Best Buy Trade-in Thread 2.0: Please see new thread.

BudzMcGee

BudzMcGee

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At 276 pages and countless request for a new OP, it was time to retire the first Best Buy Trade-in Thread and start fresh. Thanks bh47 for your work in the previous thread (and providing the framework for this one)!

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:
- 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

- 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

Link: http://www.bestbuytradein.com/bb/Quo...VideoGames.cfm (click on "Show Promotions available in stores only" on top right)\

Upcoming/Rumored Promotions:
All promos that have yet to appear on Best Buy's site (or in an upcoming ad) are listed here:
None at the moment

Previous Promotions:
Promos that have expired:
- 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

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BEST BUY'S VIDEO GAMES TRADE-IN PAGE

Check most up-to-date TIV using BB's Video Games 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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 tracks 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 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.

When do trade-in values update?
No one knows for sure, but major updates seem to come on Sunday and Tuesday nights (or at least have in the past). 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.

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.

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.

Does Best Buy accept game hardware?
Currently Best Buy only accepts various versions of the Nintendo DS in store, but word is that will change soon.

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 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 likely need a state ID.

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.
 
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[quote name='iRandom']Trade 4, Get $20 trade-in credit
Get $20 trade-in credit when you trade 4 or more games Offer expires 10/08/2011[/QUOTE]

Are you confirming it or just reiterating it?
 
Haven't been to the store yet but I looked up the weekly ad online and it is indeed listed in there. Page 15 for me.

I got a lot to do at Best Buy and I can't help but feel it's going to be a hassle. Need to price adjust Team Ico/GoW Origins + Use my @gamer coupon. Then I need to redeem my free Unlocked upgrade since I just got the coupon a few days ago. I've got a few games I want to trade in. Finally, I want to pick up Deus Ex with the @gamer coupon as well.

So I paid $60 for Team Ico/GoW Origins last week. Price adjust = $50 total - $10 for the @gamer coupon = $40. Toss that $20 towards Deus Ex and for $7 more it should be mine. Anddd get to use my $5 reward cert.. $62 + tax for 3 games. Woah Best Buy!
 
[quote name='DudeImGodly']Same thing happened at mine.
Are you in California?[/QUOTE]

Yeah, California here. It happened to me yesterday afternoon.
 
By the way. If you go to the trade in page and click on the button for "Featured offers" The one that says Trade in 4 get an extra 20%, the pop up estimator comes back up and is working a lot better than the one on the main page.
 
Hey guys, I did the 40% preorder bonus yesterday but I didn't get the additional 10% for unlocked. Do you guys know if this is supposed to be a a manual transaction add on or if it is automatic when my RZ gets scanned? Unfortunate that I didn't notice this until after I left because I feel like there is very little chance of me getting it when I go back.
 
[quote name='Stimes']Can anyone on the East Coast confirm that you get $20 extra for every 4 games you trade in? I'm hoping to trade-in 8 games at one time and get $40 extra.[/QUOTE]

Just got back from BB. I had 12 games so we did them all at once and it only gave $20 because it says 4 or more in the system. So we just re-did it 4 at a time to get the $20 for every 4.
 
[quote name='Hoos First']Just got back from BB. I had 12 games so we did them all at once and it only gave $20 because it says 4 or more in the system. So we just re-did it 4 at a time to get the $20 for every 4.[/QUOTE]

Is there a minimum $5 trade in value limit on the games you traded in? Thanks a lot.
 
I just saw the ad this morning, it's 4 games adds 20 dollars. Will be doing it tuesday. I work at Bestbuy and my boss brought up the deal during our meeting as an fyi.
 
[quote name='foreinter']Is there a minimum $5 trade in value limit on the games you traded in? Thanks a lot.[/QUOTE]

It was. They had signs posted about it.
 
[quote name='Hoos First']It was. They had signs posted about it.[/QUOTE]

Thank you. This changed my plan a little bit.
 
Question on preorders. Preordered rage yesterday using a gift card. Nothing on the receipt mentions my reward zone number. Is this right? Also I still dont have credit for preordering on the reward site. How long does it take to show up?
 
[quote name='xx1jpt5xx']Question on preorders. Preordered rage yesterday using a gift card. Nothing on the receipt mentions my reward zone number. Is this right? Also I still dont have credit for preordering on the reward site. How long does it take to show up?[/QUOTE]

2-3 days if not enter it manually on the reward zone site. Once again though this is the trade thread. Not the 5for100 Pre oreder thread.
 
[quote name='edson13']man, all my sports game that I was looking to trade in are $4 on the estimator![/QUOTE]

Might help to start making a list of $5 games.

Ive found;
burnout paradise x360
Halo odst x360
Grand theft auto 4 x360
Legend of Zelda wii ($6)
 
Went to bb and had some trade ins. My "game specialist" was a fucking idiot. He was putting in wrong values for my games(which helped me because he put in motorstorm pacific rift instead of the original motorstorm and madden 11 instead of madden 10). All together I got $99. But being there while this moron couldn't even scan a giftcard was hell.
 
I need a cheap filler for a 4th game. So far I got Diego, Magical Princess, and Resistance: Retribution. Anyone know a cheap game I can get from Gamestop between $5-10 that can qualify?
 
God Dammit can we stop asking trivial questions that have been answered twenty times? Use the damn search function before turning this into the old thread with all the shitty questions. /rant

PS. can we stop complaining about Best Buy not giving us free money? Everyone gets it they're just protectimy themselves. No one wants to buy your 10 years behind, 99c sports games.
/rant2.0

Yours Truly,
DudeImGodly.
 
[quote name='bcb4589']Same thing happened to me in NY, I tried Friday and Saturday, and both days the cards would not scan. Wish I would have tried the $25 ones, I will have to try today or tomorrow.[/QUOTE]

Same here. On Tuesday I tried to get a mix of $25 and $50 but they tried a bunch and they wouldn't work. I went back in Friday and they were fine.
 
Anyone having issues with bestbuy tradein? The trade 4 get extra $20 is not showing in the promo option
 
[quote name='Uso']Anyone having issues with bestbuy tradein? The trade 4 get extra $20 is not showing in the promo option[/QUOTE]

I believe its only in store.
 
[quote name='joshnorm']I believe its only in store.[/QUOTE]

damn guys if you HAVE to answer


Answer
READ THE OP!

or better yet, before you answer, read the op....
 
Forgot to post this yesterday, and this is totally a rumor, but the gaming rep I spoke with said that sometime after the holiday season Best Buy plans on rolling out a system similar to Game Stop in terms of having everything on one card. I.e. we wouldn't get a new Gift Card every time we do a trade-in, we would simply have one single member card that keeps getting credited every time we do a trade-in. One hand, nice because it will hopefully simplify things moving forward to have it all connected. On the other hand, it means your GC credit will be more tied to you than it is now and your purchase/return history will be directly connected to your Best Buy credit.

This is of course assuming that he was correct. He seemed fairly on the ball compared to most employees, but who knows. Just thought it was interesting enough to share.
 
[quote name='joshnorm']I believe its only in store.[/QUOTE]

I did went to the store. The system didn't show that option. Be warned you might waste your gas.
 
[quote name='BudzMcGee']Forgot to post this yesterday, and this is totally a rumor, but the gaming rep I spoke with said that sometime after the holiday season Best Buy plans on rolling out a system similar to Game Stop in terms of having everything on one card. I.e. we wouldn't get a new Gift Card every time we do a trade-in, we would simply have one single member card that keeps getting credited every time we do a trade-in. One hand, nice because it will hopefully simplify things moving forward to have it all connected. On the other hand, it means your GC credit will be more tied to you than it is now and your purchase/return history will be directly connected to your Best Buy credit.

This is of course assuming that he was correct. He seemed fairly on the ball compared to most employees, but who knows. Just thought it was interesting enough to share.[/QUOTE]

They have the pitch in card if you take it home and activate it. I never tried asking the gaming department to scan it instead of a new gift card, I'll ask next time I go.
 
[quote name='KtMack23']Baaaah! I checked the site I just wanted to be sure. That sucks. But I'm sure their will be more chances for free money at Best Buy.[/QUOTE]

I don't even.
 
[quote name='DudeImGodly']I don't even.[/QUOTE]


I feel ya...
another lazy question THAT WAS ANSWERED! :roll:
and then the lazy makes a brilliant "kick in the balls" comment back.:roll:
 
On one of the isles in the gaming section at my local best buy it says:
Get 40% extra trade-in credit when you pre-order ANY game. 10-2 through 10-28. There's 3 games shown, AC revelations, BF3, and the new Saints row.

When I went to the counter though, it was only 30% bonus on NBA2K12 and Rage (40% if you spend the $14.99 for the upgraded unlock membership)

So what's the deal? Is it all games or just those 2?
 
[quote name='wargod']On one of the isles in the gaming section at my local best buy it says:
Get 40% extra trade-in credit when you pre-order ANY game. 10-2 through 10-28. There's 3 games shown, AC revelations, BF3, and the new Saints row.

When I went to the counter though, it was only 30% bonus on NBA2K12 and Rage (40% if you spend the $14.99 for the upgraded unlock membership)

So what's the deal? Is it all games or just those 2?[/QUOTE]
Well when you were there why didnt you ask a manager and confirm it for us?
 
[quote name='juden66']Well when you were there why didnt you ask a manager and confirm it for us?[/QUOTE]

I tried but it was busy as hell and after an hour I gave up.
 
[quote name='danchilders']Does anyone know if you can do two separate transactions and get the 4 games + $20 deal twice?[/QUOTE]

Yes, that's exactly how you would do it.
 
[quote name='danchilders']Does anyone know if you can do two separate transactions and get the 4 games + $20 deal twice?[/QUOTE]

I feel like were being heavily trolled. USE THE DAMN SEARCH FUNCTION.
 
[quote name='wargod']Yes, that's exactly how you would do it.[/QUOTE]

No, I understand that. I read the OP and the FAQ. I was just wondering if they would actually let you do two transactions at the same time that way for one person.
 
[quote name='DudeImGodly']I feel like were being heavily trolled. USE THE DAMN SEARCH FUNCTION.[/QUOTE]

I'm not sure what you think you read in the OP but I just read it and it doesn't clarify this at all. The reason people are asking is because the OP says nothing about whether or not you can use the deal multiple times.

Also, I've read the last four pages of this thread and nobody in this thread has posted about doing multiple transactions simultaneously with this deal. Often deals like this have a "1 per customer" type limitation, so it seems to be a pretty valid question.
 
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