What is BTGames even good for?

Graal

Graal

New member
So I go to their store just after 9 to pick up my preorder for Prey and nope, "sorry, it hasn't come in yet" and they can't give me a timeframe for when it will be ready. I walked to Musica just a bit further in the mall and picked it up with no hassles. While in the queue, the guy behind me also said that the only reason he's there was because BTGames doesn't have stock yet. Thank goodness I decided to opt for paying in-store upon collection at BTGames. I would have been really annoyed if I wasted an off day waiting for BT to get stock.

And it's not even the first issue I have with them. They fumbled the last preorder I did with them and I had to pay the higher in-store fee. Their prices are almost always more expensive than anywhere else and they rarely have good sales. Sometimes even their sale prices are more expensive than other (often physical) retailers charge for the same game. The only saving grace seems to be that they do game trade-ins, and even that is really bad. It seems like the max they pay for any game is R250 and it's not uncommon for them to then resell a new game for a 200% markup.

It's both shocking and sad that a store that market themselves as 'the largest specialist gaming store in South Africa' is so completely out of touch with the gaming community and are just utterly useless. Does anyone here actually find them useful?
 
Being in a place like Margate you're used to brick and mortar stores getting games a day or three after release. But my appeal (now that we no longer have a BT) is due to trading in. We have no market for that locally.
 
BeoTeK said:
Being in a place like Margate you're used to brick and mortar stores getting games a day or three after release. But my appeal (now that we no longer have a BT) is due to trading in. We have no market for that locally.
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Worst part is I live in Century City. I'm smack-bang in the middle of the WC's tech hub. You would expect them to get their stock the day before release so they can start packing it out first thing on release day. I mean, that's precisely what Musica did, yet the biggest gaming retailer in SA doesn't think to do that.
 
Graal said:
So I go to their store just after 9 to pick up my preorder for Prey and nope, "sorry, it hasn't come in yet" and they can't give me a timeframe for when it will be ready. I walked to Musica just a bit further in the mall and picked it up with no hassles. While in the queue, the guy behind me also said that the only reason he's there was because BTGames doesn't have stock yet. Thank goodness I decided to opt for paying in-store upon collection at BTGames. I would have been really annoyed if I wasted an off day waiting for BT to get stock.

And it's not even the first issue I have with them. They fumbled the last preorder I did with them and I had to pay the higher in-store fee. Their prices are almost always more expensive than anywhere else and they rarely have good sales. Sometimes even their sale prices are more expensive than other (often physical) retailers charge for the same game. The only saving grace seems to be that they do game trade-ins, and even that is really bad. It seems like the max they pay for any game is R250 and it's not uncommon for them to then resell a new game for a 200% markup.

It's both shocking and sad that a store that market themselves as 'the largest specialist gaming store in South Africa' is so completely out of touch with the gaming community and are just utterly useless. Does anyone here actually find them useful?
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They good for game cards like PSN, Steam, etc..
 
I've often bought games on launch day from BT Games as a much cheaper price than is available on Steam. For example, I'll be picking up Prey today for R645 as opposed to R799 on Steam.
 
I've always experienced a bit of arrogance when i use to buy from them. Their staff (not saying all of them, but some) always had this attitude when i asked them questions etc. That kind of attitude i felt was not acceptable and i decided to never buy from them again. I do 90% of my game purchases online these days.. Just find it a lot easier.
 
Only just got the message at 1:30PM that the game is ready for collection. Simply terrible. Meanwhile the copy I bought from Musica has been ready to launch since 11AM.

They do know that lots of people take release day off from work to get some proper time in to play?
 
Cronus086 said:
I've always experienced a bit of arrogance when i use to buy from them. Their staff (not saying all of them, but some) always had this attitude when i asked them questions etc. That kind of attitude i felt was not acceptable and i decided to never buy from them again. I do 90% of my game purchases online these days.. Just find it a lot easier.
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This.


That is why I refuse to go to BTgames. Especially as a supposedly rare female gamer - the comments, snarky remarks and being treated like I have no idea what i want or need or am actually looking for. My favourite is being asked oh are you spoiling your boyfriend?
 
I know for a fact that the Bloemfontein BT Games is pretty good. :D

Here in Joburg when I go to an actual physical store, I prefer going to AWX.
 
I used them once (BT in Menlyn) for Fallout 4. Simply because they were a couple R100 cheaper than anywhere else at the time. The experience was not bad and they had stock when they said they would so it might be dependent on individual stores?

With prices being what they are nowadays I dont bother pre-ordering any more. I have enough games I havent even looked at to wait until they are on special for a more affordable price and by then most of the bugs have been sorted out as well.
 
Wyvern said:
This.


That is why I refuse to go to BTgames. Especially as a supposedly rare female gamer - the comments, snarky remarks and being treated like I have no idea what i want or need or am actually looking for. My favourite is being asked oh are you spoiling your boyfriend?
Click to expand...

I've noticed this with my wife as well. It's like like dealing with car mechanics.
 
Graal said:
Worst part is I live in Century City. I'm smack-bang in the middle of the WC's tech hub. You would expect them to get their stock the day before release so they can start packing it out first thing on release day. I mean, that's precisely what Musica did, yet the biggest gaming retailer in SA doesn't think to do that.
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And here I sit, still waiting for CNA/Musica to get copies of Prey...
 
BT Games are great for finding hard-to-find Magic: the Gathering sealed product. They often have stuff that has been long since sold out elsewhere. You pay a premium, of course.

I haven't bought a physical video game from them since Diablo 3's limited edition in 2012.
 
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