Game stop really taking the piss with their monopoly

meoklmrk91

Went into GameStop this morning to pick up the last of us, was going to get a used copy save myself a few bob. The guy behind the counter said he had no used copies but there was only a fiver in the difference. New copy €55, used €50. That is €50 of pure profit for GameStop. Even though I had a voucher for the price of the game I walked out, €5 in the difference between new and used is ridiculous, they used to nearly always give a €10. I'll be waiting until it comes down in price. They really seem to be enjoying their near enough monopoly which is why I nearly always buy online now.

Wossack

gamestop in used games gouging shocker - more at 11

Myrddin

I never pay any more than €10/€15 or so for a used game, after that I'd rather just pay the extra & buy it new

TrustedApple

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

Went into GameStop this morning to pick up the last of us, was going to get a used copy save myself a few bob. The guy behind the counter said he had no used copies but there was only a fiver in the difference. New copy €55, used €50. That is €50 of pure profit for GameStop. Even though I had a voucher for the price of the game I walked out, €5 in the difference between new and used is ridiculous, they used to nearly always give a €10. I'll be waiting until it comes down in price. They really seem to be enjoying their near enough monopoly which is why I nearly always buy online now.

And winner for a post that no one cares about is ...........

padz

http://www.ie.wowhd.com/games/last-of-us-the-playstation-3/dp/32058889#bc=ecce

get it new here for 44.99, also buying new you get the online pass code the online its pretty fun

Grumpypants

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

Went into GameStop this morning to pick up the last of us, was going to get a used copy save myself a few bob. The guy behind the counter said he had no used copies but there was only a fiver in the difference. New copy €55, used €50. That is €50 of pure profit for GameStop. Even though I had a voucher for the price of the game I walked out, €5 in the difference between new and used is ridiculous, they used to nearly always give a €10. I'll be waiting until it comes down in price. They really seem to be enjoying their near enough monopoly which is why I nearly always buy online now.

What is ridiculous is that people will buy the used version to save a fiver and cut out the people who make the games. Then the same people will moan and whinge if anything goes wrong or the game doesn't get patched.

Penn

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

Went into GameStop this morning to pick up the last of us, was going to get a used copy save myself a few bob. The guy behind the counter said he had no used copies but there was only a fiver in the difference. New copy €55, used €50. That is €50 of pure profit for GameStop. Even though I had a voucher for the price of the game I walked out, €5 in the difference between new and used is ridiculous, they used to nearly always give a €10. I'll be waiting until it comes down in price. They really seem to be enjoying their near enough monopoly which is why I nearly always buy online now.

It's not €50 of profit for Gamestop. Considering it's a fairly recently title, they likely gave between €25-30 to the person trading it in. Not only that, but in order to get rid of trade-in stock or even normal stock which went unpurchased, the deals they need to offer to get rid of that stock may sometimes be at a loss or very little profit, so they need the recent trade-ins at a higher price to compensate.

I'm not saying €50 is a price I'd expect anyone to pay for a second hand game when a brand new copy is only €5 dearer, but it's unfair to suggest they're running a monopoly and making huge profits off trade-ins. Some profit, yes of course. They have to. They're a business. But not huge profits like you're implying.

ShadowHearth

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

Went into GameStop this morning to pick up the last of us, was going to get a used copy save myself a few bob. The guy behind the counter said he had no used copies but there was only a fiver in the difference. New copy €55, used €50. That is €50 of pure profit for GameStop. Even though I had a voucher for the price of the game I walked out, €5 in the difference between new and used is ridiculous, they used to nearly always give a €10. I'll be waiting until it comes down in price. They really seem to be enjoying their near enough monopoly which is why I nearly always buy online now.

50eu pure profit? WOW! :eek:

Gran Hermano

GBP 37.99 on Amazon UK with free delivery. i wouldnt even bother considering Gamestop at EUR 50-55.

Mickeroo

My brother picked up Bioshock Infinite yesterday after trading in a few old games. They asked him if he wanted a used copy instead to save a few bob and he pointed out the used copy was €5 more expensive than the new one so he'd rather the new one. A used copy of Tomb Raider was €10 more expensive than a new one also.

I think it's because there's a sale on at the moment but it's pretty daft in fairness.

meoklmrk91

Wow some really unhelpful replies here, very unfriendly forum. GameStop are usually the most expensive for games before Game and HMV but today was the first time I had seen a used game only have a discount of €5, it used to be €10. I have no problem buying new games, I have near enough 50 titles, many of which were bought brand new, but on this particular occaision I was going to buy used, I don't think thereis anything wrong with that, it's m money, I am not doing anything illegal, I can spend it how I wish. Thanks to those who posted helpful comments, same to those who disagreed with me but did so in a respectful manner. I'll just pick it up on Amazon, much better price and much better service too, thanks Gran Hermano.

VinLieger

1. Your buying from gamestop and expecting sympathy for high prices
2. Your buying in a brick and mortar store and expecting sympathy for high prices

See where you went wrong?

Zero-Cool

50 quid for a 2nd hand game with an online pass code is mental. What is more mental though is Xtravision telling me they didn't have any of copies of The Last of Us left for PS3 but they had some for Xbox :pac:

Daemos

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

I don't think thereis anything wrong with that, it's m money, I am not doing anything illegal, I can spend it how I wish

Well, that escalated quickly

snausages

F**KING GAMESTOP

danthefan

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

That is €50 of pure profit for GameStop.

What now? They don't grow the used copies out of the ground. People trade them in and get cash/games/store credit in return. I got €35 store credit for mine I think which is €35 less in cash they're going to get out of me when I buy my PS4.

GameStop don't really have a monopoly anyway, they've a ton of online retailers to compete with. I might buy 2 games a year from GameStop, if even.

bizmark

Grumpypants wrote: »

What is ridiculous is that people will buy the used version to save a fiver and cut out the people who make the games. Then the same people will moan and whinge if anything goes wrong or the game doesn't get patched.

Maybe the game devs should start compete on price instead of trying to stifle competition to justify their massively inflated budgets for boring risk less games

tbh

Sycopat

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

Wow some really unhelpful replies here, very unfriendly forum. GameStop are usually the most expensive for games before Game and HMV but today was the first time I had seen a used game only have a discount of €5, it used to be €10. I have no problem buying new games, I have near enough 50 titles, many of which were bought brand new, but on this particular occaision I was going to buy used, I don't think thereis anything wrong with that, it's m money, I am not doing anything illegal, I can spend it how I wish. Thanks to those who posted helpful comments, same to those who disagreed with me but did so in a respectful manner. I'll just pick it up on Amazon, much better price and much better service too, thanks Gran Hermano.

I don't think the used game discount has been 10yoyo for quite some time. Not for new and popular games anyway. I stopped buying used "new" games a long time ago because I figured it wasn't worth the risk/not supporting the creators (I'll still buy used when they are less than a tenner, but that's usually a year or two after release) and I don't trade in games so I won't get that credit back later anyway.

VinLieger

bizmark wrote: »

Maybe the game devs should start compete on price instead of trying to stifle competition to justify their massively inflated budgets for boring risk less games

tbh

You can hardly blame developers for either the pricing or boring risk less games that is all down to the publishers

super_furry

The answer is simple - ensure people don't want to trade you games in. Nintendo first party games, constantly updated and supported games like Borderlands 2, Battfield and yes - even CoD - all retain a premium trade in value because people buy them and keep them.

Azza

Why do people keep Nintendo first party games?

super_furry

Because who wants to get rid of a Zelda or Mario game? They're games you'll always go back to and play over and over again.

MadYaker

Why do people still buy games in brick and mortar stores? Gamestop and their ilk have been extorting us for long enough. It time to progress to online and let them die.

gizmo

super_furry wrote: »

The answer is simple - ensure people don't want to trade you games in. Nintendo first party games, constantly updated and supported games like Borderlands 2, Battfield and yes - even CoD - all retain a premium trade in value because people buy them and keep them.

The problem with these examples is that they all feature strong multiplayer components which can be supported with relatively cheap DLC to extend their lifespans. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for more traditional story-based single player games and the result of trying to combine the two has led to a slew of games where multiplayer modes have been shoe-horned into designs in which they do not belong.

viclemronny

Azza wrote: »

Why do people keep Nintendo first party games?

I'd say it's a combination of demographic and the product itself.

Demographic: Younger children and nostalgic people are less likely to trade in games. Not that these are the only people who buy Nintendo first party games but they buy more Nintendo games than games on the other consoles.

Product: Nintendo games have a huge amount of polish. I loved Skyrim for example but it was buggy as hell. Assassin's Creed 2 and Brotherhood, fun but control system is annoying and has issues frequently enough to be worth mentioning. Super Mario Galaxy, Mariokart Wii, etc. are all much more polished.

Secondly, the games are very easy to put in and play. I was curious and Mario Kart Wii from turning on the console and television to racing was less than 90 seconds. It's much easier to dip in and out for a few minutes here and there. Also, games like mario galaxy have a structure that lends itself to this too, in that it is level based.

Finally, they're usually very very good with a great replay value due in part to the above two constraints but also to the excellent level design, difficulty curve, inclusion of secrets/other ways of attempting levels, multiplayer nature*, etc.


*2 player split screen seems to have been in decline for the majority of this generation on the Playstation and Xbox platforms and I hope that trend reverses itself in the next one.

Grumpypants

bizmark wrote: »

Maybe the game devs should start compete on price instead of trying to stifle competition to justify their massively inflated budgets for boring risk less games

tbh

Why not just buy the exciting and interesting games with sensible budgets instead of the boring ones.

bizmark

I do im a pc gamer i have no second hand market to exploit .....only steam sales and key selling sites

danthefan

bizmark wrote: »

Maybe the game devs should start compete on price instead of trying to stifle competition to justify their massively inflated budgets for boring risk less games

tbh

The developer will rarely, if ever, set the price of a console game.

Gran Hermano

I pick up a couple of titles a month and only ever order online.
This site is useful for checking pricing http://www.gamestracker.com
Set country as Ireland or UK for more options but check postage rates.

C14N

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

Wow some really unhelpful replies here, very unfriendly forum. GameStop are usually the most expensive for games before Game and HMV but today was the first time I had seen a used game only have a discount of €5, it used to be €10.

Don't get so defensive, only one person was being unfriendly to you.

I've seen the €5 price difference ever since the Wii came out and SSX was €50 used or €55 new. The thing about used games is that they aren't like a used car or used phone; apart from the games with an online pass, you lose nothing by buying the used copy. The information is all still there on the disc and Gamestop will still let you return it if it doesn't work (and you can still take out their €1 disc insurance) so for a lot of people, €5 can be a justifiable difference in price.

VinLieger wrote: »

You can hardly blame developers for either the pricing or boring risk less games that is all down to the publishers

I don't blame the publishers either. Let's all just get used to the fact that publisher's #1 goal is to sell games. With that in mind, they're going to devote resources to the games that sell the best and they'll pander to what most of us want. The consumers vote with their wallets. The gaming press doesn't help either by frequently putting these titles as some of the highest-scoring games of the year which almost ensures good sales but at the end of the day, we are the ones who cause them to keep making safe games.

Retr0gamer

super_furry wrote: »

The answer is simple - ensure people don't want to trade you games in. Nintendo first party games

This is not the reason Nintendo first party games retain their prices. When a game drops in price the seller negotiates a deal with the publisher to reduce the credit they owe for the stock so they can clear excess inventory. Nintendo on the other hand will only do this if the game is a total flop.