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Best place to buy games online? UK

T

thenexus6

Member
I am wondering on peoples opinions about the best place to purchases games online (for launch day).

I would like somewhere which normal ships a day or so early, accepts paypal and has some kind of reward system where you earn points to put towards new games.

I've only ever bought games online from amazon, tesco and play.com (back in the day)

I hear gamecollection.net is pretty good? I will not be buying from Shopto.

Thanks!
 
The Official Nintendo store is the best (But pricey). But obviously they only sell Nintendo games.

For all the rest Amazon have never done me wrong (Neither have Shopto, but for some reason you won't shop there)
 
For release day purchases I tend to prefer ShopTo. They always manage to deliver early or on release, they have a rewards system that discounts prices automatically at different tiers, and I >think< they accept PayPal.

I've never had an issue using them, but I know others have. They don't typically respond on Twitter, but the live chat has always worked for me on their site. As for pricing, typically I find they match or come close enough to the cheapest out there.

edit: Missed your note about not using ShopTo. Clearly you're someone who's had a bad experience.

edit 2: it's also worth mentioning Rice Digital (owned by Funstock). They tend to focus on RPGs and fighting games, but they can be cheapest. Their sales are usually very good.
 
Flappy said:
The Official Nintendo store is the best (But pricey). But obviously they only sell Nintendo games.

For all the rest Amazon have never done me wrong (Neither have Shopto, but for some reason you won't shop there)
Click to expand...

I've just heard so many bad things about them and can't be bothered risking buying anything from them.
 
ShopTo are the best, but seeing as you don't want to use them, Amazon are probably your best bet. Not always 100% of getting it before release though. I stopped using GAME a while back as stuff was arriving late most of the time.
 
mthw said:
For release day purchases I tend to prefer ShopTo. They always manage to deliver early or on release, they have a rewards system that discounts prices automatically at different tiers, and I >think< they accept PayPal.

I've never had an issue using them, but I know others have. They don't typically respond on Twitter, but the live chat has always worked for me on their site. As for pricing, typically I find they match or come close enough to the cheapest out there.
Click to expand...

Exactly the same reasons for me. I live in the Shetland isles and I still get games on the day before release. ShopTo are competitive, ship early and offer sort of okay support. That's enough for me, personally.
 
The best place I use is ShopTo. Whats your problem with it? I usually get games about 1-2 days before release date with ShopTo.
Amazon usually get it on the day or a day later, and Zavvi get games to me about 4 days after release. lol.

Play.com has pretty much been overshadowed by Rakuten now by the way, since its their parent site.

I mostly just use HotUKDeals to find the best offers anyway.
 
Thegamecollection have always been good for me. I used to use shopto but now thegamecollection gets most my money. Plus they seem to get the game out a few days before release day too which is nice.
 
Why does everyone have ShopTo? I've used them for years and have had no problems, and games sometimes come early..
 
Acquiescence said:
Don't pledge allegiance to one site, let HotUKDeals show you the way to go.
Click to expand...

This.

Shopto offer a great service but their prices are now pretty poor versus the competition. Amazon are always pretty good for release day, but never early. Game Collection done well by me for quite a few preorders recently, they're one to watch.
 
ShopTo all the way for me, when I wasn't full digital I would pre order from them and everything would arrive on the day or the day before release. However I have noticed now the prices aren't as good as before, probably because they've started selling other crap now.

Also both my launch xbone and ps4 were bought from them
 
Don't worry about reward points. Buying from the cheapest place by a few quid each time will more than make up for them.
 
I use Nintendo store for ninty stuff and amazon prime for everything else.

Nintendo store often dispatches pretty early - I got Hyrule Warriors on the tuesday before release, and the last wave of amiibos a week before release. Ambassador N3DS I got last week, the day after they sent out the emails.
 
I mostly buy on amazon due to having prime but ShopTo has Paypal same with Game (thought prefer not to use them due due to usually being the most expensive).
 
Shopto got hacked a number of years ago I think is peoples main problem.

I had £500 debited from my account due to it but my bank stopped the transaction automatically anyway, I guess people who's bank wasn't pro active probably hold a pretty big grudge.

I still use the site and find it good for an early delivery now and again. Mostly decent prices.
 
Keep an eye on the prices and shop around - get some odd good deals on The Hut, Zavvi & Amazon.

Find those deals on:
http://savygamer.co.uk/ and Hot UK deals to get the best deals.
Savy Gamer really is a great way to see all the UK games deals in one place. But to be honest, I avoid looking at these sites a LOT as they tend to push me into "impulse buys" which add to my backlog and make me spend more money.

But generally, like most others here, Shop.to is my "goto place" for 80-90% of games. Never had a problem with them. They have been late once (a LOT less than Amazon Prime) and others. And the one time I had a lost parcel it was resolved and sorted very fast and easily.
 
Whichever is the cheapest at the time.

I've brought things from most online retailers, and have never had a problem, even with Zavvi!
 
I went to pre-order TLOU from amazon and the estimated delivery date was 5 days after release. I would pay more for a guaranteed release say delivery. Probably because I live in Ireland.
 
What's the best UK site that ships to elsewhere in EU as well? UK game prices are super low compared to other European countries so I am interested.
 
ShopTo hands down have been the best for me.

Amazon is great too but ShopTo has a point system and if you buy a lot from them it does build up, plus ShopTo accepts PayPal so that's pretty neat too.
 
SlickShoes said:
Shopto got hacked a number of years ago I think is peoples main problem.

I had £500 debited from my account due to it but my bank stopped the transaction automatically anyway, I guess people who's bank wasn't pro active probably hold a pretty big grudge.

I still use the site and find it good for an early delivery now and again. Mostly decent prices.
Click to expand...

I think it was their response to the hacking that got them a bad rep with some people, rather than the hacking itself.

I still use them, or Amazon. I tend to go for Shopto if I want a game on the launch day, and they usually show up a day or so early.
 
thenexus6 said:
I will not be buying from Shopto.
Click to expand...

Could I ask why you won't buy from ShopTo? I've used them for many years and every single pre-order I've made has been delivered the day before release without a single problem.

Edit: Just read the rest of the thread.
 
As others have mentioned always check HotUKDeals for offers. Back before the PS4 had even launched I had preordered Destiny/Diablo 3 and FIFA 14 for about the grand total of £30 after cashback/vouchers values etc.
 
I just use amazon or gamestop if they have a trade in offer, who are okay. Flubit is/was pretty good for cheap games if you don't mind waiting longer

I used to use ShopTo, who are good until you have an issue, their CS is awful. When I (politely) asked to be removed from their spam mailing list after clicking unsubscribe for the hundredth time, they closed my account instead. Plus the hacking episode.
 
Of course, Gameplay.co.uk used to be the GOAT. I used them from PS1/N64 days via telephone order, all the way until they closed/got bought by Game.

RIP. :(
 
So I don't know how legit these awards are but MCV does do an award for retailers:

MAINSTREAM RETAILER
Amazon
Argos
Asda
Dixons Retail
Sainsbury&#8217;s
ShopDirect
Tesco
Toys R Us

INDEPENDENT RETAILER &#8211; ONLINE
365games
GamePointsNow
Gameseek
Go2Games
Simply Games
The Game Collection

SPECIALIST RETAILER
GAME
Grainger Games
Green Man Gaming
HMV
***********
Zavvi.co.uk
Click to expand...
I underlined the winners. Have shopped with GAME, GameSeek and SimplyGames online, I liked all. Prefer Simply though because I don't like GAME's overall strategy.
Spades said:
Of course, Gameplay.co.uk used to be the GOAT. I used them from PS1/N64 days via telephone order, all the way until they closed/got bought by Game.

RIP. :(
Click to expand...
I believe I kept shopping with them after they got bought out by GAME. They got much more expensive I think and I was too young and stupid to realise. Cool site I really liked the layout also. I seem to remember switching to Powerplaydirect and Choices for a brief period.
Dougald said:
I just use amazon or gamestop if they have a trade in offer, who are okay. Flubit is/was pretty good for cheap games if you don't mind waiting longer.
Click to expand...
Flubit still going strong but they only match Amazon now so you have to get Amazon to price match.. then go to Flubit.. then hope it's still in stock by the time Flubit makes you an offer. Such a hassle. Agreed about ShopTo. Stopped shopping with them because of the general attitude from management and staff.
 
I use Amazon mostly and orders arrive on or before the day of launch. Unless GAME has an exclusive collector's edition that I want. I normally receive GAME orders on the day before release, but that might be because I am based near its warehouse in the South.
 
ShopTo are the best UK site for pre-orders, too bad the OP had problems with it.

Amazon would be a second best, the problem is that if you want day -1 or -2 (Wednesday or Thursday) deliveries you might be out of luck some times, probably most, unless you are Prime, and even then, you will most likely get the games on Fridays.
 
I'd also echo what's been said here.

Before PS4 I'd used shopto almost exclusively. Usually you'd get games a day or two before release and they were always (90%+ of the time) the cheapest. Got my PS4 from them too.

Since launch of this gen though I've found Simply Games to be slightly better. They tend to be more competitive on pricing and fast delivery.

As has been pointed out HUKD is a useful tool. I picked up AC:Unity for £22 at tesco through that (Shopto were selling it for £35 at the same time...).

I used up some trade in credit to buy DA:I from Shopto recently. Ordered at 4pm and it was through my letterbox the next day - can't fault that.
 
I either use Shop-to or Amazon. For pre-orders Shop-to are the best for shipping early, they also accept PayPal so the problems that people had with them in the past should be gone now.

Btw avoid Zavvi/The Hut, they tend to ship late
 
I've used ShopTo for the last, probably 9 years for every console and every new game I've bought over that time. Must have made hundreds of purchases, all pre-orders come at least a day early unless its a console, which always arrives day of release.

Zelda TTP on Gamecube arrived a day late. Right by Xmas. Royal Mail messed up. That is my one non-perfect experience with ShopTo, and it wasn't their fault.
 
I'm still using Amazon & Graingers.But as with a few others here my son swears by Simplygames. I may just have to give them a try considering some of the prices they have.
 
I used to use Shopto, until they suddenly hiked their average price. Now I usually use Amazon, but I do keep an eye out for deals elsewhere
 
Simply games and gameseek always very fast delivery and really good prices sometimes, the PS4 is £280 right now on simply which seems like a good price to me.
 
I'm UK gaf, and all my games come from Amazon, Tesco, or digital purchases. You already shop in the best places.

Unless I just also shop in bad ones :D
 
Shopto, early delivery and discounted prices when you order so much in a year, been using them for years now
But it's best to shop around, but if you want it early Shopto, game was good once but they're as like Amazon now, on the day or after with deliverys.
 
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