Retailer's PS4 Preorder Ransom Illegal Says Trading Standards

[Karloff]

Retailer's PS4 Preorder Ransom Illegal Says Trading Standards

SimplyGames maintains the trouble's being stirred up by a few pesky commentators.

If you want a PS4 badly enough to preorder it, you want it badly enough to pay more than your originally bargained for, is the logic being followed by UK retailer SimplyGames. It originally offered the PS4 at £350 a go, but recently jacked up the rate to a minimum of £415, or £470 if you go for one of its packages. Pay the extra, or lose your place in the queue, SimplyGames told its customers. "This appears to be profiteering," a Trading Standards official said to CVG, and added, "it is illegal and up to the Home Authority to intervene if the seller is UK based. This is one of those occasions when swift injunctive action is needed to prevent consumers being ripped off."

Sony wants nothing to do with this PR disaster. "Sony is not and would not force anyone to buy something they don't want," said a Sony representative. "We value our consumers and offered the bundles precisely to give them choice and value. And the key word there is choice." The problem lies with SimplyGames, which apparently received fewer standalone consoles than it thought it would, and increased the price to compensate. But the stock problem may have been caused by SimplyGames, which seems to have created unofficial bundles and deals - presumably by plundering its standalone supply - which it then offered to customers.

SimplyGames is standing firm, and claims its customers are happy to pay more than they bargained for. "It's just commentators who have stirred it up," says SimplyGames' Neil Muspratt. It has no stock left to accommodate standalone preorders, it says, so it hasn't the means to change its policy even if it wanted to.

Source: CVG [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/433095/ps4-pre-owned-ransom-is-illegal-says-trading-standards/]


Permalink

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

Unless there was a clause stating that Simplygames could increase the price or drop the customer in the pre-order contract the law will side in the customers case on this one.

 

[Psychobabble]

Whatever their justification, it's rampant profiteering and I hope enough of Simplygames customers tell them to go fuck themselves for them to rethink this bullshit.

 

[Teoes]

I would've pinned it simply on being a dick move based on supply & demand really. Nice to know Trading Standards are weighing in.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Unless there was a clause stating that Simplygames could increase the price or drop the customer in the pre-order contract the law will side in the customers case on this one.

If the customers have had to put down a deposit then it's illegal full stop, if they haven't paid a deposit then Simplygames can do whatever it wants as there's been no sale or agreement, just a reserved list that can be subject to change.

If I was Sony I would kill this by cutting Simplygames' PS4 allocation to zero and publicly telling people that Simplygames has no PS4s, will be getting no PS4s and that you should cancel your order with them. They're assembling bundle kits with third party hardware, which should be more than enough for Sony to claim breach of contract, or simply to put them on a sales blacklist. As far as total sales go they're a small business next to Game, HMV and the supermarkets, they're probably even smaller than Granger Games of midgets, Orange Humvees and branded condoms fame.

 

[Rude as HECK]

I just read this comment:

I don't care. Cancel your order and be done with it.

I am starting to understand why people are increasingly turning against comments online.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

I'm pretty sure you can cancel a pre order at any time, no fuss. If they think it's ok to jack up the price that much then fuck em. I hope every single person cancels their pre order with them.

 

[Duckman]

Since when does the American Congress run a videogame retailer?

Wait, the American Congress does stuff?

OT: This is one of those many reasons to never ever buy a console at launch... And I don't care if the distributor is a Mom & Pop games store (I really want to see a games store called that, btw) or if it's the biggest guy in the chain. Changing the deal is just bad form. I'm not even talking about legal issues here, it's just a horrible business model. I can't think of a rational human being who would see this and ever give SimplyGames their business... Though I know a ton of irrational human beings who would, so whatever...

 

[Hero in a half shell]

That doesn't sound fiendish at all!

SimplyGames is standing firm, and claims its customers are happy to pay more than they bargained for. "It's just commentators who have stirred it up,"

Our customers are happy to pay an extra £75-120 for a product that wouldn't have cost them that extra if they preordered from any other company?

No. No they aren't, and I can fully imagine none of those people coming back to pre order anything off you again.

I also like how every single PS4 bundle is out of stock, but none of the Xbox One bundles are. Very interesting indeed.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

So where they charging more for a PS4 or packaging it was a game and selling it for more than the cost of a PS4 and game? But if people know they are buying it for more money in advance - can they really complain when they are getting ripped off? If i went to a store to preorder and they said it will £60 extra to do that then i have the choice to either accept it or tell them to fuck off. Not like they are charging you an extra £70 on launch day when you pick up your console.

But then I bet people on ebay will be doing this exact same thing.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

So where they charging more for a PS4 or packaging it was a game and selling it for more than the cost of a PS4 and game?

Alot of stores do packs on launch, console + game + whatever. But it still is normally the same or slightly cheaper than buying it all separate.

But then I bet people on ebay will be doing this exact same thing.

No.

They selling pre-orders for X, but they received less consoles then they expected. Now they are essentially saying to everyone who has a pre-order 'you now have to pay more, otherwise you won't be getting your console.'

Note: If the customer has paid a deposit this is illegal.

 

[Rude as HECK]

Since when does the American Congress run a videogame retailer?

I don't understand, Congress is not involved with the story?

 

[Rude as HECK]

Since when does the American Congress run a videogame retailer?

I don't understand, Congress is not involved with the story?

Incase you haven't noticed, holding things for ransom is kinda their thing now.

Ah. Gotcha. Lel.

 

[Callate]

Hmm. From where I stand, it kind of sounds like they're scum.

So, you made a mistake regarding how much inventory you would have available, and rather than apologize and try to make it right, you've decided to double down and use your error as leverage to bilk more money out of some of your most loyal customers.

Yep. It doesn't sound like online commentators are the problem, here.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

So where they charging more for a PS4 or packaging it was a game and selling it for more than the cost of a PS4 and game?

Alot of stores do packs on launch, console + game + whatever. But it still is normally the same or slightly cheaper than buying it all separate.

But then I bet people on ebay will be doing this exact same thing.

No.

They selling pre-orders for X, but they received less consoles then they expected. Now they are essentially saying to everyone who has a pre-order 'you now have to pay more, otherwise you won't be getting your console.'

Note: If the customer has paid a deposit this is illegal.

Sorry i must have miss read it. Agreed, thats totally illegal. If you by something for £350 and pay a deposit, they cant put the price up after the fact. Especially as your receipt would say what you owe. No idea how they thought they could get away with it as the receipt would be considered a contact i would have thought.

 

[rasputin0009]

I know that doesn't fly in Canada. You advertise one price, you sell it for that price or less. Companies try to get around that by including bullshit fees.

 

[Amir Kondori]

Unless there was a clause stating that Simplygames could increase the price or drop the customer in the pre-order contract the law will side in the customers case on this one.

If the customers have had to put down a deposit then it's illegal full stop, if they haven't paid a deposit then Simplygames can do whatever it wants as there's been no sale or agreement, just a reserved list that can be subject to change.

If I was Sony I would kill this by cutting Simplygames' PS4 allocation to zero and publicly telling people that Simplygames has no PS4s, will be getting no PS4s and that you should cancel your order with them. They're assembling bundle kits with third party hardware, which should be more than enough for Sony to claim breach of contract, or simply to put them on a sales blacklist. As far as total sales go they're a small business next to Game, HMV and the supermarkets, they're probably even smaller than Granger Games of midgets, Orange Humvees and branded condoms fame.

Except they can't do that because they rely on retailers like them to sell their console and games. They are smart in allowing the local authorities to handle it. Sony shouldn't be put in the position of handling trade law in any local country.