Taleworlds Smuggling Ring

[arbites_augmented]

Taken from the RockPaperShotgun forums, the premise is simple. On DD services like Steam, some deals are only available in the US, UK, Asia, Europe, whatever. Some games have a wacky currency translation, where £5 is equal $5.

This annoys people.

There's a very simple way of getting around this:

Jim wants a game on Steam, but it's only on sale in the UK, and he lives in the US. Jim notices he has a friend in the UK, called Sean. Jim sends money pertaining to the cost of the game (In the UK) to Sean, via Paypal. Sean then gift purchases the game, and gives it to Jim.

Simple enough, and it's legal.

Anyone interested in putting their name down?

 

[mdk31]

Might be interested in doing it. Kind of paranoid about sending money first, but meh.

 

[arbites_augmented]

Well yeah, obviously the main thing that's stopping people is trust, but on a close-knit forum with plenty of volunteers, shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Orion]

One thing to consider is that Paypal sometimes taxes international money transfers (even Canada to U.S., I've noticed), so if in your example Jim sent the exact amount to his UK buddy Sean, Sean might not get the exact amount and would have to bother Jim to transfer the rest.

I also seem to be meeting with a lot of hostility from our members across the Atlantic, so I don't think I'd be sending any money that way soon. That is, if I had any money to be spending on games right now.

 

[gamerwiz09]

An alternative could be gifting something in return, instead of sending cash.

 

[arbites_augmented]

As long as it's the same value, or just making up the difference.

 

[MaHuD]

Not to mention my paypal takes 5 - 7 days to transfer money, the sales are all gone after that.

 

[arbites_augmented]

As long as you tell the helper that you've at least put the transfer through, it shouldn't be a problem if they trust you

 

[Wellenbrecher]

Actually I'm willing to do this.For the simple reason to see if I can circumvent Steam's censorship this way.
So if anyone is willing to test this with the £3.75 sale for Red Faction Guerilla, I'd be happy to.

 

[arbites_augmented]

Sure, I'd be willing to do it. Steam name?

 

[Wellenbrecher]

See the PM.
Sorry 'bout the confusion, should've edited the post when he wrote back to me.

 

[Taimat396]

I'm up for testing it, I guess. I don't use steam myself, but I'm all for the smuggling thing. Though the UK isn't exactly known for it's great prices.

 

[Wellenbrecher]

Ok ye smugglers. That is Calodine and Alex_Aug.

Steam has Saints Row 2 for 4,99€/£2.49 which, if you're seated in lovely Germany, has this neat label:

So I'm willing to try this. Any takers that like to help me in my quest?

 

[Austupaio]

God, I can't even imagine what German censors could do to Saints Row 2.

I'll shoot you a PM.

 

[Wellenbrecher]

The smuggling was successful.
Many thanks, good sir

 

[Austupaio]

Successful smuggle was successful, Wellenbrecher got his Saint's Row, I got King's Bounty. The prices were a little off, but I don't mind giving my German friend here a couple dollars.

I just picked the first thing that looked interesting, cheap and that I knew the Germans wouldn't censor.

 

[Wellenbrecher]

[me=Wellenbrecher]hurries off mumbling to himself 'if only he knew, if only..'[/me]

Too bad Steam's overloaded right now.

 

[Austupaio]

Oh, god, did they censor it? I don't really care, it's a little cartoony game that I'd be surprised if it had blood to begin with.

 

[Wellenbrecher]

They're bad, but not that bad.

So Steam has Borderlands and GTA IV for 10,91€ and 7,49€. Anyone from the UK, US, Canada, other countries with ucnensored content up for a little smuggling again? I'd be willing to do it like Austupaio and me did (gifiting games to each other that have aprox. the same value) or we could just do it via PayPal or something.
This would require a bit of trust on both ends, as I am well aware.

 

[temizkopat]

Hi, as you know for today gta IV is 5 $, but it's not available in my country. Can anybody buy it for me in exchange of another game ?

Thanks