Trading in games

Potential-Monke

I used to work in GameStop, and i was utterly amazed by the ammount of games being traded in. Everyday, there would be upwards of 200 games been traded in, and double at weekends, and this was one of the less busy stores.

Now, i can see why you would trade in games, but i just cannot justify trading in a game. I never could beforehand, and still can't (really) to this day. I've only ever traded in games that were so far past complete crap that i would be ashamed to have them beside the console, and back when i got my PS3 (i traded in about 30 games).

Aside from those occasions, i just can't justify it. A recent example was i was heading into Game to trade in Ninja Gaiden Sigma for the PS3 (pretty, but didn't like it), and i made a point of checking how much they cost pre-owned, €45, and i was offered €22 credit! Scandulous!!!! Plus, it's not worth getting next to nothing for a game you paid 1/7th of a weeks wages for (roughly).

For this reason, i have all my PS3 games (a whopping 5), but also have every game i bought for the PS2 (about 300 minus 30 or so).

So, do you trade in, or do you hold onto your games?

Branoic

I never used to trade in games, but with the volume of top class games coming out this time of year, I've had to trade in just to save my wallet some serious damage. In the past month or so I've traded in Prey, COD3, Saints Row, PGR3 and Splinter Cell Double Agent - all games that I enjoyed (well, I was a bit iffy on COD3 and Prey), but which I haven't played in months. The way I figured it, what's the point in them sitting by my console gathering dust, when they can help me get new games at a reduced cost, even if that saving isn't all that great?

This weekend and next weekend I'm thinking of trading in The Darkness, Pes 2008 (didn't like it all) and Stranglehold (fun while it lastest but I doubt I'd play it again) to help lessen the damage caused by Assassin's Creed and Mass Effect.

FutureGuy

Prior to the current generation, my main console was the GameCube. I couldn't bring myself to trading them in, just in case I wanted to play them some day. 3 years later, 23 out of the 28 games have not been played even once. So I now have 23 GC games gathering dust and I definately couldn't sell them for a fiver each.

I made sure that I wouldn't make the same mistake again when I bought my next console.

This generation, I have the 360Elite, PS3, Wii, DS and PSP. If I get a good offer, i'll trade it in or sell it on. I realised if I really want to replay them in the future, I can rent the most of them from XtraVision.

Zombrex

I trade a game in that I think I would not play again, be it good or bad

Its exactly the same way I would give a book I am never going to read again to a second hand book shop

Don't really see what the big deal is.

I can understand the industry getting annoyed because they make no money on the sale, and TBH I would rather sell the thing myself to a mate than give it to GAME or GameStop purely because the mark up is ridiculous. But other times I couldn't be bothered and just pop along in.

When the consoles and PC switch over to proper digital distribution, probably in the next gen cycle (2012 prop) trading will become defunct.

Branoic

Wicknight wrote: »

Its exactly the same way I would give a book I am never going to read again to a second hand book shop

Funny you should say that. While I'm now coming around to the idea of trading in games, I've never ever parted with a book I've bought. Dunno what it is. Even if I didn't finish the book, I've still got it up on my shelves. Likewise while I may on some occassions get a pre-owned game if I'm not that fussed with it, I'll always buy new books, never second-hand, and never use the library. I love the smell of a newly printed book!

Kenny_D

Trading is good at times. I dont play much online but wanted to get halo 3 to see how the story mode went. Flew through it and traded it into xtravision and got a €40 gift card for it. I'll use the credit now when Assasins Creed comes out and save myself a nice chunk of money

Vyse

I have never got rid of any of my games unless I was selling a machine, just don't think you get any value from it. I suppose younger people may have to trade in games to get the latest games but fortunately, being in full employment for years longer than I wish to remember, I don't have to:)

My mam once gave away a load of my Commodore 16 games. Needless to say I was less than impressed:mad:

killyoutodeath

i only trade in games if im desperate for a game and dont have the money to buy it that would be the only time i trade in games.

AnCapaillMor

Constantly buying games, so they build up, wish trades were around a while back, i've 2 racks full with Ps2, Ps1 and Xbox games. Once i finish a game i'll rarely go back to itand don't see the point of holding onto them.

whitetrash

I'd rather give a game away than trade into a shop. The devs don't get money either way, but the e20 I don't get for it is offset by the good karma of not fuelling the ripping-off of the poor saps who buy the trade-ins.

tman

I just keep all my games these days, or sell them on adverts/ebay very rarely.
I went to trade Skate. in one shop and was offered €30 even though they were selling a preowned copy for €60... Needless to say I kept the game

Potential-Monke

tman wrote: »

I just keep all my games these days, or sell them on adverts/ebay very rarely.
I went to trade Skate. in one shop and was offered €30 even though they were selling a preowned copy for €60... Needless to say I kept the game

Thats my whole point, it sickens me to think that from the little bit of money i got off them, they're making twice that for basically putting 2 stickers on it!

killyoutodeath

yeah it makes me sick when you trade something in and see it in the shop for double the price.i was offered 30e for my ps2 then i seen a poster in the shop saying"preowned ps2 70e" i know they should make profit but not 40e profit!

Zapp Brannigan

At the end of the day its all about profit. You think a company will offer you 20 euro for a game and then sell it for the same amount!? They'll stick a nice high price on it and people will still buy it as it's cheaper than a new game (which actually isn't always the case)

Branoic

tman wrote: »

I went to trade Skate. in one shop and was offered €30 even though they were selling a preowned copy for €60... Needless to say I kept the game

Why? If someone's dumb enough to pay €60 for a pre-owned game that's their problem. Yes, the price retailers sell traded games for can be insane, but why should you care what that price is if you get €30 for a product you no longer use?

whitetrash

Some people don't enjoy knowingly allowing someone else to be screwed over?

Attol

Screwed over? Who exactly is forcing you to trade in anything? That's the arguement I always find amusing. You could let it gather dust in your house or get rid of it and get something for it. Not everyone likes buying/selling things over the net. Caveat Emptor... If you don't like what you're being offered in one store try another or else sell it yourself.

Stephen

Its far better for both buyer and seller to trade games directly with other gamers through sites like adverts.ie. Buyer gets the game cheaper than he would in the likes of gamestop and seller gets more money than that shower would have given him. Not as convenient but there you go.

whitetrash

Attol wrote: »

Screwed over? Who exactly is forcing you to trade in anything? That's the arguement I always find amusing. You could let it gather dust in your house or get rid of it and get something for it. Not everyone likes buying/selling things over the net. Caveat Emptor... If you don't like what you're being offered in one store try another or else sell it yourself.

I wasn't referring to myself as the one being screwed over, but the poor young kid with the puppy-dog eyes and hope in his heart who buys the trade-in. Nobody is forcing me to trade in, I never said they were. Like I said above I'd rather give it away or sell it myself. Seeing as I never made the argument you claimed, please consider your amusement... revoked!

Attol

You as in people in general, not you personally.

I still think my point is valid. It's a service offered because not everyone has the time/wish to sell things themselves. It's not going to be free. It's a shop, not a charity.

whitetrash

You're right. My problem is the amount of markup they put on it, and seeing people who don't know any better buying them. Hence, I refuse to participate.

Jazzy

What pisses me off is when you see AAA games like Metroid Prime in the pre-owned section. -_-
other then that I have no problemo with it, its just a service (and is quite handy for buying the odd nugget)

Vikings

whitetrash wrote: »

You're right. My problem is the amount of markup they put on it, and seeing people who don't know any better buying them. Hence, I refuse to participate.

Would you rather these "fools" who don't know better buy the game new? They save by buying the game second hand, the person trading the game in gets something back on a game they will never play again (why else trade it in) or would you really suggest that they keep the game on their shelf to spite these companies who provide us with new games when they are needed?

GStormcrow wrote: »

Trading is good at times. I dont play much online but wanted to get halo 3 to see how the story mode went. Flew through it and traded it into xtravision and got a €40 gift card for it. I'll use the credit now when Assasins Creed comes out and save myself a nice chunk of money

So basically you spent €25~ to rent the game? When Xtravision actually do rent the game for far cheaper?

whitetrash

Vikings wrote: »

Would you rather these "fools" who don't know better buy the game new? They save by buying the game second hand, the person trading the game in gets something back on a game they will never play again (why else trade it in) or would you really suggest that they keep the game on their shelf to spite these companies who provide us with new games when they are needed?

Um, I didn't call anyone a fool, so I don't know who you're quoting there. I suggest they give it away or sell it themselves.

And yeah, I would suggest selling the game yourself or giving it away if only to spite companies whose business model is to intentionally rip-off both their customers and suppliers in one fell swoop. I do it all the time. Wanna buy a game?

I wouldn't mind so much if there was an appreciable discount on the second hand games. That would be a service to the customer, but selling second hand games with close to 100% markup doesn't qualify as a service to me.

Vikings

whitetrash wrote: »

Some people don't enjoy knowingly allowing someone else to be screwed over?

Yeah I know, I called them so called "fools" after your above comment on them. Was just a generalisation as seems to be oh so common in this thread.

And by not buying these traded in games what do you hope to achieve?

Do you really think companies will drop the price on them when they are clearly selling? If anything they will increase the price for them or reduce the price they offer for the games to make up for the loss of profit from you not buying the game. Either that or they will up the price somewhere else. They are running a business not a charity.

Obviously to get the best price for your game or to get the cheapest price for a game you are buying you should shop around but if that means spending a week or two searching adverts or eBay trying to win an item cheap then to be honest its not worth my time. If I want a game I will go buy it, if it's second hand when I get there I will get that over the new game as it saves me money. I don't even think twice about how much the original owner got for it as it doesnt concern me and it shouldnt concern you. If they were unhappy getting some change for their game would they really have traded it in at all?

Sierra Oscar

I have quite a huge collection now - I just keep em.:)

whitetrash

Vikings wrote: »

Yeah I know, I called them so called "fools" after your above comment on them. Was just a generalisation as seems to be oh so common in this thread.

And by not buying these traded in games what do you hope to achieve?

Removing myself from contributing to the problem

Vikings wrote: »

Do you really think companies will drop the price on them when they are clearly selling? If anything they will increase the price for them or reduce the price they offer for the games to make up for the loss of profit from you not buying the game. Either that or they will up the price somewhere else. They are running a business not a charity.

Usually when things aren't selling, prices drop. If they reduce the money they offer for the games less people will bring them in for trade. I never claimed they were running a charity, but running a business doesn't give you exemption from ethics.

Vikings wrote: »

Obviously to get the best price for your game or to get the cheapest price for a game you are buying you should shop around but if that means spending a week or two searching adverts or eBay trying to win an item cheap then to be honest its not worth my time.

That's fine. I don't scour ebay for cheap games either. I buy new games when I want to buy them. The money goes to the actual developers this way.

Vikings wrote: »

If I want a game I will go buy it, if it's second hand when I get there I will get that over the new game as it saves me money. I don't even think twice about how much the original owner got for it as it doesnt concern me and it shouldnt concern you. If they were unhappy getting some change for their game would they really have traded it in at all?

Buy a second hand game and zero money goes to the people who made it and double the money goes to the middlemen. Please don't tell me what should concern or not concern me. Like i've said I wouldn't mind if the savings customers made were actually significant. If I didn't care about supporting the developers I like then I'd just download all my games for free.

Vikings

whitetrash wrote: »

Buy a second hand game and zero money goes to the people who made it and double the money goes to the middlemen. Please don't tell me what should concern or not concern me. Like i've said I wouldn't mind if the savings customers made were actually significant. If I didn't care about supporting the developers I like then I'd just download all my games for free.

So you have never bought a second hand game as you do not want to feed the middlemen? What happens then when you sell a second hand game? You become that middleman but then thats not a problem is it?

Trading in a game is the same as selling it, the shop buys it from you but also charges you at the same time for this to be done. That is why you get such low prices for trade ins.

Just to point out, I do not trade in games.. I would feel robbed by the pittance that would be offered to you from the shop but that does not mean I will not buy a traded in game. I will happily buy one as it will save me money. You are suggesting that people boycott buying traded in games in the hope that the whole process becomes fairer to the original buyer of the game but it won't happen by you not buying the games.