As Wells Fargo rather spectacularly demonstrated in recent months, putting too much pressure on employees to notch up a certain kind of sale can lead to a perverse incentive: Employees who need to keep their jobs may try increasingly underhanded things just to meet an impossible metric. This week, a report suggests that the latest set of employees who might be lying through their face to you just to keep their jobs are the ones selling video games. [More]
used games
GameStop CFO Says Company Will Weather Walmart, But Hints At Continued Store Closures
By 12.15.14
There are currently around 6,000 GameStop locations, meaning most people don’t have to drive very far to trade in a used game. But how will the company weather the two storm fronts of increased competition from major retailers and the shift toward digital downloads of games? [More]
Walmart Wants To Be The GameStop Where You Trade In Games For Groceries
By 3.18.14
Starting next week, Walmart shoppers looking for something to do with those Batman: Arkham Origins discs they no longer play will have one more option for unloading their used video games, as the nation’s largest retailer aims to likely become the largest purchaser of customers’ old games. [More]
Used Games Are Great, But Not Worth An Extra $25
By 6.27.13
Okay, it can be kind of inconvenient to deal with the original packaging, security tape and plastic wrap and all, for a brand-new video game. That privilege might be worth something…but it probably isn’t worth $25. [More]
Latest News About Xbox One And Used Games Only Muddies The Waters
By 6.7.13
Among the major concerns Xbox users had about the unveiling of Microsoft’s newest console, the Xbox One, was whether or not gamers would be able to play used games. Some retailers who make mountains of cash selling old games also have reason to worry. The company is now attempting to clear up those concerns, but it is really just making the picture murkier and testing the boundaries of copyright law. [More]
EA Cutting Prices, Eliminating Online Passes For Existing Games
By 5.30.13
Reigning two-time Worst Company In America Electronic Arts recently announced that its future game releases would not include the much-hated Online Pass program, which charges a fee to owners of used games to access online content, but there were still questions about whether it would keep the program alive for existing games. Now we have an answer. [More]
Gamefly Wants 80% Restocking Fee For Defective Xbox Game
By 2.7.13 — Updated: 2.12.13
Colleen’s mom bought her a thoughtful and frugal gift: a Zumba game disc for her Xbox that came from Gamefly’s selection of used games. She never got to play it, though, because it arrived not working. That’s not a problem, though, because you can always send defective items back. Right? [More]
California GameStops To Warn Used-Game Buyers That "Free DLC" Isn't Necessarily Free
By 4.10.12
While some experienced buyers of used video games may know that the “free additional content” burst on game’s packaging probably only applied to the original purchase of the game. But as part of a class-action settlement announced earlier today, GameStop stores in California will now alert buyers that any additional downloadable content (aka DLC) will likely have to be purchased separately. [More]
GameStop: You've Got One Week Left To Trade In GameCube Stuff
By 3.26.12
If you’ve got a stack of old GameCube games you’ve been waiting to unload at GameStop for a tiny bit of cash or in-store credit, you’d better take care of the transaction by the close of business Sunday. Starting a week from today, the monolithic game retailer will no longer accept games, accessories or systems from Nintendo’s obsolete console. [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]
GameStop Guy Denies My Trade, Saying 'You Might Have Stolen It'
By 12.3.10
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. [More]
GameStop Beefs Up Loyalty Program
By 5.25.10
Perhaps in response to game publishers undercutting the value of its used games by stripping them of online play, GameStop is rolling out a new PowerUp rewards card that gives customers points for used and new game purchases, giving them discounts as well as coupons for food and movies. [More]
Walmart Giving Used Games Another Go
By 5.11.10
After trying and failing at the GameStop-dominated used games biz, Walmart is taking a mulligan and making another run and used game trade-ins and sales, partnering with Game Trade in the effort to gives you pennies on the dollar for that not-so-old copy of Mass Effect 2. [More]
GameStop Doesn't Want You To Buy A Used Copy Of Fallout 3
By 5.5.10
Reader theSteve spotted a pricing quirk on GameStop’s website that rendered a new copy of Fallout 3 cheaper than a used version. [More]
Say Goodbye To GameCrazy, Hollywood Video
By 5.3.10
Blockbuster’s main brick-and-mortar competitor, Movie Gallery, is shutting down all its U.S. stores, Reuters reports, citing the paywall-riffic Wall Street Journal. [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]
Man Sues GameStop For Deceptive Used Game Sales
By 3.26.10
A California man is suing GameStop because he bought a used game that lacked a valid code he needed to download contest promised on the cover of the box, IGN reports. [More]
GameStop Opened Game, Removed Voucher For Free Poster, Sold It To Me As 'New'
By 3.12.10
Update: GameStop let Chris return the game for a refund. [More]
