Out with the old, out with the new

[EvilBoris]

What is the returns policy now?

I bought the DS browser and took it back the next day without any problems.
although I did just realise I never cleared the password from it....

[John Beaulieu]

Only used the return policy at Game once - bought Saints Row, it was sealed but when I got it home the disc wasn't on the spindle within the case and the game was scratched to hell (wouldn't boot up it was that bad). Took it back the next day and they initially refused to accept it, saying they don't accept returns in which the disc's are scratched. Needless to say, after some constructive criticism of their sales staff, my money was returned to me (I was just going to swap the game for a new copy, but the manager took the new game out of the drawer (it was sealed like the previous version) and then shook it up and down saying 'this one sounds like its on the spindle, doesn't it' to which i replied i had changed my mind and would like a refund) - then I went home and ordered it from PA for ?21.

Now the thing is this, I am well within my legal rights as a consumer to demand a refund if something I buy isn't:

1.Of satisfactory standard. Items should be free of defects and last a reasonable length of time.
2.Fit for its purpose, meaning that every item must do what the trader claims it does.
3.As described. Suppliers and advertisements must be honest about the nature of their goods. New items must look as such, though second-hand goods cannot be expected to be in perfect condition.

So how can Game legally stop you returning a game if it fails to meet any of those 3 points?

[Ajay1986]

I think the thing with the 10-day policy was it covered a change of mind or not liking the game. So if a product isnt faulty or damaged they dont have to do anything, if they choose to its classed as good will.

[Nisa]

What is the returns policy now?

I bought the DS browser and took it back the next day without any problems.
although I did just realise I never cleared the password from it....

The return policy now only allows you to get a full refund or exchange if the game is either still sealed or if it's legitimately faulty, bringing back games for a refund because you don't like it or it's too easy etc is no longer allowed. Some regions are still using the 10 day return policy I think, I believe most regions in Scotland were the first places to get the shaft with the scrapping of 10 day returns(like poll tax all over again ).

[dvdmike]

Now the thing is this, I am well within my legal rights as a consumer to demand a refund if something I buy isn't:

1.Of satisfactory standard. Items should be free of defects and last a reasonable length of time.
2.Fit for its purpose, meaning that every item must do what the trader claims it does.
3.As described. Suppliers and advertisements must be honest about the nature of their goods. New items must look as such, though second-hand goods cannot be expected to be in perfect condition.

So how can Game legally stop you returning a game if it fails to meet any of those 3 points?

Where does it say there that you bought a crappy game ?
The sales of goods act states if you made a mistake, bought the wrong colour or size you are not intitled to anything.
If you bought a 360 game and it plays in your 360 its fit for purpose and works as stated

[Crimson Day]

we still have the 10 day return policy down in the south west although i dont understand how they will do this as ive never bought a game from GAME that was actually sealed

[Pookmunki]

I think a lot of people get confused between faulty good returns and unwanted goods. Its accepted that media, (ie dvd's, games, cds), are covered by a 28 day return policy if faulty due to its nature (can easily be scratched etc). Hardware and the like is 12 months, with the customer having to show proof that the product was bought faulty if returned after the first 6 months and the store having to prove it wasn't bought as faulty in the first six months. Put simply if something doesnt work when you buy it, your rights as a consumer state you can get a replacement, either from the manufacturer or the POS.

If something is unwanted, its the store's discretion whether or not to accept it as a return. For example, the store i work at has a 7 day return policy, out of courtesy, that enables the customer to swap a game for another one if not liked. If you don't like the second game its tough, you should've read a review or something. The amount of people who shout at us for not returning goods as they are not wanted, yet bought two months or so previously is shocking. They DID want it for those 2 months mind, more than enough time to make up your mind, If you dont like it, you can trade it. I had a bloke in today screaming from the rafters because i wouldn't return his 'new' game (scratched to **** i might add) i explained possible causes like him moving his 360 when powered on or whatever and that all our copies of such game were sealed, as we had loads. He did'nt even buy the game from us, it was GAME, yet as a consumer (from a different store) he expected us to swap it for him.

When i used to work for Forbidden Planet, we had a christmas gift leniancy for the week after xmas and that was it. You could only return stuff if it was faulty or duplicate and brought both copies in to show us, a much better system IMO. People think its their right to abuse returns policies and treat game shops as rental spaces.

Im all for returns policies, everyone makes mistakes, but some people take the piss, which ruins it for everyone (see first post )

[Lebowski]

The problem game has now is that they have just taken away the only reason to buy from them, with the removal of the ten day returns policy they might as well just hand over all there sales to cheaper online stores and supermarkets.

[Pezley]

For different reasons, I had an intention to return the pair of them for a full refund.

Havent read this whole thread so may of missed something. But that quote right there sums it all up for me.

working in GAME is a royal **** when people want to return something because they have the inability to read about something before they buy it.Not a bitch at you Hank as you said, you have different reasons, but you wouldnt believe how many people return games.If someone returns a game to us and the disc is scratched, we refuse it but alot of the times the games come from the drawer with the guts so we cant say for %100 certain that it wasnt scratched before we sold it ( as bad as that sounds ) so we honor the refund to this pikey who has played it for the weekend with his mates and now needs more crack money.This game will get sent back to the publishers but CHARGED BACK TO GAME. they pay for you to play a game, how nice of them is that ?

The intentions of the company are to get cheaper prices. would you rather have cheaper prices or the ability to return something ? in which case if its the return then you know full well most games you would buy elsewhere where its cheaper, so the whole thing means nothing to game if you are only going to buy a game from them on a chance it might be good but with more chance it will get returned.

Ther cheaper pricing has started, pro evo for ?40 on 360, fifa o7 at the weekend was ?22.99 on ps2, it wont happen straight away but over time prices will fall.

end of is that game cant compete with supermarket prices because they pay more for the games then tesco do, they buy more quantities but publishers wont drop the prices and give as good deals because of how much is returned.

bit of a mess all round really.

[fallenangle]

What I've always wanted to know is what are the wholesale cost of games? What do GAME or other retailers actually pay for the titles they're trying to sell us at new for, usually, between ?32.99 - ?49.99 depending on platform?

I would guess unit costs depended on quantity ordered but there must be some base wholesale price for PS2/XBox/XB360/GC games. When some online retailers can offer limited numbers of very recent games as low as ?17.99 within a few weeks of release it suggests to me the effective wholesale cost for a PS2 game must be around ?20. Is this guess correct?

[Pezley]

Markup on most products ( besides food and for some reason perfume/jewlerry ) is usually around %50

but electronics for some reason vary wildly as far as markup goes.
I know when i used to work in an Indie we had to pay ?24 for PS1 titles and were expected to sell them for ?29.99 to compete with game.obviously that was years ago and minimal quantities.But that aside, markup isnt all that great on games and when you see a company doing a title for 17.99 with a rrp of 29.99 on release its because they talked directly to the supplier and got a good deal if they bought so many

[Lebowski]

Edge did a break down a few years back of who got what, retailers take the largest chunk on a ?40 ps2 game i think it was round about ?15 profit per game.

its also worth pointing out that game make the majority of its profit off of preowned games as these have a much higher return than new games.

[Geoff D]

I know when i used to work in an Indie we had to pay ?24 for PS1 titles and were expected to sell them for ?29.99

It's not too different now - game margins are horrific & it's only the companies with real buying power (such as Play.com) that can offer substantial discounts.

[JohnMcL7]

I did take advantage of Game's return policy quite a few times, probably 15-20 times over the last few years. I never bought a game with the intention of taking it back but there were quite a few times I picked up a game and I didn't feel it was worth the money. However, on the whole I bought so many more games because of this - although I could get the games cheaper online I often found myself wandering through town and would see a game which interested me and pick it up knowing I could take it back if I wasn't happy with it.

I am sorry to see it go but not at all surprised, staff were always fine taking back games so I can see how the system could be massively abused.

John

[fallenangle]

^^So you're saying that typical (PS2) wholesale cost is probably closer to ?25 than ?20. That does surprise me but does explain why GAME etc initially price above the typical online new start price: ?29.99.

But it also suggests how much GAME must rely on their used game sales. From bitter experience of their miserable trade in offers this must give them a minimum 50% more return than a new game sale.