Is Gamestop Evil? The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

[flojocabron]

You can kinda check how old a sticker is by looking at the numbers on the right of the barcode.

They have mm/dd,/yy. Prices change. Just check the date. There might be old stickers that haven't been updated. I've seen this happen, because there was a price in one store and different in another.

If ever you aren't sure, you can always scan the barcode at their kiosks.

[SNKnicotine]

GOOD
I went to the gamestop near me, and met up with some cool workers there, after discussing current games and game related affairs I purchased the bulk of their GC games for $20 and on top of that, they gave me a special edition gamestop exculsive Hot Wheel given out to those who preordered Sonic Racing Transformed.

[SpaceBooger]

I'm annoyed. I recently got the deal for the $19.99 God of War Saga. I ordered it new from gamestop.com and the download code for the two PSP/PS3 remakes wouldn't work. I contacted SONY support and they are investigating (I had to send a receipt and a pic of my voucher) to reactivate the code. The rep said this has been happening a lot with GameStop even though I read it could have been a SONY error.

[CRTGAMER]

The Ugly
Its starting in my area, visited a Gamestop that is selling GUTTED WII GAMES.
How much longer before 3DS, 360 and PS3 games get gutted?

Let corporate know thru the Gamestop site. You don't even have to take the survey, just a direct comment.
http://mfisurvey.marketforce.com/GameStop/IndexCC.aspx

I recently visited a Gamestop location which sells $5.00 Wii games displayed in a cardboard box stored in yellow envelopes. I asked the employee if the cases and manuals were somewhere else. She stated no, they were tossed out for these reasons.

1. A lot of games usually get traded in without a game manual.

2. You would not want those games anyways, they are no good.

How can an employee decide what is a good game! Any game, even if inexpensive should be considered just as important! I prefer games that are complete, reading thru the manual is part of the game experience. Just as Gamestop has already destroyed PS2, Gamecube, PSP and DS games, is it only a matter of time before all the Wii games get gutted and sold disc only? What next? Will the 3DS, 360, PS3 and WiiU games receive the toss the manuals and cases treatment?

This falls in Gamestop's own magazine description of THE UGLY.

Just as in DS, PS2 and Gamecube games being gutted, this is very sad. No matter what the excuse of shelf space, please stop this. There are options such as store the cases and manuals in the back room ready to retrieve for a customer. At minimal take the time and store the game manual with the game disc in the envelope. This should already have been done for ALL games to prevent a game manual from being stolen off the display shelf. More then a few times I have passed up on a game because the manual disappeared from its case. Gamestop as the largest game retailer should take the initiative and even has a responsibility to sell a game product in the best condition possible.

For an idea, take a look at other used game retailers including AMAZON, BEST BUY, WALMART and most notable a Japanese owned franchise called BOOKOFF. There are BookOff outlets right here in the USA which have been getting an increase share of my business, taking away from my purchases from Gamestop. All the games are complete with original case, cover, game manual and even protected by a resealable plastic clear envelope. ALL the used PS1-PS2-Gamecube-XBox-DS-Wii-360-PS3-3DS-WiiU games are at competive prices and in pristine condition which include the game manual, original case and case cover. With all this, the choice is easy in which store gets my money.

[girlracer]

I finally have a rant about gamestop. I picked a game off the shelf that had the art and manual, then when I got home and got them out of the bag the employee switched it with gamestop printed case.

this was an out of town gamestop so now I have to go to my local to try to get it complete.

[CRTGAMER]

I finally have a rant about gamestop. I picked a game off the shelf that had the art and manual, then when I got home and got them out of the bag the employee switched it with gamestop printed case.

this was an out of town gamestop so now I have to go to my local to try to get it complete.

That is painful, hopefully you find a CIB. Maybe give Feedback thru the sales receipt back to the Gamestop site? Not only for getting back for the switch out by that employee, but to show Gamestop that there are customers that hate incomplete games.

Employees once in a while try to do this to me too. I think it is more of in a hurry instead of just being sneaky though. The disc is already in the case from the overstock in the drawer, saves the employee having to swap the disc over the case you brought up. Gives the employee more time to do the five minute add on sale speech.

[Retrodude]

I finally have a rant about gamestop. I picked a game off the shelf that had the art and manual, then when I got home and got them out of the bag the employee switched it with gamestop printed case.

this was an out of town gamestop so now I have to go to my local to try to get it complete.

Yeah, that sucks, but I've never had it happen to me 'cause I make a habit of keeping an eye on the clerks as I check out (at any store, not just Gamestop). It helps that all the Gamestops I go to regularly usually have awesome customer service. I've never had any major problems with them, so I've always put Gamestop in the "good" column.

[Luke]

Yeah, that sucks, but I've never had it happen to me 'cause I make a habit of keeping an eye on the clerks as I check out (at any store, not just Gamestop).

Same here. I don't get how girlracer didn't notice the bait and switch as you would have to be completely oblivious to not notice the disc was put in a different case.

Way too many of the complaints about Gamestop on this thread are buyer beware issues where a drop of common sense would have solved the issue.

[Fragems]

Yeah, that sucks, but I've never had it happen to me 'cause I make a habit of keeping an eye on the clerks as I check out (at any store, not just Gamestop).

Same here. I don't get how girlracer didn't notice the bait and switch as you would have to be completely oblivious to not notice the disc was put in a different case.

Way too many of the complaints about Gamestop on this thread are buyer beware issues where a drop of common sense would have solved the issue.

I dont know I have experienced a number of screw ups with employees that were very easy to overlook . For instance on more then one occasion I have received demo discs of instead of the game itself. I can remember it happening to me with Genji and Gran Turismo 2 before .

Edit: Also grinds me gears when they mix up variants got a couple games that are greatest hits in black label cases and stuff, but that's something that 95% of the clerks don't understand .

[pepharytheworm]

Yeah, that sucks, but I've never had it happen to me 'cause I make a habit of keeping an eye on the clerks as I check out (at any store, not just Gamestop).

Same here. I don't get how girlracer didn't notice the bait and switch as you would have to be completely oblivious to not notice the disc was put in a different case.

Way too many of the complaints about Gamestop on this thread are buyer beware issues where a drop of common sense would have solved the issue.

Or an easier solution don't shop at Gamestop.