GameStop reaching out for your Twilight Princess

34 Comments by James Ransom-Wiley Feb 16th 2007 2:15PM
Filed under: Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo Wii, Action, Adventure, Business

Ring, ring ... ring, ring. Have you recently been disturbed by Aeris' dinnertime calls? GameStop's automated insider dialed up Opposable Thumbs to drop a hot tip: Twilight Princess now has a $35 trade-in value -- "if you're finished with it, why don't you bring it to the store and trade it in?"

Apparently GameStop, which controls most of the US's used-games market, is squirreling away as many of those one million Zelda copies in circulation as it can, just in time for ... spring? GameStop's spam-calls might indicate that the retailer is not reaching its double-sale quota. GameStop is probably having trouble buying back copies of Twilight Princess (so it can sell them again for a solid profit); likely because consumers are holding on to the game. And so the calls go out.

Inside the store is one thing -- but pestering your loyal customers on their phones? That's just squirrelly business practice.

[Thanks, 32_Footsteps]

Tags: Aeris, GameStop, Trade-in, TwilightPrincess, Used, Zelda

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(Page 1) Reader Comments

sheppy: Feb 16th 2007; 2:20PM

And to think, last night, I got a call asking me to do a sruvey. Yeah I'm going to start just giving EBgames a fake number.

Virtua Fanboy: Feb 16th 2007; 2:24PM

I've been waitin for a used copy. I just think that it's bullshit that I have to buy a Wii for it to take advantage of my 16:9 tv. Guess I'll stick it to Nintendo for that and still play tha game. Love Zelda game but just hate the fact that they did that.

vidGuy: Feb 16th 2007; 2:29PM

I'll definitely be saving TP. I've played through OoT with the N64 cart at least 3 times; I've played Wind Waker twice. I'm sure I'll come back to TP again, too. Though $35 is a pretty good trade-in value (GameStop usually screws you over on the trade-ins).

@Virtua Fanboy,

A used copy at GS or EBGames is going to cost you $44.99, most likely (that's usually what they price "used" new release games). Is the $5 and "sticking it" to Nintendo by not buying ONE copy really worth the wait?

Virtua Fanboy: Feb 16th 2007; 2:30PM

correction Zelda games

BobbyBob: Feb 16th 2007; 2:35PM

@Steve

For the love of God, please tell me that was a joke post.

I swear, that looks exactly like the "rabid fanboy" example post people use as a joke on message boards.

Virtua Fanboy: Feb 16th 2007; 2:41PM

@ vidGuy

Heh, it's not a hugh deal really, I've been busy w/gears and cod3. I was soooo excited bout that game, but it just took too damn long. Not complaining but I just got tired of waitin, lol. It doesn't matter anyway, it's gonna take forever to find it used. As far as stickin it to "the man" I believe in voting w/your wallet and sometimes that means waiting. I tend to do the same thing w/EA's games.

P.S. ONE copy at a time is how ya gotta do it. lol

Virtua Fanboy: Feb 16th 2007; 2:42PM

huge deal

Hale Seighton: Feb 16th 2007; 2:49PM

I always give out the phone number of the local pizza place down the street. I do it so much, I have to really stop and think when I want to remember my real number. If a soliciter calls me, it would be because my phone provider sold the number.

Also, Gamestop/EB has the worst customer service/harrassment I've ever experienced. I'd rather eat a bag of broken glass and drink hobo piss than give those sleazey car-salesman any business.

Crono: Feb 16th 2007; 2:56PM

They'd have to pry my Twighlight Princess from my cold dead hands...

Charles: Feb 16th 2007; 2:56PM

NO THANK YOU!!

I got mine for $40 at Target a few days after Christmas (also when I found a Wii) and I'm not giving it up that easily.

ShortFuse: Feb 16th 2007; 3:03PM

and that's why i love www.donotcall.gov

dork: Feb 16th 2007; 3:04PM

i was going to trade my in anyway but this is a good deal. Im still debating though . I may trade it in and just wait until later and buy it back. I dont really play it right now . got to much other stuff

tmmoore_nc: Feb 16th 2007; 3:32PM

I got the call before any of you guys (Wednesday). It's just annoying. I mean, if they contacted me about a game I pre-ordered coming in, then tacking this on, I'd be fine with it, but nope, they do this.

Shagittarius: Feb 16th 2007; 3:37PM

Everyone needs to stop buying used games and drive these assclowns at gamestop out of business. Its a win-win for the consumer, you don't have to deal with the brain dead morons behind the counters and you support an industry you love and continue to help it grow.

DONT BUY USED GAMES!

James: Feb 16th 2007; 3:46PM

This used game retailers can be ridiculous sometimes. Charging $5 less for a used game is silly. I would just buy it new. I mean it's not like a used piece of software is any worse than a new one unlike say underwear but still. The slim bit they shave off doesn't really make it worth it. I'd just buy locally from someone for much cheaper.

david: Feb 16th 2007; 3:55PM

i got a call earlier this week. although it said the offer was only good until february 1st... two weeks before i got the call.

vidGuy: Feb 16th 2007; 4:25PM

@Virtua Fanboy,

Makes sense. If you aren't dying for it it's not so bad waiting longer. After all the delays I had to have the game on launch day.

@Hale,

Yeah, I've been doing something similar with stores like Best Buy. Anytime they ask for a number (and they do say "a number") I give them my area code and first three digits, then make up a random last four. I bet so many of the people in my area have been getting random calls about this game or that sale or what-not.

HotShotX: Feb 16th 2007; 4:44PM

GameStop needs to burn in hell. Trade your games directly to other gamers at CheapAssGamer.com.

~HotShotX

Adam: Feb 16th 2007; 5:00PM

Yeah. God forbid we actually spend thirty seconds of our life picking up and hanging up the phone. We're all far too busy for that.

Grog: Feb 16th 2007; 5:13PM

"11. and that's why i love www.donotcall.gov"

The National Do Not Call Registry (and state lists as well) only applies to unsolicited calls. This means that Survey Corp. is not allowed to randomly call you (with an automatic dialer - they technically could call you by hand), but any company that you have done business with is free to call you.

CincyOldMan: Feb 16th 2007; 5:19PM

If you are serious about this stopping, contact your state attorney general. Gamestop/EB gets your phone number from your reverve or Game Informer subscription, and then call you to see if you want to trade a game back in or take a survey on your experience (thus, the DONOTCALL.GOV won't work, as you gave them your number.) They DO NOT however, give you the option to opt out of marketing phone calls, which in many states is against the rules!

Hersch: Feb 16th 2007; 5:24PM

I'm not surprised, Gamestop called me about trading in Kingdom Hearts 2 for $35 when it had been out for a month.

They'll probably do the same thing to people that pre-order the next big game... God of War maybe?

Eric: Feb 16th 2007; 5:31PM

Gamestop? Questionable business practices? Never... I detest anything I can't find something somewhere else and have to go to EB. Overpriced junk sold by pretentious pricks. Yeah, I REALLY want to shop there. Not all EB employees are bad, but most of them are jerk-offs. Still better than Game Crazy though, and that's just sad.

C.A.: Feb 16th 2007; 5:34PM

Believe me when I say that this pissed me off badly. I am ok with them calling with a "helpful" reminder that I have a preordered game, but honestly who would want a game so bad to preorder it and then forget completely? Anyway, when they called with that crap I went down at my first opportunity and took my number out of their system and let them know that I was through with them. Nothing like harassing loyal customers during dinner time with bs like this. How low can they go?

Rob: Feb 16th 2007; 5:39PM

So what's the problem? people are actually KEEPING the BEST GAME OF THE YEAR?? Imagine that...

lk: Feb 16th 2007; 5:44PM

Digital Distribution, we need you...

Miles: Feb 16th 2007; 5:58PM

I think every joystiq blogger should have a disclaimer after every post, that says they're not journalists. Why speculate that Gamestop is having trouble getting in games when your proof is them advertising that they have a trade-in deal going on? I guess Circuit City and Best Buy are having trouble selling televisions because they put out a flier literally every sunday morning. Don't post non-sense .

chad: Feb 16th 2007; 6:11PM

Anyone that lives in the UK and has a CEX near them they are taking the gamecube version for £41 cash or £44 exchange. Don't know how they can afford that. It sells new for £40 anyways. In US that's about $80 cash and $90 exchange. Check it out http://www.cex.co.uk/product.php?sku=045496963071. The wii version only gets £19 cash. Got £26 for mine last week but they have loads of them so no surprise they lowered the prices.

Grant: Feb 16th 2007; 6:14PM

Miles, the point is they are using customer data to do phone marketing.
When was the last time any company randomly called you to remind you of a promotion they had going on?
the point is this is intrusive, no one asked for it, and
if you're fine with people calling you non-stop to sell you things, can i have your phone number to sell to a few hundred marketing firms?

Eric: Feb 16th 2007; 7:03PM

Yeah, it's really annoying. A few thoughts:

If you love this hobby: DO NOT BUY USED GAMES. GameStop makes ALL of the money on a used game; the developer you want to support sees $0 from the reselling of their game used. It hurts the industry.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO RESERVE GAMES: It is a GameStop policy to sell to ALL walk-ins - wether you reserved or not, even if the only remaining copies are reserved - they can always get more and virtually never sell all reserved items. If an employee refuses to sell you one, saying "I only have reserves" ask for the DM - he or she will tell the employee to sell you one. Gamestop makes interest on your $5, don't give it to them.

Infil: Feb 16th 2007; 7:59PM

I've never sold any game back to a retailer, and that's not about to start, especially with my choice for 2006 GOTY (TP).

I still don't understand why people trade in all the games they buy. Don't you want to save some for posterity or nostalgia? Especially a game like TP.

Goober: Feb 16th 2007; 8:50PM

Excuse my French but Fuck Gamestop

nate: Feb 16th 2007; 10:22PM

its good to know you all hate money...yeah Wal-mart or other big retailers have the BEST business practices EVA.......many people don't mind saving $5 to $10....and really...worst customer service...worse than a large store...really? uh..no, and a DM's going to do jack shit to help you buy that collector's edition of any game you want if you didn't reserve..say WOW or Metal Gear...and it's so horrible that they offer you money for your terrible games and give you a 30 sec phone call telling you that they'll give you $38 w/ their card for a game they'll turn and sell for $42 if it's sold with their card..what a awful thing to do...my GOD, I guess where I shop they're much nicer

Boomaga: Feb 17th 2007; 3:16AM

When I was an assistant manager at Gamestop, I sent emails to corporate and told my district manager that crap like this will most likely piss off more gamers than inspire them to trade in their games. Being a long time customer, a lifelong gamer and a pretty reliable and well-liked employee by customers, I had hoped they would take my words into consideration. I'm not surprised at all that they didn't though, that company has made increasingly poor decisions ever since I started in 2004, leaving later last year, and I'm glad to see they aren't stopping, because otherwise they'll never learn.

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