Main Menu

GameStop discarding Deus Ex coupons before selling game

Started by Ravager, August 26, 2011, 08:17:09 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Baggins

#20
A Whopper and a Big Mac aren't the same product (they don't taste the same, they don't have the same condiments, vegetables, or number of patties, or number of bun pieces), just saying!

Deus Ex is Deus Ex.

So the analogy is a little off... But I see what your trying to say.

However, your analogy might work better if it's referring to 'mode of delivery' (physical Gamestop vs. Digital delivery). So perhaps you buy a pair of Nike Sneakers, and its delivered by Fed Ex, but the box with the shoes, includes a coupon for a free second pair of Sneakers, delivered by UPS w/ free shipping!

Fed Ex who was payed for the first pair, might not be happy that UPS will be paid to deliver the second pair!

However, the ones that are having the most complaints with GameStop's policy are the customers. GameStop can do whatever they want, I suppose, and it might technically be 'legally right' to do what they did. But if they don't make their customers happy, they will go to GameStop's competition. I know I have!

I haven't seen these complaints coming from SquareEnix. Infact SquareEnix has apologized to it. So the complaints are only customers. It's the customers being hurt by this, and thus complaining.
Well, ya, King's Quest is on Earth. Daventry is very old city from a long time ago. It's in ruins now and people aren't quite sure exactly where it used to be. There are some archaeologists searching through the ruins, they think they know its Daventry. But its somewhere on Earth."-Roberta Williams http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/File:Daventryisearth.ogg

Fierce Deity

Quote from: wilco64256 on August 28, 2011, 09:43:00 AM
After finally having some time to actually read through the article and look into what happened here I actually agree with what Gamestop did.  What happened would be similar to the company that manufactures Big Mac boxes sending a big shipment of them to McDonald's with coupons for free Whoppers inside without telling McDonald's they were doing so.  If a company I do business with tried to get me to give away coupons for a competitor I wouldn't do it either.

Now maybe Gamestop could have handled things a little bit differently, but they certainly do have the right to sell the game they've contracted to sell and they're under no obligation to do free advertising for a competitor at the same time.

While I can understand why GameStop did what they did, it still wasn't right. They opened up brand new games, took out these coupons, and then repackaged them just to sell them as a brand new product. If I were aware of the occurrence prior to me picking up the game, I would demand that GameStop sell it to me for a used price. There's no reason why I should pay full price for a product that has been tampered with.  And with that being said, GameStop wasn't the only retailer selling Deus Ex. There were many stores that were selling Deus Ex with these coupons in them, and GameStop had the audacity to do what they did.

Then, when they wanted to try and make it up to the consumers, they gave away a $50 gift card to GameStop, thus demeaning the significance of the OnLive coupon. Sure, they shouldn't have to support OnLive's service, but they shouldn't have to double cross the manufacturers that they buy their games from. Square-Enix clearly wanted those coupons in the game for a reason, and GameStop shouldn't decide who gets to have them. It's not their game, and it's not their business. The game should remain closed until the consumer himself opens the game.

It's a poor example, but what if every candy store opened up every Willy Wonka bar to find a golden ticket? The consumer would never even have an opportunity to benefit from the manufacturer's deal, because the "middle man" tampered with the product, and conspired against the manufacturer. It's perfectly reasonable as to why the candy stores would do it, but once again, it doesn't make it right.
Freudian Slip - "When you say one thing, but mean your mother."

Baggins

#22
Fierce Diety is correct.

If a store compromises a game package, or destroys the full offer from the box (thus making SquareEnix 'false advertisers' in the process). I would want a discount as a used copy.

Again, the customer is always right...

As for this instore 'rentals' those games should be sould as 'used' as well, and marked as such. Again its fall advertisement to sell them as "new".

One has to wonder, was GameStop mad, when they were selling copies of Half-Life 2, and the codes in those games could be used to activate a digital copy on GameStop's 'competitor" 'Steam"? What would have happened if GameStop had removed all the installation codes  :suffer:?
Well, ya, King's Quest is on Earth. Daventry is very old city from a long time ago. It's in ruins now and people aren't quite sure exactly where it used to be. There are some archaeologists searching through the ruins, they think they know its Daventry. But its somewhere on Earth."-Roberta Williams http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/File:Daventryisearth.ogg

wilco64256

Yeah, like I said they probably could have found a better way to deal with the situation.  Like just returning the games to Square-Enix until they got copies that didn't include a competitor's coupon.

Though I would disagree that removing the coupon altered the "new" state of the game itself.  The boxes don't indicate in any way that the coupon is included, and Gamestop doesn't buy or sell used PC games anyway.

Gamestop has an obligation to their customers to deliver a good product, but they also have an obligation to themselves to stay in business.  Doing free advertising for a competitor is never good for business.
Weldon Hathaway

Fierce Deity

Quote from: wilco64256 on August 28, 2011, 10:34:18 AM
Yeah, like I said they probably could have found a better way to deal with the situation.  Like just returning the games to Square-Enix until they got copies that didn't include a competitor's coupon.

Though I would disagree that removing the coupon altered the "new" state of the game itself.  The boxes don't indicate in any way that the coupon is included, and Gamestop doesn't buy or sell used PC games anyway.

Gamestop has an obligation to their customers to deliver a good product, but they also have an obligation to themselves to stay in business.  Doing free advertising for a competitor is never good for business.

Once again, I see what you are saying. I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you, but it just seems too suspicious for GameStop to have taken actions into their own hands. It's true that they don't sell used PC games, but they still tampered with the product. If Square-Enix guarantees a coupon for OnLive in every copy of Deus Ex, who is GameStop to decide that I am not entitled to that coupon? They should have at least advertised their scheme. When I come to pick up Deus Ex, they should say "We opened your game and took out the OnLive coupon, because we feel like we shouldn't have to advertise their service." I would perfectly understand, but I would probably shop somewhere else (which I now do, because GameStop is petty). I see why they did what they did, but they have to realize that they are working for their customers, and shouldn't work against them. These are the kinds of things that will get you in trouble and have you lose business, not gain business. Even from a business outlook, this was a stupid decision on their part.
Freudian Slip - "When you say one thing, but mean your mother."

wilco64256

Quote from: Fierce Deity on August 28, 2011, 10:49:37 AM
If Square-Enix guarantees a coupon for OnLive in every copy of Deus Ex, who is GameStop to decide that I am not entitled to that coupon?

That's what I'm not sure of - I don't know that Square_Enix actually advertised that this was happening at all, I think it was just something they stuck in there without telling anybody.  I could be wrong, I just haven't been able to find any information to indicate that SE was promoting this at all beforehand.
Weldon Hathaway

Baggins

#26
GameStop wouldn't have known about it if it was just stuck in the box with no information telling them it was there... Not unless someone discovered it through one of those 'rentals' and told the company. The company then told their employees to remove them nationally.

More than likely like most 'deals' that come with games, there was probably a sticker put on the box. That would have alerted Gamestop, and put them on the crusade to open every single box.

Also somehow the fans had to know about it, as they are the biggest group complaining! How would they have known about it, unless there is a sticker or some indication on the box? The fans knew somethign was missing, and many made complaints forcing GameStop to issue those $50 giftcards instead!
Well, ya, King's Quest is on Earth. Daventry is very old city from a long time ago. It's in ruins now and people aren't quite sure exactly where it used to be. There are some archaeologists searching through the ruins, they think they know its Daventry. But its somewhere on Earth."-Roberta Williams http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/File:Daventryisearth.ogg

Fierce Deity

I just want to hear what OnLive has to say about this. They were seriously the only victim in this dispute. Their coupons were taken out, and most likely thrown away. The customers got their $50 value back but in the form of an exclusive GameStop giftcard, but OnLive's value was permanently terminated against their best intentions. The entire situation was unprofessional to say the least.
Freudian Slip - "When you say one thing, but mean your mother."

wilco64256

I'd actually be willing to bet that more people are hitting up OnLive's site as a result of this fiasco just to figure out what it is.  They're probably getting more publicity than if GameStop would have just left things alone.
Weldon Hathaway

Fierce Deity

Quote from: wilco64256 on August 28, 2011, 03:00:27 PM
I'd actually be willing to bet that more people are hitting up OnLive's site as a result of this fiasco just to figure out what it is.  They're probably getting more publicity than if GameStop would have just left things alone.

Exactly. GameStop didn't help themselves at all. They screwed themselves over.  ::)
Freudian Slip - "When you say one thing, but mean your mother."

Baggins

Customers will be less willing to buy from Gamestop in the future now that its been exposed that they 'open new copies', and use shrink wrap to reseal them and sell them as 'new'.
Well, ya, King's Quest is on Earth. Daventry is very old city from a long time ago. It's in ruins now and people aren't quite sure exactly where it used to be. There are some archaeologists searching through the ruins, they think they know its Daventry. But its somewhere on Earth."-Roberta Williams http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/File:Daventryisearth.ogg