GameStop states its case for used games and trade-ins to developers

If you don't feel you are getting the appropriate value for your game, than don't trade it in. For me, it would certainly be worth $8 not having to dick around on the ebay website and deal with shipping the item. It's a case by case basis. But just because you don't see the value in something doesn't mean other people don't.

I think it's fair business. They take the gamble of buying your used games even if it means they won't be able to sell them soon.

Take the guy who bought sonic unleashed for example. GS gave that guy $30. What if the games sucks so bad that no one wants to buy it? They'll have to go through price drops after price drops until it finally sells. They may even lose money from that "unfair" transaction.

I know this isn't the most likely scenario, cause they're making lots of profit from used games. But they do take chances buying from you crappy games too.

ah, good old GameStop justifying used game sales.

The one place in America where face-raping is legal.

i can see why everyone would find it hard to believe that a company would have to do certain things to keeps its doors open or even make a profit . but hey developers are just as bad with this whole buy some added DLC content . but my point is game stop at no time put a gun to your head & made you go to their store or begged you to do business with them now did they. you went of your own choosing .

"One thing's for certain: a game traded in for $12 and re-sold for $35 fuels growth in GameStop's wallet." lol, there's no arguing that one.

As long as the majority of used games play identical to new games, I could care less about their visual appearance on the outside.

How many games do you need to trade in to afford a new game? At least 5 I'm sure.

It never makes sense for me to trade in games, and I never buy a game unless I'm sure there is a high probability of quality of some degree.

I also hate buying "new" games from GameStop which have actually been opened ("gutted" in GameStop lingo) and had the discs removed (indeed I've overheard multiple GameStop employees discussing how they play the "new" games before reselling them). The open cases and manuals are often extremely shopworn as well.

I've advised friends and family not to purchase gifts at GameStop, after receiving multiple games that were missing essential components (e.g. instruction manuals, demo discs, and even the inner or outer box!)

The rare times I've bought "new" games from GameStop I've been very careful to make sure they include everything which should be in the box (as well items which should be included outside the box such as cardboard sleeves, bonus art books, etc..)

To GameStop's credit, I didn't have any trouble returning these incomplete games (with receipt) for a cash refund - which I used to purchase the real, new, shrink-wrapped game from another store.

Additionally, I haven't had major problems with new, shrink-wrapped games ordered from gamestop.com/ebgames.com.

And Game Informer magazine is worth the $10 subscription fee.

"Then in this case, I would advise you to continue to use the services of your local gamestop. But amazon is very easy to use, and craigslist even easier."

Okay. It still takes time. I still have to find packaging materials. I still have to package and ship the game. I'd rather make $8 dollars less on the trade in at GameStop to simply hand the disc over to the person behind the counter.

"You are absolutely correct. If I see no value in getting my wallet raped for my ignorance by a shady, exploitative business, that doesn't mean that you do not get value from getting your wallet raped for your ignorance by a shady, exploitative business."

You're making a subjective argument here, which is completely irrelevant. Insinuating that people are ignorant because they choose to do business with a company that you have a personal grudge against just makes you look like a tool. Lots of people seem to see the value in what GameStop provides. Just because you don't doesn't mean you are right or smarter.

I have an idea to put a stop to all this arguing. How about the developers actually make games so great that we would never even think of trading them in, or selling them. Yeah, that would work. Instead of them making games like Dog Island for Wii, or The Tale of Desperaux for PS2, they could continue to make classics such as Bioshock, Metal Gear Solid, Halo. Just a thought.

Screw GameStop. They became crap when EBGames bought them out.

I use Goozex. Better pricing. Better trades. Better stock. No obnoxious employees.

I like how people dont look at the big picture.
A. business costs. Itll cost the average store...say 80-100 a year in printer tape a year.
100 x 5000= 5 milliona year in printer tape.

ok there is ONE inventory item. One. Take into the fact that people will steal items from hundreds if not Thousands of stores a DAY. and we have thousands of inventory items from plastic bags to product bags, bag toppers, shipping costs with ups (on average 4-10 boxes per store a day)...etc..etc...etc.....

working at a gamestop I see what the % PROFIt is afteroperatign costs, product costs and payroll and shrink loss. It is Not what you might think.

Also keep this In mind: I Would never have preordered nor would I Buy Fear 2..Brand new./ giving 60 dollars to the dev.....if we didnt have a used fear 1. because tbh i wasnt spending 60 bucks on a game...i didnt know if id like. Same with madden 09. I played 06 and told myself ea can suck a nut....I bought 07used, and felt it was decent enough to warrant 08..and then 09 NEW.
Again, used sales brought upon a greater # in new sales.

At the low price they buy back games, I try to avoid them as much as possible. It's not for the fact that they are hurting the developers that I hate them, but because they try to rip off the customers as much as possible.

Just a few months ago, I got a new/sealed copy of GTA 4 on the PS3 and wanted to sell it. They offered me $25, while they sell old opened copies of GTA 4 at $54.99! WTF is that bullshit?

I ended up selling it on Craigslist for $40. It's a win-win situation for me and the buyer.

I live in Canada btw and they are called EB Games up here (owned by Gamestop or vice-versa).

Like I've said before... If the game publishers are this concerned about used titles being recirculated back into the market, they should offer to "buy" used titles back from the customer to reduce the number used copies available. Heck, these publishers could even repackage and resell these copies for a discount over the new ones, and, unlike gamestop, they could even reactivate the promotional material that is usually only available to the first buyer.

GameStop is absolutely right, it's a sound business model, why stop?

Whenever I think about this situation, I find I can't agree with anybody.

I think that used games and trade-ins have their place, but the way Gamestop handles those sales isn't fair to the game companies. They try to force those used copies even on people who'd rather have a new copy. And, unless the game just came out, finding a new copies at Gamestop is nearly impossible. They have little incentive to stock them.

Trying to stop used games and trade-ins completely just makes the games companies look like jerks. Extra content and downloads are all well and good, but some of the methods that are being discussed would hurt sales way more than they would help. Anything that limits who/where you can play a game (beyond actually owning the disk) to the point that you can't even let a friend borrow it definitely adds a mark against the game in my book.

Actually that's $70 for Left4Dead.

$50-$30=$20 loss on Sonic

$50+$20=$70

This is the case when you're talking about games that are still fairly new. I have a rule that I won't stoop to Gamestop until the games I want are $15 AND there's some kind of promo (buy 2 get 1 free, etc)

I used to be an AM at a gamestop (3 years) and I can honestly say the company does NOT condone or promote selling used games as NEW games.. because of thieves putting product in sleeves was necessary.

In fact on several occasions we coverted NEW games to used games along with the pricing and discounts.

I will say that the price payed for trade-ins tended to be a ripoff tho.. you get less that 1/3 of what you payed on average.