7 day return policy would allow me to shop with confidence. Its probably no coincidence that they only time I have heard staffers tell anyone about the deal is when they don't seem to know much about what they are looking for.
I took back Gotlieb's Pinball Classics for Wii after an hour, the other day...it stank...
ReplyDeleteI think it had already been returned before as the manual had some grubby prints on the corners...so I didn't feel too bad.
Simply ask to see the disc and manual before leaving the shop with it. Obviously if it still has factory wrapping on it it's not necessary, but if it's not sealed, check it.
ReplyDeleteAs for Gottleib Pinball; that's a real pity that the Wii version is no good.... the PSP version is pure brilliance.
Hah, I never shop at EB purely for the sting they tried with The Wind Waker. For those of you that dont remember; when the Game Cubes version of Zelda (TWW) was released it came with an early release bonus disc which included on it a Gamecube versions of the N64 title The Ocarina of Time and The OCarina of Time Master Quest. This was a bonus disc marketted by Nintendo to help sales of hte windwaker. It was included in the packaging for TWW and included the instructions in the TWWs manual. on the day it was released I sent my wife to town to get me a copy. EB had TWW in seperate packaging to the bonus disc, which they were selling "pre owned" at 10 am on the day of release. Basically they were taking the second disc out of the case,puting it in a new one and selling it for nearly the full price of the game it was supposed to be free with. There was a big stink about it and Nintendo got very upset with EB. Its a pity the Game cube wasnt as big as the PS2 or the Xbox at the time or it could have brought EB to its knees.
ReplyDeleteEB have some strange policies regarding what is new and what is preowned. Purely for that fact I will never give them my hard earned for anything ever.
Come to think of it, I do buy a fair bit of games from EB... so far they've been ok, but I don't like the idea of purchasing for any game where the packaging/box isn't sealed. Why pay full price for something that's been returned?
ReplyDeleteThere's usually this policy where they don't sell games that are returned.. what's to stop them? Who would know right?