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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For the 50% bonus, is that just for any ONE game or is that for every game I trade in (ie, if I trade in 5 games, will I get 50% bonus on each game?)?

Nevermind, missed it in the OP.
 
[quote name='confoosious']"we reserve the right to refuse" is standard for every program and store. They don't have to provide you with any list of rules.

What you should've found out is who initiated the ban.[/QUOTE]

It sounds like they are revisiting their Angel/Devil customer paradigm they used several years ago.

Linky:
http://arstechnica.com/old/content/2004/11/4382.ars

Sorry for providing links and not summaries, but some people seem to care less and can skip it if they want.
 
Pretty funny... guess it's time for you to move on.

[quote name='outkastx']I just had a real interesting conversation with a supervisor from the Trade-In Center. The key phrases were:

- I violated the "spirit" of the trade-in program.
- I did not break any rules, but they have decided to refuse service.
- The program is intended for personal use.
- No "normal" person should own more than one copy of a title (across platforms).
- Buying games for the purpose of trading them in to Best Buy was not allowed.
- There is no other number to call at "Best Buy Corporate"
- You cannot appeal the banning.
- The banning is for life.
- I am banned for life with no appeal.

So essentially what they are doing is removing all problem customers rather than maintain trade-in values. I mentioned that there is no issue at other stores which accept trade-ins, that there are no rules/guidelines posted at the B&M stores, that I did not violate any rules posted on the website fine print, and that the system should not allow multiple copies if that is against policy, but everything fell on deaf ears.

In addition, I mentioned that I should have received a warning rather than a banning, along with a list of guidelines I should follow from now on, but I think they just want to eliminate us rather than work with us.

Pretty interesting stuff - not sure they can actually get this program off the ground without our help.[/QUOTE]
 
Best Buy is a major corporation with a large team of business people and lawyers. If they want to prevent from people buying solely to trade in, they really should state that in their terms and conditions. It's not like they could not anticipate this happening.

At the same time, if you don't like a company writing the rules as it goes, then don't shop there ever again. Vote with your dollars.
 
[quote name='lawhorns04']At the same time, if you don't like a company writing the rules as it goes, then don't shop there ever again. Vote with your trade-in credit.[/QUOTE]

Fixed.
 
[quote name='outkastx']Please let me know where the rules and regulations are in-store for the trade-in program so that I may peruse them. Otherwise, no one is abusing the system or breaking the rules.[/QUOTE]
No offense, but I guess you didn't read or at least skim through the OP?

I've stuck by trading max of 3 per title since that is what I have read as an official policy. Multiple gaming supervisors have also told me the same thing. That's good enough for me as "official" info.

Tried looking for "official" with Google, but to no avail. If that ain't good enough for you, then I am sorry.
 
[quote name='outkastx']I just had a real interesting conversation with a supervisor from the Trade-In Center. The key phrases were:

- I violated the "spirit" of the trade-in program.
- I did not break any rules, but they have decided to refuse service.
- The program is intended for personal use.
- No "normal" person should own more than one copy of a title (across platforms).
- Buying games for the purpose of trading them in to Best Buy was not allowed.
- There is no other number to call at "Best Buy Corporate"
- You cannot appeal the banning.
- The banning is for life.
- I am banned for life with no appeal.

So essentially what they are doing is removing all problem customers rather than maintain trade-in values. I mentioned that there is no issue at other stores which accept trade-ins, that there are no rules/guidelines posted at the B&M stores, that I did not violate any rules posted on the website fine print, and that the system should not allow multiple copies if that is against policy, but everything fell on deaf ears.

In addition, I mentioned that I should have received a warning rather than a banning, along with a list of guidelines I should follow from now on, but I think they just want to eliminate us rather than work with us.

Pretty interesting stuff - not sure they can actually get this program off the ground without our help.[/QUOTE]


now that's funny! :roll:
 
[quote name='jiggyteddy']No offense, but I guess you didn't read or at least skim through the OP?

I've stuck by trading max of 3 per title since that is what I have read as an official policy. Multiple gaming supervisors have also told me the same thing. That's good enough for me as "official" info.

Tried looking for "official" with Google, but to no avail. If that ain't good enough for you, then I am sorry.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='OP']
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.
[/QUOTE]

This is correct, the online policy is 3 per title. The in-store policy is not displayed at the kiosk or in the rules. The online policy came about due to the LBP/AC2 fiasco last(?) year. The employees at my store told me 3 copies per trade-in. That would fall under the YMMV portion of the OP.
 
[quote name='akiefer']There was a good article on Forbes a couple of days ago regarding that:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/larrydownes/2012/01/02/why-best-buy-is-going-out-of-business-gradually/[/QUOTE]

Interesting article - Funniest part is the quote from the CEO to shareholders
"We believe our dedicated and knowledgeable people, store and online experience, broad product assortment, distinct store formats and brand marketing strategies differentiate us from our competitors by positioning our stores and Web sites as the preferred destination for new technology and entertainment products in a fun and informative shopping environment"
No wonder those in store employees make up bullshit, it starts at the top for this company.

[quote name='outkastx'] The online policy came about due to the LBP/AC2 fiasco last(?) year.[/QUOTE]

haha forgot about that. I think that was about when gamestop.com changed its online purchasing policies also. lol
 
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[quote name='Toss']Interesting article - Funniest part is the quote from the CEO to shareholders
"We believe our dedicated and knowledgeable people, store and online experience, broad product assortment, distinct store formats and brand marketing strategies differentiate us from our competitors by positioning our stores and Web sites as the preferred destination for new technology and entertainment products in a fun and informative shopping environment"
No wonder those in store employees make up bullshit, it starts at the top for this company.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='outkastx'] The online policy came about due to the LBP/AC2 fiasco last(?) year.[/QUOTE]

haha godd memory.
 
[quote name='jiggyteddy']No offense, but I guess you didn't read or at least skim through the OP?

I've stuck by trading max of 3 per title since that is what I have read as an official policy. Multiple gaming supervisors have also told me the same thing. That's good enough for me as "official" info.

Tried looking for "official" with Google, but to no avail. If that ain't good enough for you, then I am sorry.[/QUOTE]

He was merely commenting on their original policies when dealtree was doing their online TI. Basically all my stores and dealtree themselves said that they were 2 seperate entities and as such do not share the same set of rules.

The guidelines for 3 per console, per title, per year were only posted for online. My gaming sup said that they didn't receive the guidelines for in store until 4-5 months ago stating that they were "tentative" until a full policy is written for in store. They were already using this rule set because of online and that the kiosk will reject trade in if going over 3 in one transaction. So he assumed that's how it was.

The poster was right that there was no set policy for in store for a long period of time an still none posted for customer view to this date.

Saying that, it's a moot point as they can refuse trade ins from anyone. A better set of detailed guidelines would be nicer, even if they reserve the right to ban high volume traders.
 
[quote name='Toss']Interesting article - Funniest part is the quote from the CEO to shareholders
"We believe our dedicated and knowledgeable people, store and online experience, broad product assortment, distinct store formats and brand marketing strategies differentiate us from our competitors by positioning our stores and Web sites as the preferred destination for new technology and entertainment products in a fun and informative shopping environment"
No wonder those in store employees make up bullshit, it starts at the top for this company.[/QUOTE]

CEO's get paid the big bucks because they can make up shit like that and sound like they mean it off the top of their head.

There is some truth to the fact that Best Buy is arguably making a mistake in their banning practices. Are there plenty of people who have used the program to their advantage, absolutely, but a used game retailer needs used games to sell. If you start banning anyone who trades in a lot of games you are going to end up with very few games to sell because lets face it, the majority of customers still don't even know Best Buy does trade-ins. Best Buy has likely lost money from this, but much of it comes from how they handled the resale part of the equation (30 days between taking the game in and putting it back on the shelf, shipping out for repackaging and then re-distributing games using some sort of system that makes little to no sense, used prices that don't react to new game/competitor prices... you can't make a profit in this business that way). Now they are reacting to that, but not by fixing the system and finding a way to have a more fluid system of TIV's like Amazon or Gamestop, but by just cutting off their source of used games in the first place. It's like trying to stop a river bank from flooding by completely blocking the river flow up stream rather than just finding a way to manage the flow. You end up with no river at all, which is just as bad as too much.
 
Two things keep flippers at bay: reasonable TIVs and bans. In my mind, they've done both when all they really needed to do was do one. If you want to make a big splash and have $30 TIVs knowing full well that you're gonna lose $10 a game to get the word out, that's not a bad strategy. But you gotta limit it to 1 per person or you will get abused. (And have dingdongs bragging about abusing you to boot.)

Personally, I wish BB would just implement a 1 per title per platform limit but give huge TIVs. That would make them competitive in my eyes.

It's better to get 10 of the same title from 10 people than it is to get those 10 from 1 person. The people who don't understand that are also the same people who don't understand that it's better to sell 10 of the same game to 10 people than those 10 games to 1 person.
 
question, i bought a copy of LA Noire used last week at best buy, and I just tried it, which i got an error message and won't play. If I bring it back will they give me the money back on gift card which is how I paid, or will they only let me exchange it
 
[quote name='BudzMcGee']CEO's get paid the big bucks because they can make up shit like that and sound like they mean it off the top of their head.

There is some truth to the fact that Best Buy is arguably making a mistake in their banning practices. Are there plenty of people who have used the program to their advantage, absolutely, but a used game retailer needs used games to sell. If you start banning anyone who trades in a lot of games you are going to end up with very few games to sell because lets face it, the majority of customers still don't even know Best Buy does trade-ins. Best Buy has likely lost money from this, but much of it comes from how they handled the resale part of the equation (30 days between taking the game in and putting it back on the shelf, shipping out for repackaging and then re-distributing games using some sort of system that makes little to no sense, used prices that don't react to new game/competitor prices... you can't make a profit in this business that way). Now they are reacting to that, but not by fixing the system and finding a way to have a more fluid system of TIV's like Amazon or Gamestop, but by just cutting off their source of used games in the first place. It's like trying to stop a river bank from flooding by completely blocking the river flow up stream rather than just finding a way to manage the flow. You end up with no river at all, which is just as bad as too much.[/QUOTE]

Lol. On the note of no one knowing about the trade in...

Didn't cnet just put out an article about trading in holiday unwanted games that showed the best and worst places. Included AMZ,TRU, GOOZEX and others as best then even included nextworth/target and Walmart. With no mention of BBY anywhere... I had a laugh at that
 
[quote name='jr7936']question, i bought a copy of LA Noire used last week at best buy, and I just tried it, which i got an error message and won't play. If I bring it back will they give me the money back on gift card which is how I paid, or will they only let me exchange it[/QUOTE]

Only exchange per their policy. If they don't have a used copy to get to you in a timely manner then they have to refund you the amount on a GC.

If you get a nice CS and are lucky they might just accept it and return the money.
 
I just wasn't sure since i know that applies to new games, i wasn't sure if it applied to previously played games as well
 
[quote name='BudzMcGee']CEO's get paid the big bucks because they can make up shit like that and sound like they mean it off the top of their head.

There is some truth to the fact that Best Buy is arguably making a mistake in their banning practices. Are there plenty of people who have used the program to their advantage, absolutely, but a used game retailer needs used games to sell. If you start banning anyone who trades in a lot of games you are going to end up with very few games to sell because lets face it, the majority of customers still don't even know Best Buy does trade-ins. Best Buy has likely lost money from this, but much of it comes from how they handled the resale part of the equation (30 days between taking the game in and putting it back on the shelf, shipping out for repackaging and then re-distributing games using some sort of system that makes little to no sense, used prices that don't react to new game/competitor prices... you can't make a profit in this business that way). Now they are reacting to that, but not by fixing the system and finding a way to have a more fluid system of TIV's like Amazon or Gamestop, but by just cutting off their source of used games in the first place. It's like trying to stop a river bank from flooding by completely blocking the river flow up stream rather than just finding a way to manage the flow. You end up with no river at all, which is just as bad as too much.[/QUOTE]
The store I primarily use has plenty of used games to sell. By cutting out flippers by banning, you lose out on titles that most likely won't sell used to begin with i.e. Just Dance 3 and currently Venetica(??). Volume down... sure. Mistake... heck no. There are still plenty of normal people finishing a game and trading it in. This is probably the group of users where they are getting the more "quality" trade ins from i.e. GoW3, Uncharted 3, Batman AA, CoD, etc.

If you shop at least at my store, there is no way you shouldn't know they do trade ins. Signs are around the gaming department. In Xbox section, half of it is straight used product in the center of the section i.e. prime spot (between newer games and 19.99 and under section). Gamer coupons show it.
 
[quote name='outkastx']Front Mission held, Venetica and Just Dance Kids 2 dropped ($5 each).[/QUOTE]

Not amazing trades but if you really want to transfer credit here are two more options:

:360: Fighters Uncaged is $17.99 at GS and trades for $12 at BestBuy. Best case you transfer $16.19 of GS credit to $19.20 of BBY credit.

:360: Guitar Hero Warriors Of Rock is $12.99 at GS and trades for $8 at BestBuy. Best case you transfer $11.69 of GS credit to $12.80 of BBY credit.

Best case is having PUR and GZUnlocked memberships...
 
[quote name='outkastx']I just had a real interesting conversation with a supervisor from the Trade-In Center. The key phrases were:

- I violated the "spirit" of the trade-in program.
- I did not break any rules, but they have decided to refuse service.
- The program is intended for personal use.


interesting stuff - not sure they can actually get this program off the ground without our help.[/QUOTE]

ironically, I believe I used the same terminology just the other day about violating the "spirit" of the program.

That last quote cracks me up. That has to be the quote of the year. Can we just translate that to "I'm not sure how Best Buy will survive without thousands of copies of Duke Nukem, Fallout New Vegas, Assassin's Creed Brotherhood or any number of other titles that they'll never sell..."
 
[quote name='outcast529']Not amazing trades but if you really want to transfer credit here are two more options:

:360: Fighters Uncaged is $17.99 at GS and trades for $12 at BestBuy. Best case you transfer $16.19 of GS credit to $19.20 of BBY credit.

:360: Guitar Hero Warriors Of Rock is $12.99 at GS and trades for $8 at BestBuy. Best case you transfer $11.69 of GS credit to $12.80 of BBY credit.

Best case is having PUR and GZUnlocked memberships...[/QUOTE]

Another good one I abused was street fighter IV arcade Ed.(PS3) It's 19.99New/17.99Used trades for 15 at BB.

Enjoy people and get that credit transferred ;) on an easy to find game.
 
Maybe it's just me, but if nothing suits my interest an I have decent credit built up, I trade my GC's from game trades into Visa prepaida from their card center. Sure I have to pay a $5.95 activation fee, but knowing I can spend that card pretty much anywhere is reassuring
 
[quote name='outkastx']Ok, maybe I could have worded that better. :)[/QUOTE]

LOL. There are plenty of CAGs that think we help a business. In truth, the only "positive" thing we do is to encourage businesses to close any and every loophole and correct every mistake they make as quickly as possible. In most cases, we've probably already cost them thousands of dollars when they do fix it.

in the case of Josh, he's been successful because he stays on to of things and actively monitors here, in case he does screw up - and he has, occasionally.
 
[quote name='crazedracerguy']LOL. There are plenty of CAGs that think we help a business. In truth, the only "positive" thing we do is to encourage businesses to close any and every loophole and correct every mistake they make as quickly as possible. In most cases, we've probably already cost them thousands of dollars when they do fix it.
[/QUOTE]

you better be careful. You're starting to sound like me.
 
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 name='crazedracerguy']LOL. There are plenty of CAGs that think we help a business. In truth, the only "positive" thing we do is to encourage businesses to close any and every loophole and correct every mistake they make as quickly as possible. In most cases, we've probably already cost them thousands of dollars when they do fix it.

in the case of Josh, he's been successful because he stays on to of things and actively monitors here, in case he does screw up - and he has, occasionally.[/QUOTE]

WRONG, BBY trade-in will be dead without us. They need us to support their venture into the used gaming department. Every time I'm there, I'm like the only person who ever does trade-ins, so in my eyes I'm the reason they can continue this business. They would be hopeless without my 3 x Front Mission Evolved, 3 x Venetica, 3 x Just Dance Kids, and the 9 x Nintendogs I flipped right back to them a few weeks ago.
 
[quote name='itsoverninethousand']WRONG, BBY trade-in will be dead without us. They need us to support their venture into the used gaming department. Every time I'm there, I'm like the only person who ever does trade-ins, so in my eyes I'm the reason they can continue this business. They would be hopeless without my 3 x Front Mission Evolved, 3 x Venetica, 3 x Just Dance Kids, and the 9 x Nintendogs I flipped right back to them a few weeks ago.[/QUOTE]

You are hopelessly delusional. The stuff you trade might juke the stats for that particular store in the short term but is overall horrible for the program in the long term.

Try thinking long term.

How can it possibly be good for a company to pay you $15 for a game they sold you for $5?

Where's the profit? VOLUME?
 
[quote name='crazedracerguy']LOL. There are plenty of CAGs that think we help a business. In truth, the only "positive" thing we do is to encourage businesses to close any and every loophole and correct every mistake they make as quickly as possible. In most cases, we've probably already cost them thousands of dollars when they do fix it.
[/QUOTE]

I prefer to think of it as pro bono beta testing (which sometimes rewards me).
 
[quote name='confoosious']You are hopelessly delusional. The stuff you trade might juke the stats for that particular store in the short term but is overall horrible for the program in the long term. [/QUOTE]

I'm going to have to hope that he was only being facetious. Otherwise, he's a blooming idiot.
 
[quote name='itsoverninethousand']WRONG, BBY trade-in will be dead without us. They need us to support their venture into the used gaming department. Every time I'm there, I'm like the only person who ever does trade-ins, so in my eyes I'm the reason they can continue this business. They would be hopeless without my 3 x Front Mission Evolved, 3 x Venetica, 3 x Just Dance Kids, and the 9 x Nintendogs I flipped right back to them a few weeks ago.[/QUOTE]


and we have another comedian .... :booty:
 
[quote name='itsoverninethousand']WRONG, BBY trade-in will be dead without us. They need us to support their venture into the used gaming department. Every time I'm there, I'm like the only person who ever does trade-ins, so in my eyes I'm the reason they can continue this business. They would be hopeless without my 3 x Front Mission Evolved, 3 x Venetica, 3 x Just Dance Kids, and the 9 x Nintendogs I flipped right back to them a few weeks ago.[/QUOTE]

now you're banned :)
 
Is it really that hard for BestBuy to just copy and improve on Gamestop trade-in system?
Sure, they can ban anyone that trades in too much, but they should have started with a limit of one copy of each game, like Gamestop.
Maybe it just feels ackward that a Company "bans" individuals like that. Im sure in the long run you want as much costumers and trade-ins as posible.
I also think BestBuy trade-in program is going the same way as Walmart, hopefully they fix it as competition against Gamestop is always good.
 
[quote name='itsoverninethousand']WRONG, BBY trade-in will be dead without us. They need us to support their venture into the used gaming department. Every time I'm there, I'm like the only person who ever does trade-ins, so in my eyes I'm the reason they can continue this business. They would be hopeless without my 3 x Front Mission Evolved, 3 x Venetica, 3 x Just Dance Kids, and the 9 x Nintendogs I flipped right back to them a few weeks ago.[/QUOTE]

LOL :applause:
 
Everyone in this thread complaining about being banned should head over to the BBY Unboxed forum and post there. Maybe you can elicit some change there. It certainly worked for getting the fine print on those @Gamer coupons reworked.
 
ENUF was insane on those forums getting them to post the rules about pricematching 5/100 preorder promo and tons of great deals. get him on your side ;)
 
[quote name='itsoverninethousand']WRONG, BBY trade-in will be dead without us. They need us to support their venture into the used gaming department. Every time I'm there, I'm like the only person who ever does trade-ins, so in my eyes I'm the reason they can continue this business. They would be hopeless without my 3 x Front Mission Evolved, 3 x Venetica, 3 x Just Dance Kids, and the 9 x Nintendogs I flipped right back to them a few weeks ago.[/QUOTE]

Nice but what you need to do is have another ID so you can do 6 x trades. My trade in profits have been even better since I got another ID. Furthermore, if you are afraid of people recognizing you stick to going in around the same time as one person, and a constant time as athe other (my real Id I use in the AM and the other only near closing) along with glasses, a wig and baseball cap no one knows the difference.
 
[quote name='n8dawwg']Nice but what you need to do is have another ID so you can do 6 x trades. My trade in profits have been even better since I got another ID. Furthermore, if you are afraid of people recognizing you stick to going in around the same time as one person, and a constant time as athe other (my real Id I use in the AM and the other only near closing) along with glasses, a wig and baseball cap no one knows the difference.[/QUOTE]

hahahahahahah ttttrrrrrolllin
 
[quote name='n8dawwg']Nice but what you need to do is have another ID so you can do 6 x trades. My trade in profits have been even better since I got another ID. Furthermore, if you are afraid of people recognizing you stick to going in around the same time as one person, and a constant time as athe other (my real Id I use in the AM and the other only near closing) along with glasses, a wig and baseball cap no one knows the difference.[/QUOTE]
:rofl: Awesome. I wonder if they'd look funny at me at Gamestop if I came in wearing a Groucho Marx glasses w/ mustache attached get up and a fake ID.;)
 
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 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]
At least you got a warning. What address was the warning from?
 
[quote name='klimb22']At least you got a warning. What address was the warning from?[/QUOTE]

I also got the same letter. The address was 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500. I'm not sure, but it looks kind of important.
 
[quote name='confoosious']Is anyone else seriously shocked that he knows the address of the whitehouse?[/QUOTE]

Google knows all.
 
[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]

That's bullshit. If they don't want you trading in triplets, why do they let you? And ya, we aren't supposed to profit from trade ins, that's there job. Bullshit. They make it sound like they're doing you a favor by letting you trade in with them. Ill keep flipping until they ban me, emails like that are just fuel to the fire.
 
[quote name='lordopus99']

If you shop at least at my store, there is no way you shouldn't know they do trade ins. Signs are around the gaming department. In Xbox section, half of it is straight used product in the center of the section i.e. prime spot (between newer games and 19.99 and under section). Gamer coupons show it.[/QUOTE]

Varies greatly by store. I live in the Minneapolis area, which is the land of the wild Best Buy (I come within a half mile of 5 or 6 on my way to work every day) and some have half an aisle of used games, some have a shelf of used games. Some have dozens of signs about trade-ins, some have none. At the end of the day though, those are all things that a customer, already in the store, will see. If you don't get the customer in the store in the first place it will do you no good.

I have quite a few friends who play games and trade-in games as well. Almost every one of them had no idea Best Buy did trade-ins till I told them (including a friend of mine who used to work at Best Buy). I've had a conversation with someone from Best Buy corporate who didn't even know that they had started doing game trade-in's. Hell, I've even ran into one or two Best Buy store employees who had no idea what I was talking about when I said I was there to do a trade-in. :lol:

I think Confooscious had a good point. You can tank the TIV's, you can ban people (or actually fix your system to adhere to certain rules that prevents abuse), but if you do both you cut off your supply, both present and future.

Still don't know if I'm banned, have barely had time to play anything lately and Amazon has gotten a couple of my last trades.
 
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