Evil GAME UK 3DS "trade in offer"

[gadgetoid]

Take a moment to read the details of the trade in offer here: http://www.game.co.uk/lowdown.aspx?lid=15335&cm_sp=preowned-_-topnav-_-tradein


Is it just me, or is this a thinly veiled attempt to bilk consumers out of their normal 14-day return rights?


They are basically telling you to buy a 3DS and, if you don't like it, trade it in at a £17 loss to yourself within only 7 days... That's ridiculous. In the UK you have an irrevocable right to return a product within FOURTEEN days! For the full price. They are clearly trying to trick already poorly informed customers into giving them free money. Who wants to bet that these traded in consoles will be sold at full retail price?

 

[ManlyStump]

Take a moment to read the details of the trade in offer here: http://www.game.co.uk/lowdown.aspx?lid=15335&cm_sp=preowned-_-topnav-_-tradein


Is it just me, or is this a thinly veiled attempt to bilk consumers out of their normal 14-day return rights?


They are basically telling you to buy a 3DS and, if you don't like it, trade it in at a £17 loss to yourself within only 7 days... That's ridiculous. In the UK you have an irrevocable right to return a product within FOURTEEN days! For the full price. They are clearly trying to trick already poorly informed customers into giving them free money. Who wants to bet that these traded in consoles will be sold at full retail price?

I don't know where you got that from, but there's no such right. Argos have a fourteen-day no-questions-asked return policy but that's their own choice. Legally you have a right to return items if they're faulty (obviously), or if they are not fit-for-purpose or as they were described upon purchase, within "a reasonable time". This is not set in stone, and largely depends on the type of goods.


All the information is here, or if you happen to understand legalese, check this out.

 

[DaMummy]

and as far as i know, the laws are stricter when it comes to companies selling preowned products as new then the return policy

 

[gadgetoid]

I don't know where you got that from, but there's no such right. Argos have a fourteen-day no-questions-asked return policy but that's their own choice. Legally you have a right to return items if they're faulty (obviously), or if they are not fit-for-purpose or as they were described upon purchase, within "a reasonable time". This is not set in stone, and largely depends on the type of goods.


All the information is here, or if you happen to understand legalese, check this out.

Okay, it might well be 7 days... Although that seems like an unreasonably short time when you factor in shipping! This is an online offer, whereby you can "return" the console to a store. Which is actually trading it in at a loss.


Obviously it being online falls under the distance selling act, and thus if you find the 3D in the 3DS to be as sickening and gimmicky as any other 3D out there, you should be well within your rights to return in... Not have to trade it in a a loss.


Its a very dubious offer, either way, these consoles are probably going to be in fair demand. You could shove it up on eBay and lose less, or even stand to gain, if you found it that bad.


Somewhat off topic, but what's the deal with the insanely high 3DS price!? It's like they want to concede the market to smart phones. I was hoping the DSi XL would come down significantly in price so I could play Golden Sun 3 in visual comfort. The phat DS screens are absolutely terrible.

 

[SOLGarion]

As a return it is a rip off. You should get 100% back as a return. As a trade in, its a great deal. No other place is going to take in a used console and only take 7 pounds of the top (more if you want cash instead of credit), they will have to split the difference and sell it for 3.5 pounds less or whatever as used. If they try to sell it full price as new, then that would also be shady. As long as it is a trade in, and not a return, i think it is a great deal. Now if they are saying there is NO return policy regardless of reason and ONLY the trade in, that is a bit fishy. Granted I only took a cursory glance at the offer from your tweet since I am not in the UK nor do I plan on getting a 3DS anytime soon.


Most trade in places I know of ONLY give store credit for trade ins. Of course you still should be able to get full refund within 2 weeks or 30 days or whatever with a receipt regardless of this offer. Maybe you still can and they are just trying to get the gullible ones, who knows. Best Buy tried to charge 30 or 40 bucks to upgrade your ps3 to the newest firmware for you. People have paid for dumber things. Partly you can be mad at the company trying to milk cash from people, partly you are sad at the people who fall for it.