Best Buy Trade-in 3.0: So long! New thread started.

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BudzMcGee

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A new year, a new thread. You can view the previous thread here!

All Promotions are available in-store only, and they DO NOT stack!
Only the 10% Bonus from Gamers Club Unlocked will stack with these offers.
Please read FAQ below before asking questions!

Current Promos:
- 100% Bonus Trade-In Credit W/any trade in:
Get a 100% bonus when you trade-in any game (Offer valid 8/19 - 10/6 - Unconfirmed end date, 9/8 is the latest confirmed date)

General video game promotions link: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcat17093&type=page (Promotions are listed at the bottom of the page)

Previous Promotions:
Promos that have expired:
- 50% Bonus Trade-In Credit W/any trade in:
Get a 50% bonus when you trade-in any game (Offer valid 7/07 - 8/18)

- 50% Bonus Trade-In Credit W/any trade in of "hot titles":
Get a 50% bonus when you trade-in any game (Offer valid 4/22- 06/02)

- Minimum 50% Bonus Trade-In Credit W/ Select Pre-orders:
Get a 50% bonus when you pre-order Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Max Payne 3, Borderlands 3, Far Cry 3, Assassin's Creed 3, Halo 4, Medal of Honor: Warfighter, BioShock Infinite, Madden NFL 13, NCAA Football 13, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Diablo III . (Offer valid 05/06 - 5/12)

- 40% bonus with pre-order of .
Get a 40% trade in bonus when you pre-order any of these games: Max Payne 3, Borderlands 3, Far Cry 3, Assassin's Creed 3, Halo 4, Medal of Honor: Warfighter, BioShock Infinite, Madden NFL 13, NCAA Football 13, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier or Diablo III (Offer valid 04/08/12 -04/14/12).
- 40% bonus with purchase of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13, Major League Baseball 2K12, FIFA Street, Mario Party 9 or Kinect Star Wars.
Get a 40% trade in bonus when you purchase select title (Offer valid 04/08/12 -04/14/12).
- Minimum 40% bonus with pre-order from select list.
Get a "minimum" 40% trade in bonus when you pre-order any title from a select list of games listed below *note, I have absolutely no idea what this means* (Offer valid 04/01/12 -04/07/12):
Max Payne 3
Borderlands 3
Far Cry 3
Assassin's Creed 3
Halo 4
Medal of Honor: Warfighter
BioShock Infinite
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City
Madden NFL 13
NCAA Football 13
- 50% bonus with any trade-in.
Get a 50% trade in bonus when you trade in any title (Offer valid 03/25/12 -03/31/12).

- Guaranteed $30 or more trade in credit for select games with purchase of game $39.99 or higher.
Purchase a video game priced $39.99 or more and get at least $30 credit when you trade-in one of the titles listed below (Offer valid 03/18/12 -03/24/12):

Twisted Metal - PS3
Final Fantasy XIII–2 — PS3 or Xbox 360
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception — PS3
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim — PS3 or Xbox 360
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 — Nintendo Wii, PS3 or Xbox 360
UFC Undisputed 3 — PS3 or Xbox 360
Soul Calibur V — PS3 or Xbox 360
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning — PS3 or Xbox 360
The Darkness II — PS3 or Xbox 360
Forza Motorsport 4 — Xbox 360
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword — Nintendo Wii
FIFA Soccer 12 — PS3 or Xbox 360
Battlefield 3 — PS3 or Xbox 360
Zumba Fitness: Rush — Xbox 360
Grand Slam Tennis 2 — PS3 or Xbox 360
Syndicate — PS3 or Xbox 360
FIFA Street — PS3 or Xbox 360
Mass Effect 3 — PS3 or Xbox 360
MLB 12: The Show — PS3
MLB 2K12 — PS3 or Xbox 360
Silent Hill: Downpour — PS3 or Xbox 360
SSX — PS3 or Xbox 360
Street Figher X Tekken — PS3 or Xbox 360
Binary Domain — Xbox 360
Mario Party 9 — Nintendo Wii
Asura's Wrath — PS3 or Xbox 360

Link:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Games-P...er/pcmcat268500050004.c?id=pcmcat268500050004



- 40% bonus with pre-order of select titles.
Get a 40% trade in bonus when you pre-order any title from the list below (Offer valid 03/18/12 -03/24/12):
Max Payne 3
Borderlands 3
Far Cry 3
Assassin's Creed 3
Halo 4
Medal of Honor: Warfighter
BioShock Infinite
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City
Madden NFL 13
NCAA Football 13

Link: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Games-P...er/pcmcat268500050008.c?id=pcmcat268500050008


- 40% bonus with order of Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City.
Get a 40% trade in bonus when you order Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City. Offer valid 03/11/12 -03/17/12

- 40% bonus with order of Assassin's Creed 3.
Get a 40% trade in bonus when you order Assassin's Creed 3. Offer valid 03/11/12 -03/17/12

- *RUMORED* 40% bonus with order of any pre-order.
Get a 40% trade in bonus when you pre-order any game (rumor of a non-listed promo, may or may not be true). Offer valid 03/11/12 -03/17/12

- 40% bonus with order of Street Fighter X Tekken.
Get a 40% trade in bonus when you order Street Fighter X Tekken. Offer valid 03/03/12 -03/10/12

- 40% bonus with order of Mass Effect 3.
Get a 40% trade in bonus when you order Mass Effect 3. Offer valid 03/03/12 -03/10/12

- 40% bonus with order of MLB: The Show 12.
Get a 40% trade in bonus when you order MLB: The Show 12. Offer valid 03/03/12 -03/10/12

- 40% bonus with order of MLB 2K12.
Get a 40% trade in bonus when you order MLB 2K12. Offer valid 03/03/12 -03/10/12
- 50% bonus with pre-order of Mass Effect 3.
Get a 50% trade in bonus when you pre-order Mass Effect 3. Offer valid 02/26/12 -03/03/12

- 50% bonus with pre-order of MLB: The Show 12.
Get a 50% trade in bonus when you pre-order MLB: The Show 12. Offer valid 02/26/12 -02/25/12

- 50% bonus with pre-order of MLB 2K12.
Get a 50% trade in bonus when you pre-order MLB 2K12. Offer valid 02/26/12 -02/25/12

- Trade 3, get 30% More.
Trade in 3 games or more and get 30% extra trade-in credit. Offer valid 01/01/12 -03/03/12

- 30% Bonus with any Pre-order.
Get a 30% extra trade-in credit when you pre-order any game. Offer valid 01/01/12 -03/03/12

- 40% bonus with purchase of Vita Software or Hardware.
Get a 40% trade in bonus when you purchase Playstation Vita Software or Hardware. Offer valid 02/19/12 -02/25/12

- 40% bonus with pre-order/purchase of UFC Undisputed 3.
Get a 40% trade in bonus with pre-order/purchase of UFC Undisputed 3. Offer valid 02/12/12 -02/18/12

- 40% bonus with pre-order/purchase of Twisted Metal.
Get a 40% trade in bonus with pre-order/purchase of Twisted Metal. Offer valid 02/12/12 -02/18/12

- 50% bonus with pre-order of Diablo III or UFC 3.
Get a 50% trade in bonus with pre-order either Diablo III or UFC 3. Offer valid 02/05/12 -02/12/12? ***NOTE*** This promo is NOT showing up on the BestBuyTradeIn.com page currently, but it confirmed to work by at least one CAG. It is listed as "this weeks" deal, hence the probable end date.
- 40% bonus with pre-order/purchase of Final Fantasy XIII-2.
Get a 40% trade in bonus with pre-order/purchase of Final Fantasy XIII-2. Offer valid 01/29/12 -02/04/12

- 40% bonus with pre-order/purchase of Soul Calibur V.
Get a 40% trade in bonus with pre-orde/purchase of Soul Calibur V. Offer valid 01/29/12 -02/04/12

- 50% bonus with pre-order of Final Fantasy XIII-2.
Get a 50% trade in bonus with pre-order of Final Fantasy XIII-2. Offer valid 01/15/12 -01/28/12

- 50% bonus with pre-order of Soul Calibur V.
Get a 50% trade in bonus with pre-order of Soul Calibur V. Offer valid 01/22/12 -01/28/12
- 50% Bonus when you trade in ANY game.
Get a 50% trade in bonus when you trade in ANY game. Offer valid 01/01/12 - 01/07/12

- 50% Bonus with specific Pre-order from list.
Get a 50% extra trade-in credit when you pre-order any game from the following list: Halo 4, Mass Effect 3, Bioshock Infinite, Grand Theft Auto 5, MLB 12 The Show, Soul Calibur V, Final Fantasy XIII-2, Twisted Metal, Max Payne 3, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City and Diablo 3. Offer valid 12/25/11 - 12/31/11

- Trade 2, get 25% More.
Trade in 2 games or more and get 25% extra trade-in credit. Offer valid 11/27/11 - 12/31/11

- 30% Bonus with any Pre-order.
Get a 30% extra trade-in credit when you pre-order any game. Offer valid 11/27/11 - 12/31/11
- 40% Bonus with purchase of any game $39.99 or above.
Get a 40% extra trade-in credit when you purchase any game $39.99 or above. Offer valid 11/27/11 - 12/10/11

- 50% Bonus with purchase of any game $39.99 or above.
Get a 50% extra trade-in credit when you purchase any game $39.99 or above. Offer valid 11/27/11 - 12/03/11

- Trade 3, get 30% More.
Trade in 3 games or more and get 25% extra trade-in credit. Offer valid 10/30/11 - 11/26/11

- 40% Bonus with any Pre-order.
Get a 40% extra trade-in credit when you pre-order any game. Offer valid 10/5/11 - 11/26/11

- 40% Bonus with Saints Row 3 Pre-order/Purchase.
Get 40% extra trade-in Credit when you pre-order/purchase Saints Row 3. Offer valid 11/13/11 - 11/19/11

- 40% Bonus with Assassin's Creed Revelations Pre-order/Purchase.
Get 40% extra trade-in Credit when you pre-order/purchase Assassin's Creed Revelations. Offer valid 11/13/11 - 11/19/11

- 50% Bonus with Modern Warfare 3 Pre-order/Purchase.
Get 50% extra trade-in Credit when you pre-order/Purchase Modern Warfare 3. Offer valid 10/10/11 - 11/12/11 (Assuming this means a bonus for purchasing the game after it is released this Tuesday)

- 50% Bonus with Saints Row 3 Pre-order.
Get 50% extra trade-in Credit when you pre-order Saints Row 3. Offer valid 11/6/11 - 11/12/11

- 50% Bonus with Assassin's Creed Revelations Pre-order.
Get 50% extra trade-in Credit when you pre-order Assassin's Creed Revelations. Offer valid 11/6/11 - 11/12/11

- 40% Bonus with The Elder Scrolls V: Pre-order/Purchase.
Get 50% extra trade-in Credit when you pre-order/purchase The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Offer valid 11/6/11 - 11/12/11

- 50% Bonus with Max Payne 3 Pre-order.
Get 50% extra trade-in Credit when you pre-order Max Payne 3. Offer valid 11/6/11 - 11/12/11 - This promo seems a little odd and there is a chance it is an error on the site since the game is so far from release.

- 50% Bonus with Saints Row 3 Pre-order.
Get 50% extra trade-in Credit when you pre-order Saints Row 3. Offer valid 10/23/11 - 10/29/11

- 50% Bonus with Skyrim Pre-order.
Get 50% extra trade-in Credit when you pre-order The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Offer valid 10/23/11 - 11/05/11

- 40% Bonus with Uncharted 3 Pre-order/Purchase.
Get 40% extra trade-in Credit when you pre-order/purchase Uncharted 3. Offer valid 10/30/11 - 11/05/11

- 40% Bonus with Battlefield 3 Purchase.
Get 40% extra trade-in Credit when you purchase Battlefield 3. Offer valid 10/23/11 - 10/29/11

- Trade 2, get 25% More.
Trade in 2 games or more and get 25% extra trade-in credit. Offer valid 10/2/11 - 10/29/11

- 50% Bonus with Battlefield 3 Pre-order.
Get 50% extra trade-in Credit when you pre-order Battlefield 3. Offer valid 10/9/11 - 10/22/11

- 40% Bonus with purchase of Batman: Arkham City.
Get 40% extra trade-in Credit when you pre-order Batman: Arkham City. Offer valid 10/16/11 - 10/22/11

- 50% Bonus with Batman: Arkham City Pre-order.
Get 50% extra trade-in Credit when you pre-order Batman: Arkham City. Offer valid 10/9/11 - 10/15/11

- 30% Bonus with Rage or NBA 2K12 Pre-order/Purchase.
Get a 30% extra trade-in Credit when you pre-order/purchase Rage or NBA 2K12. Offer valid 10/2/11 - 10/08/11

- Trade 4 get an extra $20 Trade-in Credit.
Get $20 trade-in Credit when you trade 4 or more games (Current gen games only (no PS2) and $5 minimum for each game). Offer valid 10/2/11 - 10/08/11**** This promo was cancelled early due to technical issues. There have been issues with this promo not working on some stores' systems or simply not even being available, the issue seems to be related to disc-only games (or any game that is typed rather than scanned) so plan accordingly. The $20 extra is once per trade-in, meaning 4 games or 123 games it will only be $20 extra per transaction. So if you want to trade in 8 games, do it in two separate transactions. ****

- 50% Bonus with Rage or NBA 2K12 Pre-order.
Offer was valid from 9/25 to 10/01/2011.

- 40% Bonus with Gears of War 3 Purchase.
Get a 40% extra trade-in credit when you pre-order/purchase Gears of War 3. Offer expired 10/01/2011

- Trade 3, Get 30% More.
Trade in 3 games or more and get 30% extra trade-in credit. Offer expired 10/01/2011

- 40% Bonus with any Pre-order.
Get a 40% extra trade-in credit when you pre-order any game. Offer expired 10/01/2011


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BEST BUY'S VIDEO GAMES TRADE-IN PAGE & VALUE ESTIMATOR

Check which BB stores do trade-ins here.
In-store trades are now done at the Trade-In Counter at the Gaming Dept.

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F.A.Q. Best Buy has a short FAQ here.

How does the get **% with pre-order bonus work?
The percentage is based on the final total of your entire trade in, so if the trade in is $100 and there is a 50% bonus your final gift card value will be $150. After trading in your games, the employee SHOULD then sell you the pre-order for $5.

How much is a pre-order at Best Buy?
Pre-ordering at Best Buy cost $5, in fact, you aren't supposed to pay any more than that (and most employees won't let you if you ask). Yes, you can use the gift card you just received from your trade-in to purchase the pre-order.

Can I cancel a pre-order and keep the bonus?
Yes, the trade-in and the pre-order are completely separate transactions. Nothing will prevent you from returning to the Best Buy canceling the pre-order and receiving a refund. Some users have claimed that they were flagged for doing this multiple times though and were denied, so be aware of how many pre-orders you are cancelling. Also keep in mind the obvious facts that this is not how the program is intended to work and over abuse will negatively affect the program long-term. Lastly, returns are tracked on a personal level by a third party. (Read: try not to cancel a bunch of pre-orders)

Do I have to cancel the pre-order at the same store where it was made?
No, this can be handled by any BBY. Don't be surprised if you get a customer service employee who says otherwise though.

Can I pre-order once and get the pre-order bonus on my next trade-in as well?
YMMV. Officially, the answer is no, but there is nothing that actually requires the employee to sell the pre-order in order to apply the bonus so if your blue shirt is in a friendly mood they may be willing. Doesn't hurt to get to know the employees at your store. That said, expect that you will have to pre-order another game and be surprised if you don't.

Can I combine a 3 games for **% and a pre-order for **% bonus?
No. Bonuses do not stack, and you must pick one or the other. The only bonus that stacks with other promotions is the 10% you receive if you are a Gamers Club Unlocked member.

How do I become a Gamers Club Unlocked member and get the 10% bonus?
Any video game section employee should be able to set you up with the GCU membership. It cost $15 and comes with a year subscription of @Gamer magazine. It will also get you a 10% bonus on trade ins and 10% off of used games (Make sure to point it out to the blue shirt doing your trade-in though as it is easy for them to skip, and they are still new to it). It can take 48 hours (or more) for GCU to show up on your Reward Zone membership.

Can I use my Best Buy gift card to purchase Amazon Kindle Gift Cards or Visa Gift Cards?
Yes, although some employees may not be aware of this and incorrectly refuse to do so. Visa Gift Cards have a $200 limit and a $6 activation fee. Amazon Gift Cards are available in $25, $50 and $100 depending on your store selection. IL does not sell Amazon Gift Cards. Yes, Kindle Gift Cards are good for anything on Amazon.

The value on the site doesn't match the store, why?
Sometimes the page may not update immediately. This is fairly rare though. The store's trade-in values are definitive though, so what they say is what you get. 99.99% of the time they will match up.

The value on the iPhone/Android app is way off, why?
The app sucks for updating values (and some games simply don't show up), don't rely on it.

The game I want to trade isn't on the site, what gives?
While rare, there have been some games recently not showing up in the online estimator. You can always check in-store to see if the price is in their system and simply not online, but that is unlikely to be the case. When Best Buy doesn't have a game on file they can offer $1 as a generic SKU, but that's it. New releases appear to be added on Tuesday evenings. Many new releases are taking upwards of a week or more to be added to the site.

How come the GOTY/complete version doesn't show up in the estimator?
Best Buy doesn't differentiate between the vanilla and GOTY/complete versions of a game. This is largely a cover-all policy due to the fact that many GOTY editions include the game's DLC and bonus content as one-time use codes; meaning that the game has no extra value on the 2nd hand market. So no extra TIV for your GOTY games. The plus side is that GOTY and vanilla versions sell at the same price, so if the DLC is located on disc and you find a GOTY version in-store it will be the same price as the vanilla one.

When do trade-in values update?
No one knows for sure, but updates can and do happen at any time. Sometimes an update will happen randomly, such as when GameStop has an advertised sale for a game well below Best Buy's trade in price.

What will be the TIV of Game X tomorrow/next week / next month/ etc
Nobody knows.

If I locked in a trade online, and the value drops, will I still get the locked in value when I mail it in?
Yes. You will get the locked in TIV as long as the item is received within 14 days of you locking it in (and the item is in the condition you described it as).

Can you lock in the price online then trade it in-store?
No.

Is there a limit to how many games I can trade in?
Officially, Best Buy only accepts 3 copies of a game, per system (i.e. you could trade in 3 copies of a game for Xbox, 3 copies for PS3 and 3 for Wii). This is for sure the online policy, but it varies in stores. Some people have reported being banned for trading in more than 3 copies of games, others have done so frequently without issue. Obviously it is YMMV, but do so at your own risk.

Lately some people have been told the policy is 1 game per system (i.e. you could trade in 1 copy of a game for Xbox, 1 for PS3 and 1 for Wii), and have been actively turned down when trading in more than one copy. Whether this is actually something they are banning for or if it is just what employees are being told to follow to limit multiples is unknown. Trade multiples at your own risk.

Can I trade game disc only, or do I need the case and manuals, too?
Best Buy accepts disc only games (for the same value as complete games). The trade in will take longer though as the employee will have to look up the games individually. Yes, this also applies to DS, 3DS, PSP, etc. If you have the manual and artwork you should trade it in though anyway to improve the quality of the selection for people who may want to buy the game in the future (you can't know if the game will be complete when you buy online for example).

Can I trade in games that say "Not for Resale" on the back?
Yes, since the only thing that matters is the disc. Some employees will fight this though, and in that case, just trade the game in as disc-only. Employees have gotten much better about knowing this policy though.

Does Best Buy accept game hardware?
Currently Best Buy only accepts various versions of the Nintendo DS in store, and some stores apparently accept consoles as well. Call ahead before bringing it in. That said, the TIV for most hardware is lower than competitors.

Does the **% bonuses apply to game hardware?
No, games only.

When I do a in-store trade, I am asked: to be fingerprinted, to have my photo taken, how much I weigh, etc. What's the deal?
Pawn shop laws regulating trade-ins and resale of used goods varies from state to state or even city to city. It is not Best Buy's rule, and varies from store to store depending on where you live. At a minimum you'll need a (United States) state issued ID or passport.

I went to a store to do a trade-in and they asked for a Best Buy receipt. WTF?
Some stores are required to have receipts to accept trade-ins, again this is due to local Pawn shop laws and could vary from city to city. You can always check if the store(s) near you require a receipt on Best Buy's trade-in site.

Can I trade sealed games?
Yes. You must present your receipt for the sealed games you are trading in. It is ok if the purchase was made from another store. You do run the risk of drawing extra attention to yourself as trading in sealed products is often a sign of theft. Do not be surprised if this is questioned by an employee, or you are asked to leave, open the items and return. You might even be flat out denied by the employee or manager despite the official rule.

Remember, all trades are technically at the discretion of Best Buy and they can refuse to accept a game for whatever reason they want (outside of you being black, woman, Jewish, etc.).
 
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Glad to know i have not been ban. did a test trade and it went through. Now to decide if its worth my time to convert gamestop credit to bby.
 
[quote name='Sendoh']I hate where most of the bestbuy near me requires a receipt to trade in. The closest one that doesnt require a receipt is 20miles away.[/QUOTE]

ummmm...u sure they know you are trading in a game and not returning it? How the hell are you suppose to have a receipt to trade in a game if u bought it from a different store, especially months or years ago. They want to see your gamestop receipt or Blockbuster receipt?
 
[quote name='FlamedLiquid']ummmm...u sure they know you are trading in a game and not returning it? How the hell are you suppose to have a receipt to trade in a game if u bought it from a different store, especially months or years ago. They want to see your gamestop receipt or Blockbuster receipt?[/QUOTE]

Some cites and/or states have weird laws and those Best Buys can only take trade-ins with a receipt purchased from them. It was like this in Florida up until a few months ago as well.
 
[quote name='jacknicklson']Some cites and/or states have weird laws and those Best Buys can only take trade-ins with a receipt purchased from them. It was like this in Florida up until a few months ago as well.[/QUOTE]

they literally only let u trade in games from their store? What rubbish
 
All BB has to do is pay some LP to do web surfing at CAG, SD and immediately they can close any loopholes ... A $15/hr job can save the company millions ..

The problem with BB is that they are giving bonus credit for crap games that probably will never see another use in its life..They should just stick with bonus credit for games within a certain release time.
 
[quote name='HaloSucks']All BB has to do is pay some LP to do web surfing at CAG, SD and immediately they can close any loopholes ... A $15/hr job can save the company millions ..

The problem with BB is that they are giving bonus credit for crap games that probably will never see another use in its life..They should just stick with bonus credit for games within a certain release time.[/QUOTE]
:whistle2:$ Don't be giving them any ideas. Although as I said before I would gladly take a job such as that where I could work from home.;)

As it stands they're nuking any halfway decent values and I predict they'll pull an Amazon within a year where they won't even offer promo bumps. It's at that point that I won't even bother with them unless it's an absolutely insane flip.:booty:
 
See I don't understand why anyone would still want to be in the used game business anymore... All this constant flipping really don't make any real money ( if it is all within the US ), unless BB or these used game sales is somehow dump to other countries.. I know Ps2 games are still hot in Brazil:booty:..

If I was running BB, I would stop the used game business or maybe streamline it into just building stock of old games. Focus on the big margin USED product market of gaming consoles and hardware

maybe limit trade in credits to only movies, games and music purchases

Make a whole new section for GAME RENTAL, ( where all the stock of old games going to come in handy ) .. BB can instantly deal a major blow to Gamefly and GS...

But really the used game market is so oversaturated, only pennies can be made.. unless they are somehow selling these used product overseas, which I highly doubt

Focus on selling new games at competitive prices ( which also hurt GS TIV and sales )
 
BB has one strategy right now, sink market share for GameStop. That's why the kiosks went in, the knowledgeable gamers went to that section and it's become like a mini gaming store. They'll keep it up as long as they have to and take small hits in other areas to gain market share. They're just going through small growing pains where big flips were happening or additional revenue is not generated because people are buying kindle cards. You'll see it adapt so trade in credit perhaps isn't good for those things but they'll continue to try and sink GameStop.
 
[quote name='dasme313']Lol I got a warning from BBY.

Our records indicate you have been trading in an excessive amount of video games, in some cases, exceeding the 3 title per platform limit. From the amount of duplicate and triplicate games you are trading in, it is clear that these games are being purchased in order to profit from the trade-in program. The trade-in program is designed to assist customers who have purchased games for personal use, and now wish to recycle them. If you continue to trade-in duplicate and/ or triplicate copies of video games, you will be banned from future use of this program, indefinitely.

I know for a fact that I haven't traded in more than 3 copies of the same game to Best Buy, I have all my trade-in receipts. Any one else get an e-mail like this?[/QUOTE]

Interesting...when I did a trade yesterday they needed to confirm my email address which they had never done before. I wonder if I'll be getting one of those emails soon.
 
Question: I have a game that I wanted to trade in. I was hoping to get a Magic Mouse for my Macbook Pro as well. Is it possible to trade in games and purchase something not gaming related? I suppose I am curious to see if trade ins are only limited to video game purchases.

Also, this would be my first time trading a game in. Do I just go to the cash register and tell them or what? I know these are things I should find out on my own, but my Best Buy is quite far so I figure it is better to research before going there with my eyes closed.

Thank you!
 
[quote name='Esmith08']Question: I have a game that I wanted to trade in. I was hoping to get a Magic Mouse for my Macbook Pro as well. Is it possible to trade in games and purchase something not gaming related? I suppose I am curious to see if trade ins are only limited to video game purchases.

Also, this would be my first time trading a game in. Do I just go to the cash register and tell them or what? I know these are things I should find out on my own, but my Best Buy is quite far so I figure it is better to research before going there with my eyes closed.

Thank you![/QUOTE]

They give you a gift card that can be used for anything at Best Buy or Bestbuy.com

Bring your games to the yellow shirt at the front and get them stickered and ask where trade ins go. it will either be at a desk in the gaming department or at customer service.
 
[quote name='jacknicklson']They give you a gift card that can be used for anything at Best Buy or Bestbuy.com

Bring your games to the yellow shirt at the front and get them stickered and ask where trade ins go. it will either be at a desk in the gaming department or at customer service.[/QUOTE]

Ok, thank you very much.
 
Best Buys values are the biggest joke in the world. They dropped even further! $14 for Skyrim and Modern Warfare 3. LOL.....even with the 50% scam you can get better values just about anywhere else.
 
[quote name='HaloSucks']
But really the used game market is so oversaturated, only pennies can be made.. unless they are somehow selling these used product overseas, which I highly doubt

Focus on selling new games at competitive prices ( which also hurt GS TIV and sales )[/QUOTE]

This is just completely wrong. The reason why BB is so hot to get into the used game business is because it is so much more lucrative than the new game business.

You should do some research before telling us what you should do if you ran BB.
 
Thanks CAG. Thanks to your input on GS>BB TiV, I was able to turn a few GS gift cards into a pre-paid Visa over at BB. And then I bought some Hungry Howies pizza with that card on the way home. :)
 
Well I had 4 messages in my inbox at BBY forums to my surprise...

They were all from mods asking me to join some special forum program.

They did say that it would result in a direct communication line to the forum mods and customer relations people...

Not sure if I want to do it or not. Anyone else get this?
 
Since :ps3:Rayman Origins dropped to $19.99 at TRU you could trade it in at BB for $17 according to their website (the TIV hasn't dropped as of 5pm EST) plus the 50% and extra 10% which would net you $27.20 per copy. Netting a $7 profit per copy.
 
[quote name='confoosious']This is just completely wrong. The reason why BB is so hot to get into the used game business is because it is so much more lucrative than the new game business.

You should do some research before telling us what you should do if you ran BB.[/QUOTE]

really reselling duke nukems, ps2 sports games, and wii games and nintendogs is a lucrative business for BB?

There is only a very small majority of games that is lucrative in the used game market.. Unless used games are also open to the worldwide market, I don't see any real money in it.
 
[quote name='HaloSucks']really reselling duke nukems, ps2 sports games, and wii games and nintendogs is a lucrative business for BB?

There is only a very small majority of games that is lucrative in the used game market.. Unless used games are also open to the worldwide market, I don't see any real money in it.[/QUOTE]

No there is much larger profits in selling used games IF you are smart with buy low, sell high.

For this reason BBY used game market WILL fail. Since they take more than games, they are subject to local pawn laws which most areas is a 30 day wait period. How many games can you accurately predict the price in a month and yet still offer competitive TiVs.

It's a failing system from the get-go. There are very few games that hold value over that long of a period.
 
[quote name='finsfan0210']Since :ps3:Rayman Origins dropped to $19.99 at TRU you could trade it in at BB for $17 according to their website (the TIV hasn't dropped as of 5pm EST) plus the 50% and extra 10% which would net you $27.20 per copy. Netting a $7 profit per copy.[/QUOTE]
Actually the BB TIV for :ps3:Rayman Origins is $19. After 50% promo and 10% unlocked you'd get $30.40. Netting $10.40.
 
[quote name='HaloSucks']really reselling duke nukems, ps2 sports games, and wii games and nintendogs is a lucrative business for BB?

There is only a very small majority of games that is lucrative in the used game market.. Unless used games are also open to the worldwide market, I don't see any real money in it.[/QUOTE]

Of course you don't.
 
[quote name='finsfan0210']Since :ps3:Rayman Origins dropped to $19.99 at TRU you could trade it in at BB for $17 according to their website (the TIV hasn't dropped as of 5pm EST) plus the 50% and extra 10% which would net you $27.20 per copy. Netting a $7 profit per copy.[/QUOTE]
You're forgetting about sales tax. Not to mention unless you're using game trade credit at either TRU or BB(and at BB getting them to price match the game) to buy the game then you're spending $20 in cash to make a $7 'profit' and that profit is in game credit.:cry:

Not exactly a stellar flip imo.
 
[quote name='confoosious']This is just completely wrong. The reason why BB is so hot to get into the used game business is because it is so much more lucrative than the new game business.

You should do some research before telling us what you should do if you ran BB.[/QUOTE]

And this is completely wrong. Best Buy wants to get into used games because it is part of the gamin industry as are preorders an new game sales. They are doing so with the kiosks and preorder deals to be thought of like a GameStop as your first shop and then beat them at their game. Youd have to be a moron to think that used game sales even come close to new game sales in terms of numbers or dollars or sales. Those are exactly the games moms buy for kids or little Johnny opens up on Christmas. That's so myopic it's funny. If Best Buy becames the first one you think of for all things gaming, they would complete their goal.
 
[quote name='ijustw1n']And this is completely wrong. Best Buy wants to get into used games because it is part of the gamin industry as are preorders an new game sales. They are doing so with the kiosks and preorder deals to be thought of like a GameStop as your first shop and then beat them at their game. Youd have to be a moron to think that used game sales even come close to new game sales in terms of numbers or dollars or sales. Those are exactly the games moms buy for kids or little Johnny opens up on Christmas. That's so myopic it's funny. If Best Buy becames the first one you think of for all things gaming, they would complete their goal.[/QUOTE]
They came close for many people with the $5 to $35 or so game deals before and just after Christmas. But I think they musta ran outta stuff in their warehouse to shift over to the Outlet Center and slash the price on by 60%+ since they've had some really shittacular Deal Of The Day deals over the last week or so.:whistle2:#
 
[quote name='ijustw1n']And this is completely wrong. Best Buy wants to get into used games because it is part of the gamin industry as are preorders an new game sales. They are doing so with the kiosks and preorder deals to be thought of like a GameStop as your first shop and then beat them at their game. Youd have to be a moron to think that used game sales even come close to new game sales in terms of numbers or dollars or sales. Those are exactly the games moms buy for kids or little Johnny opens up on Christmas. That's so myopic it's funny. If Best Buy becames the first one you think of for all things gaming, they would complete their goal.[/QUOTE]

He is talking profit per game. In which BBY gets like $5 profit per new game (higher if they have large preorders).

Least this was how it was at MicroCenter when I worked there. Used games is the ONLY reason GS is still around
 
Can someone confirm if the 50% trade in extra is only towards 1 game or can it be multiple? I can make a few bucks extra if its multiple but if not Amazon will give me a better price for all my games. Thank you
 
[quote name='akiefer']Interesting...when I did a trade yesterday they needed to confirm my email address which they had never done before. I wonder if I'll be getting one of those emails soon.[/QUOTE]

They asked for my email as well. I have traded a total of 3 copies of a game but it was over a 3 month time line. I wonder if they can look into your account once they have your email address?
 
[quote name='razrvamp']Can someone confirm if the 50% trade in extra is only towards 1 game or can it be multiple? I can make a few bucks extra if its multiple but if not Amazon will give me a better price for all my games. Thank you[/QUOTE]
Think about it for a second. If it was only for 1 game couldn't you just do separate transactions? Fortunately for you it applies to multiple games in 1 transaction.
 
[quote name='klimb22']Think about it for a second. If it was only for 1 game couldn't you just do separate transactions? Fortunately for you it applies to multiple games in 1 transaction.[/QUOTE]

Or don't think about it and check the OP...
 
[quote name='klimb22']Think about it for a second. If it was only for 1 game couldn't you just do separate transactions? Fortunately for you it applies to multiple games in 1 transaction.[/QUOTE]

I didn't want to run into a hassle with the BB employees doing separate transactions for something I would only end up making 5.40 cents over Amazon. My BB employees in my town I believe do not understand what good customer service is.

Thank you for answering my question
 
[quote name='Jimmienoman']Or don't think about it and check the OP...[/QUOTE]


I read the OP. I've been around CAG long enough to know to check that first.

The OP says this:

Get a 50% trade in bonus when you trade in ANY game

Notice it is not plural. It says game not games

That's why I asked
 
[quote name='ijustw1n']And this is completely wrong. Best Buy wants to get into used games because it is part of the gamin industry as are preorders an new game sales. They are doing so with the kiosks and preorder deals to be thought of like a GameStop as your first shop and then beat them at their game. Youd have to be a moron to think that used game sales even come close to new game sales in terms of numbers or dollars or sales. Those are exactly the games moms buy for kids or little Johnny opens up on Christmas. That's so myopic it's funny. If Best Buy becames the first one you think of for all things gaming, they would complete their goal.[/QUOTE]

Tell me what the profit margin is on new games.
 
Completed my first BB trade in today, went pretty smooth. Had to provide my thumbprint, which is odd since I know laws in my state dont require it, but otherwise pretty normal.
 
man I traded in MW3 and only got 28 dollars toward trade in credit and that was with the promotion. Best buy is gonna be worse than Game stop
 
[quote name='handsomepete']I'm sure you were being facetious, but it made me think of this article - it was making the rounds last year and gives an idea of how much more used game sales accounted for Gamestop's profits than new games.

http://www.1up.com/news/gamestop-report-reveals-profit-margins[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I figured ijustwin had no idea what he was talking about. That's why I asked the question.

This is my favorite part of his rant though: "Youd have to be a moron to think that used game sales even come close to new game sales in terms of numbers or dollars or sales. Those are exactly the games moms buy for kids or little Johnny opens up on Christmas. That's so myopic it's funny."

I suspect we won't be hearing again from him in this thread. I'm sure he'll try to say something along the lines of "well, i meant gross numbers!!!!" Sure you did. And gross numbers don't mean shit. I could be the #1 distributor of video games in a month if I sold everything for $10.

Used games are the highest profit margin and that's why BB (and Walmart, and BBv...) wanted to take a bite out of gamestop.
 
Market share. Used games don't mean a lot to the big boxes but they mean everything to Gamestop. If BBY can take away GS's used market GS goes all the way under and BBY gets it all.
Nuff Said
 
[quote name='confoosious']Tell me what the profit margin is on new games.[/QUOTE]

In all seriousness, it depends on the game and on developer's, publisher's, distributer's, and retailer's costs.
Besed on PS3 copies, a game like Call of Duty MW3 costs a company like bestbuy about $45 ON RELEASE. Factor in labor, distribution, etc, etc. Best Buy's net profit per copy sold is around $4 when sold at $60. While the game costs very little to make, Activision has the power in this scenario(for now) and is able to charge the distributer about $38 a copy while only paying sledgehammer and infinity ward about $8 a copy plus royalties. While I know that activision doesn't actually pay $8 a copy of the game and is who actually produces the game, that is about the costs of the salaries involved per game. Infinity ward and sledgehammer make less as a company than they give their employees as that 8 a copy goes into the costs of making the game(sort of). Activision makes quite a bit as a company. After production and advertising costs, they still make $9 to $16 a game. Distributer usually profits no more than $2 a game after costs. Asssassin's Creed: Revelations costs about $40 a copy for best buy ON RELEASE. A game with a significantly lower budget or less following can cost bestbuy as little as $30 on release.

Believe it or not, that is an extremely high profit margin on a device for bestbuy right now. Best Buy hardly makes $30 a TV right now compared to $300 just 5 years ago. Average life of a TV is 7 years which means that best buy has to sell 10 TV's just to profit the same amount they did a few years ago while still having to convnce those people that they are in need of a new set.(This TV thing is probably somewhat off but the costs of the games is pretty spot on even though I haven't checked in a while and those are just my personal adjustments for inflation, distribution, mareting, particular contractual agreements, etc.; meaning there could be a + or - ~ $2 variance)
 
[quote name='dealsthatkills']In all seriousness, it depends on the game and on developer's, publisher's, distributer's, and retailer's costs.
Besed on PS3 copies, a game like Call of Duty MW3 costs a company like bestbuy about $45 ON RELEASE. Factor in labor, distribution, etc, etc. Best Buy's net profit per copy sold is around $4 when sold at $60. While the game costs very little to make, Activision has the power in this scenario(for now) and is able to charge the distributer about $38 a copy while only paying sledgehammer and infinity ward about $8 a copy plus royalties. While I know that activision doesn't actually pay $8 a copy of the game and is who actually produces the game, that is about the costs of the salaries involved per game. Infinity ward and sledgehammer make less as a company than they give their employees as that 8 a copy goes into the costs of making the game(sort of). Activision makes quite a bit as a company. After production and advertising costs, they still make $9 to $16 a game. Distributer usually profits no more than $2 a game after costs. Asssassin's Creed: Revelations costs about $40 a copy for best buy ON RELEASE. A game with a significantly lower budget or less following can cost bestbuy as little as $30 on release.

Believe it or not, that is an extremely high profit margin on a device for bestbuy right now. Best Buy hardly makes $30 a TV right now compared to $300 just 5 years ago. Average life of a TV is 7 years which means that best buy has to sell 10 TV's just to profit the same amount they did a few years ago while still having to convnce those people that they are in need of a new set.(This TV thing is probably somewhat off but the costs of the games is pretty spot on even though I haven't checked in a while and those are just my personal adjustments for inflation, distribution, mareting, particular contractual agreements, etc.; meaning there could be a + or - ~ $2 variance)[/QUOTE]

Pulling numbers out your ass, huh? I can do that too. Sources please.
 
Figured you all might find this interesting...

I got hit with the banhammer around the time of Christmas like so many others on CAG. Through my calling and complaining and talking to various departments, I have found out a few interesting things I thought others might like to know:

* Apparently there is a new undocumented rule in the system that if you buy a game from BB, you must wait until the return period is over (~30 days) before being able to trade in that game. It's not listed on the website or in any of the literature, but it has been referenced by multiple reps in the consumer relations department as well as the GM (top local manager) at my local store. I complained about this and apparently they are going to try and get it documented properly on the website.

* There is a way to find out why you got banned. If you call the trade-in customer service number from bestbuytradein.com (888-602-6963) and start asking specific questions about what the status is of your trade in account, etc. the front line reps will offer to have the manager call you back. (I'm pretty sure this person's name is Haley.) During the brief conversation I had with her it was revealed the specific reasons as to why I was banned. In my case, I had gone over the 3 per title limit on a couple games. She was able to tell me the specific games. In one instance I know the information was wrong - meaning the in-store person entered the wrong info for a PS2 game I traded in. In the other instance, I completely forgot about a game I maxed out in April and then subsequently traded in more copies during the Blockbuster sale. There was one other reason, which brings me to my next point...

* One of the main reasons I was banned was not the couple titles I went over the 3 title limit, but just the fact that I had traded in so many games in general. I explicitly confirmed this with her at least twice - that even if I'd not violated the 3 title limit I would have still been banned. As a point of reference, since mid-Oct when I really kicked the flips into high gear, I've traded in at least 300 games - including ~120 PS2 games from the 60% off GS deal + ~55 games from Blockbuster. Seems a bit counter-intuitive to be promoting the hell out of the trade-in program and then penalizing people for using it, but I guess there's not much I can do about it at this point.

* Next, she said that bans are indefinite. You're either OK to trade or not. There's no time period associated with it, just in or out - at least at this point. Apparently, they hadn't thought about having to ban people when they started really promoting the in-store trades. I got the impression that they started noticing trends in the trade-ins and decided on full-on bans as a stop-gap measure. That they had been gathering data over time about these trends and then decided to batch-ban people in a couple of waves like we have seen.

* Lastly, she said the bans affect both the website and the in-store trades.
 
[quote name='jetsaredim']* Lastly, she said the bans affect both the website and the in-store trades.[/QUOTE]

Interesting info. However, if I'm not mistaken, some people have already confirmed being paid for online trades even after they were banned in-store. So that last part may not be entirely true.
 
[quote name='jetsaredim'] I explicitly confirmed this with her at least twice - that even if I'd not violated the 3 title limit I would have still been banned. [/QUOTE]

Man, I remember a certain troll in one of these threads telling me that I was crazy for saying people were going to be banned even if they stayed under the 3/title rule. I'm so good at this.
 
So I've been out of the BB trading loop for a couple months now... when did their TiVs become so abysmal? $13-14 for MW3, Zelda, Skyrim, etc... Really? Even with their 50% ”bonus” some of those don't even match the base for GS. That's just really sad.
 
[quote name='jetsaredim'] Seems a bit counter-intuitive to be promoting the hell out of the trade-in program and then penalizing people for using it, but I guess there's not much I can do about it at this point.
[/QUOTE]


What you guys are doing is dealer-like activity. Even if you were within rules it is a legit ban.
 
[quote name='winterlane']Interesting info. However, if I'm not mistaken, some people have already confirmed being paid for online trades even after they were banned in-store. So that last part may not be entirely true.[/QUOTE]

I'm just relaying what I was told. I can say that there's definitely some amount of coordination between the website and the stores. The Brink situation was such that I had traded in to the site back in April and then in to the store in November. Maybe in the cases you're referring to the trades had been verified/processed prior to the bans?
 
[quote name='jetsaredim']* Apparently there is a new undocumented rule in the system that if you buy a game from BB, you must wait until the return period is over (~30 days) before being able to trade in that game. It's not listed on the website or in any of the literature, but it has been referenced by multiple reps in the consumer relations department as well as the GM (top local manager) at my local store. I complained about this and apparently they are going to try and get it documented properly on the website.[/QUOTE]
Their system isn't smart enough to track purchases vs trade ins, especially since not everyone uses a RZ card to purchase AND trade in. This is obviously a tactic the reps are telling in order to not promote buying a title that day and trading it directly in when a sale runs, where you can profit from it.
 
Best buy has the same point/conclusion every time. They simply do not like "smart" aka "devil" customers and prefer the average joe.
 
[quote name='Hyperlancer']So I've been out of the BB trading loop for a couple months now... when did their TiVs become so abysmal? $13-14 for MW3, Zelda, Skyrim, etc... Really? Even with their 50% ”bonus” some of those don't even match the base for GS. That's just really sad.[/QUOTE]

The tiv nuking began when everyone was abusing those gf sales to flip the games to bestbuy. Every game bestbuy puts on sale they drop the tiv asap which sucks :(
 
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