Sterkinekor trying to bully local gamers

[dappled]

702 sounds like a good option

except for that annoying primedia connection.

 

[TelkomUseless]

That's the good thing about most of the UK/US retailers who ship internationally many of them will resend or reimburse you if your shipment gets lost in the post.

and few 100 people claim , then the suppliers drop us like a hot patato .

Yea.. I was wondering when the prices skyrocketed in December and people imported from overseas... when is SK going to stop it.... and looks like they got wind of it. SK is monopoly on it's own (like Telkom). Your PS 2/3 games are expensive thanks to them!

 

[I am Penguin]

and few 100 people claim , then the suppliers drop us like a hot patato .

Yea.. I was wondering when the prices skyrocketed in December and people imported from overseas... when is SK going to stop it.... and looks like they got wind of it. SK is monopoly on it's own (like Telkom). Your PS 2/3 games are expensive thanks to them!

Well the Xbox games are not far of the same ballpark. Still very expensive. Remember the thread about the M$ game prices and the sudden price backtrack? Then they (M$) increased the price of the consoles.

Still the fact that games can be imported at 50% less is just

 

[Gru]

No more SK for me either.

 

[TelkomUseless]

Well the Xbox games are not far of the same ballpark. Still very expensive. Remember the thread about the M$ game prices and the sudden price backtrack? Then they (M$) increased the price of the consoles.

Still the fact that games can be imported at 50% less is just

O yes.. was the Xbox games being more expensive in December. My mistake.

But yea.. thanks to monopolies like Telkom, SK (sole distributor for Sony games) etc... we pay thru our butts for games. R700-900 per game , wait.. , HA f*cken ha.

 

[stefan9]

and few 100 people claim , then the suppliers drop us like a hot patato .

Yea.. I was wondering when the prices skyrocketed in December and people imported from overseas... when is SK going to stop it.... and looks like they got wind of it. SK is monopoly on it's own (like Telkom). Your PS 2/3 games are expensive thanks to them!

The policy extends to all international places these companies ship to. SA is hardly the only country on their list with bad customs and postal services.

 

[Milano]

No more SK for me either.

+1

 

[PeterCH]

Report them (SK) and SARS to the EC. They will get fined according to the WTO. This is illegal.

 

[PeterCH]

In fact, the first contact point in EU Trade services is the Market Access Unit, which will provide advice on the relevance of the issue and on the best way to handle the case. If a TBR Complaint were to be submitted, the officials of EU Trade services' TBR Unit can provide appropriate guidelines. Therefore, the procedure should not involve any particular costs for the complainant.

The Commission does not require complainants to stick to any particular complaint format, as long as the complaint contains sufficient information for the Commission to make a first assessment of the case. However, in order to facilitate the complaint process, DG TRADE has prepared a Model TBR Complaint showing the different elements that complaints should cover and providing additional explanations on specific technical issues.

The complaint must be submitted to the Commission in writing , in 3 copies if possible, and as you can see from the Model TBR Complaint, the complaint should include the following elements:

1. Identification of the complainant (name, address, representativity…) and of its activities, including general information on production, turnover, number of employees etc.
2. Definition of the goods, services or intellectual property rights affected by the trade barrier; data on trade flows in which the complainant is involved (as producer, transformer, importer or exporter).
3. Evidence of the existence of the trade barrier. The complaint should include sufficient preliminary elements such as:

* a factual description of the third country trade practice with a copy, if possible, of all the pertinent legislation or regulations. When the trade practice is not supported by the third country legislation or regulation, the complainant should provide as a prima facie evidence of its claim letters or faxes from sales agent, importers, clients,... confirming the existence of the trade practice.
* a summary of the evolution of the practice over time.
* if relevant, a report on actions that have already been undertaken against the practice.

4. Identification of a right of action of the EU under international trade rules. The complainant needs to identify relevant international trade rules against the contested practices of the third country. However, complainants do not need to develop a fully-fledged legal analysis.
5. Evidence that the trade barrier results or threatens to result in adverse trade effects or injury. Injury refers to effects on the EU market, whereas adverse trade effects refers to economic losses on third country markets. Threat of injury or of adverse trade effects may occur when, for instance, the contested trade practice has been adopted or maintained by the third country but not yet implemented.

http://ec.europa.eu/trade/issues/respectrules/tbr/ov_file.htm

Since this shop is in the UK (EU) this should apply.

Any persons who are EU citizens could also file this I gather, or go here:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/parliament/public/staticDisplay.do?id=49&pageRank=2&language=EN


Email Ster-Kinekor and say you will file such a complaint. Ask them for their particulars to help you file the complaint. You can probably also file a complaint against SARS.

If any US citizens are involved in this, they can file an FTC complaint:
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

Once again inform Ster Kinekor.

 

[Juice]

hahahaha - maybe we should all blame this guy:

http://www.hellopeter.com/the_comment.asp?recid=251189&comp=1132

Juice

 

[Freakboy]

I can get someone from 702 on this right away if need be.

Do it, do it!!! We need to get the media on this ASAP!!!!!

 

[Freakboy]

hahahaha - maybe we should all blame this guy:

http://www.hellopeter.com/the_comment.asp?recid=251189&comp=1132

Juice

That guy is just an idiot – what explanation what given that makes sense?!?!

 

[Albereth]

When I read this I almost looked at some legislation. The problem is that to the best of recollection (which is pathetic at best) there may be a provision in the films and publications act which can be used for the prevention of importation of media that would constitute "grey goods". In terms of intellectual property law, there is a doctrine called the exhaustion of rights. Basically what means is that once something has been legally bought by someone, they can do with it as they please (there are some exceptions). A good example would be sneakers... once a supplier in the USA buys a ton of Nike sneakers, they are his, and he can export them to South Africa to another supplier, something that would upset the company that has been appointed by Nike as the sole distributor for Nike in SA. Sneakers imported like that are grey goods.

However, when it comes to other items and products, there is more than one act involved. Like with a CD or a game. A game bears trade marks, but also constitutes a medium that is subject to the film and publications act (i think that's the act we're dealing with). It however also falls under the copyright act.

Unfortunately, there are provisions in the copyright act that prevent the importation of copyrighted material. Depending on the relationship between Ster Kinekor and the overseas company concerned, they may have the ability to stop importation. This is a ROUGH opinion. I used to be an IP lawyer, but cannot remember that much..

It really doesn't matter what the legislation says about copyrighted material. Everyone is entitled, by law, to bring in a title for their own use.

I suggest that the OP claim the costs of this exercise through the small claims court. That should wake SK up with little effort on the OP's part.

I would also pop down to the local police station and lay a charge of fraud against SK and its agents. Make sure that you get a case number and insist that it is followed up upon by the police.

They want to use the law to mess you about, they'll find it works both ways.

 

[jvk]

has the e-mail campaign started ? i haven't heard about this until this morning !
i don't own a ps3 but am against what ster kinekor is doing...i'll never visit their cinema's again! it's just plain pathetic what they are doing ...

 

[Albereth]

In SK's defence:
1.) They are the corporation responsible for "rating" games... remember the GTA 3 debacle? SK has the responsibility of making sure movies and games rated PG or M are in fact what they say and not R or X. We have VERY STRICT laws dealing with X rated material ONLY to be sold at sex shops (which just means they're an easy target)... remember there was a situation a few years back where a video rental chain was busted renting out XXX movies... they got their a$$es handed to them!
2.) I'm not sure... but they might be under some sort of warranty agreement with the game companies. I can think of no other reason why we only get a handful of game manufacturers sending their titles to SA. We only see a fraction of the PC game releases on our shelves here.

If its not something to do with the either of these two arguments... and SK just wants ALL GAMES to go through them to maintain their margins...
Well then, you have my support in boycotting their cinemas. Once there is a clear picture of what is going on, I'll mobilise whatever resources i can to add signatures to a petition or to boycott their facilities.

I think a nationwide boycott will be easy to facilitate since EVERYONE loves to b1tch about the price of movie tickets.
I can get someone from 702 on this right away if need be.

This has nothing to do with a game rating - it is not being sold in SA - it was bought overseas. You may buy any title you want irrespective of rating. (Kiddie pron being an obvious exception).
SK do not uphold warranties.

IMHO you are not going to get a movie house boycott going - what will the Discovery members do?

And if 702 had any decent reporters I'd suggest that they get onto it right away. But they don't (Except maybe Mandy Weiner and Jean Jacque)

 

[Oculate]

http://www.lazygamer.co.za/ps3/the-great-import-debacle-are-sk-blocking-imports

Bit of clarity before we start lighting the torches

 

[EtienneK]

http://www.lazygamer.co.za/ps3/the-great-import-debacle-are-sk-blocking-imports

Bit of clarity before we start lighting the torches

:/ If this is true, I apologise SK.

Luckily, according to Royal Mail, my KZ2 has not hit the SA shores, yet. Hopefully all this will be cleared up by the time it arrives here.

 

[xrapidx]

They've confiscated more than one copy though? ? ? And from the various forums it looks like Ster-Kinekor are involved in getting these items delayed.

 

[Albereth]

http://www.lazygamer.co.za/ps3/the-great-import-debacle-are-sk-blocking-imports

Bit of clarity before we start lighting the torches

I don't think that this is clarity - if anything it looks like an attempt to divert attention.

And from some of the commnets posted on the hellopeter site, it seems that there has been intereference from SK through its lawyers. Even if they know that all they are doing is stall - gamers want it and they want it now. And if it suddenly takes a month longer people will start paying the extra fees.

Light those torches!

 

[tinman]

SterKinekor denies blocking Shopto.net purchases

MyGaming

There is presently no evidence to support the claim that SterKinekor is behind any of this. They have denied it, and until evidence surfaces that they are involved, we can only really speculate.

If anybody has any real evidence, or is involved in any of these cases please PM me.