GameStop Trade-Ins truly are a Rip-Off....

I don' see what's so puzzling about at least expecting the user value back. We pay full price for a game and hardly get jack back the longer it's held onto. Why? Consider those ads you always see how much $ you can get back
from an old phone you no longer use, or for argument's sake let's just say petty much as I said, I hadn't even touched the disc iself, only wanted the early access demo code to Duke Nukem Forever. Now if not for having to open the case to take the slip out
with the code, that's nearly the same as the game not being opened, or at least in my case, used at all, even though because it was bought its considered used. So OK, my item would have less value than hat of something never used at all, so what ever happened
to those factors? Why should the value drop solely on how little others play, how many are stocked, whatever presumed factors, vs the condition of the item itself? The fact that I've even held onto it that long should've been worth more than a measly
$1.05! Just because the store needs to make the $ is a legimate excuse? What about
our lives?? That's all I'm saying. I don't really trade in much, either. I just find the irony behind it all completely ridiculous, otherwise adverts like GameFly wouldn't have a reason to keep pointing it out.

 

I only trade off games I'm not interested in playing ever again at Gamestop. Then I don't care if its only 5 € I get for the game.

 

I don't know what's worse. Expecting almost full retail value on a trade in of a used item or buying an amazing game like Borderlands just to play the demo of a pile of crap game like Duke Nukem Forever.

 

I don' see what's so puzzling about at least expecting the user value back. We pay full price for a game and hardly get jack back the longer it's held onto. Why?

Other than houses, name any product that doesn't lose value the longer it's held onto...


Consider those ads you always see how much $ you can get back from an old phone you no longer use, or for argument's sake let's just say petty much as I said, I hadn't even touched the disc iself, only wanted the early access
demo code to Duke Nukem Forever.

There is a 'stigma' about used items, always has been. The instant someone sees an item is 'used' they start to question 'why was it returned/traded in'? What happened?

Now if not for having to open the case to take the slip out with the code, that's nearly the same as the game not being opened, or at least in my case, used at all, even though because it was bought its considered used.

You aren't there to explain that to everyone that looks at the game and considers buying it. They have no idea why it was returned... it's yet another part of the 'stigma' that the retailer has to consider
in factoring it's resale value.

So OK, my item would have less value than hat of something never used at all, so what ever happened to those factors?

They are still taken into consideration... they just don't have the same weight as you feel they should.

Why should the value drop solely on how little
others play, how many are stocked, whatever presumed factors, vs the condition of the item itself?

Because after you leave the store, your half of the transaction ends and you just forget about the rest... but the store has to deal with it after that. If other people play the game very little, then
how do they know someone will even buy the game or want to play it? The condition of it isn't as important as we want it to be. Sure it has some bearing, but as long as the game disc is OK, the game is still playable and that's the single most important fact... it's
condition is secondary.

The fact that I've even held onto it that long should've been worth more than a measly $1.05!

How would a potential buyer know why you held onto it that long? Maybe it was part of an old collection you just found lying around collecting dust? Not to mention... why should they care? Customers
don't care who had it last or why... all they care about is if they want the game enough to pay the listed price or not.

Just because the store needs to make the $ is a legimate excuse?

Actually, yes. They're a business. If they didn't make anything from trade ins, or if they lost on them, then they'd stop doing it.

What about our lives?? That's all I'm saying.
What about your life? They're in business to make $... your life doesn't factor in that equation much for them, their customers' business does.

I don't really trade in much, either.

Neither do I... and just FTR, I think it is ridiculous how little they are willing to give for used games myself. But it is what it is. As others have suggested, ebay is probably a better answer. I'd
just save up several games that I wanted to trade and list them all at once if it were me.

I just find the irony behind it all completely ridiculous, otherwise adverts like GameFly wouldn't have a reason to keep pointing it out.

The reason GameFly points it out is the same reason you get so little from a trade in. They're in business to make $. That means they have to compete with other game retailers/renters out there. So
they point out the bad things about their competition in order to drive your business towards them... BTW, I use GameFly... it's a better deal IMO.

 

I think the 1 thing here hat was a bit misunderstood, as to why i said "what about our lives?" is because businss or not, we have to make $ in order to live and buy the thins we need in order to live. So hat as my point
there. Off topic a bit about Duke Nukem Forever, yeah the demo felt a bit slow on movement, (oddly enough some are when I 1st start, possibly from just not playing after so long) maybe that's just me, but come on.... Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic was pretty insane
back in the day, but that was then and this is now. I figured it had to be worth a little something, and the later, official teaser for it was pretty epic at the time that Duke hadn't lost his/its touch, my opinion, anyway.

 

That's what jobs are for. You can't depend on trading games in to make money (unless you buy low and sell high, which is quite possible to do but not something that can be relied on). There is also no way you can expect old games to net you much in return,
unless they're rare games.

 

A BLUE ILLUSION:
Old silver coins, Historical artifacts, As well as any other sort of item of VERY LIMITED QUANTITY provided their is a customer base for it.

Property does not really go up in value it just keeps a stable value as your purchase power drops.

.

.

.

What a game is worth to the system that is trying to sell it is simple, Pay the least possible, Sell for the most possible, Sell as quick as possible.

The best example I can give would be a old sports game.. A game so cheap that you buy it just to have a new cd case for good game..

It sells for 60 new 50 used... but its value plummets rapidly. When buying you risk that game sitting on the shelf for for a time period and if you pay good money for it and end up holding it even after the next year release then
you will have no choice but to take a loss.

.

The customers know the next game comes out every year and they all start trying to sell their games right before the release of the next game so they can put that money toward the new one. They walk in expecting 10, 20, sometimes
even 30 or 40 for the game and getting upset when they cannot sell it or have to settle for less than 1.00. The stores end up being overwhelmed with a large amount of games and have almost zero buyers for them all while losing precious floor space for a game
that is will sell for more and sell faster.

 

Then don't trade. Find a local charity and donate your old games. Or even better, find a child and parents who want the game, and have the child mow your lawn for the games.

 

I think the 1 thing here hat was a bit misunderstood, as to why i said "what about our lives?" is because businss or not, we have to make $ in order to live and buy the thins we need in order to live. So hat as my point
there.

I think I understood that point pretty well. Yes, we all have to make $ in order to live, but that same sentence also explains why it doesn't make any difference to a retailer like GS (etc). We play
our games for a lot of different reasons. They're a hobby, to pass time, entertainment, w/e. But one thing they are not is a thing we need in order to live. We can survive (although, lol, some may argue this point) just fine without them.

So, in that regard, our gaming habit is supported by our disposable income. We either have enough to support it or we don't. The keyword being disposable. It's income we can afford to lose. If trading
in a few games and taking a big loss affects someone's budget to the point that they can't afford to 'live and buy the things they need in order to live' then there are a lot bigger issues to deal with aside from the fact that they just got 'ripped off' by
GS.

In fact, Wal-Mart is now doing game trade ins (at least our local one is). Just for kicks and giggles, I asked a few questions and asked about trade in value for a few games. Most games for Xbox 360
were less than a buck or 2 there. One (if memory serves it was Gears of War 1) was 21 cents. A few of the newer titles for the X1 were around $20. Not really far off from what GS offered. Which is why I don't bother with trade ins much, if at all. It's always
going to be a losing proposition.

 

The best deals I've made were trading with others via Craigslist. I've ended up with several newly released games that people finished quickly and wanted to trade them for a few of my old ones. It's also nice to be able to look the games over right on
the spot and make sure they are in good condition.

 

To piggy-back off of what A Blue Illusion wrote, while you (OP) need money to feed your family, so do the people/employees at Gamestop, and the only way they can get their money is if the company makes money/profit. It's a dog eat dog world out there. As
37 others have mentioned already, you have options to sell the game at the price you feel it is worth, it just may take a bit more work on your end.