Metrotown Staples Customer Service
 

Hey guys

Just not sure where this topic belongs so.. Mods, feel free to move this to the appropriate forum section.

Here we go again with another complain thread of customer mistreatment.

<<Cliff notes at the end if you want to skip the long post>>

The story goes,
My friend bought a copy of BattleField 3 for PC at staples on Oct 09. When he got home later that day to install the game, the CD Key supplied within the box seemed to be already "in use".

So, my friend went back to staples to exchange the game, the customer service rep said,"Sorry we cant take back games that has already been opened." Now this was about 3 hours after the initial purchase of the game! However we were told to contact EA Games for a new CD key.

Going back home I basically helped him email EA Games to explain the situation, providing a scanned copy of the receipt and CD key inside the box.

On Oct 15 we finally received a reply from EA:

================================================== ======
Hello ****

Thank you for contacting Electronic Arts.
We have checked the code you received, I am confirmed that code is registered in another account and code was registered on 20-08-2012 and you purchased the game on 09-10-2012. It clearly means that code had been used before purchasing the game and it seems to be a fraud concern. In this case, please get in touch with your retailer to claim your code. You can also take a legal action against the retailer.
Again, thank you for giving us the opportunity to assist you with your issue.
Please feel free to get in touch with us anytime. You can also access our online knowledge base at: http://help.ea.com/

Regards
================================================== ======

We printed the email and went back to staple metrotown yesterday Oct 16 demanding either an exchange of a brand new battlefield 3 or a full refund. The manager at the store basically told us to screw off, he said that he cant do a refund on an opened game and we don't have a new copy of the game in any of the lower mainland staples franchise. Oh and his last sentence? "Sue us if you wish!"

Is there anyway I can get in touch with the staples district manager to launch a complain or are my hands are tied and we just have to suck it up?
(I have also emailed EA again yesterday stating what has happened, waiting for reply from EA games)


TIA guys, I don't know what to do at this point.

Cliff Notes:
Got Battlefield 3 PC at staples on oct 09
Got home and realized CD key already in use
Went to staples the very same day to exchange but got denied
Contacted EA Games about Problem oct 10
EA Games told us to talk with Staples to find a solution oct 15
Staples told us to screw off oct 16

Best bet is to bring it up with Staples Head office. Also report the manager's name to them

^^ basically that's the best you can do. Maybe try going to another staple and see if they will be better.

That's why I don't like buying games at stores anymore.... Rather buy it through Steam/orgins... at least I know I will get a legit CD key for sure since it is generated when I made the purcahse and the games are bond to my account only.

That's weird because other companies .eg.valve let me send in pictures of my proof of purchase with the physical serial key to verify I owned the actual copy.they had no problem assigning a new CD key for me.

Try that method with EA
Posted via RS Mobile

if the game was purchased with a credit card, i would contact the cc company and try to file for a charge back? at least this way ull get ur money back, then its up to u if u want to take this up to staples head office

they have to give you a refund/replacement; they're in breach and potentially a very serious misrepresentation case (as noted by EA, Fraudulent misrepresentation which is criminal)
speak to the head manager of the store (not the floor manager) or contact staples hq etc be sure to tell them who that manager was and how they handled it if you want to get him in shit
(also be sure to mention these terms "misrepresentation" "fraud" "breach" when speaking to the other managers)



and as noted.. surprised EA didn't just issue you a new cd key should try to call them too if you want to avoid a hassle

tell them this shit happens once in a while...it's not like you are asking to get a refund/exchange a different game.

Or take it to the media. It'll help if you can find one or two other people who have had problems with "new" items already being opened.

Situation sounds like a huge annoyance. Good luck OP.

lol, internal theft protection at bestbuy and futureshop is a ALSO freaking joke

:suspicious: this happened at staples.

Next time buy on Steam/Origin

people shop at staples?

I work at Staples (not as a retail associate, mind you... behind the scenes where I don't have to deal with customers... :lol ), so let me fill you in on the store policy.

Technically speaking, Staples isn't allowed to return/exchange opened software as a lot of our vendors will not accept RMAs on them. Most stores do it as a goodwill guesture as, yes, occasionally discs do get scratched in shipping or what-have-you. While I would have exchanged the game for you, the managers were within their full right to refuse it.

So what now? Well, you can try exchanging it at another location if you have that option. You can also call the 1-800 and lodge a complaint, or if there's a survey on the receipt, fill it out and explain the entire situation. Most managers, especially the GM's, care about what gets written and if the survey is bad enough, Home Office will contact the store and make them look after it with the dissatisfied customer.

Barring that, send me a PM and I can give you the details of the local big wigs to talk to.

Full disclosure: My words may be slightly inaccurate and are not to be taken as Staples' official stance on this matter.

Oh... and, no, I don't work at the Metrotown store. :fullofwin:

woops, forgot the word ALSO

Just keep contacting people, don't let them win. Most of the time if you contact someone of higher authority they will make sure you are satisfied and that this will never happen again.

The Staples at Metrotown is just ridiculous. I bought a computer there a couple of years ago for about $1000, the computer was messed up after the first month and we sent it to them for repair. They told us they couldn't repair it and gave us a $500 gift card to replace the CPU. Later, the same problem occurred on the new computer but I had found a way to fix it myself. WTF I'M A FREAKING KID AND I FIXED IT, I COME TO YOU TO FIX IT YOU SAY YOU CANT? Dumbfucks.

people buy computers??

Get off RS, you're too young to be on here :troll:

that was

You got to keep the $500 right? :ilied:

Be professional and keep talking to higher ups. However, don't be afraid to let them you what you want and why you're not satisfied. However, don't get greedy, too.

Keep talking to higher ups and be polite but don't let them push you around or give you the run-around. My car needed a sensor replaced in my seat, long story short, they kept delaying/ordered wrong parts. Worked my way up the phone ladder and finally for a call from the Canadian regional manager and got a cheque in the mail for my time/inconvenience. Got my car payments taken care of for a few months, new car delivered to my house to drive, free services for the remainder of the contract and some addon's thrown into the car when I got it back.

Don't be afraid to talk to someone else and why explain why you think you've been wronged.

Thanks for the fast replies guys, I will defn keep you guys informed of the latest developments.

That Staples policy seems weird. Places like Best Buy and EB allow you to exchange for a brwnd new version of the same game if any problem persists, some kid in the back probably got the CD key and used it for themselves.

i should watch my words; they don't have to but they'll have opened themselves up to an undefendable lawsuit

I would call the corporate office and try and speak to someone there. I'm sure the number wouldn't be hard to find, and call don't email.