Lacking CD-Key

I had already contacted support@stardock, but it's been some time without a response. I admit, I'm slightly impatient. I bought the game (Sins GOTY) so a friend and I could enjoy the game. Got it from Wal-Mart, but it was their last copy. Naturally, this presents more problems for me: I can't return it for a copy WITH a CD-Key, and waiting for Stardock to reply is, admittedly, unnerving.

Short version of the story is like this: I bought the copy at Wal-Mart. Was sealed and everything as Wal-mart just puts a bulky plastic case with a security device inside around the original case.

I get home, leave the game sit for that day. No time to play, gotta work.

Day after, at work, buddy tells me to get entrenchment for 'more awesome gameplay'. I agree to this. Upon arriving home, I purchase Entrenchment immediately, which then introduces me to Impulse.

I go to install Entrenchment, but stop seeing that Sins has an update available. I click "update".

Impulse informs me that I need a serial number to continue updating. I get the same message when trying to install the expansion. Upon searching all the contents of my game case (The manual [ALL the pages], research tree poster, entrenchment leaflet, as well as underneath both game disks just to be sure), I see that there was no CD-Key placed inside the case at all. I even checked the reverse side of the case art because I'm weird.

No residue inside the case suggests that the CD-Key sticker was never applied. Mistakes happen, this I understand.

So here I am with a game I cannot play online which is the whole REASON I got the game, an expansion that I cannot apply, and a retail outlet that would be fruitless to return the game to seeing as they have no more copies of the game and, as I was told, are expecting no more.

All I can do is listen to the soundtrack and play single-player. Which, I might add, is not as fun without human opponents to brain. Love the soundtrack though, honestly.

I'm hoping to get a faster response here at the forums, seeing as they're more active. My ticket is still void of replies, which is partially understandable.

But perhaps what worries me most is I see this is a common problem with this game, unfortunately. I've seen cases where even Impulse didn't supply the CD-Key (via e-mail, if I recall) despite the game being purchased through the client.

I would appreciate any input. I've seen how friendly the Devs are, and I honestly look forward to dealing with them first and foremost seeing as I'm still waiting for a reply from the support team.

Thank you all in advance!