Legality of putting flyers in front of a GameStop?

[Anthony1]

I was thinking the other day about how places like GameStop and GameCrazy give people virtually nothing for their trade ins, and how I would offer these people more money, if I could just contact them.


One route would be to just hang out in front of a GameStop and when somebody pulls up in a car, and they have a bunch of games in their hand, to then tell them, that I after they find out what the store would give them for trade in credit, come outside and I will probably offer more, plus it would be in cash and not credit.

But that is a very tedious and time consuming plan. Not to mention possibly illegal, and somewhat cheesy and low down.

But I also thought about putting up flyers on telephone posts and such in the vicintity of the GameStop.

Strategically placed at entrances and exits to the Gamestop parking area. These flyers wouldn't be actually on Gamestops property, just somewhere near it.

The flyer would read: "I'll pay more for your old Video Games" "Get cash instead of credit" and don't get ripped off! And then it would have the phone number.

Or, if I wanted to get even more ghetto, I could put the flyers on the windsheilds of cars in the parking lot.

That has to be legal, cause people do that crap all the time. Everytime I go to Home Depot, I get a flyer on my windshield from some company that does Home Improvement projects.

It's targeted advertising.


Of course doing the flyer on the windshield thing, would also be very time consuming and tedious, and somewhat low down, but it could be very effective.

Just something I was thinking about. I don't know if I would ever do this, but I thought about it.

The big downside, is that I really would only want to buy really old stuff. I wouldn't want to buy all the PSone and PS2 and Cube and XBOX stuff that people have. I would be more interested in SNES, Genny and NES stuff, and stuff for Saturns and Jaguars and TG-16's and stuff like that.

[RetroYoungen]

I don't know about it being entirely legal, but I know that if people are going into a store like that and can't sell whatever it is they're trying to get rid of, you could ask the guy behind the counter to carry your card or flyer or whatever with your name and number or e-mail or whatever you like on there. That kind of thing is perfectly legal. They won't take those items anyway, and if you're friends with the cashier then ask them to direct those people your way. PLUS, it's not stealing their business, and if you buy things from those people, they just might remember you in the future with selling other game-related stuff.

[Captain Wrong]

Illegal? Maybe not, depending on your local laws concering advertising flyers and what not.

However, you'd have to be completely naive to think that those flyers would stay up a moment past the point a GS manager sees them.

Also, put up a flyer like that and a) you'd better have the cash to back it up and b) you're gonna get every slack jaw in town with some 'Intendo tapes so you better like looking at some booger smeared dirt commons that people think are worth their weight in gold. Not to mention you'd better be good at soothing said slack jaw's anger when they have to go back to GameSpot because you opted not to buy their crusty Super Mario carts. Oh, and prepare for 3am crank calls.

[chadtower]

you're gonna get every slack jaw in town with some 'Intendo tapes so you better like looking at some booger smeared dirt commons that people think are worth their weight in gold.

And wait until you see the games they bring in!

[MarioAllStar2600]

They rejected a BIG box of genises and Sega Cd games from a guy once. I offered him 5 bucks and he gave me everything. Cant complain there. The guy behind the counter said next time I have to go into teh aprking lot though to do it.

[hezeuschrist]

Sounds like a good idea, but people are only going to be offering games you don't want.

[AB Positive]

They rejected a BIG box of genises and Sega Cd games from a guy once. I offered him 5 bucks and he gave me everything. Cant complain there. The guy behind the counter said next time I have to go into teh aprking lot though to do it.

That's what we do when we don't take in stuff at my store, if anyone wants to offer cash, we just ask them to go outside, doing so in a store is considered solicitation.

-AG

[Ed Oscuro]

Illegal? Maybe not, depending on your local laws concering advertising flyers and what not.

I'm going to extend on what AdamG wrote and say that malls generally have rules about solicitation. Malls (last time I checked) are considered private property, so...they can pull those flyers down anytime they want :o

[omnedon]

but I know that if people are going into a store like that and can't sell whatever it is they're trying to get rid of, you could ask the guy behind the counter to carry your card or flyer or whatever with your name and number or e-mail or whatever you like on there.

That's how I got my SuperGrafx and games. EBgames wouldn't take it, so they told the customer about me. :D

Just cause EBgames won't take it, doesn't mean it sucks... 8-) LOL

[Ed Oscuro]

That's how I got my SuperGrafx and games. EBgames wouldn't take it, so they told the customer about me. :D

Just cause EBgames won't take it, doesn't mean it sucks... 8-) LOL

Whoa...somebody tried to sell a Japanese SuperGrafx...with games...to the store?

I couldn't see that happening unless the kid flat out died and his ma was dragging the stuff away. Holy cow :o

[omnedon]

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18116&highlight=awesome+supergrafx

No doubt ignorance on the part of the kid and parents. I'd bet it was given to them at some point, and had no idea what they had.

I happened to be in the store when that went down, but they do hand out my cards routinely, mainly for repair services. That find is the best from them so far though, and probably ever.

[Oobgarm]

Not to mention possibly illegal, and somewhat cheesy and low down.

Low Down? YOU THINK? Most people aren't that concerned about what they get in trade, provided that they feel they got their money's worth out of the title. Getting $18 back for a $50 game you played through and finished isn't bad, especially if you never intend on playing it again and pride of ownership doesn't mean anything to you. It's all about perceived value. Very few people come into our store and scoff at our trade in prices. The folks that usually do are the slack-jaw yokels the Capn' mentions below.


However, you'd have to be completely naive to think that those flyers would stay up a moment past the point a GS manager sees them.

Yeah, ask our old manager, Game Crazy used to do that to us. We followed right behind them and took them back off. However, I've been told that removing them is illegal, not placing them there in the first place.



Also, put up a flyer like that and a) you'd better have the cash to back it up and b) you're gonna get every slack jaw in town with some 'Intendo tapes so you better like looking at some booger smeared dirt commons that people think are worth their weight in gold. Not to mention you'd better be good at soothing said slack jaw's anger when they have to go back to GameSpot because you opted not to buy their crusty Super Mario carts.

Then you'll see why stores turn that garbage away. They give less for a reason. The crap does not sell. You don't want a lot of crap, do you? Put up flyers and you'll get it.


Oh, and prepare for 3am crank calls.

Yeah, probably from GameStop employees. :evil:

[kai123]

I don't understand the whole solicitation thing if the store won't take it.

[brykasch]

Well the solicitation thing isn't all about games, just imagine every salesman, candy seller, religious group coming in and bugging customers, not the best way to make money:)

I may try the idea of offering the business card, just with my cell number on it and e-mail adress that way it can save some grief, depending on the area you aren't going to get a ton of calls.

Hell put up flyers in wal-mart and grocery store tack boards. That is an idea too.

[grayejectbutton]

I think a good bet is to get on good terms with the employees or manager at the store. As mentioned above, you can then give them your card or phone number/email address etc. and ask them to call you if anyone brings stuff in and the store won't take it.

That's what I've done with a local EB store. I told them to call me if people bring SNES stuff in but refuse to trade it in because of EB's absurd pricing ($0.25 trade in value for almost every SNES game). I've seen customers in there before say "No way" to the insulting amount they are offered, but I didn't feel right offering them cash in the store.

Now, I must admit, I've yet to have a call from anyone who has been to EB and wanted a better price for their games. Mind you, I am online A LOT, so it's possible they have tried to call and couldn't get through. However, I have a feeling that might be wishful thinking... :)

[AB Positive]

I don't understand the whole solicitation thing if the store won't take it.

It's more of a technicality, and since there's cameras in store we ask people to leave so that corporate offices won't have a tizzy that we're letting people do cash trades in-store. Saves hassle on everyone, basically.

-AG