Gamesh!t, and EBGames

[Fellow]

Any gamer who wishes to get some cash or even something more valuable for his/her old games and game consoles, should not go to Gamestop or EBGames.

These two stores, two that have basically merged together, treat your most cherished games and used consoles like trash. I went through this experience once before, you can literally purchase a brand new Xbox 360 game for $60, and stand right at the counter, and try to trade it back in.

Even though the game hasn’t even been opened, the asshole at the counter will then type into his death seeking computer, and then he will tell you that the game is now worth, $15. So, the entire game value somehow went down by more than half the original price in 5 seconds. So I have come to a conclusion, that these two stores like to get a large unreasonable profit from your used games, and obviously video games from people are worth less than the brand new games. With how lasers are now on next generation optical drives, there is no difference between a disc with minor scratches, and a disc that’s Windex clean.

You can go to EBGames or Gamestop, and trade in 20 PS2 games, and you will get back $90. You can’t even buy 2 next-gen games with $90, you can barely buy a SIXAXIS controller with that amount. So this is a message to all people who want to get rid of their games for cash, use eBay.

 

[Lumstar]

So true. I have a general "buy not sell" mentality. No store has the lowest price on all games, when looking to buy. Don't believe anyone who claims that.

You may find the best deal for buying a game at Gamestop, Blockbuster, Walmart, pawn shops, thrift stores, etc. It varies.

 

[ojsinnerz.]

I'll agree with this.

I used to be an idiot, and has once traded my xbox games to get a DS with EBA.

They gave me 40 bucks for something that was worth around 90 bucks. But back then, I was an idiot, and sold it anyway. After wards, I realized how stupid I was, and told myself that I will always sell it on Ebay, or just anywhere else that will buy it at a reasonable price.

 

[Lumstar]

One good deal I saw at a Gamestop a while back, Was the Marvel Ultimate Alliance / Forza 2 double pack on 360 for $20. A $50 savings from new at the time because Marvel Ultimate Alliance (360) was $30 and Forza 2 was $40.

 

[fischju]

I traded my DS games in when I got a flashcart, I got a good bit of cash. $47.16 for 4 games (popular at the time)

 

[Joe88]

I traded them a broken GBA (power switch was broke and battery cover was also broke, it doesnt turn on anymore)
and they gave me $40 for it, didnt even check d:

 

[jalaneme]

it's the same in the UK but the game stores are called GAME and gamestation instead, i never trade in my games anymore.

 

[Gman 101]

Same applies here, except without the Gamestop bit (no merging with EBGames). No store in Australia will factor in the condition or newness of the game. The best solution is to sell it on ebay or to a friend.

 

[Sir-Fritz]

We have 3 around here in Brisbane (Ebgames, GAME, and the super awsome retro world known as gametraders). I recently saw signs in ebgames saying you can trade a DS (phat) and 2 games for $90, but they sell a preowned DS (Phat) for $90. The same with psps and dslites. Its trade A plus B for the same price as A!

 

[Hiratai]

I traded my DS games in when I got a flashcart, I got a good bit of cash. $47.16 for 4 games (popular at the time)

That's not good, at all. If those games were good, they should've gone for around stock price, 30 bucks. 30 x 4 is 120. You only got a 4th of that.

 

[Neko]

Gamestop over here I'm going to trade in my DS for a DS Lite.

50€ + used DS phat + 2 DS games.

 

[Panzer Tacticer]

You guys all sound like no one has ever told you that these stores actually require the money from used games to stay alive.

Ok, now you've been told, these stores make their money on used sales, not new item sales.

This is one factor in why PC sales in these stores is not as strong any more. Because a used PC game has basically no used worth. They know you likely copied it and returned it.

I returned 4 DS titles and my used DS unit when I needed to buy a new one. The used DS unit had a finicky L button, the games were in excellent condition. I ended up paying out 40 bucks to get a new DS unit that immediately got treated a lot better (no putting it in shirt pockets ever again for instance).

It sucked getting 10 bucks for a 40 dollar game I didn't actually want to give away.

But these stores don't make much at all on new sales.

If people didn't impulse purchase games, or if they didn't play them to death in a week and return them when they were no longer wanted, chances are a lot of these stores would fold up and die. Either that, or suddenly your 40-60 dollar games would suddenly be 60-80 dollar games like is the case with a lot of PC titles.

 

[Lumstar]

New sucks anyway. Usually games become used once the seal is broken, and it's often required to play. No reason to pay $10 or more for new unless you're a serious collector.

 

[Spikey]

GameStop and EBGames(which are the same now, btw, in every way) aren't so bad. You can essentially "rent" games for free, so long as they have a used copy. Bring it back within 7 days... free game! Also, I fail to see the difference between the new/used things on games and cars. The price drops as soon as it's yours. Get over it. Besides, if you think there's no difference between the scratched and used games, then buy all your games used. If you buy the discount card you'll save hundreds in a year(assuming you buy games often). Don't like their trade in prices? Well, it's guaranteed money. Want to get your quick buck, go to GameStop. It's not really worth the extra hassle to sell on eBay, as much as you might think so.

Really, you think it's so bad? GameStop and EBGames will even give you some amount of cash for that completely fucked up disc with no case. Sometimes even a decent amount, depending on the game. That game would have otherwise been completely worthless. And think of all those traded in games, some of which never sell. Well, after many pricedrops they may make less off of said game than they paid for it. And it happens.

Now I personally buy all my games new, to support the companies that made the game(as buying the game used supports them as much as you pirating a copy), and I NEVER trade in my games. I just like to keep what I bought. But the company really isn't as bad as you make it out to seem, really. You just need to know their services, and when to use them for it to be advantageous to yourself.

 

[Neko]

Hey Spikey , didn't you work for Gamestop while you were in the UK ?

I think the trade in is nice , expecialy because I can get a DS lite for 50€ just by trading in old things I won't need anymore.

€dit:
Also over here in Germany ,Gamestop usually has some good deals on games for my 360! You can get some games really cheap sometimes.

 

[Destructobot]

I started shopping at EB when I was about 14 (that's 16 years ago). They were an awesome store back then, but they suck ass now. They have eliminated every benefit they had to make them better than the competition, and they have not lowered their prices to make up for it. They are now just another crappy overpriced mall store.

If you still shop at EB you deserve to get ripped off.

 

[.TakaM]

I rarely sell my games and when I do it's directly to another person, fuck the middle man, I'm not going to feed the machine.

My EBgames is cool, but I detest their whole second hand product business model. Every time they ask me if I'd rather buy a used copy for 30 cents less I tell them hell no, I'm never going to support their used copies.

 

[Spikey]

Hey Spikey , didn't you work for Gamestop while you were in the UK ?

I think the trade in is nice , expecialy because I can get a DS lite for 50€ just by trading in old things I won't need anymore.

€dit:
Also over here in Germany ,Gamestop usually has some good deals on games for my 360! You can get some games really cheap sometimes.

I've never been to the UK.

But I do work at one currently. That's probably why I can see the advantages of them. When I was just another consumer, I didn't think about half of that stuff. But now that I work there, I can educate those about what you can do there. If you aren't that kind of person, don't shop there, but the store can suit certain types of people. Just like there are those that use a PC, and others that use a Mac. It just depends on what suits you. And to use either properly, you need to educate yourself on what you can and can't do with them.

 

[silent sniper]

I don't even bother with either stores, theres a pawn shop right around the block.

 

[AshuraZro]

Funny enough, buying used PS3 games happens to be a good idea since they generally aren't scratched up like dvd media. Saved $15 off of retail and I can't see any difference in my case. Except I still haven't played the game (R6 Vegas 2).

More on the topic: I don't know about now adays but when I bought my Xbox and it came with Mech Assault 2, Blockbuster had just started taking trade in games and they gave me $30 for the game. Nothing wrong with that as it came with the system at no added cost. That was pretty much a $30 off coupon after I played the game and decided it wasn't to my liking. That's much more than any other store has ever given me for a game. Shitty trade in values are FAR from new.