Good and bad shopping experiences?

Would be nice to get an idea from our community of where the best places to buy games are. Where do you get your games? Online or instore? Do you stick with one store through loyalty or do you shop around? Fast or slow dispatch times? Good condition items?

Just had what seems like panning out to be a bad experience with Grainger Games myself, which has led to this thread. Grainger Games used to have a few stores in Scotland, my local one being Kilmarnock. I found them to be very good, very reasonable on both prices and trade-in values. Sadly, they closed down and the closest is now in the North of England.

Recently I have been trying to hunt down TransFormers War on Cybertron for my 360. Missed it at launch, and been unable to find it since. I bought it on a Steam deal, but my laptop doesn't play it that well. Nowhere has it locally, and copies online are going for daft money. I could get it from the Marketplace, but it is still priced at £40 there, and I was sure I could get it less than that. So after hunting high and low, I eventually found it on Grainger Games website for £18 preowned, and I ordered it there and then.

I had expected to have it by today, so I just checked my emails in case there was anything. Sure enough, I have an email from Grainger Games saying that my order has been refunded due to either damage to the disc, they unable to locate the game, or issues with postage. It's unlikely that it would be postage as they advertise free postage in the UK, which means it would be one of the previous two reasons. So, out of curiousity, I checked their website again, and lo and behold they are still stating it as available, with four stores holding stock. But the strange thing about it is that the price has risen to £20.

So in the space of five days, they've taken my money, then refunded it claiming there was a problem with the game, and then raised the price for the copies they still hold. I've emailed their web sales manager asking for clarification, I eagerly await his reply.

i always buy through Game online for pre-orders but for already released games I'll buy them where ever I see them.

I used to use Game Station all the time but it changed to blockbuster game (as it is located within a blockbuster store) so now for pre orders I use Game online and for normal and general looking is blockbuster game as its open till 10pm every night

Yep Game online for me, also my local game 10 min drive away if i want to collect

Typical Gamestop conversation

Me: I would like to buy this game

Them: Ok are you interested in our disk warranty?

Me: No not really

them: you sure it protects against scratches and cracks?

me: No thanks, I take good care of my disks

them: Ok are you interested in any pre-orders? the new Oblivion: call of warcraft is coming out in 6 months

Me: no thanks I'm fine

Them: Are you interested in getting our rewards card? gives you more money on trade ins?

me: Nope I don't really trade in games

Them: Interested in subscribing to any gaming publications?

me (just wanting to get out and play my game): No I don't really stay at a constant address

Them: Ok have a nice day

I go in, grab the game go to the cashier, should take 30 seconds NO they want to sell me everything in the whole world.

To be honest, I am surprised people still shop at Game/Gamestation as I rarely find them competitive. Used to get all my stuff there when I worked there, but now I get most of my stuff online (shopto, the hut) or from my work (Tesco), as by either waiting for weekly deals and shopping around, I managed to get a lot more games at Xmas there than I expected to - that and the fact most online places now accept Paypal!

Scot wrote:To be honest, I am surprised people still shop at Game/Gamestation as I rarely find them competitive. Used to get all my stuff there when I worked there, but now I get most of my stuff online (shopto, the hut) or from my work (Tesco), as by either waiting for weekly deals and shopping around, I managed to get a lot more games at Xmas there than I expected to - that and the fact most online places now accept Paypal!

Well with university I'm within distance of a gamestop that I don't have to use a car to get there so therefore I don't need to pay shipping and they actually have a decent selection for me. But the whole annoying employee thing may put me off soon

If it's a pre-order thing I'll use Game. I'm always sure I'll get it either bang on the day or 1 or 2 days early.
I swear by the guys at my local Gamestation though. They're a really helpfull bunch and I get on with them really well.

Can't stand Shopto, and I'll never pre-order a game from Amazon or Play as you really can't be sure when you're going to get it.

Bought MW1, M2, Black ops from Tesco and midnight launches cant complain.

You guys do know that Gamestation was bought out by Game and the competition between them has now been stopped because of it.

Due to the lack of multi screen support on xbox, i have switched to gaming on my PC, so i buy most of my games now on Steam, but if i have to buy a game from retail i normally go to Game or Gamestation due to the rewards i get from them with loyalty cards.