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

BudzMcGee

BudzMcGee

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

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

Current Promos:
- 50% Bonus when you trade in ANY game.
Get a 50% trade in bonus when you trade in ANY game. Offer valid 01/01/12 - 01/07/12

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BEST BUY'S VIDEO GAMES TRADE-IN PAGE

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

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

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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 tracks on a personal level by a third party. (Read: try not to cancel a bunch of pre-orders)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When do trade-in values update?
No one knows for sure, but major updates seem to come on Sunday and Tuesday nights (or at least have in the past). Sometimes an update will happen randomly, such as when GameStop has an advertised sale for a game well below Best Buy's trade in price.

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

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

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

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

Can I trade game disc only, or do I need the case and manuals, too?
Best Buy accepts disc only games (for the same value as complete games). The trade in will take longer though as the employee will have to look up the games individually.

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

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

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

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

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

Can I trade sealed games?
Yes. You must present your receipt for the sealed games you are trading in. It is ok if the purchase was made from another store. You do run the risk of drawing extra attention to yourself as trading in sealed products is often a sign of theft. Do not be surprised if this is questioned by an employee, or you are asked to leave, open the items and return.
 
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[quote name='Gamer SDP']according to next weeks ad there'll be a 50% bonus trade-in when pre-ordering "one of 11 select titles". Soul Caliber V, Max Payne 3, FFXIII-2, and Mass Effect 3 are shown. Not sure when the promo will go until.

Now not sure if I should try to sell off some games or trade into GS since they are part of the guaranteed $30 tiv promo (does PUR stack and give $33?).[/QUOTE]

Well I might find out if I'm banned or not next week.
 
[quote name='BudzMcGee']Well I might find out if I'm banned or not next week.[/QUOTE]

haha thinking the same thing. Dont know if theres much worth flipping with so many games dropping to single digits.
 
With my bestbuy credit card comming in soon i figured i would convert my bestbuy credit from my flips into gs credit (never thought i would say that lol). Over the last two days ive turned 54 or so bestbuy credit into over 180 gs credit
 
[quote name='strait edge follower']Normally i would be as happy as a pig rolling around in shit When one of these 50% deals pops up but with this massive tiv nuking latley it isnt nearly as appealing as before :([/QUOTE]


this.
 
[quote name='strait edge follower']Normally i would be as happy as a pig rolling around in shit When one of these 50% deals pops up but with this massive tiv nuking latley it isnt nearly as appealing as before :([/QUOTE]


Also the whole banning thing would require me to motivate the wife to do the trading. :roll:
 
likely going to have to GS the recent hot titles ($30/$33 guaranteed). I do have some games that will probably be best to trade in here with the 50%+10%
 
For all you other banned folks do you guys have the best buy trade in email address for appeals and questions? I cant find my loss prevention notice. Thanks in advance.
 
[quote name='Keen314']Are there any restrictions on next week's 50% bonus? Like do we have to buy a game, or make a pre-order?[/QUOTE]

Preorder 1 of 11 games that were listed (MP3, FF, Bioshock and SCV were the only ones shown but it says 11 in the wording)

Ad is at SD.
 
[quote name='Kingmojo210']Anyone know some descent trades I can buy at GS b2g1 deal to transfer some some credit to BB next week?[/QUOTE]

get fit with mel b. wii
 
[quote name='BudzMcGee']The fact that they are new to selling used games is very obvious. Truth be told, I think roughly 45% of Best Buy's problems would either go away or at least see significant improvement if they just had a better IT department.

There is no reason why they are having such a terrible year as far as sales go, compared to other stores. They have had better sales than any other retailer I can think of, they have enough stores to gain access to most markets, they have a free rewards program that gives you money back for shopping with them, a generous price match and price adjustment policy which includes price matching their own site and speaking of their site, they offer in store pick-up and free shipping to store on tons of products. Everything doesn't always work the way it should, but when you really compare them to other retailers from a consumer perspective they really should be doing better.[/QUOTE]

They just need to steal some operations people from Gamestop.
 
[quote name='strait edge follower']With my bestbuy credit card comming in soon i figured i would convert my bestbuy credit from my flips into gs credit (never thought i would say that lol). Over the last two days ive turned 54 or so bestbuy credit into over 180 gs credit[/QUOTE]


You used the DOTDs? I should have thought of that, then I could have flipped it back to BB later ;)
 
[quote name='crazedracerguy']You used the DOTDs? I should have thought of that, then I could have flipped it back to BB later ;)[/QUOTE]
Looks like it.

Also, LOL @ everyone trying to be super top secretz about their trade-ins. Wouldn't want this fragile $10-$20/day income to disappear :roll:
 
[quote name='strait edge follower']Normally i would be as happy as a pig rolling around in shit When one of these 50% deals pops up but with this massive tiv nuking latley it isnt nearly as appealing as before :([/QUOTE]
You're just trading in the wrong shit is all.:razz: Most of the stuff I traded in just prior to BF ended up holding it's value.:booty:
 
[quote name='KtMack23']Active life Magical Carnival for Wii is a good way to transfer credit from bestbuy without Even needing the B2G1[/QUOTE]

thanks, used that to transfer over some gamestop credit to bestbuy.

but yeah, so im not banned! traded in today, went through fine with no problem. probably went over the 3 limit at least 3 times since the beginning of the year. pretty happy that im not banned. also, probably haven't hit over 100 games total traded in.
 
Anybody who is banned going to try and test their luck after the new year? I'm kinda hoping for a system reset, but at the same time BB TIV's have tanked so badly compared to GS and TRU that I don't think it would matter for me in the end.
 
Not that it matters to many of us any more but for those who are not banned here are the 50% bonus titles (all of the offers end 12/31):

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
Diablo 3
 
Aren't some of those games coming out at the very END of 2012 or even later though? I know GTA V is fall of 2012 sometime at least. It seems kinda weird to have it on the list.

Mind ya, the values of the few games I'd probably get rid of to them from my personal collection have all tanked to where other places are offering 2-3x those amounts even before any bonuses.:whistle2:#
 
[quote name='JediJames2']Not that it matters to many of us any more but for those who are not banned here are the 50% bonus titles (all of the offers end 12/31):

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
Diablo 3[/QUOTE]

I know it says it ends 12/31, but just to be clear, this is happening now?

Also, have most people been banned? I've done some trades they probably weren't pleased with, but I haven't tried in a few weeks. I've probably only traded in 50ish games since they started, but I did buy 2 kindle cards last time, thinking Amazon would have some good BF deals(yea, bad call).

I've never picked up a game I preordered for these promos, so thats probably bad...
 
[quote name='cheapbastard']How do u know if your banned??[/QUOTE]

They will tell you the next time you attempt a trade I think. I could just have somebody else do it, i've bought tons of games this holiday just for trading so it will be my last one for a while anyway.
 
[quote name='showtimefolks']so for example right now GT5 trade in is 10 bucks but if for example i trade in towards the pre-order of MLB the show i can get 50% extra meaning $15?[/QUOTE]

Yes
 
[quote name='KtMack23']Yes[/QUOTE]

so i have like 15 games to trade in all i have to do is pre-order one game and get 50% or do i have to apply the full trade in value towards other games?

thanks for your help in advance
 
[quote name='showtimefolks']so i have like 15 games to trade in all i have to do is pre-order one game and get 50% or do i have to apply the full trade in value towards other games?

thanks for your help in advance[/QUOTE]

All of your games get a 50% bump and $5 of your trade in credit get put towards a pre-order of your choice
 
[quote name='KtMack23']All of your games get a 50% bump and $5 of your trade in credit get put towards a pre-order of your choice[/QUOTE]

thank you very much will look into this before the year end.

have bunch of games i want to trade
 
[quote name='showtimefolks']thank you very much will look into this before the year end.

have bunch of games i want to trade[/QUOTE]

Go to bestbuys trade in page, add up all the values for your games, and then multiply by 1.5 to get your total credit, then subtract 5
 
[quote name='KtMack23']Go to bestbuys trade in page, add up all the values for your games, and then multiply by 1.5 to get your total credit, then subtract 5[/QUOTE]

thanks
 
hopefully these tiv's hold til tomorrow ;)
these tiv's are so weird. AAA games have like $2-$4 tiv's cuz they are over flipped, but then horrible games from years ago have higher tiv's cuz no one is flipping them at all. it's so messed up. they have no real value system. it's bizarro world
 
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Does anyone know if they ban your Reward zone account or your State ID. I am a GCU reward person, got banned but would like to trade in. I was going to have my fiancee do the trade in but I would like the extra 10% for GCU. Do I need to purchase a new GCU account for her or will my original one still work?
 
[quote name='boosted02gt']Does anyone know if they ban your Reward zone account or your State ID. I am a GCU reward person, got banned but would like to trade in. I was going to have my fiancee do the trade in but I would like the extra 10% for GCU. Do I need to purchase a new GCU account for her or will my original one still work?[/QUOTE]

your fiance will need her own Unlocked account. I know....it sucks. :[
 
Traded in 3 copies of FFXIII per system today. Since I'm well within the limits, I hope that I don't get banned. But who knows. Did end up turning 32 GS credit into a $67 BB giftcard. Picked up ME3: CE preorder, Skyward Sword and Space Marine with change left over. Overall productive.
 
Tried to trade in today for the first time since the first round of bannings went out. And.... I've been banned. :( The guys there know me fairly well, so when I explained what was happening to them they just laughed and decided to check for me. When the prompt showed up saying I'd been flagged he just overrode it and let the trade-in happen. I always let them in on the flips I'm doing and I've stayed within the limits the entire time I've been trading in, so he knew they were just overreacting.

Now I just have to make sure he's always the one working when I go in to trade...
 
I've been banned too. The gamer guy wasn't the one I normally go to. The guy said he wasn't sure what the error was. I tried to talk him into overriding, but he called for an override. The GM came over and told me he didn't know what it was, but I should call the number. He was kinda being a jerk, but I think he's still pissed at me for buying 3 SWTOR CE because they came up short for their online pre-orders.

I haven't gone outside of the 3 per game policy and have done about $1000 in trade ins.

I was lucky though the cashier kept saying he was sorry and let me use my unlocked with my husband's ID. It went through, but now I wonder if I should get him unlocked and cancel mine.

Anyone know if you have to get an override every time or just once? I figure I can get one of the other guys to do it for me once if that's all it takes.
 
I apparently found out where they are sending all of our used game trade ins, my home town Best Buy. Stopped in this morning to get Spacehammer for $10 and saw a HUGE bin of used games. I mean, it was so big and packed so full of games I couldn't even dig through them because games were spilling out. Crazy.
 
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