GAME apologises for selling ex-display stock

GAME has made an apology to customers that were sent scuffed or damaged ex-display stock during the busy Easter period.

To cope with demand, the retailer shipped stock from stores to online distribution warehouses. And there some copies "slipped" through the quality-control net, it said.

"We can categorically confirm that all products sold as 'new' on our web sites are new," GAME told Eurogamer in a statement. "This stock should be in mint condition but we are now aware that some ex-display stock has slipped through our quality screening processes.

"This stock is new (it has never been owned by anyone other than us, and certainly it has never been played) however it may have been stripped of its plastic wrapping.

"If any of our customers have bought a 'new' game from us, then we will have sent a new game out to them. If any customer has received a game that is damaged or that they are not happy about the condition of, we will be pleased to replace it or refund it, subject to our normal terms and conditions.

"We would never seek to mislead our customers by offering for sale product that we know to be sub-standard," the retailer added, "and would like to take this opportunity to offer our apologies to any customer that has been inconvenienced by this matter.

"We value our reputation as a trusted retailer and can assure all of our customers that we will respond swiftly and positively to any issues that may be raised with us. "We have conducted rigorous quality checks of our Sale stock holding to ensure that all items we ship are of the quality our customers expect and can assure them that they can continue to purchase from our online Easter Sales with confidence."

Earlier today, GAME confirmed that it is to reduce the working hours of a number of its employees as part of a store-wide review.