Gamestop PC Games Non Return Policy

Azza

Was in Gamestop today picking up a pc game. They asked there usually you got the right specifications to play the game which I said I did. Then said okay its just we can't return pc games.

Now I thought I had legal right to return a game but according to the guy behind the counter PC games where an exception that pc games (software) where not included in the same way that consoles game or DVD's. All he said as long as he asked weather I had the correct specs to play the game he had no obligation to take a pc game back. Now I reckon thats aload of crap.

I appreciate pc games are easiar to copy and serial cd-keys can be used...but not all games use cd keys I believe Civ 4 is an example.

Can anyone clarify what the situation is?

VeVeX

Unless its faulty, or you are mis-led in someway, they have no obligation to take it back. 'I dont like it' or 'I changed my mind' are not valid reasons for returns.

BLITZ_Molloy

It's the same reason they can't sell PC games 2nd hand. CD Keys. How do you haven't burnt a copy and used the CD key?

Dont be at yourself

Basically, a PC game not working with your PC due to it not meeting minimum requirements does not mean it's a faulty game. If the game is *actually* faulty, you can of course return it.

Judt

The way they put it to you may seem absolute, but of course the usual rules apply as per your consumer rights. However it's fair of them to not accept returns and refunds/exchanges because you don't like the game, as how many people do you know who bought a game, copied it and then returned it?

GAME have the same policy, and I'd say anyone else selling PC Games would/will.

corblimey

Judt wrote:

However it's fair of them to not accept returns and refunds/exchanges because you don't like the game, as how many people do you know who bought a game, copied it and then returned it?

But why would you copy a game you don't like? Oh, wait...

ArphaRima

I had to buy Star Wars Galaxies 4 times before I found a working copy. People had stolen the cd-keys for the first three copies.
Dont know why I bothered. Terrible game.

I have however found games that sucked for no reason other than poor design. I believe Warrior Kings was one. Got great reviews, despite being buggy, and I patched it completely and it still ran terribly. In fact the first copy wouldnt install. I think it had that Starforce copy protection sh!te. Luckily despite returning it twice I did get a full refund.
I would have brought them to the small claims court had they not. Im pretty sure I would have won as I had far higher than the min specs.

I think you have a case of store policy versus the sale of goods and supply of services act. Push them. (the manager) They'll give in.

Gummy Panda

fluffer wrote:

I think you have a case of store policy versus the sale of goods and supply of services act. Push them. (the manager) They'll give in.

Retailers aren't afraid of the small claims court anymore.

Everyone claims to be a legal expert and that they're going to sue and win. A big company like Gamestop with irish roots would surely check their policies against consumer law. From my experience, alot of companies who started with irish roots, contact the office of consumer affairs with the policies they are proposing and they tell them whether there would be confict with consumer law.

I say companies with Irish roots, as i've noticed that companies like Next and GAME did kinda stick to British labour and consumer law.

Not saying you didn't have a case since you're higher then min spec. But i don't like the idea of people going into stores shouting consumer rights and small claims court cause they're not getting their way. they forget their is consumer responiblity aswell.

ArphaRima

But i don't like the idea of people going into stores shouting consumer rights and small claims court cause they're not getting their way. they forget their is consumer responiblity aswell.

I get the feeling you work in a retail store. I have before. I know what you are talking about. People who have no case but just make the most noise and the manager gives in to stop the middle-aged witch screaming. :mad:

But if it did apply to my case, and I was not in fact gettng a refund for a game I spent 60 euro on, that did not work on my 2,500 euro machine, what should I do but do that?
Besides the small claims court is not the only resort. It may just need to be brought to a higher court. I would be willing to do that if it was feasible. I HATE being ripped off.

Gummy Panda

no, you would be right if the product is faulty to go to the small claims if no resolve from the company.

I'm just don't like people reading into one case and thinking "Hey, if i say i'll go to the small claims court maybe they'll give me a refund on this game i don't like and that i have badly scratched".

degrassinoel

i ran into the same problem last year with game and actually got shouted at by a game manager for stating my rights as a consumer. yes, i was being obnoxious and yes i did remain calm, but i kept repeating my rights under european law... the girl got freaked out and shouted at me, my brother was there as witness to it. So.. off i went home and mailed Game in the uk about the problem, about being shouted at and also cc'd the office of the director of consumer affairs ireland about the whole debacle. needless to say i recieved a mail about a day later saying i should return the game for a full refund or swap.
I took the money from the same manager that shouted me down hah, revenge is sweet when its done right.

But, if i hadnt been shouted at they would never have agreed to any kind of settlement. It is apparently fully legal for them to bend your consumer rights to this degree.

You have got certain options, ie: say its a faulty disk... they replace it another copy of the same game/program
or, Small claims court. costs 9 quid to enter your case and the judge will probably award you your money back anyway if your case is good enough.


Funny though, its just as easy to copy PS2 games as it is to burn a pc cdrom
Dunno why they havent brought in the same policy for PS2 games and DVD's etc..

Guy:Incognito

degrassinoel wrote:

Funny though, its just as easy to copy PS2 games as it is to burn a pc cdrom
Dunno why they havent brought in the same policy for PS2 games and DVD's etc..

It's not the disc itself. The contents of the disc can be gotten on numerous websites. The cdkey is whats important, and since console games don't have cdkeys, theres no need to refuse returns, especially since they have a thriving 2nd hand games market.

On a different note can we have a sticky on every forum entitled "you have no rights to return something you bought because you don't want/need/like it"

monument

Gummy Panda wrote:

A big company like Gamestop with irish roots would surely check their policies against consumer law.

You’d think that wouldn’t you. Then again, knowing it and ignoring it is another thing.

Stekelly wrote:

On a different note can we have a sticky on every forum entitled "you have no rights to return something you bought because you don't want/need/like it"

From my experience with game sellers, (personal and reading about others,) any consumer’s rights type sticky would rip into “store policy” more then it would rip into delusion consumers.

yoyo

What happens if someones pc meets the requirements but the copy protection system isnt compatable. I lost a CD Burner because I bought Kill.Switch a Starforce protected disc and my pc met all requirements yada yada... Would you be allowed to return a disc with Starforce if it wasnt compatable but your pc meets the min requirements, starforce gives many people trouble and I never buy games with it any more (you can find out protected games here http://www.glop.org/starforce/), also check out the forum, I think this is a rediculous notion that pc games cannot be returned because I have suffered the consequences of starforce and I do know people with top spec pcs can have compatability probs,

Just my 2 cents

Nick

Syth

Most games come with an End User Licence Agreement, a contract between you and the game publisher. It's usually you signing away some rights. But any game with such a contract won't install or run, so when you buy a game, there are extra requirments that you can't see when you buy the game. A lot of contracts like this say you can return the game for a refund to the shop if you don't agree to the contract.

You could try that approach. I don't think it's used much (a lot of consumers are idiots), so they might not have a standard reply to it. After all if they sell you a product that tells you can get a refund (if you meet certain conditions), then they'd have to give you a refund.

It'd be an uphill battle, but an interesting approach.

OctavarIan

PC games are different. It's so easy to copy and crack them nowadays. Besides, there should be no reason to have to take one back. If it doesn't run on your pc, tough luck, you didn't read the specs.

yoyo

OctavarIan wrote:

PC games are different. It's so easy to copy and crack them nowadays. Besides, there should be no reason to have to take one back. If it doesn't run on your pc, tough luck, you didn't read the specs.

And what about mod chips for PS2/XBox, FYI all games will work on a chipped xbox or ps2 that are copied on a standard DVD+-R so I don't see why pc games are considered "easy to hack", btw pc games are not cracked anymore, I don't mind buying games and do but I had a problem with a bad copy protection which screwed up my old burner hence I am asking if I have legal right to a refund if stuff should go wrong in the future

Nick