Amazon Trade-In FAQ 5.0

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handsomepete

handsomepete

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Welcome to the Official CAG Amazon.com Trade-In Thread

THIS IS NOT A FLIPPING THREAD. USEFUL CREDIT TRANSFER OPPORTUNITIES WELCOME, BUT KEEP THE PROFIT MARGIN TALK / SNEAKY OR LYING SHENANIGANS OUT

Hey trade-in pals! SENDING THINGS IN DISC / CARTRIDGE ONLY / GENERIC CASE NO MANUAL / ANYTHING BUT COMPLETE COULD RESULT IN REJECTION. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS. YOU MIGHT GET ACCEPTED, YOU MIGHT NOT. NO ONE KNOWS. IF YOU CUT OUT A UPC OR DO ANYTHING TO TRICK THE FINE(?) FOLKS AT AFS EXPECT IT TO BE OPENED AND REJECTED. THERE ARE NO HARD AND FAST RULES. IF IT IS ACCEPTED, IT WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY ONLY BE CONSIDERED "ACCEPTABLE." RISK YOUR TIME AND EFFORT AT YOUR PERIL!

I'm getting an acceptance rate of about one per day; it makes me think some supervisor is standing around with a glass of absinthe next to a couple of dumptruck loads of games...while the one responsible for the glitch is made to scan each item and recite its TIV with tears in their eyes. - Indigo_Streetlight
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Amazon.com Trade-in Home Page

------- FAQ BELOW - LEAVE ME ALONE PLEASE -------
Useful links:

-- BlueLobstah

-- CheapAssGamer

THANKS TO DISILLUSION386 and GI60 FOR POSTING AND MAINTAINING THE PREVIOUS AMAZON TRADE-IN FAQ THREADS

This thread’s primary purpose is to discuss Amazon.com’s video game trade-in program. Conspiracy theories about AFS smashing games before sending them back / stealing children / sneezing and touching public door handles / etc welcome, but try to avoid going nutso. PLEASE READ THE TRADE-IN DEAL DETAILS AND FAQ BEFORE ASKING ANY QUESTIONS.
Trade-In Procedure

1. SELECT ITEMS: Search for items to trade in. Your trade-in items must meet the product eligibility criteria.
2. SHIP GAMES FREE: Print a shipping label and packing slip, package your games, and ship them
3. GET A GIFT CARD: An Amazon.com Gift Card will be deposited into your account upon receipt of games

Shipping Instructions

1. Print this entire page. (Packing slip and shipping label once you have submitted a trade)
2. Cut out the shipping label and the packing slip.
3. Make sure your items are in good working condition and include the case and cover art.
4. Securely pack the items in a box or envelope and include the packing slip in the package.
5. Attach the shipping label squarely onto the outside of the package and add your return address.
6. Take it to your nearest UPS Store and mail it by (one week from submission of trade)
7. Or you can ship to:
note to self: look up new address
Trade-In Product Eligibility

Trade-in items must match the exact version displayed in the Amazon Trade-In Store, not be damaged, include original packaging (e.g. the manual, cover art, and case), and be postmarked no later than 7 days after submission. You will receive an e-mail confirmation and an Amazon.com Gift Card will be deposited into your account within 2 business days of item receipt and verification by the merchant. Items not accepted by the merchant will be returned to you approximately 14 days after receipt.
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GENERAL FAQ (Updated 12/26/2012)
Can I post a question on this thread?
Only if you can't find the answer from below. And please let me know if it needs to be added to FAQ.

Can I edit this FAQ? (updated 6/7/11)
You bet!

Since when did Amazon start doing trades?
The program began in 2009 and is handled by a third party merchant, previously known as NorAm International. Now known as AFS (Amazon Fulfillment Services).

What kind of shipping does Amazon provide us?
Free UPS ground ---- USPS is no longer available for free. There is now also an option to provide your own shipping.

Do I have to provide my own box or envelope?
Yes.

Do all my games in the same trade-in submission have to be shipped in the same box? (updated 3/9/11)
Not necessarily - people have sent in multiple boxes for the same trade-in submission successfully. It's even possible to send half at one time and the other half at the end of the valid shipping period. However, it's probably best to always ship everything at once.

Can I put separate trades in to a single box? (updated 6/7/11)
Sure, and they'll likely be accepted just fine. However, it isn't recommended since you would only have proof that you sent one of the trades (whichever mailing label you used). So it can be pretty risky.

Can I send in sealed games?
Yes. They won't reject games that still have the original shrink wrap.

Can I add Delivery Confirmation and Insurance to my shipment?
UPS Ground already provides you with tracking information, and I imagine you could get some sort of insurance added at a UPS store or location if you were so inclined.

I don't trust UPS ground. Can I pay for postage myself? What's the address?
Yes. You're more than welcome to do so. Just use the address on the amazon provided shipping label and make sure to get some sort of tracking.

When do I have to send my games once I have submitted my trade order?
You have 1 week (7 days) to send your games. There have been reports of submitting trades up to 15 - 20 days late, but that is definitely ymmv and not in the written rules. Send on time for the best chance at success!

Crap, I have one day to go before my shipment deadline, but the website states that my deadline has already passed. How do I print out a shipping label and packing slip? (Updated 9/9/13)
Load up any existing order (if you don't have any, check your browser's history or just submit a new one to use the link), and substitute the transaction ID for the trade-in order you need at the end of the URL.

Some step by step directions:
1. Go to your trade-in page on Amazon and find the Trade-In ID of the transaction:

Trade-In Placed:

August 24, 2013

  • Total Amount Submitted: $35.00
  • Amount Paid: $0.00
2. Copy the entire Trade-In ID (i.e. TRN-1234567-1234567) to your clipboard by highlighting it and hitting Ctrl+C or right click -> copy with your mouse

3. Paste the Trade-In ID to the end of this link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/tradein/multicondition-your-account/print-label/ref=trdrt_ya_yaprnt?ie=UTF8&orderID=

So it should look like this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/tradein/multicondition-your-account/print-label/ref=trdrt_ya_yaprnt?ie=UTF8&orderID=TRN-1234567-1234567

The Print Shipping Label screen for that trade should now come up.

How long does the whole trade-in process usually take?
From the time you send in your games, it may take up to 14 business days for the package to arrive. Most people usually receive their credit (Amazon GiftCard) in 3 to 5 business days, however.

How long does the "processing" status usually take? (Updated 10/11/12)
Usually a day or two with little delay at all. It may take multiple days or even weeks if it's an usual item/hardware.

My games were received on Friday (based on Delivery Confirmation), will I have to wait until Monday to receive credit?
People have received credit on a Saturday.

I do not have the manual, cover art, or original case for a game I want to trade in. Will they accept it? (updated 6/9/11)
While the details specifically state that original packaging is necessary, people have reported in the past that their trades were accepted despite missing some of these. This is extremely YMMV, however since some were also rejected by missing manual or cover art. On the other hand, older gen games; such as SNES, N64, and GB cartridges, normally get accepted without the original box and manual, but still YMMV.

It should be noted that with the new condition requirements (see later in the FAQ), you may be able to send an item in missing some or all of the required items (manual / cover art / case) and still have it accepted in "Acceptable" condition.

I do not have the manual, accessories, original box, original included game, etc for a console or accessory I want to trade in. Will they accept it? (updated 3/9/11)
The current wisdom is "probably not" - it's pretty YMMV but AFS seems stricter than they should be on this. Your chances seem to be better for them accepting a console or accessory without the box / manual / etc if it's older generation or rare. You're more than welcome to give it a shot though if you're feeling lucky - just pack it well and include as much as you can! Don't expect greater than 'acceptable' condition though.

My game is really beat up, what are the chances they’ll accept it?
This is YMMV. Some people have reported in the past that they sent in games in bad shape that were still accepted. Your best bet is still to trade in games in mint condition. Minor scratches are expected as these are used games.

My game came with DLC codes and I used them. Will my game be accepted? (Updated 12/28/11)
It is expected that included DLC codes have already been redeemed, so you should be fine. It is a kindness however if you have no use for it to not redeem it and let the next lucky soul who buys it from awd or wherever have a crack at it. Up to you!

My cover art (PLATINUM HITS) differs from the pic on amazon, will my trade be accepted?
It all depends on the UPC so just turn your game around, type in the UPC into the amazon search box. If the game comes up, then it's accepted regardless of cover art. Click on that result to submit your trade.

I have a game from a limited edition bundle, will they accept it?
If the game’s cover art has a UPC barcode, they will most likely accept it. If your game's cover states "Not for Resale" and does not have a UPC barcode, the game will most likely get rejected. Some people have had their games accepted in the past, but this is very YMMV.

The UPC barcode is not intact on my game's cover art, will that be accepted? (updated 3/9/11)
This is YMMV, but probably not. The UPC is all powerful within the walls of AFS..

I sent in my games, all of which were in pristine condition with the original packaging, but they said that one game is damaged and is now being returned.
Always pack your games well. Put a lot of newspaper around your games in the box to secure them and to prevent any damages from haphazard box cutting. People in the past have requested their entire trade-in order if it’s obvious the damage wasn’t their fault, and Amazon ended up accepting the rejected game. This is YMMV as well.

Can I trade in multiple copies of the same game?
Yes. Once you click “Trade in” for a particular game, you may change the quantities. Once you submit, you can no longer change quantities on that trade-in batch.

How many multiple copies of the same game can I trade-in (updated 1/11/11)?
Maximum of 2 copies within 3 a month period.

I locked in X copies of a game but I now only have Y available to send. Can I just send in Y without being penalized? (updated 3/9/11)
Yes, you can always just send in a portion of your trade-in order and they'll just credit you for whatever they receive. However, the quantities you submitted for will stay locked in that instance (I think) so if you, for example, submitted for 2 copies and only sent 1, you may not be able to trade any more copies of that game for 3 months (see previous question).

Will the Trade-in of the Day TIV stay for 24 hours?
It's been reported that there is a limit (maximum # of copies) that will get the promoted TIV so lock yours.

So if I find a good flip, I can just send 2 copies of that game and not worry about Amazon accusing me of stolen merchandise?
Technically yes, but do keep in mind that other CAGs might want to participate in the current deal, and trading in a large number of the same game will definitely lower the TIV of said game. Let’s be nice to other people. This is probably moot for most folks now with the per account / address trade-in limit.

Wow, these TIVs suck (updated 3/9/11)!
Really? Hrm. While that may be true, they're often better than other comparable places. Your options of what to do with your used games are greater now than they've ever been, so feel free to shop your trades around or just sell them off on glyde/ebay/whatever. Also, not a question.

What the fuck? The TIV of a game I just bought for this deal tanked! What do I do?
The TIVs on Amazon fluctuate depending on the number of trades that are submitted, and we really can’t do anything about it. The best course of action for trading in games is to lock in your trade if you already have the games or are absolutely sure that you can obtain them. You can always cancel the trade submission if you end up not finding the games.
LOCK = SUBMIT YOUR TRADE, Don't just put it in the cart.

Can I edit a submitted trade?
Nope - once upon a time you could modify trade in quantities of submitted trades, but that ability has been removed.

Can I use my credit on items that are not video game-related?
Yes. This is the other perk for trading in games at Amazon since you're not limited to just video games.

Can I use my credit on items sold by third-party merchants on Amazon?
According to the fine print of the Amazon gift card use, some merchants are excluded. Your best bet is to try it on the checkout page of your order.

Strategy guides? I can trade in game/strategy guides? Whaaaaa?
Go to the Textbook Buyback section (http://www.amazon.com/Textbooks-Trad...ode=2205237011[/URL]). You can either search on the title of a strategy guide you have to see if they'll accept it, or search for guides. The two best search strings to start with are 'prima guides' and 'bradygames'. Might try 'doublejump' if you want to trade in some of those. (Thanks eugaet)

I locked in some hilariously overvalued trade for some weird rare game/accessory/etc that I can pick up for cheap cheap cheap. They didn't accept it. What should I do? (updated 3/9/11)
The truth is that AFS can reject things for any reason they see fit. While some people have managed to get silly things like a $200 credit for some cheerleading game (or for a PS2 - just ask io!), it's sooooooo YMMV that often it's not worth the effort. EXPECT REJECTION ON THINGS THAT ARE CLEARLY MISVALUED. That said, as long as you're willing to risk it, go for it!

What's all this item condition nonsense? And how can I get screwed over by it? (updated 6/9/11)
We're still kinda sussing out the details surrounding the new item condition portion of Amazon Trade-Ins, but it looks like there's a couple things to consider:
Good Condition eligibility (games):
- The video game, original manufacturer packaging and all original elements are included, but shows wear from normal use
- Game still plays perfectly
- Disc may have light scratches and other elements may have minor damage
- Item may have been personalized (marked or identified)

Acceptable eligibility (games):
- Game still plays perfectly
- Item may have been personalized (marked or identified)
- Item may be missing or have irreparable damage to one or all of the following: case, manual, artwork, bundled accessories, UPC

Note that a game will almost certainly not be accepted if it meets any of these conditions:
- Game does not play perfectly
- Disc is cracked
- Marked Not for Resale (or is otherwise marked not for sale)

Consoles/accessories have some slightly different criteria, but the idea is the same.

Did it seriously just ask me if I wanted my game / other item returned if they refuse to give me credit for it? (updated 6/9/11)
Yes, that just happened.

Unless you're purposefully sending them things you deem to be trash, please remember to choose the option that has them return your item to you during the checkout phase.

Who is AFS? (updated 9/14/13)
Amazon Fulfillment Services (previously known as NorAm). Dunno if they changed names, were bought up by Amazon, or what. Not too interested anyhow.

Why does my package jump back and forth between states? (updated 9/14/13)
Look at a map of the involved cities and it'll make sense. Something to do with UPS hubs and proximity to the state border/cities.

Post away!

 
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I was also expecting disc only for DOA, but easily found 2 complete copies. I can't even find a disc only copy of most worthwhile profit games posted here.

 
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I also found two copies of the game. One was complete and in great condition and the other was in absolutely wretched condition. Luckily I had the forsight to lock in one of them as Do Not Return, so I should get them both approved, with one of them being downgraded to Acceptable.

 
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Gedemer said:
Wonder if the Trade In's will be available again anytime soon -.-

DOnt want to buy a 360 Ultimate version and then be stuck with it lol
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Hahaha no. In my experience, a removed trade in value never comes back...

*sits in corner weeping, clutching worthless Fragfx controller*

 
My God of War GoS PSP just came in and its in perfect condition. Got it for $112 too. The 25 day mark is on the 7th for me but I can't ship until tomorrow. I'll still ship and see how it goes though. Would suck if it expires but my last two trades have not expired until 2 weeks after the due date.
 
dreamer131313 said:
If I send a disc only copy of DOA in how should I send it? Will a plain gamestop case be ok?
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I have done that and it will be ok to get the acceptable value. I have done that with old ps2 cases too and it worked as well. Just make sure the case is in good shape and does not have stickers on it.

ThatOneGuyWho said:
My God of War GoS PSP just came in and its in perfect condition. Got it for $112 too. The 25 day mark is on the 7th for me but I can't ship until tomorrow. I'll still ship and see how it goes though. Would suck if it expires but my last two trades have not expired until 2 weeks after the due date.
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I found one on Amazon and one at GS and shipped mine in couple of days ago and it is in processing as of today. It was just the unit and charger with cables so we shall see what happens. Even if I get acceptable (which is what I could hope for with what I sent) that would put me in black nicely. Good luck to you on yours. Still a good profit if your's clears.

 
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dreamer131313 said:
Wait what defiance ce fiasco? What happened with defiance?
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The collectors edition was on sale for super cheap at gamestop (at the time, abandoning a sinking ship is a good metaphor). The trade in value was quite high and it was available to order from the GS website.

Everyone sent theirs in, and all of a sudden people were getting them rejected for "Wrong item". I myself had complained to an amazon rep that that was stupid considering I bought one from gs and one from AMAZON THEMSELVES (I think they price matched GS at one point).

I managed to get a rep to agree if they were accepted the second time I send them in, that they would honor the original values and credit me that. (Which both did end up happening).

But the TL;DR is, always be careful, as this is an example EN MASS where (The company amazon uses) flat out said "Nah we aren't paying that much for THESE" and rejected them.

 
Hemi said:
The collectors edition was on sale for super cheap at gamestop (at the time, abandoning a sinking ship is a good metaphor). The trade in value was quite high and it was available to order from the GS website.

Everyone sent theirs in, and all of a sudden people were getting them rejected for "Wrong item". I myself had complained to an amazon rep that that was stupid considering I bought one from gs and one from AMAZON THEMSELVES (I think they price matched GS at one point).

I managed to get a rep to agree if they were accepted the second time I send them in, that they would honor the original values and credit me that. (Which both did end up happening).

But the TL;DR is, always be careful, as this is an example EN MASS where (The company amazon uses) flat out said "Nah we aren't paying that much for THESE" and rejected them.
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TLDR; Amazon can reject any trade for any reason per their listed policy
 
Just shipped off my God of War PSP but my label shows 2 PSP's. I could only get one though. Would this be an issue or will they just award me credit for one. 

 
ThatOneGuyWho said:
Just shipped off my God of War PSP but my label shows 2 PSP's. I could only get one though. Would this be an issue or will they just award me credit for one.
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I think they'll award you credit for one, though they may wait to see if you'll ship the other one. For this reason, I always do single-copy lock-ins for trades for which I can't guarantee I'll get two "copies". I know it requires more packaging material, but I have a lot lying around.

 
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A new post in this thread after four days... only to find out that it's Yigytugd with yet another status update.

:bomb: :bomb: :bomb: :bomb: :bomb:

 
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ThatOneGuyWho said:
Just shipped off my God of War PSP but my label shows 2 PSP's. I could only get one though. Would this be an issue or will they just award me credit for one.
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You'll be fine. They process whatever they receive at the time they receive it (unlike say BB or Walmart, who will actually delay your overall trade-in to wait for missing items before processing anything). If you only sent in one, even on identical items, they'll just separate the items on the online trade-in order and accept/deny/etc. the one that you sent in while the other will be listed as "Not Yet Received" or "Processing" (even though they never received it). I've done the same thing quite a few times...

 
Eternal Session said:
Perhaps, but I doubt Vigilante was referring to that. It gets less updates than Microsoft's Zune. Seriously, you'd be hard-pressed to find a correct value now.
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I don't know if ur serious or just messing around; the fact is that tracker updates 4 times each day. And talking about that popcap game...

[attachment=6467:at.jpg]

 
Eternal Session said:
Perhaps, but I doubt Vigilante was referring to that. It gets less updates than Microsoft's Zune. Seriously, you'd be hard-pressed to find a correct value now.
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Um...actually, yeah, I get my info from that. Like trclamp said:

trclamp said:
I don't know if ur serious or just messing around; the fact is that tracker updates 4 times each day. And talking about that popcap game...

attachicon.gif
at.jpg
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I really should have posted the link to it earlier to remind you all about it. :oops:

 
No, I'm not joking or messing around, but I didn't use the daily tracker until now. I used this page...

http://tivtrackr.com/

...and checked the values by system. So the higher PS3 and 360 values from there were all wrong the last time I checked, which was two days ago.

 
Vigilante said:
Um...actually, yeah, I get my info from that. Like trclamp said:

I really should have posted the link to it earlier to remind you all about it. :oops:
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I completely forgot about that link. I will remember to check it often as well. The more people looking for deals, the more stuff we will hopefully find.

Eternal Session said:
No, I'm not joking or messing around, but I didn't use the daily tracker until now. I used this page...

http://tivtrackr.com/

...and checked the values by system. So the higher PS3 and 360 values from there were all wrong the last time I checked, which was two days ago.
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D'oh! Now I remember why I haven't checked the tracker.

Edit:

I know this is way off topic, but why do you guys suppose AWD always has so many of these in stock? Weird.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B003RS1970/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used&m=A2L77EE7U53NWQ

 
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I made a second Amazon account for my parents house who now live near me. If I repeatedly log in to Amazon with both accounts on the same computer/phone, will Amazon notice and delete one or both accounts? For the people who have two accounts, do you know?

 
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Eternal Session said:
I made a second Amazon account for my parents house who now live near me. If I repeatedly log in to Amazon with both accounts on the same computer/phone, will Amazon notice and delete one or both accounts? For the people who have two accounts, do you know?
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1.Depend if you break the rule
2.They know
 
Eternal Session said:
I made a second Amazon account for my parents house who now live near me. If I repeatedly log in to Amazon with both accounts on the same computer/phone, will Amazon notice and delete one or both accounts? For the people who have two accounts, do you know?
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You're technically not supposed to have more than one account, regardless of reason. They shouldn't notice that you have more than one account just by where/how you log-in (families share computers, phones, etc.), but if it does come to their attention that you have multiple accounts for whatever reason, you run the risk of being banned. And they don't just delete your account, they permaban you by account, IP address, physical address, credit cards, everything. You won't be doing business with Amazon anymore. Neither will anyone who ever lives at your house again. So exercise caution...

 
:psp:  Gran Turismo PSP Bundle (TIV $143 - Dropped to $65)

Locked it in when it was $143 but looks like it just dropped to $65 soon after. Might jump back up so worth checking back on it. Amazon was selling 4 acceptable ones for $66 so I brought 2 hoping for the $103 acceptable credit. If they reject it I'll just go to Amazon chat and say "If you can sell it as acceptable why can't you accept a trade in for acceptable". Might be burned by this but worth the risk.

 
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ThatOneGuyWho said:
:psp: Gran Turismo PSP Bundle (TIV $143 - Dropped to $65)

Locked it in when it was $143 but looks like it just dropped to $65 soon after. Might jump back up so worth checking back on it. Amazon was selling 4 acceptable ones for $66 so I brought 2 hoping for the $103 acceptable credit. If they reject it I'll just go to Amazon chat and say "If you can sell it as acceptable why can't you accept a trade in for acceptable". Might be burned by this but worth the risk.
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Value is back up to for:

Like New $142.96
Good $135.02
Acceptable $103.25

 
Usually how long does it take for a trade to process? I had both my dead or alive extreme 2 recieved Monday July 8th and I got paid for one Friday and the other still isn't processed?
 
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