Why are steam prices overpriced?

[brullenbakken]

I was looking at prices on steam the other day and I found that the prices on G2a are much lower than on steam, eg.: for IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad you pay 7.25€ and 45.99€ respectively also GTA V G2a: 37.40€, Steam:59.99€.

These aren't just differences, they're huge more than 50% for some games.

You might or might not get my point, but my question remains: Why does steam ask  for more money than a site?

 

links to my sources:

IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad: http://store.steampowered.com/app/307960/ andhttps://www.g2a.com/il-2-sturmovik-battle-of-stalingrad-cd-key-global.html

Grand Theft Auto V: http://store.steampowered.com/app/271590/

https://www.g2a.com/grand-theft-auto-v-steam-cd-key-global.html

[79wjd]

Steam is an official retail store whereas G2a is a bunch of resellers. It's like using ebay/craigslist as a baseline compared to Amazon. (A lot of G2A sellers buy keys when they're on sale/in bulk and/or from countries where prices are lower)

[themctipers]

not for me..

[Hero7750]

Because steam is official and with g2a you always have the chance of not getting your game.

[79wjd]

1 minute ago, Hero7750 said:

Because steam is official and with g2a you always have the chance of not getting your game.

If you pay the extra dollar or two, G2A will guarantee that it activates. 

[Hero7750]

Just now, djdwosk97 said:

If you pay the extra dollar or two, G2A will guarantee that it activates. 

I know

[cortexcortex]

32 minutes ago, djdwosk97 said:

Steam is an official retail store whereas G2a is a bunch of resellers. It's like using ebay/craigslist as a baseline compared to Amazon. (A lot of G2A sellers buy keys when they're on sale/in bulk and/or from countries where prices are lower)

this

[Quinnbeast]

Overpriced? No. The likes of G2A survives purely from undercutting official sellers, and is therefore under-priced, relative to the intended retail cost. Also, when you buy a game on G2A that most likely activates on Steam, who has to foot the bill of the bandwidth for the download? Hint: it's not G2A.

[KuJoe]

On Steam the publisher determines the price (not Steam), on G2A the seller determines the price (not the publisher).

[FPS-Russia]

I got Fallout 3 GOTY 7 days ago for $7.99 on Steam.

[Redicat]

6 hours ago, djdwosk97 said:

If you pay the extra dollar or two, G2A will guarantee that it activates. 

 

6 hours ago, Hero7750 said:

Because steam is official and with g2a you always have the chance of not getting your game.

I don't ever get a not working Steam key. G2A just offers guarantee for profit porpose the keys get checked automatically. I know this since i've sold on G2A myself.

[LogicalDrm]

14 hours ago, djdwosk97 said:

If you pay the extra dollar or two, G2A will guarantee that it activates. 

Not really. Its more like you pay for warranty which replaces key with working one. There will be keys which don't activate and G2A can't do anything about them. All they can do is give another key.

[79wjd]

Just now, LoGiCalDrm said:

Not really. Its more like you pay for warranty which replaces key with working one. There will be keys which don't activate and G2A can't do anything about them. All they can do is give another key.

Either way, you're guaranteed to get the item you pay for. How they guarantee that is irrelevant. 

[SageOfSpice]

It isn't that Steam is overpriced, but their sales are only for a limited time, and then they revert back to the standard shelf-price. On G2A, a lot of the keys are bought in bulk during these cheap sales, during bundle sales, or other promotions. They'll mark the price up a bit, and then resell the keys. It's convenient, and they make a pretty good profit off of it. It's nice to be able to get a game that was on sale for the sale price if you end up missing it on Steam.

 

The majority of those GTA 5 keys were from the shark card bundle, and then later when it went on sale for like $30.

 

It's always nicer to get things on Steam itself though, as then you'll be able to utilize their support, and you won't have to worry about repercussions or anything. So, even if it is more expensive at times, it's still worth it for the service they provide. There is a cost to everything, they say. Maybe not always in terms of the monetary sense, but ease of mind.

 

I haven't had any issues with G2A yet. Yet.

I think I've actually bought the majority of my games from them. I'm always really terrible at hitting Steam sales. I end up buying a game for $60, then it goes on sale the next day for $20 with all the DLC included. Bah, I say. You will not make me feel bad about my luck, Steam.

[Mihle]

steam is not overpriced. g2a is shady, I would never buy from them.

 

Steam in my country is cheaper than the price in Euro, and that is strange.

[Sovek]

G2A, ahhhh Nope, I will never ever buy from them because its shady as hell and I'd be very interested to know how many and which keys are being sold via scammed credit cards.

 

Also, the key may activate but a month or two down the road and its then blocked because it was a scammed key, G2A can't help you there, and to be frank, the website promotes a very real crime. Credit Card theft is a very serious crime and offering a quick way to make a buck is shady as heck.

[79wjd]

23 minutes ago, Sovek said:

G2A, ahhhh Nope, I will never ever buy from them because its shady as hell and I'd be very interested to know how many and which keys are being sold via scammed credit cards.

 

Also, the key may activate but a month or two down the road and its then blocked because it was a scammed key, G2A can't help you there, and to be frank, the website promotes a very real crime. Credit Card theft is a very serious crime and offering a quick way to make a buck is shady as heck.

If keys being revoked was a seriously common problem then g2a would be at the receiving end of a massive internet shitstorm (which isnt happening).

 

Also, a lot of the keys also come from other sources (cheaper regional pricing, bundled codes, etc...). But if you want to avoid it on a moral reason, then that's fair. 

[Sovek]

11 minutes ago, djdwosk97 said:

If keys being revoked was a seriously common problem then g2a would be at the receiving end of a massive internet shitstorm (which isnt happening).

Right, just because you don't see any "shitstorm" doesnt mean it isnt happening.

https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/2tlejw/ubisoft_is_banning_cd_keys_bought_off_websites/

 

https://www.steamgifts.com/discussion/VGT9e/my-gift-just-disappeared

 

https://steamcommunity.com/app/427920/discussions/0/405692124740015724/

 

 

[79wjd]

Just now, Sovek said:

Right, just because you don't see any "shitstorm" doesnt mean it isnt happening.

https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/2tlejw/ubisoft_is_banning_cd_keys_bought_off_websites/

 

https://www.steamgifts.com/discussion/VGT9e/my-gift-just-disappeared

 

https://steamcommunity.com/app/427920/discussions/0/405692124740015724/

 

 

And if it was a widespread issue that was actually problematic then you'd have more than the occasional thread where a few people have an issue.....unless of course you'd also like to call most hardware shit because you get the occasional product that's DOA. There will always be issues with every product you purchase. When you start seeing massive shitstorms is when you have an actual problem. 

 

[79wjd]

Just now, Sovek said:

Right, just because you don't see any "shitstorm" doesnt mean it isnt happening.

https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/2tlejw/ubisoft_is_banning_cd_keys_bought_off_websites/

 

https://www.steamgifts.com/discussion/VGT9e/my-gift-just-disappeared

 

https://steamcommunity.com/app/427920/discussions/0/405692124740015724/

 

 

And if it was a widespread issue that was actually problematic then you'd have more than the occasional thread where a few people have an issue.....unless of course you'd also like to call most hardware shit because you get the occasional product that's DOA. There will always be issues with every product you purchase. When you start seeing massive shitstorms is when you have an actual problem. 

 

[Synth3D]

If you purchase from Steam, you are directly supporting the developer and the steam platform. If it is an early access title, you are paying towards the development cost of the game.

[-X-]

Same reason as to why you pay less for things such as firearms from the "black" market vs to paying for them in a legit registered store. G2A is a bunch of bullshit, Steam is a legit place to buy games. 

[eye2012]

Steam is expensive. I dont use G2A because they're hackfrauds but any other website where buy the cd key only is cheaper than steam. New Deus Ex 32 euro... vs 60euro on steam.. lol 

[Kpeckham]

On 9/4/2016 at 8:48 AM, eye2012 said:

Steam is expensive. I dont use G2A because they're hackfrauds but any other website where buy the cd key only is cheaper than steam. New Deus Ex 32 euro... vs 60euro on steam.. lol 

G2a aren't "hackfrauds" if you pay the extra dollar its guaranteed your key will work. I don't pay that and I only have had a problem once which was solved through contacting the seller and disputing it on both paypal and g2a. This was irritating but it is worth having the lower prices on most games.

[Squirrel724]

11 minutes ago, Kpeckham said:

G2a aren't "hackfrauds" if you pay the extra dollar its guaranteed your key will work. I don't pay that and I only have had a problem once which was solved through contacting the seller and disputing it on both paypal and g2a. This was irritating but it is worth having the lower prices on most games.

"guaranteed to work" is not the same as "guaranteed to be legal". You really have no way to determine if the key you are purchasing was acquired using a stolen credit card or other illegal means..