Ok...I have to say that I'm sick to hell of stupid corporate mentalities that sell games. EB is the recipient of my ire, as they are the only game store around here that sells high volumes of retail games.

I was in EB the other day to get Buffy the Vampire Slayer for XBox. They had one copy left. Naturally I wanted it. So my friend who's working the counter goes to get it for me and he pulls out this tray full of discs in bags. So I ask him what he's doing. Apparently, EB opens one copy of every game and bags the disc in a plastic bag and sticks it behind the counter so they have a box to display. So I ask to see the disc before i buy it. Lo and behold it's all scuffed up!

So I ask my friend what price he's gonna give it to me for cause it's all scuffed. He tells me that it's EBs policy to sell the games as new/factory sealed because that's just how it is. He can't do anything about it cause that's corporate policy. So what EB is doing is selling me manhandled discs for full price. I don't blame him, but I do blame EB. Is it even LEGAL for them to sell a game with obvious scratches as factory sealed when it's not? That seems like it should be illegal. So anyway, I had him call around and find me an actually sealed one. Which he did cause he's a nice guy.

Then the real problem. I asked him to trade in the copy of Splinter Cell I had for a credit so I could go over and get Buffy. No can do I'm told. Apparently, EB does not issue credit for games anymore. He said that their policy has changed, and that now, you can only get credit for instore use at the time you trade a game in. They will not issue credit for games to be used later, and you cannot use your credit at one EB to buy games at another as it can only be used right then. Apparently, this has gone down in the last couple months.

So now, EB not only does not pay cash AT ALL for games, but they give less credit tahn ever before, and you can only use it right then, not apply it later to a game you want that's not out yet. How bloody much more are we gonna take? This is absolutely ridiculous! They also won't takea factury sealed game in as new, but only used, and won't take games without a reciept, so if you get a game you don't want for a gift, and it's sealed, they'll only give you store credit for the used price, and then they stick it on the shelf as new. Not to mention that they give you $5-7 credit for a game they sell for $30-40! Not even 1/2 credit...not even 1/4 sometimes! They're fucking us over every chance they get!

Oh...there IS a way to get credit. You MUST be a subscriber to their new Edge card, which means paying extra $ for a service I'm unlikely to use enough to pay for itself just so I can get credit to use later? I think not. Sure, you get a subscription to yet another gaming print mag that doesn't interest me at all, but the card is $25 (at least here in Canada) + tax, and only if I have it can I get store credit to use later. Sore it gets me 10% off of used games, but 10% is barely anything...like $2-4 off and what good does THAT really do me? It's not like I buy enough used games from EB to pay for the card, and even if I did, it's not REALLY worth it, cause I like to go to lots of different stores. Bleah! ,,!,, EB I say.

Also I might add, I'm irritated with Wal-mart cause now they won't price match ANYTHING unless it's in an advertised flyer. No more price matching between stores unless it's an ad. And when i went in with an ad from teh Boxing Day sales (like Thanksgiving Day sales in the US) they told me that it's not their policy to price match loss leaders, and even though it's in the ad they wouldn't match it. Absolute bullshit. It's like no one wants loyal customers anymore cause there are so many people that don't care if they get screwed that my business is irrelevant anymore. So offended.