B received the game Mafia II as a gift, but wanted Red Dead Redemption instead. Without a receipt, he went to GameStop, where it was purchased, hoping to swap games. When the clerk denied his request because it violated the store’s return policy, B asked instead to trade the game in for store credit he’d apply toward the game he wanted. The clerk refused the trade because he wasn’t sure whether or not B was trying to pawn off a stolen product.

B writes:

I come to terms with the fact that I can’t return it new. So, out of options, I asked if I could return it used and put that towards my new game. At this point, the manager says there is no way he can do that because I might have stolen it. This is the part that really bothers me. He kept using theoretical working, like “You might have stolen it” and “how do I know you didn’t steal it from somewhere, not that I am accusing you.” I am incensed for two reasons. For one, I don’t let being accused of stealing, even if theoretical terms. Also, it makes absolutely no sense to bring up a stealing scenario in my case.

How would they even know any customer who brings in a used game hasn’t stolen it? Should GameStop immediately cease all used game buybacks because of possible theft? It occurred to me that the manager just chose to be a jerk to me. If I had literally opened the game two seconds before walking in and tried to sell it used, it would have been a totally different scenario. Instead, I am completely done with GameStop and will sell my “used” game online. I will by my games elsewhere.

On one level it’s admirable that a GameStop employee would take steps to screen and not accept stolen merchandise, but B is understandably offended at the unwarranted allegation.

If you deal with GameStop, have you ever had a trade denied?

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