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When I first started using the Internet back in late 1994,
it seemed almost utopian: Here was an almost totally free source of information,
files, databases, links, newsgroups, chat areas, and so much more.
The Web was just getting cranked up, and I saw it as nothing but the next
improvement in an already wonderful resource.
But I forgot one thing: capitalism. I shouldn't have had to wait to see washed-up comic Denis Leary urging business folk to "work the Web" to realize that any medium with the potential to reach millions day in and day out would be used to sell products. And sell products it has. Anything you can buy in a retail store can be bought on the Web, from automobiles and flowers to stocks and mutual funds.
You probably knew that already, though. What you want to know about is buying games online: Where are the best places to shop and what are the advantages in doing so? Our Online Buyer's Guide will give the complete rundown on all the major online stores carrying computer games, with information on everything from payment methods to return policies. But before you jump in and start checking out these cyberstores, there's something you should know: Buying games online might be convenient, but it has drawbacks you don't encounter when buying games at traditional retail outlets.
Expecting big savings by shopping online? Think again. While you can certainly find what appear to be big savings, once you start adding in shipping costs those bargains don't look quite as good. Shipping fees generally start around $3.00, but most of the time that means you'll be waiting at least two or three days (probably more) for your game; if you want it faster, those shipping costs rise pretty rapidly. And if you're not a careful shopper, you might end up paying the same price (or even more) before shipping as you would pay at a retail outlet.
Then there's the question of returns. Returning a product is never a pleasant task, but when you've ordered something online (or over the phone) you're responsible not just for the costs of having it shipped to you, but also for shipping it back should you receive a defective disc or be unsatisfied with the product. Many online stores also charge a restocking fee as well, generally in the neighborhood of 15 percent, and if you don't follow the return policies to a T, there's always the chance (though unlikely) that your return will simply be refused. It's just one more thing to consider when trying to decide the cheapest way to pick up your favorite games.
Finally, there's the question of security. Recent news reports indicate that both Netscape and Internet Explorer can pass along credit card information if you move directly from an order form at an online store to another web site - even if the order form used an encryption system. No one knows how many people, if any, have unknowingly passed along credit card information in this way, but the fact remains that credit card security is still an issue of great concern among Net users. I know I feel uncomfortable typing in my credit card number anywhere online, and I suspect a lot of users - even ones who go ahead and do it anyway - feel the same way I do.
But for some gamers, especially those who live in rural areas, it's much more convenient to buy games direct than making a long jaunt to a retail outlet, even when adding in shipping costs. By choosing your online store wisely, you can minimize those shipping costs by checking to see if more than one game can be mailed for the same price. And as I mentioned earlier, if you take your time and search carefully you really can find some bargains.
So let's get to it. To compare prices and availability at various online stores, I used nine games - some very new, others a few months old - as a baseline. None are extremely rare, so if you see that a particular store is missing three or more of the titles, then you can assume its selection is a bit suspect. In addition to comparing prices and availability at online stores, I also checked to see how much it would cost to buy each game directly from the game publisher. To help make sense of those prices, I listed the best deal we found for each game at the online stores and put it beside the price offered by the publisher. Lastly, I did an extremely unscientific poll of local software outlets to see how their prices fared against their online cousins. Remember, prices at outlets in your area could be very different; I included it more for anecdotal purposes than anything else, mainly to show that sometimes it's best to buy games the old-fashioned way.
(All prices in US dollars.)
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