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Many times we have heard from people that say they are going to take Gamestop all the way to the top of the nation's legal system, but in the end, most claims are merely pomp and circumstance, with no real conviction behind the words. How often have we heard someone say "I will never show at Gamestop again, those fucking crooks will never get another dime from me.", only to watch them back down and actually end up shopping there when they are having a Buy Two Get One Free sale.
Well, part of the problem is lazy individuals, who have no motivation to do anything beyond veiled threats. The other issue is the complex system for filing a claim. You can spend hours of time, and possibly money, and for what - $10, maybe $50 if you are dealing with a game system. It becomes less a sense of principal and duty and more about the financial reality of doing business with Gamestop.
And how did I find this out? By getting screwed by Gamestop a week ago and the process I have been going through since then to just file a complaint with the State about the practices of Gamestop. Last week, I went into Gamestop to buy three games, under their Buy Two Get One Free deal. Normally I like to buy new, but with money being the way it is, and the fact I had already dropped $400 on a PS3 system, I need to go used. However, there was a sale price on one of the games I bought. It was clearly marked and under California state law, a retailer must honor a shelf price, as long as the unit matches the SKU that is entered fro the product advertised. This law must be honored, regardless of whether their are other sales marked in question.
Of course, Gamestop did not honr the discounted price, mentioning that they did not combine sales together. After I complained loudly, I just bought it, with the premise that I would dispute the $10 difference through the Better Business Bureau and the state Department of Consumer Affairs. However this went downhill quickly as the BBB never got past their normal non-responsive vendor email, and the state DCA telling me that I could have been hit by deceptive pricing, but they are not the ones to deal with. Instead I need to go to the State Attorney General. Another website visit, another email form and more stuff I have to mail to the AG office. So far, I am just over a week into the process, and I am wondering if it is even worth the $10. I am about to give up, but I just want them to honor simple state laws for myself and others when it comes to their selective pricing. But I now know why most claims against Gamestop go nowhere. It is too much time for the money involved. I will follow up with mroe details when they happen.
