More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

This is rather ironic, but yesterday I bought Call of Duty 4, Orange Box, and Rainbow 6 Vegas for 360, all new. I have been playing COD4 for probably 8 of the last 24 hours total and beaten the game, so I wanted to try the multiplayer. For some reason my xbox live wasn't connecting so I picked up the 360 for a second to reattach the wireless adapter and all of a sudden the 360 starts making this really horrible noise, and I shut the console off ASAP and took out the COD4 disc and examined it to find a perfect circular scratch on it, very noticeable with the naked eye.

Anyways, Gamestop's return policy is a little confusing when it comes to these situations. Am I able to get a refund here? All I want is another copy of COD4, not a different game or a cash refund.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

did you buy the game insurance or whatever? if so, you definitely can. if not, you probably can, as long as you return it quickly.


edit: gamestop/eb games' game insurance is the only "coverage" worth buying on anything whatsoever, imo. covers unlimited replacements for disc damage for any reason for a year, for like $2-3 i think. definitely worth it.

edit number 2: try to haggle with the guys, bring your original receipt, and ask to purchase the insurance on all 3 games if they'll let you exchange this one, etc. it's worth it anyway, the $2 or whatever. it's sick.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

Stores are usually pretty chill about straight exchanges.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

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did you buy the game insurance or whatever? if so, you definitely can. if not, you probably can, as long as you return it quickly.


edit: gamestop/eb games' game insurance is the only "coverage" worth buying on anything whatsoever, imo. covers unlimited replacements for disc damage for any reason for a year, for like $2-3 i think. definitely worth it.

edit number 2: try to haggle with the guys, bring your original receipt, and ask to purchase the insurance on all 3 games if they'll let you exchange this one, etc. it's worth it anyway, the $2 or whatever. it's sick.

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I didn't buy insurance or anything, forgot that it existed. I'll definitely do it from now on.

I just looked at my reciept and it says that for up to 7 days new games can be exchanged for the same game, but doesn't state what can or can't be returned. When I go up to try and return it, what should I tell them? I'm thinking that if tell them the truth and say I was moving my 360 while it was operating with a disc inside and that caused the scratch they'll claim negligence on my end and won't give a refund. Should I just say something like "this game is giving me errors and has a scratch on it, give me a refund please"?

I try to be honest about these types of things, I don't like taking advantage of store policies and effectively screwing the store on a somewhat stupid mistake of my own, but I also remember moving my 360 while it was operating before and not having any problems, so I don't think I'm entirely to blame either. I know 360's have been known to scratch discs without moving them at all, and I believe that has happened to me before. A lot of the blame has to be on Microsoft for making a really buggy game system that has all sorts of problems, but that's a discussion for another time.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

Even if it's not covered by the store, I assume you could get a replacement from the publisher.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

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did you buy the game insurance or whatever? if so, you definitely can. if not, you probably can, as long as you return it quickly.


edit: gamestop/eb games' game insurance is the only "coverage" worth buying on anything whatsoever, imo. covers unlimited replacements for disc damage for any reason for a year, for like $2-3 i think. definitely worth it.

edit number 2: try to haggle with the guys, bring your original receipt, and ask to purchase the insurance on all 3 games if they'll let you exchange this one, etc. it's worth it anyway, the $2 or whatever. it's sick.

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I didn't buy insurance or anything, forgot that it existed. I'll definitely do it from now on.

I just looked at my reciept and it says that for up to 7 days new games can be exchanged for the same game, but doesn't state what can or can't be returned. When I go up to try and return it, what should I tell them? I'm thinking that if tell them the truth and say I was moving my 360 while it was operating with a disc inside and that caused the scratch they'll claim negligence on my end and won't give a refund. Should I just say something like "this game is giving me errors and has a scratch on it, give me a refund please"?

I try to be honest about these types of things, I don't like taking advantage of store policies and effectively screwing the store on a somewhat stupid mistake of my own, but I also remember moving my 360 while it was operating before and not having any problems, so I don't think I'm entirely to blame either. I know 360's have been known to scratch discs without moving them at all, and I believe that has happened to me before. A lot of the blame has to be on Microsoft for making a really buggy game system that has all sorts of problems, but that's a discussion for another time.

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As long as you are within the 7 days they probably won't even ask you anything.

AislePhive: My disc is scratched, I'd like to exchange it.

Dude: No problem.

AislePhive: ok thanks

Dude: you betcha.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

next time, don't move an optical disk reader (AKA DVD/CD-ROM) when it's spinning :P

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

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next time, don't move an optical disk reader (AKA DVD/CD-ROM) when it's spinning :P

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And definitely don't tell the EB guy, they're dicks.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

Worst case scenario you could buy a new copy of the broken game at best buy (or anywhere they offer insurance, I know they have it a BB for five bucks though). Then take the broken copy and put it in the new case you have insurance for, take it back and get an exchange. Then you have two copies of the same game course, so you have to return one to gamestop or bestbuy with the receipt from the original purchase. They may scan the game to make sure its the same copy with the same bar code, which it won't be because you switched. If they do that and it doesn't work then you just sell one of the copies on ebay. You'll lose some money, but it will only be like 20 bucks max, instead of 60.

My xbox is horrible and eats my games all the time, so I had to deal with this a lot.

Edit: In my experience eb/gamestop are dicks about exchanges and your just SOL, but maybe you'll get someone nice and they will let it slide. Also I wrote this while playing Mass Effect, so it may not be all that coherent.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

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I try to be honest about these types of things, I don't like taking advantage of store policies and effectively screwing the store on a somewhat stupid mistake of my own, but I also remember moving my 360 while it was operating before and not having any problems, so I don't think I'm entirely to blame either. I know 360's have been known to scratch discs without moving them at all, and I believe that has happened to me before. A lot of the blame has to be on Microsoft for making a really buggy game system that has all sorts of problems, but that's a discussion for another time.

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It's definitely not the store's fault, it's either your fault or Microsoft's or both. However I doubt the store or the publisher loses much by replacing the game, so I don't think you should feel bad that you might be screwing someone over for a mistake that wasn't theirs.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

Yeah, big companies like that just write that kinda stuff off.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

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I just looked at my reciept and it says that for up to 7 days new games can be exchanged for the same game, but doesn't state what can or can't be returned. When I go up to try and return it, what should I tell them?

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I'm a little confused, it seems like you want to trade in your copy of COD4 for a new copy of COD4... so you just want to exchange it. Just bring it in, tell them it won't play for some reason (don't even say it's scratched, just play dumb) and that you'd like to exchange it for another copy. Here's how the conversation should go

You: "Hi, I just bought this game two days ago, and I tried to play it and my xbox360 won't read the disc, can I exchange it for another copy?"

Them: "Did anything happen to the disc/is it scratched?"

You: "I don't think so, I mean I don't know, I just put it into my 360 and it won't play. Can I exchange it for another copy of the same game?"

Them: "Ok"

edit: if you want a refund, you're screwed because they don't give refunds even if it's in perfect condition. But you can get another copy of COD4, which you said was "all you wanted" in your OP. But for a refund of your money, you're SOL.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

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Yeah, big companies like that just write that kinda stuff off.

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http://content.answers.com/main/cont...ba/Kramer2.jpg

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

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Worst case scenario you could buy a new copy of the broken game at best buy (or anywhere they offer insurance, I know they have it a BB for five bucks though). Then take the broken copy and put it in the new case you have insurance for, take it back and get an exchange. Then you have two copies of the same game course, so you have to return one to gamestop or bestbuy with the receipt from the original purchase. They may scan the game to make sure its the same copy with the same bar code, which it won't be because you switched. If they do that and it doesn't work then you just sell one of the copies on ebay. You'll lose some money, but it will only be like 20 bucks max, instead of 60.

My xbox is horrible and eats my games all the time, so I had to deal with this a lot.

Edit: In my experience eb/gamestop are dicks about exchanges and your just SOL, but maybe you'll get someone nice and they will let it slide. Also I wrote this while playing Mass Effect, so it may not be all that coherent.

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If your gonna try to be smooth, at least do it right. On a game that didn't just come out, if you plan on buying another game sometime in the future, you simply go to gamestop or whatever and buy another game used. You will have a 30 day return policy on the used game (switch games obviously) and then you can return your broken game for store credit, which you'll use on something else.

If you don't want to buy another game, or the game just came out, simply go to blockbuster and rent the game, then return the broken one. $8 easy replacement.

*edit* Only needed if they don't simply let you exchange it of course.

Obviously the poster i quoted is a newb at ripping off stores...

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

OP:

Have you ever considered that maybe that video games just aren't for you? [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

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Yeah, big companies like that just write that kinda stuff off.

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http://content.answers.com/main/cont...ba/Kramer2.jpg

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Refresh my memory please.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

Kramer: It's a write off for them.
Jerry: How is it a write off?
Kramer: They just write it off.
Jerry: Write it off what?
Kramer: Jerry, all these big companies, they write off everything.
Jerry: You don't even know what a write off is.
Kramer: Do you?
Jerry: No. I Don't.
Kramer: But they do. And they're the ones writing it off.
Jerry: I wish I could have the last 20 seconds of my life back.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

[ QUOTE ]
Kramer: It's a write off for them.
Jerry: How is it a write off?
Kramer: They just write it off.
Jerry: Write it off what?
Kramer: Jerry, all these big companies, they write off everything.
Jerry: You don't even know what a write off is.
Kramer: Do you?
Jerry: No. I Don't.
Kramer: But they do. And they're the ones writing it off.
Jerry: I wish I could have the last 20 seconds of my life back.

[/ QUOTE ]

[censored] I saw it recently too.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

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I'm a little confused, it seems like you want to trade in your copy of COD4 for a new copy of COD4... so you just want to exchange it. Just bring it in, tell them it won't play for some reason (don't even say it's scratched, just play dumb) and that you'd like to exchange it for another copy. Here's how the conversation should go

You: "Hi, I just bought this game two days ago, and I tried to play it and my xbox360 won't read the disc, can I exchange it for another copy?"

Them: "Did anything happen to the disc/is it scratched?"

You: "I don't think so, I mean I don't know, I just put it into my 360 and it won't play. Can I exchange it for another copy of the same game?"

Them: "Ok"


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Spot on. For all they know, you didnt even wait 2 days. You were working the last 2 days and just popped it in for the first time 20 minutes before you brought it back to the store.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

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I just looked at my reciept and it says that for up to 7 days new games can be exchanged for the same game, but doesn't state what can or can't be returned. When I go up to try and return it, what should I tell them?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm a little confused, it seems like you want to trade in your copy of COD4 for a new copy of COD4... so you just want to exchange it. Just bring it in, tell them it won't play for some reason (don't even say it's scratched, just play dumb) and that you'd like to exchange it for another copy. Here's how the conversation should go

You: "Hi, I just bought this game two days ago, and I tried to play it and my xbox360 won't read the disc, can I exchange it for another copy?"

Them: "Did anything happen to the disc/is it scratched?"

You: "I don't think so, I mean I don't know, I just put it into my 360 and it won't play. Can I exchange it for another copy of the same game?"

Them: "Ok"

edit: if you want a refund, you're screwed because they don't give refunds even if it's in perfect condition. But you can get another copy of COD4, which you said was "all you wanted" in your OP. But for a refund of your money, you're SOL.

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I dunno, it sounds a little stupid if I go in and tell them that I have no idea that it's not working and I have no idea there is a big round scratch on the disc. Isn't the first thing everybody does when a disc gives them errors is to inspect the cd to find scratches?

I'm going to drive up there tonight and try to take it back, will report back.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

Well I went up there, told them that the game was giving me errors and had a scratch on it. They asked me if I used the 360 horizontally or vertically, I told them horizontally. Then they told me that it's supposed to be vertical. They still exchanged the game though, so it's all good I suppose. I'm keeping my system horizontal though, no place to put it vertically in my entertainment system and haven't had any problems with it being that way anyways.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

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Well I went up there, told them that the game was giving me errors and had a scratch on it. They asked me if I used the 360 horizontally or vertically, I told them horizontally. Then they told me that it's supposed to be vertical.

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"They" are f'ing stupid, and that is prob why they work there.

There is a rule not to move an Xbox360 while playing the game, cause it can scratch the game, but it being vertical/horizontal should have no issue. Matter of fact, horizontal would always be better for a ps3 or 360.

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

Still buying new games from Gamestop, I see. Have you learned your lesson yet?

Re: More game return policy talk! (sorta)
 

highly recommend keeping it vertical, my brother just ruined guitar hero this week doing the same thing you did.

OP, why are you still shopping at gamestop? have you changed your opinion on return policies?

tc