GAME - XBOX One ordering scam

[Deleted User]

Really annoyed with the way they are conning people with this.

Pre-ordered the Xbox one from Game on Nov 16th. At the time, I was told it would be available immediately.

So release day came and went. Not able to get hold of anyone to get any sense as to where my order is.

Today, finally, got hold of someone. Told that any orders placed AFTER Nov 15th are now not guaranteed for xmas.

I tried arguing that you can't take orders, and then let people down afterwards but they're attitude was just 'oh well, we've run out of stock'. Worse still is the fact that they're not even letting people know that they now might not get their order.

I dread to think how many people this is going to affect. The Xbox one is out of stock almost everywhere but, luckily, managed to get one at Argos.

Very good business model Game have got here though to be fair. Take in lots of orders, don't keep customers informed so orders don't get cancelled, then if you can't meet demand nothing lost.

Absolutely scandalous. Last time I'll ever buy anything from Game.

babymoneyblagger

So they have your money (either full or deposits which gain interest in bank of game) and now you have to wait for it AFTER the release date and not even before xmas, yet they kept taking orders and not informing people!! Not sure on where you stand legally with this as surely they should have informed people before taking the order so you could then choose to go elsewhere in time for xmas presents etc - complain high up and find out legal rights to this is only advice I can give - hope it helps ...

System

I don't think they've taken any money off the OP. I may be wrong but I think when you preorder they don't ask for a deposit anymore.

So although irritating and unprofessional I don't think it's cost him financially.

I may be wrong though.

dm20

Unfortunately if they don't have an XBOX to send you then they can't send one. They're not obliged to send you something they don't have. The most you can expect is a full refund from them.

If you were guaranteed xmas delivery when the contract was made, the original order terms still apply. However, a 'guarantee' is merely is a promise, and promises can be broken. It does not mean that whatever is guaranteed will definitely happen; if the guarantee does not happen you can cancel your contract, but that's about it.

The distance selling regulations (provided they apply here) also say that if the goods don’t arrive in time, the consumer is entitled to a full refund, including the postage and packaging, unless they
agree to a new deadline to give the shop more time.

[Deleted User]

dm20 wrote: »

Unfortunately if they don't have an XBOX to send you then they can't send one. They're not obliged to send you something they don't have. The most you can expect is a full refund from them.

If you were guaranteed xmas delivery when the contract was made, the original order terms still apply. However, a 'guarantee' is merely is a promise, and promises can be broken. It does not mean that whatever is guaranteed will definitely happen; if the guarantee does not happen you can cancel your contract, but that's about it.

The distance selling regulations (provided they apply here) also say that if the goods don’t arrive in time, the consumer is entitled to a full refund, including the postage and packaging, unless they
agree to a new deadline to give the shop more time.

Exactly. Which is why they should not take orders for something they don't have.

I did a pre-order on the 15th with release date of 22nd. That was the deal at the time of ordering. Since then I have heard nothing and there is nothing on their website. Only when I pressed CS did they tell me that orders after 15th were now not guaranteed.

Thats my point - they are telling no-one. They are happy to take orders, keep people in the dark (because they don't want people to cancel their orders) knowing they can sell as many as they get in because they've got loads of orders. Then nothing lost if they let people down.

As opposed to amazon, who took orders then, on their website, said that and subsequent orders could not be guaranteed which is fair enough.

Game have not done this. They kept taking orders then subsequently decided they could not guarantee but decide not to tell people and see what happens. At the very least, game should be informing people that they've screwed up and orders are now not guaranteed.

I can see a lot of disappointed kids this xmas thanks to game.

Truepat

[quote=[Deleted User];63979819]Exactly. Which is why they should not take orders for something they don't have.[/QUOTE]

Is that not what a pre-order is? Surely you have to know that you are taking a gamble?

To give an example a few years back we allowed pre-orders of a product (first and last time). We had over 1000 on order with an order confirmation from the manufacturer for this amount, so we took 1000 pre-orders and a further 300+ on a back-order wait list. When the stock arrived we only received 400, so we had to deal with 600 unhappy customers.

Sometimes !!!! happens and you just have to deal with it.

ThumbRemote

Truepat wrote: »

Is that not what a pre-order is? Surely you have to know that you are taking a gamble?

To give an example a few years back we allowed pre-orders of a product (first and last time). We had over 1000 on order with an order confirmation from the manufacturer for this amount, so we took 1000 pre-orders and a further 300+ on a back-order wait list. When the stock arrived we only received 400, so we had to deal with 600 unhappy customers.

Sometimes !!!! happens and you just have to deal with it.

Not the same situation, as it appears Game are continuing to take orders and not telling anyone they don't have stock. (I assume you didn't continue to take orders, and that you contacted the 600 disappointed customers)

Truepat

Maybe they have promises of deliveries of more stock on certain dates, in which case they could continue to take orders.

In our case we sent out emails to as many customers as possible, and then sent a standard letter of apology out to those we did not have an email address for - but by that time the call center, which was not geared up for the level of calls, was being inundated. We also realized how many customers had given us non-existent email addresses (why do people do that?).

It was a PR nightmare for us which is why we no longer take pre-orders except on the understanding of "best endeavors".

davehughes182

GAME advertised on their website and in store that orders placed after the end of September would not be guarenteed for release date. My local store does have both new consoles in stock at the moment though which i thought unusual seeing as there are loads of people still without.

greektony

I feel for you OP I'm in the same boat but would say my position is even worse (although at least I do have an xbox one from elsewhere!!!). This is me trying to be brief:

I preordered and put a £20 deposit in store on what I was told was a day one launch console back on the 31st August. Whilst there I was asked which game I wished to have for 'free' with the console, either Fifa 14 or COD:Ghosts. I chose COD. I got a receipt with my preorder number and was told that closer to the launch date I would get a call to confirm the game I wanted.

Fast forward to the beginning of November and I happen to be in town so visit the GAME store I preordered from to ask when I could expect to get this call and to ask whether I would be getting it for launch. Was told they would call me the week before launch and that I was definitely getting a launch console. Sweet. Only not sweet as the weekend before launch I'm in the store again to ask why I haven't been called back only to be told I won't be getting a launch console as any consoles ordered after the middle of August were never going to be in the launch wave. It would have been nice if this was the case for them to tell me that when I put my deposit down for a DAY ONE launch day console.

Luckily for me having had experience of GAMEs complete incompetence I also had a preorder direct from MS (which in itself was a palava down to UPS being complete mongs, but that story will have to wait for another thread). Happen to visit another GAME in another town the weekend after launch to be told that COD:Ghost bundles were at no point ever going to be in the launch wave. Again, it was have been nice of the shlong who took my deposit to mention this as I discussed with him how I was only interested in one if I could get it at launch.

This week I spoke to GAME customer service as I still have yet to hear anything from them. Spoke to a guy called Daryl on webchat early this week to be told they can't tell me what has happened to my order or its status as they can't see preorder receipt numbers in the system only the shop itself can (surely even for GAME this is fricking ridiculous). When I ask for a number for the store I then get this response:

Unfortunately we are no longer able to provide store contact numbers as the store wishes to focus on in-store customers

Hilarious, or at least would have been if it was someone else. GAME obviously don't have a sense for irony (or perhaps they do....). I assume as I am not physically in store they aren't interested in focusing on me despite the deposit which I paid. At least Daryl tried to be helpful and called the store himself. Apparently my order had turned up in store that morning (convenient) which was why they hadn't had time yet to call me. But, if I go down there soon it will be ready to collect. That was a day or 2 ago. Still no call (not that I expect one to be honest) so fingers crossed it is there and this is not yet further !!!!!!!!e I'm being fed.

I understand that mistakes happen, or that suppliers let you down. What I can't stand is being completely lied to too my face multiple times. I rarely use GAME because of how overpriced they are and the general misinformation they spread to customers when I am rarely in there (which I now have first hand experience of) and won't ever use them again. With any luck amazon's quadrocopters will take off soon (ha) and companies like this will cease to exist.

I'll let all you peeps know what happens tomorrow. I'll be pleasantly surprised if I actually get to pick up a console but stranger things must have happened...... and don't lets all get started on the ridiculous bundle prices GAME were trying to sell for anyone hoping to chance one around launch.

GAME ON