Best Games

Tips On Finding The Best Games Online

If you are looking for the best games to buy to keep yourself entertained then you are probably also wondering where the best place is to go looking for those games. You can buy computer and video games from a variety of places online, but each outlet has its pros and cons, plus a few things that you need to look out for. Below are some tips on where to go looking for fun computer games, and what to look out for when buying them.

If you want to own a physical copy of a game then your two main online game outlet choices will probably be eBay and Amazon. Both outlets provide new games as well as second-hand ones. Both also source their games from a variety of third party suppliers, although Amazon also supply games themselves. There are some important differences in how each of these outlets rate products and sellers, and in how they handle payment and shipping though.

eBay sources most, if not all, of its products from third party suppliers and is largely focused on second-hand products sold via auction. It also has many new video games and other products available which are generally sold using ‘Buy It Now’ (BIN) pricing, where the price is shown up-front and is not negotiable. Due to the huge amount of competition amongst sellers on eBay it is fairly easy to find some good deals for computer games on there. eBay also has a good reputation system that allows you to see at a glance what sort of experience other buyers have had with a particular seller, and why they have rated them well or poorly.

The downside with eBay is that because the games and other products sold there are sourced from third parties, there is far more scamming and lower quality than on Amazon. Games can end up being pirated copies that may contain malware and may not be update-able. They can also be damaged or have missing disks and manuals. It’s a case of ‘buyer beware’. When buying off eBay, it is best to research the reputation of any seller you are considering buying from, and carefully read the description of the listing and the price and freight information. Once you receive the game, carefully check that the disks, manual, and packaging are authentic and are not poor quality imitations which may indicate that the game is a pirated copy. Also check that there are no missing items; such as the game documentation, game disks, or product registration codes. After installing the game, check that it runs effectively and that you can register it online if it includes this functionality. You should avoid giving the seller a rating on eBay until you are sure that you have received a genuine working game. If the game appears genuine, but there are issues with it, then contact the seller before giving them a negative rating to see if you can work something out with them.

Amazon source most of their games and other products from their own suppliers and from somewhat trusted third parties, so they can be a safer bet to buy from. Prices can be higher than on eBay however, as there is less direct competition between suppliers. Generally speaking, Amazon is a less complicated and more straightforward place to buy games.

Because there are less choices in regards to suppliers on Amazon, the emphasis with their reputation system tends to be more focused on the product than the supplier. Most games and other products include user reviews which highlight the pros and cons of the product. By scrolling to the bottom of the product page you can see the highest rated reviews and can also find a link to all the other available reviews. These reviews can often be quite detailed and informative. Bear in mind that not all reviews are genuine though. Some unscrupulous sellers may resort to posting their own biased reviews of their products, and some negative reviews may be posted by people trying to cause trouble. If a review looks like it’s unfairly biased then treat it with suspicion. The review system makes Amazon an easy place to find the best games though, as you can read real world experiences from people who have actually played the game.

Something to bear in mind with sellers on both outlets is that many of them have restrictions on how they sell and ship their products. Some suppliers will only ship to specific countries or they may exclude certain countries from their shipping. Some suppliers won’t ship to post office boxes. One problem with Amazon is that you often don’t find out this information until you have added the product to your shopping cart and have attempted to checkout. This can be an unnecessary time waster.

Finding the best games on eBay and Amazon can be tricky, but some research and careful consideration can pay dividends. Take your time and don’t just buy the first game you come across that sounds good. There is a wealth of information on both platforms to sort the best games from the duds, and the best suppliers from those that you will regret buying from. Happy gaming!