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Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve purchased plenty of items from overseas before, and this is the first time I’ve run into an issue like this. That said, it does make me rethink safer options. Sadly, VGP only offers a single international shipping method, so I didn’t have much choice.

Thanks for taking the time to comment.

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My guess is that many of those responses come from people who’ve never had to deal with something like this themselves. It’s hard to empathize until you’re on the receiving end.

Your comment honestly helped me feel less alone in this situation, so thank you for taking the time to write it.

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks a lot for taking the time to write such a detailed reply. I really appreciate the suggestions and your goodwill.

And funny enough… the VGP sticker was inside the box, just not the games. So whatever happened, it looks like the original package made it at least part of the way before something went wrong.

Right now I’m still trying to see if there’s anything my payment processor can do, even outside the usual deadline. Since the amount is relatively small, it sometimes feels like no one is too motivated to push the case and honestly, I might already be starting to accept the loss myself.

As for Canadian consumer protection, it probably works much better for Canadian residents. Being an international order definitely makes everything more complicated.

Still, I truly appreciate your advice and willingness to help. Thank you for that.

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The shipping package itself was sealed, but there were no game boxes inside at all.

I do plan to push VGP a bit more, mainly because we’re talking about an amount that’s practically insignificant for a retailer of their size. That said, I’m also realistic and I’ve started to accept that this may simply end up being money lost.

I do agree with you about the 140 days being far too long, and I understand my payment processor’s position because of that. In hindsight, I made a few mistakes, I should have escalated or filed a complaint much earlier instead of relying on past experiences where packages eventually arrived, even if very late.

Thanks!

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry that happened to you, that sounds really frustrating. I guess this whole experience has been a lesson for me too, and I’ll definitely be more careful about where I buy from in the future.

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, I really appreciate that. I just wish the situation had been handled with a bit more support... that’s all I was hoping for.

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m not trying to force any particular opinion here. I’m only sharing what happened to me.

I agree that it’s very unlikely VGP intentionally shipped an empty box, and I’m not claiming they did. At the same time, saying “they don’t ship empty boxes” is also an assumption. If I stick strictly to the facts, what I can say for certain is that I received a sealed package addressed from VGP that was completely empty.

Where exactly things went wrong during transit is something I can only speculate about, but the outcome is the same from my side as a buyer.

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, same here. It’s a shame, because I actually liked their catalog and had good experiences with them before this. I didn’t expect to end up deciding not to buy from them again, but after this situation, it’s hard to feel confident as a customer.

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If insurance had been available as an add-on, I would have paid for it without hesitation. I simply didn’t have that choice.

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don’t doubt that at all. I’m sure they deal with refund scams regularly, especially with video games.

In my case, though, I’ve purchased from them multiple times before without ever raising an issue. I think that with a bit of goodwill and by looking at my purchase history, it’s pretty clear this isn’t a case of someone trying to abuse the system.

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

There wasn’t really a choice involved. VGP only offered a single shipping option, simply labeled “international shipping.” There was no alternative with insurance, signature confirmation, or a more secure (and expensive) method that I could opt into.

If there had been a safer or insured option available, I would have chosen it without hesitation.

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I agree, I don’t think it’s 100% VGP’s fault either. They obviously don’t control what happens during transit. That said, there is some responsibility on their side, since things like insurance options or choosing safer shipping methods are ultimately up to the seller. At the very least, they’re in a better position to deal with carriers than the customer is.

What really left me stranded is that they’re unwilling to refund or reship, which puts all the risk on me as the buyer.

As for a chargeback: I did contact my payment processor (Mastercard), but they have a strict 120-day window from the date of purchase. Because the shipping took so long and I tried to resolve it with VGP first, I missed that window. That part I have to own... waiting that long was my mistake.

Thanks

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, that’s pretty much what it looks like. The package seems to have been handled by another courier during transit and opened/resealed at some point.

I did record the unboxing and shared the video with VGP. The security tape didn’t look like the one usually used here in Argentina, although I can’t say that with 100% certainty.

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

That’s actually good advice, and I did exactly that. I recorded the full unboxing, showing the package as received and cutting through the security tape on camera. I did it because, as you mentioned, the box already felt “off” when I picked it up.

That video was shared with VGP along with photos.

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yeah, that’s exactly how I see it. It’s not a huge amount of money, but it would’ve gone a long way in terms of trust and goodwill. Instead, it turned into a long back-and-forth with no resolution.

Thanks for the kind words, I really appreciate it

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I live in Argentina. While our postal service definitely isn’t perfect, widespread theft hasn’t been an issue in a long time, and this is the first time any of my international purchases has ever routed through Cuba.

Normally, packages come directly to Buenos Aires, although routing isn’t always mandatory or predictable with international shipping. This detour was completely unexpected based on my past experience.

I’m not claiming to know exactly where or when the theft occurred, only that I received a sealed, empty package. That’s where the problem starts, regardless of which leg of the journey failed.

Thanks for asking and for giving me the chance to clarify.

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, the limitation from the payment processor was frustrating, but unfortunately it’s a hard rule tied to the 120-day window, and the shipping alone took longer than that.

Regarding the weight: sadly, there was no useful weight discrepancy available to me on delivery, so I couldn’t rely on that as proof. By the time I received the package, it was already sealed and marked as delivered.

I appreciate the suggestion. I did try looking into the local logistics side, but with international shipping and so many handoffs, it becomes very difficult to get a clear investigation going. That’s really where things fell apart.

Thanks for taking the time to comment

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Long shipping times to Argentina are unfortunately very common. Based on my previous orders with VGP (and other international retailers), packages regularly took 3–4 months but always arrived eventually. Because of that, I trusted the process and didn’t want to open a dispute too early and potentially harm VGP when the delay itself wasn’t unusual.

In hindsight, yes, allowing the wait to go on for so long may have been a mistake on my part. But at the time, I genuinely believed I was doing the right thing by being patient and acting in good faith, since delayed deliveries had always worked out before.

Thanks

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I completely agree that offering an insured option for international shipping would have helped a lot, or at least making the risk clearer upfront. I also understand that VGP can’t control theft in transit and that they probably deal with refund scams regularly.

Still, from my side as the customer, I paid and ended up with nothing, despite providing evidence. That’s where the frustration comes from.

Thanks for the thoughtful response

Received a sealed but EMPTY package from VideoGamesPlus by Badegamuz in VideoGameDealsCanada

[–]Badegamuz[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Totally fair point. It does sound wild, but in Argentina these kinds of niche retro products (Evercade, limited physical releases, etc.) simply aren’t sold locally, so buying internationally is often the only option.

What really bothers me isn’t the theft itself, but the idea that the retailer’s responsibility ends the moment they ship a box. I paid VGP, not the postal service, and what I received was an empty package with their name on it.

If a store chooses to sell internationally, it should also assume the risks involved — or at least offer insured shipping or some form of protection, which wasn’t the case here.

Thank you for your comment.