Which online stores still send games/accessories out in boxes?

[Link83]

Hi everyone,
I know this may seem like ait of a daft/odd question, but which online stores still send games/accessories out in boxes?

I used to rely on Gameplay and Amazon for boxed items, but since Gameplay were bought out by GAME, they no longer give you the choice of packaging like they used to. Also Amazon now seems to have alot of accessories/games sent out by their 'Jersey Merchant' - 'IndigoStarFish', who send everything out in jiffy bags.

It just really bugs me when boxed accessories or limited edition games get bashed up due to inadequate packaging

Thanks in advance

[superstarbeejay]

Everything I get from HMV is boxed.

[Roddie]

Obviously no good for PAL stuff, but Play-Asia always give the option of a box.

[Link83]

Everything I get from HMV is boxed.

Really? Last time I ordered a Limited Edition from HMV it was sent in a jiffy bag

and thanks for your message Roddie - I usually use Play-Asia for NTSC releases (Using this sites banners ), but when it comes to PAL stuff I dont know where to buy from. At the moment I am looking to buy PAL Links Crossbow Training with Wii Zapper. I know its abit limited availability wise at the moment, but I dont mind waiting for stock - as long as they send it in a box!

[Link83]

Hope nobody minds if I bring this topic back. I'm hoping some more people could chime in with their recent packaging experiences for boxed items/limited editions from any of the following shops?:-

Game
Play
ShopTo
Choicesuk
BlahDVD
TheHut
Asda
Tesco
Zavvi

...etc?

Thanks in advance

[mmmonkey]

Avoid Play I reckon, recently got EA Active thingy (don't laugh) and it arrived in just a plastic bag, the outer packaging was completely wrecked.

Ages ago I ordered Wii play from game, along with a nunchuck and that arrived in a box.

Pete

[Link83]

Thanks for the reply Hellbelly So far it looks like:-

Good candidates for packaging in a box
HMV
Game

Unlikely to send in a box
Play
Amazon UK when dispatched by 'Indigostarfish'

Anyone else have anymore retailers they can add

[Decider-VT]

Play recently sent Klonoa out to me in an Amazon-style cardboard box/sleeve. I'm not sure if this is now typical of them.

[Alex_976]

I had my 360 SF4 fightpad come in a jiffy bag from Play.

[Strolls]

I got the Collectors' Edition of Fallout 3 from Game on release - the version in the lunch tin with the bobblehead. That was boxed, but I think (I don't recall exactly) the box was pretty thin & unpadded.

Anyway, it arrived with a ding in the lunchbox. It's not very noticeable from the outside, but when you open it and look in the bottom the reflections of the shiny metal make it glaring.

Still, I've just noticed a scratch, on it, too, which is surely my own fault, so perhaps I should just decide not to take it so seriously.

[donpepperoni]

Interesting topic and one that I also get pretty bugged by!

Anyway, from my experience I'd recommend Amazon over all the others (the main Amazon that is not Indigostarfish). Everything arrives in some form of cardboard box/sleeve so you can be 99% sure you're stuff will arrived undamaged. If not them, HMV have always sent my games in boxes and would be my next choice.

As for the others:

Game - if its big and bulky you'll likely get a box, if its a few games you'll get a jiffy bag.

Play - hit and miss this one. I got the Assassin's creed Ltd Ed. with Altair figurine sent in a box, but things like the GTA IV S.E. arrived in a binbag and was bashed to hell :/ Most games seem to come in the thin cardboard mailers now, but I still occasionally get a jiff bag from them. Basically seems like pot luck with Play.

ShopTo - shopsuck for me I'm afraid. Only ever ordered once and that was the Mortal Kombat vs DC Steelbook edition. It arrived in a jiffy bag with half the cellophane torn off, lots of scratches on the case and a big dint to boot. THe jiffy bag wasn't damaged though so I guess they sent it out like that hence I haven't used them since.

Choicesuk - never used them

BlahDVD - used them in the past and its just a normal jiffy bag (same company as DVD.co.uk as well)

TheHut - usually just a jiffy bag or one of those cardboard mailer things. Recently got the House of the Dead Hand Cannon from there and it came in just a large jiffy bag so suffered some minor damage. Same goes for the rest of theHut.com group of shops (Asda/Tesco/Zavvi/Sendit/etc).

[Link83]

Wow, thanks for the replies everyone especially donpepperoni for such a detailed answer
I guess my only real choices are:-

Amazon - only when dispatched by Amazon.co.uk
HMV
GAME/Gameplay (one and the same now)

Its just a shame that many of the things I want to buy from Amazon are now all dispatched by 'indigostarfish'

Strangely I have noticed that when indigostarfish are 'out of stock' for an item it will often become 'in stock' at amazon.co.uk (but only until indigostarfish receive more stock) which suggests to me that amazon.co.uk still has a UK warehouse for all their items, so it seems odd to me that they dont give customers the option to have their order fulfilled by either amazon or indigostarfish.

Its a shame that the few other retailers that do often use boxes - GAME/Gameplay and HMV - are also often the most expensive (Not always the case though)

I guess thats all my main shopping options for now(?) but if anyone else has other experiences they wish to add please feel free

[Strolls]

I guess this is the downside of internet shopping - the goods have to be shipped. Maybe I'll start buying my special editions in Game in the future - at least that way you're in the store, you can inspect the goods & so on. Perhaps retail does have a future after all?