How Do Sites Like G2A Work?

[Anonymous1b]

The title says it all. Exactly how do sites like G2A work? I just came from a thread talking about Windows licenses at $25 and even a cursory glance at the site shows Arkham Knight, a brand new game, being sold at 30% of the current price. Are they fake, pirated, sent from Heaven, what?

[Aytex]

yea it works. they buy the codes from different countries that sell them cheaper and sell them on their website for around the same price

[grayblizzard]

The title says it all. Exactly how do sites like G2A work? I just came from a thread talking about Windows licenses at $25 and even a cursory glance at the site shows Arkham Knight, a brand new game, being sold at 30% of the current price. Are they fake, pirated, sent from Heaven, what?

no people are selling the steam keys "used"

[Swndlr]

Aliens confirmed.

[Jerakl]

Buy in countries where game is cheap, mark up. Sell to countries where game is more expensive, for a discount.

 

I think it's something like that.

[EarthboundHero]

For Batman, they probably got them with a GPU or something.

[Vivilacqua1]

I don't know how it works with the new released games, but older games are like this: Example- Let's imagine that Terraria was on sale for around $1. someone bought it, and posted the key on g2a for $2 later when you could only buy it for $5. That way you are buying the same game for cheaper and the person selling the game is making money off it.

 

I also bought windows for $22 off g2a about a year ago.

[Anonymous1b]

Which countries have the games for cheaper? For the most part, prices for electronics and such items are actually cheapest in the US (I know because I have lived in three different countries and compared to US prices, I'm almost always praying a fortune for things like that). Most American companies not only convert the dollar price into the local currency, they often also add a hefty surcharge on top (some of it could be justified due to taxes or duties or so on but, often, it's just more profit).

[MaxBunny]

Which countries have the games for cheaper?

Digital codes are usually always cheaper in Russia and Brazil for example. That's why Steam implemented region locks to stop cross regional trading for lower prices. But places like G2A will find games from free promotions and resell you those, or resell AMD/NVIDIA codes (which is why some stores in those regions sell graphics cards without the codes), or resell humble bundle keys even though it violates the HIB terms of service. Basically, they don't care where they get it as long as they can sell it to you at a profit.

 

They have no main source for anything and their main profit is from charging you for G2A Shield. It's their illegal insurance that they're required by international laws to give you for free (a guaranteed working product) if you knew your consumer rights. But since you don't, and since they can't guarantee working products...that's how they can make enough to continue operating with such massive profit margins.

 

But you or anyone else doesn't buy from them cause they're legit with solid warranties. You do it because it's cheap and the risk is low enough to warrant it. If any issues come up then you just have to cut losses and wish you bought it elsewhere.

[Fluffinator]

no people are selling the steam keys "used"

No..... 

[Snickerzz]

Currency conversion abuse

Say a game costs $60 USD but also $60 Russian Ruble, if you convert 60 Ruble to USD, its about $1, so they will buy it but then flip it to you for $2 at a discount to you, but 60 ruble profit for them, win win.. kinda. It supports the devs of the game less. 

 

Usually the game publishers try to match the currencies ($60 USD is ~3366 Ruble) But since currency rates are constantly changing it may not always be up to date.

[Inventrious]

The title says it all. Exactly how do sites like G2A work? I just came from a thread talking about Windows licenses at $25 and even a cursory glance at the site shows Arkham Knight, a brand new game, being sold at 30% of the current price. Are they fake, pirated, sent from Heaven, what?

A lot of keys are fake/pirated. 

[sgtcool]

Which countries have the games for cheaper?

i think poland , russia, 3rd world countries?

[sgtcool]

A lot of keys are fake/pirated. 

no theyre not

you get a CD key, if its already used they refund it

[Inventrious]

no theyre not

you get a CD key, if its already used they refund it

Oh yes they are. Search around and you'll see.

[GrimNeo]

I don't trust G2A at all. A lot of friends I knew got invalid keys.

[Remilia]

People sell their game keys there, as long as they're not illegally obtained, everything is okay.

 

It's just like Ebay, your experience mostly depends on the buyer you choose. If the buyer have few rating and is selling keys dirt-cheap, then you should be skeptical. Go for the ones with thousands of transactions completed and have top ratings, even if it costs you a bit more.

[Sir Asvald]

Hide yo keys hides yo steam keys! Dey be stealing.

Me jokes me jokes.

They most likely buy cheap from other countries and sell for a profit.

[sgtcool]

Oh yes they are. Search around and you'll see.

then tell me how you can pirate a key...

 

and if the key doesnt work they refund it

[sgtcool]

People sell their game keys there, as long as they're not illegally obtained, everything is okay.

 

It's just like Ebay, your experience mostly depends on the buyer you choose. If the buyer have few rating and is selling keys dirt-cheap, then you should be skeptical. Go for the ones with thousands of transactions completed and have top ratings, even if it costs you a bit more.

no not really, if the key doesnt work, you get a refund within 3 days (if you have g2a shield enabled)

[Inventrious]

then tell me how you can pirate a key...

 

and if the key doesnt work they refund it

I don't know how, nor do I care. 

 

Hide yo keys hides yo steam keys! Dey be stealing.

Me jokes me jokes.

They most likely buy cheap from other countries and sell for a profit.

Where are they going to get Watch_Dogs for $2? Which country?

 

People sell their game keys there, as long as they're not illegally obtained, everything is okay.

 

It's just like Ebay, your experience mostly depends on the buyer you choose. If the buyer have few rating and is selling keys dirt-cheap, then you should be skeptical. Go for the ones with thousands of transactions completed and have top ratings, even if it costs you a bit more.

Thousands of transactions just means thousands of fake/pirated keys sold. 

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

no people are selling the steam keys "used"

 

You can't sell a used Steam Key.

[spyder]

Some keys are stolen which therefore are blocked by the publishers, other keys are bought in bulk from countries where the proposed item sells for less, sometimes keys are given from part of a subscription which is illegal like Microsoft dreamspark, Technet (Gone now), MSDN. 

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

I don't know how it works with the new released games, but older games are like this: Example- Let's imagine that Terraria was on sale for around $1. someone bought it, and posted the key on g2a for $2 later when you could only buy it for $5. That way you are buying the same game for cheaper and the person selling the game is making money off it.

 

I also bought windows for $22 off g2a about a year ago.

 

How do you buy just the key on Steam? If you buy yourself or gift you never get to see the code, no?

[Vivilacqua1]

How do you buy just the key on Steam? If you buy yourself or gift you never get to see the code, no?

I dunno, I just know that that's how it works (I think.) try google?