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There isn't a single market out there without it's fair share of problems. Businesses somewhere in the world are getting into financial trouble, however, others are getting out of trouble rather successfully. But, after seeing things in a different light, I am suprised by the amount of gamers who get away with what they do, and how they are suprised when I say to them, "No!", when they try it on whilst I'm at my post behind the till at work.
I'll give you a clue shall I? One company for whom I worked for has a "No Fuss 10 Day Guarantee" policy which basically enables you to take back any game you have bought from them, and either swap for another game of the same price or get a full refund, no matter what the reason! Another company that does something very similar to that is Blockbuster Video. They allow you to rent games for a low price so you don't have to buy them.
Sure, there's nothing wrong with what Blockbuster are doing - after all, you've been able rent movies from them for many years now! But with the other company and their "No Fuss" policy, people aren't even paying for the pleasure of having their games for those ten days, they're just abusing the system! Don't get me wrong, some people have genuine reasons to bring back a game, "It's faulty" for example. But when they are returning their games because they just plain don't like them, then surely that is being dishonest and plain stupid.
You could say it is the retailers' faults for allowing gamers to get refunds like that, or you might even turn round and say it is no concern to you. After all, you're not the one being dishonest. But think about it like this; retailers aren't going to take back stock that has been used, but the gamers are returning - with no faults, and then just throw the games away are they? No. They're going to put the price sticker back on them and put them back on the shelves as new! After all, they haven't been traded in as second hand. So chances are, if the copy of the game you are purchasing doesn't come sealed in its DVD casing (or box if it is Game Boy), it may have see up to ten days of use from someone else already!
Okay, okay, if the disc looks like it is in good enough condition then there isn't anything to complain about. Unless, ofcourse, you consider that you are being cheated into paying money for a game in which others aren't.
For example, 'Master Truant', aged 12 from Cardiff High School pays £40 for the latest Playstation 2 game from a certain retailer. Whilst his parents are working long hours, Master Truant is not turning up to school and is playing his new game, hoping to complete it within the ten days he has got to return the game. Eight days later, the game is completed and Master Truant takes it back to the shop. He gets a full refund, his cash back, and waits for the next release.
Now do you think that it is fair? Being able to complete a game, take it back, whilst you are in school or work, don't have time to complete the game within the guarantee limit, and so cannot complete it and bring it back?
Sure, you may not like the game you buy, so decide to take it back. However, most gamers can afford a magazine once in a while. If they can afford a £40 game, they can afford a magazine. Magazines give you an indication as to what the game is about and so, you should have some idea whether you will enjoy it or not.
In most cases, it is easy to tell who is trying to cheat the system. In the two months I have worked selling games, I have recognised many gamers who have brought games back many MANY times within the time limits. However, now I work for another company who don't have the same policy, and thankfully, I am able to tell them "No, you can not have a refund if you don't like the game," as I said to some kid, who clearly should have been at school at around 11am Friday morning.
Kid: I wanna return this game.
Me: Was there a problem with it at all?
Kid: No, I just didn' like it.
Me: Then you can't have a refund. You can part-exchange it if you like.
Kid: No, I want my money back.
Me: Sorry (I wasn't, but I was being polite), but it isn't one of the company's policies to refund games out of dislike for them.
Kid: Alright, I'll trade it in.
(Now this bit isn't entirely relevant, but it was funny to me anyway:)
Kid: I'll trade this in for this game.
Me: That'll be £14.99 please (can't remember exact amount)
Kid: But I paid £40 for this game, and this game is £35!
Me: But you are trading in something that is second hand, thus, we can not give you full price for a refund.
Kid:
The fact is, if a certain competitor of both the company I work for, and the company I shop from, Special Reserve, carries on with their policy, then figures will be wrong, sales wont be so high, and other businesses are going to lose out on trade. People treat some shops as rental services - with no cost, and so are cheating everyone else. Don't get me wrong, I too have bought games I didn't like, Jurassic Park III: The DNA factor for one, but did I take it back to the shop for a refund? No! I traded it in later that year.
So what do you think? Should we be able to return games because we don't like them? Or should we just accept what we've wasted our money on and trade them for something else instead? Should the 'Fair Play' website be campaigning over issues such as this instead of prices?
I'll give you a clue shall I? One company for whom I worked for has a "No Fuss 10 Day Guarantee" policy which basically enables you to take back any game you have bought from them, and either swap for another game of the same price or get a full refund, no matter what the reason! Another company that does something very similar to that is Blockbuster Video. They allow you to rent games for a low price so you don't have to buy them.
Sure, there's nothing wrong with what Blockbuster are doing - after all, you've been able rent movies from them for many years now! But with the other company and their "No Fuss" policy, people aren't even paying for the pleasure of having their games for those ten days, they're just abusing the system! Don't get me wrong, some people have genuine reasons to bring back a game, "It's faulty" for example. But when they are returning their games because they just plain don't like them, then surely that is being dishonest and plain stupid.
You could say it is the retailers' faults for allowing gamers to get refunds like that, or you might even turn round and say it is no concern to you. After all, you're not the one being dishonest. But think about it like this; retailers aren't going to take back stock that has been used, but the gamers are returning - with no faults, and then just throw the games away are they? No. They're going to put the price sticker back on them and put them back on the shelves as new! After all, they haven't been traded in as second hand. So chances are, if the copy of the game you are purchasing doesn't come sealed in its DVD casing (or box if it is Game Boy), it may have see up to ten days of use from someone else already!
Okay, okay, if the disc looks like it is in good enough condition then there isn't anything to complain about. Unless, ofcourse, you consider that you are being cheated into paying money for a game in which others aren't.
For example, 'Master Truant', aged 12 from Cardiff High School pays £40 for the latest Playstation 2 game from a certain retailer. Whilst his parents are working long hours, Master Truant is not turning up to school and is playing his new game, hoping to complete it within the ten days he has got to return the game. Eight days later, the game is completed and Master Truant takes it back to the shop. He gets a full refund, his cash back, and waits for the next release.
Now do you think that it is fair? Being able to complete a game, take it back, whilst you are in school or work, don't have time to complete the game within the guarantee limit, and so cannot complete it and bring it back?
Sure, you may not like the game you buy, so decide to take it back. However, most gamers can afford a magazine once in a while. If they can afford a £40 game, they can afford a magazine. Magazines give you an indication as to what the game is about and so, you should have some idea whether you will enjoy it or not.
In most cases, it is easy to tell who is trying to cheat the system. In the two months I have worked selling games, I have recognised many gamers who have brought games back many MANY times within the time limits. However, now I work for another company who don't have the same policy, and thankfully, I am able to tell them "No, you can not have a refund if you don't like the game," as I said to some kid, who clearly should have been at school at around 11am Friday morning.
Kid: I wanna return this game.
Me: Was there a problem with it at all?
Kid: No, I just didn' like it.
Me: Then you can't have a refund. You can part-exchange it if you like.
Kid: No, I want my money back.
Me: Sorry (I wasn't, but I was being polite), but it isn't one of the company's policies to refund games out of dislike for them.
Kid: Alright, I'll trade it in.
(Now this bit isn't entirely relevant, but it was funny to me anyway:)
Kid: I'll trade this in for this game.
Me:
Kid: But I paid £40 for this game, and this game is £35!
Me: But you are trading in something that is second hand, thus, we can not give you full price for a refund.
Kid:
The fact is, if a certain competitor of both the company I work for, and the company I shop from, Special Reserve, carries on with their policy, then figures will be wrong, sales wont be so high, and other businesses are going to lose out on trade. People treat some shops as rental services - with no cost, and so are cheating everyone else. Don't get me wrong, I too have bought games I didn't like, Jurassic Park III: The DNA factor for one, but did I take it back to the shop for a refund? No! I traded it in later that year.
So what do you think? Should we be able to return games because we don't like them? Or should we just accept what we've wasted our money on and trade them for something else instead? Should the 'Fair Play' website be campaigning over issues such as this instead of prices?
Someone i know did this kind of thing with CDs. He bought the CD he wanted took it home made few copies of it, kept one, returned the original saying it was a birtday gift his uncle had bought for him that he did not like and he sold the others on so he made a profit.
You have to be able to lie.
You dont tell the shop you just dont like it, oh no.
Its either, "An unwanted gift" or "The wrong one by accident".
Never say you dont like it!
You dont tell the shop you just dont like it, oh no.
Its either, "An unwanted gift" or "The wrong one by accident".
Never say you dont like it!
At said certain shop you used to work for, I bought Deus Ex, Frontline, Endgame and Spiderman.
Frontline and Endgame I'd wanted to get for a long time, but I actually really didn't like them. Frontline especially, the controls ruined an otherwise good game. Deus Ex and Spiderman I quite liked (although Spiderman I later learned to hate).
So, one week later I returned the lot, sheepishly saying I didn't like any of them, and got me money back. I bought Deus Ex from another place, much cheaper, and got Spiderman through GAD.
True story.
Frontline and Endgame I'd wanted to get for a long time, but I actually really didn't like them. Frontline especially, the controls ruined an otherwise good game. Deus Ex and Spiderman I quite liked (although Spiderman I later learned to hate).
So, one week later I returned the lot, sheepishly saying I didn't like any of them, and got me money back. I bought Deus Ex from another place, much cheaper, and got Spiderman through GAD.
True story.
There isn't a single market out there without it's fair share of problems. Businesses somewhere in the world are getting into financial trouble, however, others are getting out of trouble rather successfully. But, after seeing things in a different light, I am suprised by the amount of gamers who get away with what they do, and how they are suprised when I say to them, "No!", when they try it on whilst I'm at my post behind the till at work.
I'll give you a clue shall I? One company for whom I worked for has a "No Fuss 10 Day Guarantee" policy which basically enables you to take back any game you have bought from them, and either swap for another game of the same price or get a full refund, no matter what the reason! Another company that does something very similar to that is Blockbuster Video. They allow you to rent games for a low price so you don't have to buy them.
Sure, there's nothing wrong with what Blockbuster are doing - after all, you've been able rent movies from them for many years now! But with the other company and their "No Fuss" policy, people aren't even paying for the pleasure of having their games for those ten days, they're just abusing the system! Don't get me wrong, some people have genuine reasons to bring back a game, "It's faulty" for example. But when they are returning their games because they just plain don't like them, then surely that is being dishonest and plain stupid.
You could say it is the retailers' faults for allowing gamers to get refunds like that, or you might even turn round and say it is no concern to you. After all, you're not the one being dishonest. But think about it like this; retailers aren't going to take back stock that has been used, but the gamers are returning - with no faults, and then just throw the games away are they? No. They're going to put the price sticker back on them and put them back on the shelves as new! After all, they haven't been traded in as second hand. So chances are, if the copy of the game you are purchasing doesn't come sealed in its DVD casing (or box if it is Game Boy), it may have see up to ten days of use from someone else already!
Okay, okay, if the disc looks like it is in good enough condition then there isn't anything to complain about. Unless, ofcourse, you consider that you are being cheated into paying money for a game in which others aren't.
For example, 'Master Truant', aged 12 from Cardiff High School pays £40 for the latest Playstation 2 game from a certain retailer. Whilst his parents are working long hours, Master Truant is not turning up to school and is playing his new game, hoping to complete it within the ten days he has got to return the game. Eight days later, the game is completed and Master Truant takes it back to the shop. He gets a full refund, his cash back, and waits for the next release.
Now do you think that it is fair? Being able to complete a game, take it back, whilst you are in school or work, don't have time to complete the game within the guarantee limit, and so cannot complete it and bring it back?
Sure, you may not like the game you buy, so decide to take it back. However, most gamers can afford a magazine once in a while. If they can afford a £40 game, they can afford a magazine. Magazines give you an indication as to what the game is about and so, you should have some idea whether you will enjoy it or not.
In most cases, it is easy to tell who is trying to cheat the system. In the two months I have worked selling games, I have recognised many gamers who have brought games back many MANY times within the time limits. However, now I work for another company who don't have the same policy, and thankfully, I am able to tell them "No, you can not have a refund if you don't like the game," as I said to some kid, who clearly should have been at school at around 11am Friday morning.
Kid: I wanna return this game.
Me: Was there a problem with it at all?
Kid: No, I just didn' like it.
Me: Then you can't have a refund. You can part-exchange it if you like.
Kid: No, I want my money back.
Me: Sorry (I wasn't, but I was being polite), but it isn't one of the company's policies to refund games out of dislike for them.
Kid: Alright, I'll trade it in.
(Now this bit isn't entirely relevant, but it was funny to me anyway:)
Kid: I'll trade this in for this game.
Me: That'll be £14.99 please (can't remember exact amount)
Kid: But I paid £40 for this game, and this game is £35!
Me: But you are trading in something that is second hand, thus, we can not give you full price for a refund.
Kid:
The fact is, if a certain competitor of both the company I work for, and the company I shop from, Special Reserve, carries on with their policy, then figures will be wrong, sales wont be so high, and other businesses are going to lose out on trade. People treat some shops as rental services - with no cost, and so are cheating everyone else. Don't get me wrong, I too have bought games I didn't like, Jurassic Park III: The DNA factor for one, but did I take it back to the shop for a refund? No! I traded it in later that year.
So what do you think? Should we be able to return games because we don't like them? Or should we just accept what we've wasted our money on and trade them for something else instead? Should the 'Fair Play' website be campaigning over issues such as this instead of prices?
I'll give you a clue shall I? One company for whom I worked for has a "No Fuss 10 Day Guarantee" policy which basically enables you to take back any game you have bought from them, and either swap for another game of the same price or get a full refund, no matter what the reason! Another company that does something very similar to that is Blockbuster Video. They allow you to rent games for a low price so you don't have to buy them.
Sure, there's nothing wrong with what Blockbuster are doing - after all, you've been able rent movies from them for many years now! But with the other company and their "No Fuss" policy, people aren't even paying for the pleasure of having their games for those ten days, they're just abusing the system! Don't get me wrong, some people have genuine reasons to bring back a game, "It's faulty" for example. But when they are returning their games because they just plain don't like them, then surely that is being dishonest and plain stupid.
You could say it is the retailers' faults for allowing gamers to get refunds like that, or you might even turn round and say it is no concern to you. After all, you're not the one being dishonest. But think about it like this; retailers aren't going to take back stock that has been used, but the gamers are returning - with no faults, and then just throw the games away are they? No. They're going to put the price sticker back on them and put them back on the shelves as new! After all, they haven't been traded in as second hand. So chances are, if the copy of the game you are purchasing doesn't come sealed in its DVD casing (or box if it is Game Boy), it may have see up to ten days of use from someone else already!
Okay, okay, if the disc looks like it is in good enough condition then there isn't anything to complain about. Unless, ofcourse, you consider that you are being cheated into paying money for a game in which others aren't.
For example, 'Master Truant', aged 12 from Cardiff High School pays £40 for the latest Playstation 2 game from a certain retailer. Whilst his parents are working long hours, Master Truant is not turning up to school and is playing his new game, hoping to complete it within the ten days he has got to return the game. Eight days later, the game is completed and Master Truant takes it back to the shop. He gets a full refund, his cash back, and waits for the next release.
Now do you think that it is fair? Being able to complete a game, take it back, whilst you are in school or work, don't have time to complete the game within the guarantee limit, and so cannot complete it and bring it back?
Sure, you may not like the game you buy, so decide to take it back. However, most gamers can afford a magazine once in a while. If they can afford a £40 game, they can afford a magazine. Magazines give you an indication as to what the game is about and so, you should have some idea whether you will enjoy it or not.
In most cases, it is easy to tell who is trying to cheat the system. In the two months I have worked selling games, I have recognised many gamers who have brought games back many MANY times within the time limits. However, now I work for another company who don't have the same policy, and thankfully, I am able to tell them "No, you can not have a refund if you don't like the game," as I said to some kid, who clearly should have been at school at around 11am Friday morning.
Kid: I wanna return this game.
Me: Was there a problem with it at all?
Kid: No, I just didn' like it.
Me: Then you can't have a refund. You can part-exchange it if you like.
Kid: No, I want my money back.
Me: Sorry (I wasn't, but I was being polite), but it isn't one of the company's policies to refund games out of dislike for them.
Kid: Alright, I'll trade it in.
(Now this bit isn't entirely relevant, but it was funny to me anyway:)
Kid: I'll trade this in for this game.
Me:
Kid: But I paid £40 for this game, and this game is £35!
Me: But you are trading in something that is second hand, thus, we can not give you full price for a refund.
Kid:
The fact is, if a certain competitor of both the company I work for, and the company I shop from, Special Reserve, carries on with their policy, then figures will be wrong, sales wont be so high, and other businesses are going to lose out on trade. People treat some shops as rental services - with no cost, and so are cheating everyone else. Don't get me wrong, I too have bought games I didn't like, Jurassic Park III: The DNA factor for one, but did I take it back to the shop for a refund? No! I traded it in later that year.
So what do you think? Should we be able to return games because we don't like them? Or should we just accept what we've wasted our money on and trade them for something else instead? Should the 'Fair Play' website be campaigning over issues such as this instead of prices?