Target buying used games; in NorCal for now, 850 stores by year's end

*NorCal

So, you're telling me that I can trade in my dying iPod touch 2G for store credit, then get a new one with a discount because my dad works there?

YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES.

I hope this catches on, if only to create more competition amongst companies in terms of cash for used games. Any retailer doing this that sells products outside of video games can afford to undercut one that doesn't substantially, essentially saying "suck it, Gamestop."

Hope it works out for them! Always got old gadget crap to get rid of! Plus more competition for GameStop has retailers fighting for highest trade value!

@psych7111 btw I work for GameStop and mean no ill intentions but Gamestop isn't going anywhere anytime soon. A lot of stores are getting DLC kiosks to buy DLC, points, and time in the store and printing out a redeem code. For instance you can go right now to any gamestop and buy "Shank" and "Scott Pigrim" straight up without stupid MS points. In terms of games in general at a retail store, I think Gamestop is ahead of the game. Also, ask a Gamestop dude anything! I'm bored. :/

I'm so torn...

I like one stop shopping. I like trade ins counting for more than the purchase of another game... but I don't like Target.

They donate, handsomely, to politicians with which I disagree.

hmm i wonder what part of norcal. all of norcal or just the bay area? Sac?

I think you mean 2007 KRZR

I've heard of them, ain't they like the modern equivelent of the Tandy/Radio Shack company?
In the UK other people have also picked up the ball on the game trade-in business and not just the usual game retailers. Recently a company called Argos has started a trade-in for shop vouchers sceme. For those of you in the US who might not have heard of them, they are a country wide network of stores that are like Home Shopping Catalogues but you go to a store instead and pick your goods for very low prices. Instead of loads of stock on shelves, you pick stuff out of a catalogue and they get it out of the small warehouse connected to it. Not quite the A typical retail type store.

Best Buy rolled out the same program on August 23rd here in North Carolina. My inner conspiracy theorist thinks that it's a buy back plot by publishers to get rid of physical media and force digital download of older games.

I never shop at Target to be honest but glad they are doing trade ins. I would never trade my games in though rather keep them instead.

i think this might be the only positive thing about me recently having moved to north carolina.

Score. I knew working at target would pay off. Now I can get discounts on video games and beer, YAY.

@Chareth Cutestory They also donate, even more, to various communities and schools, charities, most notably St. Jude Children's Hospital, and have even did their part in supporting some big relief efforts. I guess political alignment is truly more important than contributions towards more serious problems, like kids with cancer.

Is this for all stores in Northern California? Cuz it looks like the Target on Coleman Ave is about to be flooded with 8 year old Dreamcast and Xbox games.

Holy Sh*t! For the Joystiq moderators or anything, do you know where that picture was taken? Because I live in Northern California and it looks exactly like my Target. Anyway, could you guys tell me what city that Target picture is from?

Suck it, THQ, for bad-mouthing those who buy used games. Stores are starting to accept them, and there's nothing you can do about it.

It amazes me how people continually do these trade ins. Use ebay, stop wasting 20% of your money.

I see no reason to buy used games from anywhere but half.com, except occasionally when I find a $5 bin with some well-reviewed games that everyone but me has played. I've never sold or traded in a game because I tend to collect things, but if I did, I certainly would not trade any of my games in to Gamestop, and probably wouldn't do it at Target or Best Buy either. The fees ebay charges for half.com sales and shipping are a pittance compared to the way retail chains mark up used games.

As for the arguments against used gaming, libraries have existed for millennia, used bookstores for centuries, yet people still write books. The "but our products don't wear out so our customers shouldn't have the right of first sale" argument is crap, because I've bought some mint-condition used books and some seriously scuffed up used games. Anyone who compares used game sales to piracy is not really a fan of the free market. I'm surprised they haven't sued Gamefly yet.

I bought some Wiiware games when they launched Wiiware, about 50 bucks worth. Then my launch-day Wii stopped reading discs, my girl bought a new one and suffice to say it opened our eyes. Neither of us will be buying digitally-distributed games anymore. When publishers stop distributing games on physical media, we'll stop buying them -- and so will all the gamers who can only afford to be gamers because they can trade in their games, and the almost 75% of potential customers in the US who still have no broadband.

I just got offered $33.45 for db raging blast burst limit and last years yugioh ds game is it a good deal? I mean gamestop would probably give me 15 or less for all that

I stopped by games at Target. I just got sick of them carding for a buying a frickin' video game!

I don't think I've ever seen a Target store that clean and organized.

I work at a Target in Illinois (entertainment happens to be the section I work in lol) and our store is almost ALWAYS that clean and organized. (At least my area is) and yes, it looks almost like that picture as well.

little history for anyone who cares, that new look is dubbed P-Fresh and only a few stores have it right now. It's slowly rolling out across the states though.

I gave up buying used games long ago. Half the used games I bought were scratched, and didn't work half the time.

After reading this it was clear the writter was frowning on target bucks! Why you shouldn't frown, IMO by earning target bucks instead of cash I bet your going to see a bigger dollar return for a traded in game than what gamestop would give you. Also target is a lot nicer store than walmart, it's more happier there, anybody else agree?

Also, has anybody been to a "BUYBACKS" store, they almost always sell used games cheaper than gamestop, it's my new fav. Place to buy games, for example i got a used copy of GOW3 for 26$ compared to gamestops price of 54.95.....

In short GameStop GameSuck.

Hey, I work there!

850 stores, that sounds like a good number.

With regards to trading in your electronics, Best-buy and Target's trade-in program is a great idea, however customers might be missing out on where they can get the most cash/credit for their ipod, iphone, gps, etc. http://www.EcoSquid.com is a free site that instantly provides a comparison of just about all the major trade-in sites - so you can see how much each store/site will give you for your item.