CEX! I am sick of CEX. I joined them almost 20 years ago, when they only had a branch in Tottenham Court Road. They were incredible! Gaming was still underground and they kept up that persona with corrugated steel floors and staff with more steel all over the person than the floor itself. They stocked rare imports from Japan, that displayed on the back shelves out of reach like a comic shop. It was a gaming nirvana and one I treated myself to once or twice a year.
I used to load several bags full of unwanted PC games or whatever I had to hand I would march up to London and trade them all in for a graphics card upgrade or something special. I fondly remember taking a years worth of games into the London branch and coming out with a Creative labs PC-DVD Encore DXR2 kit and a copy of Spawn and Austin Powers on DVD.
Then they got bigger and more mainstream... and expanded. The exchange prices dropped sharply, as the import stuff got three time more expensive. The cool underground grunge look just turned into a dirty shit-hole encased in metal.
The trade in of DVD's and eventually mobile phones saw an increase in trade and attracted a new type of customer. The Chav. Slavering at the mobile phone cabinet to see what amazing phones they can have or stood new the trade in counter desperately trying to delete all the details off the SIM card from the phone they just mugged someone for.
Still I went, although now it felt more dirty. During a year of unemployment CEX were able to keep my gaming habit afloat through careful trading and purchasing. I was aware of more rules though.
Then I tried to trade in a Logitech Steering wheel for the 360. It was listed on the website with a price for exchange. So I took it along to my local CEX and was immediately told. "We don't take them in here, you have to do it on the website." So a bit miffed I went home and thought I would try another branch another day.
Then I took in some PC games listed on their website in two flavours "with DLC" and "without DLC". Once again when I got to the branch I was turned away as the games need a key. I got nowhere by arguing that the keys are included and your own website lists the two different trade in values.
A couple of months ago CEX finally opened up in Milton Keynes near to where I work. I went a couple of weeks ago and trade in some games and got a £5 voucher as well. I asked about the steering wheel I had and they said they would take it from me.
So, today I march in there to trade in my Wheel and a 3DS game and the guy rings it all through. it came to £23 pound and that would be enough for a trade in for Zelda OoT and a quick swap for StarFox in Game next door.
Except, the guy behind the counter said... "You need to confirm the first line of your address at the branch you first opened your account with." Which is great seeing as it isn't even there any more and moved further down Tottenham Court Road.
"Why is that then?" I asked,
"Because the account has been inactive for so long."
"I traded in here the other week. I gave you my postcode and details as normal and they ran it all through"
"Thats not the correct way of doing it, they shouldn't of done that." He then refused to trade in anything for me and told me that really no-one should of ever been allowing me to use my account.
Well, I can't see me getting down to CEX Tottenham Court Road any time soon and I cannot have two accounts at the same time. So, get stuffed CEX... way to treat your long standing customers. Rant over.
Todays rant was brought by GRRRR and ARRRRGH!
(Still got StarFox from Game cost me more than I wanted though. First Impressions later.)
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