Stores ripping you off.....

[HulkIOA06]

ok, I went to an EB (Electronics Boutique) at my local mall the other day and was looking at the Wizkids boosters/starters. The bottoms of the MW packs were taped, and the tops of the heroclix stuff was taped. I shook them and it sounded like they were loose in the package. It definately looked like someone had opened the box, and then taped it back together again. Beware of EB!

[RavenProject]

Could you be more specific about which EB you had a problem with?

When you're dealing with chain stores, it's hard to paint the entire chain based on one experience. For example, while I was going through Zany Brainy closeouts, I found one store where all the Clix had obviously been torn apart, yet another *less than ten minutes away* had all of its Clix in perfect shape.

But a single store -- yes, that may have a problem, so a warning for buyers in your area would definitely be nice.

-J

[squidblatt]

That sort of thing usually happens at the store level. Most of the chains like EB don't return these products to their distibution centers, so the chance of proliferation throughout the company is not as great. That's especially lucky since EB is owned by Barnes & Noble, which also owns B. Dalton. More than one chain could be messed up if they shared the product. Usually an employee opens the box in a store where the manager doesn't play, so he/she never pays attention. However, if you bring the tampering to the attention of the senior manager, something will probably get done about it. It's obviously an inside job, so it will be recognized as internal theft which is a major issue. It increases the shrink of the store which directly affects the pay of management. I gaurantee that if you show the manager the product, he/she will take it seriously. If not, then you know that the management is in on it and you should never buy from that store. As a retail manager who has had a similar problem, I know of what I speak.

[kang4001]

squidblatt is right. The only pack I've (knowingly) had tampered with was from a Barnes & Noble, which obviously has a lot of employees at each location. I called the manager to let them know. Funnily enough, it was actually a decent booster that I ended up keeping!

[blueleader]

I just came from a Wizard's of the Coast this weekend from a 300pt DC tourney! I went to the shelves while i was waiting. EVERY BOOSTER PACK WAS TAPPED on top! Including the starter packs. We asked the store supervisor what was up. He said some kids opened 'em. I asked all of them??? and he said sure. LMAO. I doubt his story right there. There were over 40 boxes on his shelf. and right infront of the the register. Therefore it would liter take 5 minutes to open up all forty boxes, plus starters and no one at the register would see?!?!?!?! Right, something is definitely shadey there. Glad to say i wasn't gonna buy Oh by the way, this one is Located in San Diego at the Mission Valley Mall.

[kingbrendarr]

another issue is that if you order an odd quantity from the distribution center you dont always get them in a nice case to keep them safe from squashing. I dont work for EB but I do work for a company that does the same thing and have been acused of the same sort of thing because some boosters were squashed to the point they were almost open so the choice was buy em all for myself or tape em up and hope someone would want em in their less than natural state.

[AshenFang]

Would just like to note that Wizkids themselves, put tape on the bottom of boosters.(Not sure about starters.) Not really sure why they do it. But I know for sure they come out of the cases we get like that.

As for the one's with tape on the top, well that's a completely different thing. I've never seen one 'naturally' be taped on the top, so that does sound like it's been tampered with. Though with a place like EB, with so many people coming and going, and the way they have the stores set up, anyone could easily go in and open the boxes themselves. It may not be on the fault of the employees(Though not saying it isn't of course).

All you can do is let the manager know/get his side of the story and go from there really. Otherwise, just don't buy from them if you don't feel secure, if that's an option.

[Joe Kerr]

I bought an Infinity Challenge booster at Spencers. I opened it up, saw the silver sleeve and a red-white-and-blue figure inside and thought, "Cool! Another unqiue Captain America I can sell or trade."

So I take the figures from the box and toss them in the sack. I don't like taking too much trash with me. I was going to keep the sleeve Cap was in, but 2 seconds later I changed my mind and popped him out of it and that's when I noticed....

Captain America had a blue ring! It was the experienced Captain America stuck in a unique slot. To make matters worst, he didn't even have his shield!

[Joe Kerr]

And my friend got an IC booster and the Skrull in it was a Commando... He also got Hyde, Hercules, and a thug in that pack. How could he get two rares? Also there was no blue sleeve in his booster, all clear. Same Spencers, same day.

[kraven]

Well when i went to spencers they had two infinity challenge boosters, i saw a white insert so i lifited it up and it was U Black suit spidey right at the top, the box's top was completly ripped off, there was antoher just like it, but i was so excited i didnt look in it (stupid me), so either the owner had two many spidermans, or the thief was really stupid, i didnt even check who else i go t but they sucked, so heres who was in it

U Spidey

E Electra

E thug

E Shield Agent!

[Darkorinth]

I guess I'm lucky that the two stores in my area where I buy clixs don't tamper. However one of the two tapes up the top of the box to prevent that tampering. I know its to prevent tampering since both myself and a lot of other people have gotten Uniques out of them (including Thanos and Nightcrawler). So don't simply assume that because the top is taped it has been tampered with, but if you don't know the stores policies on it ask.

[the itsy bit]

Originally posted by Darkorinth
I guess I'm lucky that the two stores in my area where I buy clixs don't tamper. However one of the two tapes up the top of the box to prevent that tampering. I know its to prevent tampering since both myself and a lot of other people have gotten Uniques out of them (including Thanos and Nightcrawler). So don't simply assume that because the top is taped it has been tampered with, but if you don't know the stores policies on it ask.

same thing here..
I saw a taped booster amongst many closed ones: hey ! that's one's tampered with, so I brought it to the counter and told the employee there If it was full of Rookies I knew that one was tampered.
I opened it:
V Juggernaut
U prof X
and some other stuff.hmm I bought the booster.
turned out another employee opened the booster to let some people see what the figs looked like: they didn't buy it so he taped it shut.
lucky me, but since then they have Rookie figs to show to people instead of openening boosters.

[duncan2222]

The Toys R Us store in my neighborhood just recently started putting their boosters in locked plastic containers, like they do for their trading cards. I'm guessing that they were having the same problems as these other stores that everybody is posting about and received complaints, so they started locking them up to prevent tampering. Does anybody else know if the Toys-R-Us stores in your area are doing the same thing? By the way, this is the TRU on West Broad St. in Columbus, OH.

[Darkorinth]

Pretty close its bitsy, but it is their policy that they tape all boxes, I think even the starters, but it has been a long time since I bought one

[CyberVenom]

The Toys R Us in my area put Secuity Tape on the box tops so that no one steals them, and I've heard a rumor that if you catch someone tampering with it, and have proof of it, they'll let you keep the box. (While I doubt that last part is true, that would be quite wonderful!)

[metzgarob]

i have the same problem in my area (reno NV) toys r us the starters r literally torn open and just left there then at eb the boosters have been noticeabley squished as though someone had been lookin through them...

some people disgust me :D