Amazon testing trade-in program

by JC Fletcher on Mar 5th 2009 11:52AM

We like buying games on Amazon, because we like saving money and we despise the nightmarish no man's land called "anywhere outside of our house." But sometimes we must brave the elements and go to GameStop: specifically, when we have some junk to trade in. Amazon is working to correct this issue: like Toys R Us, the retailer has started a trade-in program for video games!

To trade a game in to Amazon, all you have to do is visit the trade-in section of the site, select the games you want to trade in (at least $10 worth), print a free shipping label and send it out. You'll get a gift card in return -- plus an extra 10% if you do it before March 19. Unfortunately, the trade-in values seem roughly commensurate with GameStop's, which means they're pretty low. But sometimes eBay is such a hassle!

We wonder about GameStop's future if enough retailers band together to provide GameStop's services without requiring people to visit GameStop's stores.

[Via CAG]

Source

Tags: amazon, trade-in, used-games

Reader Comments (76)

ive never been a fan of trading in my games, i almost always buy used, but i hate trading something i paid 60 dollars for and getting 10 back the two weeks later. if only they were offering a bit more. still a great alternative to having to leave the house. we all know that the sun causes cancer, and gingivitis

Gamestop, you are now officially screwed! I hope you go mad broke or you lose a lot of money! You rip people off and your own employees. You deserve to lose money!

Amazon, I love you.

i take it back. I like craigslist more.

It's not really amazon that is buying your games. Besides they don't sound like they are offering better then Gamestop. In fact it's worse and I've yet to see them do a Buy 2 get 1 free sale.

Either way... Keep your games. For the kids of course.

MarkHawk, completely agree. my step brother is 6, and in his room, he has a n64, ps2, gamecube, atari, super nintendo, nes, gameboy color and an advanced. plus access to all of those games. hes going to grow up the coolest kid. (hes already beaten halo ce single player)

Sell your games on half.com, ebay, or even Amazon. It's not that much harder and is generally worth the effort unless you're doing that instead of working overtime or something.

The only games I trade in are the ones I hate, and I hope they resell it a million times so the developer who ripped me off gets as little money as possible from said title.

I'm my ideal world the only games traded in would be crappy games.

1st part, yeah that sounds like you.

2nd part, while containing a grammatical error, yeah that sounds like you.

:P jk

Markez, we've just received confirmation of everything we needed to know about Shag:

"I'm my ideal world..."

Just preface everything Shag says from now on with that phrase, and it will all make so much more sense.

So far a list of places that do this are:

EB Games/GameStop
Futureshop (Canada)
Toys R Us
Blockbuster
Amazon

I wonder if we're going to have a trades war to see what place can give you the better deal towards purchases of new products in exchange for your games.

I've been using Goozex and love the program. Check out my referral link and maybe I'll benefit if you like the program. I learned about it from the Joystiq Podcast.

http://www.goozex.com/referral.asp?idr=6178756537285

I appreciate the link, however I've been using Goozex for quite some time. I'll double what a quality service it is and urge others to use your referral link. I hear there's also another place online called PlaySwitch. It's only available in the US though and I live in Canada.

From my personal experience Block Buster's Game Rush service gives the most for trade in's though it is only store credit. The only problem is they only have Gamr Rush stores in larger/urban areas. Now that I don't live in Orlando it's either Gamestop, e-bay, craigslist or Amazon.

As far as Amazon goes it's still no extra incentive because they actually give you the exact same amount as Gamestop. The reason I know this is because I just brought up Prince Of Persia and COD World At War and the prices were identical. The only difference being my 10% edge bonus as well as the special they have where you get an additional 10% for 2 games, 20% for 4 and 40% for trading in 6 games.

It really doesn't make sense for me to trade those two reasonably new games for less value than 1 new retail release. So, I just kept the games and said screw it.

Excellent, I also would love to try a BlockBuster exchange but even in Phoenix I've yet to find a Blockbuster willing to take trade ins. Phoenix is pretty large urban wise.

I've stopped trading in games and am trying to either trade games for other games (thus goozex)

Also Kyle you rock. Your my first referral :D

If Amazon gives more money for trade-in's I'll definitely use this service.

Don't count on it:

50 Cent Blood on The Sand - Xbox 360
Trade-in Value: $15.00

Ouch, that games only 2 weeks old and gets you only $5 more than Battlefield Bad Company.

Oh, I only used that example because 50 is supposed to be a Joystiqer now. Right 50? You there? Bah!

YO FIDDY HIT THAT BIG ASS RAMP!

Feh, trade ins. Always soured on that idea ever since i got literally a 1% return on my original Pokemon Stadium trade-in, $0.75 for a game i paid $75 back in the day...

I keep it, even if its a game i know i'm probably never going to play again (like Final Fantasy III)

Umm...you can already sell your used games on Amazon. It's pretty easy and you'll make more money. (It easier than eBay.)

yea alot of people forget that Amazon has a seller part as well. it's not auctions either so you set you price and people either buy it or they don't. i usually get all my textbooks for school on there cause they are SO much cheaper than the school bookstore.

Mah. I'm not trading in at those prices. I could get more money for Kororinpa alone than if I traded in all of the games I had on Amazons list!

Its like mail order Gamestop, still a rip off. Goozex.com is the only way to go.

Can you fill me in more on your personal experience there? I looked into it once, but it still seems too value/$ based. I'd prefer a forum where people would just do trades without caring what the associated dollar value was.

Ive recieved 200 games from Goozex and sent out around 150, and only 1 negative feedback. Its reliable, you get your games value. Ive more than tripled my collection from Goozex. Not to mention a fantastic community with tons of contests and gaming events. Including the Winter/Summer gaming olympics.

goozex is awesome!

I like Amazon. I like eBay. But anyone expecting me to put something in the mail to send, other than a Netflix envelope, is sorely underestimating my ambition in that regard. And please don't tell me it's not that hard, because then I'll just plug my ears and go LA LA LA LA LA LA I CANT HEAR YOU LA LA LA

Hell, I barely even OPEN my mail half the time. And they want me to SEND something?

How positively droll of Amazon!

LOLz...it's true...I don't even open most of my mail (I burn it to keep warm in the winter)...I didn't read the whole article...how do they ship these? If it's USPS, I'll just keep it, thank you very much.

packing to ship is a bitch, though. I forget what i used last time i had to ship a disc in for repair

I still don't get why people will go to GameStop and sell back a game for 10% orf what they paid for it when you can easily sell it online and get like 50-75%. I just sold my old copy of Hot Shots Golf for PS3 on half.com for $34 when I'd probably have gotten $10-$15 from the almighty GameStop.

Gamestop offers instant gratification.
Amazon does not.

Sometimes walking is just too much to deal with, ya'know?

Amazon gives you credit to buy MP3s or god knows what else. GameStop doesn't.

See? It works both ways.

el serpiente:
"And what segment of the population has difficulty with delayed rewards? Mostly children."

money.cnn.com:
"The average American household with at least one credit card has nearly $10,700 in credit-card debt"

Unfortunately, I don't think the adults have much more sense than the kids.

My personal guidelines:

Buy them new, lose maybe 5 bucks, help the devs stay afloat.

Sell your old copies to a friend, make $30 or $40 for what came out just yesterday instead of just enough to eat at a Chinese buffet.

Buy used if you CANNOT find it new AT ALL, and check the quality to ensure that you aren't buying Disgaea: Dew Coaster.

The trade-in business makes me barf :-/

You sell your games to your friends? dont let them borrow? Some friend you are

Good point... I'm not above borrowing :P But if someone wants something I don't want anymore, well, you know. (though that really isn't likely given that I keep just about everything I buy)

I hate Gamestop.

That is all.

Thats why Game Trialz is popular because you trade games without a fat cat (Gamestop); taking your money. Trade without tokens or points just $5/mo we have gamer tag challenges, and more. Coming this summer rentals so as soon as Game Trialz gets famouse these companies are trying to get into the game.

5 beans a month? No thanks. Isn't Goozex free?

Another company doing this? RIP retail gaming.

This is a lot better than anything I've seen in terms of trade in value though. It's not direct cash like Ebay/Craigs but you're pretty much guaranteed to get the money.

Hopefully they have policies in place to only accept games with the original casing, cover, and manuals. I've passed over a ton of games at eBay/Craigs/Game__ because they were incomplete. Some might say that's stupid but I like the quality of things I buy.

eh, lame.. the prices for trade in value are pretty much the same as GameStops

Half.com is really good they are owned by ebay BUT it's NOT an auction so you are guaranteed the money. They give you discounts on buying postage online to ship the stuff too. The people buying from you have to pay first. Definitely the easiest hassle free way to go.

Sell them on half.com. Even with the price of the media mail packaging and handling, you still make more money than you would through Gamestop or Amazon. Not to mention the fact that the price isn't always sky-high on used games there, unlike Gamestop who only knocks $5 off the new game's price in order to sell you a used product.

But then don't you just become an individual "that leeches off the people who make a living with actual talent."?

I think will the continuing growth in trading games will spark some type of revolution in the gaming industry.Downloading the last boss if you bought the real game.

They kinda already have that with mmorpg's and xbox live.

He was using sarcasm.

Have you read his other comments, i really think he is that ignorant.

el serpiente are you really that cheap that you can't afford $50 a YEAR?

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Amazon testing trade-in program

Reader Comments (76)

Posted: Mar 5th 2009 11:59AM Rhamsey said

Posted: Mar 5th 2009 12:21PM latin trident said

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