Need to rant about online retail game purchases...

I pre-ordered the new Metroid 3DS Special Edition from Toys R Us, only to get an email a few hours later saying that my shipment would be delayed. That was over a week ago and I still haven't been charged, can't log in to my TRU account to check the status/cancel, and it's still listed on their site as being available. It's no wonder they're going under. So I said fuck it and pre-ordered it on Amazon.. if all goes well it should be here tomorrow.



Anyway, I also made some online purchases for Walmart and Gamestop. Everything I bought was 'new' on their sites: I got a woolly world pink yoshi amiibo bundle and captain toad tracker from Walmart. Yoshi was shipped in a box and in great shape, toad tracker was shipped in a plastic bag and the box is dented and ripped in places. I got some new 3DS games as well and they look okay, but one has what looks like a bit of dirt under the seal. I wonder if they're just selling off their resealed pre-owned games as new.. it was like three bucks so I don't really care, but come on. I'll probably try returning the toad tracker game.



I got a Wii U game and a 3DS game, new, from Gamestop. They're both opened. I knew they did that in stores if it was the last copy, but I didn't expect it online. It just sucks getting a case with obvious scuffs and shit when you're expecting a mint copy. I mean at that point, what's the difference between used and new? And I'm guessing returning it would be a hassle since it looks like I'M the one who opened it. 



I'm not too salty since I didn't pay more for any of these 'new' games than I would have for a used copy, but I guess that's the moral of the story. Don't expect anything to be minty, it's just luck.

Comments

  • Totally understand why it is frustrating. Whenever I buy new games online, it is either from a seller on ebay that has pics to prove it is new, or amazon and I look at the seller's feedback for new purchases that were factory sealed. That's my 2 cents. It sucks that gamestop does that, and I have also seen Walmart resell their used or open stuff as "new".
  • Yeah, I feel the same way. It seems like the only way you know it's going to be new, perfect, and as you expect is to buy it in the store sometimes. Especially with the recent Metroid release. It took Walmart until today to finally show that my amiibo were going to show up TODAY. Thankfully they arrived in perfect condition. My Samus Special Edition, however, was not so lucky. The one I got from Gamestop was packaged in basically a cardboard envelope so it got squashed and the cardboard isn't really that sturdy. I was so pissed.
  • Yeah, I try to use ebay/amazon when I can, but seeing new games cheaper than used is tempting  



    Also, according to Gamestop's refund policy, they've sold me an item I can't return. If they sell it it's 'new', if I return it it's 'used'

    http://www.gamestop.com/gs/help/Returns.aspx



    I didn't want to return it but that's honestly fucked up.
  • Every time they try that shit at EB Games I ask for a discount. It never happens, so I just leave the game there. You'd think they'd have a better system for displaying games than opening one of the copies and trying to sell it as new. This is also why I try and pre-order from a couple sites and then return the ones that are damaged. Luckily it seems like most of the time my stuff at least comes in a box and not in a bubble mailer.
  • Damn gamestop really has gone downhill.
  • Update: Toys R Us says my order is shipped, but I still can't log in to my account. I was supposed to get Metroid from Amazon today but it's delayed!

    I'm going to end up with two copies. I just hope they're both in okay condition...



    Also, I got a game in the mail today, shipped through Walmart but from a 3rd party - and it's in excellent shape. I think I trust 3rd parties more lol.
  • Top is from Amazon, bottom is from Toys R Us:







    Lol.

    Gonna do my best to exchange or return them...
  • looks like amazon might be doing badly too, resorting to storing games in raw metal shelving, or maybe they're kicking them around the warehouse floor for fun.
  • Originally posted by: Koopa64



    looks like amazon might be doing badly too, resorting to storing games in raw metal shelving, or maybe they're kicking them around the warehouse floor for fun.





    It's the robots they use in the werehouses.  They keep trying to breed with the games after hours. 
  • Amazon has been shit lately too; there were a high percentage of the exclusive Link amiibo they had that the packaging was fucked to hell because they shipped them in oversized bubble envelopes.
  • I gave up caring about the pointless immediate satisfaction thing years ago and relaxed more in more recent times. Screw retail more or less unless it's kind of a necessity like the NES implosion last year. I'll just use my prime account and bag stuff on there. 20% off and I get it as it comes out or whenever they make it show up - I'll live. TRU has been lousy, and I had trouble with them some years ago in the start of the WiiU period and they lost me as on online buyer.
  • Originally posted by: MrWunderful



    Damn gamestop really has gone downhill.



    lol, when were they up? 



    I don't think I've ever heard a good story about them.

     
  • Originally posted by: gunpei

     
    Originally posted by: MrWunderful



    Damn gamestop really has gone downhill.



    lol, when were they up? 



    I don't think I've ever heard a good story about them.

     





    Early 2000's, EB/Gamestop were pretty dope. They had a lot of games you couldn't get so easily, and the staff were usually actually hardcore gamers, not these "g4m3r g33ks" that just annoy you now a days.
  • Originally posted by: empire

     
    Originally posted by: gunpei

     
    Originally posted by: MrWunderful



    Damn gamestop really has gone downhill.



    lol, when were they up? 



    I don't think I've ever heard a good story about them.

     





    Early 2000's, EB/Gamestop were pretty dope. They had a lot of games you couldn't get so easily, and the staff were usually actually hardcore gamers, not these "g4m3r g33ks" that just annoy you now a days.





    Yeah like right after  all the EB games in my area turned into Gamestop it was a legit place to buy.  I feel the trade-in values might've been better back then to, I used to flip tons of garage sale stuff. 
  • Originally posted by: MrWunderful

     
    Originally posted by: empire



    Early 2000's, EB/Gamestop were pretty dope. They had a lot of games you couldn't get so easily, and the staff were usually actually hardcore gamers, not these "g4m3r g33ks" that just annoy you now a days.





    Yeah like right after  all the EB games in my area turned into Gamestop it was a legit place to buy.  I feel the trade-in values might've been better back then to, I used to flip tons of garage sale stuff. 



    I never experienced EB. Sounds like they were the good part of the post-FunCoLand experience.

     
  • 3rd time's the charm. I ordered Metroid from Gamestop (yeah..) and it arrived in perfect shape today. I got the amiibo bundle too since I wanted to be sure they'd ship it in a box, not a bubble mailer. I think I'll try to only do in-person preorders from Gamestop for boxed items from now on, and Amazon preorders for everything else.
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