cdwow bites

[eskyman]

Fair point HeDanny. I know what you mean. I mostly import too but with websites that are more open about their stock levels. If it can ship within 24 hours you should be relatively safe. Any longer than that and you really take the risk. It can be nerve-wracking (especially now the dollar is so unstable) to place an order only to find it might take days to be processed. You end up checking the exchange rates constantly and praying that they won't work against you. You might want to suggest to the websites that you buy from to include an option to either charge up front or charge when ready to ship. DVDCrave does this, and I don't see why it shouldn't become standard practice. Not to keep plugging DVDCrave, I've had my issues with them too, but their processes seem to be more to my liking.

Not sure about CDWOW being well respected. I'd never heard of them until first starting to use this site recently. Just from the basic information of experiences listed here I'm inclined to avoid the website until they fix their processes. Just my opinion though. I'll have to take a better look at their website at some point. If it works for you then go for it.

So is CDWOW actually an import website? Can anyone else confirm shipments come from outside the country?

[MLTZER]

yeah they come from out side the country, hong kong i think

[eskyman]

So am I right in saying both sagara0510 and MLTZER can confirm CDWOW shipments come from Hong Kong?

Would that be all shipments you've ever received from CDWOW come from Hong Kong, or a mix of places (local and international)?

Anyone know where you need to ship returns? The 60 days return timeframe in the FAQs suggests an overseas location.

I'd say CDWOW is an import website, just with localised portals for dealing in the local currencies and region coding of the 9 listed countries. Convenient, but somewhat misleading.

Anyone else care to chime in?

[sagara0510]

i'm pretty sure you're right eskyman.

if you go to cdwow.com (without the .au) it takes you to a UK website.

i've only bought 1 game from cdwow.com.au (L4D) and i can confirm that it had Hong Kong postage labels on the packaging when i received it but the game itself is EU. I am currently considering whether or not to buy Far Cry 2 (amoungst others) for the 360 from cdwow as its $51.95 which feels like a bargain.

also another point of interest is when you place your order, the website will let you know when its been 'dispatched' but will not provide you an email or any information on how to track your purchase. you'll just have to wait for it to show up.

EDIT: also i'd like to give a plug to dvdcrave as well. i've purchased stuff from them several times and they've been reliable so far. shame their prices can't compete with cdwow and sometimes even JB is cheaper...

[HeDanny]

Add me to the DVD Crave Love-in.  They are my first stop Shop for buying games online.  If I ever had any issues with them, they were so minor I do not remember them.  I like the emails they send out if something in your wishlist has fallen in price. Thats cool. They often offer EU and US versions as well, which is good cos that way you don't need to worry about Play-Asia for half price (and cheaper) imported games.

Hmm.. actually, where is a good place to import EU version games?  There are several PAL releases I would like to try track down and not have to rely on Ebay.

[eskyman]

I avoid the UK and US versions on DVDCrave because I can usually get them cheaper elsewhere.

I can confirm that DVDCrave send emails to you if they drop the price on items you have in your wishlist. Best feature of any online retailer I've found. I think Play Asia have this feature as well, but you have to specifically request this for each individual item. DVDCrave just does this by default.

@sagara0510: The cheapest I've seen Far Cry 2 for 360 (UK version) at my regular haunts works out to around AU$75 not including shipping. I'd say CDWOW has them beat. Your only other bet would be if the US or Asia versions are region free. Although the weak dollar really kills that option at the moment.

@HeDanny: For me the best place to import UK games from that isn't eBay UK is easily Gameplay (www.gameplay.com or www.gameplay.co.uk). I highly recommend Gameplay because they send you factory sealed games and the customer service has always been top notch in my experience. They have trailed off in recent years in terms of pricing and lack of promotional sales, but still my number 1 for importing PAL versions. Shipping is 4.95 Pound per order so it helps if you have a bundle of games you want to buy from them. They don't ship items over 1Kg outside the UK, so limited editions are sometimes a problem. They have a January sale on at the moment. You could get Mirrors Edge for about AU$38 a few weeks ago. It works out to about AU$55 now, not including shipping.

You can also import from www.game.co.uk, the UK GAME. Although I can't recommend them due to various issues I've had with the state of the games I've received from them at times (I didn't know new games had to be tested thoroughly and used as sandpaper before being shipped). They have a sale on at the moment also.

The best part about UK version games is that they work in Aussie consoles with no modification, are in English, quite often cheaper, and in some cases not censored. The Aussie Dollar is actually holding up quite well to the Pound Sterling too.

[Ross]

I am not a fan.  June 10 ordered Madden 11.  August 16 (6 days after release) it is backordered.  They gave me no indication of this at all.  I just checked today and it said it is backordered.  Even better, the website currently claims "Hurry! Limited Stock - Usually ships within 24 hours".

Customer service is a pain in the ass too.  Circular faq and customer service links lead to one another and the only contact you are allowed is one of those funky email message things that is not sent via email.

Not happy Jan.

I thought I would receive my game a week after it was released as the website promises (7-10 days).  Perhaps immediacy is not one of CDWows best qualities and neither is communication.  Which only leaves price.

Btw I thought it was a UK site?

[mmmmmmm]

I am not a fan.  June 10 ordered Madden 11.  August 16 (6 days after release) it is backordered.  They gave me no indication of this at all.  I just checked today and it said it is backordered.  Even better, the website currently claims "Hurry! Limited Stock - Usually ships within 24 hours".

Customer service is a pain in the ass too.  Circular faq and customer service links lead to one another and the only contact you are allowed is one of those funky email message things that is not sent via email.

Not happy Jan.

I thought I would receive my game a week after it was released as the website promises (7-10 days).  Perhaps immediacy is not one of CDWows best qualities and neither is communication.  Which only leaves price.

Btw I thought it was a UK site?

My theory is that the earlier you pre-order the later you get the game because their data base system is so archaic that they arrange their orders by recent invoices, rather than getting through back-logs first. Further proof is my order Bionic  Commando being 1.5months pre-order =  2month wait just to ship. So my suggestion whould be to preorder around a week or less before release.

And yeah they are a UK site but their warehouse can be from a range of place, but mostly from HK.

[werdna]

It's a hit or miss with them. I pre ordered modern warfare 2 from them about 1 week before release. On release it was backordered, but ended up getting the game 7 days later.
But anyway, their prices have not been great as of late. Not sure why you would order madden 11 that early on. Was the price that great?
You could probably find better on most uk sites or even playasia, quick check they have asia version for $55, us version for $73

hkofferhouse - 360 asia ver. $46 converted in aud
shopto - 360 uk $62 converted in aud
ozgameshop - $69
zavvi - $66.5

[Kazem]

Cdwow used to be my go-to place to pre order games for cheap. I've used them for about a year with no problems until about the last 4 months. I wouldn't recommend pre-ordering popular games from them or any game you REALLY want to play desperately within expected shipping time. Their items often go into backorder and you may have to wait weeks. If you want to save some money and don't mind waiting awhile, then cdwow is great ;]

One example: They had Dragon Age Awakening for $30, probably the cheapest price anywhere on release. I pre-ordered about 2 weeks before release. A few days later they didn't even have the item on their website anymore. So I wondered whether they'd even bother getting anymore copies in and if they just decided to hold my cash rather than refund me. Did not get it until literally a month later. I wasn't desperate to play it though so I didn't mind waiting.

I've had friends who've ordered music/perfume from them recently and received their orders within a week... so it's very hit and miss.

[Aquil0]

Haha I have been saying this for about a year now...

PreOrders = CDWOW SUCKS A*S
Instock = CDWOW Is number 1!

(Note that either way you have to realise its coming from the europe so it take Min of a week to get here)

[Charlie Miso]

CDWOW managed to get me a copy of Suikoden Tierkreis so they're alright in my book

[CHWong]

Haha I have been saying this for about a year now...

PreOrders = CDWOW SUCKS A*S
Instock = CDWOW Is number 1!

(Note that either way you have to realise its coming from the europe so it take Min of a week to get here)

Yeah if your title is IN STOCK, then CDWOW is pretty amazing.

[John]

Not anymore. Ive been waiting a long time for a few items.. (preordered Reach in may). They tell me every week they 'expect to send it next week'.. Alas, it never happens.