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experiences with buying games online
doobster
Member Posts: 736
I have been away from MMORPG's for a few years now, and looking to get back in. Since I can't really afford anything I started to look into ebay and amazon stores. What are your peoples' experiences with buying from these guys?
I mean they seem incredibly legit, with over 97% positive feedback, thousands and thousands of other items, etc. But the price is only 1/4 of what I would pay at the store or a publishers site.
I can get the game I'm looking at for 6.00+3shipping from an ebay store, where the publisher sells for 40, amazon for 30.
Am I going to not be able to create an account? Not get the CD key? Get scammed? Or is this legit?
The game + a free initial 30 days for HALF the price of one normal month of subscription fees... seems too good to be true...
Comments
I dunno, I would buy it in store myself. But I wouldn't be confident if they say the 30 days is still there and that you get a new account, I would trust far more someone telling me the 30 days is gone and that I may have a few characters already created.
At any rate, I would rather buy it in store...or directly from the company if I feel like doing them a favor (I really must be happy toward the company to buy directly online from them, as they make HUGE margin profit for that and I, as a customer, get less, no box, no maps, no nothing...I did that for 1 EQ expension in the past, as well as some games from Stardock).
But...No, I would not trust them. See, this guy with a 97% positive feedback, if 1 person says he sucks and cheat, he returns the comment...for him, 1 customer doesn't mean much on his rating...while you, as a purchaser, 1 word from him, it destroy your rating completely...then he lets you know that if you remove your nasty comments, he will do the same...results: Most peoples remove it, even if they were scammed.
- "If I understand you well, you are telling me until next time. " - Ren
I've bourght quite a lot of games from ebay (3 mmo's from ebay)
And if they got good feed back i suggest you go for it.
With me one out of 3 didnt have a CD key... but that still a pritty good satistic.
As long as there feedback is good and they have sold alot of items before I think you should go for it
Pc games pointless isn't it with ebay when if they are used then the person has likely used the cdkey?
Anyway, best bet is to download the trials. You'll get the option to buy the full game then I think or Amazon is pretty good and cheap. Theres also D2D drive which you can buy and download games from but it might be better to avoid.
I buy nearly all my games from Amazonuk, never had a problem. Best prices, great service, no complaints I recommend Amazon to anyone.
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience"
CS Lewis
I havent had any problems buying anything off Ebay, and I sell and buy quite a bit. Checking ratings have a lot to do with it , also checking to see how many transactions they have ( a few transactions with a 100% positive = nothing, could be a good seller or could be bad). If it says the game is new, you should be all set.
If the trail your talking about is FInal Fantasy XI then your getting ripped off becuase you can get that at gamestop for 4$
Currently Playing:nothing Have Played: WoW GW LoTRO Last Chaos Maple story 2 Moons Lunia Perfect World Archlord Silkroad FFXI EQII Vanguard Age of Conan
As long as the box is sealed, you likely have nothing to worry about. Of course, it could have been resealed, but if you're buying from someone with quality feedback, then there's a very low probability of this happening (although it can still happen).
In my opinion, get a sealed copy from a reputable seller (100+ feedback 98%+), and you'll be fine the vast majority of the time.
Amazon is pretty nice, haven't had anything wrong happen to me yet. But I mainly like buying from the company itself just to be safe.
~Greatness~
Currently Playing:
Nothing
I buy my games specifically from either a local store but now from AmAzon.com almost exclusivly. When I buy from Amazon I dont get a shipping cost. Perhaps tahats a holiday thing when I tend to get most of my games.
As for ebay, its a crap shoot. Dont fool yourself into thinking otherwise. Many times you will be fine, but it only takes one time to get ripped off and youll remember that sting for some time.
Torrential
Torrential: DAOC (Pendragon)
Awned: World of Warcraft (Lothar)
Torren: Warhammer Online (Praag)
As a rule of thumb I would not buy a second hand MMO game.
For most MMO's you register your game purchase ("serial number") with your account. No one else can use that serial number unless you sell them your account with the game.
Also for many MMO's it is against the End User Licence Agreement to sell an account. If the company finds out the account has been sold, the account may be permanently banned.
There can be many problems associated with buying a used game. I wouldn't waste the money and effort just to find out I've been robbed.
Most MMOs, especially those that have been around a while, have special editions out which include the base game and all expansions for very moderate prices ($20-$30).
I'm a big fan of amazon, I use it fairly often and I've never had a problem. Good prices, inexpensive and prompt delivery. Never got into ebay though.