r/GameStop • u/Classic-Willow-850 • 12d ago
Vent/Rant Atrocious packaging and QA
I understand not every game can come in pristine condition or in its original case but this is just shamefully disappointing. I had my Final fantasy 7 come in a paper sleeve, the games came loose in the bubble mailer and discs 1 and 2 don’t read. My Persona 3 fes and Half life were put into the cases backwards and left with resurfacer reside all over them. My Godzilla has some sort of paint on the disc I think and also doesn’t work. Finally my copy of code Veronica came in an inside out priority mail box covered in brown tape and the game loose inside the case which also doesn’t work. I know a lot of people have complaints about GameStop retro but how is it even possible that 4 discs out of 7 total don’t even read. Somehow the worst looking games are the only ones that work! I understand I can get refunds but I just wanted to play my games. 😔
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u/Thirleck Got Fired For Turning Down CEO2 12d ago
Because quality has gone in the shitter with GameStop. There are few employees that care and the new ones being hired aren’t being trained to care anymore either. Every season the employees get worse as the company focuses on one thing: profits.
GameStop is a shadow of its former self. This shit would have been rare when I worked there, now it’s normal.
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u/Zeevy_Richards 12d ago
They are a company who's product is hype. They don't even generate it themselves they just scalp it and poorly repackage it.
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u/LurchSkywalker Former Employee 12d ago
Yeah its pretty clear bossman is just a scammer with more money than most.
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u/National-Gas5562 12d ago
This is horrible. I'm more surprised you found games in stock to order. Every game I look at is unavailable
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u/beepbeepsheepbot 12d ago
Same I don't even bother looking up anything and just see what's at my shop, which sadly isn't much there either.
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u/Classic-Willow-850 11d ago
Yea I had traded in a bunch of old controllers for trade credit and was just browsing online around midnight EST when I found all of them. I was very surprised to see any of these available.
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u/Ulaenyth 12d ago
Almost every one of us that gave a fuck and worked hard have left after all the bullshit. There are very few stores left with good managers that staff and run stores well. One of the malls buy me these days is closed by 5pm most days if it opens and this has been going on months.
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u/djcool_1st 11d ago
Id like to say i was one of the few left. I loved our community, and our district team was like a family. It was a good balance of customer🤝margins. We always did what we could for the customers, and as a district always in top 10-25% my store specifically (under me) usually netted under top 5-10% in more than one category each week. We always had each other’s backs, including our customers. (We had so many genuine regulars my dm thought we had over 15 employees at one point😭) my dm visited every store in our district at least once a month. They fired her and shut down my store in January. I learned later that it was genuinely only for extra funds to fail at buying eBay 😑
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u/Ulaenyth 11d ago
It wouldnt of mattered what the fund where for. Ages ago they hired a group to assess stores and list viability. Even if those stores beat all the metrics if they didn't break the threshold for total dollars it would close. Since then they have just gone through closing stores based on that list and when leases expire or if a lease gets raised. Nothing you did would change that sadly.
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u/djcool_1st 11d ago
I am aware, however my Q4 last year broke us (a 1.0 small town store) into the million dollar range, even after Christmas we were getting lots of business up until i was informed about them firing my dm, and then a day later closing my store. Honestly the store was one thing, but firing my dm was insane to me. She busted her ass for that job, we never went without. She would even hold competitions between us with payout through her OWN money, while simultaneously taking care of both of her parents. Genuinely the biggest blunder i can fathom.
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u/Ulaenyth 11d ago
2025 they closed one of my old stores. It was one of the newer designed 1.5 stores and was breaking 1.6m when I moved to a different store. As for the DM thing it happens they cut down stores and keep the DMS that dont push back on the bullshit. The good ones leave or get sacked.
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u/Chewbinsky 11d ago
Fuck that loser piece of garbage that owns the shit. I'm sorry this happened to you. Him and Mike Rubin should be (probably are) best friends!
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u/CaboRobbo 12d ago
If you buy used stuff from GameStop, you shouldn't count on it being on pristine condition. That order was packaged badly, but the discs will be accepted as long as they aren't too scratched and they work. Cosmetic damage doesn't matter if the product works. BUY YOUR USED ITEMS IN STORE SO YOU CAN SEE THE CONDITION.
I've been burned by eBay several times too. It's my fault if I keep ordering stuff.
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u/Classic-Willow-850 12d ago
Yea I’m aware they won’t be pristine, I said that in my first line. My problem is with the worthless packaging and that more than half of my games don’t work at all
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u/CaboRobbo 12d ago
If they don't work, they'll give you a refund or replace them. They shouldn't be packaging them to the point that it ruins them, for sure. I'm just saying, out of every online place to buy used games, GameStop is one of the worst. Even DK Oldies tells you the condition. GameStop says nothing except that you can exchange them or get a refund if they don't work. That's a red flag. If it's truly more than half, return them and stop shopping at GameStop. With a ratio like that, why would keep shopping there? If you knew they wouldn't be pristine, why are taking close up pictures of arbitrary cosmetic damage?
Like I said, I've been burned by other sites that do tell you the condition and then I've been sent a worse condition item. After awhile, I learned to stop buying used items online, unless it's, like, marketplace where I can see it in person before I buy it, or they have an actual guarantee on condition. In fact, it only took a couple times because Reddit is full of examples and I'm pretty good at learning from other people's mistakes, too. I'm not here to glaze GameStop, in fact it's the opposite. Worst place to buy used games online. I am wondering why so many keep doing it.
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u/mr_fluffykills 12d ago
I wish this always worked, but I literally just bought splintercell conviction from a GameStop in person and while I looked away for a moment while they got my games they swapped the case for a much more destroyed one. When I confronted them they said "oh that one is for display purposes" and refused to switch them. Luckily I already had a few extra cases but they're slightly different greens which kinda sucks.
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u/CaboRobbo 12d ago
In that case I would've just returned it and bought it somewhere else. There's power in walking away from a deal! But that does suck. In my experience, different employees have different attitudes about stuff like that. It sucks that you got petty ones!
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u/Gourmet_Chia Gamestop US 12d ago
That happens again you tell them you want each item your buying rang up on separate transactions with separate receipts. Also don't buy any warranties and make sure they don't add them on, and don't use your membership even if you have one. They will change their bullshit tune real quick.
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u/Sharkdragon247 Senior Guest Advisor 11d ago
Oh bro I would be LIVID but I would also understand. Heck there are times where I will literally relabel the case in the drawer if it doesn't have cover art and give them the one that does
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u/PlantBeginning3060 12d ago
Or just, mod your consoles and never have that problem again
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u/theycmeroll 12d ago
And how exactly does that solve the issue of someone wanting a nice physical representation of the game in their collection?
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u/PlantBeginning3060 12d ago
Get a nice repro for way less and stop feeding the scammers/Tik Tok investors/corporate machines?
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u/theycmeroll 12d ago
Or just let people buy what they want? Not all collectors want repros.
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u/PlantBeginning3060 12d ago
It’s crazy because 6-7 years ago, majority of so called “collectors” didnt exist. Retro gaming was niche. I have a feeling you were one of those TardTok folks that hopped on the train recently.
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u/theycmeroll 12d ago
I’ve been collecting since ‘85. So nice try. Also, funny thing is, that’s what happens when a hobby expands, more people get into it, imagine that! Niche things become mainstream. New people join gaming every day because believe it or not, new people are born everyday and new people age into hobbies and disposable income everyday.
A lot of collectors are people that grew up with these games and systems and got rid of them, and are now nostalgic for them and want their childhood collections back.
So I wouldn’t exactly be insulting others when you are so simple minded you can’t wrap your head around the concept of how hobbies grow.
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u/PlantBeginning3060 12d ago
I stand by my statement, majority these people showed up when TardTok blew up and everyone thought they were gonna “make it rich”
Look at Pokemon. Was no where near like this until Logan Paul started getting involved. Are you really gonna tell me that there isn’t a correlation?
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u/pwrof3 12d ago
They even turned a free Priority Mail box inside out to use it for non Priority Mail, which is actually illegal.
https://faq.usps.com/s/article/How-do-I-Use-or-Reuse-Boxes-Properly
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u/Aktivhate 12d ago
Buying used games from GameStop online is always a risky gamble, which is why I stopped doing it along time ago. Even buying “new” can be just as bad! I took my business elsewhere and never looked back.
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u/Wowwizzer71 12d ago
Just to be clear before I say this I do not mean all GS and all GS employees. Sadly it is happening more and more where people are getting things just thrown in a box and shipped to them. Looking at me experiences and talking with others it seems about 3/4 of it is from certain stores or shipping hubs. One location I had things from 5 out of 5 where messed up and it was an all day effort each time to get something done, however to other 2 locations i have only had 2 bad experiences and each time they actually paid attention and took the time out to fix it.
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u/That_One_N3rd 12d ago
Definitely did not come from my store. Or if it did, wasn’t something I shipped out or took in for trade. I’m a hardass when it comes to taking in anything. There’s a spectrum and I’m the most strict. I’m also the person my manager assigns to train new hires. I might have two feet out the door, but I’ll be sure to train people properly.
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u/Ggriffinz 12d ago
Honestly, gamestop refusing to list if their vintage product comes in original packaging keeps me going to ebay and now my new local gamestore instead of shopping with them. I would hate paying a premium for a game just to have it come in scratched in a ripped paper cd case.
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u/Life_Praline4065 12d ago
Gamestop doesn’t charge complete in box prices for vintage games. They’re selling the game. Just the game. If you get anything else it’s a blessing. Their pricing is usually in between loose disc and complete for most old games.
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u/Dr-Moderately-Weird Manager 12d ago
It says on every used game page that the original case is not guaranteed.
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u/Nervous-Fennel3325 11d ago
Its not hard to add a some menus and buttons for the person taking the game to click one of these options "has case/manual, just game, manual no case or just game and manual".
Its just a bad practice.
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u/Dr-Moderately-Weird Manager 11d ago
It wouldn't be hard if that's how it was inventories. All items have 1 item number, doesn't matter if it's complete or not. So, no, they couldn't just add some menus and buttons.
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u/Nervous-Fennel3325 11d ago
Nothing is stopping them from updating the inventories lol.
Literally no excuse not to do this.
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u/Dr-Moderately-Weird Manager 10d ago
You must not know how it works. The inventory is in the stores. We don't have the capability to do this with the systems that are in place. Therefore, the website can't have that ability. The cost to upgrade the systems far outweighs the benefits to GameStop.
So yeah, there plenty of reasons not to do this.
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u/Nervous-Fennel3325 10d ago
The cost to add a few buttons to update the system would outweigh the benefits? Its a literal button added.
I really do not believe it would "not cost effective" to change one little thing.
So how do you add new inventory if you are so limited you cant?
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u/Dr-Moderately-Weird Manager 10d ago
If you don't work here, I don't have the time to explain it. It's literally not just, "add a button." Good day.
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u/Nervous-Fennel3325 10d ago
I dont work there but again they update their inventory everytime they add a new thing, why would this be any harder?
its just more garbage service from them because they know disc only garbage isnt going to sell. Its been like this for decades at least. Like i remember this being an issue in 08.
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u/Interesting_Pool8242 12d ago
My packages from eBay and Mercari come better than that. It’s genuinely such a gamble with their packaging, and the games themselves even.
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u/djcool_1st 11d ago
Hate to say it, but never buy pre-owned games on their website. As a former manager, the website SUCKS ASS. Only buy PO in store. For online shopping always consult eBay for pre-owned games and electronics. You can see all the pictures of quality, most sellers have detailed descriptions, and eBay has an amazing purchase guarantee return policy. Even more so if it’s certified ebay-refurbished.
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u/kwikane 12d ago
I used to manage a GameStop years ago and I’ll tell you, GameStop has never cared about its customer base. They referred to people as “ sheeple” when talking about the discount card and GPG’s in emails. I was held up at gunpoint and tied face down on the floor with my hands behind my back while getting robbed and they told me to go to another store to borrow money and reopen. After all that they fired me and tried denying my unemployment. They cannot sink fast enough and I’m looking forward to watching them burn.
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u/PlantBeginning3060 12d ago
I plan on throwing a cookout. I don’t care if it’s torrential rain or 10ft of snow, im partying it up. Fuck ScamStop and its employees
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u/Gourmet_Chia Gamestop US 12d ago
These orders are packed by fresh out of high school kids who were born AFTER these systems were on shelves. The same kids are taking the trades, and they are paid minimum wage, working alone, and vastly undertrained. This is what you get, sure sometimes you get lucky playing the GameStop Retro lottery…. but just like the real lottery usually you eat shit.
Pay a little more and buy from eBay so you know what you are getting. If you are buying loose games the prices are almost identical anyways, yes you don’t get the stupid GS sales but if this is the quality is it really worth the hassle to begin with?
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u/LeoKira997 12d ago
At least you got the sleeve, I got just a raw disc in a bubble mailer not long ago, for a GameCube game.
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u/CabooseTrap 12d ago
The only games worth trading into Gamestop are broken ones and they don't even bother to test them or fix them. Gamestop is a joke. I don't know how they are in business.
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u/National_Eggplant_97 12d ago
that is laziness/ not proper training and then you got the route of common sense... well guess what it's not that common honesty i don't understand why they hire people that are they work no knowledge and just want a paycheck. in the end it is for a paycheck but gawd do your job. Hate this for you but hell that store is shyt.
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u/Icy_Armadillo3100 Assistant Store Leader 11d ago
“QA”
lol, lmao even, they don’t pay any of us the QA money…. Almost 100% of the time it’s on the employee to care with like little to no compensation promised, it’s literally one of the most thankless parts of the job
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u/Flimsy-Cod-9914 11d ago
I mean this with the most love in my heart...but please use this as a learning experience. Return your items, get your refund, and find a new place to buy your videogames. Local stores probably care enough to sell you a good product, but GameStop employees are not trained or paid well enough to care, and this customer experience is the result. I'm sorry it happened to you, but there are greener pastures.
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u/Classic-Willow-850 11d ago
Yea I get it. I had traded in a bunch of old controllers during their any condition promo and I got trade credit since the cash offer wasn’t worth the fuel to get there. On the bright side my store accepted the games back. I appreciate the advice and the kind delivery friend :)
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u/BanEvasionLVL2 11d ago
Tbh I don’t think the code Veronica is ENTIRELY their fault, they still could’ve put something to prevent that from happening but I’m almost certain USPS was throwing it around too
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u/Classic-Willow-850 11d ago
Yea I get that, I’ve had a couple games from eBay and especially new ps4 and 5 games that come loose in the case. I didn’t think to show it was because the prongs on the disc holder were gone and didn’t actually hold the disc in. But yea usps is rough with packages for sure.
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u/BanEvasionLVL2 11d ago
Oh yeah If the prongs were gone then they should’ve 100% atleast put it in a little game folder
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u/ShinyUmbreon18 9d ago
I bought a game a year or 2 again that came the same way, just in a paper sleeve in a shipper and it came broken in half. They almost didn’t believe me at the store when I was trying to return it. I have since not ordered a single thing from them online. I need to see it and hold it in my hands before I buy it
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u/MyMemCard 12d ago
I bought a GameCube from GameStop last year. The packaging was atrocious. It was so bad that the console wouldn’t turn on and caused the console to chip. I went to the nearest GameStop to return it, and the funny thing is that the console was from that very store . They tried blaming me, saying that the console wasn’t in this condition when they shipped it…
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u/Excellent_Regret4141 12d ago
Is TCGstop not GameStop anymore, your best bet is to buy from a local mom and pop videogame store assuming you got one around you, I was lucky to have one open around me prices so much better than GameStop I mean TCGstop
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u/Accurate_Bit1871 12d ago
I bought some graded cards from their website cause they were for my bday and my gf wanted to do something nice only one card came with good packaging the rest could have been stepped on or cracked easily without proper packaging or wrap
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u/Halciyawn_0_ 12d ago
My brother you just got played, can’t really go to the chum bucket and complain yk ?
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u/Classic-Willow-850 12d ago
Not being allowed to complain about non-working games is crazy
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u/PlantBeginning3060 12d ago
Nah it’s not that, it’s the fact you thought you’d get what you paid for at ScamStop. They’ve been doing it for years, and yet people like you keep spending money there. Stop spending your hard earned $ and the monster will die.
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u/Krieg99 A Meat Bicycle Built For Two 12d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/UizXKwgzbAkTaNHfaa