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

BudzMcGee

CAGiversary!
Feedback
3 (100%)
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.

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

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.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I was lucky enough to get my best buy to honor the 50% trade in credit of you preorder mp3! They gave me two gift cards, one that was 10% of my total trade-in and the other 50%.
 
[quote name='sgaldis']You guys having trouble with the Max Payne 50% bump, show them that it's right on there freaking website: Link[/QUOTE]
...and in their weekly ad.

...well at least on page 27 of the ad online. I know lately some of the gaming pages are only available online and not in the printed ad.
 
I just want to be clear. Do I get the 40% extra after I pre-order a game or do I have to bring my trade-ins in before I pre-order to use that amount towards the pre-order?
 
They just need to click the button

You can do the pre-order right before or right after, doesnt matter

Hell, you dont even have to pre-order if they forget
 
any chance i can get ANY bonus solely trading in my copy of BF3 for MW3, say, tonight?

It says you get 40% bonus trade-in with any preorder through the 26th. So could i just fake preorder something to get the extra 40% TIV gift card, drop my $5 on it and use the rest to pay off the majority of MW3?
 
[quote name='jcp42877']any chance i can get ANY bonus solely trading in my copy of BF3 for MW3, say, tonight?

It says you get 40% bonus trade-in with any preorder through the 26th. So could i just fake preorder something to get the extra 40% TIV gift card, drop my $5 on it and use the rest to pay off the majority of MW3?[/QUOTE]

As long as you are aware of the risks of "fake preordering" then yeah, doing that should work. They give you a gift card and you can use it however you please.
 
Does anyone know if the 50% bump for pre-ordering max payne 3 is actually in their system? It is listed under offeres shown on their trade in webpage but do we need a override to get 50%?
 
[quote name='tepro']Anybody in tears right now looking at the nuke TIV?[/QUOTE]
Nope I knew it would happen. Which is why I only buy Gamefly for personal games now, no more GF > BBY flips.
 
[quote name='Phoeniix']Is it just me or did BBY nuke Top Shot Arcade for Wii from $10 to $5?[/QUOTE]
Yes that game was part of the GF sale.
 
[quote name='person123']Nope I knew it would happen. Which is why I only buy Gamefly for personal games now, no more GF > BBY flips.[/QUOTE]

Good for you n me both. too bad for me it stray to my non GF order.
 
Even though most of us were cynically expecting it, still, BOOOOOOOOOOOO at the BBY TIV nukers... all nukin' all the GF games to $6 or less. Time to throw the rotten tomatoes at them!

The Amazon DotD (Collector's Edition Day) states "Check back tomorrow for Trade-in Day: Get up to a 50% Bonus in Trade-in Value."

This is your chance to shine Amazon. Don't you blow it dammit!
 
[quote name='hatback']Even though most of us were cynically expecting it, still, BOOOOOOOOOOOO at the BBY TIV nukers... all nukin' all the GF games to $6 or less. Time to throw the rotten tomatoes at them!

The Amazon DotD (Collector's Edition Day) states "Check back tomorrow for Trade-in Day: Get up to a 50% Bonus in Trade-in Value."

This is your chance to shine Amazon. Don't you blow it dammit![/QUOTE]

please post link? i was about to trade in some games.
 
[quote name='allen9917']Does anyone know if the 50% bump for pre-ordering max payne 3 is actually in their system? It is listed under offeres shown on their trade in webpage but do we need a override to get 50%?[/QUOTE]

I tried to get them to honor the Max Payne bonus but the employee told me there was no way to select it as it only showed the same options as on the TIV estimator page. I did not want to press the issue so I just took the 40% bonus.
 
wow! at least we expect it. i unloaded my personal copy of no more heroes today for 16(24 w bonus) and hope the $10 copies i get are in good condition. i locked it in at amazon anyway just in case but damn... i guess that's the norm now on...red river/etc
or it's people locking it in on bestbuys site, idk
but look at fear3, of course 360 version was nuked to 6 like others, but ps3 not on sale at gf, stayed the same. argh!
and so quick, the sale was monday night, they talked about it tuesday and by midnight the tivs are nuked, rage
this might be the end of lots of good flippns
 
[quote name='Velo214']this might be the end of lots of good flippns[/QUOTE]

Probably just the easy flippins Velo ;) I was tired of gettin all those chipped edges and non working PS3 games lol
 
No worries. Due to their slow ass shipping, I was able to cancel all my orders except for the 1 copy of NMH I wanted for myself.

Pz. Gonna stick to reusing coupons for now -.-
 
[quote name='Toss']Probably just the easy flippins Velo ;) I was tired of gettin all those chipped edges and non working PS3 games lol[/QUOTE]

Yes that's about it.

I think there was too much easy money out there that even people that couldn't tell you what a wii was could just order and trade in. Now it's going to be searching for them.

Btw I would check your local targets. They clearanced out half their shovelware games and some good games also (Fifa 12 for $15!) I got some good trade in fodder turning $94 in shovelware to a little over $220 in BBY GCs included was a copy of FIFA that I didnt trade in because I wanted it.


Returned later to get one for a friend.
 
[quote name='Velo214']wow! at least we expect it. i unloaded my personal copy of no more heroes today for 16(24 w bonus) and hope the $10 copies i get are in good condition. i locked it in at amazon anyway just in case but damn... i guess that's the norm now on...red river/etc
or it's people locking it in on bestbuys site, idk
but look at fear3, of course 360 version was nuked to 6 like others, but ps3 not on sale at gf, stayed the same. argh!
and so quick, the sale was monday night, they talked about it tuesday and by midnight the tivs are nuked, rage
this might be the end of lots of good flippns[/QUOTE]

I feel you man. Its probibly slickdeals guys going overboard and locking in tiv's. Ill only buy gf games If i want to play them now
 
[quote name='strait edge follower']I feel you man. Its probibly slickdeals guys going overboard and locking in tiv's. Ill only buy gf games If i want to play them now[/QUOTE]

some dude traded in 10,000 worth of stuff and got banned on here and you're blaming slickdealers?

I hate them as much as the next guy but CAGs are doing damage to the TIVs.
 
[quote name='confoosious']some dude traded in 10,000 worth of stuff and got banned on here and you're blaming slickdealers?

I hate them as much as the next guy but CAGs are doing damage to the TIVs.[/QUOTE]


^^ this ^^
 
[quote name='stoned99']Amazon has +50% on trade in's tomorrow, so maybe wait a day.[/QUOTE]

I bet Amazon will adjust the base TIV down. For example, Batman TIV is 30 now and there is no way Amazon will pay 45 for it tomorrow.
 
[quote name='foreinter']I bet Amazon will adjust the base TIV down. For example, Batman TIV is 30 now and there is no way Amazon will pay 45 for it tomorrow.[/QUOTE]

It's up to 50%, so could be just some select games, who knows.
 
[quote name='foreinter']I bet Amazon will adjust the base TIV down. For example, Batman TIV is 30 now and there is no way Amazon will pay 45 for it tomorrow.[/QUOTE]

If you are thinking of trading any of those games in tomorrow make sure to lock in the value tonight... Just in case.
 
[quote name='confoosious']some dude traded in 10,000 worth of stuff and got banned on here and you're blaming slickdealers?

I hate them as much as the next guy but CAGs are doing damage to the TIVs.[/QUOTE]

Yeah I was that dude, but I never traded more than 30 of a single title and I never locked in values on bestbuy.com so the hundreds of people buying gamefly games and locking in the values are more to blame.
 
[quote name='IamCaleb']but I never traded more than 30 of a single title...[/QUOTE]

I know I've said before that I feel for your for not being able to trade anymore, and that the employees told you that it was okay, but how do you look at "no more than 30" and think "This isn't excessive at all."

I'm really not harassing you, I think I'm more impressed than anything. I felt slightly guilty any time I traded in three.


I locked in Amazon prices for Crysis 2 (trades for $9 right now), Spider-Man Shattered Dimensions, Cars 2, Brain and Body Connection and Lego Star Wars III on Amazon (FYI, Cars 2 went up a bit today), so I can at least get my money back.
 
[quote name='IamCaleb']Yeah I was that dude, but I never traded more than 30 of a single title and I never locked in values on bestbuy.com so the hundreds of people buying gamefly games and locking in the values are more to blame.[/QUOTE]

lol 10 times the allowed limit
 
[quote name='stoned99']Amazon has +50% on trade in's tomorrow, so maybe wait a day.[/QUOTE]

oh really? wow, I didn't know that. They have good TIV for the newer games. Where does it say on Amazon they will be doing this?
 
[quote name='IamCaleb']Yeah I was that dude, but I never traded more than 30 of a single title and I never locked in values on bestbuy.com so the hundreds of people buying gamefly games and locking in the values are more to blame.[/QUOTE]

You were that dude. Now just imagine there being even 50 more people like you.

That's already a shit ton of copies. Don't blame the hundreds of people who might buy 2 copies of a game from Gamefly when there's a fucking small minority of "that dude" abusing the shit out of the system.

Don't even try to play innocent or throw the blame on other people.
 
I traded a bunch of Target clearance today, no big profits, back to 1$-3$ profit per title, but while I was trading the guy was telling me about his best trader who had just come in with 2 MW3's and 2 Skyrim's, which he claimed he had paid 10$ each for. Apparently they we're from Redbox as they all had a small ring stickers on them. This was the westminister mall BBY. So my hypothesis is, moron is removing sticker from new game and placing it on any old crap and returning the game. Most likely using credit cards with no value on them to secure rental ?? I wonder if I call redbox and report my hypothesis identifying the BBY will net me a reward. Redbox rentals for life would be nice... I hate thieves.
 
Hey guys, I have never traded in anything to Best Buy before. So, I was wondering if the 40% bonus for pre-ordering and the trade in 3 games and get 30% extra credit stack? I'm thinking about trading in my PS3 and 5 games for it. Also, does the 40% offer work on systems? Thanks! :)
 
[quote name='TheTacoMonster']Hey guys, I have never traded in anything to Best Buy before. So, I was wondering if the 40% bonus for pre-ordering and the trade in 3 games and get 30% extra credit stack? I'm thinking about trading in my PS3 and 5 games for it. Also, does the 40% offer work on systems? Thanks! :)[/QUOTE]

Please read the FAQ
 
[quote name='TheTacoMonster']Hey guys, I have never traded in anything to Best Buy before. So, I was wondering if the 40% bonus for pre-ordering and the trade in 3 games and get 30% extra credit stack? I'm thinking about trading in my PS3 and 5 games for it. Also, does the 40% offer work on systems? Thanks! :)[/QUOTE]

OMG!!! Read the very 1st post!
 
[quote name='IamCaleb']..but I never traded more than 30 of a single title and I never locked in values on bestbuy.com.[/QUOTE]
:roll: Why even post that lol?!
 
Thank you kindly guys for the delightful answers. You have enlightened me greatly. Next time, I will be sure to read the first post thoroughly, so that I can come to a conclusion of my own. Thanks again! :)
 
[quote name='prinnyotaku']you were that dude. Now just imagine there being even 50 more people like you.

That's already a shit ton of copies. Don't blame the hundreds of people who might buy 2 copies of a game from gamefly when there's a fucking small minority of "that dude" abusing the shit out of the system.

Don't even try to play innocent or throw the blame on other people.[/quote]
1%.
 
bread's done
Back
Top