Yeah, the .92 price point actually does indicate $20 off as posted before. Christmas sale started today, and the price points were used to tell staff members what games need which stickers a few weeks in advance. Observant ones may have noticed they were even up the day the new site was launched – giving a little sneak peak as to what games would be on sale.
If you ever, and I mean EVER find a preowned game that is more expensive than a new one in an EB store, they will discount it. Sometimes pricing discrepancies do happen.
Oh – one last thing, the price of Mario Kart is actually more expensive in store… it’s a little cheaper online to cover postage costs ;)
I buy my Games from Kmart and JB. 79 for MW2 on release, no lines, no annoying sales clerks, no “do you want to pay for disc insurance?” crap, just a nice lady saying “Oh, this one is popular today” with a smile.
At my local shopping centre there are a lot of game stores. We have EB, JB, GAME, GameTraders, K-Mart etc. I have the luxury of shopping around on foot and being able to pick up a Wendy’s shake while I’m at it.
What I’ve noticed is that while EB may have higher sale prices sometimes (AKA when they don’t have their fortnightly sale on) they do tend to be the ones with all the goods all the time. For instance, where else are you going to preorder Assassin’s Creed 2 Black Edition?
As for those who don’t have the luxury of multiple stores in one complex, were you aware that each of the major game stores has a website with prices on it? I assume you know how to work the interwebs correctly, without breaking the Google. This would save you time, effort and phone calls and get you the best price for whatever you like.
tl;dr – Please stop acting so butthurt when there’s price differences and bad service because taking your business elsewhere is so easy and convenient these days.
I go to my local EB cos I hate lining up behind povs. Really, that is the only reason. Or I import them from over seas, for usually more than the price they are here, just so I don’t have to line up at JB with povs who whinge about things being 6 dollars cheaper.
I use to be a regular patron of the St Ives EB games until they got new staff members within the last few months. There is one prick there who will act nice to unsuspecting customers but will phone the other stores to pricematch and keep you waiting, will not pricematch at midnight launch (EB HO Said that any store refusing to pricematch at the midnight launch was doing so on their own will, it was not a requirement) and always pushes the $5 disk guarentee bullshit. He is a blatant rip off merchant.
There are a couple of guys here though who I can just walk into the store, have a quick chat, buy my game (pricematched of course) and they don’t bother with that phoning up crap they just do it for me and take my word. That is the sort of customer service I would expect…
I only like them for the 7day return, pricematch and because its the only store in my town that sells games (well, DSE does.. but they’re crap). Also the pre-order bonuses are sometimes cool.
Good staff members: Liz, Aaron, Andrew
I wont mention the bad.. but props to those people.
The EB Games I regular (mind you I mostly use Steam) has a great staff who never try to hawk cheap crap at you and actually care if the discs you return are in bad shape (he noticed I smudged the disc but he said he’d just clean it) and one guy spent 30 minutes trying to pick out a game for me (their selection is shit so I ended up getting a game I never played again), I feel bad about that now – retail is bad enough without me lol.
EB Games, who’s retail strategy is simply ‘charge 120-130 dollars for a new game and see if the suckers buy it’. I have never shopped since being denied a price match on GTA IV where they were selling it at 129 and Big W were at 89..
I am surprised that these guys are still in business, obviously there is a large demand for the uneducated customer in the video game market.
- The EB stickers pull off like a breeze, and they don’t leave a mark. Try getting Game’s or JB’s stickers off like that.
- The thing people don’t realise about new games etc is that when the company sells a $110 game, they don’t get $110 profit. The company first has to buy the game for around $80, which leaves a $30 profit. Other places can afford to sell the game for less then they originally bought it because, like others have said, they have more stock other then games to make their margins.
- People complaining about the preowned prices, make sure you actually do some research before going off. 1c at the end means $10 off, 2c at the end means $20 off, 3c at the end means $30 off and 4c at the end means half price.
- Finally, every store is different. The manager at my local EB is always happy to chat about games, good, bad or otherwise. If you don’t like the employees in a store, hate on the employees, not the company.
And anyone saying that GAME, the only other video-game exclusive store, is better, they should really check the companys margins. Atleast EB makes money…
For god sake people….. If stores are always matching prices that are below cost even if the other store is out of stock they will go broke and close down. If they go broke and close down eventually you will only have 1 place to go. If there is only 1 place to go then you will pay what they want you to pay. If you are paying what they want you to pay it will be a lot. Competition is good for the consumer but you can’t be greedy. Simple.
In other news, warranty, preowned, etc. are generally a target. Most companies don’t pay you a bonus for hitting these targets, your reward is the pleasure (if you can call it that) of keeping your job. Please try to cut people a little slack, they are trying to keep their job. I agree they don’t need to be nasty about it if you refuse, but they are dealing with people all day (most of them rude and obnoxious)and the pressure may be on them.
My own bitter experience with EB Games was with Halo Wars.
I was late to that particular party, by enough to say that EB was selling the limited edition case for about 110 bucks… Pre-owned.
I walked next door to Big-W, and lo- I find a new, pristine copy of the limited edition release for a mere 85!
I still go to EB out of convenience, ad Big-W and Game hardly have what I call “comprehensive” ranges, but when EB take one of my new games for 40 bucks on trade and then sell it at twice that, I feel like I’ve been kicked in the nuts.
Here’s proof the preowned games market is out of control. Why buy new when you can get an already loved copy for only six dollars more?
J
Friday, November 13, 2009 at 7:57 PMYeah, the .92 price point actually does indicate $20 off as posted before. Christmas sale started today, and the price points were used to tell staff members what games need which stickers a few weeks in advance. Observant ones may have noticed they were even up the day the new site was launched – giving a little sneak peak as to what games would be on sale.
If you ever, and I mean EVER find a preowned game that is more expensive than a new one in an EB store, they will discount it. Sometimes pricing discrepancies do happen.
Oh – one last thing, the price of Mario Kart is actually more expensive in store… it’s a little cheaper online to cover postage costs ;)
Akran
Friday, November 13, 2009 at 8:15 PMI buy my Games from Kmart and JB. 79 for MW2 on release, no lines, no annoying sales clerks, no “do you want to pay for disc insurance?” crap, just a nice lady saying “Oh, this one is popular today” with a smile.
Cortexian
Friday, November 13, 2009 at 8:26 PMMmkay, felt like putting in my two cents.
At my local shopping centre there are a lot of game stores. We have EB, JB, GAME, GameTraders, K-Mart etc. I have the luxury of shopping around on foot and being able to pick up a Wendy’s shake while I’m at it.
What I’ve noticed is that while EB may have higher sale prices sometimes (AKA when they don’t have their fortnightly sale on) they do tend to be the ones with all the goods all the time. For instance, where else are you going to preorder Assassin’s Creed 2 Black Edition?
As for those who don’t have the luxury of multiple stores in one complex, were you aware that each of the major game stores has a website with prices on it? I assume you know how to work the interwebs correctly, without breaking the Google. This would save you time, effort and phone calls and get you the best price for whatever you like.
tl;dr – Please stop acting so butthurt when there’s price differences and bad service because taking your business elsewhere is so easy and convenient these days.
Fran Wilkins
Friday, November 13, 2009 at 8:43 PMI go to my local EB cos I hate lining up behind povs.
Really, that is the only reason.
Or I import them from over seas, for usually more than the price they are here, just so I don’t have to line up at JB with povs who whinge about things being 6 dollars cheaper.
Michael
Friday, November 13, 2009 at 8:50 PMi hope eb dies. i ALWAYS hear “pre ordered at EB, found cheap at another store, refunded at EB for that game cheaper.”
eb are only SOMETIMES good in specials on dirt cheap pre owns like I got Silent Hill 3 for $13.
Dan
Friday, November 13, 2009 at 9:41 PMI use to be a regular patron of the St Ives EB games until they got new staff members within the last few months. There is one prick there who will act nice to unsuspecting customers but will phone the other stores to pricematch and keep you waiting, will not pricematch at midnight launch (EB HO Said that any store refusing to pricematch at the midnight launch was doing so on their own will, it was not a requirement) and always pushes the $5 disk guarentee bullshit. He is a blatant rip off merchant.
There are a couple of guys here though who I can just walk into the store, have a quick chat, buy my game (pricematched of course) and they don’t bother with that phoning up crap they just do it for me and take my word. That is the sort of customer service I would expect…
I only like them for the 7day return, pricematch and because its the only store in my town that sells games (well, DSE does.. but they’re crap). Also the pre-order bonuses are sometimes cool.
Good staff members: Liz, Aaron, Andrew
I wont mention the bad.. but props to those people.
Asdasd
Friday, November 13, 2009 at 10:19 PMThe EB Games I regular (mind you I mostly use Steam) has a great staff who never try to hawk cheap crap at you and actually care if the discs you return are in bad shape (he noticed I smudged the disc but he said he’d just clean it) and one guy spent 30 minutes trying to pick out a game for me (their selection is shit so I ended up getting a game I never played again), I feel bad about that now – retail is bad enough without me lol.
Sam Parker
Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 12:12 AMDepends where you go. Bar one employee, the staff in carillon EB in Perth are brilliant, knowledgeable, and really friendly.
Deadlydorito
Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 12:17 AMi like JB, i go there and ask for help with a ps3 game, and they ask me to wait and get me my very own staff member to show me around :D!
Also i bought katamari for 50 bucks there. so cheap…
JonnyTurk
Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 1:19 AMEB Games, who’s retail strategy is simply ‘charge 120-130 dollars for a new game and see if the suckers buy it’. I have never shopped since being denied a price match on GTA IV where they were selling it at 129 and Big W were at 89..
I am surprised that these guys are still in business, obviously there is a large demand for the uneducated customer in the video game market.
Brandon
Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 2:03 AMSo many points against what has been said before…
- The EB stickers pull off like a breeze, and they don’t leave a mark. Try getting Game’s or JB’s stickers off like that.
- The thing people don’t realise about new games etc is that when the company sells a $110 game, they don’t get $110 profit. The company first has to buy the game for around $80, which leaves a $30 profit. Other places can afford to sell the game for less then they originally bought it because, like others have said, they have more stock other then games to make their margins.
- People complaining about the preowned prices, make sure you actually do some research before going off. 1c at the end means $10 off, 2c at the end means $20 off, 3c at the end means $30 off and 4c at the end means half price.
- Finally, every store is different. The manager at my local EB is always happy to chat about games, good, bad or otherwise. If you don’t like the employees in a store, hate on the employees, not the company.
And anyone saying that GAME, the only other video-game exclusive store, is better, they should really check the companys margins. Atleast EB makes money…
blood.eaglz
Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 5:39 AMthat $6 is nothing check out Chessmaster 11: The Art of Learning for PSP,/a., new $ 39.91 secondhand $64.94 … that’s a whopping $25.03 markup over new
Commenting instantly
Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 10:43 AMFor god sake people….. If stores are always matching prices that are below cost even if the other store is out of stock they will go broke and close down. If they go broke and close down eventually you will only have 1 place to go. If there is only 1 place to go then you will pay what they want you to pay. If you are paying what they want you to pay it will be a lot. Competition is good for the consumer but you can’t be greedy. Simple.
In other news, warranty, preowned, etc. are generally a target. Most companies don’t pay you a bonus for hitting these targets, your reward is the pleasure (if you can call it that) of keeping your job. Please try to cut people a little slack, they are trying to keep their job. I agree they don’t need to be nasty about it if you refuse, but they are dealing with people all day (most of them rude and obnoxious)and the pressure may be on them.
James
Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 10:58 AMyou fool, 0.04c at the end is half price off
Ayrton Coll
Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 12:44 PMEveryone seems to be ignoring the real issue here which is that the new Mario kart is $58, seriously how old is that game anyway?
Jim Smith
Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 5:47 PMEB in Melbourne (in the CBD), the other day were selling preowned PS3′s for $599, and new ones for $499.
James Ward
Sunday, November 15, 2009 at 12:29 AMMy own bitter experience with EB Games was with Halo Wars.
I was late to that particular party, by enough to say that EB was selling the limited edition case for about 110 bucks… Pre-owned.
I walked next door to Big-W, and lo- I find a new, pristine copy of the limited edition release for a mere 85!
I still go to EB out of convenience, ad Big-W and Game hardly have what I call “comprehensive” ranges, but when EB take one of my new games for 40 bucks on trade and then sell it at twice that, I feel like I’ve been kicked in the nuts.