Gamestop pricing shenanigans getting even more out of hand

Submitted by Stephen Munn on April 25, 2009 – 2:00 pm30 Comments

Gamestop weekend special, Final Fantasy Tactics

I avoid Gamestop almost completely at this point because of their clear disdain for customer service, but every once in a while I see something in their weekend ad that compels me to approach. While this doesn’t always result in the kind of crap we’ve come to expect from the retailer, let’s just say… more times than not.

This weekend’s ad shows a tantalizing Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions for PSP for a mere $9.99. True to form, they even show a boxshot in the ad. Also true to form, the people in the store had no idea what I was talking about when I pointed out that no, I wasn’t going to pay $14.99 for the game. Fortunately, their ad is posted on the front counter, so I was able to point and say, “look there, I told ya so.” Which I did in the nicest way possible.

Sadly, that didnt work. You see, the ad only applies to new copies of the game. Not used ones. No, he said, he could not sell me the used copy at the new price, and they are out of new copies.

“Correct me if I’m wrong,” I asked, “but wouldn’t a new copy of Tactics be a Greatest Hits copy, with the red band on it? The box in the ad is black.”

They weren’t hearing any of it, so I told them to take the game off my bill and I’d be on my way.

Ladies and gentlemen, would you call this bait and switch? Check the cropped ad above for the black box art, then the ad in context below where it tells us this is the price for the new game, which has the red box art.

Gamestop Gamedays sale, in context

Tags: final fantasy, final fantasy tactics: war of the lions, gamestop, retail, used games

william745

uh no i wouldnt call it a bait and switch at all unless you cant read based on the second screen shot you posted it says on all new games not all new games and used ones that look like this one below.also you can infact get these online yeah you pay $2.99 for shipping but oh well at least you get a game you want to play.
william745

uh no i wouldnt call it a bait and switch at all unless you cant read based on the second screen shot you posted it says on all new games not all new games and used ones that look like this one below.also you can infact get these online yeah you pay $2.99 for shipping but oh well at least you get a game you want to play.
StephenJMunn

No, you can't get them online. Gamestop's site does not acknowledge the existence of Final Fantasy Tactics on PSP. I tried searching online to locate a store that had it in stock. I find this more and more with their site, and I don't understand why.
StephenJMunn

No, you can't get them online. Gamestop's site does not acknowledge the existence of Final Fantasy Tactics on PSP. I tried searching online to locate a store that had it in stock. I find this more and more with their site, and I don't understand why.
william745

for me it said not aviable online which i have noticed they do do alot more with their sales there is one right next to me that has it if you want i will get it if you pay for the cost to get it and ship it.
william745

for me it said not aviable online which i have noticed they do do alot more with their sales there is one right next to me that has it if you want i will get it if you pay for the cost to get it and ship it.
http://cgmr.net/ jvm

“Gamestop's site does not acknowledge the existence of Final Fantasy Tactics on PSP.”

Protip: Click the red button marked “show back-ordered items that may be available in stores”.

http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails….
http://cgmr.net/ jvm

“Gamestop's site does not acknowledge the existence of Final Fantasy Tactics on PSP.”

Protip: Click the red button marked “show back-ordered items that may be available in stores”.

http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails….
Jason

Honestly, there's nothing wrong with this. The new copies they got were probably warehouse layover that never got shipped to individual stores. They can't print the ad on a store by store basis, and this sale has been going on for about a month now…buy it earlier if you want it at that price, but they're using this sale as a warehouse clearance, that is why it only applies to new copies..because those aren't their big profit margin.
Jason

Honestly, there's nothing wrong with this. The new copies they got were probably warehouse layover that never got shipped to individual stores. They can't print the ad on a store by store basis, and this sale has been going on for about a month now…buy it earlier if you want it at that price, but they're using this sale as a warehouse clearance, that is why it only applies to new copies..because those aren't their big profit margin.
MARl0

I really don't see the problem here. The ad clearly states that it's for NEW games, and it even specifically says **while supplies last**. The image of the box is irrelevant. They obviously just used a stock photo of the game's cover to get the point across. It's a very common practice. So yeah, I'm sorry, but this time the problem is with the customer, not the retailer.
MARl0

I really don't see the problem here. The ad clearly states that it's for NEW games, and it even specifically says **while supplies last**. The image of the box is irrelevant. They obviously just used a stock photo of the game's cover to get the point across. It's a very common practice. So yeah, I'm sorry, but this time the problem is with the customer, not the retailer.
Anti GameSlop

@ Jason & MARl0
So what you guys are telling us that there is a difference between the new copy “black label” and new copy “Greatest Hits”?!?! Because that what it looks like Stephen asked for after he found out that they wouldn't discount the used copy. How is that his fault ?!?! Seriously, come on…this is classic GameSlop bullshit!!!
Anti GameSlop

@ Jason & MARl0
So what you guys are telling us that there is a difference between the new copy “black label” and new copy “Greatest Hits”?!?! Because that what it looks like Stephen asked for after he found out that they wouldn't discount the used copy. How is that his fault ?!?! Seriously, come on…this is classic GameSlop bullshit!!!
morphiend

I think the biggest shenanigans is that they're selling the NEW copy for less than the USED. All because their margin is much higher on the used version, and that once the new copies are gone you will only be able to buy the used games at their premium.

Since the retail distribution channel gets clogged up by the stores in the amount of games that can actually make it to the consumers hands, we have now have the ability for the store to start dictating the price of the game. In the past, this was performed by distributor/publisher giving a MSRP that each store was supposed to sell the game at. This ensured that each retailer had the same chance to sell copies of the software. Now we have inverse, where the brick-and-mortar stores can purchase less copies of the game, thereby limiting the availability of the item in the retail channel. Once the new ones are sold out, they can then turn a mega-profit in the used sector by exploiting supply-and-demand and placing a higher price tag on the used version.

I think that's shenanigans any way you slice it.
morphiend

I think the biggest shenanigans is that they're selling the NEW copy for less than the USED. All because their margin is much higher on the used version, and that once the new copies are gone you will only be able to buy the used games at their premium.

Since the retail distribution channel gets clogged up by the stores in the amount of games that can actually make it to the consumers hands, we have now have the ability for the store to start dictating the price of the game. In the past, this was performed by distributor/publisher giving a MSRP that each store was supposed to sell the game at. This ensured that each retailer had the same chance to sell copies of the software. Now we have inverse, where the brick-and-mortar stores can purchase less copies of the game, thereby limiting the availability of the item in the retail channel. Once the new ones are sold out, they can then turn a mega-profit in the used sector by exploiting supply-and-demand and placing a higher price tag on the used version.

I think that's shenanigans any way you slice it.
StephenJMunn

Hah protip! Excellent, thank you.
StephenJMunn

Hah protip! Excellent, thank you.
StephenJMunn

I don't think that matters. You would think they would be willing to sell the used game for the same price as the new. It's five dollars difference. Nearly any other business would have marked down the $5 discount and been happy to have the sale.
StephenJMunn

I don't think that matters. You would think they would be willing to sell the used game for the same price as the new. It's five dollars difference. Nearly any other business would have marked down the $5 discount and been happy to have the sale.
StephenJMunn

The image of the box is NOT irrelevant. They are advertising the product using that image, and such specifics count big in capitalism. They're using ONLY that image, in fact. There is no comment on the page such as “artwork may differ” or whatever. I can understand if they said, sorry, the only new copies we have of the game are Greatest Hits, but they didn't have any new copies in the store at all, and were unwilling to sell me a used copy for the same price.
StephenJMunn

The image of the box is NOT irrelevant. They are advertising the product using that image, and such specifics count big in capitalism. They're using ONLY that image, in fact. There is no comment on the page such as “artwork may differ” or whatever. I can understand if they said, sorry, the only new copies we have of the game are Greatest Hits, but they didn't have any new copies in the store at all, and were unwilling to sell me a used copy for the same price.
StephenJMunn

And you know what? Even if it isn't shenanigans, we'll call it that because it's such a fun word!
StephenJMunn

And you know what? Even if it isn't shenanigans, we'll call it that because it's such a fun word!
JoeFourhman

How were they about Barbie Horse Adventure?