Amazon trade-in values lag behind GameStop

by Richard Mitchell on Apr 16th 2009 9:00PM

According to a quick and dirty sampling done by What They Play, it looks like Amazon now offers significantly less than GameStop does for many used games. The study was conducted by looking up several popular titles for each major platform and comparing the trade-in values offered by GameStop, Amazon and Game Crazy. For many Wii and PS3 games, Amazon seems to offer much less than GameStop, while it curiously offers more for Xbox 360 games. Amazon trade-ins do have a few advantages over GameStop trades; one being that trade-in credit can be used to purchase anything on Amazon and not just games. Another advantage is that Amazon accepts trade-ins for many more platforms, going so far as to even accept NES titles.

Perhaps the biggest lesson of the study is that Game Crazy seems to offer more for used games than either GameStop or Amazon. Left 4 Dead is one of the more extreme examples, with Game Crazy offering $27.25, while Amazon and GameStop offer $20 and $17, respectively. Game Crazy isn't as big as GameStop and doesn't have as many stores, but it might be worth seeing if there's one near you.

Source

Tags: amazon, game-crazy, gamestop, trade-in, trade-in-values, used-games

Reader Comments (31)

"...Amazon excepts trade-ins..."

I thought I was the only one who had noticed. Phew...

Ahem. Fixed.

Amazon VS. Gamestop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRHHSpKmvT8

also, surprising fact about the DSi browser, it loads Amazon faster than Firefox ON MY PC. I should have a rant on the device ready to go around Monday after putting everything (games, DSiWare, WiFi, camera, music playback, web browser) through its paces. So far, everything seems positive (especially the browser, which I originally had low expectations for)

I'd still rather support Amazon than sell my games to Gamestop

Slower service and lower prices?

They're going to sink like a stone...

Gamestop pays less and charges more for used? What a shocker!

/sarcasm

they pay more than amazon though.

No.

You do know what "respectively" means, don't you? I guess not. Amazon pays 20 and GS pays 17. 20 > 17

How can Amazon pay LESS then Gamestop? Any lower they'd be taking the things off you at knife-point!

GIVE US DAT COPY OF IMAGINE BABIEZ, FOOL! HERES A SOCK FULL OF NICKELS!

Fuck Game Crazy! Maybe my opinion is a little biased, since I'm a disgruntled ex-employee, but they do half-ass everything and don't normally check used product, so you may be disappointed buying something used from them. Most of the people who worked at the same store as me took in discs with cracks and laser burn rings all the time.

"Most of the people who worked at the same store as me took in discs with cracks and laser burn rings all the time."

Maybe that's why you don't work there anymore, genius.

@brerrabbit23

Excluding me, dickhole. I don't like being sold shitty used merch, so when I worked there I checked to make sure others aren't condemned to a similar fate. You know, pay if forward.

Also, I noticed a sign at a local GameCrazy regarding them either matching, or beating competitor trade-in prices. Can't remember the exact quote.

GS really isn't the devil, it amazes me that these people think they should get close to the same they sell them for in store or even what they'd get on an auction site. I suppose buying the competition will do that. Rhino, EB. GS base trade in values (as Amazon) are pretty poor, but when you consider that GS has employees, rent, and every other major expense that it takes to run a brick and mortar business Amazon should be ashamed.

Also GS tends to have good coupons and promotions on new games (IE get bonus credit for trading in 2-4-6 games, easy to get (with edge) 50% bonus just buy buying some shitty 99 cent sports games last gen), where Amazon pretty much offers very lame ones. So it takes very little thought to get a pretty good net value at GS.

It bothers me that so many people complain about the amount of money trade-in places give you for games. No one is making you trade your games in. Once they give you the total you actually do have the option of saying "No thanks." and taking your games back home with you. If you want to play a game for a little bit and save money, rent them instead of buy them in the first place.

There's also another option, although it takes a little bit more effort, and that is selling on eBay. I used to sell a lot of my newer games on eBay and get significantly more than what I would at GameStop. In the end, we basically just have to come to grips with the simple fact that video games are inherently a bad investment. They depreciate quickly and their utility is almost always short lived.

I believe Game Crazy has a 90-day warranty on all used games. If you purchase a used game and it doesn't play correctly, you can return it for another working copy. You could also ask one of the employees to play any game while you are in the store. That way you leave with the game you want without worries of it failing you.

yeah thats how the gc here was before they didnt give any customers notice and moved their store to another city 43 miles away without returning store credit or anything thats why i dont like gc. but i dont have the time or the patience to deal with an online trade in system so im stuck with gamestop. i do disagree with their trade in values because i believe that they should give you a slightly better percentage of the price they sell it at because they can give you $15 for a game theyll sell for $55 without people trading stuff in they would just be a new game and system store just like a electronics isle at walmart or target share the love with the people that keep you in business

"Perhaps the biggest lesson of the study is that Game Crazy seems to offer more for used games than either GameStop or Amazon"

I knew that was the case years ago (at least in regard to EB and GS) so it's nice to still see that being the case. Too bad I no longer live in the same STATE as one.

Goozex is the answer you are looking for.

I know you can use Amazon credit for anything, not just games, but common sense dictates that people trading in games will probably end up spending their credit on more games. Therefore, if a service offers less trade value and involves a significant amount more hassle than it's competitor, I ask you: who will bother?

Why the heck would you trade games into Amazon when you're lazy ass can just sell them on the marketplace for much more? Seriously?? I've made $$$ with Marketplace.

I prefer Gamecrazy mostly because the employees at my local store are much cooler than the Gamestop kids.

Gamecrazy seems like they got the right ideas but they have zero clue on how to make it work.

i stopped trading my games into Gamestop (ie: getting ripped off) years ago after getting my first real job.

its simply outrageous how they'll take your game for $15-20 then turn around and sell it for at least double the price. it should be illegal.

there should be a law capping the amount of profit allowed from used videogames, given it's impact.

Y'know, I never really trade-in games (unless I absolutely HATE the game, which hasn't happened i a while). Am I doing something wrong?

No not at all. I feel the same way. I guess I have a bit of a collector mentality though and just like to see my stack of games grow. I hardly even trade in games that I hate just so my collection looks bigger haha.

I'm lucky enough to have a gamestop & gamecrazy both in my city...right up the street from one another. I must say that I only go gamecrazy. I rarely trade in games but I did notice that you get more money for trade ins at gamecrazy. Plus the store looks better, brighter and the employess are cool...and they know games.

Canadian gamers can check out this website called TIVS.ca. It's a tool that indexes trade in values for games across a few brick and mortar game retailers in Canada. I wrote a little blurb about it on my blog: http://canconsole.blogspot.com/2009/03/tivsca-takes-guess-work-out-of-trade.html

http:///www.valuvalu.com

You can sell for a much higher price, and it takes only a couple of seconds to sell a game.

In other words, it's almost as convenient as GameStop, but you get the prices of eBay or higher.

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Amazon trade-in values lag behind GameStop

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