GGSD Frequently Asked Questions

GGSD stands for GoneGold Sales Data. It is a project I began in the GoneGold forums in late-July of 2001. It's purpose is to track the purchases of GoneGolders and report back to them on a regular basis the purchasing practices of both individual GoneGolders and the forum community as a whole.

I began the GGSD out of frustration with current game sale data collection agencies. Week after week and month after month these firms issue reports with basically the same games at the top of their lists. While this may reflect the nationwide sales of games in general, it does nothing to represent the non-casual game buying community.

Therefore, the GGSD serves, and always will serve, as a sales information resource for the non-casual gaming community.

I also began the GGSD in an attempt to find a useful project in which to teach myself Microsoft Access 2000. As the GGSD grows I will add features to it, some seen and some not, in an effort to continue learning.

The GGSD is not an attempt to influence game purchasing. If it the GGSD is to be accurate, its focus must be on collecting and reporting.

Who is allowed to particpate in the GGSD?

In a word, everyone!

Casual gamers, non-casual gamers, bargain hunters, opening day buyers, teenagers, grandparents, high-volume buyers, once-a-year buyers, Americans, Canadians, International buyers are all welcome (and encouraged) to participate.

Why should I participate in the GGSD?

It's fun! Personally, I've had a blast watching what other GoneGolders are buying and seeing what games are really popular, not just what the big groups tell us. And many other GGSD participants have said they enjoy it, too.

Besides, it only takes a few seconds to submit an entry, so why not? The more participants we have, the better the GGSD will be for you and for all of us.

Are you going to give my purchase data to some marketing company?

No. I'm already annoyed enough with the spam I deal with. The last thing I want to do is be the cause of similar frustrations.

If you'd like to submit an anonymous purchase to the GGSD, feel free to

Qualifying Purchases:

Can I submit a purchase for a used game?

Yes you can. Just be sure to check out the entry guidelines to see how to indicate the game is used.

Can I submit a purchase for a game I downloaded off the 'net?

Yes, so long as you paid a one-time fee for it. Games that come as part of a subscription-based service are not eligible.

Can I submit a pre-order for a game?

Yes, but only if you paid full price for it at the time of the pre-order. If you did not pay full price for it, wait until the game is actually shipped and paid for in full before reporting it.

Can I submit a purchase for a game I bought from a yard sale/co-worker/buddy across the street?

Yes. If the game is used, be sure to indicate it is according to the entry guidelines.

Can I submit a purchase for a console game?

No. At this time the GGSD is focused strictly on PC game sales.

Can I submit a purchase for a game which requires a monthly fee?

Yes, but only if it has a one-time purchase price as well. Subscription fees are not considered game purchases.

For example, if you purchased Asheron's Call and it cost you $20 to buy the game plus $10 a month to play, you would submit the $20 purchase price, but not the monthly subscription fee.

Can I submit a purchase for a strategy guide, magazine, or any other gaming-related materials?

No. Only PC game purchases qualify for submission.

Submitting Purchases:

How do I enter a purchase I've made into the GGSD?

GGSD submissions are collected in this thread at the GoneGold General PC Gaming forum. Simply open the GGSD submission thread and post a reply with your purchase entry.

What is the format for GGSD entries?

GGSD entries are submitted in the following format:

[game title] (new/used)
[purchase date]
[final price]
[place of purchase]

Game Title: The full title of the game taken off the box.
New/Used: If the game is new, type in "(new)" next to the title. If the game is used, type in "(used)" after the title.
Purchase Date: The date of the purchase in mm-dd-yy format.
Final Price: The price you paid after rebates, coupons, etc. but before sales tax and shipping.
Place of Purchase: The full name of the store you bought the game at.

So, for example, if I bought the LucasArts new title, Gungan Hunter at Electronics Boutique on 8/12/2001, and the purchase price was $20, but I had a $10 rebate check and paid $.60 in tax, I'd post:

Gungan Hunter (new)
8-12-01
10.00
Electronics Boutique

What is the deadline for submitting purchases into the GGSD?

Technically there is no deadline for purchase submissions. If you remember a game purchase you made several months ago that you didn't submit to the GGSD yet, I'll still put it in to the database. However, in order for your entry to be compiled into the current week's results, it must be submitted by 5 PM (Eastern) on the Wednesday following the week of the purchase.

How do I enter a purchase for a combo-pack/game bundle?

The best way to handle combo-packs and game bundles is to put them in under one entry. If the game bundle has an offical name, use that for the game title. If the bundle is simply two or more games placed in the same packaging, create one entry, but for the game title, list out all the games included in the package.

For example, if you purchased The Ultimate Sci-Fi Collection Pack that includes several Sci-Fi games, use The Ultimate Sci-Fi Collection Pack as the title. If you purchased the Interplay Fallout/Fallout 2 package, list those two games as the title.

If I buy a game, then purchase another game a few days later, should I edit my original post or create a new post?

The best thing to do is to create a new post. It's much easier for me to identify that a new submission has been entered.

Can I edit my original post?

It depends. If the weekly results have not been posted for the week you made the purchase, then yes. If you need to make a correction to your entry even a few days after you made it, you can edit the post. However, if the weekly results have been posted, it is better to make a new post in the entry thread or regarding the change.

What should I do if I return a game that I've purchased?

If you return a game, you may either let me know about it in the current GGSD thread or I will remove the entry from the database. However, if the return is made after the results have been posted, I will not modify the results. Once the results are posted they are final (unless errors were made).

Title:

What title should I use for the game I purchased?

Use the full title as it appears on the box. If you are unsure of a game's full title, you may be able to find it at MobyGames or in the GoldGuide.

Can I use abbreviations in the title of the game I purchased?

Please do not use abbreviations. You may know what they stand for, but I may not. Abbreviations can unnecessarily slow the data entry process because may need to search for the meaning of the abbreviation.

Price:

Should I include sales tax in my purchase price?

No. Because sales tax varies widely from state to state and country to country, I have decided it should not be part of the final price. Please see the entry guidelines for an example.

Should I include mail-in rebates, EB gift checks, or coupons in my purchase price?

Yes. Please see the entry guidelines for an example.

Is there a currency converter I can use to find out the cost of my game in US Dollars?

Yes. Yahoo has a currency converter available here. (Thanks to The Meal)

Date:

What format should the date be in?

The date of the purchase should be in mm-dd-yy format.

What date do I use for games bought in a store?

Use the date of purchase for games bought in a store.

What date do I use for games purchased on the internet?

For game purchases made over the internet, the most accurate to use is the date when the game was actually paid for, not the date the game was received. If you don't know know when the game was actually paid for, you may use either the date ordered or the date received, whichever you prefer.

What date do I use for pre-orders?

Pre-orders should be handled the same way as normal purchases. However, the date of purchase may be a little difficult to figure out. If you wish, you can use the day you received the game as the purchase date. If you want to be a little more accurate, you can use the date you actually paid for the game (usually the ship date).

Store:

Can I use abbreviations in the name of the store I purchased the game from?

I bought a game from a friend/flea market/off the back of a truck. What do I put as the store name?

You can either leave the store field blank or put in where you purchased the game (e.g. Friend, Flea Market, Back of Truck). I will most likely put the store as non-retail/not indicated.

Results:

When are the results of the GGSD posted?

The GGSD results are typically posted on Wednesday evenings. However, results may be delayed due to personal life conflicts.

Hey! Your data doesn't look right! What should I do?

Please post a message in the applicable results thread explaining the error or with the details.

I'd like to see you track statistic x. What should I do?

Let me know about it! I'm always looking for ways to improve the GGSD. If you think you have an idea that everyone would enjoy, either post a message in the results thread or with the details.

Are you going to do weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual results?

Yes to three (weekly, monthly, and annual) and maybe to quarterly. Currently, the GGSD has compiled results on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis. Quarterly results are being reviewed to determine if they add any value over and above the current result sets.

Where can I find links to old GGSD results or submissions threads?

There is an archive of links to old GGSD threads on the Archive page. Note: Due to forum problems many of the older archive and result threads have been deleted/lost. If you wish to see the results for a period of time whose thread has been deleted, head on over to the GoneGold Sales Data Results Generator.

Can I generate my own results?

Yes. The GoneGold Sales Data Results Generator is currently in extreme beta. You can enter your own date range and view the results in a few different formats. You can also generate more detailed results based different variables (date, name, game, or store).

I've noticed that the maximum price paid for a game was $130.00. What game was that?

If you take a look here, you'll see that GGSD contributor neuro purchased Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 Pro for $130. Why's the price so high? I *believe* it's because neuro lives in Malaysia and the price of the game is inflated due to currency conversion.

Awards:

How do you determine the Empty Wallet award winner?

Simple. The Empty Wallet award winner is the person who spent the most money during the period.

How do you determine the Value Hunter award winner?

The Value Hunter award is given to the person who has the lowest average during the period. However, in order to make it more interesting, only participants purchasing 3 or more games during the period will eligible.

Is there a listing of award winners?

Yes. You can find a listing of award winners on the Archive page.

Results Generator | Archive

Revision History:

08/14/02 2300: Added I've noticed that the maximum price paid for a game was $130.00. What game was that?

04/27/02 1230: Updated How do I enter a purchase I've made into the GGSD?, What is the deadline for submitting purchases into the GGSD?, and Can I edit my original post?

01/16/02 1800: Made corrections to Are you going to do weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual results? (thanks Meal). Updated Where can I find links to old GGSD results or submissions threads? to include information about deleted threads in the archive.

12/05/01 2330: Updated Can I generate my own results? to include information on the new generator features.

10/17/01 2330: Added Can I generate my own results?

10/13/01 2000: Created.