How can I take back a game because it just isn't fun to play?

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: Jumpem
Ok, manager at Walmart said it is "against the copyrght law" to accept opened software for return. WTF!?

Yeah. I've gotten that once before a few years back at Wal-Mart too. Of course, that excuse is flat-out false.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: BooGiMaN
I dont think your going to get anywhere...there have been times i wish i could return a game..but unfortunatley most all if not all companies have a no software return policy posted up.
who can bame them especially with cd/dvd burners so cheap now

Ironically, in the EULA in some software, they instruct you to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund, if you don't agree to the terms. Yet, you have to open and sometimes attempt to install the software before even being allowed to read the terms. Of course, the retailer has a "no returns on opened software" policy too. Catch-22. Companies love this sort of stuff, screwing the consumer. That is, if you willingly fall for it. The answer is simple - don't buy these sorts of software, at those sorts of stores, period.

 

[Jumpem]

Originally posted by: DGath

Originally posted by: Jumpem
If you took a basic economics course you would know that Walmart is considered a producer as they are supplying a product.

Consumer = you
Supplier = Wal-Mart
Producer = EA

Not complicated. The quality of the product is completely out of the supplier's hands in this case, and it is quality you are upset about, so go to the root of the problem, the producer.

I find it humorous that there is maybe one other person in the thread who sympathizes with you and you throw around condesending comments?

Wal-Mart has just about the most liberal return policy out of anyone out there. Many times I'll say just don't go back there if you are upset about the service, but in this case that serves no purpose because Wal-mart is doing what 99% of other retailers out there do.

I'll say it again, EA is who you want to talk to, and I'm sure most people out there support you in getting satisfaction from EA, but in this case, Wal-mart isn't the bad guy (for once).

Once again, go open a macro-economics book. Second, I've tried EA, but it's impossible to get ahold of a real preson.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: high
I work at a Best Buy as a supervisor and I deal with your kind all the time. I wish people would really get a life. If you dont like it, do what I did with full spectrum warrior for xbox. Bought it, played it for 5 minutes, called EB to see if I could return, couldn't, so I went in and traded it in towards another game.

See, that's why they don't want to accept game returns any more. They want to profit off of poor-quality games, by getting a chance to sell them for a markup, again and again!

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: Oakenfold
Depends on the store's policy that you bought it at.
This should be common knowledge if you are a gamer and buy games on a regular basis, if not look at your receipt. Most stores DO NOT allow you to return opened software except for an exchange of the same title.

Which is poor customer-service. But it is there right to institute that sort of a policy.

Originally posted by: Oakenfold
Returning something because you don't like it is typically not an allowed reason.

It used to be. When stores believed in customer service. The idea being that (assuming that the customer didn't abuse the policy to turn the store into a rental outlet), the goodwill towards the customer, by accepting back one or two "stinker" games produced that year, if they were truely that bad, would be paid back by many repeat purchases by that customer.

Now, I know of some "hardcore gamers", that knew the local EB managers, and were definate heavy repeat customers. For most of them, the manager had no problem taking back games. Although there was one that I knew, that did start returning an awful lot of games, and they were eventually asked to shop elsewhere. I don't blame the store for doing so, really, although it's too bad that it got to that point.

Originally posted by: Oakenfold
I don't know if a retail store manager would understand about the user agreement with a game, can't hurt to ask but more than likely manufacturer contact material.

If the person is responsible as the manager of a store, that sells software, then they should be clearly aware of all of the issues surrounding the product that they are selling, same as a store selling chemicals, guns, ammo, or other potentially-restricted items.

Originally posted by: Oakenfold
In the future you may want to try out demo's of games, and to make sure you know your store's policy that you shop out before making purchases.

That is the bottom line, really. Caveat Emptor and all that.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: JackBurton
When you go to a movie, do you ask for a refund if you don't like it?

Yes. Most theaters, as long as it isn't too far into the movie, will not mind you seeing a different show, or refunding your money. Once the movie was so bad, I simply walked out. Another time, the project on the screen was clearly deformed and not focused properly, I went into a different theater showing the same movie.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: torpid
I honestly think that EB did it partially to screw over their customers. There were lots of alternatives to their current policy that would satisfy the customer and still keep profit margins. What they did instead was put customers over the barrell. You can return the game and you get 1/2 of the cost back, but then they sell the game for 95% of the cost. The only work they do involves putting a sticker on it.

Not to mention, sometimes, when you purchase the last one of something, they have to fish out the insides of the box from behind the counter (since the last box is just for display), and I've ended up playing for the "new" version (white sticker, not yellow), and getting a disc with a "P" (preowned) on it. I wasn't happy.

Another thing, employees of EB, and probably GameStop, often take the "display model" of new games home to try out, or really any of the games that are stored behind the counter as a bare shrink-wrapped CD. So it's quite likely that you'll get a technically not-new product, if you happen to get the last one of something. It's usually marked down though, so I do anyways.

(I just hate the damn big "P" that they scribble on the discs with a fat black sharpie. I'm a bit of a game collector, so I like to keep my stuff as "pristine" as possible.)

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: BooGiMaN
why arent you trying to get your money back from ea....
if you truly that disgusted about the game ..go after the people who made it and prove your not just trying to get one over on walmart.

In case you didn't notice, he purchased the product from Wal-Mart. Not EA. Legally, it's Wal-Mart that he has to seek redress from. Not EA. Hopefully that would be obvious.

 

[Ike0069]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
In case you didn't notice, he purchased the product from Wal-Mart. Not EA. Legally, it's Wal-Mart that he has to seek redress from. Not EA. Hopefully that would be obvious.

That's wrong. Many items that are warrantied will state, "Do not return this to the place of purchase" or something similar. You have to contact the actual maufacturer of the product for a refund/replacement. I think it's obvious that Wal Mart has no legal obligation to refund anything.

 

[ponyo]

Originally posted by: dethman
retailers have no obligation to your satisfaction or to refund your money. they merely allow returns because it is good for customer relations.

even with the policy, you still bought the game under certain terms, and they are not obligated to do anything else for you once you signed that credit card slip. you were treated completely fairly...in that you gave them money and they gave you the game. after that, they don't have to do anything else for you. diddly squat.

walmart did not misrepresent the product they merely offered it to you for sale. there were no guarantees of your satisfaction made. why should THEY pay because you are an uninformed consumer?

seriously why do people feel so entitled nowadays?

 

[Jumpem]

Some of you are pretty bad consumers.

 

[ponyo]

Do you know what's the sad part in all of this? Walmart will most likely give in and refund him the money he isn't entitled to just because it will be cheaper for them than waste their time arguing with him. This is going to reinforce his notion that he's right and he deserves it and further encouraging this kind of behavior in the future.

I hope Walmart sticks up for itself and deny him.

 

[norky]

you can't buy a dvd, watch it, then take it back because you claim to not like the movie.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: norky
you can't buy a dvd, watch it, then take it back because you claim to not like the movie.

Unlike a PC game, you can rent a movie before you decide it belongs in your collection.

and i can think of a few crap games that had decent demos . . . .


:roll:

 

[Kyle]

You know working at a retail store, I found it amusing that people outside of our country think it's crazy that we even have return policies.
You buy it, you should be stuck with it. (w/ the exception of a defective product)
It promotes research on the consumers part.
Why should Walmart have to give you your money back because you didnt like that particular game? You shouldnt have bought it in the first place if you had tried the demo/read reviews.
Why are you entitled to like every game you buy? Companies have polices to be followed- I hate dealing with customers who all think that they are the special exception...no refunds on opened software. Regardless of how you've been treated in the past or how you're being treated now- you knew that was the policy, so stop expecting them to break it for you. You're not special in their eyes, why be a pain in the ass for no reason...just eat the damn $60 and learn your lesson.

 

[Jumpem]

Originally posted by: Kyle
You know working at a retail store, I found it amusing that people outside of our country think it's crazy that we even have return policies.
You buy it, you should be stuck with it. (w/ the exception of a defective product)
It promotes research on the consumers part.
Why should Walmart have to give you your money back because you didnt like that particular game? You shouldnt have bought it in the first place if you had tried the demo/read reviews.
Why are you entitled to like every game you buy? Companies have polices to be followed- I hate dealing with customers who all think that they are the special exception...no refunds on opened software. Regardless of how you've been treated in the past or how you're being treated now- you knew that was the policy, so stop expecting them to break it for you. You're not special in their eyes, why be a pain in the ass for no reason...just eat the damn $60 and learn your lesson.

I'll be a pain in the ass out of principle. Even if it was only $10 I expect to be treated with respect.

I may not get my money back, but at the least I will be an annoyance to Walmart for the next couple of weeks. If the district manager doesn't solve it I'll try to find the number for a regional director or whoever is next up in the chain.


Once in a while you can get lucky and get ahold of people very high up such as CEO's or their assistants. I talked to a CEO once but I don't remember what it was for.

 

[Kyle]

Originally posted by: Jumpem

Originally posted by: Kyle
You know working at a retail store, I found it amusing that people outside of our country think it's crazy that we even have return policies.
You buy it, you should be stuck with it. (w/ the exception of a defective product)
It promotes research on the consumers part.
Why should Walmart have to give you your money back because you didnt like that particular game? You shouldnt have bought it in the first place if you had tried the demo/read reviews.
Why are you entitled to like every game you buy? Companies have polices to be followed- I hate dealing with customers who all think that they are the special exception...no refunds on opened software. Regardless of how you've been treated in the past or how you're being treated now- you knew that was the policy, so stop expecting them to break it for you. You're not special in their eyes, why be a pain in the ass for no reason...just eat the damn $60 and learn your lesson.

I'll be a pain in the ass out of principle. Even if it was only $10 I expect to be treated with respect.

I may not get my money back, but at the least I will be an annoyance to Walmart for the next couple of weeks. If the district manager doesn't solve it I'll try to find the number for a regional director or whoever is next up in the chain.


Once in a while you can get lucky and get ahold of people very high up such as CEO's or their assistants. I talked to a CEO once but I don't remember what it was for.

But I dont see why you insist on being an annoyance...it is not their fault that you think the game sucks...if anything, be an annoyance to the developer. Walmart did nothing but sell a product that you chose to buy understanding the terms of the sale.

 

[DGath]

Originally posted by: Jumpem

Originally posted by: DGath

Originally posted by: Jumpem
If you took a basic economics course you would know that Walmart is considered a producer as they are supplying a product.

Consumer = you
Supplier = Wal-Mart
Producer = EA

Not complicated. The quality of the product is completely out of the supplier's hands in this case, and it is quality you are upset about, so go to the root of the problem, the producer.

I find it humorous that there is maybe one other person in the thread who sympathizes with you and you throw around condesending comments?

Wal-Mart has just about the most liberal return policy out of anyone out there. Many times I'll say just don't go back there if you are upset about the service, but in this case that serves no purpose because Wal-mart is doing what 99% of other retailers out there do.

I'll say it again, EA is who you want to talk to, and I'm sure most people out there support you in getting satisfaction from EA, but in this case, Wal-mart isn't the bad guy (for once).

Once again, go open a macro-economics book. Second, I've tried EA, but it's impossible to get ahold of a real preson.

I don't need a textbook to tell me that Wal-mart didn't produce the damn game. I see it clearly, why can't you?

Originally posted by: Jumpem

Once in a while you can get lucky and get ahold of people very high up such as CEO's or their assistants. I talked to a CEO once but I don't remember what it was for.

Yeah, I'm sure they'll be more than happy to give you Lee Scott's number. Heck... they might even give you his personal cell number to smooth this over with him. Once again proving what a horrible consumer you are, you don't even remember what company's CEO took time to speak with you about an issue you had. If I ever had that big of an issue with a company that I took it all the way to the CEO, I was either leaving that discussion raving mad or pretty damn happy and I gaurantee you either way, I'd remember it and let everyone know about my experiences with that company.

I can't believe you called us "bad consumers." You are the person that raises prices for everyone else by pulling crap like this. You say you were aware of their policy before you bought it, but you are fighting it anyways.... WHY THE HELL DID YOU BUY IT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?!?

Like I said before, you should be investing your time into fighting EA on this matter. Sure they're difficult to get a hold of, I could have told you that, and that is because they don't want to deal with people like you. And that isn't Wal-Mart's fault, and neither is the fact that EA puts out crappy games.

My advice? Mail EVERYTHING back to EA including recipt, most likely they will either give you a check or credit. They aren't going to mail the game back to you saying "Sorry, can't do anything" and if they ignore you and keep your game, then you really have beef with them. Want money back right away? Too bad, that is the price you pay for making a bad decision in the first place and you obviously weren't hurting for money before when you shelled out $65 for a game.

It is just retarded that you are going through all this trouble, looking forward to weeks of bitching, and it is at the wrong people! You can get a hold of someone at EA, I promise you. Focus your energy there.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Jumpem
Some of you are pretty bad consumers.

:roll: I buy things. Lots of things. I very rarely feel the need to return anything. If I do return something, it is either defective or it is in its original packaging (and resellable as new). I don't return things because I'm suffering from buyer's remorse... I rarely experience buyer's remorse. If I'm going to buy something that costs a lot of money (to me), I research it. I don't cost stores excessive amounts of money buy tying up the time of management or returning items that cannot be resold as new, hence I contribute to lower prices. Tell me, how am I a bad consumer?

 

[Jumpem]

Originally posted by: Kyle
But I dont see why you insist on being an annoyance...it is not their fault that you think the game sucks...if anything, be an annoyance to the developer. Walmart did nothing but sell a product that you chose to buy understanding the terms of the sale.

It's not directly their fault the game sucks is correct. However, Walmart sold the product, and in my view that makes them responsible for ensuring that I am satisfied with that product.

 

[Jumpem]

Originally posted by: DGath
I don't need a textbook to tell me that Wal-mart didn't produce the damn game. I see it clearly, why can't you?

Technically they didn't produce the game. Yes. However, according to the generally accepted producer-supplier theory they are a supplier/producer.

Originally posted by: DGath
Yeah, I'm sure they'll be more than happy to give you Lee Scott's number. Heck... they might even give you his personal cell number to smooth this over with him. Once again proving what a horrible consumer you are, you don't even remember what company's CEO took time to speak with you about an issue you had. If I ever had that big of an issue with a company that I took it all the way to the CEO, I was either leaving that discussion raving mad or pretty damn happy and I gaurantee you either way, I'd remember it and let everyone know about my experiences with that company.

I can't believe you called us "bad consumers." You are the person that raises prices for everyone else by pulling crap like this. You say you were aware of their policy before you bought it, but you are fighting it anyways.... WHY THE HELL DID YOU BUY IT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?!?

Like I said before, you should be investing your time into fighting EA on this matter. Sure they're difficult to get a hold of, I could have told you that, and that is because they don't want to deal with people like you. And that isn't Wal-Mart's fault, and neither is the fact that EA puts out crappy games.

My advice? Mail EVERYTHING back to EA including recipt, most likely they will either give you a check or credit. They aren't going to mail the game back to you saying "Sorry, can't do anything" and if they ignore you and keep your game, then you really have beef with them. Want money back right away? Too bad, that is the price you pay for making a bad decision in the first place and you obviously weren't hurting for money before when you shelled out $65 for a game.

It is just retarded that you are going through all this trouble, looking forward to weeks of bitching, and it is at the wrong people! You can get a hold of someone at EA, I promise you. Focus your energy there.

if you aren't being frugal with your money, and ensuring satisfaction on every purchase I do indeed think you are an unwise consumer.

Your assumption that I am not hurting for money is correct. This gets down to doing it out of principle though. It's not completely about money.

If you would like to find me a direct line or email to someone at EA that would be great. But as of now, I can't get ahold of anyone or have messages returned.

 

[Jumpem]

Originally posted by: mugs
:roll: I buy things. Lots of things. I very rarely feel the need to return anything. If I do return something, it is either defective or it is in its original packaging (and resellable as new). I don't return things because I'm suffering from buyer's remorse... I rarely experience buyer's remorse. If I'm going to buy something that costs a lot of money (to me), I research it. I don't cost stores excessive amounts of money buy tying up the time of management or returning items that cannot be resold as new, hence I contribute to lower prices. Tell me, how am I a bad consumer?

Being unsatisfied with something is not buyers remorse. If you don't return products that you are not happy with you are losing the opportunity cost of that money on another purchase.

why a few of you insist on letting a company keep the money for an unsatisfactory product baffles me.

 

[torpid]

I don't insist on it personally, but I've given up this fight a long time ago. As you can tell I still harbor a lot of resentment towards the stores that exclusively sell games and changed their policy in a way that clearly demonstrates their focus on squeezing money out of consumers.

If you examine their store closely you can tell that their new business model involves major profits from used games and very minor profits from new games. To them it makes perfect sense not to take back the new game, since they want to get your money PLUS the extra $20 profit for doing nothing that they get when you return it for half price. Whatever they can do to filter games into the used section without losing that $5 in price difference they will probably do.

 

[Jumpem]

Originally posted by: torpid
I don't insist on it personally, but I've given up this fight a long time ago. As you can tell I still harbor a lot of resentment towards the stores that exclusively sell games and changed their policy in a way that clearly demonstrates their focus on squeezing money out of consumers.

If you examine their store closely you can tell that their new business model involves major profits from used games and very minor profits from new games. To them it makes perfect sense not to take back the new game, since they want to get your money PLUS the extra $20 profit for doing nothing that they get when you return it for half price. Whatever they can do to filter games into the used section without losing that $5 in price difference they will probably do.

Ok, that makes sense.

I guess since it's worked for me almost everytime in the past it's still worth it to me.

 

[JackBurton]

How can I take back a game because it just isn't fun to play?

Let me answer your original question and make this REALLY easy for you. YOU CAN'T!