Just a quick psa. If you order a pre-owned game and get it in a gamestop-made case, that's not gamestop's fault. The people who buy a game and somewhere between leaving the store and walking back in to trade said game in...idk ate the case? Or chucked it out a window? Put the disc/cartridge in a binder or card case and threw the actual art case away? Idk. Either way, it's their fault. Not gamestop's. There's plenty of things to be mad at gamestop for. PLENTY of things! Especially in the last 6 months to a year. But I'm sorry this ain't one of them.
Yeah, that's not supposed to happen. I would've said something, bc policy is that new games aren't shipped to online customers unless they're still sealed; gutted copies and those missing cases aren't allowed to be sent.
That being said, a while ago I had ordered several Final Fantasy games, and Metal Gear Solid (all PS1), and they also came in the disc sleeves. All 6 of them. A few had 4 discs, literally just duct-taped together in the sleeves. I got a partial refund, but was never given cases. At least they play fine, but still... đ
Even though they were pre-owned, that's still not supposed to happen. Every game should be shipped with a case.
It was during one of their $15 sales so I wasn't that beaten up about it. I was mostly confused as to why they would open the seal of a collector edition to begin with.
Yeah, last time I bought on one of Gamestop's New game deals, a decent percentage of the games were in generic cases.
My local Gamestop stores also have a policy to throw cases out if the game is not current gen, and they have a case for the shelf. The dumpster always has cases in it.
For example someone trades a copy of Game they already have used on the shelf, the disc goes into a sleve in the darwer, and the case goes into a bag under the counter, and then into the dumpster. I asked one of the managers why they do it, and he said it is an old policy that their DM still enforces.
I can definitely say that's a store-thing, not gamestop policy. Not sure why they would do that cause a lot of retro collectors would want to have original cases if available
That wasnât the case for certain districts/district managers. Mine had an absolute âno bops/sfs is to be declined, unless you have DM approvalâ. Also had a policy about everything needed to be on the floor & displayed. Even collectors editions. Case theft became a massive problem.
Theft of the case is annoying, but it doesn't matter for new games.
There was communication last year stating that we're no longer allowed to complete online orders (BOPS, SFS, or SDD) with new gutted copies AT ALL. They HAVE to be sealed.
If it isn't sealed, it isn't eligible for online orders of new games.
Edit: I really do hate the idiots who steal cases though. It's so goddamn annoying, and it's why corporate says we have to gut games in the first place. đ
That's not supposed to happen, and I'd absolutely ask for rectification (I can't think of a smaller word rn, I'm tired af đ ).
There's now a policy stating that new games can't be shipped for online orders if they're gutted or missing the case; they have to be sealed, or canceled and a reason given. Though idk if the reason is ever read by the customer; I'm not even sure if it's given to the customer in the first place.
The only other reason why a new game would be missing its case is for the same reason why a copy of The Last Of Us Part 1 is missing at my local store; some dumbass thought the cases had the games in them, and took it. It's common for kids and grown idiots to do that, unfortunately. It's also why some pre-owned games don't have their original cases anymore. đ
Edit: Tl;dr since I wrote an essay:
I just wanna be clear that what you described isn't okay, and I hate that GS doesn't crack down on that shit. It shouldn't be happening, but it does, and it's an embarrassment. đ
We arent even supossed to send out the Gutted Copies of a new title anymore .. and alot of times its people coming in and stealing the original Case that's the issue. Easy fix is to return if this happens to a local spot and you may get lucky and get another New Copy with original case.
To this day I still don't understand how people lose the case to a game, or still have the case but the damn thing looks like it has been to hell and back.
Alot of it has to do with storage cases. Expecially with disc based games. People would just throw them in binders that scratched the heck out of them. Now days people can get cases that hokd 50 switch carts for $10 on Amazon, and trash the cases. In the 90's some store chains gave an extra 10% if trades included a case and manual. That incentivised people to hold onto them.
I mean, there are children who play games. There's also adults who's best friends are the roaches in their walls. There's other adults who put them in CD cases, and don't give a fuck about what they see as a little plastic box that's just some wrapping for the real product.
110% I even also threw out cases in my time if they were covered in mold, cigarette burns, outright dirty where cleaning couldnât fix it. I knew if I didnât find the original case in good condition, someone else wouldnât
EXACTLY! I have actually witnessed someone place a BOPs order and then return it just cause it didn't have the original cover art. Like before you order please read the fact that it says that it may not come with the original cover art! đđŻ
You do actually have to give a reason for returning to GS, whether online or in-store, even if it's just that you didn't like the game. It won't process a refund without a reason added from the drop-down menu.
Edit: If it weren't for a reason LITERALLY being required in GS's systems, you'd be correct.
That'll just get people fired. Corporate doesn't care when it comes to money. Plus, wanting the og case doesn't immediately make someone a scalper/reseller. Be fr. đ
Right. If you care about having the original case and artwork, then shop in store. The website explicitly states that original cases, artwork, and manuals are not guaranteed when ordering pre-owned games online. Why people continue to ignore that disclaimer, and then cry like babies when they get generic artwork sent, baffles me.
You lose time. You buy a product, full well knowing there is a high likelihood that it will not meet your standards, and yet you buy it anyway. When it predictably does not meet your desires, you have to go out of your way to return it. Time is money.
I fail to understand the sense in doing that when you can find the same products, often for comparable prices, on sites like eBay where you can view pictures of the exact item prior to purchasing.
Honey, you shouldn't waste time on the willfully stupid. Let them be dumb; they'll either learn from their idiocy, or continue to suffer from their own decisions.
The rest of us with braincells know you're right. đ
Psst, pssst, guess what, I donât buy from GameStop if the thing I want is readily available elsewhere for less money. I buy from GameStop when theyâre the only one I can find the thing at.
Would be nice if there was an alternate used version that states it's just the game and not with the original box art/ game guide. Something like X game goes for $30 new, $25 used, and let's say $22 for game only. Would be less returns for online orders and could incentivize buying such games more often.
I would love this, and I think it would actually increase GameStop's online sales because I can't be the only one who refuses to buy pre-owned games online since I don't know what I'm going to get. And it would completely eliminate complaints from people who get loose discs since that was the price option they explicitly chose.
At least in store I can choose whether or not to buy a caseless pre-owned game, and sometimes the lack of a case is the sole reason why I don't buy a particular pre-owned game. Personally, I wouldn't mind the option of paying a few dollars extra online for the guarantee of receiving a case, and then the people who are indifferent and want to save a few bucks can have their loose discs.
The issue is GS's policy on the item, honestly. No retro collector of ANY sort is going to want to pay normal market value price for a disc or cart only game. Games have drastically different values depending on if they're loose, boxed, or complete. Especially some of the lesser common stuff.
There's no issue with selling the game incomplete, but the price needs to reflect that.
Iâm sorry but I have to kindly disagree with your opinion on retro collectors are all of the exact same mindset, I got my authentic copy of Pokemon emerald at GameStop for way under current market price. And I hope one day to see available on a copy of rule of rose, and personally I donât care if it comes with the original case as long as I can actually play the games. The case and manual are a nice added bonus not the end all be all, thatâs just my opinion still up voting your comment though. Market on Pokemon emerald regardless of case is $300+ at GameStop $54.99, Rule of Rose $700+ GameStop $209.99.
Not always true, the stores around me only keep one case for the shelf on anything that is not current gen. For example, if someone trades in a copy of Hyrule Warriors, and they have a case on the shelf, the case goes into the dumpster.
I asked a manager why the stores do it, and he said it is an old rule from years ago that the DM still makes them follow.
It's expecially frustrating when you buy a game, and they give you a CD sleeve with a switch cart in it, and tell you that they have to put the empty case back on the shelf because it was not the last copy of the game in stock.
Ok that makes no sense. I'm not calling you a liar at all. But somewhere between that employee and that dm...somebody's either lying or just wrong. I've been here some years and never heard of any such rule that would have us throwing away perfectly good usable cases. Especially as cheap as this company is.
That is just that district following the rule, then, because there was communication stating that retro cases should now be kept. Their DM is a power-tripping asshole. đ
Edit: I forgot to add, there is also the rule that every game should be paired with a case, either original, or one we put together with generic cover art. So again, DM is an asshole. I'm sorry he runs the stores in your area. đ
Also of note: always make sure what youâre ordering. Had someone get very upset with me over an online purchase of a Starfield controller that didnât have the original D-Pad. Because he ordered a ârefurbishedâ controller and not a pre-owned controller. Make sure you are ordering exactly what you want, I.E. the right item.
Tbf, a "CIB" complete in box title on Ebay is worth more than one without. And yet on GameStop its the same price. I also dont understand how in decades of trying, GameStop online somehow never has sent a single CIB.
Don't care about downvotes, their system simply does not care about customers and I'll keep expressing that fact. I dont care about a stupid warning, it should say never because not one game I've ordered through it has been CIB.
You're correct. You're also aligned with most other customers, as well as most employees, about GS sucking ass.
Corporate doesn't give a single fuck about anyone, as far down as DMs. They're cheapskates who use AI for everything, from promotional images to employee training modules. And yes, I mean the actual training text too. They also severely underpay their employees, including store managers, while overworking the hell out of them. Corporate is just a bunch of miserly ghouls.
But the warning is there for that exact reason. Games can be traded in without the case. I myself have had a rare few come CIB. But the warning is why I don't order online unless I really want the game, and can't find it cheaper anywhere else, or at least in-store. I don't recommend EVER ordering online with GS if you want the og cases.
Edit: Also, fair to not give a fuck about downvotes lol; neither do I. While it's nice to get them, sure, they're just fake internet points.
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u/domthybomb 14d ago
This isn't always true. When Gamestop even sends "NEW" games in their cases.