[aftli]

I'm upset, was just waiting for this week's payroll to order it. I don't like the idea of ordering from Gamestop. Has anybody here pre-ordered something from Gamestop? I went ahead and did it anyway, but I just don't trust that I'll get a copy on launch day. Amazon has this nice deal where they ship it such that it'll arrive on launch day, it doesn't seem GameStop will do that. Also, I hate GameStop.

[Shawneth]

aftli, on Feb 14 2011, 07:45 PM, said:

I'm upset, was just waiting for this week's payroll to order it. I don't like the idea of ordering from Gamestop. Has anybody here pre-ordered something from Gamestop? I went ahead and did it anyway, but I just don't trust that I'll get a copy on launch day. Amazon has this nice deal where they ship it such that it'll arrive on launch day, it doesn't seem GameStop will do that. Also, I hate GameStop.

Quote

I don't like the idea of ordering from Gamestop.

Quote

but I just don't trust that I'll get a copy on launch day. Amazon has this nice deal where they ship it such that it'll arrive on launch day, it doesn't seem GameStop will do that

Quote

I hate GameStop.

I get it now, you love them!

I preordered it from EB games, which merged with them. It's fine.

[PhReAkINDEE]

aftli, on Feb 14 2011, 10:45 PM, said:

I'm upset, was just waiting for this week's payroll to order it.

I know it's too late now, but you know that pre-ordering with Amazon you don't get charged until the game physically ships to you, right?

Anyways, I've used Gamestop before for in-store pre-orders and they've been just fine. Online, all I know are experiences from friends. Usually they seem to arrive the day of or the day after release.

[BraveTriforcer]

I was quick enough for Amazon, and by God am I glad. It's not that I hate the company itself, just how much of a dick it is to the game providers. You know that 60 bucks you spend for a new game? Only 27 of those go towards the actual publisher. Decide to buy it used, even if it's a week old at 55 dollars? Then screw you, industry, we get all the profit! Bull crap, I swear.

[ferran275]

fuckin' CRAZY that its sold out already, I've never seen that happen before, I mean come on, THREE months before release and its already sold out!? whoa

[Person of Color]

It only costs $10 to preorder at G$. I would go do it ASAP.

ferran275 said:

fuckin' CRAZY that its sold out already, I've never seen that happen before, I mean come on, THREE months before release and its already sold out!? whoa

These are fairly limited production you know.

[JamesCassidy]

I ordered mine as soon as I heard it was available. I am glad I did. I really hate gamestop because the ones in my area screwed me over too many times already. Not saying the company is lousy, but the ones around me are.

Besides, Amazon gives me awesome deals and gives me same day shipping for free.

[Sebastian]

BraveTriforcer, on Feb 14 2011, 09:25 PM, said:

I was quick enough for Amazon, and by God am I glad. It's not that I hate the company itself, just how much of a dick it is to the game providers. You know that 60 bucks you spend for a new game? Only 27 of those go towards the actual publisher.

I guess that depends on where you buy your games from and what publisher we're talking. I work for GameStop and our margins are criminally low which is why we're basically forced to sell pre-owned games or there wouldn't be a market for the prices we'd have to charge. I don't have the exact numbers for the margins because it depends on the publishers - for example we always have great deals with EA so we can charge less for their games but usually the reason new games have high prices so long is because only around 10% of that money goes to the retailers themselves. That and the fact that we don't sell dishwashers and additional warranties that are basically useless for the customers like alot of the other "whatever-you-can-get" corporations they can basically afford to charge $10-20 below GameStop prices.

BraveTriforcer, on Feb 14 2011, 09:25 PM, said:

Decide to buy it used, even if it's a week old at 55 dollars? Then screw you, industry, we get all the profit! Bull crap, I swear.

This is a gross simplification and I think if you saw it from the company's perspective you'd be a bit more understanding.

The actual purchase price is from the publishers, for the most part, around $5-15 of its new price tag (let's say $50 to simplify things), which means that when GameStop buys your used game for $20-30 and charge $50 for a pre-owned copy the average cost for said game is lowered from its purchase price from the developer. You'd have to buy a fuck ton of used copies from the customers to generate any real profit since if only 10 customers out of 50 trade in their game (and assuming the five next customers buys this game) you've only lowered the average cost by 20%.

Example:
GameStop buys 50 copies of BulletStorm from the publishers for $50 each and sells them for $60 at one store.
50x50 = $2500 (assuming they're all sold out)
10x50 = $500 (this is the actual profit gained by GameStop, 10 is the margin between 50 to 60)

Average cost = $2000

Half of these customers trade their game in exchange for a giftcard and get $30
25x30 = $750 (this is the total amount of money GameStop buys the game for from these 25 customers)
50x30 = $1500 (assuming all these copies gets sold)

So let's do some calculations.
500 - 750 + 1500 = 1250 is now the average cost

So in order to make any profit from the initial $2500 purchase price GameStop would have to either sell at least twice the amount of pre-owned copies of BulletStorm or lower the trade in value for the customer to lower the average cost even further. Another way for them to make money which is unbeknownst to most customers is the amount of pre-orders they're able to take before a game ships. Depending on how many pre-orders they get (calculated by the actual amount of customer pickups at each individual store) the company gets a cash "kick" from the publishers at about 30% per game sold to help generate more money. Usually from EA published games.

Now like I said, these are average numbers but you get the gist.

[themaniacboy]

I pre-order my Balls of Steel on bol.com.
Does anybody know that i get it on release day ( may 6th )

[Sebastian]

I think that's really a question you'd have to take up with Bol.
http://www.bol.com/n...vice/index.html

[aftli]

PhReAkINDEE, on Feb 14 2011, 11:24 PM, said:

I know it's too late now, but you know that pre-ordering with Amazon you don't get charged until the game physically ships to you, right?

Yeah, Gamestop didn't charge me either. Wish I realized that.

BraveTriforcer, on Feb 14 2011, 11:25 PM, said:

I was quick enough for Amazon, and by God am I glad. It's not that I hate the company itself, just how much of a dick it is to the game providers. You know that 60 bucks you spend for a new game? Only 27 of those go towards the actual publisher. Decide to buy it used, even if it's a week old at 55 dollars? Then screw you, industry, we get all the profit! Bull crap, I swear.

It's not so much that, it's mostly that I trust Amazon a lot more to actually get me a copy than I do Gamestop. If Amazon is sold out, I don't see why Gamestop isn't and I'm just worried they actually are but are still taking orders in hopes that they'll get more.

[JamesCassidy]

Sebastian, on Feb 15 2011, 09:58 AM, said:

This is a gross simplification and I think if you saw it from the company's perspective you'd be a bit more understanding.

I don't know about that really.

I mean, I wanted to buy MW2 from Gamestop recently but I didn't want to buy it brand new, I wanted to buy it used. Since I figured the game is old by now I could get it cheap, but the Gamestop near me wanted to sell it for $50 used. I am sorry, but I will never pay anything more than $20 for a used game (especially for one that is more than a year old). Amazon however, sold me MW2 brand new for $20 and free shipping. If I know anything about business it is this: It is better to make $1 than no dollars.

With all due respect, sometimes Gamestop does gyp you.

[themaniacboy]

Sebastian, on Feb 15 2011, 06:28 PM, said:

I think that's really a question you'd have to take up with Bol.
http://www.bol.com/n...vice/index.html

According to Bol.com, i receive DNF balls of steel edition on the 20th of may, i don't know why, but i really hope they made a mistake.

[Sebastian]

JamesCassidy, on Feb 16 2011, 01:35 AM, said:

Amazon however, sold me MW2 brand new for $20 and free shipping. If I know anything about business it is this: It is better to make $1 than no dollars.

With all due respect, sometimes Gamestop does gyp you.

It doesn't matter if you buy it from Amazon, Play or HMV, who like I mentioned before, have better margins so they can afford to charge less for games since they sell a crap-ton of other stuff besides them.
Besides, buying it from an online shop is always cheaper than getting it at retailers since there's more total expenditure like payroll tax, rent, electricity and security from running a retail shop.
Most good customers I have can accept this though in favor of getting expert service from us but what really pisses me off is when Store Managers hire lazy-ass hobos to work for them and present the company with a bad image - as I get the feeling you must've experiences once or twice.

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand if you buy your games elsewhere if the price is as cheap as that. I also understand that you feel swindled by GameStop because of it (since honestly, I don't expect everyone to grasp or even care about the business end of it - they just want their games cheap) but at least now you understand why such is the case.

[blackharted]

Sebastian, on Feb 16 2011, 06:57 AM, said:

It doesn't matter if you buy it from Amazon, Play or HMV, who like I mentioned before, have better margins so they can afford to charge less for games since they sell a crap-ton of other stuff besides them.

This is true. I love Play.com they rock.

[JamesCassidy]

Sebastian, on Feb 16 2011, 07:57 AM, said:

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand if you buy your games elsewhere if the price is as cheap as that. I also understand that you feel swindled by GameStop because of it (since honestly, I don't expect everyone to grasp or even care about the business end of it - they just want their games cheap) but at least now you understand why such is the case.

Wow, thanks for calling us stupid. Truthfully, I know how Gamestop is run. I also know that most Gamestops are PRIVATELY RUN BUSINESSES with a franchise name. How about I give you a better example than Amazon? Gamestop and Target. I wanted to buy COD:WaW because my friends wanted me to. The game is about a year old by then so I thought I buy it used again thinking I would get a discount. They still wanted $50. I go to target next door who are selling it brand new for $35.

I've gone in to trade games to Gamestop. Some games they wanted maybe $5 for, but then turn around and sell the same game for $30. The same game. Not to mention charge me $5 dollars for missing instruction manuals. (Funny thing is, I once traded a game back to them I bought for them and they charged me for no manual only for me to say to them "well, you didn't give me the manual when I first bought it.") See I also worked at a gamestop for 6 months and I know a few things as well. I know that they can get trade in pre-played systems and get them factory refurbished for pennies compared to what a gamer pays for them.

It is a business sure and they pay for facilities and you want to make a profit sure, but being greedy is a different story all together. I don't know what Gamestop you work at, but the Gamestop near me nickels and dimes me to death on everything and the workers are terrible at that. I USED to have a friend there, but he left.

Here is a lesson on business that you forget my friend. The customer is always right. Why should I buy a used game for $50 at your store when I could buy a brand new game at a competing store for a much cheaper price? Because of loyalty? I am sorry, but that is not enough reason anymore. Especially now since Gamestop shows no loyalty to the costumers anymore. Also this economy sucks and we need to save money anywhere we can. I used to buy a lot of games from Gamestop and at times; they would give me free stuff for being loyal like free strategy guides. Not anymore.

Yeah, I get that Gamestop only sells games while Target and Amazon sell a lot more stuff for extra financial support if games don't sell, but gamestop chose that business and ONLY that business. Now, there is one thing Gamestop does that Amazon cannot and that is I can get games there that I can't find on Amazon sometimes. That is one good thing about ONLY focusing on games is because of this you show rare games.

This is what business is about. How to make the customer see that it is better to buy from me then from my competitors. Amazon has workers in a factory. They pay for facilities and warehouses. They pay for packaging, workers, payrolls, everything. It's a business just the same, just a different kind of a business. You talked about loyalty, well Amazon is loyal to me as well as I am loyal to them. Not just because they have good prices. Because I am loyal, they gave me free shipping and gave me $10 off my next pre-ordered game just for buying Duke Nukem which I am using to buy Gears 3 from them and in turn I get another $10 off.

Right now, Gamestop is poor at salesmanship because they don't always have good marketing. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they offer good things like pre-ordering a game gets good in game content. I pre-ordered Red Dead from them, but it's rare for me to buy games from them because they are so expensive.

They need to work on the used games a bit more though. I don't know what they are thinking, but charging $55 for a used game is ridiculous. I think even you can agree since for $5 more you can get it brand new. Come on, please tell I am not the only one who thinks that is stupid?

[randir14]

90% of BOSE pre-orders will be on Ebay for hundreds of dollars

[Sebastian]

JamesCassidy, on Feb 16 2011, 12:15 PM, said:

Wow, thanks for calling us stupid.

No no! You misunderstood my intentions, all I meant was that people often jump to conclusions that GameStop is evil due to their prices without giving a second thought as to why their prices sometimes differ so much.

I deeply apologize for making it look like I was attacking you.

(I'm on my way out as of this moment so I'll have to read the rest of your post later!)

[Tedades]

themaniacboy, on Feb 16 2011, 12:52 PM, said:

According to Bol.com, i receive DNF balls of steel edition on the 20th of may, i don't know why, but i really hope they made a mistake.

PC version = 20th
Console = 6th

Just look it up

[Gurty]

Tedades, on Feb 16 2011, 02:53 PM, said:

PC version = 20th
Console = 6th

Just look it up

It's a mistake, diffrent game stores are selling the Balls of Steel PC version on the 5/6th. Bol.com is really slow with updating there store.
For the Dutch folks, Gamemania, Nedgame and Dimension Plus are selling it on may 5/6.
Gamemania: price unknown
Nedgame: € 70,-
Dimension plus: Still not on the website...

[DerickVonD]

I was able to order mine for the PC in gamestop. Keep in mind though I live in an area of Maryland where most people are console gamers, so I knew most likely they wouldn't be sold out.

[Mr. Pink]

FWIW, pre-ordered my BoS for PC on Gamestop online, with no charge to my card.

I'm hoping they come through. I have no experience with GS so have no idea what to expect. Gotta have those dice & that bust!!

[DavoX]

Well they send through UPS. For international shippment to argentina that is BAD news as UPS is always taken to Customs, no matter what. And If I walk out of there with the game in my hands is a matter of luck. And HOPEFULLY they won't open the friggin box.

[aftli]

Yay! Back in stock at Amazon!

My major issue with Gamestop was that while Amazon was forthright with their stock levels (it was sold out for awhile), Gamestop still had them "in stock". I was worried that they may just have not updated their website soon enough, and may not have eventually gotten enough copies to get me one on release day (or at all). So now I have both pre-orders. I trust Amazon, and if Gamestop ships me one, I'll have an extra one to sit unopened and sealed and appreciate in value over the years (like action figures - buy one to play with, one to keep sealed).

[jaks]

The duke4.net news post suggests you receive a First Access Club Code for pre-ordering Balls of Steel on amazon. I pre-ordered Balls of Steel on amazon.de but I didn't receive any Code. Is that a US-only thing? I wouldn't mind getting a FAC Code after all ;-)

[#SH@DOW#]

Can it be shipped in Rusiia? I have just never ordered stuff from amazon.

[bullerbullerseven]

Is this some kind of advertisement?

[TerminX]

jaks, on Mar 4 2011, 04:38 AM, said:

The duke4.net news post suggests you receive a First Access Club Code for pre-ordering Balls of Steel on amazon. I pre-ordered Balls of Steel on amazon.de but I didn't receive any Code. Is that a US-only thing? I wouldn't mind getting a FAC Code after all ;-)

When did you pre-order? It took a couple of weeks for me to get my code from Amazon, but they did eventually send it.

[Mikko]

DavoX, on Feb 20 2011, 03:48 PM, said:

Well they send through UPS. For international shippment to argentina that is BAD news as UPS is always taken to Customs, no matter what. And If I walk out of there with the game in my hands is a matter of luck.

Are there then obstacles other than duties to video game trade in Argentina?

[MrBlackCat]

jaks, on Mar 4 2011, 04:38 AM, said:

The duke4.net news post suggests you receive a First Access Club Code for pre-ordering Balls of Steel on amazon. I pre-ordered Balls of Steel on amazon.de but I didn't receive any Code. Is that a US-only thing? I wouldn't mind getting a FAC Code after all ;-)

Hey jaks... yes. It took a couple of weeks for mine to come in also... but I am in the US.