Remember when store return policies were laxed?

[mimo]

I just used to rent Atari 400 games for a weekend from a local video store, copy them and take them back.

[jd_1138]

When we got the NES in '87, then we started going to Toys R' Us and they had the policy of no returns except for the same game. So it was important to not buy a crappy game. Games were like $45-$50? And we weren't rich. I should have stuck to the good NES games like Final Fantasy, Excitebike, Tecmo Bowl, etc., but I occasionally would pull the trigger on a real turd of a game just because the box looked good, and there was no internet back then to research games.

 

I bought Urban Champion, of all things. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out would have been a wiser fighting game choice, or hell even Kung Fu, Karate Champ.

 

In the words of John McEnroe "ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!???"

[+thanatos]

I was 14 and saved up a bunch of money to buy an NES game (like two or three months of allowance!), and at Toys-R-Us I picked Ikari Warriors 2. (Since the first one was actually good!)

 

After having the most disappointing Saturday afternoon ever, I tried to return it, being denied by the policy.

 

Well, my little smartass self watched that 'Fight Back' show of the time, about consumers winning and what not, and I rode my bike to the local courthouse and found the office where I could file a small claims lawsuit. I think it was the local 'consumer protection' office.

There was very nice employee there willing to help me out, I guess he thought this was interesting - or maybe he was just impressed/amused that some kid rode his bike to the courthouse to file his own lawsuit. I imagine it was pretty hilarious!

 

Anyway, Toys-R-Us corporate ended up sending me a letter saying they will give in and gave me store credit for the game in lieu of the court case 'this one time'. Good enough for me!

 

Sadly, I can't even remember what game I got instead! But I do remember my parents being fairly proud I took on this task on my own. Only lawsuit I was ever involved in, and I was just 14 years old!

[Murph74]

Just stumbled across this thread... Yeah, I think the idea of trying to copy the most games was a normal suburban activity in the mid to late 80's. As a Coleco Fan, once i got my Adam and the Hacker's Guide came out, it was 'game on' as it was the first to allow copying of Coleco cartridges to Adam Tapes. Not all worked, but enough did! Soon, there were better utilities for that, and pretty much everything was available on DDP or floppy for the Adam, and it had little to no copy protection during that era.

 

In early 1989, I got away from the Adam as it was fading and got into the C-64 scene. Here in STL, BBSes were doing quite well, and 'warez' or cracked software being heavily available on the BBSes. (I especially recall Eaglesoft Inc being a big name on the scene!)

 

I know we even had a few 'copy' parties for the BBS users-- even hosted one at the ripe young age of 14 in my parents basement. (It was a different time then. I'm not sure I'd let a 14 year old invite a bunch of sight-unseen people to my house-- even if it was just to copy games!) But everyone brought hardware and software and that day we had probably 1000 floppies on hand, at least 6 rigs running, and even a cool dual disk stand alone copy unit (2 - 5.25" floppy drives in a beige metal case that didn't need anything but power!). Each system had different copying software on it, using Fast Hackem, Kraker Jax, copy board installed 1541's. Was a busy several hours that Saturday!

 

Can't say I'm real proud of the piracy, but the memories of the carefree teenage years still bring a smile to my face.

 

And to get back on topic-- I only recall returning software once. That was Christmas 85 or 86. Bought Data East's Tag Team Wrestling for NES, and returned it the next day at Kay Bee to exchange it for Gumshoe. Tag Team Wrestling still to this day ranks on my list as one of the lamest, most boring games I'd ever given 5 or more minutes to... And I won't get that time back. Hehe.

[Gabriel]

I have to call BS on this one. How can you buy something from one store, like KMart, and then return it to a completely different store, like Macy's, with no receipt from that store?

 

I've flipped items as scotty describes. Stores used to not be too picky about receipts if you claimed it was a birthday present and the item was still new in package.

[SoulBlazer]

I have to call BS on this one. How can you buy something from one store, like KMart, and then return it to a completely different store, like Macy's, with no receipt from that store?

 

I've flipped items as scotty describes. Stores used to not be too picky about receipts if you claimed it was a birthday present and the item was still new in package.

 

And some stores are still pretty lax. You'd be amazed what Wal-Mart will take back on returns....

[Galeforcerm]

When i was a teen (mid 90s). I would buy stuff at goodwill and return it to target. Goodwill here used to get all the unsold stuff amd returns from target and it usually still had the target tag on it. With out a reciept i only got store credit.

[OldAtarian]

I just used to rent Atari 400 games for a weekend from a local video store, copy them and take them back.

 

Everyone used to do that. That's why they instituted the new in shrinkwrap only returns policy everywhere.