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

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


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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='Velo214']hey i started a flip thread to try to clear this thread of so much clutter. hit me up if you want in. peace
just try to contribute and no lurking ;) oh yeah and no nazi's :)[/QUOTE]


In :D

Is it on CAG? We used to have one in the "Deal/Shopping Discussions & Bragging Rights" forum. Velo's post will cause clutter anyway.
 
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[quote name='Velo214']hey i started a flip thread to try to clear this thread of so much clutter. hit me up if you want in. peace
just try to contribute and no lurking ;) oh yeah and no nazi's :)[/QUOTE]

So your isolating the flipping discussion to an easy to skim through thread? Sounds like an easy way for corporate to adjust TIV's accordingly on a DAILY basis.
 
[quote name='mackie619']So your isolating the flipping discussion to an easy to skim through thread? Sounds like an easy way for corporate to adjust TIV's accordingly on a DAILY basis.[/QUOTE]


Sounds like it but no they don't care. Its a waste of resources to scour the internet searching for exploits. They can monitor trade in activity and get real numbers without going to CAG/SD/etc.
 
[quote name='Japakneez']Sounds like it but no they don't care. Its a waste of resources to scour the internet searching for exploits. They can monitor trade in activity and get real numbers without going to CAG/SD/etc.[/QUOTE]

LMAO yeah right, it's only their $
 
[quote name='donut']LMAO yeah right, it's only their $[/QUOTE]



You guys really like the junior detective concept. You think someone is dedicating their time to several threads hitting F5 on their computer when they have management systems that give them real-time updates instead?

You must think that this is what amazon does since they drop TIVs within hours of it being posted here.
 
mackie - it's a private group. invite only. i will try not to invite corporate.

others i already sent you an invite
go to forums then user cp in top left
you should see my invite there.
 
[quote name='Velo214']hey i started a flip thread to try to clear this thread of so much clutter. hit me up if you want in. peace
just try to contribute and no lurking ;) oh yeah and no nazi's :)[/QUOTE]

I want in as well.
 
[quote name='Japakneez']You guys really like the junior detective concept. You think someone is dedicating their time to several threads hitting F5 on their computer when they have management systems that give them real-time updates instead?

You must think that this is what amazon does since they drop TIVs within hours of it being posted here.[/QUOTE]


reports are generated after the fact
but meh, you're entitled to believe it's just the internet...
 
[quote name='mackie619']So your isolating the flipping discussion to an easy to skim through thread? Sounds like an easy way for corporate to adjust TIV's accordingly on a DAILY basis.[/QUOTE]

Calm down. It's invite only.
 
[quote name='donut']reports are generated after the fact
but meh, you're entitled to believe it's just the internet...[/QUOTE]

"Never believe everything you read on the internet." - Abraham Lincoln
 
[quote name='donut']reports are generated after the fact
but meh, you're entitled to believe it's just the internet...[/QUOTE]


yea....well anything is possible. CAG is growing and if bestbuy keeps growing their gaming business then they could have employees volunteering info (but they probably don't even know where to send info to). Right now they look too disorganized to have this. Can't even get their promos to work right.
 
[quote name='Japakneez'] Can't even get their promos to work right.[/QUOTE]


Amen, after many many wasted hours at the store's 4/$20...
 
[quote name='donut']Amen, after many many wasted hours at the store's 4/$20...[/QUOTE]

Yea it annoyed me to have to go to 3 bestbuys to get both games for 14.99. I would have been pissed to come out empty handed. Since the coupons are working now (finally) we shouldn't have problems in the future stacking @gamer coupons with their deals anymore
 
I think continuing on: every time a new title is on sale, the @Gamer coupons will not work for a few days before they manually fix things... That's been the case every time so far. I don't really see any indication they'll automate it. I guess this latest experience has at least educated employees on the matter at least a bit?
 
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[quote name='PrinnyOtaku']I think continuing on: every time a new title is on sale, the @Gamer coupons will not work for a few days before they manually fix things... That's been the case every time so far. I don't really see any indication they'll automate it. I guess this latest experience has at least educated employees on the matter at least a bit?[/QUOTE]

Hopefully this ico/gow ordeal will wake up corporate and the coupons will work from the start from now on
 
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Haven't you guys ever heard of a PM Geez. Anyway, i traded in RAGE today and i asked the nice lady if i can get the bonus without pre-ordering and she let me do it. Very awesome. I think $48 credit is the most i ever gotten for a single used game before. I'm going to hate it when BB finally starts lowering their TIVS like Gamestop and Amazon.
 
[quote name='Gamer4life88']Haven't you guys ever heard of a PM Geez. Anyway, i traded in RAGE today and i asked the nice lady if i can get the bonus without pre-ordering and she let me do it. Very awesome. I think $48 credit is the most i ever gotten for a single used game before. I'm going to hate it when BB finally starts lowering their TIVS like Gamestop and Amazon.[/QUOTE]

I'm going to try this. It would save me the trouble of going back to cancel the preorder after the trade ins
 
[quote name='strait edge follower']Hopefully this ico/gow ordeal will wake up corporate and the coupons will work from the start from now on[/QUOTE]

The first step would be to have the sale prices actually be reflected in-store, don't you think? :p

@Gamer coupons seems like the least of their concerns
 
So I went to the BB close to my work again today, the one that gets a lot of business.

I looked around for a bit for the Amazon Kindle cards and couldn't find any so I ask one of the employees, he doesn't know either so he asks another employee.

Other employee says that they pulled all the Kindle cards last week and he didn't know why.

But I know why hehehehe, I guess some BBs are getting wise to those of use that trade in games then buy Amazon card swith the BB gift card. I'm gonna check out my other BB later this week to see if they got any more in, I went a week or 2 ago and they only had 2 $25 cards left so I don't know if they are getting rid of them too.
 
[quote name='strait edge follower']I'm going to try this. It would save me the trouble of going back to cancel the preorder after the trade ins[/QUOTE]

It's worth a try, but the lady knows me already since I'm always there and super cool with her. Maybe that's why she let me slide haha. I always try to have good relations with employees. Not like some asshats on here who strike up an argument and threaten to call you know who as soon as their coupons don't scan right.
 
If that's true that sucks.... I need a crap load of cards to pay for the Sony 3D Display >.>

BTW, just a heads up. NBA 2K12 finally has a TIV of $30; $48 after 60% bump. Forza 4 is also $30.
 
yeah, im on the last mission in rage. just need to make/gamble up some more money so i can pack like 10 advanced sentry bots, then im gonna tear that place up on nightmare. wootwoot Plat and flip back for 48, i got for 43 from newegg. just hoping it holds for one more day cuz im busy all day today and can't play til midnite...

ps Thanx Mod
 
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[quote name='hustletron']So I went to the BB close to my work again today, the one that gets a lot of business.

I looked around for a bit for the Amazon Kindle cards and couldn't find any so I ask one of the employees, he doesn't know either so he asks another employee.

Other employee says that they pulled all the Kindle cards last week and he didn't know why.

But I know why hehehehe, I guess some BBs are getting wise to those of use that trade in games then buy Amazon card swith the BB gift card. I'm gonna check out my other BB later this week to see if they got any more in, I went a week or 2 ago and they only had 2 $25 cards left so I don't know if they are getting rid of them too.[/QUOTE]

2 of the stores I go 2 have not had any either. :( I actually used my debit card on amazon yesterday. first time in more than a year.
 
[quote name='donut']reports are generated after the fact[/QUOTE]

Which is why the "flippable" games hold their TIVs for a day or two. I don't think BB is acting on forum postings. I think they are acting on the volume of games actually traded in.
 
[quote name='kingwormer']Anyone happen to know the trade value of Spider-man Edge of Time PS3?[/QUOTE]

$25-$30. Just call and find out, but since it did come out within a week span, I would say $25
 
[quote name='jazzman']Anyone know what the trade in is for Black Ops hardened edition?[/QUOTE]

Virtually all CE are the same as reg because of them taking disc only.
 
[quote name='Toss']2 of the stores I go 2 have not had any either. :( I actually used my debit card on amazon yesterday. first time in more than a year.[/QUOTE]

Mine still has some in the usual spot, but they also have some at the front registers. Might have to look around some.
 
[quote name='LuNchBoX.']glad to see they finally added MW3 to the 50% extra list, I've had that one for awhile now.[/QUOTE]

Where do you see MW3? I was going to do battlefield and then get back my $5 but if MW3 is part of the 50%, I now have a preorder I will keep in tact.
 
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