Changes at ebgames.com
 

Not sure if this has been discussed, but has anyone noticed the changes at ebgames?

They've made some changes during the past week or 2. I'm going to email them a few comments, I used to buy from them all the time. But now prices are equal to or even more than other online stores.

1) No more "free shipping on any order"
2) Sales tax is now charged to most states
3) Daily deals have been very weak lately.
4) No more "rebate" using a cash back website service.

So, a game preorder for 49.99 at one point would have costed 44.99 shipped, with about .90 "cashback rebate" making it $44.09. This would include using a 10% off preorders code (which used to come up as a daily deal once in a while), free EB saver shipping, and no sales tax. Now that same game is $55.70 which includes the lowest shipping charge, tax (for me), no special codes, and no cash back rebate! Even if they do offer a code some day it's still a jump in $$.

The one new thing they offer is returns to store and instore pickup.

Do you guys remember when pre-owned games were ALWAYS 20% off and the daily deal maybe once a month was 30% off? Think I'm going to continue to steer clear from them.

Yes, I forgot about that! Thanks for reminding me.

um, isn't this standard business evolution?

store sells for cheap... slowly (or not so slowly) raises prices; bargains are fewer, customer service starts to go, etc.

what's the point of the email? ebgames is just another big business (actually, hq is local to me) that wants to make money. i suggest going elsewhere if you feel that they're not meeting your expectations.

You know you can get a new $49.99 game at Best Buy for $44.99 + tax.. sure it's an extra buck or two from $44.09 but you aren't belittled for not pre-ordering the game and aren't aggressively pressured into buying the strategy guide (since no game is beatable without one!).

What was interesting is it happened all at once at ebgames (like the past week).

Also, I have fun with companies by sending them wacky emails as "feedback". For me it's pure fun while letting them know a few things.

I usually try to avoid best buy whenever possible because of crap I had to deal with when I bought a tv from them last year.

But they do occaisonally have a decent deal on a game I want.

I could have lived with the no more free shipping but cripes sales tax added on all within the same week, crazy stuff, making me think twice about buying those super cheap preowned games.

They couldn't really help the sales tax, I am surprised they got away with not charging it for so long. They have a lot of stores in my state, CA, and most stores have to charge tax if they have a physical presence like that. I think they got away with it by claiming their stores were seperate from online. No sales tax made things nice, but I don't hold it against them that they had to add it.

I really hope they bring free shipping back, that is one thing that seperated them from many other game (not electronic) retailers. They often have some pretty good deals but shipping can easily kill it. I have seen it leave for a few weeks then come back though, so maybe it will be back.

That's technically what they did--EBGames.com and EBGames were two different corporate identities. I don't know if that was legal finagling, or an actual different in incorporation. But it's over now. One benefit--now you can return things bought at EBGames.com to an EBGames B&M. That may or may not outweight the state sales tax [they couldn't help] and shipping charge [which they could.]

Recently I have gotten many more damaged preowned games from them.

Then the change in store policy might be good for you, since you can now take the damaged preowned games to a B&M EB and demand an exchange or refund. Plus, now you can actually visually inspect your preowned games for scratches and damages, as well as making sure you actually get a case AND manual for the game.