Actually, GameStop policy is that if the game is opened from it's shrink wrap for more than a day, then it's considered used. That's what they were doing with the sudden impulse of "trade ins" they got for Xenoblade Chronicles, when in reality NeoGaf and other sites discovered that the "used" Xenoblade Chronicles were actually reprints, like how the Metroid Prime trilogy's were. It was easier to spot the Metroid ones because all 2009 original print ones were in tin cases only, and had a sleeve on the front. The reprints are in white Wii cases with no slide-on cover. So theoretically, GameStop could take some new games, remove the wrapping, and sell them for used. Now that'd be suicide for newly released games, but they can get away with it when it came to reprints.RJ 17 said:........................so wait, how the hell do these people think Game Stop gets its selection of used games?
It might be for the best, but it amazes me that with all those banners and with the clerks pushing the stuff that more than half of consumers would be unaware. I mean, I've worked in retail, I'm aware people can be really freaking oblivious. This isn't completely new, but 60% seems high, even for the lowest common denominator.Neronium said:In all honesty, it's probably for the best that they don't know. The amount they give you for trade ins is abysmal, and it's even lower if you go for straight cash instead of store credit. I wouldn't have a problem with it as much, if they didn't mark up the price of the used games to being about $5 cheaper than just buying it brand new.
Whether or not publishers like it, selling off or trading in their last half-finished DLC fest to pay for the next one has become a part of the infrastructure. And it makes sense, as publishers have decided games are disposable and should only have replay value until the next one comes out.MrHide-Patten said:"We see it as an integral part of the entire video game ecosystem."
Ummm, I think they mean;
"We see it as an integral part of our entire business strategy."
There's also no reason to spread it around.When you post over a billion in profits from used games, I see very little reason why they can't share it around, besides the bug wigs getting bigger hovercraft money.
Err...No. Considering publishers and console makers cowtow to Gamestop and make special deals with them. They're not taking shots at or hurting Gamestop.Half the reason we get shafted is all in a bid to get through GameStop.
I honestly think that they are using hyperbolic numbers for that really, because not only do they have banners, they have the magazine, sites, TV ads, and website ads that promote it because like you said 60% seems a tad high. If anything I'm going to assume more people answered sarcastically because they don't use it, but that's probably me being optimistic as I've worked with people who don't notice things that right in front of them before.Zachary Amaranth said:It might be for the best, but it amazes me that with all those banners and with the clerks pushing the stuff that more than half of consumers would be unaware. I mean, I've worked in retail, I'm aware people can be really freaking oblivious. This isn't completely new, but 60% seems high, even for the lowest common denominator.
It's probably more reasonable that the surveyors simply were oblivious to sarcasm.Neronium said:I honestly think that they are using hyperbolic numbers for that really, because not only do they have banners, they have the magazine, sites, TV ads, and website ads that promote it because like you said 60% seems a tad high. If anything I'm going to assume more people answered sarcastically because they don't use it, but that's probably me being optimistic as I've worked with people who don't notice things that right in front of them before.
Looking into it I found that it could be a case of currency conversion but the mark up on the cards shouldn't be as high as $2 and $5, respectively.-Dragmire- said:$22 for a $20 card and $55 for a $50 one. No tax though(which there shouldn't be on gift cards) so they don't have much of a paper trail for transactions.
I think I'll take a trip there today, it was my little brother that paid it since he doesn't have a credit card. I wonder if they'll let me take pictures of their steam card display...
That...still doesn't explain how 60% of the shoppers are completely oblivious as to where GameStop's used games come from. Yeah, that explains a scam that GameStop tried to pull with that particular game (and perhaps others), but still, the very fact that GameStop HAS used games kinda implies that they would be "legitimately" getting them from somewhere. 60% of their customers not knowing about trading in games is still ridiculous...especially since every GameStop that I've seen has it's windows covered with "TRADE IN YOUR OLD GAMES, IPHONES, AND IPADS HERE!!!" posters.Neronium said:Actually, GameStop policy is that if the game is opened from it's shrink wrap for more than a day, then it's considered used. That's what they were doing with the sudden impulse of "trade ins" they got for Xenoblade Chronicles, when in reality NeoGaf and other sites discovered that the "used" Xenoblade Chronicles were actually reprints, like how the Metroid Prime trilogy's were. It was easier to spot the Metroid ones because all 2009 original print ones were in tin cases only, and had a sleeve on the front. The reprints are in white Wii cases with no slide-on cover. So theoretically, GameStop could take some new games, remove the wrapping, and sell them for used. Now that'd be suicide for newly released games, but they can get away with it when it came to reprints.RJ 17 said:........................so wait, how the hell do these people think Game Stop gets its selection of used games?
For price comparisons, for a "used" copy of Xenoblade Chronicles when they first started doing it, it cost $95 for the used copy and only $60 for the new, but there were no new copies except online. GameStop also makes it's money off the used sales, so in the case of Xenoblade they would make $95 each sale and not have to give any of that to Nintendo since it was considered used and not new.
to be fair, that game sucked pretty hard and most people probably opted to trade or exchange it before you didTohuvabohu said:No kidding. I think the most insane offer I ever got for a trade-in there, was for Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City.Neronium said:In all honesty, it's probably for the best that they don't know. The amount they give you for trade ins is abysmal, and it's even lower if you go for straight cash instead of store credit. I wouldn't have a problem with it as much, if they didn't mark up the price of the used games to being about $5 cheaper than just buying it brand new.
[HEADING=1]70 fucking cents.[/HEADING]
And that was for store credit. Yeah, I know the game was shit. But give me a break. I would've been less offended if the guy offered me half a pack of gum and an empty can of soda.
OT: That's odd. Gamestop is the kind of place never shuts the fuck up about trade-ins and pre-orders. How can this many people be completely unaware about the, albeit awful, trade-in policy?
Why is it sketchy? Last time I checked, the cards openly say they're USD, so why is it sketchy to pay an amount respective of that? Lazy perhaps, being set at an arbitrary mark rather than being adjusted on a daily (or even hourly) conversion rate, but yeah, hard to join 'I am upset I am paying an amount which is reflected in my currency value' to be sketchy.-Dragmire- said:I figured as much. Technically though, it's an EB Games but they merged with Gamestop in 2005 so they are basically the same company at this point.
The only way I can sort of see this kind of thing happening is if they buy codes at US pricing and sell it to customers at the Canadian equivalent since our dollar is a little weaker at the moment. Still seems sketchy though.