The payback amount with Gamestops trade-in is absolutely horrible. I remember giving in quite the number of games that I'd never play again (retailing about 150 altogether) and I only got, what? 30 dollars worth of credit. It made me so mad. I'd definitely recommend going to Gamestop to buy games, but never to give them in. Go sell it on Craigslist or eBay for more of your money back.
Curse them for a profit! If you got a third of the price on something you got a damn good deal for a commercial sale, not sure why that's a complaint.
At EB Games (Canadian equivalent) I once tried to return various games that they had on the shelves for $20-$40. In some cases they offered me one dollar for a $30 game! I think it's a much better idea to sell them through online classifieds or eBay. You'll get much more fair deals.
If I bought a game for $60 bucks retail? I should get $30 flat for it. $35 or $40 if it's in TIP TOP condition. Case and all. Now if it's got scratches or it looks old and worn. I can see the value depreciating. But one time, I won a game through a contest affiliate. And hadn't even taken the damn thing out of the plastic. Just traded it in because I didn't have an x-box at the time. They offered me $15 or $20 bucks for a game that hadn't even been breathed on yet! Outrageous!
I don't have the time or inclination to bother with all that work, since as I said when I sell to Gamestop it is because I need money right then. Needing money then means I don't have time to jump through the hoops associated with Ebay.
No, you shouldn't. The store has a set price for what they're willing to pay for a game, that price will only go down, not up, pending the quality of the disc/box. They have a set policy that means they HAVE to purchase what you bring in to them as long as it works. However that doesn't guarantee a sale. Your used game is also taking up shelf space. You asking for 50% or higher from them given the circumstances is simply absurd, they'd go broke incredibly quickly if everyone could simply buy games, beat them, then trade them back in for half their money. You're treating them like a pawn shop and expecting the same treatment back. They're a retail business.
I stopped selling my games when I made the stupid mistake of selling my N64 and all of it's games when I was younger. N64 is still my favorite console and I've bought everything back but phew, that was a major loss. To be on topic though, the trade-in values of GS are bad IMO, you're better off with eBay. Yeah, it's a slight bit more work but it's worth it in the end.
Thanks for the information. Since I am a collector of many things, I do not sell my games. I figure some day, they will be circa xxxx, so I ioll just keep then around waiting for antique time.
The way I see it, if I'm not getting back the full purchase price of the game? Then they're not losing anything really. In the end. $35 bucks trade in for a game you'll sell for close to $70 is fair I think. But they're a business so they have the right to set prices at what they want and choose. Just like I have a right to wise up, and take my new games and consoles to make selling deals online instead of at Gamestop or any other store like them. Which I did eventually.
And if the game you returned doesn't sell? They already bought the game from a distributor for a price, very likely paid for shipping AND their store can only hold so many games at a single time (both on the shelf as well as behind the counter). In addition it creates work for the employees who now have to enter the game into the inventory etc. (labour costs). At best they're making a VERY small profit on your game IF it sells. At worst they're losing money. While that's an all right business plan for say, a pawn shop which is based around that sort of risk, for a high profile commercial business it's neither professional nor a smart investment. I don't disagree they low-ball you pretty hard. I just think what you in particular are expecting out of them is simply an unrealistic expectation for any sensible business.
I'm not so sure about employees. I've been to a few gamestops and they always seem to be small places with about 3 people working there tops. I don't know what the deal with that is.
But, the people are still working, correct? So, there are labor costs and those people are in the store before it opens and unfortunately for a good little while after it closes, so there are labor costs that need to be considered in how GameStop conducts business and once again, $30 a game will not be a good business model. For one, not everyone that sells their games to GameStop, shop at GameStop. In fact, quite a few of them probably don't, so in many ways, they are losing money at a closer ratio or profiting less, than is probably believed or understood across the board.
$30 A game of course would be a bad business model or practice. But, I think in the case of some games, an exception should be made. The game I won was called "Stubbs The Zombie". It was a NEW release, and unopened! Plastic packaging in tact! So I expected atleast half of the retail. I guess maybe it wasn't on their HOT list? Where they get requests for it like every other day? Perhaps I would've gotten more for a new Madden or new Mortal Kombat?
I believe that in such stores, the sales system is the same. They have to make a profit, and that is why they handle this way of doing business. The best option is to exchange games with known or groups of gamers. I know that many people do not like used games , but I think it is an interesting alternative. Another way to sell games, but requires a little care and practice, is eBay. In this great store, the chances of selling products at a better price is quite high, and avoid intermediaries. I see that many of the people who commented here agree with this type of sale, therefore, is an option you should try.
It is because no one has stepped up and challenged them. I bet one lawsuit would change things, or even better...open up GamePlace and buy back the games for double what GameStop offers. GameStop makes that choice so they can keep a 300% mark up on the used games; but if you cut that down to 100%-200% it will drive a lot of people through your doors and out of theirs.
You're hilarious and GameStop would think that GamePlace is also. They'll just wait until GamePlace goes out of business as they quickly would and continue with business as usual. I guess you all don't realize or remember the many companies that did try to go against GameStop and they all went out of business because GameStop truly has the best business model on both sides of the sale. Nick, when was the last time you heard of someone playing "Stubbs the Zombie"? That and the fact that it would be ridiculous to give 20-50% of the retail price is why you didn't get the number that you were looking for.
Rip off sites hardly ever work, just look at fiverr.com. Hundreds of versions of it, but they are like ghost towns. No one is hardly active on them.
That was way back in 2006 the scenario I am talking about. So it's like, I had never played the game either. But it was an XBOX game I was sent for promoting it on our website. I had no use for the game, so I decided might as well sell it. I just thought overall brand-new games net a decent catch. *Shrugs*.
Actually what I seem to recall is GameStop coming in a buying up all those other companies so they can corner the market...I don't seem to remember many going out of business but I seem to remember them all changing names to GameStop. They absolutely do not have the best business model, they just have a stronghold on the buying used games market. Your stock doesn't sell at $16 a share if you have the best business model; now who is hilarious?
Well, how much does their competition's stock sell at? More than $16? Or less? Or, at all? I'd say they are laughing you, your idea and the companies that couldn't compete with them.
