Xbox 360 Fanboy

I used to manage a FuncoLand long before any of you kiddies ever got your hands on a videogame controller, and I left because the company is fracking evil and rotten to the core. Defend them if you like- Pride in your job is a good thing- but don't imagine you're working for a company that has decent ethics, because they most certainly do not.

It's not even about the trade-in values, but the resale price. I see USED games in GameStop/EB Games that are priced higher than the current new retail price everywhere else. For example, I can pick up "The Outfit" for $16 new at Meijer, but at the same time GS was asking $24.99 for a used copy of the same game. They don't keep up with price changes in the market and try to take advantage whenever they can.

Oh, and don't get me started on their hardware return policy being the ABSOLUTE WORST in the industry. Buy a game console or accessory (like the HD-DVD drive) at Best Buy, and you can take it back for a REFUND or exchange within 30 (or is 14?) days if you have a receipt or paid with a credit card. At EB Games and GameStop, once a piece of NEW hardware is sold, it's a done deal. All sales are final unless defective, and then it's just an exchange for the same item. You can't take it back, you can't have buyer's remorse, and you can't ever expect to see your money again on a piece of hardware.

Oh... They'll BUY it back for a significant mark-down. But the return policy is basically non-existent.

There's more, but I'll leave you to your happy fantasies about working in a place that sells video games. I did it for a long time for that company and several others, and of all the retailers I've sold videogames for, GameStop (FuncoLand) was the worst.

You can do better. Hell, try Best Buy. At least they pay more and have the best employee discount out there, if you can put up with 6:00 AM meetings where you have to watch puppets and amateur comedians tell you how to deal with customers. (I'm not kidding)

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For the record...from someone who works at GS and has seen the actual coupons you need to get these trade values...

The increased trade values are as such:
Premium Xbox 360 (w/ wireless controller, component A/V cables & HDD) - $250 w/ coupon - $215 without ($190 for system + $25 for HDD)
Core Xbox 360 (w/ wired controller & S-Video A/V cables) - $200 w/ coupon - $160 without
Xbox - $50 w/ coupon - $30 without

The promotion DID NOT start today; the coupons are not valid until April 29th, because in order to get the coupon, you *must* purchase an Xbox 360 Elite. But you don't have to spend the trade credit on the Elite...here's why: You can either present your trade when you purchase your Elite (April 29th thru May 27th, 2007); or you can purchase the Elite, and return before May 27th with your trade, the receipt from your Elite purchase, and the coupon. Obviously at that point, you have already paid for the Elite, so the trade credit is yours to do with as you want.

You cannot combine this with any other offer and the trade has to be in working condition.

Also keep in mind that the article is wrong on (another) point...the $190 is only for the system itself, the hard drive nets another $25, so the total normal trade value is $215, a difference of $35, not $60.

As to the specific accusations about GS pricing policies etc...all accessories, opened or not, can be returned within 7 days for a full refund (this includes the HD-DVD drive which is considered an accessory, not hardware). I for one would be interested to know what Best Buy is doing with all those returned opened systems, and what kind of loss they are taking on them, since the system manufacturers sure as hell won't take them back unless they are defective.

I also disagree with GameStop not keeping up with prices changing. Meijer clearancing The Outfit at $16 does not mean that the publisher list changed on it, nor does it mean that any other store is selling it at that price. Often times at big box or mass retailers, games stay priced at what they came out at until it is time to clearance them. And GameStop wouldn't survive long selling games used for more than the market will bear...obviously they are selling enough copies at $24.99 to make it worth it.

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I really don't understand why some of you are so mad. Is Gamestop/EBgames your only source for videogames and/or to resell used videogame products? Because you know, there is this great thing called eBay.

If you feel like they're ripping you off then don't trade it in, sell it on eBay for 300 with two or three games you don't play anymore, there's bound to be some dufus who will think that's a great deal, probably the same type of person who would sell their old 360 for 250 in store credit.

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Gamestop only pays minimum wage, like $6 USD or so. They can go fuck themselves and rape their mothers.

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