GameStop Investigates Reports of Forced Switch 2 Bundles: Are Customers Being Exploited?
The upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 is already one of the most anticipated consoles, but reports are surfacing that GameStop stores are allegedly forcing customers to buy expensive bundles to pre-order the console. This is sparking outrage and raising questions about ethical sales practices.
An Emmy award-winning audio engineer, Elea Tsentzelis, recently took to social media to call out a GameStop in Astoria, New York, claiming the store was making customers purchase unwanted accessories like screen protectors and cases alongside the Switch 2. According to Tsentzelis, staff allegedly claimed they couldn't process the console SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) separately, effectively requiring customers to buy extras to secure their pre-order.
"So this GameStop is forcing you to buy bundles, cases, screen protectors, etc.," Tesentzelis posted. "They’re claiming they can’t process the SKU just for the console, but we all know what’s going on here."
GameStop Help's official social media account responded to the accusations, stating: "We are actively investigating this. Any customer who was turned away at the Astoria location should reach out via DM so we can make it right."
While bundling accessories with new console releases isn't uncommon, forcing customers to purchase them is a different matter. As someone with prior retailer experience reported that while stores want to make as big a mark up as possible, and bundling in superfluous accessories – especially if they're a company's own brand – is an easy way to achieve this. Pushing warranty schemes is also a high priority during new console launches, never before has it been a requirement.
The challenge for GameStop is now how to rectify the situation. With the Switch 2's stock already limited, fulfilling these pre-orders and compensating affected customers will be difficult. It also raises the question of how widespread this practice is.
GameStop's website and app even experienced crashes during Switch 2 pre-orders, further complicating matters. Many consumers were unable to secure their console through online channels, leading them to brick-and-mortar stores like the one in Astoria, where they allegedly faced these bundling practices. By one account, less than 100 consoles were available before doors opened to the Astoria store.
These reports raise serious concerns about whether GameStop is taking advantage of high demand for the Nintendo Switch 2, and the impact of such practices, is potentially detrimental to their reputation. Only time will tell how this situation will resolve itself.
What are your thoughts on this situation? Have you experienced similar bundling practices when pre-ordering consoles? Let us know in the comments below!
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