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Report: EB Games to blur NEW / USED games distinction

Written by James Delahunty @ 24 Nov 2011 8:35 User comments (9)

Report: EB Games to blur NEW / USED games distinction New and Used games to be lumped together.
Kotaku is citing employees of Canada's EB Games (GameStop) in reporting that the chain is to blur the distinction between NEW and USED game titles in its stores. If the report is correct, then all games must be in the same sections with the same white price tags.

Essentially, it will strip away much of the features that would give away the fact that a game was previously owned. Kotaku's main source also told them that employees are encouraged to put New copies of games below Pre-Owned copies.

Kotaku contacted EB Games for comment but has not heard anything back at the time of writing.

Since posting the news, Kotaku has gotten e-mails from people who claim to be EB Games employees, with most saying the report is true, and in some cases that the policy has been in effect in a particular store for more than a week.

One e-mail pointed out concern among staff about games that require codes for online play, as some customers might accidentially pick up a Used copy of a title, and go home to find they can't play it online.



Still, even in that e-mail the employee does admit that the stickers do still have USED and NEW on them, but didn't seem convinced it was enough to completely avoid problems for customers.

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9 user comments

124.11.2011 08:57

This strategy likely won't go on long in Canada, as it's violates a # of canada business practices. It'll only be a matter of time before someone reports it to the right group. Gamestop always screwed with Canada customers with outrageous pricing, now they try this stunt.

224.11.2011 10:20

EB already blurred the distinctions when they started opening up new games, removing things from them, and then still selling them as new.

324.11.2011 12:21

Originally posted by KillerBug:
EB already blurred the distinctions when they started opening up new games, removing things from them, and then still selling them as new.

i remember reading that on here wasn't it bf3 with its free download from some competing online game service? in the store i managed that was privately owned, we made it easy. anything ending in .99 was new and anything with a flat .00 was used. also having no cellophane was a big give away.

424.11.2011 15:28

Easy solution, vote with your $$$, avoid the hassle and go buy it elsewhere. Simple, easy and most effective :)

524.11.2011 15:51

Quote:
Still, even in that e-mail the employee does admit that the stickers do still have USED and NEW on them
people should learn to read or at least look at their item before buying it?

625.11.2011 01:49

Originally posted by Kannz:
Quote:
Still, even in that e-mail the employee does admit that the stickers do still have USED and NEW on them
people should learn to read or at least look at their item before buying it?
If they are like the stickers here in Tampa, the "new" or "used" is written on the price sticker. The price is written in ~32 point font, and the "new" or "used" is written in ~2 point font.

725.11.2011 14:32

i hate ebgames. i once pre-ordered a COD pc game months in advance. When I went to pick it up, they jacked up the price another $8. They said it was the manufacturers fault. I freaked out in the store until I realized I was yelling at a 17 yr old pimply punk cashier who had no involvement in store policy.
I will never go back.

826.11.2011 12:28

Err do they even pretend there is a reason for doing this? I just don't get how anyone could see this as a good thing. Assuming they tried to spin it at all...

926.11.2011 13:12

With the way I have seen them change the practices over the years,they have been doing nothing but going downhill. The point of buying a game that is wrapped up is to protect the consumer and thier purchase. I stopped buying there for years because of things such as when they would sell a game to people and they didnt work and then refused to take them back or replace them. Now they have the ability to fix them before selling, but the fact they are pawn ing them off as new and without the books and such still prooves to me that they are no better than they werte before. I will stick to getting them online or another store. not worth the time trouble or money.

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