Amazon.com Begins Buying, Selling Used Games

Joining the lucrative used game market, online retailer Amazon.com today began accepting console game trades in exchange for credit, which can then be used on the site.

Prospective traders select the games they wish to trade, with the values prominently displayed, and are then provided with a free shipping label. Once the product arrives at Amazon.com, that value is added to one's account.

Those that trade by March 19 will receive a coupon for 10% off a single game or accessory.

The games must be in "good condition" and include the original packaging.

According to Lazard Capital Markets analyst Colin Sebastian, a survey of ten games shows Amazon is "offering a slight premium to GameStop for a number of trade-ins."

However, Sebastian told GameDaily BIZ that the firms does "not expect a significant impact on GameStop's used business as a result of Amazon's new trade-in program." He explained that though Amazon can offer a greater trade value and a better selection of used games, the delay in receiving credit has been unpopular in past scenarios.

Toys R Us recently began testing its own trade program, the market being a substantial source of profit for GameStop. In Q2 2008, used game sales made up 49.7% of GameStop's profit, though they only accounted for some 26.1% of total sales.