GameStop Selling Games Played By Employees As New

[lazyhoboguy]

http://kotaku.com/5205385/gamestop-sells-played-games-as-new-sources-say-practice-could-be-illegal

I would be really pissed if I bought a "new" game from them like this.

[scooterb23]

What's shocking about something everyone knew two years ago, that probably has been mentioned on these forums weekly for the past 2 years?

*broken record time*

If you don't like the way they do things...don't shop there

Well guys, here's your weekly "Gamestop sucks thread"

Have at it.

[lazyhoboguy]

Lol, well I posted this since they are actually getting investigated by a government agency for this. I heard people say this happened before, but now we have proof. O, and the "shocking..." part was supposed to be sarcasm. Doesn't work right on the internet sometimes haha.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

I don't understand why anyone would want to buy a new game there, but I figured everyone on here already knew this. Like Scooter said, this is old news and many people have bitched about this. I only go to Gamestop when I have a coupon for some sort of great deal on used games, other than that it's a pretty shitty place to shop.

Next Thread...

[darkslime]

old news is old

[Superman]

This is fairly common knowledge, but I wonder why it took so long to investigate?

[Cryomancer]

About time. If any other industry was doing this it would have been stopped long ago.

[Dangerboy]

Yay! It's about time this came into the media light. Once this is taken care of, we can get rid of people trying "new clothes" and "new cars" being test driven and then both being sold as new.

[sisko]

Actually, all the article states that a government agency may or may not be investigating the procedures that Gamestop may or may not be doing.

(Yes, I know for a fact that Gamestop does this)

[lazyhoboguy]

Actually, all the article states that a government agency may or may not be investigating the procedures that Gamestop may or may not be doing.

(Yes, I know for a fact that Gamestop does this)

O, yea you are right, they are not for sure being investigated yet. But Kotaku does say that the practice is their company policy and managers at gamestop say that it happens.

[DigitalSpace]

I guess it was a slow news day for Kotaku. Anyways, Scooter wins the thread.

[Gemini-Phoenix]

Now this is of no surprise to many of us who have always suspected game stores practicing this. Apparently, it's been reported that selling new games as new after 'Lending' them to employees, could actually be illegal!

To be perfectly honest though, why has it taken until now to do something about it? We've been banging on about such things on forums ever since the internet existed, and even before. We've all known that GAME and GameStation allow this to happen, and willingly allow employees to borrow 'New' games at will, which are then resold to unsuspecting members of the general public with nothing more than a store security seal over them.


It won't be long before it's discovered that these stores are also guilty of something else we've all known about for a long time - The trading in and reselling of still new and immaculate games. - Ie, If you purchase a new game on release day, play it over the weekend and trade it back in on the Monday, then technically the game is still a 'New' release, although it's been played. If it's still unmarked and immaculate, most stores will simply stick it back out as brand new and slap one of their store security stickers over the flap. To me this is wrong, and needs to be stopped, and the very reason I buy only games which are still factory sealed in their cellophane, as they are without a doubt still new and haven't been tampered with. Yet these stores know they can get away with it because they have such a fast turnaround that they know they can pass off an immaculate copy to the next punter and no-one (Except the store employees) are any the wiser

How often have to gone into GAME or GameStation and asked for a brand new copy of a game which has just been released and been given an unsealed questionable looking copy, only to be fed some bullshit excuse about how they need to open all their copies to prevent theft? Well, to be honest I don't buy their excuses, and what they really mean to say is that it's a next to new copy which is in pristine condition which they've decided is of the same quality as a brand new copy, so they'll try and sell it as 'New' - So either they've previously been played by the employees, or they've been bought, returned, and put back out as 'New' simply because it's a recent title and in excellent condition


It's about time the courts cracked down on these sorts of practices, as these stores are duping customers into believing that they are recceiving a brand new untouched game when in actual fact they've been borrowed and played by the store employees and passed off as brand new still!I would like nothing more than to see an investigation into these practices, and strict guidelines laid down for the sale of games which stores claim to be 'New' - I'm sure it can't be too hard to simply put display cases on store shelves and keep sealed copies of new games behind the counter, which would remove all doubt whether or not a game is actually new or not

[DP ServBot]

Kotaku reports on a practice by GameStop which allows employees to "check out" new copies of video games, play them, then return them to be sold as new. Quoting: "When a shipment of video games initially arrives at a store, managers are told to 'gut' several copies of the game, removing the disc or cartridge from the packaging so it can be displayed on the shelf without concern of theft, according to our sources. The games are then placed in protective sleeves or cases under the counter. If a customer asks why the game is not sealed they are typically told the the game is a display copy. The game is still sold as new. When check-out games are returned, we were told, they are placed with the gutted display copies. If a customer asks about these, they are typically told they are display copies, not that they have been played before. Since the copies are often placed with display copies, even managers and employees typically don't know which of these games have been played and which haven't."http://games.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/04/10/0531204 (http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/04/10/0531204&from=rss)
Read more of this story (http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/04/10/0531204&from=rss) at Slashdot.
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[GrandAmChandler]

This is nothing new, it's a bad practice, but it has been going on at least since Babbages took over FuncoLand. Those "new" PS1 games? Yeah I took a different one home every night in college.

[Sabz5150]

Always ask for a sealed copy. If they tell you that's all they have, either don't purchase it or voice your concern.

[Oobgarm]

C'mon DP Servbot, you should check other forums before double-posting.

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130204

;)

[Xian042]

Kotaku reports on a practice by GameStop which allows employees to "check out" new copies of video games, play them, then return them to be sold as new. Quoting: "When a shipment of video games initially arrives at a store, managers are told to 'gut' several copies of the game, removing the disc or cartridge from the packaging so it can be displayed on the shelf without concern of theft, according to our sources. The games are then placed in protective sleeves or cases under the counter. If a customer asks why the game is not sealed they are typically told the the game is a display copy. The game is still sold as new. When check-out games are returned, we were told, they are placed with the gutted display copies. If a customer asks about these, they are typically told they are display copies, not that they have been played before. Since the copies are often placed with display copies, even managers and employees typically don't know which of these games have been played and which haven't."http://games.slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?from=rss&op=image&style=h0&sid=09/04/10/0531204 (http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/04/10/0531204&from=rss)
Read more of this story (http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/04/10/0531204&from=rss) at Slashdot.
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yeah, old news, but come on now, does it really matter? Yeah they gut new copies, and yeah they let employees take the disk home to try the game. Now who's opinion on the game will you trust, the gamer that just played it at gamestop, or the old lady at Target?

Yes some of the opened new games are played, some of the new copies go into the demo units in the store so customers can play it, when that becomes the last copy, its sold as new.
Just remember that Gamestop has a pretty loose return policy. Since these games are already open, its not such a big deal for you to return it if you dont like it. Try doing that at Target.
Doesnt seem so bad now does it?

[megasdkirby]

C'mon DP Servbot, you should check other forums before double-posting.

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130204

;)

Haha, I was going to do that! Maybe it will close it's topic since it's a double post. LOL

But I hate this practice too. Same as the "Oh the opened copy is still new" bullshit.

[FantasiaWHT]

EB Games was doing it when I worked there in 2000-2002, but wasn't allowing it anymore when I came back in 2004-2005. I assume when GS bought them the practice started up again.

If you raise a big enough stink about it at the store (in a polite, non-ranting way, I mean), you probably can get a shopworn discount. As far as the ethics of calling it "new", I'm going once again to compare it to a piece of clothing that might be taken home, tried on to see if it fits, and brought back to the store. That will be sold as new at full price, too.

Generally, I would trust the employees to take good care of the discs.

[bangtango]

When Amazon.com or Walmart starts selling used games as "new", then we'll be onto something.

But this is simply the sort of thing you'd expect from Gamestop.

[NayusDante]

Just remember that Gamestop has a pretty loose return policy. Since these games are already open, its not such a big deal for you to return it if you dont like it.

I was always told that the only real "return" policy was for used games, which is 7 days no questions. I've seen people try to return a game that they bought new, only to be offered trade-in credit. $4 is not a refund for a $30 game.

I simply don't buy new games from GameStop. On the rare occasion that I do, they give me that "display copy" BS and I just ask to inspect everything, then note the clerk's names if the CD key is missing or something.

[eugenek]

EB Games was doing it when I worked there in 2000-2002, but wasn't allowing it anymore when I came back in 2004-2005. I assume when GS bought them the practice started up again.

If you raise a big enough stink about it at the store (in a polite, non-ranting way, I mean), you probably can get a shopworn discount. As far as the ethics of calling it "new", I'm going once again to compare it to a piece of clothing that might be taken home, tried on to see if it fits, and brought back to the store. That will be sold as new at full price, too.

Generally, I would trust the employees to take good care of the discs.

I don't think that that analogy is the most appropriate one. A closer one is to a piece of clothing that has had the tags removed. After that, no matter how many or how few times it's worn and no matter how new it looks, you can't sell it as new. Similarly, once the seal has been broken on a game, it's not "new." Not to mention all the stickers that they defile the case with.

[JunkTheMagicDragon]

does this practice effect pre-ordered items too, or only off-the-shelf 'new' games?

wondering b/c i rarely buy new games (last one was rock band 2 ffs), and if i do it's something i'm going to preorder and pick up on launch day.

[megasdkirby]

I simply don't buy new games from GameStop. On the rare occasion that I do, they give me that "display copy" BS and I just ask to inspect everything, then note the clerk's names if the CD key is missing or something.

Funny thing is that in PR, DACO states that display copies MUST be cheaper than sealed copies, yet these bastards insist that it's "new". Idiots don't know that once it's opened, it's not new.

When I am extremely bored and willing to fight, I bring this up whenever I buy a game that is the Display Copy. I always win. :)

[badinsults]

Its like complaining that the "new" car with 200 km on it from previous test drivers is not new anymore.

I have bought display copies before, and as long as they are in mint condition (no scratches on the disc), why does it matter?

[Nesmaster]

I've been caught in this trap before:

"Hi, do you have any new copies of X?"

"Well, we have one new copy left" *Grabs disc in sleeve, proceeds to place in case*

"Uhh... that's not new, I don't want it"

I've asked for "Sealed" copies in stock ever since.

[eugenek]

Its like complaining that the "new" car with 200 km on it from previous test drivers is not new anymore.

I have bought display copies before, and as long as they are in mint condition (no scratches on the disc), why does it matter?

Test drives are an unavoidable aspect of the business but at least the car dealers recognize that and are happy to extend your warranty by the number of miles already on the car or even discount the price.

Nobody has ever offered to discount a display copy for me. Did you know that only 66% of men wash their hands after using the bathroom? If I'm going to put fecal bacteria in my PS3 you'd better damn well not charge me the same price as a sealed copy.

[scooterb23]

I never hear anyone argue the points Dangerboy brought up. How can a car be sold new when 5-10 people have driven it a couple hundred miles? How can a pair of pants be sold as new once tried on? I can't argue how this is any different. I think they are truly valid points.

I know it still doesn't change the fact that it isn't a desirable practice, but when put into that perspective...it really isn't any different (in my point of view anyway).

[Xian042]

does this practice effect pre-ordered items too, or only off-the-shelf 'new' games?

wondering b/c i rarely buy new games (last one was rock band 2 ffs), and if i do it's something i'm going to preorder and pick up on launch day.

It only accounts for the 10 or so copies they gut to make a shelf display, a store will usually have plenty more sealed ones behind the counter. Once the sealed ones are gone, they start selling the displays. If you preorder something you will NOT get an opened copy.

I worked for EB and then Gamestop and we did this, but we never tried to lie about it or sweep it under the carpet. I always told the customor all we have is gutted display copies left, its still a NEW game, but it may have been played once or twice in the demo system or sampled by one of our employees. People NEVER had a problem with it unless it was for gift they were going to wrap. In that case I'd offer to shrink wrap it in the store and that would be fine also if it was for a little kid.

And no its not like taking home clothes, wearing them, then returning them to be sold as new because you arent SWEATING FROM YOUR CROTCH ONTO THE GAME!

When I was at EB I did have one guy call up and bitch me out because he got three opened games. #1, he sent his wife in because he was too lazy to come in himself. #2, the game was long out of print but we still had a couple gutted copies in the store.
He wouldnt have been able to find those games anywhere else. I explained the whole thing to him that we arent "hiding" anything. Thats the way the corporate bigwigs want to run it so thats how we have to run it. He responded with " I dont pay full price for this opened crap" I said "I would be more than happy to return the games for you and I know Target doesn't open their games so you can shop there." He said "THATS IT I'm coming down there!"

he never showed.

Look I'm not a huge Gamestop fan either but this really isnt a big deal as long as its explained to the customer, and 90% dont give a crap.

[eugenek]

I never hear anyone argue the points Dangerboy brought up. How can a car be sold new when 5-10 people have driven it a couple hundred miles? How can a pair of pants be sold as new once tried on? I can't argue how this is any different. I think they are truly valid points.

I know it still doesn't change the fact that it isn't a desirable practice, but when put into that perspective...it really isn't any different (in my point of view anyway).

Is there any way to merge the two threads on this topic?

You get a discount on the car. You get the warranty extended by the amount of mileage. The pants still have the tag on them, which at least tells you that nobody wore them to Taco Bell and then shit themselves in them.

But for games, the seal is the only thing that tells you that an employee didn't drop a deuce without washing his hands, whack off to a porno in his Playstation and then immediately pop in Street Fighter IV.

The whole argument structure is bogus anyway. It's not feasible to expect people to buy cars without testing them, or pants without fitting them. Necessary evils, if you will. But there is no compelling need to gut 12 copies of the same game and then let employees borrow them and then sell them as new.

[rpepper9]

Test drives are an unavoidable aspect of the business but at least the car dealers recognize that and are happy to extend your warranty by the number of miles already on the car or even discount the price.

Nobody has ever offered to discount a display copy for me. Did you know that only 66% of men wash their hands after using the bathroom? If I'm going to put fecal bacteria in my PS3 you'd better damn well not charge me the same price as a sealed copy.

Wow! Playing the "fecal bacteria" card!

How about that sealed game that comes from a packaging plant that is probably in some 3rd world country where there are cockroaches, rats and other parasites crawling around the shop?

This topic has become way over blown! If you don't like the opened game, go somewhere else and buy it. Target and Walls*Mart are rampant across the US (something similar in UK I am sure), go there and pick up the game. I am pretty sure that the price is the same for new games wherever you might get it.




P.S. I frequently SWEAT FROM MY CROTCH ONTO MY GAMES! (anyone wanna trade?)

[NayusDante]

Target and Walls*Mart are rampant across the US (something similar in UK I am sure), go there and pick up the game. I am pretty sure that the price is the same for new games wherever you might get it.

This might be good advice, if it weren't for the godawful selection that Target and Walmart have. Every time I check, they only have the REALLY BAD games (shovelware) and the really POPULAR games. Don't expect to see anything remotely alternative or rare. This leaves GameStop as the only place to find variety.

With great selection comes great responsibility.

[Oobgarm]

I never hear anyone argue the points Dangerboy brought up. How can a car be sold new when 5-10 people have driven it a couple hundred miles? How can a pair of pants be sold as new once tried on? I can't argue how this is any different. I think they are truly valid points.

The only way that those can be argued is that aren't really being 'used' to their maximum potential like a game is. Granted, there's only one way that a game can be used...and they're quite conductive to multiple uses without any noticeable flaws, but I still think it's different.

Cars are tested, and it's common practice for a dealer to make a car cheaper if it has a lot of test miles on it. This is an expensive item that is not manufactured "en masse" by a duplicating machine, so a test of it is almost mandatory to ensure everything is satisfactory. I've never heard of anyone complaining that car dealerships let people test drive cars and still sell them as new, with the exception of when the GameStop argument comes up. Let's say that someone did take a car home for a test drive, drove it for a few days, and then brought it back to the dealership. The dealership is likely going to lose some value on the car, especially to a discerning buyer.

Clothes...still a bit different. You don't have associates taking clothes home, wearing them, and bringing them back to the store to sell. Trying clothes on differs since, like cars, there can be variation in material and craftsmanship. Personally, I hate trying on clothes, but I can understand why some do.

Games, though, differ from this because someone is taking the title home, playing it as though they'd purchased it and getting full enjoyment of it, and then bringing it back to the store. And then, GameStop intends on getting full retail value for the title, even though it's left the confines of the store and has been played at someone's house. All copies of a title are the same, so there's no reason for an associate to take it home and "test it out" to make sure it works as intended...because it'll be swapped out if it's defective. The only reason to take it home is to play it and have fun with it, all without that pesky annoyance of "purchase".

[eugenek]

Wow! Playing the "fecal bacteria" card!

How about that sealed game that comes from a packaging plant that is probably in some 3rd world country where there are cockroaches, rats and other parasites crawling around the shop?

This topic has become way over blown! If you don't like the opened game, go somewhere else and buy it. Target and Walls*Mart are rampant across the US (something similar in UK I am sure), go there and pick up the game. I am pretty sure that the price is the same for new games wherever you might get it.


P.S. I frequently SWEAT FROM MY CROTCH ONTO MY GAMES! (anyone wanna trade?)

Huh, would you go on eBay and pay the same amount for an "opened by Gamestop but never played by anyone except possibly an employee," that you would for a "sealed" copy? Oh, no? Then don't sell it to me at those same prices at your store. And yes, I do go somewhere else to buy games. Furthermore, I EVEN WORKED AT EB. I didn't believe in the policy then and I don't believe in it now.

[kainemaxwell]

Nothing new. Had to do that my brief stint at Gamestop and often working at FYE also (no one complained about the last copy being the display copy, mostly was about inventory errors where we'd have x amount of copies physcially, but system read it as 0)

[Gemini-Phoenix]

You wouldn't really be too happy if you paid for a brand new car and took delivery of it only to find out that it had 2,000 miles on the clock becuase the dealership employees had previously been driving it to and from work for a couple of months... You expect it to have a few miles on there for testing, but not months worth of wear and tear. If you wanted a car which had been used to that extent, then you would've deliberately bought a used model which was a few months old for a lower price. Neither would you buy a brand new shirt only to discover that it had previously been sold, worn for one night out by some other guy, and returned the next day (Yes, this does happen!), although you do generally accept that it's been tried on in a fitting room prior to purchase

The same applies here. When you're paying for a brand new item, you at least expect it to be brand new and unsed (Out of principal). If you wanted a game which had been used, then you wouldn't have paid full price for it, and would've opted for a used but perfectly functional copy instead for a lower price

[megasdkirby]

I never hear anyone argue the points Dangerboy brought up. How can a car be sold new when 5-10 people have driven it a couple hundred miles? How can a pair of pants be sold as new once tried on? I can't argue how this is any different. I think they are truly valid points.

I know it still doesn't change the fact that it isn't a desirable practice, but when put into that perspective...it really isn't any different (in my point of view anyway).

I agree with Dangerboy. I see this happen EVERY day in Sears...people want to try a product before they buy. They say that it's their "right" to try and see if the product meets their expectations...and I agree, in a way. The store, or bussiness, should have at least one test model that should NOT be sold as "new" later on in order to "practice" on. The "practice" item should not be sold until the unit is not to be brought to the business or it's being liquidated. But to sell the used merchandise as new, like GameStop does...that boils my blood. Every store I know gives a discount on opened box or floor items, reducing it's price to reflect it's status. But no...GameStop has to lie to the customer and claim the games are new...WTF?

[mnbren05]

Had this happen to me once at a local Gamestop with an Xbox game. Bought what I thought was a "new copy of Destroy All Humans". Now I've seen the whole sleeve deal before did not bug me as I have never had a problem with this practice before. Opened up the game to look over the manual while waiting for my girlfriend. The game was in upside down (very unsusal) and it had 5-6 finger prints/small scratches on the disc. I walked back (maybe 50ft and less than 5 mins later) and asked for a new copy. Clerk became mad and made the assumption I was trying to scam her by damaging the disc to get my money back. She explained it was a new "demo" disc and their was nothing she could do since I had previously left the store. So after another 10 mins of pointless conversation with the woman, I dropped my last card and asked for coporate phone number, manager/district manager number.

At this point she began to get nervous and asked me if I would like to get in store credit. I told her no I wanted a refund or another non-damaged copy. Ended up calling and I knew the manager (grauated with my older brother) and he called the store and presto facto new game. Later learned that this woman had a problem of taking home games and often had them over her allowed time for her son to play (since she did not play games) who did not respect/care about the games.

I really do not like the fact that I am getting new games opened, but it is not usually that big of a deal. Pre order to avoid this seems to be the best way to navigate this situation. Either that or go to Wal-Mart/Target order online from GS/EB.

[bangtango]

I never hear anyone argue the points Dangerboy brought up. How can a car be sold new when 5-10 people have driven it a couple hundred miles? How can a pair of pants be sold as new once tried on? I can't argue how this is any different. I think they are truly valid points.

I know it still doesn't change the fact that it isn't a desirable practice, but when put into that perspective...it really isn't any different (in my point of view anyway).

Not going to get into the car thing but the clothes thing isn't as cut-and-dried as some people might think.

If it ever was determined that clothes (pants) which have been tried on can no longer be sold as new "legally", well you have a lot of issues to sort out.

1. It would require keeping track of every article of clothing in a store that someone has tried on. That would include shirts, pants and shoes. This would literally be a full time job, given all of people who shop at a department store and hit the dressing room or try on shoes in a day.

What does this mean?

Either the store would have to hire another employee just to keep up with this or put more job requirements on their existing staff. The latter may seem trivial but you might see how important it becomes when you are in a store looking for an associate to ring you up or provide a price check, only to find they are busy doing something else (keeping track of clothes that have been tried on).

2. What on earth do you do about pricing for these items that are now "used?" You can either add a second SKU for every type of shirt, pant and shoe sold in the store, to signify it is a "used" version. There is a headache. Otherwise you are stuck doing a "flat rate" discount, something along the lines of $2 off a pair of pants that has been tried on before.

3. So if a guy tries on pants and the same guy then immediately takes them to the counter, are they sold new or used?


I understand you aren't worked up into a lather about this and are simply raising a fair point for discussion. My reply is to (hopefully) help illustrate a few reasons why it hasn't been done.

As you know, you can also open a can of worms involving books or magazines that have been skimmed through at a grocery store or big box book store. A guy might have McDonalds, decide not to wash his hands then head over to Walmart to read through a hot rod magazine over the course of 20 minutes, without ever buying it. But that magazine is still going to be $5 to the guy who does eventually buy it.

[8-bitNesMan]

I always told the customor all we have is gutted display copies left, its still a NEW game, but it may have been played once or twice in the demo system or sampled by one of our employees.

FAIL! I know this is a longstanding argument that plenty here are probably sick of but that is not a new game. I had a GS clerk pull that maneuver on me recently so I asked to see the "new" disc. It had scratches on it. NOT NEW, no matter how they try to spin it. And I normally don't buy my new games at GS unless it's my only option, which leads to situations such as this.

[calthaer]

This is the exact reason that I no longer purchase any games from this store. I use Amazon almost exclusively for my game purchases these days, but also occasionally get something from Wal-Mart or (preferably) Target. And Best Buy - I do get more games there than from any other retail store.

With so many options out there - and usually within close geographical proximity - there's really no reason at all to put up with this nonsense from a retail store.

[Daria]

I've been caught in this trap before:

"Hi, do you have any new copies of X?"

"Well, we have one new copy left" *Grabs disc in sleeve, proceeds to place in case*

"Uhh... that's not new, I don't want it"

I've asked for "Sealed" copies in stock ever since.

Reminds me of a funny story. For my birthday/christmas my husband went to Gamestop with a list of games I wanted. He grabbed a stack of 10 new games and set them down on the counter announcing he'd buy whatever they still had sealed.

They sold him 2.

[TurboGenesis]

My feelings on some of the analogies that have been bring up…

•The test drive a car analogy
The cars which a dealership has for you to test drive are NOT sold as new. They are sold at a price that is significantly lower than the MSRP. They are sold as a "showroom model". The title will also reflect the miles on the car, which will exceed several hundres… When you are to shop for a new car and you do a test drive on a car, you are not buying the exact car you took on the test drive.

•The clothes analogy
So you go to the shopping mall and try on an outfit and don't like it. It goes back on the rack and the next fellow who likes it purchases it as new even though you wore it as well as some other persons. OK, well I should be able to try ANY video game at the games store with out issue. I should be able to give a nice 5 minute play to the latest and newest game to see if I like it. Gamestop denies customers the opportunity to give a test play to any brand new games release. They will offer you to purchase a used copy, if one is available, and return it in 7 days if not satisfied - no questions asked. Well the newest release will not be available used so that can't work.

Anyways, though they are trying to cut the practice, Gamestop has for me give me 10% off on gutted new game. The receipt will say that it is "shopworn/demo" I went to purchase a new game last fall, and I was not offered this discount and went to the other Gamestop across the road and they had a new sealed copy and I just got that.

[Rob2600]

There comes a point when common sense outweighs my dislike for GameStop:

If the borrowed disc is in 100% mint condition...no scratches or blemishes at all...then really, who cares?

[Rob2600]

When I go to Barnes & Noble, I see people sitting around reading all of the books and magazines, while eating scones and drinking lattes. When they're finished, they put the books and magazines back on the shelves and B&N sells them as new products. Why doesn't the government investigate this?

[TurboGenesis]

Will Gamestop let me, the customer, come on in and give a test play for about five minutes on ANY new game? I'd like to try it on for size before I can consideration a purchase.

Thats the difference with Gamestop and
Barns & Nobel
Automobile Dealerships
Macy's, Nordstroms, et cetera…

In clothing, automotive, and books, anyone can go to their business and try out the wares, and not purchase a single thing. And test drive cars ARE NOT sold as new at full price/MSRP - unless it is a difficult to find, high demand vehicle, and there have been involvements with folks attempting to stop that practice by dealerships…

[TurboGenesis]

Moderators need to merge topics!

(and delete this post when done)

[PapaStu]

**merged**

Continue on,

[RPG_Fanatic]

If I bought a new sealed game at Gamestop then walked out the door opened it right outside the store. Then I decided I didn't want the game walked back into the store and say I want to return it for the full price. They would say tough shit!! you opened it it's used now. So why should I buy an opened "display" copy when it's used.

[Rob2600]

why should I buy an opened "display" copy

People read the books at Barnes & Noble and then put them back on the shelves. Barnes & Noble continues to sell those "used" books as new. Why??

[Kyle15]

This practice is pure bullcrap. Here's a lovely conversation I had recently with a GS employee:

Me: Do you have Digital Devil Saga Deluxe?
GS Guy: Let me check......no, we don't. Sorry.
Me: Do you still carry new copies? Another GS employee told me.
GS Guy: Yes, we do! Let me check.....no, we don't have one, but a location in Florida does.
Me: Could you call them up and find out if they really have it? I'd like to know if they could transfer it too.
GS Guy: Sure, hang on. Hello, do you have Digital Devil Saga Deluxe? ...... Okay, thanks.
Me: So, they've got one?
GS Guy: They do, its $49.99. It is missing it's packaging though.
Me: Excuse me? Missing it's packaging? I thought it was new!
GS Guy: The packaging probably got stolen or they got rid of it to make room for more stuff. It is a new game though because it was never played in anybody's system.
Me: Thanks for calling, but I'm not interested. To me, "new" games are factory sealed or at least opened but never had the contents removed, touched, or checked.
GS Guy: Well, we're selling it new because it is. The game was never played, it is just missing its accessories.
Me: No thanks, I've got to leave. Bye, now!

This guy got really flustered when I told him new games are supposed to be factory sealed and such. If I thought quickly enough, I would have told him a little story, but probably would have gotten kicked out if I did.

"Let's say you want this really hot and awesome car. Its $50,000 and you have the cash to pay for it. Upon going to the only dealership that has one left, you meet the salesman.
He claims that the car is fresh off of the assembly line, and never even test driven! The key was never even inserted into the ignition! As such, it is 100% brand-new and will sell at full price. Since you really want the car, you get the cash ready. But, upon inspecting the car, you notice something odd: three of the seats are missing, the radio/CD player is gone, and the trunk hatch is mysteriously not there.
You question the salesman, and he replies: Oh, its just missing some "accessories". The car itself does not need that stuff to function, so they do not matter. What matters is that it has NEVER been driven before. To this, you don't really know what to say.
Would YOU buy this NEW car at FULL price?"

Sure, it is kind of an unlikely scenario, but it falls along the lines with what GS is doing.
Also, I excpected the game I was looking for to be opened as it is so old, but missing everything it comes with? It was a stinking DELUXE edition! How is it even deluxe anymore?
Considering it has never been sold, its probably because nobody even knew it was there due to the missing packaging, or no one has been stupid enough to pay $50 for a deluxe games that has been stripped of EVERYTHING that makes it deluxe. This did include the case and manual, by the way.

[Daria]

When I go to Barnes & Noble, I see people sitting around reading all of the books and magazines, while eating scones and drinking lattes. When they're finished, they put the books and magazines back on the shelves and B&N sells them as new products. Why doesn't the government investigate this?

You know Barnes and Nobles and Gamestop are the same company. :P

[eugenek]

People read the books at Barnes & Noble and then put them back on the shelves. Barnes & Noble continues to sell those "used" books as new. Why??

That's like saying we let people drink alcohol and they drive and kill others and do all sorts of stupid things, so who cares if people smoke crack? It's a red herring. It's a different situation. I don't think it's necessarily okay for B&N to do that, but then again, you have the option of sampling all the books before you buy, which is what you get in return for occasionally buying something someone may have opened and read. I would gladly buy demoed games at full price from Gamestop if they gave me the option to sample any game in their store and let me inspect the disc beforehand. At least I get something in return for accepting an unsealed game, which is not currently the case.

[jb143]

On the car analogy. I can understand test driving a car. But what (slightly)bugs me is the dealer logo they slap on the back on the car. If I buy a new car I don't want it to be advertising for Joe Shmo Ford. It's like they ruin a car with a sticker and sell it as new.

I don't know what this has to do with games though. I don't usually buy new games and I don't shop at Gamestop, so someone can make the analogy work if they like:p

[E Nice]

People read the books at Barnes & Noble and then put them back on the shelves. Barnes & Noble continues to sell those "used" books as new. Why??

Most books aren't usually sold sealed in a wrapper. Maybe if videogames were sold the same way as books the issue of a new copy wouldn't exist. But then again books are usually bulkier and less valuable than an equivalent number of videogames one could slip inside a coat pocket.

[Kitsune Sniper]

You know, I could've sworn that test drive cars are just that - test drive cars, and that when you buy a car, you ORDER it from the factory. I'd never heard of anyone buying a test drive car before -as a new one-.

That said, I too only buy brand new and sealed stuff from Gamecrap. And rarely at that. I hate gutted copies, I hate the fucking stickers on new items, and I hate paying for second hand games sold as new. They once had a "new" copy of Metal Slug Anthology so I went to pick it up and the clerk told me he'd taken it home to play. And he said it with a straight face.

I've never bought anything else at that store since then, at least not without coupons or coming ahead of them due to their stupidity (like the time I bought an Eyetoy with a game for five bucks... when they sell the game alone for three times that price.)

These days I only buy from GameTZ, Amazon, private sellers and DP. This shit is bad.

[Rob2600]

This shit is bad.

So you're perfectly fine with hundreds of people touching and squeezing the fruit you eat, but if one person touches your game disc, that's bad.


Look, I hate GameStop, but at the end of the day, it's not worth getting upset over a game disc. If it's in perfect condition, what difference does it make if it's sealed or not? Just play it and have fun.



Let's say you want this really hot and awesome car. Its $50,000 and you have the cash to pay for it. ... Would YOU buy this NEW car at FULL price?

Comparing a $50,000 purchase to a $20-$60 purchase is just as ridiculous as GameStop trying to sell a game as new without the packaging.

[Vlcice]

People read the books at Barnes & Noble and then put them back on the shelves. Barnes & Noble continues to sell those "used" books as new. Why??

Because Barnes & Noble sell books at one price point. They only sell new books. It's understood as part of that that people might browse and read books off the shelf.

GameStop sells games at two price points - new and used. It's understood that the difference between new and used games is that new games have never been used, while used games have previously been played and may not be in 100% pristine condition. The lower price point of used games reflects that. I don't think it's at all surprising or unreasonable that people are unhappy about buying games which otherwise meet the criteria of used games (complete with scratches!), but which are being sold at the higher new game price.

[Sniderman]

On the car analogy. I can understand test driving a car. But what (slightly)bugs me is the dealer logo they slap on the back on the car. If I buy a new car I don't want it to be advertising for Joe Shmo Ford. It's like they ruin a car with a sticker and sell it as new.

Yup, this drives my father nuts too. He pays for his cars in full up front with the following speech:

"Hello! I want <points> that car right there and am willing to pay for it right now. However, I HATE having an advertisement on the back of any car I own. It's like having a billboard back there. So here's the offer: Either bring me a new car - same make and model - color doens't matter - from around back that you haven't yet sullied with that logo from this place, or knock $2,000 off the sticker price as I feel I should charge you for the advertising on MY new car. Which will it be?"

He's gotten the $2,000 "advertising on my car" discount each time.

[Kitsune Sniper]

So you're perfectly fine with hundreds of people touching and squeezing the fruit you eat, but if one person touches your game disc, that's bad.

Look, I hate GameStop, but at the end of the day, it's not worth getting upset over a game disc. If it's in perfect condition, what difference does it make if it's sealed or not? Just play it and have fun.

If you're stupid enough to eat some fruit you bought from the store without washing it then you're going to get sick. :P Any produce you buy at a store will have some sort of wear and tear, either it got it during shipping, when it was placed on the uh... shelf thingy, or when it was handled by prospective buyers.

I wouldn't mind gutted games if they guaranteed that the disc and contents would be 100% mint. However, them taking the games home and playing them? That shit isn't new. And I won't pay full price for a used game.

Why is it so difficult for them to gut ONE COPY ONLY for testing and display purposes, and keep the rest sealed? (Note that some GS stores gut all their copies, and some gut only a few - so not all stores are bad in that regard.) And if they have to sell the display copy, why not do it at a discount, since it's not new anymore? Why don't they do that?

[MachineGex]

Why is it so difficult for them to gut ONE COPY ONLY for testing and display purposes, and keep the rest sealed? And if they have to sell the display copy, why not do it at a discount, since it's not new anymore? Why don't they do that?


I always wondered that same thing. The only answer is: They just dont give a shit.

[NayusDante]

Will Gamestop let me, the customer, come on in and give a test play for about five minutes on ANY new game? I'd like to try it on for size before I can consideration a purchase.

NEW games, due to their SUPPOSEDLY shrinkwrapped nature, really shouldn't be tested by customers.

If it's used, it's usually not a problem. I did this ALL THE TIME back in the GBA days. As long as the employees aren't morons, and you stand next to the counter and pull your handheld out of your pocket, it shouldn't be a problem. They always said something sensible like "sure, just for a minute or so," or "sure, just no more than two games or so."

Cars, clothes, and fruit are just that. They're cars, clothes, and fruit. Nobody calls foul when an orange looks "used." When clothes get dirty on the racks or get returned, they usually can't resell them and have various policies for such things. Cars move, and the odometer does as well. Your "new" car hasn't been OWNED before, or had passengers spilling drinks and making a general mess of it.


After thinking about it a bit, I remembered a very important fact about GameStop:

GameStop gets promotional case-inserts for most games. The store gets X number of DVD cases to put the inserts in, which are then used as placeholders for upcoming releases and such. There is NOTHING preventing them from using these as display models. Heck, it would prevent people from stealing manuals and posters from the cases. If they're only putting an empty shell on the floor and keeping the real sealed merchandise in the back, then there is NO EXCUSE for opening anything. I have a complete set of these inserts from December 08, since a local GameStop got a double shipment and was going to throw them out. If they so desired, they could just use thincases and save shelf space.

Let me say it again... THERE IS NO EXCUSE

On a lighter note, there's nothing stopping the employees from making their own cases. Nothing cheers up my day like GameStop employee art. Some notable works include a Star Wars game (Darth Vader's head with a word balloon: "Noooooooooooooo"), and Dino Crisis (crudely drawn dinosaurs and stick people).

[Kyle15]

Comparing a $50,000 purchase to a $20-$60 purchase is just as ridiculous as GameStop trying to sell a game as new without the packaging.

I was being realistic. Also, shouldn't the purchase technically not be worth that much anymore? The car in question IS missing the trunk hatch, CD player, and three seats.
This is the same as a NEW deluxe game that is missing every bit of what makes it new and deluxe.

You know, I actually VALUE my money.
$50,000 could be as big as a $50-$60 to me if that's how I felt or all I could afford.
I would really like my teenage budget to go far, and that includes buying a REAL new game when I want to. If I wanted to use my money on a used game that looked just as good or better, I would.

This also brings another story to mind.
A couple of years back I went to buy a copy of Killer 7 for the GameCube. The only way to get it was opened, but it only cost $10 which is definately not MSRP.
I went ahead and bought one due to this. Shockingly, both game discs in the package were covered in adhesive that wouldn't come off! Now, I could have made sure there wasn't anything on the discs, but the clerk assured me they were fine because they were "new" and wouldn't let me look until after I bought.
After discovering this, I went back to the store and got a refund. They did not have anymore "new" ones, but they did have a used one. The discs were PERFECT.

This is another reason I stay away. If they don't have any sealed, I go to another location. If that fails, I go to Best Buy. ;)

[TurboGenesis]

NEW games, due to their SUPPOSEDLY shrinkwrapped nature, really shouldn't be tested by customers.


No doubt.
I thinking that the some of the fellowship are upset because these unwrapped games are being sold as new as if they were wrapped.

At the dealership, regarding new cars, employees cannot take them home or test drive anything on the lot. Used cars are different. If a Ford dealer buys back a Cobra, the employees can have a chance to drive it. But the Shelby GT500 is not able to be touched by anyone but a select few for the sake of moving it.

I have a friend whom worked for Gamestop, and he had asked if there were any of the latest games he could bring by on our gaming night… I also know people whom worked at the Ford dealership and I still have not driven a Shelby GT500… but yes, I have driven an 03 Cobra… about 3 years ago when he had it for the weekend.

All in all, I think the issue is that these merchandise are being sold as new, even though they had been used, even if only once. Like a fellow poster said, If you buy a sealed game and tear off the shrink wrap right at the counter, then decide to return it and get a refund, the Gamestop employees will basically tell you to get F'ed.

[The 1 2 P]

Old news but it's nice an investigation is forthcoming. This is why I personally don't buy new games from Gamestop. I realize some people could care less rather their new games are factory sealed or used four times by employees and then shrink wrapped. But I like my new games to actually be, whats the word......new.

As for the investigation, I'm really wondering what the FTC would mandate here. Of course employees wouldn't be able to borrow games(and sell them as new) anymore but I wonder if theres a chance they could stop Gamestop from gutting more than one copy of a game that they would be selling new(making them gut one instead of all 20 copies of the lastest new release). I doubt they would go this far but it would be nice because that factory seal is still the only guarantee that the game hasn't been used or demoed before. In the meantime, I'll just continue to shop somewhere else for new games.

[NayusDante]

Of course employees wouldn't be able to borrow games(and sell them as new) anymore but I wonder if theres a chance they could stop Gamestop from gutting more than one copy of a game that they would be selling new(making them gut one instead of all 20 copies of the lastest new release).

Well, like I said, they shouldn't even be gutting ONE copy.

If they do indeed receive orders from the FTC to revise their business practices, I can see them implementing something similar to Wal-Mart and Target. New games would be in a case, unopened. Alternatively, individual locking cases a la Best Buy may be a good solution. I think that my suggestion for the DVD case-inserts would be the easiest thing to implement.

Seriously, look how many of these things they print! They're not crappy either, these are just like the real case inserts!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3634/3430757438_a0537be4ff.jpg


And they're just as informative as the real thing. There is NO REASON to gut retail copies when they have these!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3332/3429947125_ac3edac499_b.jpg

Like I said before, these were just from the December 2008 promotional materials shipment, and they got a double order and had to throw everything away. I'm not going to sit and count them, but there have to be hundreds in this pile alone. There's like 20 Left 4 Dead, 10 Gears of War 2, 5 Mario Galaxy, etc. They all have the "PROMOTIONAL DISPLAY ONLY - MAY NOT REPRESENT AVAILABLE STOCK" disclaimer on both sides, and the price is printed ON THE PAPER. This could also solve our other problem-from-Hell, the stickers on the paper. Just replace the price with a barcode and put the current price on the plastic.

Seriously, if they have this kind of printing capability, they need to quit gutting cases.

[Diatribal Deity]

Just a few points from someone who has been out of the loop for a little while now...so these may or may not be valid anymore...

(1) When EB began using their JIT (just in time) inventory system it was quite common to have one copy of a game in stock, it would be gutted, and then would sell, that one copy would get replenished a few days later, repeat cycle. If it was in the case without representation on the shelf it would never have sold. Thus next point...

(2) It was not common or even possible to have display inserts for "every" title. This may or may not be a reality now.

(3) DM's and regional management were notorious for coming in and checking to see if all titles were properly displayed/gutted. Doing this effectively required alot of work especially at a busy location. Thus the next point...

(4) If you have ever seen budgeting of payrolls you would laugh...we used to joke that the various kiosks in the mall were better staffed than the stores. Obviously traffic in various locations vary but my location went from 900k/yr to 2.5m/yr while I was there.

(5) From my personal experience I had more heated arguments with people about why there was a display only copy of something still out if we no longer had it in stock, than why I was giving them a "new" gutted copy. Come to think of it very few people complained about getting the display copy so long as they got the game. And to assume that people actually read the cover stating it may not represent actual stock would be asking alot.

(6) And finally, the sophistication of members of this board do not align with that of normal Gamestop clientele. Take it from someone who worked in the biz for years. Consider that a compliment by the way.

[kupomogli]

Gamestop has been doing this for a long time. I once worked at Gamestop because I thought it'd be cool working at a video game store. A period of six months, but I actually only worked there for 3 days.

They hire a bunch of people for the holiday season, and since I already had a full time job working 40 hours a week, I told them I could only work three specific days. I never had a set schedule and only once did they actually call me to come in. That's was six months at getting 20% off games there.

The thing about new games being previously played. I ended up getting four copies atleast that weren't new but sold to me as new. It's kindof clear they're not new when they're "gutted" or "resealed" and they have a couple light scratches(Fight Night Round 2 for Gamecube, Brave Story for PSP, Stranglehold for PS3, and most recently Valkyria Chronicles.) It pisses me off when I get home, see a supposedly new copy have scratches on them, then have to drive all the way back to the store, wasting both my time and my gas money because unlike what Gamestop "states" that they do with making the employee pay for the game if there are scratches, they don't. When I worked there I didn't borrow games because I felt it was bad practice, but the hell if I didn't utilize that 20% off to its full advantage.

If I had to work there for the 6.15 I was making their more than 3 days, that 20% wouldn't have been worth it. The pay is ridiculous for the amount of work you'll be doing during the holiday season. If you're seasonal you'll work much harder because they'll only call you in on the extremely busy days.

[IceDrake]

I bought a display copy of Chrono Trigger. I wouldn't have minded it but they put the price sticker on the paper instert as opposed to the wax paper outside. I tried to peel it off but it just tore.

To me, new means sealed. When I pay full price, I want something that has not been opened. Especially when I'm paying $60-$50 for a game.

[DigitalSpace]

I bought a display copy of Chrono Trigger. I wouldn't have minded it but they put the price sticker on the paper instert

That's lame. I'm glad to say that none of my local GameStops do that.

[VG_Maniac]

I've ran into this problem with Game Crazy a few times...I'll want to buy a brand new game, than they will say "this is all we have left", and proceed to pull the game out of a sleeve and put it in a case that is covered with Game Crazy stickers (at this point I will tell them to "forget it"). The first time they tried to pull that crap on me, I told them they have no right to charge me the same price for an opened game as a sealed game. They just continued to argue with me that the game is really new and denied that it had ever been played...although I knew there was no way that was true.

[Press_Start]

I bought a display copy of Chrono Trigger. I wouldn't have minded it but they put the price sticker on the paper instert as opposed to the wax paper outside. I tried to peel it off but it just tore.

That reminds me. During the Games Days sale, I brought an assortment of their "new", gutted games up to the counter for purchase. I asked for sealed copies but they didn't have any (big surprise! :roll:). As the clerk was getting the disc, I see her place large clear stickers on the opening ends and politely asked not to do that. But her manager said it was part of their policy. WTF?! It's bad enough you gut them like fish and drop a load of stickers on them. Now you want to add MORE stickers. Who are they trying to fool? That they were "sealed" all along and it was all in our imagination? Glad I was able to get them off before they settled in.

[IceDrake]

That reminds me. During the Games Days sale, I brought an assortment of their "new", gutted games up to the counter for purchase. I asked for sealed copies but they didn't have any (big surprise! :roll:). As the clerk was getting the disc, I see her place large clear stickers on the opening ends and politely asked not to do that. But her manager said it was part of their policy. WTF?! It's bad enough you gut them like fish and drop a load of stickers on them. Now you want to add MORE stickers. Who are they trying to fool? That they were "sealed" all along and it was all in our imagination? Glad I was able to get them off before they settled in.

I talked to a guy on another message board about what went down with me. He worked at GameStop and ever got why they did that. He would put the spine stickers on the plastic cover and his manager gave him crap about it even though it was less time consuming.

I returned my copy a few days later. The guy was suspicious since it was opened, I just told him it was a display copy and he was just like "whatever." He didn't noticed I tried to peel the spine sticker off. Not like he couldn't have just put a new one on anyway.

[Flashback2012]

Oh where to start...

Reading some of the replies so far, I get the strong indication that none of you have ever worked at a car dealership or in new car sales. I could be wrong, but the vibe and responses I'm reading are NOT indicative to the reality I experienced in my time as a new car salesman.

The job of the car salesman is to sell what's ON THE LOT. Special orders from the plant or dealer trades used to drive my sales manager batsh*t crazy. I'd be a rich man if I had a nickel for every time I or another salesperson caught the ire of the sales manager for not pushing a unit on the lot and the customer wanting something we didn't have in stock and had to special order. It's important to note that every car on our lot had some miles on them, whether it was a small amount like 2-5mi or a few hundred (these were almost always dealer trade units that were driven in).

I've sold quite a few cars that were test driven more than once. They were sold as new, with the pricing information coming directly off the Monroney sticker and treated as if it were a brand spanking new car right off the assembly line. I never once had an issue with a customer having a problem with there being mileage on the vehicle nor had I heard of any instances as such. If the car was a dealer trade, it was understood that the car was either driven back to our dealership and the warranty adjusted for those miles or the buyer paid to have it shipped to the dealership on a flatbed (at an obnoxious charge to the buyer).

If a vehicle was discounted for whatever reason it was because the sales manager was trying to shave a bit off to guarantee the sale or the customer was somehow a friend of a friend of a friend of the owner and got special pricing. Again, I never had to discount a vehicle based on what the mileage read on the odometer. When that customer came in to pick up their new vehicle, it had the new car smell, it was clean and shiny, no scratches on the body, full tank of gas, and NO ONE said jack sh*t about the mileage as they drove it off the lot. That's funny in a way since once the customer agreed to buy, it was driven around the lot to be cleaned and prepped, then off the lot for the tank to be filled and back to the lot and staged for when the customer came to pick up.

That was quite a bit of rambling and I haven't even gotten to the Gamestop part of it yet. ;)

The gutting of new cases to use as display has never sat well with me in the many years I've been there but that's how it's always been and will continue to be until further notice. I take no pride in gutting but it's part of my job duties. I've long preferred they'd adopt a different method to display new titles but this is by far the cheapest and most effective way for them apparently. :monkey:

Putting in large glass cases to store games in doesn't allow for 100% of the titles to be displayed as there is only so much room in the cases for facing titles. The cases would also inhibit their ability to rearrange the store so stuff isn't always in the same place all year, every year (and they just LOVE to rearrange the layouts of the stores every quarter....grumble...). I've seen some locations that sport the sensors by the doors and use the little magnetic strips but the stores with these setups are rare.

Using "cover-art" instead of gutted new cases would probably...no...it would DEFINITELY be the biggest nightmare EVER. I utterly loathe when customers bring those cases to the counter. Disclaimer in the corner be damned, nothing drives a customer into an irate fury faster than us NOT having a copy on hand when we had the cover-art box on display for them to bring to me. I've NO idea why that is but damn if it's not THE most annoying thing in the world to get an earful from a now peeved customer asking why the f*ck we display goods we don't actually have to sell. Cards on the table, I wish they'd do away with the concept of cover-art altogether but the company now sells advertising space on our sales floor to the likes of EA, Activision, Ubisoft, and others so cover-art is here to stay. :shameful:

I've no idea how other locations are run but from day 1 back in 1999, the edict came down that we were NOT to check out new games, only used. I've always preferred it to be that way as a collector and coming from a competitor (at the time) in Funcoland where NO check outs of any kind were allowed, used only was perfectly fine with me. Again, I have NO idea how it works at other locations but our District Manager in '99 was pretty clear on the matter and I've followed those instructions ever since. The funny thing is even with the ability to check out items available to me, I almost never use it. If I want to play something bad enough, I'll just buy it outright.

[Flashback2012]

That's lame. I'm glad to say that none of my local GameStops do that.

Thankfully my store does not engage in the practice of applying spine stickers directly to the insert under the plastic. For every game that gets traded in, 4 stickers will print out for it from the label machine, 2 with the price and new/used designation and 2 that just have the name and barcode (ID labels as we call them).

There is a perforation between each sticker on the roll and the stickers are on wax paper. When I process a trade-in, I separate the stickers by game, then rip one of the price label stickers from the rest but leave it on the wax paper. I'll then open the case and slip the sticker w/paper under the plastic at the base of the spine. The end result is very clean looking and it's MUCH easier to change prices this way than when the stickers are affixed directly to the insert. This way there are only two stickers applied to the plastic on the case, the price on the front right hand corner and and ID one on the back to cover up the manufacturer's UPC barcode. The fourth sticker (the 2nd ID one) is applied to the sleeve. ;)

When Gamestop and EB first merged, it was stated that they were phasing out covering cases with stickers and that there would only be the price on the front and ID on the back. In the time since, they've sometimes "forgotten" their edict and we've had to put non-price/ID stickers on cases (such as when we run the Game Days sale) but by and large it's still just the two with the one on the spine. I only wish more stores would do it the way my store does and less like we more commonly hear about. *_*