Good tracking function, I know what is happening at any time
Customer service support
Satisfactory
Advantages:
Great layout and lots of product information making it easy for non - gamers
Disadvantages:
Prices tend to be higher and a rubbish loyalty scheme
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
I'll set the scene on this review by openly admitting that…um… how to put this… I'm not into gaming. I have a highly addictive nature (this is starting to sound like a confessional) and, as a result, have all but resisted the lure of the games consoles. I do have a Gamecube (and love it) but, as I've discovered, I'm hopeless at things such as first person shooters and so have limited my games choice to platform and racing games, I do, however, have a surgeon brother-in-law who is very into gaming and, he claims, this is necessary to hone his hand-eye coordination. Believe that if you will. Christmas and birthday presents are generally, therefore, new games but, try as I might, I cannot get excited when going into gaming stores and, in particular, not GAME. I find the whole atmosphere intimidating and the queues, particularly at Christmas and around sale time, are horrendous. Get me out of there….
Thankfully there's a solution that's far less intimidating and without the queues: game.co.uk.
********** The Website **********
As with most high street stores with an online presence one cannot fail to see that game.co.uk is the same as GAME on the highstreet. That familiar purple branding is there to lure us into the familiar territory.
I find the website very easy to use, even as someone who knows next to nothing about gaming. Games are split into types according to which platform they are played on and then they are split according to type (platform, driving, FPS and so on). As a non-gamer I find this much easier than being in store where I'll often find muddled products and genres.
When you find a product that you like the look of it's easy to get more information in most cases. Clicking on the picture of the game will bring up additional information about the game, system requirements and, if you're lucky user reviews. I really like this as it's far easier to see what you are buying at a glance. The information is often better than you would find on the back of the box too.
The search facility is also easy to use and brings up relevant results each time and there is a great advanced search if you want to find games with particular criteria.
Game also stock DVDs, books, consoles, accessories and other gaming-type merchandise. The ranges are adequate but, ultimately this is a gamers store.
***************** Creating an Account *****************
The facility exists to create a Game account online. Although not necessary to make a purchase, creating an account will make life easier if you are a regular visitor to the site. Account creation is straightforward and just like any other online shopping portal. Once registered you can opt in or out of a regular newsletter but can be assured that your details won't be passed to any third parties. I've not had any spam as a result of registering here (and can be sure of this as I used a dedicated email account set up for shopping). You can also store delivery addresses and payment methods (although I opt not to do the latter for security reasons - the site is secure but I'm overly cautious about these things!)
If you have a Game Reward card you can also register it at the time of creating your account and points will be added automatically for any purchases made.
Your account will be password protected and, should you forget the password you will need to answer a security question that you set up at the time of registering. I like the fact that the security question can be anything that you decide to ask rather than being limited to the usual Mother's maiden name/place of birth type questions. Again, I like this for security reasons - why should I be made to give out things that are routinely used for banking security such as mother's maiden name to any more people than is absolutely necessary.
Creating an account also means that you'll get access to exclusive competitions, the ability to create a wish list (rather like the Amazon wish list) and review your past purchases. I find this last one a godsend as I can often not remember which games I've bought as gifts in the past and it saves me the embarrassment of having to ask!
***************** The Reward System *****************
Like many retailers desperate for our continued custom Game have a reward card and each purchase you make entitles you to points on your card. The rate of reward is 10 points per £1 spent (double on pre-orders) and each point is worth 0.25p - so, for each £1 spent you get 2.5p back; hardly the best reward system out there! When you create an account you have the opportunity to register a reward card against the account.
The biggest catch in my opinion is that it costs £3 to join the rewards programme so you'll have to spend at least £120 before you are cash neutral and actually start earning rewards!
Points can be collected and redeemed online and instore but, personally, I can't see much of a benefit unless you are a really heavy user!
If you are into getting more bang for your buck then don't forget, if you do shop here, go through a cashback portal such as Quidco to earn a bit more cashback. At the time of writing Quidco cashback at Game is 11% for software and 3% for hardware - far better than Game's own loyalty reward!
******* Ordering *******
Ordering online is straightforward and all screens that require the input of personal information are secure. For those who don't like the idea of entering credit card details online you can call the customer service team but it's an 0870 number and so will up the price of your order!
All major cards are accepted, including Solo cards, so popular with Game's target market of teens. Amex is not accepted.
******* Shipping *******
Thankfully this is not one area where Game make another buck as shipping is free in the UK. Shipping times depend on the goods ordered and Game use a clever order number system to let you know which category your order falls into. Order numbers ending in "/1" are delivered straight from depot and should be with you within 2 business days. I've found this to be accurate. Order numbers ending in "/2" and "/3" ship after 3-7 days and 7-21 days respectively and will be with you 2 business days after they are shipped.
The order tracking system allows you to keep up to date with where your order is.
For a little under £5 you can get orders of under £100 delivered next business day and, if your order is over £100 then you can have it next business day for free.
Most orders can be sent to alternate addresses but do check when ordering as there are certain products that can only be sent to the card-holders address.
****** Returns ******
Items bought online that are faulty or not suitable can be returned, with the original invoice to your nearest GAME store. In the case of goods which are not suitable they must have their original seals intact and be returned within 28 days of the dispatch date (note NOT the delivery date). Faulty goods can be returned up to 3 months after the dispatch date.
Items can also be returned by post using the label that comes with the delivery. Certain items, such as TVs have special arrangements.
Orders can also be cancelled before dispatch either through your account online or by calling an 0871 number.
Old equipment can be returned to store as part of the WEEE programme if you make a "like-for-like" purchase.
******** Trade-ins ********
Although you can trade games in in store there is no similar facility online. You can, however, still buy pre-owned games online. These are still covered by the store's guarantee.
************************** So, is this solicitor on the game? **************************
Yes, and no.
Whilst I find shopping through the Game site easy it's rarely where I end up buying from. I'll often use it to locate the game I'm looking for but then when one uses a price comparison engine (or if you do the leg work yourself) you can often find the same game cheaper elsewhere. At the end of the day, a game is a game and so it matters not to me where I buy it from (although some might like the fact that there is a physical store at which to return goods).
I like the fact that I can see trailers and screen shots and download demos on the site, but again, this isn't enough to make me actually buy here.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Recommended site, particularly for non-gamers to locate the product you want. If Game turns out to be the cheapest place to buy then the service is good and delivery reliable.
very helpful
