GameStop opens game cases, steals the coupons inside

[Arcilux]

Found this story:

http://money.cnn.com/2011/08/24/tech...bin&hpt=hp_bn3

Apparently a new game Deus Ex comes with a coupon to download an online version of the game for free, similar to the Digital Copies that some DVDs come with. GameStop decided to open the games, remove and destroy the coupons, then sell the opened games as new.

Personally I think this was underhanded and despicable, customers were buying the game from GameStop anyway, so the coupon wasn't costing the store any money, but GameStop decided to tamper with the product and still sell it as new.

What are your thoughts?

[blackangel209]

I'm fairly certain this is actually illegal. I mean, I'm used to Gamestop having "new" games with open cases, but they've always had everything that was supposed to be there inside.

[georgevonfranken]

Supposedly gamestop plans to release there own online retailer so they didnt want to spread Onlive's name

[Specops]

The exact reason why I never buy from GameStop anymore, and just by through Steam.

[Merrena]

I don't even know why people still go to GameStop really, they are so sleazy.

[Calzaeth]

Yeah, that's bad, and I hope they get a hefty fine for tampering with products that way.

[blackangel209]

Supposedly gamestop plans to release there own online retailer so they didnt want to spread Onlive's name

Yea, but Deus Ex runs through Steam anyway, so on the same principle, they shouldn't be selling the game at all. Also, if they've already sold the game, then chances are there's no god damn competition because they already fucking sold it. Gamestop are assholes in this instance.

[Edge-]

Supposedly gamestop plans to release there own online retailer so they didnt want to spread Onlive's name

They bought out Impulse, so they already have a digital distribution service.

Personally I think it's kinda shady and I don't agree with it. But at the same time, there should have been some communication between Square and Gamestop to avoid problems like this (like giving Gamestop copies without the coupon in it).

[Arcilux]

Supposedly gamestop plans to release there own online retailer so they didnt want to spread Onlive's name

Yes, but is that a valid reason to tamper with the product? I mean, the publisher included the coupons for a reason, should Gamestop be allowed to sell the game in a way not intended by the publisher?

[Merrena]

I also don't think GameStop has the ability to remove something included with the game from the developers and publishers.

[Solstark]

Sneaky bastards, glad I'm not a customer at GameStop.

[georgevonfranken]

Yes, but is that a valid reason to tamper with the product? I mean, the publisher included the coupons for a reason, should Gamestop be allowed to sell the game in a way not intended by the publisher?

I never said it was a valid reason, i think this is a terrible move and will bite them

[Arcilux]

Personally I think it's kinda shady and I don't agree with it. But at the same time, there should have been some communication between Square and Gamestop to avoid problems like this (like giving Gamestop copies without the coupon in it).

I'm a little torn, it would have been best to communicate, true, but why should a publisher have to bend their release set up to the whim of a retailer? If GameStop didn't want customers getting the coupon's they could have boycotted the game and not sold it at all, but they wanted the money from selling it. IMO in exchange for the profits from selling the game, GameStop should have obliged with whatever the publisher decided to include/exclude with the game.

[unholytestament]

I wonder if this means Square Enix won't allow Gamestop to sell their products in the future...

[Deadlycaster]

Lol, that is totally illegal.
Happy that im either using Steam/Origin/internet to buy my games :s

[Wynnyelle]

I understand that they're trying to run a business and all, but I honestly think that doing this would cause a lot more harm to them than if they had left the coupons in in the first place. The game was still being bought from their company. They were still making money. So I can understand why they did it, but they shouldn't have. I don't really care all too much, but I'm sure there are people out there who do care. A lot.

[creepygnome]

As someone who used to work for Gamestop, this was probably a specific store manager that decided to do this. Most of the games that came in new were never unwrapped, unless they were floor copies and they were always the last ones sold to customers. I can't tell you how many costumers refused to by a copy that was already opened, so I can't see them selling many copies.

That is also a lot of extra work that the manager had to do, or employs had to do without getting paid if they repackaged all of them as well. Either way, it was a crappy thing to do, but I don't think it was the company as a whole, but a specific manager. A shady one at that.

Granted, I can also ask a few people I knew who still work for Gamestop, and see if this happened in their location as well. I don't really go there very often anymore.

Edit: After reading the article, I have to change my vote. As the guy from Gamestop said

"Square Enix packed a competitor's coupon within the PC version of the game without our knowledge or consent and therefore we did pull these coupons," Hodges said in an e-mail. "GameStop's policy is that we do not promote competitive services without a formal partnership."

So although it sucks for consumers who might have bought their copy at Gamestop, it was within their policy to remove the coupon. Granted as I said above, I know of a lot of people who just don't buy games if the original seal was broken.

[Karteli]

It's not uncommon for retailers to sell special versions of the game, and I guess they felt that the version they got did not meet their quality / content expectations - possibly under a contract, to promote the game via in-store props & online ads in exchange for the approved versions.

However, stripping the game from what other retailers are offering is cheesy. The Digital Download would appeal to players, and if I wanted this feature I would feel cheated.

They should have just left it and filed a complaint with the publisher, if they felt something was being snuck in without their approval. Bad PR can only hurt their new online service they are trying to promote.

Both the last options of this poll apply:

No, Gamestop should have sold the game as the publisher intended
The publisher never should have included a coupon to begin with

[haydude]

I already refuse to buy from Gamestop due to countless reports of shady activity, this just further solidifies my refusal to shop there. SE has no obligation to tell Gamestop about the coupon, and any way you spin it, Gamestop is removing a 50 dollar value from the item and trying to sell it at MSRP anyway, based on their own desires not to promote a competitor. I hope they get some legal trouble for this.

[Dakia]

One issue with this that popped in to my mind is the return of product policy with physical retailers. If the PC version of a box that you purchased is open, you can't return the software. Are all return policies with DX PC now void? Are all sales final? I'd be interested to see if they can be held to those policies as they are the ones who opened the boxes themselves.