The Bus

How do you rationalize trading in games?

I'm constantly amazed at the people that are willing to get $2 to $3 (or even $10) back for a game that cost $50 or $60 (or more). I checked EB/GS lists of trade-in values (that are allegedly nationwide/corporate) and most Xbox 360 games I got $4 or $6. Give me a fucking break. Unless a game is so bad I want to give it away, I don't see the point of trading in. You can get more for it used, trade it for a similar game (here or elsewhere) or lend it to a friend. I lent a friend of mine eight 360 games last week. I could've traded them in for $25. I felt much better having him try them out.

It just seems that the values are so low that they're borderline insulting. And people come in with bags and bags of tradeins. One guy at an EB I was at got his PS3 solely through tradeins.

The only time I've traded in is when I was in a hurry to get rid of a game and I took a $27 loss on it after having it only a day (Monkey Ball on the Wii).

Anubis2005X

Seriously, I don't get it either. I think they're a much better value in just keeping them, or giving them to a friend.

thematahara

Trade-ins for 360 games are not that low, unless we're talking about crap games like Gun or year old sports titles, even then I suspect you could get at least $10 for them. Last week I traded in Oblivion and Splinter Cell 360 and got $58 worth of credit.

Could I have gotten more on ebay? Yep, but for me it's not worth the effort of setting up an auction, then waiting for payment, then shipping the game out to someone. For me, an extra $20 is not worth all that hastle.

Plus when I pay $60 for a game and get a few months of entertainment, my $60 was well spent and anything I get for it after I've played and enjoyed it is a bonus.

boredsilly

Most who trade in here, take advantage of specials or bonuses when trading in to cut down on the losses from what I've seen.

argh923

I just sell games I don't want on Amazon.com...you get pretty decent value, generally.

tpc

We have a lovely trading forum here you can usually get a fair price through.

Josh H

I only trade at the games stores when they have something like a trade 3 get extra $10 deal, and even then it's only old games I've tried to sell/trade in the forum here a few times with no luck.

I rationlize by noting that after fees these old games aren't going to make much more money on eBay, and that it's not worth the hassle with my busy grad student schedule (and the fact that I have no seller feedback) to bother.

Also, I seldom pay $50 for a game and the ones I do buy at full price tend to be things like Zelda, Mario, Metroid...basically my favorites...that I would never sell or trade anyway.

Anyway, though I probably lost out on $50-100, I was more than pleased to trade in a bunch of games, and my useless X-box and GC to entirely pay for my Wii and Zelda.

No hassle, and saved me a bit over $300 for something I'd just paid for out of pocket otherwise.

cleaver

I've traded in a few games at FYE/GC/EB in the last few years, but only when they gave more than I paid. Like I bought Psychonauts at TRU for $5, traded it in for $9, bought Darkstalkers for $9, traded it in for $15. Other than that, I keep the stash for crazy trade in deals like 4 for 1 at FYE, or 3 for 1 like EB had at PSP launch.

DaveNinja

I traded in the matrix game for gamecube and got like a buck or two. i think i got the better end of the deal.

amped

I would be one of them. However the last time I traded in some games at EB was when the PS1 was at it's peak. FYE and Gamerush have done some very decent promos the last few years, if I'm too lazy too post on ebay that's where I usually go.

Trevor

I only trade in when it profits me immediately, like the recent EB/FYE 360 deal.

Other than that, the collector in me doesn't let me get rid of games.

Talzin

After regretting trading in SNES games for a N64 several years ago I have never traded in anything since. Most of the time if I no longer wish to hang onto a game for one reason or another I will hand it off to a friend who does want it.

Giantrobo

Anything I trade is just collecting dust and I don't fell like checking people out on trading on forums. So most of the time it's no big deal even if I don't get that much.

sniper308

I traded games when you could make some cash flipping them at GameRush... paid for my 360 so all was good

Haven't traded anything in a while though.

PalmerJoss

I usually hang onto my games until there is a deal like trade in 3 and get an extra 20% credit or get a particular game for free or something like that.

There are lots of games that I buy that I will never trade in, and the ones that I do are generally sports games that I'm done playing and know I will never play it again. I do hate that you pay $50 to $60 a game and only get maybe $10 to $20 trade in value, but if you trade them in at the right time you can get a bit more.

Michael Corvin

I only trade when there is a big bonus, like 2 for 1 deal and the games have to be either collecting dust or won't get much more on half.com.

I did the same thing Josh did though for the first time. I did trade/dump a bunch of Xbox games a few months back. None fetched more than $5 on half, so it was worth it to NOT mess with shipping those out. It should also be noted that was the only time in the Xbox lifespan, 5 years, that I traded in stuff for such a little amount. Considering none of them worked on the 360 I had no use for them anyway. I did the $10 bonus deal on these.

And like Josh, I used the credit towards games I will keep. Zelda and Gears of War.

Quake1028

I don't I sell them here/IGN/eBay. Much better profits that way. I don't go to an EB or Gamestop for anything actually.

I do have to say though, the local Rhino Games has a good trade in deal. Trade in any 2 games that are worth $10 or more store credit each (their trade in values are high) and get a $49.99 game free.

Joe Molotov

You want a new game but you don't have the cash. I've done it before.

And if that's not enough, here's some extra rationalization:

Don't think of it as paying $50 for a game, think of it as paying $50 to play the game. Anything you get back from the game after you're done playing it is just extra. If you don't like this line of thinking, then you're probably a shameless game hoarder.

LivingINClip

It all depends, I wouldn't consider trading new stuff in, but for example, I was tight on money and wanted a new 360 game. Now, I've collected games all my life and I 42 PS2 games that I hated and just had sitting in storage, so I dug those out, went to EB and traded them in, only expecting around $40 dollars worth of credit. What did I get? Damn near $200 bucks for those titles, most of which was PS2 launch titles! So, it all just depends on the situation and the games.

Dragon Fly

if you have the extra 10% card and a stack of games during their extra trade credit offers it's actually not that bad. But otherwise yeah, I've had them offer me $1.33 for a game before and I basically said "screw that"

lewisb73

Alot of people, myself included, will not pay 50-60 dollars for a game... ever

Yes EB/GS trade ins suck... I learnes last week, traded in a couple GBA games towards a games I was going to use towards a new game in Rhino video games 2 for one deal which is always going on... got 2.50... but it turned out good... I had picked up a buy 2 get one free, plus this other game paid about 53... returned the 3 used games... the idiot charged my card back 55 dollars...

Now I have no problems at Rhino, who allow you to trade in any 2 games worth 10 or more in trade in (according to their records) towards a NEW or USED game worth 49.99 or less... (does also work with pricier titles, but you simply pay the difference)... I generally only average 20-25 per 360 title... the thing with this is finding a supply of cheap games which qualify for the deal... getting harder with newer systems

Lastblade

I don't buy games at full retail anymore. Most games I buy nowadays are $20 or less. That's how I can justify selling/trading them in for under $10.

Josh H

I disagree with that. Ownership is part of the draw. If one just want to pay to play the game, then they're stupid to not just join Gamefly, or get one of the memberships at Blockbuster or Hollywood and just pay $20 (or so) to play whatever game(s) they want as long as they want. Much better value.

I try to only buy games I think I'll end up wanting to hold on to. I didn't do so well in the past at that (hence having a bunch of shit to trade toward a Wii from buying too many hyped PS2 and X-box games that just weren't my cup of tea), but I'm being much more picky this go around. Hell, just sticking to only the DS and Wii well help a lot, as I traded very few GC games.

JMG

I take advantage of all the xtra trade in promos @gamestop/eb as soon a new title is released! why is that? because I can buy the same title down the road used for a lot less than the trade in they gave me & still get to play the game @ launch!! so unless I love a game I'm dumping it before the xtra trade in promo ends therefore getting way more than I would have if I waited.


the titles I trade in & rebuy later are only if gamestop/eb have there b2g1 free promo going on.


this method works for me & saves me the hassle/headache of trying to sell games on e-bay or waiting for little billy to buy ur games for $5 at a yard sale.

Ralph Wiggum

I sell games on eBay. I refuse to shop at EB/GS, and I get more money. Win-win.