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Kristophe
Obi-Wan Kermobi
Joined: 26 Apr 2004
Posts: 4
Location: The Outer Banks of NC, USA |
| Best Buy Tests Used Video Game Sales - News @ CNN Money |
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I'd heard rumors of this previously, but CNN Money's Chris Morris is the "man on the scene" who brings us the latest <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2005/09/30/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/" target="_blank">word</a> re national retailer, Best Buy, getting into the used video game sales market...
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<br><blockquote><em>NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Best Buy is walking a thin line with its latest in-store test -- one that might thrill cost-conscious consumers, but earn the ire of video game publishers and developers.
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<br>The retailer confirmed it has quietly started testing the sale of used video games in select markets, but declined to give details. An analyst note said four stores in Illinois and California are currently involved in the test.
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<br>Best Buy doesn't appear to be wading into this half-hearted, though. One of the test stores has over 5,000 used games available, according to Piper Jaffray's Anthony Gikas. Credits earned from traded-in games can be used for other Best Buy merchandise, he wrote.
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<br>Previously, big box retailers have avoided selling used games, leaving that market (estimated to be worth $800 million) to specialty stores like Gamestop and Electronics Boutique. Gikas, though, thinks the tide may be turning.
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<br>Hmmm - one has to wonder if Best Buy intends to also concentrate on dealing with PC games in this venture - seeing as how GameStop no longer trades in used PC games and, with the merger of GS & EB, the fact that EB is already slowly working itself out of the used PC gaming market as well:-) |
Sun Oct 02, 2005 12:56 am |
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Znith
Village Dweller
Joined: 24 Jul 2005
Posts: 13
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Hmm I cannot remember my local Gamestop or EB selling used PC games but they do have the typical used console games. Heck I remember a time when I could rent pc games. It was over 10 years ago that a local movie rental business did this, but it was fun none the less. One would guess used PC games border on piracy issues. |
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Sun Oct 02, 2005 1:18 am |
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Hypatiae
Guest
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Electronics Boutique, Gamestop and many other shops used to sell used PC games.
Best Buy cannot sell used PC games. It is the same as pirating.
I buy PC game from shop. I install PC game. I install No CD Crack. I return PC game to shop. Shop sells Used PC Game. Shop is Bluebeard.
It is the reality of the market. Even the latest, greatest. copy protected games are cracked almost instantly. Some even before retail release. Yes, that is right, you can get games on P2P networks before they hit shelves. |
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Sun Oct 02, 2005 6:15 am |
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Kristophe
Obi-Wan Kermobi
Joined: 26 Apr 2004
Posts: 4
Location: The Outer Banks of NC, USA |
An interesting concept - I honestly hadn't even thought about the piracy issue - but that might explain why EB is getting out of the "used PC game" business:-)
Oh, and for what it is worth - notice I did say "getting out of the used PC game business". EB is NOT out of it yet - at least not in Virginia - where just last Thursday I took in some 23 used PC games of my own and traded them in for store credits I still have yet to use:-)
I wonder what kind of "piracy issues" willll arrive with the Xbox 360 and it's generic hard drive?? For that matter - one could actually apply the concept of "console piracy" to the present Xbox as well...after all, if one has a "modded system" - then (theoretically) one could totally upload games onto their hard drive - then go to either EB or GameStop (which will soon be one entity) and "trade-in" those games for others, and then continue to do the same, ad infinitum...hmmmm:-)
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Memories that forgotten, cannot be... |
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Sun Oct 02, 2005 12:45 pm |
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bjon045
Fearless Paladin
Joined: 02 Jun 2003
Posts: 234
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It is not illegal to resell anything. Perhaps the retailer can prevent it via things like product activation but it certainly is not illegal. When you purchase ANYTHING you have acquired property rights and you can pass that on to whoever you choose too. |
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Sun Oct 02, 2005 3:54 pm |
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Roqua
High Emperor
Joined: 02 Sep 2003
Posts: 897
Location: rump |
Pass it on how? While its still on your HD with a nocd crack? Thats legal? Or pass on a copy you burnt? Thats legal? Can you pass it on to someone over p2p while maintaning your own copy?
Have you read the end user liscence agreement for ms windows or office? Why doesn't eb sell used copies of windows or office?
Sometimes you are not buying property, you are buying a liscence to use a program or ap, and that liscense is governed by rules or agreements you made with the own of the software.
Works the same for some other property also. If you sign a covenent for certain neighborhoods you cannot do anything that will bring down the value of other peoples houses, so you couldn't jjust sell it without the next owner signing a covenant. Sometimes you can't hand a hoop on your garage, or let your lawn look like crap, or park in the driveway instead of a garage, etc.
You also can't sell (in most states I know of, I'm not 100% sure on this as I've never owned a house) without going through a real estate agent.
_________________
Vegitarian is the Indian word for lousey hunter. |
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Mon Oct 03, 2005 12:13 am |
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bjon045
Fearless Paladin
Joined: 02 Jun 2003
Posts: 234
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quote:
Originally posted by Roqua
Pass it on how? While its still on your HD with a nocd crack? Thats legal? Or pass on a copy you burnt? Thats legal? Can you pass it on to someone over p2p while maintaning your own copy?
Something you have legally purchased. If you bought it in a box you can transfer that box. I would imagine there would be some legal way to transfer a downloaded (legally purchased) copy as well although I am not aware of the way to do this.
quote:
Originally posted by Roqua
Have you read the end user liscence agreement for ms windows or office? Why doesn't eb sell used copies of windows or office?
These are only enforcable in places where such license agreements are legal. Also note this is not a "law" it a end-user contract which can be broken. Selling your windows XP box with CD is perfectly legal, you are not passing any right otherwise assumed other than property rights i.e. the right to own that box and cd in it's original state. Of course breaking a contract has consquences and you might find yourself facing a court battle in the future, and then again you might not 
quote:
Originally posted by Roqua
Works the same for some other property also. If you sign a covenent for certain neighborhoods
....snip.....
without going through a real estate agent.
I have no idea what a covenant is, but it sounds similar to a concept we have here called local bylaws. Private sales being illegal sounds highly unlikely though. Of course if there is an actual law prohibiting something then you can't do it but I know there is nothing against selling software. I take it you have second hand newspapers there that sell software? Probably hundreds of copies of windows in there and they have all broken their license agreements, i would just love to see microsoft track them down considering it is quite likely they will be future customers...this is why microsoft introduced product activation. |
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Tue Oct 04, 2005 11:03 am |
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