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Have Game Retailers Stolen the Consumer's Voice?
May 23rd 2003, 21:16 CEST by Charles I went to Electronics Boutique today with the intention of buying Enter the Matrix. However, due to the mixed opinions I've been hearing from people around the crap (and elsewhere), I had reservations. So, before committing to a purchase, I inquired if they still accepted returns on opened games. Since EB has traditionally accepted returns even when other retailers did not, I was somewhat surprised to be told that they in fact, did not accept returns on opened games anymore. Now honestly, I wasn't that surprised. I'd heard through the grapevine that EB was cancelling this policy, which is why I made sure to ask first. But knowing that they actually did cancel it irked me. I don't like having that power taken away from me. In fact, despite that I can't remember ever actually returning a game I'd purchased, it downright angered me. Now, I'm not sure whether it's just a retailers being stupid thing, or if publishers have managed to make it difficult for the retailers to return merchandise. Normally in a retail channel, it's just a matter of returning the merchandise to the distributor, and waiting for a replacement. Usually in those cases, the maker of the item incurs the cost of the return. In games, the publisher just takes that cost out of the developer's cut, so that shitty games that end up with lots of returns directly cut in to the money the developer makes. Seems like a good system to me, developer makes shitty game, developer fucks themselves over. A crappy enough game would cut in to the money the publisher makes too. So it seems to me the blocking of returns is just a way for publishers and developers to release shit games with impunity. After all, there is absolutely nothing a consumer can do after they've purchased the game; they are stuck with whatever crap was packed in the box. It's no wonder publishers can continue to pump out junk games. If they put a small enough amount of money in to the development, even the random buys a title gets through a decent marketing campaign should be enough for them to make some amount of money. It's inconsequential if the game works properly or not. Now, I can understand the rationale behind not allowing returns of PC games. After all, with PC games, it's just a matter of installing the game, downloading the crack, and voila, you have the game and can return the original to the store. Console games, however, are a far different story. To do something like that with a console game requires a modded console, and most likely a dvd burner of some sort. Gamecube games, you can't even do that. GBA games, you'd need a flash linker. In most of these cases, the people who've already found themselves the means to pirate games will most likely just get it off the net without even bothering with a trip to the store. So is piracy really the issue? It's the most commonly quoted reason, but I don't really think it's the issue. Some people say it's because gamers will buy the game, play it, beat it, return it. I suppose that could be an issue. But it's easily handled. With a short enough grace time, and maybe a small restocking fee, it becomes easier for someone to go rent the game, play it, then return it. It also requires much less cash up front, and much less hassle. Also, it wouldn't be hard for the store to require your personal info when you want your money back (or even in store credit) to just make sure that you don't do it with every game you buy. Make it an inter-store database, and you cut out their ability to just run to a different EB to do it. But again, is this really that much of an issue? How many games can be completed in that time? How many people who really want to avoid buying a game, will buy it then go so much out of their way to return it, when there are plenty of other ways to avoid paying for it? It just seems to me that the whole charade of not allowing returns is done just so that the consumer is stuck with what they buy. It seems like a knee-jerk reaction to the output of an industry that tends to be subpar as often as not. And because of this, it allows the game industry to continue to produce junk, since there is no real action that a consumer can take to show that they don't like getting suckered in to buying shit. You can argue buyer beware, and say that the consumer's power is in not purchasing it to begin with. But in that case, they are losing sales from people who just don't want to be burned. As I stated to begin with, I want to buy Enter the Matrix. I'd buy it, I'd play it, and I'd most likely not return it, even if I had the ability. But considering that reviews of the game go out of their way to point out all the bugs and crashes, it's just a risk I'm not willing to take. So am I just spazzing? Or should we still be allowed to return games? |
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Topic: Have Game Retailers Stolen the Consumer's Voice?
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So it's politically correct for a consumer to get screwed when they buy defective software now eh? Let's look at this thru the eyes of the poor, near bankrupt retailers and publishers shall we?...Blarg. I buy all of my games exclusively at the local EB store, and since 1997 I have only returned two games out of the dozens I've purchased. One was for an actual defective CD that you could plainly see when held up to a light, and the second game I returned was the new Sim City game that just flat out ran like crap on my 1.6ghz P4/GF3 system to the point of annoyance. The state of the industry is to blame in all of this, not the consumer. The trending over the past few years where a high percentage of games require multiple patches to fix bugs isnt the consumers fault, so why deny a patron the ability to return a game or software because it doesnt work? The industry track record should be enough of a clue for anyone to accurately discern that exchanging faulty software is an honorable practice, and one that should continue. If publishers have such a cod lock on the retailer industry to the point that returns are no longer being accepted, I fail to see how anyone can lay that at the feet of the consumer....period. One way of dealing with this would be for retailers to institute a preferred customer program. Part of the member database could contain past purchases, price paid, and the number of returns made by the individual. If I'm a good customer who has bought X number of titles and never had a return, I should be able to return my software for full purchase price with no questions asked. However, if I have a high return rate versus the number of purchases I've made, I would expect to either pay a restocking fee or to be turned down completely. A customer should also earn rewards in the form of credits for each game that is purchased but never returned, where a good customer could earn points and get free games. I just think it's ludicrous to punish all customers when the industry is so obviously fucked up. I predict EB will definately suffer as a result of this new policy. "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
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You had me until Simcity 4. Returning a game that didn't have a high enough framerate is justified how, exactly? Voices tell me I'm the shit.
<Whisp> BJB is a troll. <Whisp> Troll I say! |
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#138 Mank One way of dealing with this would be for retailers to... ... do a lot of work.Look, for every forthright, upstanding, loyal consumer like yourself, there's a dozen more who think that boobies are a hot selling point and think the next Sims expansion pack is a must-buy. I don't think that a strict no-returns policy is a "good" idea. It is simply reality. "Yeah... wow, that sounds like a really good deal."
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Perhaps you missed the part where he mentioned it didn't have a high enough framerate.... I was trendy before it was trendy.
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135 jafd Perhaps this fact is lost upon you... retailers make money by taking it from customers. Not by giving it back. Umm... normally the costs of returning an item are eaten by the manufacturer. Unless they aren't playing nicely, in which case the retailer probably wont take it back. Either that, or they put the game back on the shelves, in which case, no money is lost. oh my god, are you giving me cancer? stop it! stopitstopitstopit!
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Oh and, just for the record, the company I work for has a no questions asked return policy. We sell everything from shampoo and cosmetics, to computers, cameras, and audio/video equipment. The only thing we don't accept returns on is software. Why? Not because it's too much effort, but because the publishers give us our money back for the returned product. Everything else in the store has a return policy with the repective manufacturers where all we have to do is write down a reason on why it's being returned (could be as simple as "customer didn't like it"). Why do we do this? Our prices are generally higher than most other places, and our locations aren't all in prime retail spots, but people still flock to us because of our return policy (and customer service in general). oh my god, are you giving me cancer? stop it! stopitstopitstopit!
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#142 Squeaky Either that, or they put the game back on the shelves, in which case, no money is lost. Oh for fuck's sake. Except for the overhead they spend on the labor to run the till twice, once for the sale, once for the return, except for the non-zero damage that is done to other sales when customers see something being returned, except for the costs to reshrink the item, except for the paperwork that every return generates, except for the fact that having a return policy tends to attract customers who are more trouble than they are worth...These are all non-trivial expenses when you look at the big picture. Decidedly so. "Yeah... wow, that sounds like a really good deal."
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So how the fuck has London Drugs stayed in business for the past 50 years? oh my god, are you giving me cancer? stop it! stopitstopitstopit!
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Maybe if Electronics Boutique were selling aspirin, they could afford to have a return policy as well. "Yeah... wow, that sounds like a really good deal."
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You had me until Simcity 4. Returning a game that didn't have a high enough framerate is justified how, exactly? Minimum system requirements for this game call for a 500mhz processor, and at least a 16mb graphics card. Recommended system requirements call for a 1ghz processor and a 32mb graphics card. For a game to run as poorly as this one did on a 1.6ghz machine with a GF3 64 meg is just inexcusable. Besides, I didnt return the game for my money back, I opted to exchange it for a different title. #138 Mank One way of dealing with this would be for retailers to... ... do a lot of work. I fail to see how implementing a system such as the ones in use at places like Blockbusters or other rental places, could be construed as requiring more work. When you sign up for a membership at most rental places, you already give them a shitload of personal data about yourself just so they can protect themselves in the event of a non-return. Blockbusters database is one of the most widely used guages of how sucessful a title is on the rental scene, so it's pretty much a given that they already collect a shitload of data about the rental habits of their customers. Why cant retailers implement a similar type of system of issuing a membership card to those customers who opt in for it, and track purchasing habits and whatnot? Scan the card, customer pays for the game, data is entered and the tracking begins. EB used to have a system similar to this where they kept track of the games you bought in which you earned savings on future titles with each title you bought. I realize that people are return crazy these days, one look at the customer service counter at Wal-Mart the day after christmas is enough to illustrate this. I just dont see how retailers like EB can honestly think that an across the board denial of returns will help them in the long run. "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
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Maybe if Electronics Boutique were selling aspirin, they could afford to have a return policy as well. I'm going to have to end this inanity with a big, fat, what? Honestly, how is selling computer games all that special from any other product or service? If the asprin is faulty, I can take it back for a refund. So why the fuck can't I do that with a game? If I buy a coffee maker and it makes crap coffee, oh well, too bad. I should have known what I was buying before I got to the store. oh my god, are you giving me cancer? stop it! stopitstopitstopit!
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Either you were unwilling to turn down the graphics options or you get annoyed easily. Voices tell me I'm the shit.
<Whisp> BJB is a troll. <Whisp> Troll I say! |
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I'm going to let someone else point out where you guys are wrong here. Honestly, I could say that sky is blue and half of you people would look out a window to check. Last exercise for the reader: #148 Squeaky Honestly, how is selling computer games all that special from any other product or service? If the asprin is faulty, I can take it back for a refund. So why the fuck can't I do that with a game? #147 MankFor a game to run as poorly as this one did on a 1.6ghz machine with a GF3 64 meg is just inexcusable. "Yeah... wow, that sounds like a really good deal."
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I think this is a situation where everyone is right. Jafd is approaching it realistically, for the most part, while everyone else is approaching it the way it should be. "And I'm saying without a relationship with God and those strong convictions HE put in me I wouldn't be a 42 year old who hasn't had sex with anyone today."
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Pity the poor retailer having actual costs of doing business. Maybe if it is such a terrible burden, they shouldn't even bother and we can all just write our own games to play, like Warren did with Bubble Bomb. The End. "I don't bemoan the great paste" - LPMiller
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#150 I see. I should have told a lie instead, and said the game was defective and wouldnt install, just so you wouldnt have had something to selectively quote for the sake of whatever point it is you're trying to make. If a company has an open return policy, then yes, it is realistic that certain people will abuse said system. But hey, that's the price you pay for having such a loosely defined system in the first place. If you have an open return policy it shouldnt matter what the customers reason is for returning a product. The problem appears to be that software retailers(or publishers) seem to be wanting software to be treated differently than any other retail product in the regard where such open exchange policies exist....and that's simply not gonna happen in consumers eyes. "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
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Got to say, I am completely in agreement with jafd. Unless the game is dysfunctional in the sense that it is missing the install disk or the autorun poisons my goldfish or something, it's really my problem. I wouldn't take a music CD or a DVD back just because I didn't like it, either. That's my mistake for throwing money around, without having checked out the product first. |
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#4 Phayyde The consumers' voice is in the word 'no' and that cannot be taken away. You can't return an apple once you bite it or an automobile once driven off the lot. Even though the nature of software is fundamentally different, why does that make the selling of software any different? It doesn't. I smell a nonissue. This thread has been stillborn since this post and nothing more of any substance has been said.#153 Mank whatever point it is you're trying to make. The point has already been made! Can you buy a musical recording and open the shrink wrap and return it? Come on, why not? All those speciality record stores would be sure to be doing simply fantastic business then.I don't know what kind of point you're trying to make. That the goal of business is or should be, to treat its customers right? Hollow laugh! I think you are vastly underestimating the number of fucktards who take advantage of a liberal return policy. Additionally, I don't see that such a policy actually serves the customers' needs. Don't want to get burned on crappy product? Then take steps to ensure that you don't buy crappy product in the first place! Call it a life lesson. "Yeah... wow, that sounds like a really good deal."
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Re: #0 Charles, you are just spazzing. While I agree that cutting off return policies is promoting bad games in a way, there are plenty off ways to avoid a bad buy. Games must be among the most rated and reviewed type of product out there. And there are demos. AND you can download a warez version if you want the full demo. With all this if you buy a bad game you deserve to get stuck with it. Perhaps it will remind you to consider your next purchase more carefully (like B&W will be doing for me). In the end both the games and the consumers will be better for it. <MuadDib> To a certain degree I am, come on its the internet, I can be whatever I want <Thalamasa> Except, apparently, a person of intellect
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Why do we do this? Our prices are generally higher than most other places, and our locations aren't all in prime retail spots, but people still flock to us because of our return policy (and customer service in general). Well, the London Drugs is quite convenient for me since it's just down the block from my apartment and actually its prices are cheaper than Safeway's (although I would buy my electronics, DVDs and games at Future Shop, A&B or EB, respectively). The customer service and return policy is top notch though. |
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also, i thought the irish were supposed to know sarcasm when they see it? or is that the scottish? whichever. it always struck me as odd because you're all such collossal drunks. Next thing you're gonna say Irish are lazy, right? You nazi fuckmonkey. "What kind of hopelessly superficial society do we live in where a guy can't have a little explosive diarrhea in public without losing the love of his life?"
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Seems like a good system to me, developer makes shitty game, developer fucks themselves over. A crappy enough game would cut in to the money the publisher makes too. that system is only good if you define 'quality' solely from a capitalist point of view. "What kind of hopelessly superficial society do we live in where a guy can't have a little explosive diarrhea in public without losing the love of his life?"
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I've been playing through GTA3 again recently, and no weapons except for the baseball bat seem to spawn outside my hideout any more. Was this always the way, and I've just forgotten, or is this actually a bug? I'm playing the patched version. |
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Can you buy a musical recording and open the shrink wrap and return it? Yes. I can. It's the reason I shop where I do. I dont collect music CD's, and my tastes change over time, so if I'm low on cash I can sort thru what cd's I have and drive downtown and get credit on them that I can apply towards a different title. They then sell my old CD's on the used rack and the circle goes round and round and everyone wins. I don't know what kind of point you're trying to make. That the goal of business is or should be, to treat its customers right? I guess the position I'm taking regarding all of this is that it's not my fault that technology has gotten to the point where exact duplicates of software or music can be made in the comfort of someones living room. Software is no different than any other item you buy at retail, period. So to give it special treatment over any other products because the industry cant figure out how to implement proper anti-copy code or piracy protection is just wrong. And from the majority of counterpoints offered in this thread, it seems that the fear of copying and returning software is the primary reason being given against having a software return policy. I consider myself to be a knowledgable gamer, and I do often times play demos before purchasing most games, but the experience I had with SC4 was just that bad. And 2 returns(or exchanges) out of all the games I've bought over the years is not a bad track record. I would just rather see EB implement some kind of preferred customer concept where returns are concerned instead of doing away with it completely. If small mom and pop record stores can survive with a trade in/exchange program, then surely these multimillion dollar retail conglomerates can come up with some way of maintaining a respectable level of customer service. If the system gets to the point where the good guys are no longer recognized, then pretty soon there wont be any reason for people to continue playing by the rules. "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
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marsh: I've been playing through GTA3 again recently, and no weapons except for the baseball bat seem to spawn outside my hideout any more. Was this always the way, and I've just forgotten, or is this actually a bug? I'm playing the patched version. you need to collect hidden packages. iirc 10 packages gives you a gun at your hideout, 10 more give you a shotgun, armor, grenades,... consecutively. "What kind of hopelessly superficial society do we live in where a guy can't have a little explosive diarrhea in public without losing the love of his life?"
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#161 Mank Can you buy a musical recording and open the shrink wrap and return it? Yes. I can. It's the reason I shop where I do. I dont collect music CD's, and my tastes change over time, so if I'm low on cash I can sort thru what cd's I have and drive downtown and get credit on them that I can apply towards a different title. They then sell my old CD's on the used rack and the circle goes round and round and everyone wins.I don't know what kind of point you're trying to make. That the goal of business is or should be, to treat its customers right? I guess the position I'm taking regarding all of this is that it's not my fault that technology has gotten to the point where exact duplicates of software or music can be made in the comfort of someones living room.Software is no different than any other item you buy at retail, period. You mean, like, ice? Or oranges? Or condoms? Returning any of those after they've been used in exchange for 100% of your money back generally isn't possible either. (Well I guess you can eat one orange or use one condom out of a package containing multiples, but software isn't generally sold that way.)*So to give it special treatment over any other products because the industry cant figure out how to implement proper anti-copy code or piracy protection is just wrong. Fuck me running! I never said anything about it being right. I said it was the way things are.And from the majority of counterpoints offered in this thread, it seems that the fear of copying and returning software is the primary reason being given against having a software return policy. Those are merely two elements of the existing challenge. The primary reason is that taking returns on software is too much work.(You know what that means, right? It means that setting up this referral system would cost more money than it would save, or more specifically, it is believed that it would. If you disagree, perhaps you should go into business and show the world how things ought to be done.) I would just rather see EB implement some kind of preferred customer concept where returns are concerned instead of doing away with it completely. You know what? So would I. Just as long as, you know, someone else does all that fucking work. Then, I'll shop there in the unlikely event that I am going to buy a high-risk title, and for everything else, I'll shop, like most everyone else, someplace else, where prices will be undeniably cheaper.If small mom and pop record stores can survive with a trade in/exchange program, Can they? I guess there are some levels of survival that mom and pop are willing to accept.then surely these multimillion dollar retail conglomerates can come up with some way of maintaining a respectable level of customer service. Maybe they can! (I mean running a big soulless congolomerate is exactly like running a two-horse outfit, right?) But, why should they care? Maybe they would prefer to just take your money and then leave you out in the cold. Maybe they would prefer to be happy with 5%-15% less profit, as long as they didn't have to deal with a bunch of goddamned whiny end-users. In fact, I don't think there is any "maybe" about it.If the system gets to the point where the good guys are no longer recognized, then pretty soon there wont be any reason for people to continue playing by the rules. "If"? "Soon"? You troll me, sir. You troll me indeed.*: I fully expect someone to jump all over this flawed analogy and tell me how things really are. Hot Tip: make the most of the opportunity, o mighty lumberjack. "Yeah... wow, that sounds like a really good deal."
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Wow, that post looks like total ass, when not viewed with OpenCrap. Now, that's some marketing! "You do not truly know someone until you fight them."
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Hey - If I buy a game and it's sheer shite, I'll burn it and return it for paybacks. Games like IGI, WoT, and IGI 2 were the worst games ever produced. I took it back within the week - no questions asked. I traded them for games that were INSPIRED. The biggest mistake developers make is to wrap shit in a box and expect the public to buy it. Developers crank out games in a matter of hours and then want the public to pay for their unispired crap? That's not what games are about. They have every right to do it, but it cheapens the industry and loses the developers' credibility. We're gonna have a little place wit' rabbits.
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And as far as music CD's go, do you remember how many CD companies were overcharging the public for years and had to make amends to customers? Well, if they diss us with overcharging, bands like Metallica can kiss my lilly white. Break out the burner. We're gonna have a little place wit' rabbits.
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gunp01nt Hehe... Of course! Cheers. |
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Those two look like total ass as well. "You do not truly know someone until you fight them."
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"If I buy a game and it's sheer shite, I'll burn it and return it for paybacks." Dumb. That's a big trunk. It fits a tuba, a suitcase, a dead dog, and a garment bag almost perfectly.
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See, that's why I don't read those posts. If it is shit, why burn it? CWoT. "You do not truly know someone until you fight them."
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I'll tell you what sucked....I watched Star Trek: Nemesis last night. I'm not much of a series Trek fan, but I've usually enjoyed the Trek movies. Not so with this one. BLEH. I can wait until The Search For Data! I'm fighting terrorism by playing violent video games!
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Who cares? It's always good to have a copy to trade for something else under the table. We're gonna have a little place wit' rabbits.
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Either you were unwilling to turn down the graphics options or you get annoyed easily. So if your computer exceed both the minimum requirements and the recommended requirements, but won't run the game, this is your fault how? SC4 pissed me off for this same reason. An XP2100 and a 128 mb graphics card and I can't even scroll in the game without slowdown? Stop lying on the packaging and advertising and I'll feel bad about returning it, or burning a copy and selling it. Maybe my burned copy will run on my spec-exceeding machine after you've patched it and got it ready for retail. He sets off my Claydar.
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I don't feel bad that I had the same exact problems with SC4. But I figured it was due to my machine only meeting recommended reqs. I can hate freely now. Dooomo!
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Marsh, Got to say, I am completely in agreement with jafd. Unless the game is dysfunctional in the sense that it is missing the install disk or the autorun poisons my goldfish or something, it's really my problem. I wouldn't take a music CD or a DVD back just because I didn't like it, either. That's my mistake for throwing money around, without having checked out the product first. In a No Returns environment, it looks like the onus is on you to prove that the game didn't work on your system. Do they expect you to bring your PC in, so they can see it blue screen after the intro movie, or run without sound, or fail to put any textures on the geometry? I'm not talking about bringing a game back because you didn't like it, but because you just couldn't play it. Also, abysmally low framerates are a good reason to bring it back, especially if your hardware should run it at a decent clip. My flatmate got Medieval Total War and it ran fine on his 500MHz machine, and like complete ass on my 850, maybe 1 frame every two seconds. If I had bought it, I would have returned it like a shot, even playing it was making me ill with juddering sound and a mouse that flicked all over the screen randomly. Anybody that says I shouldn't have been allowed is talking through their arse. I'm not required to try a demo before I buy, and on dial-up that isn't an option anyway. We're all so worried about pirates, we're willing to remove our basic consumer rights, punishing the honest people for the sake of the ones that return every game after installing and cracking it. The shop gets the money, it should do the work filtering out the bad apples and refusing to sell them any more games. That's their right. They have no right to keep my money after selling me something that doesn't work. And it's against the law for them not to accept a defective return, that's the bottom line. |
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#175 mrbloo And it's against the law for them not to accept a defective return, that's the bottom line. Is the retailer or the publisher liable in such cases? I'm guessing the statutes surrounding this issue are somewhat... gray... in most places."You do not truly know someone until you fight them."
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I can understand when a game won't run well on minumum requirements. I see that as it runs, but might not look pretty or be very fun. When I pay for hardware that goes past your requirements, but still won't run, it means you shipped a shoddy product or lied about requirements. I don't see any difference between this and buying a movie that says it runs on a dvd player, only to find out it stutters through the movie. He sets off my Claydar.
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jafd, Is the retailer or the publisher liable in such cases? I'm guessing the statutes surrounding this issue are somewhat... gray... in most places. The Citizens Advice Bureau, or their equivalent, would tell you, free of charge, who you would be claiming against in the Small Claims Court. I guess would be that you take it up with the retailer, usually it's the point of sale that's responsible in these cases. |
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Actually, I've returned countless DVDs to the local rental outfit because they either wouldn't spin up, or they were scratched or partially unwatchable. They give me a credit without any questions, only once asking me if I was running them on a computer (they must have had a few people return that DVD). For scratches, I sort of have to complain, as the last person who didn't complain was probably the fucker who scratched it. |
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If every game was Mario or Nocturne, nobody would need to return anything! (I'm giving strong consideration to adding Arx Fatalis to my list of recent classics. Be advised.) I'm fighting terrorism by playing violent video games!
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The shop gets the money, it should do the work filtering out the bad apples and refusing to sell them any more games. I agree. But god forbid if the retailer has to ask their employees to fill out a return/exchange slip, scan a membership card, or punch a few extra keys on the checkout machine....that'd be too much like...work..or something. "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
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Bloo - In recent times, say, after the introduction of XP, what games have failed to run at all on your PC? Not including demos. To be honest, I've not bought a game in this time period that wouldn't run - and this may well be why I don't empathise with your position. It has been a good long while since one blue-screened my computer regularly enough that the game was unplayable. |
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In recent times, say, after the introduction of XP, what games have failed to run at all on your PC? Not including demos. Mechwarrior 4, Enter the Matrix, NHL 2003, Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2, Half-Life (for some reason it wont load up). That's all I can think of in recent memory. oh my god, are you giving me cancer? stop it! stopitstopitstopit!
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Settlers 4. Both the full game and the demo didn't work. <MuadDib> To a certain degree I am, come on its the internet, I can be whatever I want <Thalamasa> Except, apparently, a person of intellect
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Have either of you gentleman considered giving Nocturne a try? I'm fighting terrorism by playing violent video games!
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Interesting EB/Game in the UK have 'reward' cards that you load points on when you buy a game. This very card has the necessary data to see what you bought when and if it was returned or not. The Dixons group also have a similar Point of Sales system that tracks returns against a customer along with credit checking and inventory. So if the ass backwards, when it comes to consumer systems, UK can have a computerised system in place that can track what you bought and put up warning flags when you return too many things. Why the fuck cant the US, where in an awful lot of stores they ask for your name/address to sell you just about anything, cant they flag against a certain name popping up repeatedly. Its -not- too much to ask for, its -not- too hard to do, its fuckwittery NOT to have that kind of system protecting your stock lines. I mean c'mon, if you bought the game at Place X then Place X is where youre going to return it to, and Place X will know who you are, because of the hoops you go through buying the product. Sure little Jimmy McJimmy who saves up 145 quarters in a jar isnt as easily traced on the system as Mr Flash MacVisa, but whos more likely to be trying to buy/burn/return? Do not go gently into that good night.
Old age should burn and rage at the close of day. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. |
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Marsh, I'm still running 2000, not XP, but yeah, Splinter Cell bluescreens if I let the intro movie run to the end. It didn't get returned, because I can just quit the movie at any point to get into the game. I haven't bought many games in the last year because I haven't been working, I think SOF2 was the only one before that, and it was fairly unplayable on my system. I gave it to my kid brother rather than return it. When I upgrade, I'll give it another go. The Medieval Total War problem was a common one and solved by turning down the sound acceleration, so I only had two days of problems with that one, exacerbated by accidentally turning off the sound acceleration on mike input, instead of playback, and thinking the problem hadn't been fixed. Those are local machine problems that meant the software wasn't fit to be played. Maybe they're driver issues, maybe it's my SB Live and VIA chipset that meant that Swat3 didn't have any sound. I don't really care though; if I can't play it, the game goes back. Like I said before, I've only returned one game ever, but I think the right to return something that doesn't work is one that can't be taken away because of a few pirates. |
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Topic: Have Game Retailers Stolen the Consumer's Voice?
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