Scratched Disks Rant

[JakeM]

Just because I buy used games doesnt mean I like collecting crap.

The store I just got back from had a sale going on that was buy 2 get 1 free for games priced $10 or less. Today I got back into my old groove of going to used stores for movies and music, I wanted to scout out all the copie they had and get the best looking cover, the best case and crispest manual. I had 3 games on hold from yesterday, and I brought brought back a game I bought yesterday that was really really scratched up and smudgy with oily finger prints. So I told them I wanted to swap disks, and I got a better disk with a lot of very faint light scratches that I can live with. After that I went around the store and got 3 more games in case the ones I had on hold were really crappy.

There were demos being played on a tv so I wasted some time and chilled out watching them as I heard people calling in about their copies of GTA 5 on 360 being really scratched up. What the hell! The games only been out for a week and people are bringing them in to be buffed!!!

It hit me, they have a machine for buffing disks and they dont use it for their stock. The price he said to the person on the phone was $1 to buff one disk and they dont want more than 5 disks at a time to process. The process takes a while to over see I guess, but honestly I really think they should have someone whos job it is to buff all the disks they get in. Heres why, when I went to check out half the games I possibly wanted were horribly scratched, Tekken Tag Tournament 1 was so bad she didnt even show me any of the FIVE COPIES they had in stock. People are really irresponsible with their things, but that shouldnt be passed onto us collectors.

Used game stores should really buff the games they get in so they dont seem like selling crap to people who get mad and stop going to buy stuff. Just charge for the ma bit more and explain to people that you took care of it and made it good looking again. Soul Calibur 2 is a great game, and they had 3 copies of it, one was horrible, the one I got was okish and I dont know about the other. These games will sell if your store is well known and liked, so its ok to make the investment on buffing them. I think I came off weird wanting to see different disks to make my decision on which games I wanted, but Im not going to spend my money on crap that breaks down the day after the warranty/return option is expired.

Not many people came in though for the sale while I was there though, maybe its a bad location, but its been there for years. They were a good staff, and I got a free guide book and a discount on the Soul Calibur 2 guide which still had the disk. Its good theyre selling games, but they should just make sure they dont burn people because of other people negligence.

And to people who mistreat disks and resale it to stores, screw you!!!!!!

[DaveMMR]

Just because I buy used games doesnt mean I like collecting crap.
Used game stores should really buff the games they get in so they dont seem like selling crap to people who get mad and stop going to buy stuff. Just charge for the ma bit more and explain to people that you took care of it and made it good looking again.


Fudge that noise with charging buyers more for mandatory buffing. They should pay the seller who originally offered that nasty disc up for sell less money for having to rebuff it. There's little excuse for discs to be scratched to the point of being unplayable. When you're done put it in the case, put it somewhere safe, the end.

[sloan]

Two used game stores I go to buff the discs you buy while you wait. It's included in the purchase price. I wouldn't buy from a store that sold scratched-up crap.

[JakeM]

Fudge that noise with charging buyers more for mandatory buffing. They should pay the seller who originally offered that nasty disc up for sell less money for having to rebuff it. There's little excuse for discs to be scratched to the point of being unplayable. When you're done put it in the case, put it somewhere safe, the end.

Yeah I forgot to say that, meant to edit it in but then figured someone else would say it or Id counter someone who disagreed with something with that.

[8-Bit Archeology]

My game shop always cleans my disk i buy for free with the purchase. Its not cheap to buff all those disks. the pads cost money. If it doesnt play thats cant be held on the store alone. And btw if it doesnt, a good shop will have a policy about free disk repair up to a certain amount of days. I watched a guy come in the other day and trade in his whole ps2 collection. How are they going to buff all those disks? But of course that 8000 dollar machine was bought just so they can buff out pipe dreams and all those amazing ps2 flops. Me I just check the disk and have it cleaned while I snoop around.

[JakeM]

My game shop always cleans my disk i buy for free with the purchase. Its not cheap to buff all those disks. the pads cost money. If it doesnt play thats cant be held on the store alone. And btw if it doesnt, a good shop will have a policy about free disk repair up to a certain amount of days. I watched a guy come in the other day and trade in his whole ps2 collection. How are they going to buff all those disks? But of course that 8000 dollar machine was bought just so they can buff out pipe dreams and all those amazing ps2 flops. Me I just check the disk and have it cleaned while I snoop around.
Well, they can pick which games they buff if they want, some arent worth it since no one will buy it like Madden 95. I bought great games, and wanted to buy games that are great but theyre in really horrible condition that the store cant sell as is, which is probably why they had this sale, and people still didnt buy tons of their usual filler.

The store I was at priced buffing one disk for $1. And E Books has a machine that buffs disks all day long, it loads the disks itself, all you have to do is place them correctly. Its $5,000 or so dollars, but then they can price their various things more since theyre like new condition. They run it all day long since they get so many things.

This store I was at doesnt vary their prices, it doesnt matter if one copy of the same game thats priced the same is in horrible condition compared to one thats in great shape. Thats a big mistake to me, tons of other used stores that sells various things vary their prices.

I bought God of War 2, Virtua Fighter 4, DOA 2 Hardcore, Soul Calibur 2, Soul Revear 2 and Ratchet and Clank Going Commando for PS2. I wanted to buy Devil May Cry 3, Tekken Tag Tournament 1 and Jak 3. Those are great games, sure theyre old, but theyre the types that future collectors will want in 10 years. One of the long time employees who I think may be a manager was really really surprised Soul Calibur 2 was only $10 and I think he wanted to go see if I swapped price tags somehow, he peeled it a bit to see if another sticker was underneath it haha. I said "No theres 2 other copies over there for 10 too." So I think they really need to change stuff up. This sale should have either not encompassed so many great titles or it should have really sold a ton more games than it did.

[8-Bit Archeology]

Most places around here charge 5 bucjs for cleaning or free with purchase. And I would like to see the link to the E book disk ressurfacing machine. Mainly to see if it conforms to commercial standards. But honestly I find that
1 it would take too much money and time to worry about all games.
2 who is to say what games are worth it. As we have seen games fluctuate the same as stocks just like all collectibles.
3 as the buyer I hold myself responsible for my purchase be it online or in a store.

[goldenband]

Play-N-Trade used to have a very reasonable buffing policy, but the local game store that sprang up after PNT went under in my area wants, I kid you not, ten dollars to buff a disc. The owner claims it costs him $5 per disc, which is total BS.

[JakeM]

Most places around here charge 5 bucjs for cleaning or free with purchase. And I would like to see the link to the E book disk ressurfacing machine. Mainly to see if it conforms to commercial standards. But honestly I find that
1 it would take too much money and time to worry about all games.
2 who is to say what games are worth it. As we have seen games fluctuate the same as stocks just like all collectibles.
3 as the buyer I hold myself responsible for my purchase be it online or in a store.

Ok, my roommate who works at a Goodwill called the place where they have the machine Ebooks because thats where the company also has their E Books program, its a part of Goodwill, so its probably an industrial machine that bigger businesses buy. You should look it up, he says he cant remember it, but its probably on the internet somewhere.

Any way, even if my roommate is not understanding how their buffing machine actually works, the game store only charges $1 for buffing, so its totally economical for them to buff good games even before anyone walks in and says they want it. As DaveMMR said they should just take that dollar out of what theyll pay for the games from the people who wrecked them.

I was really responsible for myself today too, and I just realized as I wrote up there in my last post I got two guide books for free and half off that I actually shouldnt have. Ill find a thread to bump about people finding awesome deals.

goldenband, Ive had a really painful awkward experience at Play N Trade, I shouldnt write about it really, but Ill just say if a girl employee flirts with you there, shes just doing it for you to keep going there and spend money, even if she goes on dates with you, and when that girl goes out with another girl, her family member who owns the store fires her.

[Gameguy]

One of the long time employees who I think may be a manager was really really surprised Soul Calibur 2 was only $10 and I think he wanted to go see if I swapped price tags somehow, he peeled it a bit to see if another sticker was underneath it haha. I said "No theres 2 other copies over there for 10 too." So I think they really need to change stuff up. This sale should have either not encompassed so many great titles or it should have really sold a ton more games than it did.
I'm a bit surprised by his reaction considering that Soul Calibur II is worth less than $5 complete and has been for years. Did he really think $10 was too low?

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I usually avoid buying discs that are overly scratched, I might still consider it if I know it's something really valuable. The only time I've ever got a disc resurfaced at a game store it had swirl marks left when it was done. I don't exactly trust most staff to do this properly and the idea of having to pay multiple times to get it done properly doesn't appeal to me.

[Rickstilwell1]

Game Crazy was cool. Employees buffed games for you on purchase if you wanted them to and the disc looked bad to you, or offered to buff them if it looked bad to them. Or they would try buffing them free for you if you bought it and it froze up or didn't load and you wanted a shot at repairing it before getting a refund.

Maybe Gamestop scratches discs on purpose just to get people to buff them so they make more money off their stock. It's not a fact but it is a fun conspiracy theory.

[JakeM]

I'm a bit surprised by his reaction considering that Soul Calibur II is worth less than $5 complete and has been for years. Did he really think $10 was too low?
$10 is the lowest normal price for a game there. The only games less are heaps of Grand Torismo PS2 games, heaps of rockband/guitar hero games, heaps of various random xbox games ect. So thats why he was surprised, its a good popular game and yet it is so cheap. They really dont price their PS2 games high, theres no nostalgia factor online to push it happening yet. I mean, the games I got for $10 are gonna be $30 in that store or more in 10 years. Nows the time to sweep in and get PS2 and THE FIRST Xbox games.

[8-Bit Archeology]

My Local shop is a play n trade. I have had most of my disks resurfaced there with mirror finish every time. They use this machine

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-RTI-ECO-Senior-II-Automatic-Disc-Repair-System-Compatible-with-all-Discs-/271222878161?_trksid=p2054897.l4276

Not a lot of small town game shops use the nicer machines but their 4 stage works wonders.

I remember buying Tron Bonne for 15 bucks and had it repaired and I tested it before I left. I will never forget the look on the guys face when he realized what I just bought. hahaha.