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GameStop Sells Played Games As New, May Be Illegal

kotaku.com — The alleged practice of GameStop lending new copies of games to employees at their stores and then later selling those games as new, unused copies, may be a violation of federal law.

Who dugg this? Made popular Apr 10, 2009

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  • JoeHammer, on 04/10/2009, -3/+291I used to work at a Gamestop. This is true, and even as an employee, I thought it was *****.
  • Jawbone54, on 04/10/2009, -11/+271The article is missing the bit where they give you $8 for your used game and sell it for $40.
  • Dagreenman, on 04/10/2009, -3/+138Rule 1: Never buy a gutted copy. if it's not shrink wraped then don't buy it.

    Rule 2: don't shop at gamestop. Amazon is your friend.
  • SPJglitches, on 04/09/2009, -4/+135Beyond the incessant pleas for preorders and Edge cards, the unhelpful (if not belligerent) employees and the ridiculously low trade-in values, THIS is the one practice that I place most priority in fending off. The day where I can walk into GameStop and not have to worry if my new, $60 game is ACTUALLY NEW will be a good one.
  • CATSCEO2, on 04/10/2009, -4/+133Just call and ask for Battletoads, that sure will piss them off.
  • fanfablebig, on 04/10/2009, -3/+117***** GameStop.
  • calypsis, on 04/10/2009, -0/+96I just hate the fact that GameStop and EB insist on putting really ugly price tags on the cover of games that are impossible to take off without leaving a mark.
  • DarkHornet, on 04/10/2009, -4/+87*May* be illegal? Is it not illegal to sell anything that has been used previously as new in the retail world? GameStop is a joke.
  • 3sicasity, on 04/10/2009, -4/+82This is *****. Once, I tried to buy a new copy of a game there. They told me that they had the CD, but they were missing the case and manual. What a load of crap.
  • minoss, on 04/10/2009, -3/+80So stop giving them your games for $8.

    Also, see all those copies of Assassin's Creed, Crackdown, and old Madden games they will never sell. Yea, that's why you're getting $8.
  • sciencelovesyou, on 04/10/2009, -1/+63Ex-GameSlave here too: Yes, it was *****. Yes, it was kinda evil. Yes, it involved a big ol' bundle of lies. But, admit it, it was the one half-decent perk!

  • AutumnWindz, on 04/10/2009, -5/+58Last time I was at GameStop, one of their loudest employees was proclaiming to a poor old lady that the GameStop brand 3rd-party DS power charger would also hook up to her computer for charging via USB and allow her to put MP3s on her DS lite...
  • Shuk, on 04/10/2009, -1/+53The worst part about EB and Gamestop is the smug attitude they give when you say you won't buy it if its not sealed. They'll make comments like "but it's fine and there's nothing wrong with it". Point is that I want a ***** sealed game with a clean case and manual if I'm paying 69.99 (CDN here). Now I just buy my games from Wal-mart or Best Buy.
  • Streeks, on 04/10/2009, -2/+52They have shrinkwrap machines that they'll use in some cases. X_x
  • Boing, on 04/10/2009, -1/+47Unless they are rolling mileage back on the odometer (which is an entirely different thing), then you can see how many miles are on it. So you know if it's got 100s or 1000s of miles before you buy.

    Not even close to the same thing.
  • walnoj, on 04/10/2009, -0/+45I personally know of former Gamestop employees that have done this exact practice. It's a scummy thing to do. If I tried to return a game that I had opened, taken the disc out, and put in a paper sleeve to Gamestop as new, they would tell me that it's pre-played. How is this any different? If they take it out of the box, then they need to sell it as pre-played. It's not like they don't have the money to eat the cost difference.
  • jwdarkstar, on 04/10/2009, -1/+46Most likely because some dumb ass stole the box off the sales floor.
  • kokiril33t, on 04/10/2009, -4/+47I am an employee of Gamestop, and in our district we are fired for "checking out" a new game. Only used games can be checked out if we have more than 3 copies of it.
  • charlie55, on 04/10/2009, -1/+39that isnt what sku means.
  • mystdragon333, on 04/10/2009, -1/+38That was a very unfortunate time for a typo...
  • JoeHammer, on 04/10/2009, -1/+36I can assure you, that IS what happened.
  • thatsmyaibo, on 04/10/2009, -4/+38I used to be a manager at GameStop and they are a pretty unethical company to work for. I have never bought a game there since I left the company. That job made me realize how important college was. Thank goodness I graduate since then.
  • tgc1, on 04/10/2009, -0/+31Buy 'em somewhere else. That'll learn 'em.
  • inactive, on 04/10/2009, -4/+33Damn right it is. It should be illegal to open the packaging at all and call it new. A "new" game is not one that they cut open, stuck a sticker that ruins the case on it, and put the disc in a sleeve. Instantly used and this institutionally criminal retailer should be fined massively.
  • ripter, on 04/10/2009, -0/+27While that does happen and it sucks for the store, don't charge me new price if the case and or manual is missing/broken.
  • evergrim, on 04/10/2009, -2/+29But more importantly, do they have Battletoads yet?!
  • cyphin6, on 04/10/2009, -3/+29Who the ***** goes to Gamestop to buy...anything?
  • Methusalah, on 04/10/2009, -0/+25That's a good policy, but it definitely isn't the policy at most stores.
  • jonapete2001, on 04/10/2009, -0/+22We did the same thing at my old store. We had to shrink wrap them to look like knew when we were done. I thought it was shady, but it was the only benefit we had. One thing i learned from working at Gamestop.....Do NOT shop at gamestop.
  • bot001220, on 04/10/2009, -1/+23I got a worse one for ya: I went in there once and looked at their used Game Boy games. Among the used games was what was CLEARLY a bootleg game; different size cartridge, different color, "1000-in 1!!!!"--type game, "GAME" instead of "GAME BOY" in oval slot, etc. It even had a weird jumper switch on the side for some reason... I point this out to the employee and he just says "uh... that's an import".

    Needless to say, I didn't end up buying anything.
  • dagamer34, on 04/10/2009, -1/+22However employees have never taken the car home to for a test drive "on their own time." Plus the odometer should clearly tell you how much use the car has gotten. Don't buy a "new" car if it's got 1,000 miles on it!

    Such luxury doesn't exist with optical discs.
  • Anya09, on 04/10/2009, -0/+21Same here. And we would try to give the customer a discount, but then we would get in trouble for it.
  • inactive, on 04/10/2009, -1/+21***** martyrdom
  • WIT415, on 04/10/2009, -1/+21heh a sku is a stock keeping unit (barcode on package). they're used for tracking inventory at stores and distribution centers.
  • alexanderhazard, on 04/10/2009, -0/+20yeah matyrdom is for pussies who cant get their kills
  • DrunkenSavior, on 04/10/2009, -0/+19The way stores shrink wrap items (putting the game in a bag, melting the open side shut, and using a heat gun to shrink wrap it) is different from the ways distributors wrap games (putting them in a bag, folding and melting the edges). Just be on the up and up.
  • leftysrevenge, on 04/10/2009, -1/+20too bad they're one of the only major retailers actually _making_ money right now
  • retral, on 04/10/2009, -4/+22The practice of opening games, taking the discs out, and keeping the empty case on the shelf if utterly retarded.

    If I'm buying a game, I'll buy from walmart or somewhere else where they don't do ***** like this.
  • JoeHammer, on 04/10/2009, -1/+18If you have never seen this, then shame on you.

    You will never shop at a Gamestop again.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5_DgLCu6fk
  • emjaymj, on 04/10/2009, -1/+18Are any games actually shrinkwrapped though, Streeks? Every time I buy a game it's packaged in the higher quality packaging that's folded at the corners.

    Except for when I bought GTA4 off an ebay retailer with over 100,000 sales. It came in actual shrink wrap and the map of liberty city seemed a bit handled so I accused them of selling me an old game as new. They refunded me fully without saying a word so I'm guessing I was right...
  • Ryanw430, on 04/10/2009, -0/+17That was the case with my wii when I bought it. They sold the system as being new, but obviously it wasn't, because the wii keeps track of when someone has played it and the system had like 70+ hours logged on. plus the wii sports disc was slightly scratched. eh. its way better and cheaper to buy games on ebay, i promise you.
  • tiredluke129, on 04/10/2009, -3/+20Sorry to be "that guy", but how is this even news? I thought that GameStop repeatedly ***** over customers in every way would be expected by now.
  • eatinshramps, on 04/10/2009, -1/+18Dugg for lulz
  • vision777, on 04/10/2009, -2/+18Many times they will mark these cars as demos and give you a discount.
  • Lionhart, on 04/10/2009, -0/+16Is there really a huge surplus of Assassin's Creed trade-ins? I knew about the Maddens...they alwyas have tons of those from every year, but not assassin's creed. Also they usually give you an amount dependent on the game. They won't give you $8 for a game they will try and sell for $5.
  • astrixx, on 04/10/2009, -2/+18I wanted to buy everquest from there a few years ago. There was an empty box on the floor except inside it had the manuals and cd key. I took the box to the counter expecting they had a sealed one but nope. The guy put the cds in the box and tried to sell it to me. I was very surprised and told the guy anybody could've just written down or taken a picture of the cd key and downloaded the game online and I'd be screwed. He gave me an attitude so I said screw it and just walked out. Needless to say I don't shop there anymore.
  • rockon4life45, on 04/10/2009, -4/+20I prefer martyrdom
  • misreto, on 04/10/2009, -1/+17This happened to me. I bought DDR new for $70 (I was stupid I had money) well I brought it home and there was no special wrapping around it indicating that it was indeed new. I got gypped I went back to the store next day and they WON'T take it back. I was like wtf I bought it new from you yesterday and it says I can return it within 7 days. He said well uh let me see how much we can buy it off of you for. Took the scanner thing beep we can pay you $10.75 for a BRAND NEW game that I bought yesterday. ***** YOU GAMESTOP!
  • dan0uch, on 04/10/2009, -3/+19Yes, I know it's a crazy concept, but Gamestop makes a profit off what you sell them. Go figure.
  • Toadette, on 04/10/2009, -4/+19Same here (ex-slave). I always wondered this same thing myself and how they didn't get in trouble for this.

    However, I think if people complain enough the only thing GS will do is revoke the checkout program - which sucks. Employees are happier to talk about games that they have played... and at 60 bucks a pop they shouldn't have to buy all the new games to keep themselves knowledgeable.
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