Amazon.com Begins Buying, Selling Used Games

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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.

Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    March 5, 2009 10:47 AM

    This just seems silly when you can physically bring a game back to gamestop (or toys r us) and have cash/new game in hand.

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      March 5, 2009 10:50 AM

      but maybe you hate Gamestop or they rape you on the Trade in Price?

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        March 5, 2009 11:00 AM

        or maybe you buy lots of kindle books and mp3s from amazon and would find it convenient to trade a game in and have it applied as an amazon credit... if i still played console games, id be inclined to send them to amazon for just this reason...

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        March 5, 2009 1:12 PM

        is the amazon payout price going to be that much better? They are doing this to tap into the used game market and make a profit. Ultimately its up to them what condition your used game is in and what its worth. This reminds me of the cash 4 gold schemes on TV :-P

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      March 5, 2009 11:01 AM

      Except Gamestop/EB are a complete rip off (maybe ToysRus isnt i donno). This is another alternative that will offer some nice competition.

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      March 5, 2009 11:16 AM

      And selling back to Gamestop seems silly to me when I can sell it on half.com or amazon marketplace for a lot more money.

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        March 5, 2009 1:14 PM

        Personally i sell back games rarely, as i dont own a console. (my gf has a nintendo wii), so sometimes we take games back for that when they have 30% bonus trade ins. If one of these places would buy used PC games i would be very pleased.

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