I was at an east side Gamestop a few days ago, and saw that the Spider-Man: Friend or Foe game had recently dropped to $20.  EXCELLENT.  So, I went to the counter to buy it.  The guy then went to the wall rack, got the game case, then got the disc out of a drawer and started to put it in that case. 

I asked him, "I’m sorry.  I must not have been clear.  I want a ‘new’ one, not a ‘used’ one."

He said, "Oh, this isn’t used.  It’s a new game.  We just used it in our demo station for a while."

I said, "I’m sorry for your trouble.  I don’t want that one.  Thanks anyway."  Then I walked out.

The more I got to thinking about it, the more ticked off I got.  I figured I’ll just go to another store and get the game later.

So last night, I swung into the Gamestop on the west side of town, before picking up groceries.  I asked for a new copy of Spider-Man, and the dude did the EXACT same thing.  I asked him if he had any sealed ones, and he gave me the same song and dance.

"Well, this is technically new, because we only used it here in the store, in our demo unit," the clearly confused salesperson tried to explain.

I asked him what was the verb in that sentence.  He said, "Uh, ‘used’?"

"BINGO!", I said.  "It’s unsealed, the manual’s been flipped through, and the case is banged up from being on the shelf.  Why on earth would I want to pay the same amount of money for THAT that you charged other people for ACTUAL new ones!?"

I asked him if he’d charge me the used price for that game, since that was what it was.  He told me, "I can’t do that." 

I said, "Thanks for your time," and left.

I’m not sure what Gamestop is trying to pull off with the passing off used games as new.  I KNOW it didn’t come from a beat up home, or a smoker’s house, or anything like that, but COME ON.  IT WAS USED.  Best Buy, Circuit City, Target, ANYWHERE else doesn’t try to pull that crap.  Do people buy these games at full price?!  Would/have you?  That’s my latest poll question up there.