Get Lots of Trade in Credit at Gamestop

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Looking to upgrade your console or video game collection? Using trade-in credit at Gamestop is a great way to go, especially if you’re short on cash. This guide will help you get the most trade-in credit for your old games and systems.

Steps

Joining the store's trade-in scheme

  1. Visit your local Gamestop store and get a PowerUp Rewards card. It’s free and you’ll score points for every game or system you trade in. You can spend your points on rewards, like exclusive collector’s items or Gamestop gift cards.
    • If you frequently buy or trade in games, you may consider upgrading to a PowerUp rewards Pro card for $14.99/year. You’ll get 10% off used games and an added 10% on all trade-ins, which makes for killer bonuses. You also get a 12-month Game Informer subscription.

Finding offers

  1. Go to the Gamestop website and check out their latest trade-in offers and bonuses: http://www.gamestop.com/collection/trade-in.
    • Some offers will be of better value to you than others, depending on what you’d like to purchase and what you have to trade in. Read the offers carefully and try to find the best one.
  2. If you want a new release, and that release is in a promotion at GS next week for "50 percent more trade in credit when you trade toward INSERT GAME HERE", wait for that promotion. GS already pays down on trade ins (about 30 percent of used price) and if you choose cash, you get 20 percent less, so only 24 percent if you choose cash, so any bonus definitely helps. Fifty percent extra trade in value is equal to about 45 percent of the used price.

Choosing your trade ins

  1. Decide what you’d like to trade in. As per their website, Gamestop accepts video games, consoles, accessories, iPods, iPads, and iPhones.
    • Your items must be in full working condition to get full value, but items not in full working condition may still be eligible for trade.
    • The newer the game or console, the more credit you’ll receive.
  2. Know which games get the best returns. The most valuable games are those in demand. Anything related to Mario, Pokémon, or Zelda is usually worth decent money, as long as it's a Wii, Wii U, or DS game.
    • For example, as of July 2014, Pokémon Platinum for the DS is still worth around $16, and New Super Mario Brothers for the Wii is also worth around $18, while less popular games like Wii Play are only worth $0.25.
    • Don't bother trading games like Wii Sports (Wii Sports Resort is okay, though), Sports Champions, or Skylanders (you can trade it as long as you have the portal and bundled characters) because they sell in GS for $1 or less, and everyone already has them, and they most likely won't take it.
    • Don't bother with sports games if they are over a year old.
    • GS won't take everything. They don't take PS1/2 games, original Xbox games, or Gamecube games, but they do still take PSP (as of July 2014) and DS games.
  3. GS takes broken games, too, even if they don't play! They just charge a refurbishing fee from $1-$5. That said, don't expect to walk in with two or three broken Wii games and expect to walk out with 3 brand new PS4 releases. Even with 50 percent extra promotions, three broken Mario Wii games will maybe pay for one used PS3 game.

Doing trade ins

  1. Bring your trade-in items to your local Gamestop store. Let a store associate know you have items to trade in and what offers you’d like to redeem. They will guide you through the process and let you know what items they will and will not accept.
  2. Finished.

Tips

  • Occasionally, there will be Trade-In guides on the desk or in an easy-to-see area. If you see one, get it and locate the coupons in the book (if any).
  • Try to trade in as many games as possible at the same time. This increases the total trade-in credit amount. Bonuses will help increase your amount, as well.
  • If you trade in games or systems, make sure they are in good condition to get the best value.
  • Double check the dates on the coupons or offers you are hoping to get.
  • Make sure the game or system at least works before making sure it's in good condition to get a good or decent value on it and be sure to trade in as many as possible.
  • Do not try to negotiate or barter with the sales associate. They are not the ones who set the prices, and they cannot change them.
  • Don't go to Gamestop if you want cash. You get 20% less after any bonuses if you choose cash. IF you really want cash, sell the credit to the person in line behind you for whatever credit they gave you.
  • If the person behind or in front of you doesn't have a PowerUp card and you have a PowerUp PRO card, offer to let them use your card. They get 10% off, you get free points. You will usually get about 600 points if it's a new game they are getting, and about 400-600 per game if it's used.
  • Know that GS is always paying the lowest price possible, whether you choose cash or credit. You came because you wanted the convenience of walking out with a new game or cash in 5 minutes instead of selling on eBay, etc. Their trade values only go down, usually.
  • Don't take vintage games. They won't pay what they're worth.

Warnings

  • The longer you wait to trade in games, the lower their value is.
  • Sports games tend to drop in price quickly because a new one is out every year. If you want a good price on a sports game sell it as soon as you possibly can.
  • If you think the sales associate did not include an offer or coupon, be sure to let them know.
  • Defective items may be eligible for trade at a lesser value, including Xbox 360 systems with "Red Ring" errors, scratched games and more.
  • Most Gamestops do not accept older-generation games, like Nintendo 64, Playstation 1, Dreamcast, and GameCube. They also do not accept previous handhelds such as Game Boy Pocket/Game Boy/Game Boy Color/Game Boy Advance systems or games.
  • Be careful about trading in games; you cannot get them back by any means other than re-purchasing them.
  • When trading in systems, make sure you take out all games, memory cards, and other peripherals. You do not want to give the store more than they pay for.
  • Family and sports games are useless as trades. The most you will get on them is 1 maybe 2 dollars as there isn't a high demand. You get best value on them about a month after release.

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