It seems like more and more people are ordering games online from retailers and marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, Buy.com, and online versions of Best Buy, Walmart, Target, GameStop,etc., rather than picking up games from a local store.
When Amazon offers $0 tax and free shipping on any orders above $24, plus lower prices than all the other guys to begin with, it's no wonder that at least 85% of my games come from Amazon alone.
However, there is a concern that I've been thinking about recently regarding ordering games online instead of picking them up at a store. If you think about it, most retailers ship games in those small boxes or even just one of those large envelope things. Same goes for random people you might buy from off eBay or something similar.
Well, it seems to me like during shipment, wouldn't the carrier (USPS, UPS, Fedex, or whatever) be throwing those packages in with all the other packages and pieces of mail that they're shipping? It seems to me that it would be very likely that your package could be crushed under tens of pounds of mail or even other large boxes/packages.
Could this damage the game disc before it ever reaches your home? I mean, yes, I'm sure the case offers some protection, but when it gets piled under a bunch of other "stuff" during shipping, I worry about the case getting crushed under the weight (and subsequently, the game disc). Most retailers I purchase ship using those small boxes that are practically the same size and shape as the game cases, so they would offer no protection, as they are easily crushed as well. And certain retailers, such as Buy.com, or most people you would buy from off of eBay or something like that, would most likely ship using those thin, envelope things ... they might as well stick a shipping label on the game case itself and not even bother to package it.
I've never heard of games getting damaged this way during shipping, but when I think about it ... it seems it could easily happen. Such a large volume of packages and mail that these carriers are shipping, it would be ridiculous to assume that they aren't stacking everything on top of everything else in order to save space.
Another issue with ordering games online and getting them shipped to you ... is the possibility of exposure to extreme temperatures. Most people probably wouldn't get their mail till late in the day. By that time, your package could have been sitting in the mailbox or on your front porch for HOURS, during which time it could have been exposed to high temperatures or even direct sunlight baking it (in the summer), or low, freezing temperatures (in the winter). This CAN'T be good for the disc, can it?
Seems like short of buying all your games in-store, there's really nothing you can do to avoid these issues when buying games online.
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