Over the past year or so, I've started noticing loopholes in many major retail outlets that could be exploited for fun and profit. I've just now returned from my 3rd successful scheme, so I've decided to share in my discoveries.

Scheme 1 - Buy one controller, replace the others for $5 each
Ever since the release of the Nintendo 64, I noticed something distinct about all the subsequent generations of console controllers...mainly that their lifespan has dropped down to a mere year or two before becoming a hindrance. After having owned a gamecube for 3 years, I found that 3 of my controllers had shown signs of wear and tear...two of which to the point where they were barely useable. I decided to break down and get a new controller.

As I was going through the check-out at Best Buy, I was offered an interesting proposition: For $5 more, I could get a 1 year no-questions-asked replacement policy on my controller. I immediately saw potential exploitation in this deal, so I took it. Here's the conclusion I came to: Colors aside, there is no distinguishable difference between the controller I just purchased and the broken-down controllers I have sitting at home. As long as the color matches, I could come back a few months later with an old controller, replace it for a brand new one, purchase another $5 replacement plan, then come back a few months later with another old controller for yet another replacement.

For a mere $40, you can swap out 4 old controllers for 4 new ones (assuming the colors match).

Scheme 2 - Taking advantage of after-purchase sales
This one is a bit more situational, but still a completely valid exploitation none-the-less.
Last December, I had purchased a Nintendo DS as an X-mas present at EB. A week later, I get an E-mail coupon from EB offering a free game with the purchase of any console+game.

I already knew of a game that I was planning to get, and I have an unopened console within 30 days of its point-of-sale. So I took the DS back to EB, returned it, and then purchased it again along with another DS game. Then I sent the new reciept and coupon to EB, and a month or two later, they gave me a $30 voucher which i subsequently used to purchase Metroid Hunters.

As long as you don't open the merchandise, they cannot refuse any return policy their store has. I think the manager was a little pissed though. Next time I'll make the trade-off between two different stores...there's a million EB outlets near me anyway.

Scheme 3 - Recieved damaged goods online? Don't make it YOUR problem
For Xmas, I got a DVD boxed-set. 3 months later, a friend and I started watching through them. By the 4th DVD, we discovered that right out of the case the disk was pretty badly scratched, and therefore was mostly unreadable. Clearly this was an injustice, but the situation for redemption couldn't have been more inconvenient. The product was shipped to my parent's house across the country, they purchased it from God knows where over the internet, the defect was discovered months after purchase, and finally, the invoice was nowhere to be found. Even despite these problems, someone would still have to cover the shipping expenses...and the dvd individually is only worth $15 to begin with. Then there's also the inconvenience of waiting a few weeks for a new copy. However, I came up with yet another plan...

Walking over to my local Best Buy, I pick up a copy of the same DVD that was scratched. I take it home and promptly swap out the disk with my damaged one. The following day, I take it back to the returns dept, explaining that this product I purchased is defective. Naturally, it's against store policy to allow a refund for opened merchandise, however they can grant a replacement if necessary. My original plan was to take the replacement, wait a week, then return it unopened, claiming that it was a gift for someone who already happened to own a copy. Fortunately I was able to kill two birds with one stone, as it turned out the copy I purchased was the last one in stock, and so replacement wasn't an option. I walked out with a full refund and a working copy of my DVD.


So those are my stories of how I stuck it to the corporate system. Anybody else have any noteworthy findings worth sharing?