New EBa policy = goodbye

[emech]

So, I went to collecy my spirt tracks pre-order today. Along with the usual "we won't match harvey norman becasue its not in the centre" I was also informed that "if you price match you also agree to the store you are matching returns policy" - in other words no 7 day (or with their xmas promotion early january) exchange.

It doesn't worry me for Zelda, as I know its a keeper, but this will be my last major EBs purchase. My local GAME price mathces any advertised price, with 7 day exchange, regardless of wether the competitor is centre based, with the loyalty card points to boost. Apart from the odd cheap 2nd had title (with edge till novemebr - an offer thats also changing to charge more to get less) , I kno where my pre-orders / $$$ will be from now on. This with the exchange for store credit (via gift cards etc) no longer being allowed , you just gave up your competive edge (easy return of unliked games)
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[haydosrulz]

hmmm i might stop to if my local one starts doing that
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A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow

[JackSlack]

I gave up on EB a while ago. Gametraders has been the most dependable and well-run gaming chain I've found.

[Azza]

Agreed, Gametraders is my Jerusalem.
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[TheAnswer]

I gave up on EB when one of the sales guys at the local claimed that he has been told I've been banned from being able to trade in with them anymore because I traded in MW2 and then price matched for what I wanted. EB obviously don't want their customer base it seems with these new policies etc
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[m0nk3yboy]

It sucks that they have the EXCLUSIVE rights for the ME2 Special Edition.

I wanted to get it from Game, but I want the 'complete' experience.

[Island_Wolf]

I am fed up with EB when they sent me on a merry-go-around in regards to my missing Sackboy keyring gift for pre-ordering LittleBigPlanet on PSP.

This is not the first time they stuff up on pre-orders and for all I know, this won't be the last time. I even asked help online. Now I just got IGNORED!!!, I mean what?!?, I preordered the game a month before it released and has the receipt to prove it.

However, I really do want the ME2 CE. I'm going to pre-order online now and hope I don't get screwed around like a certain store did for my LBP.
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[Shadow Wave]

o rly? is this an official new rule?
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[Fetidchimp]

Not so good for those of us in innner melbourne, we have a choice of EB, EB, EB, EB, EB or Dungeon Crawl.
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[lapzod]

[JackSlack]

[Kikujir0]

[Gamesta]

[Fetidchimp]

[He need to cut the ego.]

I've always thought the "seven day, no questions asked" policy they have is rather generous on their behalf and was waiting for the day they put more restrictions on it. They don't really have to do it. It's up to you to make an informed decision before you purchase a product. BUT having said all that, I do think it's a bit silly to adopt the price matching company's return policy. I don't really see how that's advantageous to them. What do EB games do with the returned games? Do they flog them off as new, or do they always go to the pre-owned section? Even if they knock five dollars off the RRP and stick it in the pre-owned section they're still going to be selling it for more than their competitors (who are usually $10-20 cheaper)

As for GameTraders. It's a mixed bag imo.

+ They import games.
+ They sell older games.
+ Friendly, local staff.

- They don't have competitive prices.
- A lot of their games on the shelves look old (unless of course it's a brand new release), like they're pre-owned or have been sitting on the shelf for ages. I think of all the games I've bought from them only one has been sealed.
- Not a huge range of games (EB games has more current gen games)

[haydosrulz]

I wish that there was a game traders in sydney or even near sydney. They are the best i have seen. For some reason the GAME shops in my area won't price match.
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A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow

[XtremeXfactor]

I do my shopping at: Harvey Norman (my local store generally has cheaper prices than anywhere else - sometimes they're cheaper by $1..... usually they'll have game prices set @ $10 - $30 cheaper than JB Hifi), Game or JB Hifi these days.

EB is strictly a last resort shop for me, especially since they stopped rolling in gameguide books.... i don't have a reason to stop by and shop there, well only to point out the inconsistency of their prices (which i actually did as recently as saturday ).

[Bish]

[ANDYBALLINA]

My local EB is always good to me. I always get price matches and there are no rules on not being able to return games within the 7 days.

I guess it must really vary from store to store or how well they know you.
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PSN: ANDYBALLINA1

[harness]

Gametraders tend to have higher prices than JB, but their monthly specials are mostly pretty good. I didn't know that you had to agree to the conditions of the store you price match. They make it seem on their receipts that no matter what you'll always have the 7 day return period.

If this is a change in EB policy, they're reducing the reasons to shop with them. But then, they've copped abuse by greedy, self-interested customers, so they are not to blame. But they'll get blamed anyway, because they're EB and some gamers are a hateful breed.

[jiayijames]

That's why if I do choose to shop at EB, I usually go to the CBD ones as more competitors close by, so more likely for the price match to work, and of course bring in a bunch of catalogues as well.

EB certainly is the largest in this country, somehow I relate it to Microsoft IE in the browser war... unwilling (or no need) to compete by having low price...

But yeah EB is probably the worst place to buy new releases (or maybe better than ... Myer?), but ok for older titles and preowned ones, and trading in games. Especially when a sale is on and if you have Edge card. Locations are quite convenient.

Another thing is they seem always to take the disk out of the case for security reasons but quite often cause scratches for new games. I already got 2 exchanges for the same games after I bought. Makes me feel like I bought some preowned ones, or the ones people returned after the 7 day trial period.

Still I would say JB is my favorite place.

[DancesInUnderwear]

...if you're only going to return the game anyway, then why does it matter if it costs full price? I mean, you're going to get it back 7 days later, whats the difference?


However I will also say that the changing of the returns policy goes with the old 'this is why we can't have nice things' argument. We had a nice system in place to legitimately return a game if you legitimately didn't like it, and instead people abused the fuck out of it and turned it into a rental service. Just like how we used to have a fairly legitimate system where we could trade back a game we were no longer playing to get a new one, but a bunch of morons had to abuse that too, and now if I decide I want a new game I have to trade like 12 of my relatively new games for it.

So, in summary, its all all of you guys' fault.
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[jiayijames]

Not all's fault but some people's fault, as I can say with confidence I never returned a game I don't like or just take advantage of the free trial period just to play for free, if I like it I will keep it.
Simple.

[TheAnswer]

[Island_Wolf]

^Not anymore. It didn't do well there. Used to go there all the time just for a nostalgic trip. Burwood is a regular shopping place for me (because of their 2 hours carpark before you have to pay, there is always parking!)

The only place I know in Sydney is Castle Hill, which is in Sydney, just the government fails to provide a decent adequate transport (I know because I am still waiting for that trainline!).


With my experience, I can say games stores should really get their act together. It's no surprise people are turning online for their stuff if they are continuing to treat their customers poorly. I am getting fed up with the constant bad customer services I'm getting and I don't feel sorry for stores losing customers at all. Most of the time workers looks like they are their just to earn money and is unmotivated to help.
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