Misadventures with Foul Face

[wolfie]

Many of the thieves are stupid enough to think that computers are really valuable to pawn shops. If you ever watch that pawn shop show you know what I mean.

If a computer costs $1000 to buy (and most cheap desktops are more like $300-450) then after a few months it's only worth $500 at best on the used market. But a pawn shop has to think about what happens if they can't sell it for a few more months when it is only worth $100-300. So their best offer on a $1000 computer will be something like $50.00

One office I worked in many years ago, there was one person in administration (desk conveniently located near a glass door) whose computer was stolen on a regular basis. At the time, the company had a bunch of 286 computers (hopelessly outdated) sitting in the back room gathering dust. After one smash-and-grab, I jokingly suggested that they put the person's new computer under the desk where it would be out of sight, and put one of the 286 machines (with "stub" cables going off the back of the desk) on their desk as a decoy. Someone steals the 286? No great loss (other than the glass in the door).

[gremcint]

It's also weird how much customers think the store makes on a computer, I spoke to a guy who thought the store was making 4-500 off of the 1000 computer he bought, I informed him that no, honestly it was more like 50 bucks if it was brand new full price and at a loss if anything lower than that.

[EricKei]

Similar situation with new video games and consoles. That $600 PS3 you bought at launch? GameStore either sold it at cost or at a small loss. That $60 game? Unless they had some sort of super special awesome deal arranged, the store made five bucks on that puppy.

[prjkt]

just as bad with any technology device really

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

Similar situation with new video games and consoles. That $600 PS3 you bought at launch? GameStore either sold it at cost or at a small loss. That $60 game? Unless they had some sort of super special awesome deal arranged, the store made five bucks on that puppy.

Very true, that's why they ram preowned down your throat all the time and are notorious for lowball trade offers.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Very true, that's why they ram preowned down your throat all the time and are notorious for lowball trade offers.

I'm fairly certain one of the game stores I used to frequent (before they were absorbed into Der Gamestapo) would open the cases of brand new games (or at least take the plastic wrap off), then slap a "pre-owned" sticker on them, straight out of the box.

This is just a suspicion of mine. If it's got any truth in reality, it might explain why that chain was bought out.

[EricKei]

J2K -- If they actually did that...that's incredibly stupid. I can see an outgoing owner/manager doing that on purpose to screw over the new owners but...Gah!. Probably considered fraud, anyway. WTF.

[Jay 2K Winger]

J2K -- If they actually did that...that's incredibly stupid. I can see an outgoing owner/manager doing that on purpose to screw over the new owners but...Gah!. Probably considered fraud, anyway. WTF.

Like I said, this is just a wild theory I had when I went to the store to get a game on day one, and saw more "pre-owned" games than new games on the shelf, and was suspicious.

I have nothing to support these suspicions except bone-deep cynicism.

[EricKei]

Nah, I believe ya. If being at this site for all these years has taught me anything, some people really ARE that stupid.

One explanation I can think of, though: When I worked at GameStore, we had certain regulars who would normally pre-order a bunch of games, get them all on their respective release dates, and turn them in for Used/store credit as soon as they beat them -- at times, as soon as a day or two later! Essentially, they treated it like a rental (while effectively paying extra for release-day access, along with keeping any pre-order goodies, of course). That is part of the reason you will sometimes see a title showing up as used within 2-4 days of release. Not many people did that, however.

One incident stuck out in my mind, tho, of course, I don't recall WHICH game it was: The game had had almost universally-poor reviews before it came out (and I'm not talking about this '7.5/10 = complete shit' nonsense, either), but the hype machine was going full force, and this one guy who had preordered it was waiting for it with bated breath. We warned him what we had heard/seen, but he had to try it anyway. He got it, and brought it back within 24 hours of release; it may have even been the same day. His words: "I want this game out of my house." It was so bad that he didn't care that we would only be allowed to give him trade value for it, as it had been opened.

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

I'm fairly certain one of the game stores I used to frequent (before they were absorbed into Der Gamestapo) would open the cases of brand new games (or at least take the plastic wrap off), then slap a "pre-owned" sticker on them, straight out of the box.

This is just a suspicion of mine. If it's got any truth in reality, it might explain why that chain was bought out.

If memory serves, the chain did get in hot water recently when a store exclusive Wii title that sold for close to $60 preowned (due to rarity) just magically starting showing up on the used game shelves in significant quantities.

The allegation was they had taken new copies which they still had in storage somewhere and repackaged as them as "used" to take advantage of the high price on the secondary market.

I'm not sure what ended up happening with that.

The game had had almost universally-poor reviews before it came out (and I'm not talking about this '7.5/10 = complete shit' nonsense, either), but the hype machine was going full force, and this one guy who had preordered it was waiting for it with bated breath. We warned him what we had heard/seen, but he had to try it anyway. He got it, and brought it back within 24 hours of release; it may have even been the same day. His words: "I want this game out of my house." It was so bad that he didn't care that we would only be allowed to give him trade value for it, as it had been opened.

Duke Nukem Forever maybe?

[CloserToSane]

Most likely they wouldn't boot the OS that was on the computer. But they could put Linux on them, and replace Windows along with the security program. Or more likely reinstall Windows.

Fair enough, though they weren't actually windows machines, they're apple. I don't know if that changes anything - other than the initial confusion when they first installed them and we had to learn what to do with them.

[Mytical]

Erickei.. I think I know how it worked, and how they would profit from doing so. They take old/used games that they bought for a much lower price, and 'damage it' back to the retailer. Somebody buys the brand new copy for more then they would a used one. The store is out only what they pay for the used game, and has sold a new game for higher then they could a used one. Just a theory though.

OR. Employees could buy a brand new version with all the bells and whistles for much lower then they would normally. Again damaging out a used version in the brand new's package.

[EricKei]

CC2: This would have been in the 2004~2006 range. I honestly don't recall which game anymore.

[XCashier]

Me: May I help you
FF: *creepy stare*
Me: Hello?
FF: *intenser creepier stare*
Me: Ummmmm.

Finally FF spoke, after 5 min.

I hate people who do this! Maybe everyone on the SC's home planet has ESP, but we Earthlings don't. You have to use your words and say what you want, rather than just glaring at us and expecting us to know!

[KatherineB]

I hate people who do this! Maybe everyone on the SC's home planet has ESP, but we Earthlings don't. You have to use your words and say what you want, rather than just glaring at us and expecting us to know!

I have found that pasting on a super-creepy forced mega-watt smile (the kind that makes your cheeks hurt after a while) makes people speak to you when they try this. Or maybe I just frightened them off...