Today I decided to do a quick experiment. I called around all the major retailers near my office in Circular Quay. What were they charging for Grand Theft Auto V? What did they have in stock and — perhaps most importantly — would they price match with the Targets and the Big Ws of the world?
This was a fun experiment. Props go to the EB Games guy who answered the store with a very spirited “GOOOOOD MORNING! WELCOME TO EB GAMES WHERE YOU CAN TRADE AND SAVE, HOW CAN I HELP YOU?” A stark comparison to the flaccid Dick Smith store clerk who sounded seriously hungover. At least he answered the phone though, which is more than I can say for the four previous Dick Smith stores who completely ignored my calls…
Anyway, we called the following folks, and this was the information we were given.
EB Games
Price: $109.95
Price match? “We can only price match with JB Hi-Fi at $89, but if a JB has a Big W in the same shopping center and they have the game in stock, we’ll price match there.” Fair enough.
In stock? Yep, loads of stock left on both platforms.
JB Hi-Fi
Price: $89
Price match? “If a Big W near us has stock left we’ll price match!”
In stock? “Yep, we have enough stock! Hopefully they’ll last till the end of the day.”
Big W
Price: $79
Price match? No need! Along with Target it offers the best price at retail I could find.
In stock? “Sorry? What? Oh, I’ll transfer you!” Yep, they have stock for both platforms. In abundance at the store I called.
Target
Price: $79
Price match? They’re currently sold out, but lowest price anyway!
In stock? Completely sold out.
Dick Smith
Price: $79.98
Price match? “Nah, can’t do it man.”
In stock? We had to call four stores to get an answer, which is consistent with my anecdotal level of customer service at Dick Smith. We were told they had a lot of 360 copies left, but only one PS3 copy.
Harvey Norman
Price: $88
Price match? We called one store and were told no, since they were almost sold out.
In stock? The store we called said 360 only, but when we asked about price matching we were told they were sold out!
Comments
84 responses to “Who Still Has Grand Theft Auto V In Stock? And Who Will Price Match?”
I unthinkingly paid $109.95 at EB (early morning pre-caffiene) and walked back in 2 minutes later and after the gentlest argument in the history of ever they refunded the difference from $79 and we don’t have a JB or BigW or Target in here.
Ringing and asking is one thing, when the confirmed sale is on the line is another.
I must say massive props to the guys at EB though for doing it after the fact. Stuff like that is what keeps me going back.
That’s the good news story of the day right there. Go EB…!
The better news story would be EB selling a game at a reasonable retail price in the first place.
My local EB (Glen Waverley) lowered it’s GTAV price to match JB’s so I didn’t even need to price match
NO! Fuck EB.
Sweet baby Jesus, aren’t you just a ray of sunshine mate…? You should probably invest in a hug. That, or GTA V, from any store of your choosing…
I feel like they probably didn’t have much choice… since the alternative was you returning the game and then either asking them if you can buy it price-matched… or going elsewhere.
On a side note… what were you doing buying a game at EB games (at least without price matching?) even under the influence of coffee?
The way price matching works is simple.
If the customer asks… do it. They usually don’t even bother asking for proof.
If the customer doesn’t bother shopping around, bonus, we make more money.
They didn’t even try, they know me, they know they have to bend over to get my business, they offered the price match on the spot at the midnight release. I then watched them charge everyone else the full $109 and refuse to price match because it was an “event” in their words.
You shouldn’t have to argue, there is no special requirements to take advantage of it, but EB continues to BS their way through it. Was told once you have to provide a physical pamphlet showing the cost, no phone internet, no simply honouring prices they know exist when already trying to sell the product for a massive mark up.
If bad business is what keeps you coming back man….
You don’t need a pamphlet, you don’t need anything. I used to manage an EB and they’re just supposed to call the store and confirm the price match. That’s it. You can also totally price match anything as long as the content (all of it) is exactly the same, there’s nothing exclusive. Events are weird, it might have changed but when I was working there a number of years ago we definitely price matched at midnight launches. I can see the argument that they aren’t entitled to honour anything but the “RRP” since it’s technically being sold there before anywhere else. (EB does not acknowledge the existence of the world beyond its doors. Unless it’s a 10-month old meme)
Oh I know how it works, at least how it should work anyway. They know they have to honour a legit price match no matter, but they still pull out excuses as to why the can’t.
Its nice to hear a good story about EB for a change. Me experiences have sucked there.
I walked into EB once and asked, “Do you price match?”,
They said, “Yes”.
I followed up with, “Great. Do you price match online prices?”.
They said, “No”
I then asked Are you sure about that? Cant you match the same price on the EB website?”
They said, “No”.
Then another staff member said to the staff member speaking to me, “Actually… we can, remember that email?”
I LOL’d and walked out.
Stuff like that is what keeps me way….
I agree with Shutupdamnit. The story is you got overcharged by a store, who are gratuitously overcharging just to see what they can get away with, and then you had to argue with them to bring it down to an acceptable price. And “that’s what keeps you going back”??
The fact that EB so easily cave on the price matching (in my experience, not even bothering to call the store who has the lower price to check), means it’s purely a net to catch unsuspecting consumers.
On top of that, EB seems to hire vaguely pretty (but not too pretty, because you need to believe you have a shot) girls specifically with the hopes of ensnaring sexless nerds who return time and time again to the store in the hope that she will eventually realise she’s always wanted a fedora wearing, My Little Pony obsessed pariah who only listens to metal and video game soundtracks.
Those guys need to work out that she’s in love with me, not them. I know cause her hand brushed against mine as she handed me the receipt a $109.95 purchase that one time.
just walked into Dick Smith in Sydney CBD at lunchtime and walked away with a PS3 version. They had a few left
Walked into JB, picked up a PS3 copy and they price matched without blinking an eye.
$78 for GTAV local copy is a pretty good deal to me!
More often than not, places I’ve been to would only price match if there was a store within walking distance with a better price. If the store’s within walking distance, why not give them the business for offering a better price to begin with?
Price matching is something that really gets my goat. It’s predatory because it relies on lazy consumers paying more while still taking the business of people who put in the effort.
Exactly this. Couldn’t agree more
True – but then in a big way that’s also capitalism I guess – the smart operators get ahead!
I dunno, I always viewed price matching as “I want to give X my money, but Y has a better price.” At the end of the day, X is getting less money, but Y is getting nothing! From you. As an individual. Who is price matching. I mean, sure, they’re going to make money from other jerks, but not you! Fuck you, Y. You ain’t getting this.
I often feel guilty price matching because it often moves the price to near (or below) cost. In some cases the markup on these games is pretty low (especially for the smaller independent stores).
So while I often wanna give a certain store my money; if I don’t buy anything else its possible I’m costing them money =(
Agree completely. If their policy was to BEAT the other price e.g. they’ll match that price and knock another 10% off, then I’d see the value in it. But otherwise I don’t see any point going to EB and price matching when you could just go to the cheaper store in the first place. Unless you live somewhere where EB are the only option, perhaps. But then if the others aren’t local it seems like a lot of the time EB won’t price match anyway.
eb has loyality point system. i get 10 day returns from eb. i see that as being a reason to price match with them over any other store that does not return if you dont like it.
I didn’t ask this time as I got a collectors edition, but EB has price matched every time I’ve asked.
Agree – if somewhere else is selling it cheaper, get it there instead – reward the company that offers the better price in the first place. EB do allow returns within a short window, but the number of times I’ve used that is low enough that the lack doesn’t really bother me.
Even if they made an attempt to get within the same region of price as their competitors I could live with it, but straight RRP is just a ripoff. In a week EB will be selling second-hand copies for more than JB charges new…
Last night EB played dumb querying JB’s price and feigned a surprised “$89, really?”
Previously they told me I would have to return the next day to refund the difference.
Props for them price matching but stop with the fake surprise that you aren’t the cheapest… playing dumb and still gouging your customers does not endear me to them at all.
LOL … that’s typical EB Games for you. “What’s that? We always charge the maximum RRP but there are other stores out there that are cheaper than us?! How can this be?!” I would be so tempted to say, “so, does pretending to be surprised that other places have the game cheaper than EB come naturally, or do you have to practice that in front of a mirror?”
*taxi driver style* “You talking to me? *pause* You talking to me? *pause* You talking to me? *pause* Then who the hell else are you talking to? You talking to me? *pause* Well I’m the only sales person here. Who the f**k do you think you’re talking to? Coming up in here, acting like other people sell this game for less then $110!”
Why give props for price matching? Why not support the retailer offering you a reasonable price to begin with. The more support they get the more confident they will be in offering the lower price on future releases.
I would’ve and normally choose the other retailer – but for GTA V for some reason there were no metro JB Hifi stores open in Brisbane inner north and Target had none open in QLD at all.
Fair call
VideoEzy $66 try that with EBgames and JBHIFI
Ebay $62 Free Shipping…
Went into EB.
Saw price was 109.
Walked out of EB and back to work and ordered a copy online for 65.
Plays something else for a week until it arrives.
Props for self restraint
I have to say, I used to have a dislike for EB Games having worked there and had some unsavoury experiences. However the last few times I’ve been into EB the staff have been eager to please (almost suspiciously so) and very helpful.
The cynic in me would say it’s because times are tough in retail and they’ll do anything for a sale, but I genuinely think that it’s due to the fact that, for the most part, the people who work in there are enthusiastic about games.
As an employee of EB Games that is exactly the case!
It’s a fun place to work at and yes we have sales targets and things we want to offer you to help us meet that target (like every retail store) but in the end were just happy to sell you a vidja game!
Dick Smith… not price matching a $0.98 difference lol. This is why you’re failing as a business.
Picked up my dick Smith order this morning for $69.98 and then went to Eb to get that pre order for 69.98 matched off my DSE receipt. 🙂
At $109, why on earth would anyone shop at EB Games? What kind of scam are they trying to pull when everyone else (even Harvey Norman) is selling for under $90, with many under $80?
Sure they said they’d price match, but to the uneducated people who walk into EB, they are getting ripped off $20-$30. How can they possibly justify that price point?
They sell at RRP, like EB always does.
If people are stupid enough to pay RRP and over $100 for a game, they deserve to lose $20-30 imo
One of the store managers I spoke with said that it is set by Rockstar as the Rec. Retail…. the same rules everyone else has to play along with basically…
You mean the same rules that JB HiFi, Target, Big W etc are all playing by?
Yeah those are the ones 🙂
I believe the argument from EB Games is that since those other big names deal with more than just games products, they can afford to sell at lower prices. I’m guessing they can’t be selling at loss, because that wouldn’t be beneficial, but I forgot the point I was making?
They do sell games at a loss. It’s in the hope that you also buy an HDMI cable with a ludicrous markup on it. Or that you’ll remember their low prices the next time you’re in the market for a telly.
well I pre-ordered in store so should be behind the counter when I pick it up this afternoon ….. after work …. to return to work the following day …..
Any word on console bundles?
It would strike me as a strange game to bundle in any kind of official capacity, given the R rating.
You might be able to get a cheap copy with a console if you ask around though.
More importantly, are you seriously buying a current gen-console for GTA V in September 2013?!?
I hope your old PS3/ 360 broke!
So I take it you haven’t heard of the PS3 bundle that came out with it?
http://us.playstation.com/ps3/systems/gta-v-bundle.html
Have to admit it’s strange to offer it in a bundle when it’s successor is just around the corner; I could be wrong but I don’t see the sales doing too well – I’d imagine anyone who wants a PS3 just for GTA V would already have one for GTA IV and its expansion packs.
No, I hadn’t seen that.
Not bad value though! As someone who’s never owned a Playstation but is interested in a few of the games (Last of Us) I’d consider buying that.
I think I’ll wait for the PS4, I do think they’ll find a way to get backwards compatibility to work at some point.
(Also I still think it’s strange to bundle a console with a game that couldn’t even be sold to someone under 18).
I have a 360 and it isn’t broken. I’m not looking at jumping into the next gen this year and there are a wealth of good looking PS3 games that will be cheap. Plus my friends are all playing GTA on the PS3 and I want to enjoy the multiplayer with them
I’m in a similar boat. Kinda hoping they sort some backwards compatibility out for the PS4 though rather than get a PS3 this late.
I’m out of room under my TV any more consoles!
oh. if the PS4 was backward compatible, I would get it instead
My wife popped into JB Hi-Fi Bankstown this morning to pick it up, I presume for $89. They also threw in the pre-order bonus blimp DLC, which was neat since we didn’t preorder. I guess they just had extras lying about.
I’m not cut up about the ten bucks we could have saved by going to Big W or forcing a price match.
I like when stores toss in the preorder stuff after the fact, when they have extras. It’s a nice touch. The Albert St, Bris CBD EB does that pretty frequently.
But Transientmind, why aren’t you just preordering in the first place? Why, I’m glad you asked! Because PREORDERING IS THE CANCER WHICH IS EMBOLDENING (yeah, I said it) THE BASTARD PUBLISHERS. When you preorder, the corporate terrorists win.
I never preorder anything, unless there’s some kind of special bonus that I simply cannot refuse (only once in recent memory has this happened).
I’ve never had a problem walking into a JB HiFi and buying a game off the shelf on release day.
The only game shortage that’s affected me was Heavy Rain, and I think that’s because people severely underestimated it’s popularity. I didn’t pre-order, went to five different stores in one day, and everywhere was sold out until the next scheduled delivery the following week.
Even though EB staff are trained to snag your pre-order commitment by telling you you’re at risk of not securing a copy on release if you don’t pre-order, no one really believes it anymore. Hell, they didn’t back when I briefly worked at one in 2005.
It used to happen way back in the day when cartridges used to be a pain in the ass to produce.
My grandmother tells me of the trauma of getting hold of a copy on Goldeneye prior to Christmas in 1998 or whenever it was.
These days the market is so heavily measured (pre-orders, online stats ect) and discs so quick to produce that it’s rare that we get serious shortages unless a game is quite obscure. Back then you’d often have to wait a full fortnight for a new shipment to come in.
No need to pre-order as a general rule. That said I did miss out on a ‘day-one edition’ Xbone which is a touch annoying.
Dick Smith George St Syd sold out (both 360 and PS3) despite having GTAV $79 signs up out front and within,.. JB Hifi The Strand still seems to have plenty of copies of both but won’t price match Dick Smith as they know they are sold out…
I’m very proud of myself. I told myself that I would wait a month to allow for a couple of patches and possibly a price drop. So far so good.
I’m waiting for PS4 version, although I’m feeling quite tempted to splash on a PS3 copy. The hype is killing me!
I am waiting for the complete version, whenever that comes out.
surely this will take the top grossing entertainment release crown from COD BO 2
It had to. Is be shocked if it didn’t, quite frankly.
EB galleries retail price was $89 they will price match dicksmiths $79
Well that sucks my local Kmart (local to work) hasn’t even got their 360 shipment 🙁 and I have this Coles gift card burning a hole in my wallet
It’s all good – JB Carseldine has hundreds of copies (as opposed to the dept stores which have all sold out of 360 stock) could use gift card but did some price matching / trade-in voodoo to knock the price down to $49!
Splinter Cell conviction, Vanquish (finished them both) you will be missed; Skyrim – it’s been real (I never fell asleep so many times playing any other game – clearly as soon as magic and quest giving get whipped out I start to glaze over!
Got my $89 copy delivered by JB.
I’m not cut up about Big W being $10 cheaper, a game like GTA is worth the money and when I’m looking to save cash on a game I think is worth less money then I use ozgameshop or steam/gmg.
Just went to pick mine up… During the ten minute walk to the store, I think I saw about ten or so little yellow JB bags going the other way. About the same number on the way back, along with one little white EB bag. Consumers are apparently aware of the price difference… or lazy as JB is closer to the escalators. EB really should’ve waited the couple of weeks until after GTA came out before moving into the Shopping Centre… they woulda made a mint.
Harvey Norman, of course they’d say that.
The HN in my town does price match, lucky for them though when it comes to games, there’s no other shops here to have to price match it with!
Walked into EB Games at Waverly Gardens in VIC and they price matched Target’s $79 without even blinking. All I had to do was mention Target and they were cool with it.
I just walked into JB Hi-Fi and told them to price match it to the Big W around the corner, for $78. The lady who served me said she would do it, but I’d lose the ‘Blimp DLC’. I didn’t think the Blimp was worth $11, so I agreed to it.
She probably should have just thrown in the blimp though, to make me happy.
EB at Rhodes refused to price match because Target doesn’t have it and Big W is 2 minute drive up the road. I walked across the centre to Dick Smith and gave them my money. Silly EB.
Well, stupid me decided i wanted the special edition which is an EB exclusive but i am weird, i do not mind paying a little extra but i was a little disappointed that they didn’t have the shipment of the limited edition yet and expected it to come in on friday, which IMO is a bit redundant considering that most people would have finished the game in a few days.
Most JB stores have thousands of copies in stock, also plenty of the PS3 bundles!
Picked up my copy this morning from JB Whitfords, matched Target for $79 no problems and I got the Atomic Blimp DLC (which I wasn’t expecting). More surprising was the fact that the store wasn’t busy at all; having worked at an EB for nearly six years and done my fair share of massive launch days, I was not expecting to walzt in and out with my purchase without having to line up at all.
And for those of you who view price matching as a sneaky consumer thing to do, I say if a business has a price match policy they obviously want your money, so why not? Kmart, Target, BigW use elctronics and video games as a loss-leading department to get you in the door, where they’re hoping that you’ll buy an item with a ridicously high margin on it to make up what they lose on selling a brand new release game at or below cost price. EB do a similar thing by having a price match policy; get you in the door and hope they get you with an upsell somehow (hintbook, extra controller, preorder another upcoming title -preferably an exclusive collectors edition that they don’t have to price match-).
JB Hifi in Perth CBD would not price match Dick Smith’s $80! so we got it from DSE
Got my copy. $89 from JB. No-one but me gives a fuck, but I just had to say “I OWN GTA V” and somehow I reckon everyone on this train gives less of a fuck than you. Nevertheless, hi, Kotaku reader. I hope you own a copy too. It feels really good.
Should also be stated that buying GTA at JB, price match or not, gets you 20% of any of the high profile new releases coming out this year, eg FIFA, Assassin’s Creed IV, Battlefield 4
Ding ding ding ding! Good offer, Haven’t seen it advertised anywhere though.
Totally. I’ll be getting Arkham Origins through JB courtesy of that offer – its pretty solid value.
Amazon UK. Game + shipping = 67 AUD.
I just strolled into my local Big W on the way home from work yesterday and picked it straight off the shelf (granted the only 2 other people in Home Ent were also buying copies, so may’ve sold out since).
I didn’t even look at the price, but glad $79 was cheapest around; I know Big W are usually good that way, and also I was previously considering holding out for the PC version (I get more gaming time on my laptop, what with 2 little kids, when I’m on the train to work, lunch breaks etc), but couldn’t do it… I can’t handle hearing how much fun everyone else is having in the months I’d be waiting til the PC version shows up ha.
For Melbourne peeps: http://www.dungeoncrawl.com.au/mobilesearch.aspx?searchterm=Gta+v
FYI to all the people talking about Target, Dick Smith, Kmart etc selling it so much cheaper; EB is charging you more, all these places are just selling at a loss…its a simple marketing tactic:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_leader
http://www.inc.com/encyclopedia/loss-leader-pricing.html
Local kmart, target and big w had no stock left. Harvey Norman was selling it for $98. Called to ask if they had stock – 28 PS3 copies left. Asked to price match n was told to bring a competitor’s current catalogue showing $79 so we did and took home GTA5. Easiest purchase I’ve ever made at hn.