Buyer Beware: It seems as if EA will start cracking down on "grey market" keys

[darkewaffle]

I bought a MW3 key from one when it came out. They aren't shady at all. Most of the time their prices are not that much cheaper but sometimes they are as with MW3. They definitely had better customer service than EA or Activision ever gave me.

That doesn't really matter, and it's easy to leave a customer thinking that when your prices are so much cheaper, CJS advertises 40-50% cheaper on average across their game selection. The shadiness in question is with their supply, not their service.

The problem, in general, with those sites are the unknown/questionable means through which they obtain their supply. They're essentially the digital equivalent of a guy selling DVDs on a poker table in the middle of a city.

 

[digitaldurandal]

I purchased a key for age of conan from one of the sites. No vendors in my area had boxes on launch day. Walmart and Gamestop employees had no idea what I was talking about.

I had no issues. Basically what they do is purchase the game in another country where the price is cheaper. Open the box take a picture of the keycode and sell it to Americans and Europeans for a price increase.

There is nothing illegal about it. I am sure some keys are stolen but if you look at other things going on you will see it is a viable and legal business model (by legal i mean lawful - NOT TOS which you cannot read before puchase anyways).

Look at what is going on with the cheaper 27 inch 1440p monitors from Korea. It is the same idea. Buy cheap and sell slightly less cheap.

 

[Stuka87]

Okay folks - the title is not even remotely misleading. I am hypothesizing that given the context of the original posting, and given that the posting directly references the Origin ToS and EUALA, EA will more than likely be using the exact same terms to clamp down on "legitimate" grey market keys in the near future given their unintended use. It's a stretch, yes... but it's also a warning for you all. If EA is taking this first step, it's not a stretch to think EA will take the next step just in order to "protect" revenue.

Unfortunately, a lot of grey market vendors also happen to fall under the "stolen credit card" category. eBay vendors for example - it's nearly impossible to determine whether the seller is a grey market vendor, a credit card thief, a keygen thief or other. These types of vendors in our world are considered "grey market", given the buyer has nearly NO way to verify the origin of the product. Such is the internet.

fwiw: I have no issues with EA and a lot of their titles. I'm an advocate of Origin. I don't care that EA titles aren't readily available on steam. I'm just providing this point of insight as a service for those that purchase their keys through alternate sources such that they aren't shocked and posting bitch threads when their products magically stop working.

Your hypothesis though is based on conjecture, maybes, and what ifs. The title should be changed to be less inflammatory as it is misleading. The title is stated as though it is fact, when in fact it is not.

Fix it...

 

[SunnyD]

Fix it...

No.

There's nothing misleading about it except that your mind isn't paying to the fact that the title explicitly states that this topic is pure conjecture. Everything factual was posted in the OP. Everything hypothetical was alluded to as such.

 

[kyonu]

Wait... Why are people thinking this is a bad thing? It isn't EA and Bioware's fault that people are buying illegitimate keys from these sites, and it's definitely not their fault that pirates are reselling them.

They specifically stated in that post that they are willing to get with those who purchased the key and give them a real key as long as they have receipt of purchase. If those customer's can't understand that, then they shouldn't be playing video games.

Pirates live in real life and in games, people must understand this.

 

[thespyder]

Wait... Why are people thinking this is a bad thing? It isn't EA and Bioware's fault that people are buying illegitimate keys from these sites, and it's definitely not their fault that pirates are reselling them.

They specifically stated in that post that they are willing to get with those who purchased the key and give them a real key as long as they have receipt of purchase. If those customer's can't understand that, then they shouldn't be playing video games.

Pirates live in real life and in games, people must understand this.

I think the reason that people are worried is that, given it is EA, they are afraid that they won't be "Given" a real key, but will have to re-purchase one. Even at a discount rate, EA has a reputation for wanting their pound of flesh (earned or unearned), and so people are afraid that they will double-dip these customers.

But it is all speculation at best. So I suggest that people wait and see rather than panicking.

 

[shortylickens]

Great! EA knows exactly how to stop people from pirating games.

ROFLS!

Well played sir!

 

[Bman123]

EA, oh how you make me laugh

 

[splat_ed]

I think the reason that people are worried is that, given it is EA, they are afraid that they won't be "Given" a real key, but will have to re-purchase one. Even at a discount rate, EA has a reputation for wanting their pound of flesh (earned or unearned), and so people are afraid that they will double-dip these customers.

But it is all speculation at best. So I suggest that people wait and see rather than panicking.

The way I see it is that they are (technically) in the right to request a re-purchase. Why? Because if the original purchase (by re-seller) was made through a stolen card and then reported, then EA will have had that money returned - thus a lost sale... so EA will try to salvage that. Of course, if they were feeling a bit generous they'd match the original price (like that's going to happen!)

Now the onus is on the customer to report the site they purchased their key from as a fraudulent transaction and try to reclaim their money back.