So I'm "banned" from EB
 

Today in the mail I received a $10 gift card for Electronics Boutique(I have no idea what I did to receive it.) Anyway, I went there with the intent to pick up Top Spin for Xbox. After looking for a few minutes I ended up finding it and checked out. They tried to push a used copy on me for a whopping 2 dollars less but being obsessive about the condition of my games I wanted a new one. It was the last one so I got the display copy. After getting home I opened the box and looked at the disc, it was covered with fingerprints, dust and scratches. Clearly not new.
So I go back to EB to exchange it. I told them that they must have given me the used one by accident. They let me look at the used one and it was in worse condition that the "new" one. So I tell them that I want my money back. They proceed to tell me as long as the game works they cannot refund me. So I tell them that I paid for a new game and I deserved to have a new disc, not a scratched up one. We argued back and forth for a while and I finally convinced them to let me have store credit. I asked for a copy of Counter Strike, a sealed one. The guy tossed the game at me and said something along the lines of "Here, take it, get out and don't come back ever again." Looks like I can add EB to my list of places I am banned for life. Anyone else have any bad experiences at stores?

I wouldn't call that banned from EB. Just annoyed a worker. And what a weak way to get "banned". I would have went out in style.

This is why I don't shop at EB - they open nearly all their games for "security" reasons and often employees take the games home and play them after hours... their "new" games are clearly used. As far as I'm concerned, if the box is opened, it's used.

:up: Amen to that!

This is why I rarely buy new games from them, especially if it is still widely available. That was just ridiculous. All you were asking for was an exchange or a refund for a crappy disc that was totally not customer friendly.

well, all game stores have to open a game to display the box on the floor.....now, scratches in new games etc is not acceptable.

They looking for WMDs in there?

I also love that their "new" games are always the most expensive and their selection isn't that much better than Best Buy. The only thing that they have going for them is that they get games first. Too bad I'm not 9-years-old anymore and this doesn't matter at all.

I never buy a shelf copy. I'll even pay extra money elsewhere just so I won't have to deal with your situation. Also, if it isn't the last copy, make sure it wasn't gutted. It's hard to tell sometimes, but better safe then sorry.

You should have spoken to the manager about the attitude of the employee. He's there to provide good customer service. If it was the manager, speak to the district manager.

These are reasons I don't shop at EB.

As far as removing games to display the box, other stores have empty display boxes that never had a game in them, for example TRU. More stores should start requesting display boxes from the distributor/manufacturer or whoever provides them.

i would go vith gideon68 speak with the manager. i am sure he can del with the problem for you, after all any good manager wants customers i would think

Their position on this is that it's cheaper to have the employees open the game cases, remove the discs and display the cases than it would be to just set up better security in the store. They all started this a few years back (Gamestop, EB, etc...) to cut down on theft in order to keep prices down. Well, the prices are still the highest of pretty much any other store that sells games. They're usually in a mall and have a small store with limited amounts of shelf and storage space, so getting extra display cases and then keeping the retail copies in the back or something isn't something they have the space for - besides, if they did that the employees wouldn't get to take the games home with them at night to play with and get taco-bell grease on.

I have only bought the display copy once or twice and I always look at it before I buy it. I have refused to buy them a few times when they were not perfect. I would talk to the manager about it and complain.

Isn't it ironic that game specialty stores are the worst place to actually buy games?

I don't buy games at these places because you have to have the guy "fetch" your game. You can't just get it off the shelf and pay for it. Don't treat your customers like thieves, you might get more business.

not all EBs do that... and that's why i don't believe them. there are 3 ebgames in my local mall and 1 always opens the games, and the other 2, only a display copy.

i don't like it either.

if it is indeed the last copy, and i have to have it then, i will examine the cd/manual before i buy.

i, too, have had experiences where they tried to give me a beat up cd as "NEW." i usually just went to the other eb store and got an unopened one.

Game stores are for idiots. 90% of the people that work there are morons, their prices suck, and half of their new games have been opened in my experience.

I don't see why anyone even bothers with these stores. You can find the same games much cheaper either at stores like Best Buy or online, and just stepping foot in one of these geek havens drops your I.Q.

Jesus,how big is that mall to have 3 EB's in it?

My local EB is actually very good. I've spoken to the manager many times, and he's hooked me up with some freebies b/c I'm a returning customer. The guys that work there aren't idiots, AFAIK, but they do have to spend all day in cramped store listening to junior high and elementary school kids tell them how good they are at game X, and that could make anyone testy.

Anyway, there's no excuse for what happened to Leechboy. I'm just putting a plug in for the guys at EB in Oak Park Mall.

PS. I hardly ever buy a new game, so I haven't run into this problem. I buy used and ask to see the disc before I pay for it. They have always obliged me.

I just bought Thief Deadly Shadows from EB and the box was torn, and in bad shape. Too bad I didn't notice until I got home.

LOL, it's huge! :D

king of prussia mall. one is EBX, another EbGames, and the 3rd used to be an EBKids, but it has been converted to an EBGames.

the eb stores I've been to have been very nice actually. They never open the games (except for the last copy on display). For display copies, they always let me see the condition of the disc before buying it. They let me see the condition of the disc for used games too. But I agree that if a store opened a game case & then tried to sell it to me as "new", I would never buy it. Ever.

I like game specialty stores because they often carry lesser-known games that Best Buy/Circuit City do not usually carry. Such as imports like Mister Mosquito and such. They have a wider selection of games. They also have a wider selection of gaming peripherals than non-specialty game stores.

Sounds to me like the Midwest has nice EB Games stores and everyone else seems to not. The EB Games stores I go to either have the games in the back or in a large display behind them. There are no opened new games other than the display copy on the floor.

If the display copy is the only copy left I generally just don't take it. They say it's in perfect shape, but if I decide to bring the game back I will only be able to do it for trade-in instead of having a wrapped game that I can bring back for full credit should I feel I don't want to own the game.

I like EB Games and I've been a customer of theirs for a long time (probably 15+ years now). I do shop at other places for games, but I always find that EB Games gets games first and they don't overcharge on the regular price. There was a time years ago that some of them in malls did around here, but they stopped that practice pretty quickly. Now there's a lot of standalone EB Games around here that aren't in malls and I find them a better atmosphere than the mall ones...they also tend to be bigger, yet less people are in the store at a time.

Anyway, I guess I don't get why EB Games outside of this area seem to open up all games and sell them as new. Luckily I haven't had that problem yet, but if they ever went that way I would probably swear them off as well.

Mister Mosquito is not an import.

If you have a Fry's in your area, they are excellent about stocking lesser-known titles. They also have many more gaming accessories and gadgets than any game specialty store I've been to. On top of that, you're no harassed to pre-order something, aren't harassed to buy the guide, etc.

I worked for a used CD store for five years and we even pulled discs for theft reasons. People would take just the disc and leave the case so it was kinda embarassin' to have a customer come up and say "look's like you've been had" when they wanted to purchase the CD. I understand pulling the games, but I agree that it is no longer "new". Employees take games home, customers want to demo and they aren't taken care of. Mark em down.

My local EB guys are super cool. I can check the condition of the game before I buy it and they even let me swap for a non-stickered case (that matches the purchase-not a blank DVD box). With trade-ins, pre-order deals (got a nice Zelda shirt for Four Swords), discount card, and prompt new arrivals I'm glad EB is around. I bought Breakdown for 19.99 at Target, returned it at EB unopened for 49.99 and picked up Ninja Gaiden. It sucked and I traded it for 28.00. Thanks EB.

I never buy a shelf copy unless it's RARE & Hard to find item but my local EB is AWSOME.

I was just thinking the same thing. I can't remember the last time I've purchased anything at EB or any other game specialty store. Lately I find myself checking them out to see what NES or SNES games they may have and that's it.