Best Buy tests used game trade-in kiosks

by James Ransom-Wiley { Jun 23rd 2009 at 4:45PM }

It's unclear why it's taken Best Buy nearly four years to inch its toe deeper into the lucrative used games market, but an unstable economy has a way of nudging business toward untapped reservoirs of cash. In September 2005, the big box retailer reportedly launched -- and apparently shelved -- a modest trial to buy back and resell used games. This week, Best Buy is rekindling the effort by installing trade-in kiosks in several of its Dallas and Austin locations, blogs CMO Barry Judge.

Judge explains that the kiosks scan inserted games for "functionality," and then issue vouchers that are "instantly redeemable" for Best Buy gift cards, which can be spent on any item in the store. In addition, some of the kiosks will double as rental stations for games and movies, and participating stores will also resell used games (presumably those dumped into the kiosks).

Best Buy's new initiative follows similar actions taken by Toys R Us, Amazon and Wal-Mart earlier this year, and as predicted by Lazard Capital Markets analyst Colin Sebastian. Sebastian continues to view the surge of business ventures into the used games market as an expansion of GameStop's existing foothold (though GameStop shares briefly tumbled today after the Best Buy news, as reported by WSJ) and argues to Gamasutra that software and hardware companies aren't necessarily being fleeced by the practice. "While many video game software publishers and console manufacturers view the used exchanges as cannibalizing sales, we note that consumers use a large portion of trade-in credit to purchase new products."

[Image credit: kylemac]

Tags: best-buy, fleecing, trade-in, used-games

Related From Joystiq

Black Friday Video Game Deals Hub
5 days ago
GameStop 'Buy 2, Get 1 Free' used game sale starts tomorrow
6 days ago
Gamestop's digital plan: Sell DLC in stores
18 days ago

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

skyzbig @ Jun 23rd 2009 4:51PM

I think you'll find it's "lahhhhhh"

Sabastian Chadwick McGirt @ Jun 23rd 2009 4:53PM

God, that guy looks like a complete tool.

charlie b. @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:20PM

psh. yeah. "looks like."

Papa Midnight @ Jun 23rd 2009 10:01PM

Is it just me or does that guy look like B-Rad?

Temidien @ Jun 23rd 2009 4:54PM

I didn't know Bestbuy Gift Cards came in $.50 increments...

playwhutyalike @ Jun 23rd 2009 4:55PM

I get one every year from my Jewish step-dad.

uncle jesse @ Jun 23rd 2009 4:57PM

I'm not yer brah, brah!

Get@yaboy @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:21PM

Don't call me brah, buddy

Greggoo @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:56PM

dont call me buddy, brah!

Young_Nastyman @ Jun 23rd 2009 6:11PM

I'm not your buddy, dude

Killiam XXIII @ Jun 23rd 2009 6:23PM

What are you guys talking aboot?

Papa Midnight @ Jun 23rd 2009 10:04PM

Watch South Park.

Neuromancer @ Jun 23rd 2009 4:58PM

Isn't that the guy from Skitchin'?

http://www.sega-16.com/review_images/772/5.gif

Preston @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:00PM

The obvious question is "will they have a better trade-in value"?

copa @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:03PM

Your best trade in value is here

http://www.goozex.com

Cesaria (seh-sare-ee-ah) @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:13PM

I, too, can attest to the greatness of goozex.

Preston @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:19PM

The obvious problem is Goozex doesn't provide instant gratification.

copa @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:41PM

Throw in the cost of Kleenex + Lotion for all the instant gratification you want. You will still come out way ahead in terms of money by using Goozex.

Grimcicle @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:02PM

I'm not surprised. Future Shop (a Canadian subsidiary of Best Buy) started a video game trade program last year.

Anthony @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:05PM

You've been able to trade in games for a while now, it's in the section where you can also trade in old electronics.

Anthony @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:06PM

Oops, forgot to say that its in the online section where you can trade in used electronics.

jynxycat @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:07PM

So this means it's strictly disc only ? Hm.

Ignatius @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:08PM

I wonder if they'll bother checking the games before they resell them, they could be giving out value for a game that is snapped in half and held together with some scotch tape.

Duke @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:13PM

I like the idea, but more importantly - that picture is too damn funny.

emirabal @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:15PM

What im wondering is how long before someone starts making fake bootleg discs with images on them of the newest games, that would be slick and then an unsuspecting consumer like myself buys this bootleg game only to have Best buy say they cant do anything about it.

Nah, ill take my chances with Ebay or just keep the damn game. Build a nice collection.

Preston @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:22PM

I've pretty much given up on ebay. I only made $135 in sales for the last couple months selling used games, but the stupid assholes charged me nearly half of that in fees. Screw that.

Alex @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:36PM

Preston,
You still made some profit from it, why complain?

Preston @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:50PM

Actually, no. There was no profit made because 1. - They were sold drastically reduced from what I paid for them and 2. - eBay rapes you in the ass without lube with sellers fees. It makes it not worthwhile to sell on eBay. At best I was recouping a minor percentage of loss.

WRYYYYYY @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:15PM

I like the idea, but with all the new competition in the used game market, the games are gonna be spread thinner. If trades keep going at the same rate but to more places, it might be harder to find the game you're looking for.

FAnchax @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:49PM

lovin the pic

ArchiGamer @ Jun 23rd 2009 5:52PM

I can't tell if he's either invite me to hang ten, sell me weed, or try to molest me in his van.

I hope its the first two.

Jack_Jackington @ Jun 23rd 2009 6:22PM

He hopes you hope its the 1st two

Cosmo (formerly Chin-Poh) @ Jun 23rd 2009 6:27PM

I heard from another article its also going to expand to Houston, I'm just curious if they'll actually kick me in the crotch instead of giving me $.50 for a game. : )

joseph morgan @ Jun 23rd 2009 6:42PM

Why this matters I can't figure out. Unless its pc games which don't trade for anything anyway, the best way to get games is gamefly. i have the 3 games out at a time plan and its only 17.95 a month. I usually keep 1 game I'm really into at the time and rotate the other 2 in and out. This allows me to have the most popular new games till I get bored of them then return and the next game on my list is sent to me. This also keeps me from ever having buyers remorse as if a game sucks I send it back and whithin 3-4 days i have another game. I average playing 12-15 games a month and have found some unknown gems. Plus I always have the newest version of madden,halo and other popular games whithin a week of them coming out.With everyone and their uncle now in the used game biz. buying new games constantly is foolish. Good investors always will tell you buy what goes up in value and lease what goes down in value.