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Avon business overcharges customers

AVON, Colorado – An Avon video game store is overcharging customers for state sales taxes, even though they promised last week they’d stop.

GameStop blamed a computer programming error in their Avon store’s cash register. They promised Avon town officials they’d stop, and the town’s finance director said Friday she had been told GameStop had fixed the problem.

But in a purchase made Saturday afternoon, they had not. GameStop was still overcharging, according to the receipt.



A GameStop staffer said last week that the problem had been fixed, and that anyone who showed up with sales receipt would get a refund.

GameStop has been charging state and county sales taxes of at least 8.4 percent, and sometimes up to 11.4 percent in state and county sales taxes, according to sales receipts from the store.

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“It doesn’t appear they did it intentionally,” said Lt. Greg Daly, of the Avon police.

Local Stafford Turner brought it all to light. He’s opening a sports equipment consignment store in Avon and just went through Avon’s sales tax process.

Turner paid $70 for a $60 video game at GameStop, after taxes and fees. He decided to check the math because that sounded like he was paying too much.

He was, he said.

“When I realized they were overcharging, I started checking my receipts,” Turner said.

He had been to Home Depot in the same shopping complex, Traer Creek in Avon, and had a Home Depot receipt in his pocket, he said.

The sales tax charges for Home Depot and GameStop didn’t match. After some back-and-forth, GameStop refunded him the difference and says they’ll do the same for anyone else who brings in a receipt.

“I ended up getting my money back and they say they’ll do that for anyone who brings in a receipt,” Turner said. “But shouldn’t they be contacting their customers and telling them they have a refund coming?”

Avon’s finance department said last Monday they did not know how long this had been going on, but that one of the local GameStop managers came by the town offices, explained the situation and asked them what he should do. They say GameStop does not get to keep the money from the overcharges.

On Monday, a different GameStop staffer in Avon said the company’s corporate offices and legal department were working on the issue.

Colorado’s Department of Revenue has turned the issue over to its auditors, said Mark Couch, spokesman for the department.

GameStop’s corporate personnel say they’re also investigating.

“GameStop always strives to provide a positive customer experience and, when errors such as this occur, we take action to correct the issue,” said Larine Nixon from GameStop’s corporate offices in Grapevine, Texas. “We are currently investigating the situation to determine the best course of action to rectify the situation. “

Staff Writer Randy Wyrick can be reached at 970-748-2935 or rwyrick@vaildaily.com.


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