Mega-chain Best Buy is sending $50 gift cards to customers who bought HD DVD players or attachments from its US stores prior to Feb. 23 (coincidentally, for our readership, the date Microsoft declared the format dead to the company). CNN reports most customers won't have to do a thing to receive the card as they'll be identified through the Reward Zone program, service plans or online purchases. If you're a customer who won't be identified in this manner, just grab a receipt (you do keep those, right?) or provide your credit card info to the company for proof of purchase. Gift cards will be sent out by May 1.

Circuit City provided a similar deal earlier this month to recent HD DVD adopters by allowing them to return the product if it had been purchased within 90 days. Both Best Buy and Circuit City's online trade-in programs (run by the same company) will allow you to unload your player beginning March 21. Before anyone thinks they're being witty, only HD DVD players can be returned for store credit, you're not getting $50 per movie disc purchased. Although this format war was in no way these retailer's fault, it's very nice to see them taking care of customers left out in the cold.

Although a tip we received was specifically about Best Buy's trade-in program, it appears the service is actually provided by a company called Dealtree.com, which seeks to offer "fair value" for old electronics. For example, the trade-in price for a Gamecube in good condition is $25; if that seems acceptable all the customer has to do is print out the pre-paid shipping label, send it to the company and in seven business days it'll send a Best Buy gift card for the value of the trade-in.

Dealtree.com apparently provides its services to a variety of retailers. It appears trade-in values are universal as a very quick check using the same parameters on the Circuit City version yielded the same trade-in value as with Best Buy. A sterile alternative to eBay or Craigslist for those looking to unload old consoles.

[Thanks Michael]

When our colleagues over as DS Fanboy first reported on Circuity City's 20% off DS game sale, they claimed the sale prices only applied to in-store purchases. Turns out they were wrong, as the sale evidently applies to CircuityCity.com as well, with plenty of great games dropping in price by as much as 10 bucks.

Oddly enough, the sale affects almost every DS title on the site, though skips over a random few like Planet Puzzle League and Nintendogs. Despite this, plenty of other great games are available at reduced price, including The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, Final Fantasy III, and even the recently released Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles.

To top it off, Circuit City offers free shipping for orders over $24, meaning the majority of these titles can be shipped for nothing more than the discounted price plus tax. Of course, the sales are only as good as the supplies last. We recommend doing as we have done, and ordering sooner rather than later; we expect stocks will dwindle quickly once word gets out.

[Via DS Fanboy]