I don't get it. What are they doing now?

It's called Amazon.com, it's cheaper and has a better selection. Also, Amazon doesn't open your games before sending them to you free.

A peculiar note, after Gamestop bought EBGames, there are now 2 Gamestops across the street from each other in my town. Very weird.

Gamestop and EB (now one and the same) have been doing this for years. It's why I don't shop there on principle. The company's profits (and fairly high stock price) are built on the concept of "Sell as much used stuff as possible."

It's gotten to the point where you can't trust the clerk to give you a new product when you specifically ask for one, so I shop for games pretty much everywhere but that chain.

I bought The Simpsons: Hit and Run (used) from a Gamestop in LA. To my surprise, it did not work at all when I brought it home. I looked at the disk; it had a huge spot that had been literally scraped off the CD (probably about 2-3 square centimeters). When I returned it to the store 15 minutes later, the cashiers were a little snide about it (since they had presumably purchased the disk from someone without checking it), but they replaced it for free.

I don't really understand what this dude is complaining about. Gamestop has a policy. This guy knows the policy. He dislikes the policy, and....

Muddgirl he's complaining that some register monkey at GameStop tried to sell him a used copy of a game when he specifically asked for a new one.

If that's store policy, it's a matter of when, not if, they get taken to court.

I've successfully returned open-case new games to EBGames/GameStop on more than one occasion.

If it's a used game they're supposed to slap a sticker on it that seals the box and essentially declares it *now* opened if you've popped the sticker.

The thing that annoys me more is their acceptance of incomplete used-game-packages as trade-ins for the portable systems. I mean, hello, you're telling me a game that comes with no box and no instructions is only worth a $5 discount?

Having worked for EB years ago, I can confirm that this is indeed store policy. Here's the deal: the 'used' label is strictly for games that have been specifically traded in for store credit or cash. It does not apply to returns in any way, and most of the time returned merchandise is not shipped back to corporate or even put through an 'open box' sale - it's sold again as 'new'.

When games are stocked, one copy gets 'gutted' - the contents of the case removed and stored behind the counter - while the empty case is put on the shelf for display. When a customer wants the game and this is the only copy left, the guts are put back in the case and sold as-is, at the full 'new' price. It's not like the discs are thrown into a box of wire mesh pads and thumbtacks or anything, but the box has indeed been opened and technically the product isn't 'new'. I think where EB/GS gets around the whole issue is that calling these games 'new' is not official terminology, but just how employees commonly differentiate software that isn't 'used'.

So, 'used' games are only games that have been traded in. 'New' applies to games that have been gutted, games that were sold 'new' and returned, and of course unopened stock. There have also been occasions where brand new, unopened games have been traded in and ended up in the 'used' stack.

Also keep in mind that all of these stores have a shrinkwrapping machine in the back for re-sealing merchandise.

They have been doing this shit for years. I was a regular at EBGames (before their merger) and they did it there too. They claim it was only used on their display machines and no one actually *played* it. Later they started shrink wraping the games back themselves, trying to pass them off as new. You can easily spot the difference between an xbox game wrapped by the manufacturer and their crappy shrink wrap job.

I think I heard somewhere they let their employees borrow the games. But I never verified that claim.

It is not new. It is a rip off.

Yeah, GameStop has to stop opening NEW games. Better yet, why don't they stop that nonsense with posting cheap posters right onto the game cases? For a collector, it really ruins the value of the game (and we all know that GameStop can easily find alternatives to posting those cheap stickers that might even save them money).

Man that pisses me off. It is not new if it is opend. They wont even take stuff back if it is open. People need to rise up agenst this.

They've only done this to me if they're using a display case... that is, they've run out of the ones "behind the glass". Whenever I've pre-ordered a game from them, the game comes completely sealed.

It does kind of suck to get a "new" but opened game, but there IS a positive side to this. His last question is it, but he doesn't answer it. The answer is, YES, they will accept the return. I learned this when I tried to return my copy of Trauma Center within the 1 week time frame (that used to be their policy whether it was opened or not). They apparently changed their policy because they got sued when they tried to re-sell those returned, used games as "New" (obviously a shady practice).

In any case, the flip is that since they have to accept your return, you can just tell them it was an open case when you bought it (it should still have a price tag on it), and return it, saying you never played it within the 7-day timeframe. It's like a 7-day free rental.

Of course, this would eventually devolve into the same thing they got sued for before, since they would have a "new" game that was sort of really "used", but then sell it as "new" again (but I suppose in that case they have plausible deniability).

I went to gamestop once and that is what they did, putting a ds game cartridge back to the box and calling it "new". So then i was like "I am not gonna buy it full price with an open box" then he said he would take 10% off. It was too shady so i went to bestbuy instead.

This is the exact reason I do not buy ANYTHING from GS or EB.

It's a total sham and people actually still buy crap from them. Go to Target, Wal-Mart, Amazon, anywhere but GS or EB. They are swindlers.

the only time I have ever gotten a new game at an EB/Gamestop that was already opened is when I wa spurchasing the last copy, and the box was the shelf display. Never have they opened a new game to sell to me, and when they open the drawers new games are held in, they are all packaged.

What I have heard that these stores-- and many other stores do, is purposely open a new game if you are getting it by returning that same game for a replacement, such as with a bad disc.

Either the stores in my area, Northern NJ, behave differently, of the stores visitted by the person in this post do. Either is possible, since a lot of store behaviors are pushed down by the store or regional manager.

I have bitched about this many times before in other forums. I don't think it's right that they open the games beforehand. If the game is opened before the customer buys it it should be sold as used. Countless times i have bought "new" games from them only to discover later that they were actually used. I will never, ever shop at a GameStop again. They always try to rip you off.

The point I keep making is that, say at Best Buy, we wouldn't buy open items without getting their open box discount.

They do keep some factory-wrapped games behind the counter.

This practice, where Gamestop unwraps new games and takes everything out, is commonly refered to as "gutting". I have no idea why they do it, but they have a lot of nerve trying to sell these games as new. Any employee could take the disc home for a night, or copy down serial numbers from Nintendo games and register them on Nintendo.com. I encourage everyone to not support a company that does this.

"So if I walk out the door right now with that unsealed case then walk back in here next week with it in the same condition, you'll give me full return credit as a new game? I mean, it IS new after all right!?"

Excellent question -- it would turn on GameStop's Return Policy.

If the B&M version of GameStop and GameStop.com have the same Return Policy, it's anyone's guess.

GameStop.com's Return Policy states:

Returns to GameStop.com

Returned product(s) must be in the original packaging and include any manuals, cabling and accessories in saleable condition. We reserve the right to limit returns to unopened or defective products. Defective product(s) will be replaced with a like item, upon return.

We do not accept returns of:

- Any product(s) returned more than 30 days after delivery.
- Any product(s) that has been opened (taken out of its plastic wrap).
- Any product(s) not in its original condition, is damaged, played, or is missing parts.
- Any product(s) that were sold as part of a bundle, unless the bundle is returned complete.

Please do not send us product(s) that do not meet the return criteria listed above, as we do not issue refunds for nonqualifying items and cannot return the items to you.

Maybe GameStop.com sends you shrinkwrapped games? If so, no problem.

But in B&M GameStopLand, we know they're doing something else -- selling games that have been opened and are without their protective plastic wrap. So, if B&M GameStop follows GameStop.com's Return Policy, they're committing fraud by selling a product that cannot be returned at all because it's been "opened (taken out of its plastic wrap)."

Anyone know what the B&M GameStop's return policy is??

There is a funny thing about the guy going to EB/Gamestop to buy a DS game. They charge $34.99 for most of them new and Best Buy charges $29.99. With that 10% discount you would have saved about $3.50 and it still would have cost more than going to Best Buy and purchasing it without a discount.

If I worked at a place that opened all the games before they were sold I would copy down at least one code from the inside of every official Nintendo brand game they had and add it to my collection on www.nintendo.com You get free stuff from doing that sometimes. You would also have a huge list of "purchased" games.

If you are buying 360 games new, be aware that Microsoft seal the packaging as an anti-pirate method. You can in a pinch report EB or Game to Microsoft if you buy a new game from them and the seal is already broken.

I think as one poster already put it "It is a case of when, not if eb get taken to court over this policy"

they only to this to ONE copy of each game so they can display it on the floor. its so no one can take a display box and run out with a free game.

Gamecrazy has started doing the same thing. I will give them benefit of the doubt only because I bought Burnout Revenge (brand new, gutted copy) at the used price because someone, for some reason or another, stole the empty case. So, I got a brand new game disc and manual in a generic case for ten dollars less than retail price. But really, they should have the manufacturer ship them a separate empty box for use as display and then keep the unscathed, brand new, factory sealed copies in a cage or behind glass or in the back. They'd be pissing off less people and would still be preventing theft.

I've watched plenty of people get pissed and walk out the door when they notice the cashier put an open Disc in the case and hand it to them as "New"

I work in a gamestop right now and I can say that this is a pretty crappy policy, but theres really not much else that can be done. We have to display our games and gutting one copy is the simplest solution.

The only thing is emplyees are allowed to check out gut copies of new games to play at home. In fact, right now im playing my stores got of rogue galaxy.

Down here in NZ they constantly remove discs and manuals from brand new games.

They keep them under the counter in a gigantic draw fill of games separated by tiny pieces of paper.

It's a piss poor way of handling things and this is yet again one of the reasons why I import games.

what i don't understand is this:

why doesn't the manufacturer ship 1 empty case with the games to EB so this whole thing is completely avoided...

Yeah this sucks.

Just a couple notes, if you're playing the game, it will play the same new or used. That having been said, gutting a game saves you money in that the crap won't get stolen as often. If you're wanting "new" in principle, but it's the last copy, simply ask for the shopworn discount. It's only 10%, but most of the clerks know about it and will give it to you without a problem. But remember, if you give the poor guy behind the counter a hard time, he may have a stroke of incompetence...

Wait a minute! At department stores and boutiques all across the country, employees are taking clothes out of the dressing room, which have already been worn, and returning them to the racks. Those clothes are used! I demand a 10% discount.

I buy from GameStop and EB, but only used stuff (and not recently released used stuff, either, 10% discount doesn't cut it for a used price in my book.) I will never buy anything new from them because of the gutting policy.

muddgirl has a great point. Don't forget all those cars that go for a test drive, or simply moved on the lot... As far as sending an empty box, that would be a real nightmare for the people working at the store. Problem 1-> some a-hole stole the empty case, you have to gut anyway. Problem 2-> you now have to keep track of your inventory constantly to make sure a game you don't have in stock is not displayed, angering the customer who waited in line for said game.

MisterLlanowar: Just to be sure here, are those games that you borrow still sold as new? Or are they marked as used?

I dismiss muddgirl's and OPrime's points. "Bah," I say, waving my hand.

Clothing isn't a good analogy because one can easily inspect clothing for wear and tear, stains, stretching, before one buys it. Clothing does not have additional value that might be removed from the sale package undetectably, like Nintendo Points, coupons, registration keys, etc.

Cars have an odometer clearly showing how much use they've gotten before being sold to you, and can also easily be inspected for damage or wear by any halfway competent shopper.

Games, not so much. Something could easily have been removed from the package, and you'd be none the wiser unless you had another package to compare it to. Additionally, cartridge-based games (think DS) can have hidden internal damage (it's a ROM after all.)

I used to work at a music store that did the same thing. If you didn't carefully check the packaging, you could very well purchase a "new" CD that had actually been returned, usually because it was scratched or otherwise unplayable in a customer's CD player. Genuinely disgusting.

Joining the ranks of those defending the policy, it is Gamestop's policy to gut a copy of the game for display.

This policy is intended to combat shrink, not to screw the customer. There is no technical difference between the gutted copy and a sealed copy, and the store will re-shrinkwrap the game if you ask them to. If they don't then by all means refuse to shop there, but don't overreact. The employee was selling you an un-played, unsold copy of the game.

You'll only get the gutted copy of the game if it's the last copy in the store. You're welcome to refuse to buy the last copy of the game and try to find it elsewhere.

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M

I say this is a bullshit complaint. Opening a game doesn't mean it's in a less than new quality. As long as the disc is still in perfect condition, I don't care if I have to buy a new gutted copy. I used to work at Game Stop, the reason we let employees try games out was so we learn more about the stuff we're selling. Since we're supposed to be the biggest and best sellers of video games, we've got to know more about the stuff we sell than anyone else. It helps to have actually played the games. And if the new disc we borrow comes back scratched after use, we pretty much just bought the game.

W/o reading ALL the aforementioned posts....In my experience what is happening is that they only have one copy of the game shipped to the store and need a display case for the shelf. Another case would be...if the store's last copy of a game was used for the display case on the shelf and a the disc is kept in the drawer behind the counter.

Still, there are better ways of going about this...how about color copies of the front and back of the cases...shrink-wrapped to a peice of cardboard. You know they have plenty of cardboard and a shrink-wrapping machine. That kind of equipment is standard in a retail business. If they had pre-release boxes (you know with the coming soon sticker, top shelf) for every game to come out then they could use those or take the covers out of the old ones and replace them with covers for current/instock titles.

I would like to hear a reasonable suggestion for how to display a copy of the game on the wall that would account for the VAST number of stolen "empties" each store sees on a weekly basis.

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M

Back in high school I had a friend that worked at EB. He told me about the reshrinkwrapping machine... and then proceeded to tell me how the employees would take a new game home with them, open it, burn a copy on the CD or otherwise play with it, bring it back, reshrink it, and reshelve it.

Devious.

NeoteriX: That doesn't really have anything to do with the company as a whole; that has to do with jackass criminals.

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M

All the defenders are missing the point. Sure, if what you're saying is true, the policy would be fine, but the customer has no way to verify that GameSpot/EB is telling them the truth about the disc they're getting.

Discs can be bad, with no external sign of being so. The disc that is being pushed on you could be a defective return (the McWorkers there at GS will just put it back in the drawer without checking it.) The disc could be a game they bought used from a customer. How does the customer know? They don't know.

Couple this with GS's return policy (i.e. "We do not accept returns of any product(s) that has been opened (taken out of its plastic wrap)."), which they are clearly BREAKING THEMSELVES BEFORE SELLING THE PRODUCT, and you have a recipe for consumer screwing. So I get the defective disc home and it doesn't play, and I take it back and some ladder-climbing bastard enforces that rule on me above? No thanks.

Apparently, the GameStop in my area is nice enough to wrap it up again if it's the last copy.

I understand that it's the last copy, and it's the copy the used for display, but I think it's only reasonable that they actually gut one new copy to do so. If they just received a blank case with nothing in it, it's another way of saying, "I'm too lazy to take it off the damn shelf." But at least if they gut it, not only do you still technically get an un-played game, it tells other people that you just got the last copy of the game they're all rushing to get.

As much as I hate some of the policy that Gamestop/EBGames have, there's probably a decent reason behind it, if not, stupid and pointless, but I've never had a problem when it came to games in this condition. They plastic wrapped it again (and pretty well too I might add), so in case I would need to return it, it would still fall under their return policy.

ronaldscott:
Well then it comes down to whether you believe the person handing you the disc or not. If you don't, then sure, shop at Best Buy instead, but that's how all shopping works. You have no way of really knowing if the meat you're buying at the grocery store has been properly refrigerated, but you trust the grocer. Same thing here.

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M

FoolsRunHow about doing what Toys R Us did in the 80s (and still does to this day for popular new releases) and have a laminated copy of the game case that includes the front cover art and the back synopsis.

Or is running down to Kinkos too much for the company to spare?

the gamestop by my house is great. all their new games are new and sealed by the manufacturer, and their usd games are just off the shelf, which i never buy.

I guess my biggest problem is that the author is blaming the employee, who has nothing to do with policy, and definitely isn't paid well enough to try to defend it to some irate customer who, by the sound of it, went in with an attitude.

I was that underpaid employee and I don't miss the fight picking customers.

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M

Or another idea would be to have decent security. The Best Buys in my area seem to have no problem with having the full retail package out on the shelf.

There's also the "locked cabinet" approach. Even GameStop does this with used GB/GBA/DS carts since they fit in a pocket.

The employee is the company representative, whether he likes it or not. This is the burden of being in the retail industry. If the employee doesn't like the policies they have to uphold, they should quit. Otherwise, no whining about "well I don't set the policy."

ronaldscott:
Well then don't shop there. I worked there and upheld the policy and know that it's not designed to, nor does it, screw the customer (like I said, you can ask for the game to be re-shrinkwrapped), so I continue to shop there safe in the knowledge that I'm not being screwed any more than I would be by another retailer.

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M