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Thread ID: 53152	2005-01-09 01:05:00	Central Park Interactive	pine-o-cleen (2955)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
312244	2005-01-09 01:05:00	GRRR! Yes I'm a little hacked off . . . and here's why . I brought Final Fantasy XI from Central Park Interactive (Palmerston Notrh store) on Tuesday, got it home and opened it up in eager anticipation only to find that to play it, you have to pay $US 12 . 99 per month! (first 30 days free) . I wasn't happy . I went to their site the next day to search for their refunds/returns policy . No luck, so I sent an email enquiring what my options were . I got an email back the following day saying this . due to this game being pc we can not refund your money but you are more than welcome to trade it in for another one or get a voucher for the future, in future carefully select your game before buying . thanks Jay Trade it in!!!? Trade it in? :mad: Now this to me seems to suggest that I am not going to get credited for the price I paid for it, but what they think it is worth . I have sent another email asking them to advise if I can swap it for Need For Speed Underground 2, which (on their site) has a price of $88 . 50 . I have a feeling I'm going to get back a trade in price . Now I know there are a few people around here that know a bit about the consumer guarantees act ;) Anyone?	pine-o-cleen (2955)
312245	2005-01-09 01:34:00	For the consumar guarantees act to work in your favour, it has to not be fit for it's particular cause. If you try it, and find it not to function, you can take it back for a full refund. If it works however, I'm not sure about what your position legally is. If it says nowhere on the box that you have to pay, you may have a cause, but I'm not entirely sure.	Edward (31)
312246	2005-01-09 02:02:00	When you say you have to pay a monthly fee to play it, is this for online play? Is the game playable offline for no additional fee? Was this fee printed anywhere on the outside of the packaging for you to see before you payed and left the shop? When you 'purchase' software, you don't actually buy the software as in own it, you are paying to use the 'license'. Sometimes that can include a limit of some sort. i.e. with windows, you will only get patches/ updates for so many years etc. Unfortunately you are unable to read the agreement before 'purchasing' the program and not all of the info is available on the outside of the packaging. CPI are quite within there rights to offer store credit or to swap if you have changed your mind on an item, but are under no obligation to do so. If the game is not performing the function it was advertised to, then you are intitled to a refund but this again can be given as a store credit. It can be a bit of a grey area with software as it can easily be pirated and most stores will advertise that refunds will not be given on software:(	4bes (2848)
312247	2005-01-09 02:20:00	How do you know you will get a reduced "trade-in price"? "trade it in" could easily mean "select another game up to the same value" . They might even give you change if the other game is cheaper . They would certainly want you to pay the extra if it costs more . :D Ask them to clarify their answer before you hate them here . It's quite likely that they wanty to keep you happy: happy customers buy more . Returned software costs the shop time . They have to check that all the bits are there --- CD, manuals, any other bits of paper, and then shrink-wrap . Time is money .	Graham L (2)
312248	2005-01-09 02:34:00	If the game is not performing the function it was advertised to, then you are intitled to a refund but this again can be given as a store credit. The CGA states & i quote from section: "19.Requirement to remedy— (3)A refund referred to in subsection (1)(c) of this section means a refund in cash of the money paid or the value of any other consideration provided, or both, as the case may require." Unless you can't prove what you paid, ie don't have the receipt, then you have to be paid cash, not store credit. :2cents:	MartynC (5610)
312249	2005-01-09 02:41:00	If you can't prove what you have paid, ie don't have the receipt, you can't get a refund. You need proof that you bought something. Shoplifters aren't covered by the CGA. :D	Graham L (2)
312250	2005-01-09 02:51:00	, you can't get a refund . You need proof that you bought something . Shoplifters aren't covered by the CGA . :D I agree about shoplifters, but what I was trying to say is that if you have the proof, You MUST be paid cash "or the value of any other consideration provided" eg refund to eft-pos/credit card . they CAN'T make you take store credit no matter how hard they try . they want you to, as it ties you into there store, as of course with cash you can go elsewhere . When the CGA came into force, i had to take a copy of it to a shop who wanted to gie my mum store credit only, Once they saw the act they had no choice but to give her cash . :thumbs:	MartynC (5610)
312251	2005-01-09 04:28:00	Now I know there are a few people around here that know a bit about the consumer guarantees act ;) Anyone? If you made the decision to go to CPI to purchase it on the basis of an advertisement (whether by CPI or any other advertiser) AND the ad did not specify that it was a subscription only game, AND CPI did not tell you that at the time of purchase i . e . "you do realise sir, that you have to pay $xx per month to play after the first 30 days?" then you are entitled to a full refund of the purchase price because you did not get what you thought you were buying and they did not tell you . Before complaining though, you had better check very carefully on their site that there was not some prominent advice about the subscription so that you don't make an ass of yourself . If you are in the right, stay calm and polite, but if you get nowhere, even with the manager, tell them you will take the matter to Consumer Affairs at the Commerce Commission (or whatever their current name is, an Internet search will set you right on that) then go and do just that . Try to make sure you have not overlooked anything before doing this, as you would feel a bit silly if CPI pointed to a big sign behind their counter saying that the game was subscription based! Cheers Billy 8-{) P . S . I just checked and the CPI ad for FF XI makes no reference to subscriptions . I'm not a gamer so I don't know if subscriptions are common, or whether they are a normal feature of this game's developers . You seem to be on reasonable grounds since it was the online ad that drew you to their PN store, but tread carefully and move slowly . Keep your cool and insist on a full refund .	Billy T (70)
312252	2005-01-09 05:46:00	Ok to clarify a few things. Firstly, it does say (in very small type!) on the box 'Additional online fees required'. Secondly, this game does not have an 'offline' version. Thirdly, I'm not really after a refund now that I have found a game that I want to 'swap' my game for. I emailed them this morning asking them to clarify what was meant by 'Trade'. I just want credit for the full purchase price. So...in summation, maybe I shouldn't have wasted all your time and just waited for a reply I was mad...there was a forum...isn't this what mad people do? :D	pine-o-cleen (2955)
312253	2005-01-09 06:41:00	I went to CPI at Manukau & purchased Civ III Complete as a gift for a mate. I told the guy that as he was away & it was a gift, I therefore didn't know if he would buy it while on holiday. I was told to keep my receipt & I had a 7 day "guarantee" period when I could return it. :thumbs:	MartynC (5610)
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