Book-Off in NYC now buying/selling used import and domestic games

blueshinra

blueshinra

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I don't know if this interests anyone else, but recently I went to Book-Off (a used book/CD/DVD store located here, if you've never been there) to browse and noticed a sign by the cash register - they're looking to buy used console games!

Looks like we'll be getting another alternative for buying used games at retail. I hope they'll carry used imports as well.

ETA: Figured it was about time to change the title ;P

ETA (04/20/10): The store has moved! Book-Off is now in a bigger space at 49 W 45th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues (and only a block away from Asahiya's old space, ironically enough). With the bigger space comes a bigger selection overall (though the Japanese CD and DVD sections feel roughly the same size), and there's now placards up in the games section with trade-in values for certain titles.
 
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[quote name='whitereflection']They're going to have the games in the end of June. Also, they are getting rid of the point card.[/quote]

which consoles? will they be selling imports?
 
They're accepting trade-ins right now, so I would assume all consoles. They're also getting shipments from Book-Off Japan, so they'll probably have imports too.
 
[quote name='whitereflection']They're going to have the games in the end of June. Also, they are getting rid of the point card.[/quote]

I loved using my point card. Have you asked why they decided to do this?
 
I did, and they didn't know either. If I had to guess, it might have something to do with Book-Off paying 100 million yen to publishers since their used book sales cannibalize the publishers'.

According to the employee I spoke with, they're getting rid of it in all stores, not just the New York one.
 
[quote name='whitereflection']I did, and they didn't know either. If I had to guess, it might have something to do with Book-Off paying 100 million yen to publishers since their used book sales cannibalize the publishers'.

According to the employee I spoke with, they're getting rid of it in all stores, not just the New York one.[/QUOTE]
Good thing I used up my card awhile ago and never got another one.

Also, I didn't hear about that payoff. Was Book-Off sued or something?
 
No, it was just an offer on Book-Off's part when the publishers complained about declining sales. (The same companies have also been been trying to stop fansubs.) IIRC, they had trouble coming up with a name for this payment since they didn't want it to seem like a bribe or extortion.
 
Nooo...I love using the point-cards. It was so easy racking up points buying some CDs and photobooks (and then realize how much money was spent just to get the max at once $10 off).

I was wondering when they were gonna start stocking used games. I can't wait. And, knowing book-off...you'll probably not get the best trade-in value. One thing I've noticed is that they'll sell stuff at around half the msrp which is why they don't give so much for trades (like US manga costs $6, but they buy back at $1).
 
I dropped by today to see if the store was selling used games already. The sale of games wasn't ready yet.

They had shelves setup for the games and a whole slew of boxes in front of the shelves waiting to be unpacked. Unfortunately, in today's humid/hot weather, and no AC in the store, I quickly left.

An interesting note is that they'll be selling Japanese Xbox 360 games.

I'll be dropping by later this week to see what type of games they initially have.
 
Anyone know if the games are in the store yet?

I think I'm about to call them up tomorrow morning to check.
 
Well, I just came back from the shop and I'd have to say, they have a pretty impressive selection of imported titles. Wanted to get myself a couple, but could only afford one for today, so i got myself Gundam Battle Chronicle for the PSP.

The prices on the imports are pretty fair, good in fact, when you compare them to other places where imports are sold. I spotted a couple of Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy there. Overall, i think the American selection was rather thin. I'm sure they'll get more sometime soon though. Other than that, Nice. Everyone should check it out.
 
What was the price range?

They do have decent prices.... but i've noticed them jacking their prices up a bit in the last few years. It used to be that everything was no more than half the cover price. Now expect to pay 6 or 7 on a book that might have cost 10 dollars.

Still a great store.
 
I stopped by today. Pretty decent selection of mostly import games. By the way, they're on the first floor near the cash registers; also, they've moved the CDs and DVDs, but it's not as drastic a change as when they moved the manga upstairs.

As for the price range, I mainly looked at DS games; the lowest price I saw was $5, and the highest was $39. All of them looked like they were in great condition as well (at least going by the condition of the outer packaging).
 
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I stopped by there yesterday. The selection is ok I suppose. But the prices are a bit high imo. 40 dollars for used game, import or not is still too high for me.

Yes they did get rid of the points card. They took mine and refunded me a dollar for the card (although I think I paid more to get it initially) and 25 cents off for each stamp I had.
 
Ha, so at least three of us actually went yesterday.

I don't recall the point card ever costing more than a dollar. I think it was even free several months ago up until they canceled it now.
 
I went today, hoping to look for Japanese strategy guides like at Kinokuniya, but the clerk said they didn't have any... :(
I got a nice haul anyway, as there were enough JP comics to keep me satisfied for a while. I bought big volumes of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and Fist of the North Star.

Checked out the video games, saw a particular game at an okay price.
Overall, I'm okay with this store, even if the english manga prices were a bit steep. I guess that's why I go to Strand.
 
detectiveconan: Sometimes they'll have strategy guides for sale in the section with the Japanese computer books (if they still carry them, that is...), but yeah, Kinokuniya's selection has always been better in that respect.
 
Even if you're not interested in ridiculously cheap ($1-3) books, Japanese music CDs, or manga, I'd say it's worth a visit just for the aesthetics alone: the staff politely greets customers in Japanese and the store's design is very different from Western designs. The first time I went there I literally felt like I was on another planet, or at least another country, so it's interesting if you want to see what a modern Japanese store is like.

And there's the absolutely gorgeous Kinokuniya and the biggest library in the city (the non-circulating one looks like a museum) just within a stone's throw.
 
I used to work here (and still do on vacations from school).

I haven't been there for a while but yes, we are beginning to sell used games. I can't confirm anything on the Members Card though until my friend comes home from Japan.
 
i went there yesterday. they had some nice import games, but they were from $29-$35. there were some strategy guides in the $1 book section though. also a wide selection of $1 manga
 
Hmm... I found the prices on some of the import games reasonable. I got an SRW game for $12!
Now if I could find wtf are the strategy guides. A Japanese used book store should have 'em but no success...
 
The strategy guides are on the shelves opposite of the last one (from the entrance, the right side of the store). It's on your left next to where all the cookbooks are.
 
I think he's looking for Japanese strategy guides specifically...

detectiveconan I didn't see any last time I was there (which was about a week ago). Have you tried asking one of the clerks?
 
Ah. I'm glad at least one of us knows how to read. Japanese strategy guides seem to be upstairs where the anime artbooks are, but the selection is pretty tiny. Offhand, I can only think of Melty Blood, Dead or Alive 4, and a few PS2 RPGs.
 
Most of the import games at Book-Off are DS ones (though they've been steadily getting more for other systems), which are playable on any DS in the world. Same goes for the PSP (for games, not movies) and GBA. Japanese PS3 games should work on American consoles, since they're in the same Blu-Ray region. Everything else, I think, requires Japanese consoles or a workaround.
 
Sorry to revive this thread but I bought a bunch of 3.50$ PS2 games, import and domestic. If you haven't been in a while, maybe some of the games you wanted have been given a price cut.
 
Anyone know of any import friendly PS3 games?

I was in there like a month ago for a few Manga and noticed some PS3 game boxes on the shelf out of the corner of my eye, but I was caught off guard by the casier tellingme about the cancelation of the points card thing (I hadn't been in there for months), so I didn't bother to check it out afterwards.
 
[quote name='jeffx']Sorry to revive this thread but I bought a bunch of 3.50$ PS2 games, import and domestic. If you haven't been in a while, maybe some of the games you wanted have been given a price cut.[/QUOTE]

What were the games you bought?
 
Was there last weekend, they had maybe 6 or seven shelves of games, not too much. I ended up picking getting Victorious Boxers (PS2) for 7 dollars. The store in general is great, the games area is a nice addition but probably not reason enough to go.
 
[quote name='Nibi']Was there last weekend, they had maybe 6 or seven shelves of games, not too much. I ended up picking getting Victorious Boxers (PS2) for 7 dollars. The store in general is great, the games area is a nice addition but probably not reason enough to go.[/quote]

Did u happen to see if they had any import Xbox 360 games?
 
Sorry, no import 360 games. In terms of Import games they only had GBA, DS, PSP, PS3, PS2 and Wii. They did have American Xbox 360 and Xbox games
 
I went yesterday and in front of the store, it said that their biggest sale ever was going to start today or tomorrow (I don't remember, sorry) and will go on through February. If anyone knows the details of this promotion, please post.
 
Thank you whitereflection for posting that the store is having a sale this month. I go to the store maybe once or twice a month.

I was able to pick up some manga at a good discount (I might go back to pick up some more). I would have sifted through the import game titles, but the store is a like a sauna in the winter time.
 
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