Best Buy Trade-in 4.0 - see new thread (5.0)!

BudzMcGee

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At nearly 300 pages it was time for a new thread. You can view the previous thread here!

THIS THREAD OP IS NO LONGER ACTIVELY UPDATED WITH NEW PROMOS.

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, and it definitely does stack despite what some employees will say.

Please read FAQ below before asking questions!


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)

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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 may be done in the Gaming Dept or at customer service depending on the store.

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

How does the **% bonus TIV 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.

How does the 10% Gamers Club Unlocked bonus work?
The 10% bonus for Gamers Club Unlocked members is calculated from the base trade in value. So in the above example, a $100 trade would get an extra $10 with the GCU membership bonus. So if there was a 50% trade in bonus it would be $100 base, $10 Gamers Club Unlocked bonus and $50 TIV bonus for a grand total of $160.

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 (which typically has a couple of great coupons every month). 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.

I didn't get my 10% bonus or the employee said it doesn't stack, what gives?
As of September 2012 the trade in system at Best Buy was updated, and employees seem to be having a hard time making sure that they add the GCU bonus. It should be added immediately after they scan your games, and before they take your personal information. You also should always try to know your full trade in value with bonuses before going to the store so that if the price is different you can identify it immediately. The 10% bonus definitely does stack with any TIV promo (100%, 50%, it doesn't matter). All the Gamers Club Unlocked pamphlets say so, as does the website, and are a great place to point to if an employee or a manager tells you otherwise.

Do we get Reward Zone points for trade-ins??
Yes. You get one point for every pre-bonus dollar traded in. So if your TIV was $100 before bonuses, you get 100 Reward Zone points. Gamers Club Unlocked members (and possibly standard Gamers Club members) get double points for everything gaming, including trade-ins. So in the same example you would wind up with 200 Reward Zone points. To get Reward Zone points you must have them include your Reward Zone membership information (easiest to look up by phone number) with your trade-in (this is required for the Gamers Club Unlocked bonus anyway).

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. Some states, or even localities (county, city, etc.) may not allow the sale of 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 often sucks for updating values (and some games simply don't show up), don't rely on it if you don't have to.

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 (as in, it is possible that has never been 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 99% of the time. 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 and honestly, Best Buy probably doesn't trust their employees to make sure all the extra content is included. 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 at an atypical time, 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, and busier stores are more likely to have employees that have done more trade ins and know the rules.

Does Best Buy accept game hardware?
Currently Best Buy only accepts various versions of the Nintendo DS in store, but 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 government issued ID (passport, drivers license, military ID, etc.).

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. It is their right to do so.

How does the get **% with pre-order bonus work?
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.

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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[quote name='GBAstar']Wow. I would expect they'd adjust the TIV. I don't think my BB is 24 hours right now (I wish it was) but I know TRU is.

It will be interesting to see what these values are in the morning.[/QUOTE]

Yeah mine closed at 11. I guess I got lucky and pretty much traded in during the transition between promotions. It would be great if the values held. A little Christmas present from best buy.
 
[quote name='DCpinoy']I can confirm that it's 100% in store. Went to trade in a copy of Black Ops 2 around 1030 Pacific. Didn't even know about the 100 percent. During the trade in the worker was like whoa, you're gonna get 54.00 total for the BO 2. Pretty surprised and happy that I decided to go on when I did.[/QUOTE]

crazy you lucked out there bud.
 
Well seeing as alot of stuff I wanted to flip got nuked, going to be tough moving this $900 in store credit at gamestop to Best Buy. They hit them very hard.
 
[quote name='technicalstylez']ac3 down to 16. amazon it is.[/QUOTE]

Im confused.... Amazon gives about 18, and best buy gives 32 with the 100 percent im wondering why amazon is a better choice?
 
[quote name='cigaro']Im confused.... Amazon gives about 18, and best buy gives 32 with the 100 percent im wondering why amazon is a better choice?[/QUOTE]

Yeah it is getting more at bby now than it did yesterday at bby also. $30(32) vs $32(33.60).
 
100% bonus sucks. Halo 4 has a $6 nuke from yesterday's bonus and tiv.

At 30 tiv after bonus, I rather sell it for cash for the same amount.
 
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100% is only good for older releases. Not sure why everybody was excited for it to comeback.

Madden got nuked wish I traded it in yesterday.
 
TBH stores use percentages to confuse people into thinking that they have the best offer. Chances are you're still get 40 credit for a new release if they offer an additional 50% or 100%. They always nuke the prices of new games so they don't give you close to retail price for a game
 
Once again no 10% bonus for being a Gamer's Club member - I don't understand how BBY can advertise this as a benefit and then have such shoddy training or whatever so that it doesn't show up most of the time( at least for me it's more than 50% of the time I don't get it).
 
[quote name='Mugatu']Once again no 10% bonus for being a Gamer's Club member - I don't understand how BBY can advertise this as a benefit and then have such shoddy training or whatever so that it doesn't show up most of the time( at least for me it's more than 50% of the time I don't get it).[/QUOTE]
For me, I start off saying "I'm GCU I should get 10% on top of current promotion", then during the process I remind him/her two to three times by saying "Hate to nag but don't forget my 10% bonus", at last before you sign, look at the receipt. Before you sign they can still redo the trade in process. You should double check the confirmation page before you sign anyways, make sure the individual values are correct, the mathematical sum is correct, 50%/100% applied with respect to correct base values, and the GCU 10%.
 
[quote name='Mugatu']Once again no 10% bonus for being a Gamer's Club member - I don't understand how BBY can advertise this as a benefit and then have such shoddy training or whatever so that it doesn't show up most of the time( at least for me it's more than 50% of the time I don't get it).[/QUOTE]

That's also on you. You need to be able to do 10% math in your head and look at the receipt before you sign it.
 
[quote name='confoosious']That's also on you. You need to be able to do 10% math in your head and look at the receipt before you sign it.[/QUOTE]

You don't even need to do math. The printout shows the 10% in its own separate section labeled "reward zone". If you don't have anything in this section, than the employee forgot to add it, and it is 100% your own fault if you choose to sign it at that point. People just choose to neglect the details and just sign hastily.
 
So is the 100% bonus no working in store?

Edit: My bad, I saw one of the previous posts indeed confirmed that it works in store. Carry on. :p
 
[quote name='DemonsMaster']You don't even need to do math. The printout shows the 10% in its own separate section labeled "reward zone". If you don't have anything in this section, than the employee forgot to add it, and it is 100% your own fault if you choose to sign it at that point. People just choose to neglect the details and just sign hastily.[/QUOTE]

Knowing what you're suppose to get is true, but every time I do a trade at BBY I have to remind them about the 10% all the time. They always put a clerk at the gaming dept never had training about trade in. It took me 30mins one time just to trade in 1 game.
 
[quote name='nas6034']100% bonus sucks. Halo 4 has a $6 nuke from yesterday's bonus and tiv.

At 30 tiv after bonus, I rather sell it for cash for the same amount.[/QUOTE]
$9 nuke, not $6. It was $24 yesterday.
 
[quote name='Fukurou']$9 nuke, not $6. It was $24 yesterday.[/QUOTE]

yes but after bonus it is $36 vs $30 so a $6 drop and $38.40 vs $31.60 ($6.80) with gcu. The base is meaningless since bby automatically gives the bonus unlike the multiple bonuses at GS.
 
[quote name='DemonsMaster']You don't even need to do math. The printout shows the 10% in its own separate section labeled "reward zone". If you don't have anything in this section, than the employee forgot to add it, and it is 100% your own fault if you choose to sign it at that point. People just choose to neglect the details and just sign hastily.[/QUOTE]

I shouldn't have to double check Best Buy and I shouldn't have to look like a cheapskate arguing with some kid who works and hold up the line every time I go in. Feel free to defend BBY all you want but my complaint that they are not doing their jobs is valid.
 
[quote name='Mugatu']I shouldn't have to double check Best Buy and I shouldn't have to look like a cheapskate arguing with some kid who works and hold up the line every time I go in. Feel free to defend BBY all you want but my complaint that they are not doing their jobs is valid.[/QUOTE]

People are not defending BBY. They are blaming you for not being observant. Big difference.
 
[quote name='cancerman1120']yes but after bonus it is $36 vs $30 so a $6 drop and $38.40 vs $31.60 ($6.80) with gcu. The base is meaningless since bby automatically gives the bonus unlike the multiple bonuses at GS.[/QUOTE]
I know, but usually people only talk about the base when talking about TiVs dropping.
 
[quote name='Mugatu']I shouldn't have to double check Best Buy and I shouldn't have to look like a cheapskate arguing with some kid who works and hold up the line every time I go in. Feel free to defend BBY all you want but my complaint that they are not doing their jobs is valid.[/QUOTE]

You don't check your receipts when you buy stuff either? You just pay whatever they say?
 
Sorry if I'm asking a noob question, I'm new to all this stuff, but does anyone know when the 100% bonus ends? My brother has a huge stack of old as dirt DS games that I can trade in for $130.50.
 
[quote name='J7.']Next time you go to BestBuy look at the signs in the gaming section. They clearly say the 50% ends on 12-25-12. If you're concerned ask an employee.[/QUOTE]

No signs at my store and empolyees aren't aware.

[quote name='coopscohen']100% is back per the website[/QUOTE]

This is what I meant to ask.


[quote name='Fukurou']Damn, Halo 4's TiV got hit with an atom bomb. Good thing I traded it in today.[/QUOTE]

fuck. Yeah it was 38.40 yesterday. 31.50 today. Going to amazon I guess.
 
[quote name='Mugatu']I shouldn't have to double check Best Buy and I shouldn't have to look like a cheapskate arguing with some kid who works and hold up the line every time I go in. Feel free to defend BBY all you want but my complaint that they are not doing their jobs is valid.[/QUOTE]
You don't have to argue, just kindly remind them, you are helping them help you. You are the ultimate beneficiary.

Plus, don't you look at the screen when you do grocery shopping so that every scanned item shows up as correct price? Same principle.
 
[quote name='TooPoor']You don't have to argue, just kindly remind them, you are helping them help you. You are the ultimate beneficiary.
[/QUOTE]

^This.

Everything doesn't have to be some contentious event unless you make it out to be.

I always say "Hey, I'm unlocked so I should get an extra 10%. I know you guys like to know that up front."

It's a gentle way to remind them that you're supposed to get 10% AND it makes it look like you're helping them out. Win - win.

No need to get into an argument about it.
 
Wow, I had 10 games and on 9 of the 10 the trade in value was better with the 50% instead of the 100% with nuked values.
Hitman went up to $30.00 now after bonus.
 
[quote name='Lemstar']Black Ops stayed at $9 base. Seems like it was one of the bigger gainers.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, Max Payne stayed at $5 to make it $10, so Max Payne Special Edition cost me nothing!

Also, RE6 stayed at $8, so it's $16 now.
 
so... Guardians of Middle-Earth $7 tiv. so 14.70?
but how would you do this if there is no disc and it is download code only?
could you buy it, redeem code and trade in box/code?
i dont wanna seem slick, im just curious...
 
[quote name='Velo214']so... Guardians of Middle-Earth $7 tiv. so 14.70?
but how would you do this if there is no disc and it is download code only?
could you buy it, redeem code and trade in box/code?
i dont wanna seem slick, im just curious...[/QUOTE]

Doubt you can trade it in lol. I think it was just some fail on their part. Most likely their stuff is entered by a person who doesn't even check for that stuff.

Would be interesting trying to trade it in without the disc ;)
 
[quote name='SCIENCEEE']I can confirm the 100%. Boy was I surprised!

[/QUOTE]
Boy am I surprised you are not RZ Gamers Club-Unlocked! 1/3 of the membership cost would have been covered with the bonus you would have received from that trade.
 
traded in 50+ ps3/360games today. took awhile because it was at the gaming section and people kept coming up asking questions but other than that it went smooth. i ended up helping customers so the employee could just focus on my trade in. love the 100% bump+10% gcu. thanks for the update op.

ps 2 associates tried to tell me there was a limit on kindle cards but the supervisor gave me the ok after talking some and explaining what i was using them for -a tablet monitor that bb doesn't carry.- pretty happy with the cs at that store- just goes to show a little patience goes a long way.
 
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[quote name='technicalstylez']traded in 50+ ps3/360games today. took awhile because it was at the gaming section and people kept coming up asking questions but other than that it went smooth. i ended up helping customers so the employee could just focus on my trade in. love the 100% bump+10% gcu. thanks for the update op.[/QUOTE]

...wow. Why so many at one time? lol
 
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