Tablet computers can be many things to many different consumers: An easy way to surf the Web, a portable digital-video player, a color e-book reader, or maybe a lightweight, laptop stand-in. But would you buy a tablet just to play video games? And would you buy one from perennial Worst Company In America contestant GameStop? [More]
gamestop
GameStop Stores Ordered To Open 'Deus Ex: Human Revolution' Boxes And Remove Free Game Coupon
By 8.24.11
This news isn’t going to garner any love for perennial Worst Company In America contestant GameStop. The video game retailer’s Field Operations Manager sent out an e-mail — which has since gone public — demanding that stores open copies of the PC version of the game to remove a coupon containing a code that allows the buyer to play the game for free via the online gaming service OnLive. [More]
My UPS Package Was Delivered, Just Not To Me
By 6.9.11
UPS claims that it has done its job: Adam’s package, a gift that his wife got for him from Gamestop, was “delivered.” And it was. Just not to him. Or to his house. Or, as far as he can determine, to anyone in his neighborhood. See, he was home, and a large brown truck is hard to miss. [More]
Price Drop Lends Credibility To Rumors Of New Nintendo Wii On The Horizon
By 4.18.11
Last week, we reported on the rumors of the impending release of a newer, better Nintendo Wii, along with reports that the company would be dropping the console’s price to $150 to clear inventory of the older models. Well, it’s not quite the announcement from Nintendo HQ that people have been waiting for, but a number of retailers have gone ahead and slashed Wii prices down to $170. [More]
Why Did GameStop Sell Me A Used Game As New?
By 4.6.11
Patrick had a confusing experience at GameStop recently, when he bought a copy of God of War III. He asked for a new copy of the game, which was on sale, but received an unsealed copy of the game that looked more like a used game. Thanks to a sale, the price difference between new and used copies was only $2, but why did they sell him a not-so-new game in the first place? [More]
Worst Company In America Round One: Walmart Vs. GameStop
By 3.16.11
It’s a retail riot in this afternoon’s WCIA session, with two perennial tournament qualifiers trying to prove they belong here. [More]
No One Has The Power To Refund My Barnes & Noble/GameStop Order
By 3.4.11
When you buy a video game from Barnes & Noble online, the order is actually fulfilled by GameStop. A nice little bit of corporate synergy and specialization, right? The problem is that when you make a mistake or something goes wrong with your order, you enter a strange state of e-commerce purgatory, with each retailer claiming that the other is the only one empowered to change or cancel your order. That’s what happened to Patrick, whose order has now lurked in corporate synergy purgatory for an entire month. [More]
GameStop's New Preorder Bonus: Dead Roaches
By 3.1.11
Here’s a horrible Gamestop shopping experience that we never would have expected: a customer bought a few inexpensive used games, got them home, and discovered that they were terribly buggy. And by “buggy,” we mean “the cases were filled with dead roaches and roach eggs.” [More]
GameStop Is Out Of The Game You Want? Order It For In-Store Pickup, Return 10 Minutes Later
By 11.10.10
The bad news: the GameStop where Ambyr went to buy a copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops for her husband only had enough copies of the game to fill pre-orders. The good news: In GameStop’s universe, to “pre-order” means that you leave the store that just refused to sell you a game, order that game online, and then return fifteen minutes later. Bad for logic, good for Ambyr. [More]
The New GameStop Rewards Card Isn't Worth Your Time Or Privacy
By 10.27.10
Last week, we learned that at least one Gamestop employee won’t even sell to you unless you sign up for a rewards card. Why might that be? Reader Dragonfire81 has mysterious inside knowledge, and warns all good Consumerists to stay far, far away from the new rewards program that Gamestop is pushing. [More]
To Sell You A Used Game, This GameStop Requires Your Phone Number
By 10.20.10
Did you know that GameStop is a membership-only establishment, like a warehouse club? You’re only allowed to shop there if you have their rewards card. I didn’t know that, and neither did Jeff. He tells Consumerist that he foolishly tried to purchase a game, but refused to join the rewards program or give the cashier his phone number. The cashier, in turn, refused to sell anything to him. [More]
Xbox Live Marketplace Card Already Used, Even Though It Was Opened Only Moments Ago
By 9.22.10
Tyler says that on four different occasions now, the Xbox Live points and subscription cards he’s bought have been invalid when he redeems them. He had a friend at Gamestop help him out with the invalid subscription card, but he’s stuck with useless paper when it comes to the points cards. [More]
Companies Can Forbid You To Resell Your Software, Court Rules
By 9.13.10
A California court has ruled that software makers can forbid buyers from reselling a copy of a program they bought. This is not about people making illegal copies of games, this is about buying a CD with a program on it and not being able to resell that CD. Expect this to go to appeal, but watch out, Gamestop. [More]
GameStop Buys Pre-Owned Website Kongregate
By 7.28.10
If you play games on the website Kongregate–its founders say 10 million players stop by every month–then congratulations, you’re about to become GameStop’s new BFF. There’s no word yet on how this will affect the Kongregate community; the site lets people play online games for free, and GameStop says that the its founders will continue to run things for now. If we start seeing offers to pre-order an upcoming online free game, I guess we’ll know the takeover is complete. [More]
Gamestop Suddenly Hates Me, But Doesn't Know Why
By 7.8.10
Lu seems to have annual run-ins with stubborn gaming retailers. Last year, a simple GameCrazy purchase racked up illicit fees and an apology from the chain’s district manager. This year, he writes that Gamestop decided to just deny an online purchase with no obvious problems. Why? Apparently Gamestop’s system just doesn’t like Lu. [More]
Sick Of Losing Out To GameStop, Best Buy To Accept Video Game Trade-Ins
By 6.17.10
With average prices of around $60-$70 for a new title, video games are a pricey prospect, especially for skilled gamers who can finish some games in an afternoon. GameStop and others have capitalized on this buyer’s remorse by buying back used games, the money for which is often spent immediately at that same store. Tired of watching others capitalize on this model, Best Buy has announced a plan to allow customers to trade in their old games. [More]
GameStop Made Me Buy Cables So They Could Test My Xbox Trade In
By 4.26.10
Jason went into GameStop to trade in his Xbox 360, and experienced something odd. He says they refused to take his trade-in unless he bought new non-HD cables so they could test the system with the non-HD TVs they had in the store. [More]
7-Eleven Will Now Sell You Used Games Along With Slurpees
By 4.20.10
Likely looking at GameStop’s profit margins and deciding there’s more ways to squeeze money out of customers than by selling questionable hot dogs and Slurpees, 7-Eleven is entering the used games fray. [More]
