I'd love to order certain games from Amazon.co.uk...if only they weren't jerks about shipping overseas... Oh, sorry, on-topic...
Amazon requires shipping time, and Americans are infamous for being impatient (generally speaking). In MY case, though, I want the pre-order bonuses I can't get with Amazon (and my employee discount ). Obviously, the bonuses are only any good if you actually get them. With a few exceptions, it's easy to get yours just by going to the store ASAP after release. If it's first come first served, just be first!
My Backloggery Updated sporadically. Got my important online ID's on there, anyway. :P
The American postal service is slow as hell - you really wouldn't believe it. When I lived in San Francisco I could order something posted first class from LA (about the same distance as Glasgow to London) and it could take a few days to get to me - here it's 24 hours tops.
I still mail-ordered there to save some money, but if you need something in a timely fashion or don't want to wait, I can understand not doing it over there.
It's a bit shady if they really aren't shipping out the figurine. Even if it is just a figurine they used that to entice people. Pre-orders might not bring in extra cash but it brings in cash early which can be conveniently used for quarterly earnings reports especially if pre-orders start in a slow season with the game not coming out for months. When the game does come out they still have the steady stream of regular purchasers.
The figurines were made in a painfully limited number. They can't ship what they don't have.
That's really not the fault of the consumer though. Gamestop should've had a pretty good estimate of how many of the figurines they were going to be able to give out, and let people know only the first x preorders would be getting the figurine. Amazon was able to this. They had both the game with the figurine and the game without the figurine up for preorder. When they ran out of figurines, they stopped allowing people to preorder that version.
If Gamestop was interested in retaining good faith, they should offer something to the people who missed out, whether it be a coupon or a gift card or something. It was essentially their mistake, so they should do something to make it up to the customer. Unfortunately, I don't really think that is how Gamestop functions, so I wouldn't really expect it.
That's really not the fault of the consumer though. Gamestop should've had a pretty good estimate of how many of the figurines they were going to be able to give out, and let people know only the first x preorders would be getting the figurine. Amazon was able to this.
Amazon is an online store. Every preorder made comes through their website. Gamestop can't estimate how many preorders will be made at each of their stores ahead of time to know the exact number of figurines they'll be able to give out to those who preordered online.
That's really not the fault of the consumer though. Gamestop should've had a pretty good estimate of how many of the figurines they were going to be able to give out, and let people know only the first x preorders would be getting the figurine. Amazon was able to this.
Amazon is an online store. Every preorder made comes through their website. Gamestop can't estimate how many preorders will be made at each of their stores ahead of time to know the exact number of figurines they'll be able to give out to those who preordered online.
It's not that Gamestop has to estimate the number of preorders beforehand. It's that they should've been keeping an eye on the number of preorders they were getting versus how many figurines they had to give out, and ended the promotion when they could no longer honor it.
@Tattis: They did tell us to stop promising the figurines with new reservations at the point where we exceeded projected supply. Thing is, the bonuses go on a "first come, first served" basis. Unfortunately, making the RESERVATION months ahead of everyone else doesn't count. It's all about who's first to the store AT LAUNCH!
This method has been a real problem for us. Some particularly angry figurine-less customers reportedly canceled their reservations to go buy the game elsewhere in protest. This became a big enough problem to cause a change to our policy on reservation bonus handouts. Not everyone gives a crap if they get one or not, right? So why give it to someone who doesn't care, only to run out and have an upset customer who really, REALLY wanted one? From now on (keeping in mind that I don't know if this is company-wide or a store manager decision), we'll only give out bonuses upon request, at least until we've run through the excess reservation total. I think this method should work well.
From now on (keeping in mind that I don't know if this is company-wide or a store manager decision), we'll only give out bonuses upon request, at least until we've run through the excess reservation total. I think this method should work well.
That's what my local store has always done, and is the best solution. People who didn't know about the bonus don't deserve the bonus if that means someone else won't get it. Sadly, all figurines were taken by the time i got to the store despite this.
@Adamant: Ah, definitely NOT a new company rule, then. I still hope more stores adapt this concept...though you just proved it's not perfect, it's got to be better than just giving them out willy-nilly.
And I agree that they aren't even particularly GOOD figurines. My Overlord Minion set is much nicer. Now THERE'S a bonus that was set up stupidly, at least for those who wanted a full set (three games released, four colors of figurines to collect).
I still use Gamestop (the only other used video game store is thirty minues away). I've been fine most of the time, except that I've only just begun to use store credit.
And I agree that they aren't even particularly GOOD figurines. My Overlord Minion set is much nicer. Now THERE'S a bonus that was set up stupidly, at least for those who wanted a full set (three games released, four colors of figurines to collect).
the actual figurine actually looks inferior to the one in the image in several pages and in the box.
The figurines were made in a painfully limited number. They can't ship what they don't have.
That's really not the fault of the consumer though. Gamestop should've had a pretty good estimate of how many of the figurines they were going to be able to give out, and let people know only the first x preorders would be getting the figurine. Amazon was able to this. They had both the game with the figurine and the game without the figurine up for preorder. When they ran out of figurines, they stopped allowing people to preorder that version.
If Gamestop was interested in retaining good faith, they should offer something to the people who missed out, whether it be a coupon or a gift card or something. It was essentially their mistake, so they should do something to make it up to the customer. Unfortunately, I don't really think that is how Gamestop functions, so I wouldn't really expect it.
When pre-ordering any game with extra content such as a figurine GameStop is in the right for what they did. Yea it sucks for all of the collectors out there, but GameStops disclaimer states that there is a limited supply, so in turn, the hardcore collectors out there will get this figurine. If not then they were more like me and just didn't care.
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Topic: Gamestop screwed me over!
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