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

[Sarge]

I think it depends on local ordinances.

[mas]

I've never understood the means of dumpster diving.
Yes people find some games or stuff but if I did that at any of my GameStop I would get arrested. Plus has it gone that bad with our hobby that we have to go dumpster diving for games? Ohh wait I'm thinking of something.

[Tanooki]

Well yes it kind of has gone that bad. Everyone wants to make a buck off something now and merchandise displays are hot stuff to the fans as you can't buy them. Employees keep, destroy, or just pitch them into the trash even including at times console/handheld kiosks too. Saw enough nuts over on NA raiding dumpsters to get Wii kiosks and other stuff and I was wondering if they'd get arrested as it's theft. Facts are depending on the state there are rules on transfer of ownership. Some say once you put it at the dumpster/curb it is A) City property (until waste people get it), B) your property (until picked up), or C) the trash companies property.

There is no option D that says, drive up, steal shit, it's free! Mind you most cops probably wouldn't bother, but if someone called they'd get you if you're caught.

[Sarge]

I guess the better thing overall would be to know when that stuff is getting dumped, and get it before it ends up in the trash. Assuming that's how your local ordinances work.

I've not actually dumpster-dived a Gamestop, but I have dug through a couple of dumpsters at the university before. IT department was getting rid of a bunch of stuff, so I went and snagged some pristine unused mouse/keyboards and a couple of sound cards.

[isiolia]

Far as I know, that's a different situation. Or can be anyway. With retail, there's usually going to be product that ends up being unsellable for one reason or another. Defective merchandise, for instance, might get shipped back...or it might simply be credited, and the store obligated to destroy it, which disposing of via the dumpster might qualify for.
Stuff that winds up not making it to the trash, despite being reported as destroyed. and ending up on eBay instead...could wind up turning into fraud for Gamestop or employees. Far as I know, it actually did, resulting in stricter policies regarding pennied out merchandise in recent years.


If an organization is legit dumping things they no longer have a need for, then they probably aren't getting any kind of credit for it. It's just trash. It's still potentially bending some rules to pull stuff from the dumpster, since it could be easy to turn into fraud (deciding to throw out stuff you want to take home, etc), or at least is still technically on their property/etc...but more often than not, nobody really cares because they just want it gone.


Doesn't hurt to ask folks at Gamestop anyway. Even if they can't necessarily give you a stack of pennied out guides anymore, maybe things are more open for left over promo items or standees/etc (I think the latter used to get sold if there was interest).

[TSTR]

In my experience they field destroy stuff now anyway, so there's really no point in dumpster diving.

[Sarge]

Yeah, that's probably true. It sucks. I used to get lots of penny guides, until I stopped caring.

[marlowe221]

The law on ownership of garbage really does vary quite a bit from place to place (I'm a lawyer...), so everyone please be careful and look into your local laws/ordinances if you want to go dumpster diving at Gamestop!

[samsonlonghair]

It sure would be embarrassing. Image sitting in holdings. Some guy asks what everyone is in for.
Criminal one, "Selling drugs."
Criminal two, "grand larceny"
Criminal three, "murder"
You, "Dumpster diving"

[TSTR]

It sure would be embarrassing. Image sitting in holdings. Some guy asks what everyone is in for.
Criminal one, "Selling drugs."
Criminal two, "grand larceny"
Criminal three, "murder"
You, "Dumpster diving"

keep your butthole tight