Official Amazon Trade-In FAQ 4.0 - READ 1st POST

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handsomepete

handsomepete

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Welcome to the Official CAG Amazon.com Trade-In Thread

Hey trade-in pals! SENDING THINGS IN DISC / CARTRIDGE ONLY / GENERIC CASE NO MANUAL / ANYTHING BUT COMPLETE COULD RESULT IN REJECTION. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS. YOU MIGHT GET ACCEPTED, YOU MIGHT NOT. NO ONE KNOWS. THERE ARE NO HARD AND FAST RULES. IF IT IS ACCEPTED, IT WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY ONLY BE CONSIDERED "ACCEPTABLE." RISK YOUR TIME AND EFFORT AT YOUR PERIL!

[quote name='Indigo_Streetlight']I'm getting an acceptance rate of about one per day; it makes me think some supervisor is standing around with a glass of absinthe next to a couple of dumptruck loads of games...while the one responsible for the glitch is made to scan each item and recite its TIV with tears in their eyes.[/QUOTE]

Amazon.com Trade-in Home Page

------- FAQ BELOW - LEAVE ME ALONE PLEASE -------
Useful links:
-- BlueLobstah
-- CheapAssGamer
THANKS TO DISILLUSION386 and GI60 FOR POSTING AND MAINTAINING THE PREVIOUS AMAZON TRADE-IN FAQ THREADS

This thread’s primary purpose is to discuss Amazon.com’s video game trade-in program. Conspiracy theories about NORAM smashing games before sending them back / stealing children / sneezing and touching public door handles / etc welcome, but try to avoid going nutso. PLEASE READ THE TRADE-IN DEAL DETAILS AND FAQ BEFORE ASKING ANY QUESTIONS.

Trade-In Procedure

1. SELECT ITEMS: Search for items to trade in. Your trade-in items must meet the product eligibility criteria.
2. SHIP GAMES FREE: Print a shipping label and packing slip, package your games, and ship them
3. GET A GIFT CARD: An Amazon.com Gift Card will be deposited into your account upon receipt of games
Click to expand...
Shipping Instructions

1. Print this entire page. (Packing slip and shipping label once you have submitted a trade)
2. Cut out the shipping label and the packing slip.
3. Make sure your items are in good working condition and include the case and cover art.
4. Securely pack the items in a box or envelope and include the packing slip in the package.
5. Attach the shipping label squarely onto the outside of the package and add your return address.
6. Take it to your nearest UPS Store and mail it by (one week from submission of trade)
7. Or you can ship to:
note to self: look up new address
Click to expand...
Trade-In Product Eligibility

Trade-in items must match the exact version displayed in the Amazon Trade-In Store, not be damaged, include original packaging (e.g. the manual, cover art, and case), and be postmarked no later than 7 days after submission. You will receive an e-mail confirmation and an Amazon.com Gift Card will be deposited into your account within 2 business days of item receipt and verification by the merchant. Items not accepted by the merchant will be returned to you approximately 14 days after receipt.
Click to expand...
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GENERAL FAQ (Updated 06/07/2011)
Can I post a question on this thread?
  • Only if you can't find the answer from below. :lol: And please let me know if it needs to be added to FAQ.
Can I edit this FAQ? (updated 6/7/11)
  • You bet! Up top there is a section for notable TIVs - feel free to add anything in there (and if you can remember, clean up after yourself in a few days when the TIV has undoubtedly dropped). You can edit the FAQ too, please just make sure it's useful and well formatted! Thanks!
Since when did Amazon start doing trades?
  • The program began in 2009 and is handled by a third party merchant, NorAm International.
What kind of shipping does Amazon provide us?
  • Free UPS ground ---- USPS is no longer available for free. There is now also an option to provide your own shipping.
Do I have to provide my own box or envelope?
  • Yes.
Do all my games in the same trade-in submission have to be shipped in the same box? (updated 3/9/11)
  • Not necessarily - people have sent in multiple boxes for the same trade-in submission successfully. It's even possible to send half at one time and the other half at the end of the valid shipping period. However, it's probably best to always ship everything at once.
Can I put separate trades in to a single box? (updated 6/7/11)
  • Sure, and they'll likely be accepted just fine. However, it isn't recommended since you would only have proof that you sent one of the trades (whichever mailing label you used). So it can be pretty risky.
Can I send in sealed games?
  • Yes. They won't reject games that still have the original shrink wrap.
Can I add Delivery Confirmation and Insurance to my shipment?
  • UPS Ground already provides you with tracking information, and I imagine you could get some sort of insurance added at a UPS store or location if you were so inclined.
I don't trust UPS ground. Can I pay for postage myself? What's the address?
  • Yes. You're more than welcome to do so. The address is:
    NorAm International
    22 Hampshire Dr
    Hudson, NH 03051
    (This is also an option when submitting your trades)
When do I have to send my games once I have submitted my trade order?
  • You have 1 week (7 days) to send your games. There have been reports of submitting trades up to 15 - 20 days late, but that is definitely ymmv. Send on time for the best chance at success!
Crap, I have one day to go before my shipment deadline, but the website states that my deadline has already passed. How do I print out a shipping label and packing slip?
  • Load up any existing order (if you don't have any, check your browser's history or just submit a new one to use the link), and substitute the transaction ID for the trade-in order you need at the end of the URL.
How long does the whole trade-in process usually take?
  • From the time you send in your games, it may take up to 14 business days for the package to arrive. Most people usually receive their credit (Amazon GiftCard) in 3 to 5 business days, however.
How long does the "processing" status usually take? (Updated 6/8/11)
  • Usually a day or with little delay at all, but the longest reported days so far is 4.
My games were received on Friday (based on Delivery Confirmation), will I have to wait until Monday to receive credit?
  • People have received credit on a Saturday.
I do not have the manual, cover art, or original case for a game I want to trade in. Will they accept it? (updated 6/9/11)
  • While the details specifically state that original packaging is necessary, people have reported in the past that their trades were accepted despite missing some of these. This is extremely YMMV, however since some were also rejected by missing manual or cover art. On the other hand, older gen games; such as SNES, N64, and GB cartridges, normally get accepted without the original box and manual, but still YMMV.

    It should be noted that with the new condition requirements (see later in the FAQ), you may be able to send an item in missing some or all of the required items (manual / cover art / case) and still have it accepted in "Acceptable" condition.
I do not have the manual, accessories, original box, original included game, etc for a console or accessory I want to trade in. Will they accept it? (updated 3/9/11)
  • The current wisdom is "probably not" - it's pretty YMMV but NorAm seems stricter than they should be on this. Your chances seem to be better for them accepting a console or accessory without the box / manual / etc if it's older generation or rare. You're more than welcome to give it a shot though if you're feeling lucky - just pack it well and include as much as you can!
My game is really beat up, what are the chances they’ll accept it?
  • This is YMMV. Some people have reported in the past that they sent in games in bad shape that were still accepted. Your best bet is still to trade in games in mint condition. Minor scratches are expected as these are used games.
My game came with DLC codes and I used them. Will my game be accepted? (Updated 12/28/11)
  • It is expected that included DLC codes have already been redeemed, so you should be fine. It is a kindness however if you have no use for it to not redeem it and let the next lucky soul who buys it from awd or wherever have a crack at it. Up to you!
My cover art (PLATINUM HITS) differs from the pic on amazon, will my trade be accepted?
  • It all depends on the UPC so just turn your game around, type in the UPC into the amazon search box. If the game comes up, then it's accepted regardless of cover art. Click on that result to submit your trade.
I have a game from a limited edition bundle, will they accept it?
  • If the game’s cover art has a UPC barcode, they will most likely accept it. If your game's cover states "Not for Resale" and does not have a UPC barcode, the game will most likely get rejected. Some people have had their games accepted in the past, but this is very YMMV.
The UPC barcode is not intact on my game's cover art, will that be accepted? (updated 3/9/11)
  • This is YMMV, but probably not. The UPC is all powerful within the walls of NorAm.
I sent in my games, all of which were in pristine condition with the original packaging, but they said that one game is damaged and is now being returned.
  • Always pack your games well. Put a lot of newspaper around your games in the box to secure them and to prevent any damages from haphazard box cutting. People in the past have requested their entire trade-in order if it’s obvious the damage wasn’t their fault, and Amazon ended up accepting the rejected game. This is YMMV as well.
Can I trade in multiple copies of the same game?
  • Yes. Once you click “Trade in” for a particular game, you may change the quantities. Once you submit, you can no longer change quantities on that trade-in batch.
How many multiple copies of the same game can I trade-in (updated 1/11/11)?
  • Maximum of 2 copies within 3 a month period.
I locked in X copies of a game but I now only have Y available to send. Can I just send in Y without being penalized? (updated 3/9/11)
  • Yes, you can always just send in a portion of your trade-in order and they'll just credit you for whatever they receive. However, the quantities you submitted for will stay locked in that instance (I think) so if you, for example, submitted for 2 copies and only sent 1, you may not be able to trade any more copies of that game for 3 months (see previous question).
Will the Trade-in of the Day TIV stay for 24 hours?
  • It's been reported that there is a limit (maximum # of copies) that will get the promoted TIV so lock yours.
So if I find a good flip, I can just send 2 copies of that game and not worry about Amazon accusing me of stolen merchandise?
  • Technically yes, but do keep in mind that other CAGs might want to participate in the current deal, and trading in a large number of the same game will definitely lower the TIV of said game. Let’s be nice to other people. This is probably moot for most folks now with the per account / address trade-in limit.
Wow, these TIVs suck (updated 3/9/11)!
  • Really? Hrm. While that may be true, they're often better than other comparable places. Your options of what to do with your used games are greater now than they've ever been, so feel free to shop your trades around or just sell them off on glyde/gamestaq/ebay/whatever. Also, not a question.
What the fuck? The TIV of a game I just bought for this deal tanked! What do I do?
  • The TIVs on Amazon fluctuate depending on the number of trades that are submitted, and we really can’t do anything about it. The best course of action for trading in games is to lock in your trade if you already have the games or are absolutely sure that you can obtain them. You can always cancel the trade submission if you end up not finding the games.
    LOCK = SUBMIT YOUR TRADE, Don't just put it in the cart.
Can I edit a submitted trade?
  • Nope - once upon a time you could modify trade in quantities of submitted trades, but that ability has been removed.
Can I use my credit on items that are not video game-related?
  • Yes. This is the other perk for trading in games at Amazon since you're not limited to just video games.
Can I use my credit on items sold by third-party merchants on Amazon?
  • According to the fine print of the Amazon gift card use, some merchants are excluded. Your best bet is to try it on the checkout page of your order.
Strategy guides? I can trade in game/strategy guides? Whaaaaa?
  • Go to the Textbook Buyback section (http://www.amazon.com/Textbooks-Trad...ode=2205237011[/URL]). You can either search on the title of a strategy guide you have to see if they'll accept it, or search for guides. The two best search strings to start with are 'prima guides' and 'bradygames'. Might try 'doublejump' if you want to trade in some of those. (Thanks eugaet)
I locked in some hilariously overvalued trade for some weird rare game/accessory/etc that I can pick up for cheap cheap cheap. They didn't accept it. What should I do? (updated 3/9/11)
  • The truth is that NORAM can reject things for any reason they see fit. While some people have managed to get silly things like a $200 credit for some cheerleading game (or for a PS2 - just ask io!), it's sooooooo YMMV that often it's not worth the effort. EXPECT REJECTION ON THINGS THAT ARE CLEARLY MISVALUED. That said, as long as you're willing to risk it, go for it!
What's all this item condition nonsense? And how can I get screwed over by it? (updated 6/9/11)
  • We're still kinda sussing out the details surrounding the new item condition portion of Amazon Trade-Ins, but it looks like there's a couple things to consider:
    • Good Condition eligibility (games):
    • - The video game, original manufacturer packaging and all original elements are included, but shows wear from normal use
      - Game still plays perfectly
      - Disc may have light scratches and other elements may have minor damage
      - Item may have been personalized (marked or identified)
      Click to expand...

      [*]Acceptable eligibility (games):
      - Game still plays perfectly
      - Item may have been personalized (marked or identified)
      - Item may be missing or have irreparable damage to one or all of the following: case, manual, artwork, bundled accessories, UPC
      Click to expand...

      [*]Note that a game will almost certainly not be accepted if it meets any of these conditions:
      - Game does not play perfectly
      - Disc is cracked
      - Marked Not for Resale (or is otherwise marked not for sale)
      Click to expand...
    Consoles/accessories have some slightly different criteria, but the idea is the same.
Did it seriously just ask me if I wanted my game / other item returned if they refuse to give me credit for it? (updated 6/9/11)
  • Yes, that just happened.

    Unless you're purposefully sending them things you deem to be trash, please remember to choose the option that has them return your item to you during the checkout phase.
Who is AFS? (updated 6/9/11)
  • Not sure yet, but that's the name on the trade-in shipping labels now instead of NORAM. May just be NORAM with a different name. This will be updated as we learn more.
Post away!
 
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[quote name='shrike4242']Go to about 40:48 and start listening. Mentions it for about a minute tops.

Though, this oddity in TIVs has happened before with:

* Some guides being $50+ in TIV a while ago
* Fat PS2 getting $200 TIV another while ago
* The current situation

There's clauses in their trade-in agreements that allows them to dump trades for goofy TIVs, which I think they're just late to the party on doing with some of the current people trading in items.[/QUOTE]

That exactly why I think it's complete BS technically speaking.

Here's my train of thought: Amazon benefits from Cheapy's traffic by having CAGs easily buy from Amazon through affiliate links. Cheapy also in turn benefits. All of that is fine. The whole cycle is premised on the idea that the promotions Amazon is extending are enticing. As such Amazon wins, Cheapy wins, customers (read CAGs) win.

So, if they extend TIV offers that are overly generous, and CAGs point that out to each other, why should Amazon expect CAGs to ignore that when they have drafted Terms and Conditions which allow them to void the TIV offer? That's their fault. Not ours, not Cheapy's.
 
[quote name='bgame2']That exactly why I think it's complete BS technically speaking.

Here's my train of thought: Amazon benefits from Cheapy's traffic by having CAGs easily buy from Amazon through affiliate links. Cheapy also in turn benefits. All of that is fine. The whole cycle is premised on the idea that the promotions Amazon is extending are enticing. As such Amazon wins, Cheapy wins, customers (read CAGs) win.

So, if they extend TIV offers that are overly generous, and CAGs point that out to each other, why should Amazon expect CAGs to ignore that when they have drafted Terms and Conditions which allow them to void the TIV offer? That's their fault. Not ours, not Cheapy's.[/QUOTE]I think that the fat PS2 @ $200 was the item that changed the trade-in T&C that allows them an out.

They should either bounce all of the inflated TIV trade-ins or none of them. They can't have it with partial acceptance.

I'm sure it continued until some reports showing trade-in payouts ended up on someone's desk, said person pooped their pants and started to stop the trade-ins with increased TIVs from happening.
 
There was also the great PSP travel case debacle a few months back. I never did get my correct, err "incorrect" item back on that one.
 
[quote name='Vigilante']I used the Amazon Marketplace (mostly for GBA, PS1, and Xbox stuff), Gamestop (Gamecube) and eBay (Xbox), and I think I did pretty well, all things considered. ;)[/QUOTE]

Ah gotcha. I figured it'd be mostly from online, but thought there would also be some B&M I didn't think about. I was also too lazy to check out the lone Blockbuster still open.
 
I have shipped two game separately in UPS drop location yesterday However, only TRN-(PS3 Street Fighters) has been updated in tracking status, but another one (SOCOM) does not. But I really shipped it on the same time. Is it possible for UPS to lose my package? By the way, eventually, if my socom 4 is delivered to amazon but without updating any tracking status in amazon.com, will they accept it? I really ship before the expiration date. Thank you.
 
I wouldn't worry too much regarding the tracking. UPS ground is iffy. I dropped off 7 packages and a few arrived soon than the others, and not all of them received the same amount of tracking
 
[quote name='needler420']How could you not put a expiration on something like that? Then you could lock it in and send it in neveraury still getting the same price.

Makes no sense.

That's like saying a coupon from 50 years ago shouldn't expire even when prices inflated.[/QUOTE]

Clearly you misread my post. I said ONCE IT IS RECEIVED it should never expire. It is beyond stupid that you can send something in (on time) and then once they get it the clock continues to run and if they don't process it in a timely fashion it could expire. This has happened to a few people. What I'm saying, again, is that ONCE THEY RECEIVE YOUR PACKAGE, there should be no expiration. At that point it is on Amazon/NorAm to process your submission. If it takes 10 days or 2 months or whatever, it shouldn't matter - it is in their hands and their delays shouldn't cause the customer's trade-in to expire.

Using your analogy, that is like if I use an active promo code on a web site to get a discount, and I check out and pay for it at that discounted price. But then, internally they don't process my order for 2 weeks and when finally they do, the coupon is no longer valid and they then charge me the full price. Yeah, makes no sense - but then neither does your post ;).

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

As for the general issue of spiking trade-in values and what used to happen in the past: thave taken some measures at least. Before, the trade-in values used to trend with no apparent cap. So we were seeing DS games with $60+ values, etc. At the very least, it seems like they have capped the majority (if not all) game values at $30. So when their automatic system detects higher selling prices for a particular game on Amazon (or however they calculate it - in the past it definitely seemed linked to Amazon Marketplace pricing) they won't trend up to ridiculous levels. Yes, $30 on a lot of those games was too much, but it wasn't out of the ballpark at least. And some of them were even not too bad (for Amazon) at those prices. A few of the ones I sent in I probably could have sold for $40-$50. It was just easier to send them all in together and not hassle with selling them myself.
 
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really what amazon needs to do is add a result to the trade in system that simply says item rejected for offered value being too high or too many of that item being traded in.

My guess is that they continue to use "wrong item" or "wrong edition" or "unauthorized copy" so that they can place the blame on the people trading in rather than simply stating the obvious. They have every right to return every copy of those crazy $30 TIV games they had up for a while. The problem is they were offering those values for like 7-10 days - they didn't disappear in 6 hours, they continued appearing in new batches after old ones were fixed..
 
I should add that most of my stuff got there after everyone else's and I had no problem getting each and every game I submitted accepted for the full amount. If they were starting to reject stuff because someone noticed all the submissions and high prices I would have thought I'd have had more trouble there towards the end.

But then I didn't send a lot of crappy cart-only stuff, either. Still, though, if they had some sort of scheme for rejecting things based on the values being too high, they could have done that on some of mine (and they could have come up with semi-legitimate cover stories for a few of them if they wanted to). So I don't buy it entirely that they reject for the prices being too high but then select other reasons to cover that up. I think a lot of it is just purely random and some of the rejections have been legitimate (torn labels on carts, dead batteries, etc). And of course some is just pure BS - but I don't think it is necessarily because of the values. My random rejections in the past were never on high-value stuff. In fact in one case I was able to send the exact same game back in for more later and it was accepted the second time.
 
I believe my question got buried, so I'll ask it again:

Sorry to bring up this trade-in again, but is it normal that Cabela's Big Game Hunter is still "Processing" even though today marks the 26th day since the trade-in was created? io said that they shouldn't expire the transaction once they received the item, so maybe that explains it?

I still plan on emailing CS about it, but I wanted to make sure I've waited long enough before doing so.
 
[quote name='Vigilante'] io said that they shouldn't expire the transaction once they received the item, so maybe that explains it?

I still plan on emailing CS about it, but I wanted to make sure I've waited long enough before doing so.[/QUOTE]

It will expire from what I understand. I said they shouldn't do so as a matter of common courtesy/sense, but apparently they still do it anyway. But if yours is still active, who knows. And yeah, I'd contact them at this point.
 
Originally Posted by needler420
How could you not put a expiration on something like that? Then you could lock it in and send it in neveraury still getting the same price.

Makes no sense.

That's like saying a coupon from 50 years ago shouldn't expire even when prices inflated.


I agree with you for once, your post makes no sense.

But, I could really do some damage with a stack of 3 cents off coupons from 1962.
 
[quote name='io']It will expire from what I understand. I said they shouldn't do so as a matter of common courtesy/sense, but apparently they still do it anyway. But if yours is still active, who knows. And yeah, I'd contact them at this point.[/QUOTE]Good news: I got a response with an apology for Cabela's Big Game Hunter not being processed and a gift of $30 in Amazon promo credit, which is pretty nice considering I sent the game cart-only. :whistle2:#

Bad news: I was told that I'm basically out of luck on the judged "Severe Damage" copy of Red Dead Revolver (after I got it back in the mail, I tested it on my 360 and it worked perfectly fine):

[quote name='Amazon CS']For trade in TRN-#######-#######, I can confirm that it was not accepted by the Merchant. According to the information provided by the Merchant processing your submission, the specific reason your item didn't meet the trade-in conditions was: Severe Damage.

The items you trade are sent to an Amazon Merchant, who will thoroughly inspect them against the conditions described here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/?nodeId=200438390

If items are returned and you still wish to submit the item again, please complete a new trade-in submission here:

http://www.amazon.com/tradein

Regarding the price, I'm sorry, the Merchant will decide if they will honor the previous trade in price of the video game.

For full details, please read the Trade-in Program Terms and Conditions here:

http://www.amazon.com/tradein/terms

We're working hard to provide a stress-free and convenient shopping experience at Amazon.com. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience you experienced in this case.[/QUOTE]I'm considering just letting this go since this is the only rejection I've gotten and I've made a significant profit as is, but what do you all think? I mean, it is $30; should I push my luck and email again or let it slide?
 
[quote name='Vigilante']Good news: I got a response with an apology for Cabela's Big Game Hunter not being processed and a gift of $30 in Amazon promo credit, which is pretty nice considering I sent the game cart-only. :whistle2:#

Bad news: I was told that I'm basically out of luck on the judged "Severe Damage" copy of Red Dead Revolver (after I got it back in the mail, I tested it on my 360 and it worked perfectly fine):

I'm considering just letting this go since this is the only rejection I've gotten and I've made a significant profit as is, but what do you all think? I mean, it is $30; should I push my luck and email again or let it slide?[/QUOTE]

Let it slide.

Now that the great mystery of the Cabela's Big Game Hunter cartridge has come to a close, I feel it's time to start a fresh new thread! See you on the other side!
 
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