Best Buy ventures into Used Games...

[mjlambert1]

Here's a few articles on the subject:

http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2009/06/22/daily15.html

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2349297,00.asp

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124578118749642951.html

I have to say when I read that Gamestop has 90% of the used video game market, my jaw dropped. All I can say is that competition is a good thing, for all us gamers. Apparently, GameCrazy and FYE aren't enough! Godspeed Best Buy. Maybe now Gamestop will be more reasonable with their buyback rates.

[jeccaneko]

Toys R Us has expressed interest in selling used games too. I don't know if they are doing it yet or not.

I think it's a good thing too, but who knows if it'll actually do well. I prefer new games, especially when used games from places like Gamestop only end up about $5 less than the new game price. If used games have more competition maybe they'll get cheaper and/or there will be better trade-in values.

[sillystou]

After Futureshop here in Canada, now Best Buy joins the used game venture...

[MooTrain]

I think it's a good thing too, but who knows if it'll actually do well. I prefer new games, especially when used games from places like Gamestop only end up about $5 less than the new game price.

I typically don't buy used games. The thing about buying used is where that money is going.

When you buy a new title, money actually gets back to the developers of the title on the sale. When you buy used, the money goes squarely back to Gamestop, and the person who sold the game to Gamestop.

[greyguys]

I will only buy a used game if its a old sports game I haven't bought

for example NHL 08

[Apples]

Amazon, Best Buy, and all these others venturing into the used game market are setting themselves up for failure.

They are all half-assing their attempts to get into the market, and have not shown any hardened commitment to taking it over.... just half-hearted efforts.

Meanwhile, Gamestop basically has it down to a science... the buybacks, the store credit, the profit margins, etc.

Until someone really makes an aggressive push about it, it is just a gimmick. It's the Microsoft Zune trying to take over the iPod.

[Renrock]

They are all half-assing their attempts to get into the market



This. Just like Media Play, and every other big box name thats tried it in the past.

(I'd be scared if I actually thought they could pull it off)

[lawrence1103]

Gamestop sucks!

[PumpActionCow]

Gamestop sucks!

Ditto:p

[Buffdog18]

Yes, make Gamestop fight to live!

[BayouBengal032]

I really hope my store (I work at Best Buy) does not do this. If I understand from reading one of those articles, it's only going to start with a select few stores in Texas. Hopefully this will fail and we won't stoop down to Gamestop's level.

[Mega-Tallica]

Cool, hopefully Best Buy starts doing that with CD's also, maybe I'll actually start buying CD"s from there.

[Kreepman]

I guess this could be good.


Cool, hopefully Best Buy starts doing that with CD's also, maybe I'll actually start buying CD"s from there.
idk where you go in NJ, but the stores around me suck at carrying CDs xD
I get mine at Best Buy ^^

[kiggidykev]

Heh, not in Manitoba.

Our trading policies are so ridiculously overseen by the provincial government that stores like Blockbuster and Futureshop don't do trade-ins here. Only EB Games and pawn shops.

[Daytman]

I live in Austin, I'm going tomorrow to try it out and I shall report my findings.

[Daytman]

Alright guys, I went in there today and used it and this is how it works:

It was near the entrance, big, and easy to find. You touch the screen and choose to trade in games (other choices include buying used games [they do NOT go back on the shelf] and renting movies [$1 a day, pretty standard]). After that it'll ask you if you have the case or not. If you do, you scan the bar code in a bar code scanner (no clue what happens if you don't, I had the cases) and it'll ask you if you have any more after each one. At the end, they'll give you a quote which you can accept or decline.

If you accept, you're prompted to make an account (first time only) where you enter your email address and swipe a credit card (you aren't charged, it's for movie rentals) and your driver's license (to get information I guess). It says you have to be 18 but I'm 16 and I swiped my driver's license and it was accepted. Afterwards, a slot will light up and say "Insert (game name) now" and you insert them one by one when they prompt you, and they will quickly run the game for playability (30 seconds and the most). Finally when you're done, they print out a voucher with your amount on it and they ask you to dump your cases in yet another slot.

I traded in LOTR: Conquest and RE: Umbrella Chronicles for $24.50 which isn't bad, definitely more than you'd get at Gamestop. Overall, I was very satisfied. It was really quick and easy to use and I felt like I really put those games towards something. I used the money to get some Microsoft Points and left the store happy.

Edit: Also, my store just got it yesterday and the cashier that rang me up had no idea how to use the voucher, we had to get a manager out. If you try it in the next few days, don't expect the checkout process to be too quick.

Edit 2: Also, I found it much better than Gamestop for the fact that you could use it on anything in store, including movie rentals and used games. So that puts your games towards PC hardware and software, games, the systems and accessories, the instrument store, the CDs, the DVDs, appliances, etc.

[kingtonyx]

from what Daytman says, it sounds pretty good

I still use a local store for my stuff though

they have everything 3-4 days early!

[ArchangelZero]

It's a good idea, and if they keep it going, they can create some good business.


It's the Microsoft Zune trying to take over the iPod.

But the thing with that, is that the former is better than the latter.

[Ezekiel17]

From what I've head it seems you get a better deal from Best Buy then Gamestop... but none of the friendly advice from a Gamestop cashier (I frequent used games, I hate being broke). I might check it out...

[Daytman]

From what I've head it seems you get a better deal from Best Buy then Gamestop... but none of the friendly advice from a Gamestop cashier (I frequent used games, I hate being broke). I might check it out...
The people at my gamestop are the biggest *******s I've ever had the displeasure to meet.

Once, I had to buy a new microphone for Rock Band after mine broke. The only logitechs they had were for the Wii, so I asked the manager if it'd work on the 360 (because if they were labeled for the Wii, they obviously differ from the ones labeled for the 360). The manager yelled at me, saying, "Of course it's going to work, it's USB!" while rolling his eyes. The other people who work there aren't much better.

I'd much rather deal with a terminal.