Author Topic: Game and GameStation's contradictory 3DS XL offer  (Read 3897 times)

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Offline Hey Einstein!

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Game and GameStation's contradictory 3DS XL offer
« on: July 20, 2012, 10:57:49 AM »
Any other UK folk interested in this offer?

http://www.game.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/HubArticleView?hubId=148256&articleId=148257&catalogId=10201&langId=44&storeId=10151


You trade in your old 3DS with Game or Gamestation and get a 3DS XL & charger for £79.99 AND
"You can transfer data from your old 3DS to the new 3DS XL".
They even link to a page of instructions on how to do a system transfer. So I called my local stores to ask about it and guess what... go on have a guess...guessed yet?...




...that's right - the staff didn't know how to do a system transfer & when I told them they said:


"Sorry we don't have wi fi in our stores.
BUT you could pay cash for a 3DS XL, do a system transfer at home and bring in your old 3DS for store credit".


"Okay" I thought and pre ordered one.


BUT WAIT! What is that small print at the bottom of the page?


"Trade-in offer only applies when the trade-in console and Nintendo 3DS XL + AC Adaptor bundle purchase occurs in the same transaction."


WHAT?


and what is the non-special-offer store credit they give for a 3DS? £70.


And now for my favourite part:
Whilst in the local store paying my deposit the staff showed me the available colours on an ipad via a Google image search. An ipad with a big fat Wi Fi signal and the words NO SIM emblazoned in capitals across the top left corner of the screen. Pretty impressive for a store that don't got no Wi Fi.


If you're interested, Game's customer service email form is
http://www.game.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContactUsView?catalogId=10201&langId=44&storeId=10151
« Last Edit: July 20, 2012, 11:31:10 AM by Hey Einstein! »

Offline ejamer

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Re: Game and GameStation's contradictory 3DS XL offer
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2012, 12:25:20 PM »
I don't get it. What's the actual story here: Game employees being slightly clueless and trying to sell you on something that is clearly a worse deal for you, or you buying their lines?  Cancel your preorder and get someone who knows how to do the promotion properly.  End of story.




(By the way, do you even need wifi for the 3DS transfer?  I thought that only system-to-system wireless access was required, which is freely available out of the box.)
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Re: Game and GameStation's contradictory 3DS XL offer
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2012, 02:13:56 PM »
I seem to remember the DSi to 3DS transfer requiring Wi-Fi to connect to Nintendo before executing the transfer between the systems.
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Offline ZabeMusic

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Re: Game and GameStation's contradictory 3DS XL offer
« Reply #3 on: July 22, 2012, 02:16:19 PM »
I seem to remember the DSi to 3DS transfer requiring Wi-Fi to connect to Nintendo before executing the transfer between the systems.
That's right, I don't know if it's the same for 3DS-to-3DS.

Offline Hey Einstein!

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Re: Game and GameStation's contradictory 3DS XL offer
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2012, 10:00:16 AM »
I don't get it. What's the actual story here: Game employees being slightly clueless and trying to sell you on something that is clearly a worse deal for you, or you buying their lines?  Cancel your preorder and get someone who knows how to do the promotion properly.  End of story.


Okay either I didn't explain it clearly or you didn't read it very carefully before getting all snarky. I'm only sorry for the former  ;)


The story is that Game/Gamestation are advertising a service that they are not able to provide.
The add says you can trade in your original 3DS & get a 3DS XL plus charger for £79.99 (which is actually pretty good) AND do a system transfer. But you can't. Or maybe you can if you carry a portable WiFi hot spot thingy- bob with you, but that seems like a long shot. In reality you can either get the increased in store credit OR do a system transfer and get some pretty ropey in store credit for your old system later, but you can't do both. The deal as advertised doesn't match the service they are able to provide.
Also the offical line is that Game/Game Station stores don't have WiFi but at least at my local they demonstrated that they do (after telling my they don't). It's misleading and I would have felt better if they'd said "WiFi is not for customer use" or something like that.


I just wanted to bitch about this online and wondered if anybody else felt like it too. There are a few pages of people doing so here:[size=78%]http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/nintendo-3ds-xl-console-ac-adapter-79-99-when-trade-your-3ds-game-1264648[/size]






As to your question and the transfer process: The instructions  I linked to before say that you need both systems connected to a Nintendo server to switch. The instructions on Nintendo's website don't mention this but do say you need to follow instructions on screen and don't go into details.
So I dunno, but it certainly appears that you need WiFi to do a system transfer.




Offline Hey Einstein!

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Re: Game and GameStation's contradictory 3DS XL offer
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2012, 06:01:17 AM »
The end of my story: I had enough store credit at another video game chain pick up a super cheap 3DS that I traded at Gamestation +£80 for my XL & charger, then did the system transfer at home and will sell my old 3DS to cover the cost of the upgrade. It's convoluted but it meant I got the result I wanted with out going over £80 cash (which was all I had).


I'm posting this to say fair play to Gamestation, they also gave me £6 on a loyalty card and a £10 instore credit, so £16 off my next purchase. I don't usually buy stuff from them because their prices aren't competitive, but that's a hefty chunk off my next eshop card. So it all worked out nicely. YAY.