How will retailers deal with returns?

[ShadowFox]

Okay.. so Mr. X buys the game at the local shop. They install it and for whatever reason they want to return it. (not being able to play it until Tuesday being a fair reason) When they return it, the key is still tied to Mr. X's Steam account.

I hope somebody at Valve or Vivendi thought about this, because if they didn't it could turn into a big mess.

 

[Nev]

They probably won't allow any returns.

 

[GuNzABlaZiN]

Most retailers won't let you return opened games that have MP.

 

[giant384]

some stores dont let u return it if its opened unless defective and some ppl think that who dont know shit

 

[Yombi]

yah, like here. Open box, yah dont get money back unless it's a defective cd.

 

[63]

Big Box stores do not take returns on PC games.

Retailers won't allow you return unless something genuinly wrong is with the game, such as a scratched disk. A long time ago I bought medal of honor and my computer wouldn't run it. They installed the game on the best buy computer and it worked, so I still had to keep the game.

owned by best buy staff

 

[Muskrat]

Retailers won't allow you return unless something genuinly wrong is with the game, such as a scratched disk. A long time ago I bought medal of honor and my computer wouldn't run it. They installed the game on the best buy computer and it worked, so I still had to keep the game.

 

[ShadowFox]

Interesting.. I haven't returned a game in quite a while, but I remember it used to be very easy to return games.

 

[poksmote]

The store will probably tell Mr. X to wait until Tuesday, and that he and the rest of the world are in a similar situation. When he finds out the game isn't working for ANYONE he probably won't care. Especially if the store says "My B, didn't mean to put that on the shelf until Tuesday anyway."

 

[Baal]

You could so easily get HL2 for free though if you did that.

Bring it home, tie it to Steam Account, return it to Wal-Mart, where they probably don't know any better, and boom!

Not that I would ever do that.

 

[a-rob]

yah, like here. Open box, yah dont get money back unless it's a defective cd.

if you can not play it when you install it, it is defective!!

unless stated before you purchased it that it can not be played untill 16 nov.

wether you opened it or not!!
you have to open the bloody thing before you know its defective.

opened box non-refund policy is ilegal, if you get sucked in to that well your a sucker.

thats in australia anyway

 

[Yombi]

if you can not play it when you install it, it is defective!!

unless stated before you purchased it that it can not be played untill 16 nov.

wether you opened it or not!!
you have to open the bloody thing before you know its defective.

opened box non-refund policy is ilegal, if you get sucked in to that well your a sucker.

thats in australia anyway

No, alot of people install a game then returns it saying "OMG t3h gam3z n03z w0rkz@!@!@!!one"

Most of the time, it's just because their computer SUCKS.

 

[jaguar_987]

So scratch the cd to death before returning lol

 

[tennistoad2k3]

This will be a problem because the store is not selling a game that says will not work before 11-16th on the box? also people will return them for other boxes for their friends...and I can tell you that if you claim you can't run the game they will give you store credit,and if your nice eneough and not 15 they will give you a refund..best buy, eb etc,, I have returned many a piece of crap software to these stores claiming it will not run on my system for x# or reasons and they always give my a refund,,(or once at eb store credit).

also the eula states that you can't sell or transfer your steam account.. AH that aint on the box and if you open the box start the install then read the eula and click no., pack up the box take it back to the store, guess what legally they have to give you your money back, if they don't call the attorney general and sue them for deceptive trade practices..

 

[soccerdude21490]

but yea Wal-Mart is the thing that is going to cause a lot of problems.. u can return ANYTHINg even without a reciet... I think VAlve should call Wal-Mart and tell them that they can't exchange stuff... cause its a HUGe possibllity

 

[tennistoad2k3]

I really believe that this crap is gonna cause alot of problems for retailers.
I mean imagine someone trying to trade in hl2 next week because they say that they beat it and don't have an ip connection to play mp..

 

[Ownzed]

You could so easily get HL2 for free though if you did that.

Bring it home, tie it to Steam Account, return it to Wal-Mart, where they probably don't know any better, and boom!

Not that I would ever do that.

Don't even say that.

 

[Wraithen]

So someone gets Half Life 2 early, takes it home and tries to play it. but oh no, they can't unlock it until the sixteenth. Outraged, they rush back to the store to demand a refund so they can what? Go to the store on the 16th and buy it again?

They'll have no more problems with this that, for example, Final Fantasy XI, or any other game that becomes un-usable to anyone other than the owner. The big shame would be that after completing the thing, you can't trade it in against Half life 3.

 

[tennistoad2k3]

Hey don't even say that?? guess what it's that easy even easier,, buy it in cash from wal-mart or bestbuy? Take the serial off of the CRAPPY and CHEAPASS paper cd cover and scratch cd1 and get yourself copy #2,,, next take the serial off of that one and then go back to the store and complain that the game won't work because you don't have internet access and the box doesn't clearly state that and their salesman told you that you could use it without internet access..be nice to them get your refund and then sell the 2nd serial on e-bay and play with the first one that was free and use the money from the second one for bail when you get busted...lol

 

[x2501x]

If a game gets returned because it is 'defective' the store isn't going to turn around and sell it again. It won't be a problem. Trade-ins will be an issue.

 

[psalm]

This is not a new concept. This has been the case for a LONG time with games like Everquest.

 

[Schmiggy_JK23]

Thats how i got my first ever Half life 1/counter strike legit cd key, shhhhh... dont tell Ebgames... lol.

They allowed returns on any open boxed games. And that was when we had to deal with the Wonid system.

I did however later make up for it by buying Counter Strike Retail, definately well worth it.

 

[Ahnteis]

Retailer could very easily send a list of returned CD keys to valve and have the accounts invalidated.

 

[patto]

if you can not play it when you install it, it is defective!!

unless stated before you purchased it that it can not be played untill 16 nov.

wether you opened it or not!!
you have to open the bloody thing before you know its defective.

opened box non-refund policy is ilegal, if you get sucked in to that well your a sucker.

thats in australia anyway

That is not quite true. Roughly, the Trade Practices Act gives consumers rights with regard to the goods being of "merchantable quality", fit for the indicated purpose and be as it was represented (ie as described by box, salesman).

Halflife 2 is as represented and of merchantable quality. Though you may have a case claiming that it was a reasonable assumption that it would be playable immediately. But why would you bother when you just need to wait a couple of days.