Pre ordering from the SI website, why am I paying £6 more than I should be?

Just clicked the pre order link on the main SI site and Paid £29.99 for the game, I then recieved an email receipt from Sega saying thankyou for shopping blah blah blah and that I had paid 29.99.

BUT!

When I click the link in this piece of text (Thank you for ordering with http://uk-sega.gamesplanet.com.) The game is advertised on their site at being £23.99!!! Now unless I am going mad if I have ordered with that site as it says in the email then why am I not paying that price?

Not that I am skint or bothered about £6 its just I dont like thinking I have been ripped off.

Sorted, emailed them and got a refund but now got to re purchase it I would advise anyone purchasing the game to go to the link in my opening post and buy the game instead of the link on SI and Segas site. You will be buying from the same place but paying £6 less.

Thanks for that

Damned site, now they wont accept my card when I try to re purchase :@ will have to try again later. If it doesnt work then I will have to email again.

I have to say though that from my first email asking why I was charged more than advertised to actually having them refund me took about 10 minutes. Very good customer service, a very helpfull fella called Fonn, unlike when I used to deal with SIs FM Live service team and it used to take a week to get a reply lol

It took them 5 min to answer my request as well. As you said, they cancelled my first order and I then made a new pre-order for the lower price

I could have done that myself though, they could really use a way to cancel your order without having to write them - and I have to wait 20 days to get my refund, mind you I haven't checked if they have actually withdrawn the money for the first purchase yet

Checked my account and mine had not been charged but I only ordered it a couple of hours ago. I would have thought the money would have come out of your account when you actually got the game but I am not sure. I think its 20 days max although it usually takes a week tops for these sorts of things from past experiences but if they havnt charged your account yet then maybe wont have to wait at all.

Its a digital download.. all digital downloads are more expensive then retail.

Its a digital download.. all digital downloads are more expensive then retail.

Huh? I got a Digi version that was £5 cheaper that any hard copy I saw.

digital should be cheaper less costs e.g no cd no packaging, no shop cost etc

Its a digital download.. all digital downloads are more expensive then retail.

my first order was digital as well..

Its a digital download.. all digital downloads are more expensive then retail.

Both were digital download and both from the same website only the first time was using a link from SIs website and the second time was the same site but going to them direct. Exact same product from exact same source £6 cheaper.

So is anybody from SI going to explain why they are using Gamesplanet.com to sell the game at 29.99 on the SI website yet if I go to Gamesplanet.com direct instead of using SI's link they are selling it for 23.99? Yet both times I went through the same billing process and purchased the exact same product from the exact same website.

Personally I am sorted, I got a refund and re purchased it at the lower price but I just don't think this is at all fair what SI are doing charging an extra £6 for just clicking on their link instead of going direct to Gamesplanet.

I find the best part being the difference between if you buy from sega in the us or uk:

http://uk.download-store.sega.com/shop/football-manager-2012

in uk the price is £29.99

http://us.download-store.sega.com/shop/football-manager-2012

in the us the price is $39.95, which is around £25.50

I find the best part being the difference between if you buy from sega in the us or uk:

http://uk.download-store.sega.com/shop/football-manager-2012

in uk the price is £29.99

http://us.download-store.sega.com/shop/football-manager-2012

in the us the price is $39.95, which is around £25.50

Its also annoying how they advertise at £29.99 and say you are saving £10! I have not seen anywhere selling it for £39.99 and at £29.99 I would actually say you would be paying over the odds. Advertising is such bull these days.

Different prices in different parts of the world doesnt suprise me as its different currency. Here in Sweden it will prob cost about £35 if you work it out in english money. Also VAT and Taxes are all different in different places.

just noticed that as well but I don't want to go through the whole emailing, purchase again and then wait for the refund, however I must say it's a very very bad move from SI: receivng an email with one price, order the game at "preferred conditions" just to find out a day before release that the "preferred conditions" do not apply anymore as the price has been lowered.

I would really like to hear Matt's view on these commercial practices which are really dodgy

I will not pre order again at least not from links provided directly by SI/Sega

Any chance we can get a rebate of 6£ for FM 2013?

So is anybody from SI going to explain why they are using Gamesplanet.com to sell the game at 29.99 on the SI website yet if I go to Gamesplanet.com direct instead of using SI's link they are selling it for 23.99? Yet both times I went through the same billing process and purchased the exact same product from the exact same website.

Personally I am sorted, I got a refund and re purchased it at the lower price but I just don't think this is at all fair what SI are doing charging an extra £6 for just clicking on their link instead of going direct to Gamesplanet.

Where on the SI website are you saying there's a link? There isn't a single link from the SI website as far as I can see.

There's links from the Football Manager website, but that's all managed by SEGA not SI.

The fact that the SEGA shop and the GamesPlanet shop are run on the same system is irrelevant. They are still separate shop fronts. It's no different to Game and Gamestation selling at different prices even though they're owned by the same company.

It's not our responsibility to find you the best deals. SEGA offer a digital store front to try and make it as easy as possible for people to get the game. If other, separate, stores decide to undercut that price then good for them and good for you, but it doesn't mean that the SEGA store front HAS to reduce it's price as well.

Either way though, it's not run by us as I said, so maybe one of the guys at SEGA can give another point of view

Its also annoying how they advertise at £29.99 and say you are saving £10! I have not seen anywhere selling it for £39.99 and at £29.99 I would actually say you would be paying over the odds. Advertising is such bull these days.

Different prices in different parts of the world doesnt suprise me as its different currency. Here in Sweden it will prob cost about £35 if you work it out in english money.

The RRP of the game is £39.99.

FM seems to be a mess these days with prices etc

Where on the SI website are you saying there's a link? There isn't a single link from the SI website as far as I can see.

There's links from the Football Manager website, but that's all managed by SEGA not SI.

http://www.sigames.com/

If you click on fm12 on the SI site it takes you to a page and you can click pre order which ok is the Football Manager website but I ended up there from the SI site, I googled sports interactive because I wanted to pre order and went from SI's website to start with. But anyway.... Whoever it is who is selling the game I think its pretty poor. And its not like the price has changed at all its still 29.99 going through the FM site and still 23.99 direct with the company Sega/SI are using to sell the game.

Do you think its right Bertie? Its not like its from a different retailer its from Gamesplanet on both occasions.

The RRP of the game is £39.99.

Yes I know and everybody does it and I am not blaming SI or SEGA for that but its just something that now days sellers do but in theory the buyer is not actually saving £10 because none of the shops sell it for £39.99, or if they do I have not seen it advertised for sale anywhere at £39.99. Its like me advertising my car for sale at £3000 and although its the going price I say your saving £500 because in theory i could advertise it for £3500 if I wanted to.

Step by step guide to show I am not making it up Bertie, go to SI website click on fm12 then click the pre order for £29.99 go through the steps and you end up purchasing the game from Gamesplanet.com for £29.99 and you get a receipt from them. Next go direct to Gamesplanet.com and pre order fm12 go through the purchasing steps and you end up buying the same thing from the same website for £23.99.

How can they (Sega or whoever) do this.

Oh and you dont actually have to go through with the purchase to find this out just go as far as you can before you need to put in your card details and you see that you end up at the same place but with different prices.

http://www.sigames.com/

If you click on fm12 on the SI site it takes you to a page and you can click pre order which ok is the Football Manager website but I ended up there from the SI site, I googled sports interactive because I wanted to pre order and went from SI's website to start with. But anyway.... Whoever it is who is selling the game I think its pretty poor. And its not like the price has changed at all its still 29.99 going through the FM site and still 23.99 direct with the company Sega/SI are using to sell the game.

Do you think its right Bertie? Its not like its from a different retailer its from Gamesplanet on both occasions.

The link you clicked on on the SI website took you to the SEGA ran Football Manager website. It's a small difference but an important one as it means that it's SEGA who sorted all that out not us here at SI.

It IS a different retailer I'm afraid. Gamesplanet is the store front name for a company called Metaboli who, as well as running their own store, also provide digital storefronts to allow companies like SEGA to sell the game directly. The fact that it goes through the same payment system isn't the point here.

If you buy it from Gamesplanet directly, you're buying it off of them. We, or SEGA, don't have any control as to what price they decide to sell it at. When you buy it off of the SEGA website, you're buying it from SEGA and the price they decide to sell it at. It's just that SEGA are using the same backend.

Gamesplanet have set their price at £23.99 (or whatever it might change to). The SEGA store have set their price at £29.99.

Step by step guide to show I am not making it up Bertie, go to SI website click on fm12 then click the pre order for £29.99 go through the steps and you end up purchasing the game from Gamesplanet.com for £29.99 and you get a receipt from them. Next go direct to Gamesplanet.com and pre order fm12 go through the purchasing steps and you end up buying the same thing from the same website for £23.99.

How can they (Sega or whoever) do this.

Oh and you dont actually have to go through with the purchase to find this out just go as far as you can before you need to put in your card details and you see that you end up at the same place but with different prices.

RRP is what the publisher (in this case SEGA) recommend that the price should be to retailers. Whether retailers decide to follow this price or not is up to them. We can't control that and lucky for you, they often decide to sell it at a lot less. It's no conspiracy theory, it's just how the system works.

Huh? I got a Digi version that was £5 cheaper that any hard copy I saw.

from greenmangaming yeah? they are not hosting the game.. logic says they can sell it cheaper.

they have always had FM discounted FYI but only for uk

The link you clicked on on the SI website took you to the SEGA ran Football Manager website. It's a small difference but an important one as it means that it's SEGA who sorted all that out not us here at SI.

It IS a different retailer I'm afraid. Gamesplanet is the store front name for a company called Metaboli who provide digital storefronts to allow companies like SEGA to sell the game directly. The fact that it goes through the same payment system isn't the point here.

If you buy it from Gamesplanet directly, you're buying it off of them. We, or SEGA, don't have any control as to what price they decide to sell it at. When you buy it off of the SEGA website, you're buying it from SEGA. It's just that SEGA are using the same backend.

Gamesplanet have set their price at £23.99 (or whatever it might change to). The SEGA store have set their price at £29.99.

Sorry but I don't agree, when I purchased through the FM website I got a receipt with gamesplanets name all over it saying thankyou for shopping at gamesplanet come back and shop at gamesplanet.com soon. Doesnt say metaboli it says gameplanet and when I bought from gamesplanet it obviously also says gamesplanet.

So if I didnt purchase from gamesplanet in the first instance then why did I get a purchase confirmation from gamesplanet.

Not calling you a liar I just don't see how it can be different in this case and I feel its wrong that SEGA do that.

Mate, there's no point arguing with them, you'll just get your posts deleted and thread closed.

No point.

Sorry but I don't agree, when I purchased through the FM website I got a receipt with gamesplanets name all over it saying thankyou for shopping at gamesplanet come back and shop at gamesplanet.com soon. Doesnt say metaboli it says gameplanet and when I bought from gamesplanet it obviously also says gamesplanet.

So if I didnt purchase from gamesplanet in the first instance then why did I get a purchase confirmation from gamesplanet.

Not calling you a lier I just don't see how it can be different in this case and I feel its wrong that SEGA do that.

You can not agree if you like. What I have said is the truth and is how it works.

SEGA only have control over the price on their own store front, that is it. Whatever other sites (including GamesPlanet) decide to sell the game at is up to them and we have no control over that.

SEGA do not own GamesPlanet or have any control over them whatsoever.

Metaboli are the company that own GamesPlanet. SEGA use Metaboli's system to allow them to sell the game themselves directly as well. That's all, the two store's are otherwise not related in any way.

You can not agree if you like. What I have said is the truth and is how it works.

SEGA only have control over the price on their own store front, that is it. Whatever other sites (including GamesPlanet) decide to sell the game at is up to them and we have no control over that.

SEGA do not own GamesPlanet or have any control over them whatsoever.

Metaboli are the company that own GamesPlanet. SEGA use Metaboli's system to allow them to sell the game themselves directly as well. That's all, the two store's are otherwise not related in any way.

SEGA set the price on Steam though, right?

SEGA set the price on Steam though, right?

I think so, I'm not sure. Steam is slightly different as, although they sell games, they don't see themselves as a retailer. They see themselves as a service provider instead.

Metaboli, however, are a digital distributor and retailer.

Mate, there's no point arguing with them, you'll just get your posts deleted and thread closed.

No point.

Not arguing, I am just trying to find out why I got told I bought a game from "gamesplanet.com" in clear big letters, it didn't say SEGA and it didn't say ASDA, TESCO, PRIMARK or any other retailer it said I had bought Football Manager 2012 from gamesplanet.com for £29.99, clear as day, no arguments, that is who it said I had purchased from and I did this using a link from the FM website. No tech arguments, it says clear as day who it was bought from. Then........ I click the store link (FROM MY RECIEPT OF THE 29.99 purchase) and it takes me directly to the site I had recieved the purchase confirmation from GAMESPLANET.COM and the game is advertised in a nice big advert for £23.99.

It was under £20 not long ago. Always shop around before purchasing anywhere.

Ignore RRPs they're arbitrarily made up by the publishers not market demand; It's a part of marketing designed to psychologically make you feel like you're getting more of a bargain for your money than you actually are. RRP's on games have been increasing, but actual prices decreasing. It's like when they offer you something for "free" but then increase the price to cover it. Or the way products are "compared" to others, but usually involving lighting tricks and such to increase almost invisible differences.

I mean, look at FM2012 and its "800 new features" - sounds impressive, but how many have you counted?

Not arguing, I am just trying to find out why I got told I bought a game from "gamesplanet.com" in clear big letters, it didn't say SEGA and it didn't say ASDA, TESCO, PRIMARK or any other retailer it said I had bought Football Manager 2012 from gamesplanet.com for £29.99, clear as day, no arguments, that is who it said I had purchased from and I did this using a link from the FM website. No tech arguments, it says clear as day who it was bought from. Then........ I click the store link (FROM MY RECIEPT OF THE 29.99 purchase) and it takes me directly to the site I had recieved the purchase confirmation from GAMESPLANET.COM and the game is advertised in a nice big advert for £23.99.

I've tried my best to explain, there's not much more I can say.

You can not agree if you like. What I have said is the truth and is how it works.

SEGA only have control over the price on their own store front, that is it. Whatever other sites (including GamesPlanet) decide to sell the game at is up to them and we have no control over that.

SEGA do not own GamesPlanet or have any control over them whatsoever.

Metaboli are the company that own GamesPlanet. SEGA use Metaboli's system to allow them to sell the game themselves directly as well. That's all, the two store's are otherwise not related in any way.

You are not seeing my point at all. Can we just forget the tech stuff for 1 moment ok? Please read this part its important.... When I purchased the game through the SEGA link I got a reciept of purchase from Gamesplanet.com telling me I had bought the game from them, are you with me here? I don't know what happens in the background but if what you say is true then I should not be getting a receipt from Gamesplanet.com if I have bought the game directly from SEGA.

You are not seeing my point at all. Can we just forget the tech stuff for 1 moment ok? Please read this part its important.... When I purchased the game through the SEGA link I got a reciept of purchase from Gamesplanet.com telling me I had bought the game from them, are you with me here? I don't know what happens in the background but if what you say is true then I should not be getting a receipt from Gamesplanet.com if I have bought the game directly from SEGA.

It will say gameplanet as gameplanet are providing the store that is used for the SEGA website. SEGA are setting the price on the FM website, gameplanet provide the store backend stuff. So you are likely to get a receipt from them, but SEGA have set the price.

I've tried my best to explain, there's not much more I can say.

You are not explaining though, you are telling me I didnt buy the game from the same place when clearly the purchasing confirmation says I did. I have no doubt that you are right but that does not explain why my receipts tell me I bought the game from the same place, a place that you say SEGA has nothing to do with.

It will say gameplanet as gameplanet are providing the store that is used for the SEGA website. SEGA are setting the price on the FM website, gameplanet provide the store backend stuff. So you are likely to get a receipt from them, but SEGA have set the price.

Now that makes sense to me. 100% understand that if its the case but Bertie was saying it was metabol or whoever that provided the store backend stuff and Gamesplanet had nothing to do with it but if its the other way around then I see how it would happen.

Still a bit stupid for SEGA to sell me a game for £29.99 and have a link in the receipt that goes directly to a page selling it for £23.99 is it not?

Gamesplanet is owned/run by Metaboli, they provide online stores to websites and also have their own.

You haven't bought the game directly from SEGA. SEGA are not a retailer, they are a publisher and as such don't have the systems in place to sell the game directly. Therefore, in order to provide an FM branded store, they did a deal with Metaboli to set up a storefront with the branding sorted by SEGA with SEGA setting the price, the design of the store etc, but with the actual tech behind the scenes still being run by Metaboli.

The only difference is that is the name on the receipt. It may be something for us to feedback to Metaboli to see if SEGA can brand the receipts as well, but that may not be possible as it's all being processed by Metaboli's systems.

I'm sorry you got confused, I'll feed that back to the guys who put this together, but I'm trying to explain that it's not a conspiracy theory and that no-one is trying to screw you over.

Gamesplanet is owned/run by Metaboli, they provide online stores to websites and also have their own.

Yes I understand now. Now my problem is with the way it works Imagine I am Joe public and I have just bought something from a store where the name on the receipt says for example tesco, I pay £10 for lets say a pair of shoes and the address on the receipt is Tesco, alfreton, derbyshire because lets say for some reason some company used tescos cash register and I then walk past the Alfreton Tesco shop window that is on my reciept and its advertising the same shoes for £7.50.

Wouldnt you be a bit miffed?

Yes I understand now. Now my problem is with the way it works Imagine I am Joe public and I have just bought something from a store where the name on the receipt says for example tesco, I pay £10 for lets say a pair of shoes and the address on the receipt is Tesco, alfreton, derbyshire because lets say for some reason some company used tescos cash register and I then walk past the Alfreton Tesco shop window that is on my reciept and its advertising the same shoes for £7.50.

Wouldnt you be a bit miffed?

Oh I fully understand why you are a bit miffed, was just trying to help explain what was going on

On the games planet site, it only lists the compatible operating systems as Windows.

Presumably, since you're purchasing a Steam code, it'll be Mac compatible too?

You haven't bought the game directly from SEGA. SEGA are not a retailer, they are a publisher and as such don't have the systems in place to sell the game directly. Therefore, in order to provide an FM branded store, they did a deal with Metaboli to set up a storefront with the branding sorted by SEGA with SEGA setting the price, the design of the store etc, but with the actual tech behind the scenes still being run by Metaboli.

The only difference is that is the name on the receipt. It may be something for us to feedback to Metaboli to see if SEGA can brand the receipts as well, but that may not be possible as it's all being processed by Metaboli's systems.

I'm sorry you got confused, I'll feed that back to the guys who put this together, but I'm trying to explain that it's not a conspiracy theory and that no-one is trying to screw you over.

Its no problem, I am not pissed off or anything about it I just found it very odd and wanted to know why this happened. I understand now how it works but I just think it works in a very strange way which gives normal people who are not tech experts the impression that its the same thing but SEGA charged £6 for the use of their link. They really don't want links in their reciepts going direct to the game £6 cheaper. I wouldnt have normally clicked the link but I only did it as I had at first wanted to purchase the game through steam and thought this was the way to do it and became confused at seeing that I had bought it from somewhere else and then I saw the price difference.

The receipt is also branded SEGA but if I show you what it said then I think you will see why the confusion...

Hello,

Thank you for ordering with http://uk-sega.gamesplanet.com.

We recommend that you keep this email as it contains useful information about your games and your order.

See you soon on http://uk-sega.gamesplanet.com

The Sega e-shop Team

That was the reciept. Now click the link or put it in your address bar and see what comes up. It also makes it worse that the link going to the £23.99 game has uk-sega in the title.

I'm in the samer situation as rich_barnes and to add on top, I actually preordered through this system after receiving the newsletter from sigames. What's the point of doing this? I'm gutted. Again it's not about 6£, more about the way this is handled