Do stores ever really get fined for breaking street date?

[Napalmbrain]

I have seen numerous people claim that they are getting the game early from a mom and pop shop. I don't understand why these people would risk a large fine and breaking a law that could potentially put them out of business, just for a few extra bucks? Maybe the reason is, these fines just are not enforced.

 

Has anyone ever witnessed or heard of a store getting a fined for breaking a street date? If so, what is the penalty? With all of these people breaking the law, maybe it's just a slap on the wrist?

[Kihz]

Yes. KMart got fined over $200,000 for an early release of MW2. That's the one I specifically remember.

[matsix]

If they get caught they'll get fined. The mom and pop stores would usually only sell early to people they know.

[M-B]

Someone probably will say they have. I work at a game store in the uk and no there has never been a fine or anything like that for releasing before a given date. It silly to think there would be

 

When you consider the millions and millions of copies of game X in circulation it's inevitable that a copy gets out into the public domain early. And if the subject ever did get raised who would admit to it?

 

The customer wouldn't report cause he/ she got it early and the shop selling it (if before release date) will run it up on the till as another title so there is no physicle proof it was them who sold it

[TheRealBars]

Only the huge ones like wall mart and such, the small mom and pop shops operate under the radar.

Although medium sized shops are usually warned instead of fined, no way in hell can they afford the ridiculous fines on breaking the street date. (bankruptcy as a result)

[Hvitdverg]

Many retailers will bring the game home the day they recieve the game, they just don't tell anyone about it. Therfor don't get caught.

[BlademanX]

I got PS3 4 days early, just about keeping mouth shut really, posting on forums that you have it then exposing the name of the shop doesnt help!

[Realistic Steak Cult]

Yes, I work in a game shop, there are serious fines for leaking anything. Its like stealing it. Its not really true that many retailers take the game home, because there are a lot of secuity checks and other information that helps managers to find out if even one copy is missing.

Edited September 9, 2013 by Jesse Pinkman

[Starz]

There's a store near where I live that sells the big games 48 hours early for an extra £10 or so. They probably get hundreds of people purchasing from them, and I've never heard of anything happening to them.

[CaptainChronicV]

At the store i get my games early you dont get a receipt and have to pay cash you think it's a risk at first but now I know there store owners quite well I'm not worried if I get a faulty copy I know they would exchange it, but yea no paper trail no way to prove they sold it

Edited September 9, 2013 by CaptainChronicV

[ak-4seven]

How about when the game is actually banned, like here in the UAE.

[kjimboo]

it's not really about them selling it to people they know, as long as you don't pose suspicion and you're cool/laid back they'll treat you like family, I can tell you for a fact that I don't know any of the employees personally and I'm still getting it early

[MaRePaRe007]

guys, when will gta 5 be shipped to local stores?

[Realistic Steak Cult]

At the store i get my games early you dont get a receipt and have to pay cash you think it's a risk at first but now I know there store owners quite well I'm not worried if I get a faulty copy I know they would exchange it, but yea no paper trail now way to prove they sold it

Except that they have to have information on how many copies they exactly recieved and how many they sold. If there would be one missing copy it imediately means problems.

[refusion28]

tesco in the uk got fined by bungie for selling halo 3 early

[Siandago]

How about when the game is actually banned, like here in the UAE.

It's not really banned. They used to say GTA IV is banned, MP3. I see it in the stores errryyydaay

[CaptainChronicV]

 

 

At the store i get my games early you dont get a receipt and have to pay cash you think it's a risk at first but now I know there store owners quite well I'm not worried if I get a faulty copy I know they would exchange it, but yea no paper trail now way to prove they sold it

 

Except that they have to have information on how many copies they exactly recieved and how many they sold. If there would be one missing copy it imediately means problems.

I'm not sure how they get around that but I would guess they write up the receipts for the game sold after the official release date ? They tend to charge 5 to 10 pounds more then the RRP so would guess that's how they do it and the rest is tax free its a risky business but people do worse things

Edited September 9, 2013 by CaptainChronicV

[Daviedv]

 

At the store i get my games early you dont get a receipt and have to pay cash you think it's a risk at first but now I know there store owners quite well I'm not worried if I get a faulty copy I know they would exchange it, but yea no paper trail now way to prove they sold it

 

Except that they have to have information on how many copies they exactly recieved and how many they sold. If there would be one missing copy it imediately means problems.

Well on the release date, they then scan any sold early through the till. Simples.

[KingPhiL13]

guys, when will gta 5 be shipped to local stores?

Big stores like Gamestop and Best Buy should have received their shipments of the game already

[Don Sal Leone]

Yes if a Store is reported to have broken the street date with evidence then the shop is fined (and sometimes distributors then start to send them games later).

 

Big stores like Tesco, ASDA and such will have their game copies/will receive them before Friday and will start getting orders ready.

 

From what i've experienced, early games are sold by cash only, with no receipt and the store then will scan the already sold copies of the game on release date and most likely throw the "early" customer receipts away unless you ask to pick it up. And yes, depending on if you know the owner or not they charge more than the RRP in most cases.

Edited September 9, 2013 by Don Sal Leone

[tenpennyisplainevil]

Unless sold in great numbers, what are you gonna do about it?

[Drakeulah]

I worked at walmart and I asked my friend who worked in the tech dept and he said no one ever does it, it'd be like stealing and who wants to be fired over a 60$ game and a couple of hours of gameplay before it's released.

[Thunder-Soft]

Someone probably will say they have. I work at a game store in the uk and no there has never been a fine or anything like that for releasing before a given date. It silly to think there would be

 

When you consider the millions and millions of copies of game X in circulation it's inevitable that a copy gets out into the public domain early. And if the subject ever did get raised who would admit to it?

 

The customer wouldn't report cause he/ she got it early and the shop selling it (if before release date) will run it up on the till as another title so there is no physicle proof it was them who sold it

Did't read your post....LOVE the Shadowrun pic though!

[CaptainChronicV]

I worked at walmart and I asked my friend who worked in the tech dept and he said no one ever does it, it'd be like stealing and who wants to be fired over a 60$ game and a couple of hours of gameplay before it's released.

Yes for someone who worked for a major store it would be very stupid, but not for some who owns there own small game shop

Edited September 9, 2013 by CaptainChronicV

[Seenyour31]

Big chains can be fined, and penalized by not receiving copies of major titles in the future, so there is a bigger risk for them, a small "Mom n Pop" store usually will go for the big score per se, and not care if they lose the chance to sell big future titles.

 

So a Best Buy in Boston could be the only one in the whole company to sell copies of the game early, but if they get caught the whole company could face fines and lose it's privilege to sell any future R* titles, a smaller shop is a stand alone, so they would care as much, plus it's easier to hide.

[jlamay]

Can a worker at a game store get in trouble for selling an M rated game to a person who is younger then the rating states?

 

Sorry about being off topic, but reading this thread made me wonder about this.

 

On topic: I have always wondered about if game stores could get in trouble for selling a game early though.

[GreenStig]

Can a worker at a game store get in trouble for selling an M rated game to a person who is younger then the rating states?

 

Sorry about being off topic, but reading this thread made me wonder about this.

 

On topic: I have always wondered about if game stores could get in trouble for selling a game early though.

 

In the UK you can actually get arrested, fined and lose your job. For selling a game to someone under the age rating.

[MikeyB]

the shop selling it (if before release date) will run it up on the till as another title so there is no physicle proof it was them who sold it

 

Really? Surely any shop assistant selling it early would just pocket the money? They'd sell it at the pub for several times its face value wouldn't they?