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='joker______']PS Vita (white) WiFi base trade in value in store is $121[/QUOTE]

Does hardware get the 100% bonus? I'm assuming no.
 
The trade-in values listed on the site, do they include the trade-in bonus, or is that calculated at checkout (if trading in online) or in store at the time of the trade-in?
 
Ya, best buys trade values are really a joke now.
I don't trade a lot , but I brought 7 games for trade to get. Dead space 3, and ended up trading em at Gamestop. The 30% there was better than the 100% at BB.

What a load...
 
I traded in two newly released games that I purchased over the holidays, played once and got mad at and decided I wouldn't touch them again.

I highly recommend taking advantage of this trade in bonus over something like Gamestop's guaranteed $30 for newish games.
 
[quote name='warboss zorbag']Ya, best buys trade values are really a joke now.
I don't trade a lot , but I brought 7 games for trade to get. Dead space 3, and ended up trading em at Gamestop. The 30% there was better than the 100% at BB.

What a load...[/QUOTE]
Yeah trade in values at best buy are terrible if they aren't newly released games and even then I only trade in at best buy when they have the 100%bonus
 
People here realize places like Best Buy want to make a profit on used games, right?

As I've said here before, gone are the days of 2012 when you could get ~$42 on a new game trade-in. There was no way that was going to last when that same game would only sell for $45-$50 used. We were spoiled last year. Adjust your expectations and move on.
 
If I can get 35 for new release I'll be happy.

Trading in Borderlands 2 with no level increase shit. Looks like 23.10 which isn't bad. Wasted $30 on damn season pass.
 
[quote name='Dund3r']Well that completely contradicts the article I linked, haha. Oh well, I definitely got my money's worth out of BL2 and all it's DLC so far.[/QUOTE]

It was my GOTY as my friends and I played it alot and thought season pass was an easy decision. The first DLC was good, but the second was weak and didn't touch the third as I wanted a level increase. I got my money's worth with $20 cert, but feel I got ripped off with the season pass. They should have known it would break the game with a level increase not lead us on.
 
[quote name='PhilsUtley26']It was my GOTY as my friends and I played it alot and thought season pass was an easy decision. The first DLC was good, but the second was weak and didn't touch the third as I wanted a level increase. I got my money's worth with $20 cert, but feel I got ripped off with the season pass. They should have known it would break the game with a level increase not lead us on.[/QUOTE]

I have never not regretted a season pass. Gears 3, Mortal Kombat, MW3 and those weren't even terrible ones --Max Payne 3 season pass anyone?.
 
[quote name='PhilsUtley26']It was my GOTY as my friends and I played it alot and thought season pass was an easy decision. The first DLC was good, but the second was weak and didn't touch the third as I wanted a level increase. I got my money's worth with $20 cert, but feel I got ripped off with the season pass. They should have known it would break the game with a level increase not lead us on.[/QUOTE]

Mmmm I haven't heard of this, how did it break the game?

Never mind I just read the article. It does make sense though. From a programming stand point, there are just things you can't do without breaking either the whole architecture or pushing the system to hard. Though it makes me wonder how it worked in BL1, since I didn't play that one (and now I really want to) did you guys the level increase affected the game at all?
 
[quote name='mars009']Mmmm I haven't heard of this, how did it break the game?

Never mind I just read the article. It does make sense though. From a programming stand point, there are just things you can't do without breaking either the whole architecture or pushing the system to hard. Though it makes me wonder how it worked in BL1, since I didn't play that one (and now I really want to) did you guys the level increase affected the game at all?[/QUOTE]

The first wasn't as high tech. It was a surprise hit so they probably had more room for improvement with DLC and level increase. Still the 2nd was a triple AAA title with high expectations and they delivered. Every interview I heard there was going to be a level increase now it will break the game come on. I guess eventually they might figure it out, but I'll trade it in while it still has value.
 
It appears as though I have joined the ranks of the elite. I logged in to my Rewards account and on my account page, next to Certificates, it says Status and it says Premier Silver Status. I don't think I did anything to earn it, but I got it. Who knows, maybe after all the trading I did, I got the 2500 points to get Silver Status.
 
I think people are missing the fact that there is usually a bar below where it says Premier Silver Status that shows how close you are to getting it for the year and that is not there atm and instead says "Your recent transactions may be delayed through 2/23. Learn more."
 
In fact, that is exactly the case cause a 2nd account a made just for the reward zone poll also says it has silver status if you are looking at it like that, lol.
 
well Dead Space 3 is up $18 base($37.80 w/GCU) same for Aliens Colonial Marines. I can deal with that for new releases. With tax i'm only paying $4.58 per game can't be that anywhere.

edit:keep in mind the base should rise when it's a 50% bonus so $22-$24 base most likely.
 
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[quote name='Enuf']well Dead Space 3 is up $18 base($37.80 w/GCU) same for Aliens Colonial Marines. I can deal with that for new releases. With tax i'm only paying $4.58 per game can't be that anywhere.[/QUOTE]

Ill have to agree. I was hoping they wouldnt try to pull the same shit they did with Ni No Kuni and DmC.
 
[quote name='Vap']Ill have to agree. I was hoping they wouldnt try to pull the same shit they did with Ni No Kuni and DmC.[/QUOTE]For whatever reason PS3 exclusives generally don't see high TIV's & DmC had a release week promo w/RE6 & it seems they don't give full value for titles included in deals.
 
[quote name='Enuf']well Dead Space 3 is up $18 base($37.80 w/GCU) same for Aliens Colonial Marines. I can deal with that for new releases. With tax i'm only paying $4.58 per game can't be that anywhere.

edit:keep in mind the base should rise when it's a 50% bonus so $22-$24 base most likely.[/QUOTE]

Don't forget any pricematching. Even at $50, you'll be paid to play.
 
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[quote name='Enuf']well Dead Space 3 is up $18 base($37.80 w/GCU) same for Aliens Colonial Marines. I can deal with that for new releases. With tax i'm only paying $4.58 per game can't be that anywhere.

edit:keep in mind the base should rise when it's a 50% bonus so $22-$24 base most likely.[/QUOTE]

Wish I had paid attention to see Aliens was $18 base. Definitely wouldn't mind checking it out for under $5. I think the game will drop during the first 2 months for a PM, but it's too late for the $20 GCU preorder. Oh well.
 
[quote name='Zolor23']Don't forget any pricematching. Even at $50, you'll be paid to play.[/QUOTE]That's based on a $39.99 pm($42.XX w/tax) minus the $37.XX.
Now Gears(I don't have a 360) I'll just unload to my craiglist regs. for $50 cash so $40 pm is just sweet there. And a GS manager that works right across the street from BB is gonna pay me $50 cash for bioshock since it's cheaper than his GS discount w/tax. LOL
 
[quote name='scblueeyedguy']Wish I had paid attention to see Aliens was $18 base. Definitely wouldn't mind checking it out for under $5. I think the game will drop during the first 2 months for a PM, but it's too late for the $20 GCU preorder. Oh well.[/QUOTE]don't feel bad aliens isn't a $20 pre-order game best you can do would be a YMMV kmart $15 gaming coupon pm which would mean they'd either deduct $15 off the $60 on the spot or take $15 off & "charge" you for a $15 BB GC either a which you do have a chance to try. I'd say call the store 1st unless your close to a BB since I've only got this match once ever & that was b/c of the # of people who stated they got their BB's to match it. The only $20 game you missed is Dead Sapce 3 so there's 12 more games that are still play, fact in the close release dats from now untill the end of March tons of the games will be on sale faster than during X-mas. There's no X-mas sales boost or black Friday sales boost for them to hold the price for so sales must come.
 
[quote name='Enuf']That's based on a $39.99 pm($42.XX w/tax) minus the $37.XX.
Now Gears(I don't have a 360) I'll just unload to my craiglist regs. for $50 cash so $40 pm is just sweet there. And a GS manager that works right across the street from BB is gonna pay me $50 cash for bioshock since it's cheaper than his GS discount w/tax. LOL[/QUOTE]

Oh, I thought you were factoring in the $20 cert, not a PM. The cert+$40 PM would pay you $15 to play it, LOL
 
Hrm, looks like after I dust off my Ni No Kuni plat tomorrow I'll start focusing on playing through DS3 so I can flip it this week. Well, either playing through it or flipping it beforehand if it doesn't grab me soon.

Tempted to grab Revengeance next week now if it looks like it will have a $18 base as well.
 
[quote name='argyle']Hrm, looks like after I dust off my Ni No Kuni plat tomorrow I'll start focusing on playing through DS3 so I can flip it this week. Well, either playing through it or flipping it beforehand if it doesn't grab me soon.

Tempted to grab Revengeance next week now if it looks like it will have a $18 base as well.[/QUOTE]

The first couple chapters of Dead Space 3 probably won't grab you. Weakest start in the series but it gets better.

I'm actually quite content with a $37.80 trade in value.

Works out as such for me so far (with no price adjustments yet): $60 (giftcard) to buy Dead Space 3 + Free Dead Space 3 guide (TRU match), + $20 RZ Certificate plus $37.80 trade in means that so far I got DS3 and the guide for roughly $2.20 before tax. Almost forgot, plus I got 120 RZ points for purchasing it (60x2 for GCU), plus I'll get another 36 for trading it in (so 156 RZ points total) and a total of $78 towards my next year's silver status. Trying to sell the guide for around $10 on eBay and even a $10 price adjustment will put me well in the black on this one. :)
 
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$18 base is pretty good. $20 cert so basically done to $40 then potential price match with a chance to get them to pay you to play like before.
 
[quote name='BudzMcGee']The first couple chapters of Dead Space 3 probably won't grab you. Weakest start in the series but it gets better.

I'm actually quite content with a $37.80 trade in value.

Works out as such for me so far (with no price adjustments yet): $60 (giftcard) to buy Dead Space 3 + Free Dead Space 3 guide (TRU match), + $20 RZ Certificate plus $37.80 trade in means that so far I got DS3 and the guide for roughly $2.20 before tax. Almost forgot, plus I got 120 RZ points for purchasing it (60x2 for GCU), plus I'll get another 36 for trading it in (so 156 RZ points total) and a total of $78 towards my next year's silver status. Trying to sell the guide for around $10 on eBay and even a $10 price adjustment will put me well in the black on this one. :)[/QUOTE]
I thought you didn't get RZ points for purchases made with a gift card...? :???:
 
[quote name='Vigilante']I thought you didn't get RZ points for purchases made with a gift card...? :???:[/QUOTE]

Sometimes it does give you some points, sometimes it doesn't give any. I think you're not supposed to get any, but the system sucks anyways.

Darn, I didn't know about the TRU guide sale though..
 
[quote name='Vigilante']I thought you didn't get RZ points for purchases made with a gift card...? :???:[/QUOTE]

Generally you don't, but for some reason I've gotten points on most of these "deal" type things.
 
Are you guys really that worried about extremely minor trade-in differences from a few days? I would be happy to get the original value if it's good instead of risking it go down.
 
[quote name='Rozz']Are you guys really that worried about extremely minor trade-in differences from a few days? I would be happy to get the original value if it's good instead of risking it go down.[/QUOTE]

you have to understand though. a extra 5$ in trade in credit is gold on cag as 5$ can get you a new game sometimes lol
 
[quote name='BudzMcGee']Generally you don't, but for some reason I've gotten points on most of these "deal" type things.[/QUOTE]
What? How? Are you doing anything special?

[quote name='Rozz']Are you guys really that worried about extremely minor trade-in differences from a few days? I would be happy to get the original value if it's good instead of risking it go down.[/QUOTE]
[quote name='strait edge follower']you have to understand though. a extra 5$ in trade in credit is gold on cag as 5$ can get you a new game sometimes lol[/QUOTE]
It's a gambling game, and a fun one :D!
 
[quote name='strait edge follower']you have to understand though. a extra 5$ in trade in credit is gold on cag as 5$ can get you a new game sometimes lol[/QUOTE]

As stated by TooPoor though, it's a gambling game... If you waited we'd get people complaining about how the values have decreased a couple of days later. :lol:
 
[quote name='Rozz']Are you guys really that worried about extremely minor trade-in differences from a few days? I would be happy to get the original value if it's good instead of risking it go down.[/QUOTE]

Not so much, i payed $30 for FC3 and got $28 by trading it in. If i had gotten $34 i could be a true CAG and say i was paid to play the game!

Half the fun of being on this site is taking part in deals and sharing it with everyone.
 
[quote name='navalg1337']TIV for Black Ops 2 is $17 without the 100% bonus. What do you guys think? Should I wait?[/QUOTE]I'd take it games that sell alot seem to be ones BB will drop not raise.
 
[quote name='TooPoor']What? How? Are you doing anything special?
[/QUOTE]

Just lucky I guess. The really crazy part is that every single time I price adjusted (priced matched after purchase) I got points again for the adjusted price. So 120 for the first, then 80 more when they price adjusted it to $40. :lol: And no, they didn't subtract my points from the first purchase, I checked each time.

I hate that all of our purchases from basically January 1st on are stuck at pending till possibly the 23rd though. I have like 700 pending points not counting purchases in the last week and a half with 900 some (a lot from the facebook app) banked.
 
I haven't traded in awhile and tried today. Took forever to get them to take Killzone Trilogy because it was in a not for resale case from the controller bundle. Then they wouldn't give me the value for Uncharted 2 Goty because I brought it in a generic BBY case for Uncharted 2. She kept saying that she had to go by the upc on the case which was for the non goty version. Can't they still take games without a case? If so I"l take it back with no case.
 
[quote name='mrclutch']I haven't traded in awhile and tried today. Took forever to get them to take Killzone Trilogy because it was in a not for resale case from the controller bundle. Then they wouldn't give me the value for Uncharted 2 Goty because I brought it in a generic BBY case for Uncharted 2. She kept saying that she had to go by the upc on the case which was for the non goty version. Can't they still take games without a case? If so I"l take it back with no case.[/QUOTE]

Instances like these just trade disc only to avoid the hassle. Other posters have talked about issues trading in disc only but I personally have done it quite a few times without any issue at all.

If they give you a hard time just have your phone ready with their trade in policy which clearly states disc only is allowed.
 
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