Trading Places

45 responses to “Trading Places”

1. 

   Aidan

   May 30, 2011 at 1:16 pm

   Yikes. Some of the differences between retailers are quite large.

   Reply
   1. 

      Alinos

      May 30, 2011 at 1:38 pm

      yeah though in general my experience is that while JB re-sells games most of the time they don’t really want to.

      It’s a bunch of extra work for them, and because they tend to sell second hand games at a reasonable price as opposed to 3dollars under shelf price(that was the difference i saw on a 5month old game at EB on friday)

      Reply
      1. 

         crotchdot

         May 30, 2011 at 1:52 pm

         The crazy thing I find is that EB tend to charge $10-$30 more for their new games than other retailers, so by only knocking off a few dollars from their new price their second-hand titles almost always work out more expensive than buying new from other retailers.

         Reply
      2. 

         RaygunBrown

         May 30, 2011 at 4:47 pm

         Seems weird that JB don’t really want to re-sell games when every single copy of every single game has a fat TRADE AND SAVE sticker on it and their pre-owned section is now equal size to their new section.

         Reply
         1. 

            buckE

            May 30, 2011 at 6:05 pm

            Having previously worked for JB Hi-Fi for over 3 years in the media sections (Mostly Games) I can tell you that JB place a huge priority on Pre-Owned games. They make tonnes of profit off selling pre-owned. And as someone else mentioned, the trade n save stickers on everything sort of points to that.

            JB will generally give less for trade-ins when compared to EB and GAME, but they sell their pre-owned much cheaper, so it’s all relative.

            Reply
2. 

   Brendan

   May 30, 2011 at 1:27 pm

   Also worth noting – not only is Game fairly generous with its’ basic buy prices, they’ve got a promotion on their website at the moment where any two games gets you an extra $10 over base value, three games gets you $20, and four games gets you $30 on top of whatever you’re already quoted.

   Makes those $2-$5 trade ins at the bottom of your cupboard suddenly worth a lot more!

   Reply
   1. 

      DanV1337

      May 30, 2011 at 1:34 pm

      If you trade more and more games you get even more, the cycle restarts at 4 so if you traded 6 games in you’d get an extra $40 credit!!!

      Also GAME beat any trade prices given, by whatever amount the person on duty wants!!

      Reply
      1. 

         DansDans

         May 30, 2011 at 1:54 pm

         When the PS3 first came out I traded 43 PS2 games with a gauranteed trade in value of $19.70 per game Inc games I’d paid $10-$12 for. Bought a second hand PS3 for $99 and had to put in $40 extra coz of the 2 games they wouldnt accept. I like them.

         Reply
   2. 

      sean

      May 30, 2011 at 2:20 pm

      I recently took advantage of that myself, picking up LA Noire for only $23 after trading in Little Big Planet (which will be free on the PS Store when it’s back up, trade it in now guys before it ends up on exclusion lists or worth next to nothing) and three other games that were worth next to nothing.

      Reply
3. 

   SuperFred

   May 30, 2011 at 1:30 pm

   EBgames are really, really scummy with their trade in deals. Pay $45 for LA Noir, resale for 80-85 at least.

   Reply
4. 

   Cody

   May 30, 2011 at 1:38 pm

   Just remember, Game offsets their generous trade in prices on certain titles by offering you absurdly low prices for other titles.

   I remember being offered $7(?) I think it was for a particular PS3 title I saw them selling on their shelf at the same time for $79 (preowned).

   That being said, their bulk trade in deals can work out pretty sweet if you play your cards right.

   Reply
5. 

   Cypher

   May 30, 2011 at 2:02 pm

   EB give you crappy trade prices and then re-sell for near new prices. I’m over all 3 retailers now, espescially EB because they actually didn’t put the disc in a game I got a few weeks ago, didn’t realise until I went to play it. Had to go back however they did straight up hand the disc over, but it was an annoyance to have to go back in the first place. And GAME are just rude most of the time.

   Reply
6. 

   RaygunBrown

   May 30, 2011 at 2:10 pm

   Last thing I traded was Assassin’s Creed 1. EB Games gave me $25 for my month old copy. Then they put it on the shelf for $105. I wish I was joking.

   Also, I’m interested as to when they announce these trade-in prices. When a game comes out, do EB games etc. have trade in prices ready to go day one? Is there anyone trading the game on launch day? I’m pretty sure I remember seeing TRADE IN YOUR DS LITE signs on the day the DS Lite actually came out.

   Reply
   1. 

      ♣TadMod♣

      May 30, 2011 at 2:15 pm

      Oh wow. That’s a 400% markup…
      That’s really dodgy!

      Reply
      1. 

         RaygunBrown

         May 30, 2011 at 2:25 pm

         Yeah, I’m not sure they do it anymore (haven’t set foot in an EB in ages) but I distinctly remember new games priced at $119.95 and their pre-owned versions at $104.95. I asked an EB dude whether this was right and he told me ‘Yup’.

         Reply
         1. 

            ♣TadMod♣

            May 30, 2011 at 2:27 pm

            That’s pretty much a massive fail…

            Reply
            1. 

               Aidan

               May 30, 2011 at 2:56 pm

               It’s almost criminal. Anyone who pays those prices is really missing out on some better deals.

      2. 

         mynameispt

         May 30, 2011 at 4:31 pm

         While we’re bashing Electronic’s Buttock, I used to work there about six years ago and I’ll never forget one of the most absurd trade in offers. One of the regular customers, a kid no older than about 12 years old, was trading in his PS2 to get a 360. He had a bunch of games, the console and two official memory cards.

         The re-sale price on the memory cards was $20 a pop, but the trade in price was – get this – $0.
         I can’t remember how much EB were going to offer for the console and games, but they weren’t even going to offer ONE DOLLAR for the memory cards but were content to sell them on. That’s, like, an infinite percent mark up.

         Reply
   2. 

      Fenixius

      May 30, 2011 at 3:21 pm

      Yup, trade-in values are there on (or even before) day one. Just call ’em up and ask or even walk in. Mind you, you can usually return most games within seven days for store credit anyway…

      Reply
7. 

   Dean

   May 30, 2011 at 2:32 pm

   Game is good for trade in but they are pains in the arse if you have even a few scratches on the disc charging you 4 bucks to fix it. In the grand scheme still better trade deal but an insult if you care for your games. I once called a guy out on this o show me some
   Second hand games on the shelf most were so much more scratched then the disc I was trading in

   Reply
8. 

   Cody

   May 30, 2011 at 2:48 pm

   Checked out EB just yesterday – I do this every once a month or so, because every now and then I do find something worthwhile.

   They are having their ‘Hero Sale’ at the moment – EB ‘sales’ consist of them putting stock out on tables, basically. Bargains spotted:

   Crysis 2 Limited Edition (PS3), new – $109.95.
   Crysis 2 Limited Edition (PS3) preowned – $102.
   They ARE kidding, right? Right?

   Call of Duty : Black Ops (PS3) $20 Off! (Except their starting price is $119.95)
   WOW SAVINGS!

   GG, EB.

   Reply
   1. 

      RaygunBrown

      May 30, 2011 at 3:06 pm

      Holy hell. Looks like they still do it.

      Reply
      1. 

         RaygunBrown

         May 30, 2011 at 3:08 pm

         In fact, that Crysis deal looks even worse than what I was talking about.

         Reply
      2. 

         Cody

         May 30, 2011 at 3:09 pm

         Yeah, I’ve never traded anything in at EB. They’ve been doing it for as long as I can remember, and they’re still at it.

         They wouldn’t do it unless some people are OK with paying $5 less than new for preplayed, right?

         Reply
         1. 

            RaygunBrown

            May 30, 2011 at 3:24 pm

            I subscribe to the theory that 99% of EB’s customers are unaware of game prices other than RRP. They must just stumble in off the street to buy ‘the Wii Fit’ or something and just assume that’s what games cost. The concept of buying cheap games online would be completely alien to them. There must be tens of thousands of them.

            I remember being in an EB a couple of years ago and overheard this one dude boasting about his game console collection. He was one of those deranged, unshaven guys who wear far too many obselete gadgets/phones/pagers on their belts. He was bragging to some girl about how he’s got every console under the sun and was ‘gonna buy the Xbox 720 when it comes out soon’. He looked like a raving lunatic.

            Point being, these kind of dudes would pay $120 for Black Ops without batting an eyelid.

            Reply
   2. 

      706

      May 30, 2011 at 3:32 pm

      “EB ‘sales’ consist of them putting stock out on tables, basically”

      100% agreed

      Or doing ‘buy 2 pay for 1’ ‘buy 3 pay for 2’ after marking everything up by 50%, like that Black Ops. BS that should be $120, it shouldn’t have been that much at release, it sure as hell shouldn’t be that much now.

      Reply
      1. 

         Cypher

         May 30, 2011 at 4:11 pm

         Wasn’t even tables at the EB I went to. In fact, my friend and I saw them taping together a bunch of cardboard boxes and then covering them in black plastic for this sale. Epic, epic fail.

         Reply
         1. 

            mynameispt

            May 30, 2011 at 4:36 pm

            Yep. That’s how the ‘tables’ used to be put together – they’re just old boxes that are used for transporting stock, taped together to make Tetris blocks and then draped in plastic.

            At least they’re easy to take apart and store (read: chuck out).

            Reply
9. 

   thxultra

   May 30, 2011 at 3:08 pm

   Yeah GAME always has the best trade-value. Especially great for all those “triple AAA” that only last you 2 days – get $80 bucks back! Its a pitty as my favourite game store is our Auzzie GameTraders, coz of all the retro stuff – but their trade value can be pretty low, but you can get cold hard cash there though, which can come in handy sometimes.

   Reply
   1. 

      706

      May 30, 2011 at 5:25 pm

      I like to support Game Traders as I like their retro stuff, their toys and anime, and the fact that their staff are actually friendly and seem to enjoy games. I wish I could support them more but the only one I know of is Chadstone and that still isn’t close.

      Reply
10. 

    Daniel

    May 30, 2011 at 3:18 pm

    EB’s last catalogue said LA Noire was $70 trade in if done before 2 June, and $60 if before 9 June. Make sure to hold them to it.

    Reply
11. 

    Jo

    May 30, 2011 at 3:28 pm

    I like this. I paid $53 for Brink, cant be bothered with it, so I will give it to Game and make $9 profit!

    Reply
12. 

    brock

    May 30, 2011 at 4:22 pm

    yeah last time i was in Eb games here $102 for preowned bulletstorm

    Reply
13. 

    James Mac

    May 30, 2011 at 4:29 pm

    This post demands an Eddie Murphy picture.

    Reply
    1. 

       RaygunBrown

       May 30, 2011 at 4:45 pm

       http://content.internetvideoarchive.com/content/photos/008/00034605_.jpg

       Reply
    2. 

       RaygunBrown

       May 30, 2011 at 4:48 pm

       http://christopherfountain.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/trading_places_kobal-9369.jpg

       Reply
    3. 

       RaygunBrown

       May 30, 2011 at 4:50 pm

       http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/2604435721_3724df08d2.jpg

       Reply
       1. 

          Gavin

          May 30, 2011 at 5:13 pm

          Well that’s just scary!

          Reply
14. 

    PiMan

    May 30, 2011 at 4:43 pm

    Portal 2 on PS3, what’s the situation for that? A price is listed, but what about Steam on PS3? And surely you wouldn’t get the PC/Mac version free with it like when new…

    Reply
15. 

    Gavin

    May 30, 2011 at 5:12 pm

    Sell your games on Ebay. If people are silly enough to buy 2nd hand games from EB with only a fraction of a discount vs new pricing then I assume you’d find someone to offer you a decent price online! Makes sense right?

    Reply
16. 

    VGP

    May 30, 2011 at 5:59 pm

    This is an awesome article, nice job Mark.

    Reply
17. 

    roby21

    May 30, 2011 at 6:15 pm

    i work at JB, and seriously every time i walk into EB, it’s a joke…even that hero sale where most of the platinum games are like..$39? and we’ve got them all goin for $34 atm sale or not…yeah blatant advertising from myself, but i hope you get the idea

    Reply
18. 

    That Guy

    May 30, 2011 at 7:02 pm

    Seriously, EB Games are an absolute JOKE when it comes to trading. They are the biggest rip off merchants in the business and customers still line up getting ripped off blind….. It goes to show you that it just their reputation, and being around for over a decade is ALL they have.

    I shop at GAME exclusively!! Reason is the New Release prices are always cheaper (about $98 usually if not cheaper), and they offer unbelievable trade deals ( I got $70 for Portal 2 and got LA Noire for $18 Change over!!)

    I dont understand WHY would anyone go elsewhere when they have everything there, at the best prices, at the best trade deals, NO BRAINER.

    Well done GAME, you will continue to get my business over all the other retailers!!!

    Reply
19. 

    Brewer74

    May 31, 2011 at 10:59 am

    Yea, GAME is the best when it comes to trades. When you finish, just trade them in, their new release pricing is very comparable to other retailers now anyway. 7 day return policy as well.

    Reply
20. 

    bc

    May 31, 2011 at 1:40 pm

    …so the rule is- sell used at game, buy used at jb and never ever got to eb

    Reply