Yesterday news broke that staff from UK games retailer GAME had been instructed to go to their local Tesco and buy as many Nintendo 3DS' as they could and then the retailer rather cheekily would sell them at their store as second hand. We know the cheek of it.
So what does Tesco think of this sneaky underhand tactic, well surprisingly not a great deal, “We always provide Tesco customers with the best value,” a Tesco spokesperson told Eurogamer. “We think you could say this is game, set and match.”
Last Thursday - Nintendo 3DS launch night - an internal document was sent to GAME stores encouraging staff to make use of Tesco’s rather generous £209.90 Nintendo 3DS plus a game deal.
It would then be traded in to GAME for the exact same amount - to be sold as pre-owned at the same price as brand new hardware.
In truth shops have been buying stock from retailer rivals to sell second hand for years apparently, although this is the first time we’ve heard of it.
The 3DS has been a bit hit for the big N as it achieved the highest ever day-one US sales total of any Nintendo handheld.
A Nintendo statement read, “US day-one sales numbers for Nintendo 3DS were the highest of any Nintendo handheld system in our history.
It declined to offer exact figures, adding, “More details about US sales numbers will be made public on April 14, when first-week US sales figures will be tallied by the independent NPD Group.
“Nintendo worked hard to get as much product as possible to retailers on day one to meet demand, and we will continue with these efforts moving forward.”
What do you think of this underhand tactic, fair game or morally bankrupt?
5 thoughts on “Game Caught Selling Tesco 3DS Stock As Secondhand”
Odd, this is the first report that states the 3DS is selling well in the UK, everyone else said it has flopped compared to what they were expecting to sell.
Something about this story doesn’t add up… GAME would be taking a loss with this practice and boost Tesco’s earnings, because according to my price checking, GAME is currently undercutting Tesco.
On Tesco Direct it is £205 without a game and £215 with a game.
On GAME it is £197 without a game and £205-215 with a game, depending on the game, delivery included.
Well the photo is legit, not sure whether they did to actually make money, or to get the people to get it from them and they sell the games.
@selfsilent http://www.vg247.com/2011/04/01/nintendo-3ds-uk-launch-sales-beat-wii-and-ds/
Also the statement is in regards to the US and not the UK – so you maybe right, but its sold out in my local town
Yeah they just want to get customers and wait for profits on games & accesories sales